Kulam Ikan Tetangga

The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud My rating: 5 of 5 stars This book was published after the Bartimaeus Trilogy and timeline-wise is a prequel to the trilogy. But it is also an excellent stand-alone book. So if you have yet read the Bartimaeus Trilogy, it is okay to read this. As with the trilogy, the book has the plot narrated by different characters along the way, with clear separation, but also with obvious change of tone in narration. The book had been translated to Bahasa Indonesia, but I haven't read the translation, so I cannot testify if the subtle change in the tone is translated too. I finished this book in the same week I finished reading Monstrous Regiment, and cute enough, it has several similar theme. Concealment, disguises, and people finding their true self and true potentials after a long journey. Asmira, in disguise, discovered her true self after arduous fight, and actually had not much problems to move on. She found that she is indeed born and trai...

Monstrous Regiment by Stephen Briggs My rating: 3 of 5 stars I borrowed the paperback from a friend and it took me several sitting throughout 3 weeks to finish it. Borogravia is in the midst of war, the country seems to always be at war due to being proud of their...pride. Into the last battle enters a group of new recruits that earned the title Monstrous Regiment. It is lead by a seasoned and well-known veteran of many, many, many wars, Sargeant Jackrum, and comprised of a troll, an igor, a vampire, and girls. Oh, and a nerd. The theme is a frequent of Pratchett, on how strong, reliable and badasses women are while men are generally only good at being man. Except for Commander Vimes, of course. It also nudges on politics and policies and the tendency of men to burn themselves by being...man. Another theme that seems to caught my attention the most because it has been a resonance of repeats in my personal life in the last few years, especially the month I read the book, is id...