Zachary

Tiffany Aching grows up

Revisado: 06-29-15

Fans of the Tiffany Aching books will no doubt enjoy this next progression in her journey to adulthood and role as witch of the Chalk. For such a centered and mature young lady at the outset of the book, Tiffany still has much to learn, but as always, she is more than ready for the challenge.

For those who have read other Discworld novels, you may enjoy the cameos of the City Watch and the triumphant return of Eskarina Smith as much as I did. Esk was first introduced and last seen in the third Discworld novel, "Equal Rites." As a point of reference, this novel is the 38th in the Discwold, so you can imagine how nice it is to see her return!

However, despite my happiness with the novel as a whole, I did take issue with the central villain, the Cunning Man. His motivations felt obscure and his attacks random. And while this may indeed have been intentional, perhaps as an echo of prejudice in general, the resolution did not seem satisfying. To compare, the Hiver in "A Hat Full of Sky" had a similar role in the novel, but had an arc resolution that both motivated and enriched the Hiver itself, but also Tiffany. With the Cunning Man, I didn't get the same sense of thematic connection.

Criticisms of the plot aside, Stephen Briggs continues to do a wonderful job narrating the Discworld, especially the Nac Mac Feegles.

All in all, I would highly recommend this to fans of Tiffany Aching (who would probably not even need more of a reason to listen to this anyway) but would not suggest anyone start their journey in the Discworld here.

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Introspection and Mystery! What's Not to Love?

Revisado: 05-18-15

With a non-conventional protagonist (Rae Newborn, an older woman who suffers from severe depression) and a non-conventional mystery (one that plays a subtle role till the later half of the novel and doesn't involve a recently deceased corpse), Folly remains one of my favorite novels to date. Using the isolated setting, King gives her characters the space to breathe and grow satisfyingly, while the plot is propelled by the construction of the house which further brings the central mystery into focus. The narration by Frank Muller is also excellent, with distinct voices given to the characters and a wryness that felt natural given the 3rd person perspective from Rae. All in all I would highly recommend anyone listen to or read this novel in one form or another.

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A Fun, Frantic, and Frustrating Listen

Revisado: 05-18-15

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would conditionally recommend this book to friends who want an easy read but are willing to overlook some bumps along the way. Despite plot and character issues, the book does a good job expanding the world introduced in the previous novel as well as exploring the magic system Snyder has created.

What did you like best about this story?

I find details about the magic system the most interesting.

Which character – as performed by Gabra Zackman – was your favorite?

My favorite character would have to be Irys, the 4th Magician. She was an interesting character in the previous novel when she turned from enemy to ally, but in this novel her role as mentor is expanded and tested. I wish her role in the novel had been expanded, as well as her relationship with Yelena, but it was kind of put to the side in the third act while Yelena ran around doing her own thing and being saved by Valek.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I didn't have any extreme reactions other than occasionally rolling my eyes or letting out sighs of frustration at Yelena's actions.

Any additional comments?

I felt like the novel struggled trying to balance too many simultaneous plot threads, with the result that a lot of potential was lost in character arcs. Yelena seems to move from plot point to plot point, either rushing in for seemingly no reason, or else being kidnapped (seriously, she gets kidnapped at least four times). Although by the end of the book there seems to be an acknowledgement of her recklessness and growth in her relationships with her family, the change happens too rapidly, which is odd considering how jam packed the novel is.

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Pleasant and Familiar

Revisado: 05-11-15

A nice if formulaic historical serial killer mystery. Unlike many mysteries, the question isn't whodunnit, but rather when will he be caught and why does he do it? It's an interesting enough premise that suffers a bit with the length of the novel. The perspective shifts between characters occasionally at chapter breaks which was a bit disorienting to listen to. However, the narrator has a pleasantly dry British reading that made it easy to let the story ramble on. Perhaps one of the more unnecessary plot aspects is a tacked on romance between one of the main characters and the village doctor. Not enough time is given to the relationship to let it develop enough that I felt invested. The doctor, while an important character early in the novel, fades out of the plot in the second and third parts, which further derails the attempt at a romantic subplot.

That being said, I did enjoy the book and am interested in reading more of the authors work.

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