The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin - L. Jagi Lamplighter

Overall: 8/10

Characters: 8.5/10

Plot: 8/10

Pacing: 6/10

Message: 8/10

It's been a while since I posted, and even longer since I posted a book review, so I wanted to treat you all to the most recent notch on my Kindle: L. Jagi Lamplighter's The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin. While not quite a "Young Adult" any more, I found Ms. Lamplighter's writing more than engrossing enough for any age. Drawn in by the preview, I ponied up my $2.99 and dove right in! I was not at all disappointed in that decision - Unexpected Enlightenment  was well worth it!

In going to write my review, I found that Ms. Lamplighter's husband, John C. Wright (also an author), had posted a link to another review of this book by Pierce T. Oka at Dogma & Dragons. Reading it, I found I agreed with many of Mr. Oka's points, and thus recommend you read his take along with my own to get a fuller picture. That said, let's dive right in!

Year of the Warrior - Lars Walker

Overall: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 10/10

Pacing: 10/10

Message: 10/10

I'd never had all to high of an opinion of Vikings. It's much easier for me to empathize with the ones they raided: the monks in their monastery, hoping that their high stone walls can survive the north men's deprivations, the villagers, grabbing whatever implements they can find that are pointy, or heavy, or might give them the slightest chance of survival against these hardened warriors.The Vikings, in summary, I viewed less as men, and more as I would a tornado, a hurricane, an impersonal force of nature existing only to bring disaster, ruin, and death.

Thus, coming into the book, Mr. Walker had a higher than normal barrier to my attention. Thankfully, I was intrigued enough by Vox Day's review of Hailstone Mountain (The third book in the series) to check out The Year of the Warrior on Amazon. Read the first few pages free? Don't mind if I do! And thus sucked in, I was blown away.