We took a week to slow down, spend time with family, and recharge the reading batteries. That pause gave us a clearer view of what we loved this year, what left us scratching our heads, and how our plans for the start of next year need to shift. This update captures what we finished, what we started, what we’re planning, and a few thoughts on writing, reading culture, and recent TV and movie adaptations that keep us talking around the dinner table.
Where We Are Right Now: finishing and processing
Finishing a big series always leaves a residue of mixed feelings. We recently closed the last pages of Shadows Upon Time — a major, ambitious entry in a long-running epic — and we’re still letting it settle. There’s awe at the achievement and a small nagging of dissatisfaction in places. That contradiction has been the defining sensation of late.
Why a mixed reaction is okay
When a series spans years and grows into something massive, expectations harden into personal maps of how the story should land. Those maps never match the author’s exact route, and that mismatch is the reason some readers leave satisfied and others leave with questions. We applaud the sheer scale and endurance of the project: finishing a series like this and delivering the final chapters is a major creative feat.
At the same time, a few elements felt overlong or repetitive to us. From roughly the 30 percent to the 80 percent mark, the book was some of the best writing in the series — sharply plotted, thrilling, and emotionally resonant. The beginning was a little slow for our taste and the ending landed in ways that split opinions. Some character fates were rewarding; others felt unresolved or frustrating. That contrast will make for great rereads down the line, because a lot of foreshadowing and structural work is often more visible the second time around.
Character, pacing, and the demiurge of imagination
One of the things that stood out was the creative appetite on display — particularly the ideas surrounding the demiurge ship, which may be one of the cooler conceptual vehicles we’ve seen in modern science fiction. The author manages to hint at near-infinite potential without fully exhaustively cataloging every feature, which is the perfect way to keep the reader’s imagination engaged.
Our favorite secondary character across the series didn’t get as much as we hoped in the finale, and that disappointment colored some of our reaction. If you’ve felt a similar sting after closing the book, you’re not alone. Online conversation has produced theories that help reconcile character arcs and decisions — it’s a healthy way for readers to find community and debate interpretations.
Ultimately, if we rank the series today, Shadows Upon Time sits in the lower half for us not because it’s bad, but because the series has multiple dazzling entries. We still consider all seven books to be strong and worthwhile. This one needs more time to settle; our final position may shift as we revisit the series and pick up threads that were shadowed on first reading.
What we started next: tactical reading and pivoting our TBR
We had planned a major reread of a sprawling fantasy that will take months, but timing didn’t line up with our partner’s pace, so we reluctantly delayed it. Rather than rush the experience, we pivoted toward two choices that give variety while keeping the reading momentum.
Picking a lighter but substantial follow-up: Unwholly
We jumped into Unwholly as a practical choice: it’s less of a time commitment than our postponed reread, and it offers big ideas without the mental overhead of epic fantasy. Unwholly sits inside a world that plays with organ donation, identity, and ethics. This second-in-series entry introduces a character made entirely of unwound parts, which raises immediate moral and philosophical questions.
That character forces us to ask what makes a person a person. Is it continuity of self, memory, a soul, or just the configuration of parts and information? The book walks the line between presenting an engineered being as a miracle and presenting the procedure as an abomination. The author refuses to hand us easy answers, letting the characters’ reactions become the moral compass. That restraint is a strength: it makes the story more interesting than a polemic, and it keeps the reader engaged with the ethical landscape rather than dictating a position.
We’re roughly 150 pages in and enjoying the expansion of the world. New characters continue to arrive and remain compelling, which speaks to the author’s ability to keep a trilogy fresh after a strong opening book.
Sliding in a palate cleanser: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
To avoid overloading on heavy themes, we also pulled out A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms — three short novellas that are ideal for quick immersion. An HBO adaptation is on the horizon that will cover these stories, so a reread felt timely. These tales are short, direct, and full of the kind of medieval atmosphere that’s easy to devour in a few sittings.
We haven’t revisited these since early in the millennium, so the return felt like settling into an old, comfortable chair. Short books like these are perfect seasonally when a major epic is waiting but not ready to be started.
Writing: from dabbling to discipline
We’ve been doing more than reading. After a long stretch of thinking about writing, we finally started producing pages. The early realization is obvious: writing is easy; writing well is the craft you have to learn.
We’ve written around 16,000 words in a short period, which proves a simple truth — progress favors those who produce more pages. We’re still rough, still editing, and still learning the hard parts. Drafting without worrying about judgment has been liberating. Editing can always fix what the inner critic slows down at the outset.
Learning the craft: frameworks and first steps
Some practical lessons have already emerged. First, decide whether you are a plotter or a pantser. Knowing where you sit on that spectrum helps you pick tools and routines. Second, study the fundamentals: character arcs, stakes, scene-level conflict, and pacing. Third, read authors who do what you admire and dissect how they structure scenes and manage exposition.
We’ve been using short, targeted courses to fill gaps quickly — concise modules that focus on story elements and writing mechanics. Small bites fit into a schedule better than a full semester and help keep momentum steady.
Resources we used and recommend
For those starting out or wanting to improve, this kind of structured, short-course approach is highly effective. Look for classes that cover story structure, voice, and craft tools like dialogue, scene building, and revision practices. Mixing theory with practice — watching a short lesson, then applying it to a piece you are writing — accelerates progress.
We especially appreciated lessons that offered a checklist approach to storytelling so we could measure our drafts against a clear set of criteria and not get lost in subjective analysis. That kind of checklist is a writing friend: pragmatic, actionable, and morale-preserving.
Channel and community highlights: what we put out and who we talked to
We’ve been experimenting with formats and topics. A tier list of new series read in 2025 turned out to be a great way to organize impressions and help others find new series to start or avoid. Tier lists can be fun when they’re framed as taste maps rather than absolute judgments.
