A Blog on Books

Book Thoughts: The Crook Factory by Dan Simmons What could have been a typical thriller about espionage in WWII turns into something far more literary, and surprisingly intimate. Introduction: Who is Dan Simmons? Dan Simmons is one of those rare authors who defies categorization—A literary chameleon. He’s written everything from genre-defining science fiction in the Hyperion Cantos , to classical reimagining in Ilium , to gothic horror in Drood , and nostalgic coming-of-age chills in Summer of Night . Each book feels like it was written by a completely different person—but in the best possible way. The Crook Factory , a work of historical fiction centered around Ernest Hemingway’s real-life counterespionage activities in WWII Cuba, only reinforces Simmons’ status as one of the most versatile authors I’ve ever read. Espionage, Literature, and a Strange Partnership The Crook Factory documents the short-lived but real intelligence network created by Hemingway in 1942–1943, where the f...

This was my second time reading Blood Meridian , and I can say with certainty that it won’t be my last. The book is a masterpiece. I don’t know that it is my personal favourite of Cormac McCarthy’s novels, at this point, I can’t choose, but it is undoubtedly his magnum opus. There’s a lot to unpack in McCarthy’s works, and Blood Meridian is no exception. I’d argue it’s his densest novel. To fully grasp everything it has to offer, I feel like I’d need to read it many more times. It’s brimming with meaning—food for thought at every turn of the page. Even after multiple reads, the ending remains ambiguous. I don’t think anyone truly knows what happens in the final moments, nor do I believe McCarthy intended for it to be fully understood. Anyone who claims to know definitively is, in my opinion, missing the point. The ending is meant to be interpreted, not explicitly understood. Theories are fun to explore, and my interpretation shifted during this reread. I’ll discuss that later—with spo...

This review contains major spoilers for both Fall of Giants and The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. If you haven’t read these books and want to avoid key plot details, I recommend finishing them before reading this review. Recently, I finished Fall of Giants by Ken Follett, the first book in the Century Trilogy. As a massive fan of Ken Follett, I went into this novel with high expectations. While I did enjoy it, I had a few significant issues that held it back from reaching the heights of some of his other works. I plan to continue the series at some point because it is still a solid book, but in my opinion, it is the weakest of his novels I’ve read to date. Two major aspects didn’t click for me: the pacing and the prevalence of plot armour. Pacing The overall story is engaging, but the pacing fell short of my expectations, especially as a fan of Follett’s Kingsbridge novels. For example, I even found his standalone novel Never more enjoyable than Fall of Giants . This book, at ...