Alexander Blakeley | Author
Alexander Blakeley
Reviews
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16.01.2022 Well, I think this is a pretty cracking way to bring in the new year: broke the 100,000 word mark on the wip. It's definitely longer than the original plan, but I really don't care. I'm still thoroughly enjoying (almost) each and every moment.
14.01.2022 Apologies for the lack of posts everyone, but Christmas wiped me out and I've been throwing everything I have into the new manuscript. All that work is paying off, however, as I will be (touch wood) punching through the 150,000 word mark tomorrow. Yep, I'm definitely writing two books here, not one. In other news, the manuscript is so special that it's managed to break Microsoft Word. I received a lovely little message today letting me know that there are now so many spellin...g and grammatical errors that Word can no longer display them as I'm writing. A part of me is really hoping this is due to having so many unusual names (fantasy ftw folks), but it's probably my insane-furious-can'tlookback-mustkeepgoing-writing approach.
11.01.2022 Finished Part 1 of the novel. More characters died than I expected, but these things happen. 76000 and counting folks. Considering what's still to come in the story, I think I might be accidentally writing two books here...
09.01.2022 Just crossed to 60,000 word threshold on the new novel. Progress has slowed a bit post-NaNoWriMo but once work finished for the year I hope to pick that back up.
09.01.2022 I'll get around to posting a full review on Goodreads at some point, but in the meantime here are some (spoiler-free) thoughts on Jay Kristoff's Nevernight Chronicles. The series starts unflinchingly visceral and maintains that tone throughout, while steadily increasing the stakes. I have not picked up a series and enjoyed it on such an immersive level in quite a long time. I wanted nothing more than to pour myself into Mia Corvere's world and ride along with her like one of ...her daemons. Each character felt incredibly well rounded and though the world itself was described with a feather light touch (barring the cleverly composed footnotes, all of which were well worth a read) I never felt lost or thrown out of the immersion. The books don't spare your feelings and you can expect to scream at the story at stages (I certainly did), but it never becomes too much to endure and every setback or flaw is crafted with care. If you don't mind your fantasy with murder and magic, blood and beauty, sex and savagery, then the Nevernight Chronicles will not disappoint.
