It took a bit longer than I'd hoped, but I'm back again!
As promised, I've got some updates related to the new Dresden Files book, as well as another book I'm reading by the author of the Broken Earth Trilogy, N.K. Jemisin: The City We Became. I'll also be talking a bit about the video lectures that Brandon Sanderson put on YouTube on creative writing.
A quick update on my novel, Unbounded: I've been steadily getting more readers and more followers online, to almost 1500 followers on Twitter as of today. Thanks so much for all your support, and I hope you continue to enjoy my work!
The latest installment of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, Peace Talks, was filled with the normal humor, action, fantastical lore, and gritty nail-baiting tension that the series is known for. It was an enjoyable, fast-paced read. But it also felt like the book served as a revolving door of cameos from the long list of cast members from the series. It was fun to see them all again, but most of the encounters were brief. So much so, in fact, that the encounters began to feel a bit forced at times, and detracted from the overall pull of the plot. I'd still recommend it as a fan of the series, but fair warning: it does very much end in a cliffhanger, so be prepared to wait for the next book to continue the story!
As for the Brandon Sanderson lectures, I've watched a few of them, and they're highly enjoyable! He's got a really great way of engaging with the audience and making them feel at home, often cracking jokes and causing the room to explode into laughter. For example, a quote from the first lecture:
If your goal isn't to become a professional writer, but you like writing, you are welcome here. If you've never written anything in your life, you are welcome here. If you thought you signed up for Chem 107 and came in here and thought "oh god I'm surrounded by nerds" you are welcome here!
If you have any desire to write or just want to hear from a successful author, I'd highly recommend Sanderson's videos. They're a blast, and you might learn some things too.
Finally, I've made a previous post on N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy which you can read here, and I'll soon be making another post about her recent book The City We Became. The hook from the Amazon page: Every great city has a soul. Some are ancient as myths, and others are as new and destructive as children. New York? She's got six. I haven't finished reading the book yet, but I've really been loving the story, characters, and world. Plus, as a native New Yorker, it definitely hits the spot! I'll be posting a review for it at some point soon, so stay tuned, and stay safe!
Until next time,
-- Bradley