Review: Michael Vey 2: Rise of the Elgen

Michael Vey 2: Rise of the Elgen by Richard Paul Evans

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



The first Michael Vey book was great. This one was basically the exact opposite. I don't think it was particularly clever. I RPE could have done a much better job with the characters. The story, the setting, and the use of the characters' special "powers" each lacked creativity. Candidly, this is what I expected to get from RPE in the first Michael Vey book. Maybe this is the proverbial sophomore slump and the third book will be back on track. I hope so because the ending to this book was fairly lame but I was happy to get to the end so I could move on to something else (and that is just kind of sad).



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6/8/13 Ride - Sometimes I Wish I Was Fast...

Review: The Rithmatist

The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 0 of 5 stars



I am extremely interested in reading this book. This is Brandon Sanderson's (one of the worlds best fantasy authors) first foray into Y.A. (Young Adult) fiction. Some people say that it is even appropriate for kids 11 and 12.

I love Sanderson. I love all his books. And I love a good teen fiction read. So, my fingers are crossed and I hope this book delivers on its promises. I will let you know.

Whee! Here we go.



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Review: The Emperor's Soul

The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This is a fantastic book to get young readers into the fantasy genre. It has a very simple magic system and the main character, a feisty young female, does a great job of drawing readers into the book.

This is a short novella by one of the best fantasy writers alive today (Brandon Sanderson) and I suggest that you give it a try ($2.99 on Amazon Kindle) if you have any interest in broadening your literary horizons. I was amazed at how fast I plowed through this.

As I expect with all Sanderson books, this one was a very good read.



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Today's Ride - Getting Lost in Daybreak

Today's Ride - Suncrest / Traverse Mountain

Today's Ride - 30 Miles / 2,900 Feet of Climbing

So I got a new bike several weeks ago and I guess I'm finally starting to ride into shape. Today felt good. Pretty high average speed considering the number of climbs. Fun stuff.

Things that Happen in 60 Seconds - Infographic

Really cool infographic:
Infographic by- Shanghai Web Designers

Review: The Last Guardian

The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



It was alright. Not the best in the series, not the worst. It felt a little forced, otherwise fairly entertaining.



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Review: Dead or Alive

Dead or Alive by Tom Clancy

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Meh. Maybe it's because I haven't read a Tom Clancy book in a long time or maybe it is because the characters that I grew up reading about (Jack, Ding Chavez, John Clark, etc.) seemed so much more impressive in other books, but I didn't think this was that great.

The story is entirely unoriginal. The characters were all flat. For the most part, I kept reading just so I could finish it (and move on to something else). There are so many good Tom Clancy books. In my mind, this is not one of them.



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