Matsumoto's retellings of Maya mythological stories are more like plot summaries than any effort to really capture the feel and emotional context of the myths and stories involved. If writing down an oral story robs it of life, she gives us only the bones, not even the full corpse.
We Review
We effectively captures that sensing of creeping dread which accompanies the gradual erosion of the individual into a single United State. After being oppressed by both the Tsarist and Soviet regime, Zamyatin knew tyranny from both sides of the circle.
The Narrow Road Between Desires Review
What’s missing from The Narrow Road Between Desires is not conflict, or higher stakes, but a point. It never gives the reader an answer to the question “why am I reading this story?”
Avtandil’s Quest Review
If you were intrigued by my review for The Knight in the Panther’s Skin, but struggled with reading English translations of Rustavelian quatrains, Buell’s retelling is an excellent opportunity to approach the story in a different way.
The Wayfinder Review
What many people might consider to be reasons to put the book on their reading list were reasons I hesitated to put Adam Johnson’s The Wayfinder on mine, and I hesitated again before picking up the book to read. I was not entirely wrong.
Kings Review
What stands out most about Kings, even compared to the previous books, is its ex post facto attempt to impose religious and moralistic justifications for the successes and failures of different kings, and the associated flourishing of the Jewish states.
The Furniture Bible Review
Whether you are creating your own hardwood furniture and are looking to apply classic finishes to it, restoring old hardwood furniture, or even refinishing other woodwork, this book’s thoroughly described and illustrated techniques will be a significant asset.
Beowulf Review
It can be read, outside of some of the trappings and language, as a kind of historical-fantasy tale with which plenty of people today are familiar. We still tell monster tales, albeit usually not in alliterative verse.
Life in a Medieval City Review
We’re all supposed to be getting away from the stock, default medieval Europe-inspired fantasy settings, because they’ve become passe. It’s true such settings can be overused, but they are mostly overused because so many authors fail to utilize books like Life in a Medieval City.
The Prophet Review
I wouldn’t recommend against reading it, but it does not have the density of wisdom and insight which you might expect from reading other major works of philosophy.
IGC Publishing 