mac_ashton's reviews
121 reviews

Alliances by Timothy Zahn

3.0

This is ultimately a serviceable sequel to the first book. The narrative with Thrawn and Vader is a delight at every turn, but the book fails when it turns to the prequel era. Annakin and Padme are still two of the most frustrating characters in the Star Wars universe and I found myself begging for their storyline to just stop. It does lead to some interesting moments between Thrawn and Vader later on, but ultimately, I could have done without it.

Still, Zahn is undoubtedly one of the best Star Wars EU writers and I will continue to read his future works. It's not his fault that Annakin was done a disservice by the prequels, but it is his fault for including him so much in this book.

A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore

5.0

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman

4.0

Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaman were the most unlikely match-up for writers in my mind before reading this, but the result was delightful. Classic Pratchett humor with just the right level of seriousness at the end of the world. The characters are well crafted, the story is fun and there's just not much else out there like it.

If you're a fan of Pratchett's other work, or Douglas Adams, this will be right up your alley.

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

5.0

It's a lot shorter than I would like, but each tale is enthralling and brings Gaman's usual charm. Above all else, Norse Mythology taught me that Loki is one of the most diabolical villains in human history. Also highly recommend the audio book as Gaman reads it!

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson

4.0

The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck is full of fortune cookie advice that's going to leave you slapping your forehead and thinking: Why didn't I think of that and make millions of dollars? But, while the advice is pretty simple and obvious, it's written in a funny and engaging style that makes it feel less like a self-help book and more like a conversation with the author. I found the first half or so to be very inspiring with easy techniques to apply in daily life that actually worked where others haven't. Unfortunately, the second half of the book does fall a little bit into self-aggrandizement and 'look at me now' moments. There's no big secret to life at the end, so I recommend putting it down when you start to get bored, because it's unlikely to pick up again.

All gripes aside, still a very fun read and I would highly recommend!

Aberrant Tales: A Short Fiction Anthology by Ashton Macaulay, Jason Peters, Allison Middlebrook

5.0

Disclaimer, I am the author of the first story in this collection, so my review will only be speaking to the other tales. There are some absolutely fantastic stories in here from up and coming writers that run the gamut from a bad acid trip to travels in distant alternate futures. What I loved most is how unique the writing styles are, as well as the breadth of subject matter. Aberrant Tales doesn't hold anything back and isn't afraid to get a little weird with it.

Overall, it's a great showcase of 12 indie authors with stories you're not going to find anywhere else. Highly recommend.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

5.0

East of Eden is a slow, but beautiful burn that spans generations. While it took me a while to get absorbed in the story of the Trask family, by the end, I felt like I knew them well. I'm not sure if I've ever read a book with such effective and powerful characterization. The book itself is an epic by any standard and took me quite a while to get through, but I loved just about every minute of it. Highly recommend taking the time to read it.

Fool Moon by Jim Butcher

3.0

Fool Moon is definitely a step up from its predecessor. The writing feels tighter, the story is more engaging, and the characters are starting to have a little depth. Some are still a pretty shallow pond, but it's better than a puddle. My main issue tends to lie with Butcher's descriptions, mainly what he doesn't describe. If it's werewolves getting naked, you can bet there's a paragraph or two about it, and an additional paragraph telling you Dresden didn't want to stare, but did anyway. If it's one of the book's major villains, you get the same, tired, metaphor about how his eyes 'were the color of faded dollar bills'. This was a bit distracting, but definitely not a cardinal sin overall. The pacing was also a little off, with the book lagging toward the middle, but the first and third acts go by in a flash and are very engaging.

If you liked the first book, this will be right up your alley. If you didn't, it's going to feel like a lot more of the same.

Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made by Jason Schreier

5.0

Blood, Sweat, and Pixels is a fantastic look at what it's like to be inside game development studios. As someone who has worked through a few crunches during my time in the industry, it's nice to see that I'm not alone :). I was particularly fascinated and heartbroken by the last chapter in the book detailing the development of the cancelled game, Star Wars 1313. It was really interesting to hear more about a title that had the plug pulled so unceremoniously.

The book is engaging, interesting, and well worth a read.

The Jupiter Man by Nick Dorsey

4.0

Jupiter Man is entertaining cover-to-cover and one of the most interesting takes on the superhero/supervillain genre I've read in a long time. The characters are believable, witty, and human. It's a fun read that's easy to pick up and the story is a great homage to pulp comics and general hero fare. Highly recommend.