Batched Book Reviews: #3
Published in
2 min readMay 16, 2023
- The Black Swan (3/4) — This is a really good resource for improving your intuition about probability and statistics. It introduces a fundamental split between Mediocristan (where things follow a Gaussian distribution) and Extremistan (where they don’t). While I recommend the book, I didn’t really enjoy the writing style, which felt a bit too cocky. On the content side, I preferred Antifragile.
- Babel-17 (2+/4) — This sci-fi story has potential, but it falls short in execution. The plot revolves around the idea of language and its ability to control thought, which is intriguing. However, the author could have delved deeper into the topic by focusing more on linguistics. As it is, only a relatively thin layer is presented. Overall, the book is not bad, but it could have been much better.
- Rockslide (3-/4) — Book 3 of the Street Rats of Aramoor. Nicely written, engaging but quite naive. Definitely a young-adult series and not adult-adult one. It’s a good choice if you’re looking for a relaxing read, but don’t expect too much.
- Azarinth Healer: Book Two (3-/4) - Not the worst series continuation and not the worst series in general. Overall, the books may lack depth, but the characters are likeable, the writing is good, and it’s an enjoyable read. I would recommend it, especially if you like “life on cheats” stories, as the main character is definitely overpowered, even by progression-fantasy standards.
- The Sandman: Act III (3-/4) — Sandman remains a unique experience for audiobook fans. While it may not be as impressive as the previous two parts, it is still worth considering if you enjoyed them. If you have not encountered the series yet, it is definitely worth checking out.
- How to Be Love(d) (???, 2/4?) -I am uncertain how to rate this book. On one hand, it provides valid advice and a useful perspective on life. On the other, I encountered a couple of issues. First, I believe you need to be in a particular phase of life to gain the most benefit from the book. Much of the content, while sound, did not resonate with me. Additionally, a significant portion of the book (~40%?) is simply a rehash of Unlearn from a different perspective. This is acceptable, but personally, I would recommend Unlearn instead unless you specifically want to read about love (which I did not; I simply wanted a good book).
Stats:
- Books read this year: ~56 (+6)
- Books on the shelf: 11 (-4)
- Books on the wishlist: 159 (+2)