We also made a reflective piece on our biggest failures of 2025. It’s useful to own shortcomings: missed cons, content choices that didn’t land, and reading plans that unraveled. Admitting weaknesses creates room to improve and sets more realistic goals for the coming year.
Guest conversations and book club activity
Joining other creators and communities remains one of the most rewarding parts of this work. Conversations often reveal different angles on our favorite books — perspectives we hadn’t considered that enrich future readings. Discussing a title with people who disagree helps tease out layers and keeps interpretation lively.
Our quarterly book club picked Michael Connelly’s The Last Coyote recently. It’s a strong procedural, and the group had a lot to say. The next quarter’s pick is Interview with the Vampire. It’s one of those novels we know intimately, and having fresh voices, including someone who hasn’t reread it in a while, will make the conversation worthwhile.
Planning ahead: January reads, readalongs, and the big projects
Plans shifted a little, so here’s the updated blueprint heading into the new year.
- Magician: We’ll start the long, beloved fantasy on January 1. Because of the way it was published in the United States, we’ll split Magician into two parts for the readalong. That structure will make it manageable and give time for reflection between halves.
- Readalong logistics: The readalong will live on a public discussion server where anyone can join. Threads will be opened for each reading block, and moderators will help readers find their place. Jump in, take your time, and ask questions — the community is welcoming and patient with new readers.
- Short reads and palate cleansers: We’ll sprinkle in novellas and short novels to reduce fatigue and make room for quick wins. That’s why A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a perfect prelude to a heavy epic.
We feel more intentional about 2026: fewer new series to chase aggressively and more follow-through on series we started. That discipline will help finish long-term projects instead of perpetually starting new ones.
Upcoming content we’re excited to make
January will bring a few takes that we hope are useful:
- A list of our most disappointing reads of 2025, framed as expectation mismatches instead of blanket condemnation. Sometimes books are well-made but simply fail to meet what we wanted from them.
- A replay of our annual A Christmas Carol reading. It’s a tradition we enjoy. It’s also an exercise in voice work and storytelling with music and atmosphere. The goal is to provide a short, festive experience that counts for cozy listening time.
- More deep dives into why certain endings divide readers and how to approach final books in long series without losing the joy of the journey.
TV and movie notes: adaptions that nailed the landing and ones that left us wanting
Adaptations remain fascinating because they reveal what storytelling elements matter most to viewers. Two shows stood out this week for very different reasons.
Welcome to Derry — an adaptation that grew into its own
An adaptation that began cautiously became one of our favorite King adaptations by leaning into what made the source feel mythical. The second half of the season embraced bigger elements: the black spot interlude and certain cosmic touches that are risky to translate to the screen. The result felt earned and emotionally grounded. The presence of a charismatic lead brought a new energy to the material, and the team delivered scenes that were both eerie and heartfelt.
Best of all, the show demonstrated that adaptations can be respectful to source material while also inventing new, cohesive parts of their own. That kind of creative bravery — when it works — enriches both the adaptation and the original text by opening avenues for interpretation.
Fallout season two premiere — faithful tone, stretched structure
The Fallout adaptation continues to honor the spirit of the games: its absurdist humor, the jarring violence, and the post-apocalyptic aesthetic all feel authentic. The premiere packed a lot into one episode, perhaps too much. A two-hour premiere or a two-episode opening might have smoothed the pacing and allowed the world to breathe.
Where the show succeeds is in honoring the recognizable game textures: the music choices, the set design, and the small, geeky Easter eggs that fans will love. A few structural choices felt rushed in the pilot, but if the series maintains its identity, there’s reason for optimism.
What we’re taking away
There’s an emergent theme here: intentionality. Whether it’s choosing a book to read with a partner, deciding to write more pages without immediate judgment, or curating a watchlist that honors adaptation spirit, being deliberate helps keep momentum and joy alive. That’s true for reading and for creating.
We’ll continue to read widely while finishing long-term commitments. We’ll keep writing, learning, and treating draft pages as raw material to be refined. We’ll keep discussing books in community spaces because those conversations deepen our understanding and extend the life of the work beyond the solitary act of reading.
Practical tips for readers and aspiring writers
- If you’re finishing a long series: Give yourself space to process. Avoid immediate ranking. Wait a few weeks, jot down favorite moments, and revisit foreshadowing you might have missed.
- If you want to start writing: Commit to daily or frequent short sessions. Draft without self-censorship for the first pass, then edit. Use short, targeted courses to fill technical gaps instead of trying to learn everything at once.
- If you’re choosing an adaptation to watch: Look for faithfulness of tone before obsessive fidelity to plot. Shows that capture the emotional core and atmosphere usually please fans more than shot-for-shot reproductions.
- If you join a readalong: Respect pacing and community rules. Ask for help if you fall behind. Readalongs are social reading, not exams.
FAQ
Should we read Shadows Upon Time if we enjoyed earlier books in the series?
Is it okay to delay a reread of a major series to match a partner’s pace?
How do we know whether to be a plotter or a pantser?
What are quick ways to improve our writing craft?
How do we join the Magician readalong?
What should we expect from recent adaptations like Welcome to Derry or Fallout season two?
Are short novellas useful between long reads?
Parting thoughts
The season has been generous with time to read, write, and reflect. We’re entering the new year with clearer plans, small but steady writing progress, and a refreshed stack of books that will carry us through January and beyond. If there’s one thing we’ve learned over years of reading, it’s this: balance the big, time-consuming epics with shorter, sharper pieces that renew enthusiasm and keep the habit sustainable.
Enjoy what you read. Write what you must. Keep the conversation alive.
We’d love to hear what you’re reading and what’s kept you excited this season. Leave a note in the community space you prefer and tell us what’s on your TBR for the new year.
