Reviews and Comments

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David Scrimshaw Locked account

DScrimshaw@bookwyrm.world

Joined 1 year, 8 months ago

An avid sci-fi and fantasy reader who sometimes does historical fiction or even mainstream.

You might notice that most of my reviews are 5 stars. That's because if I start reading a book that doesn't engage me, I stop reading it. Life is too short. I've realized that it's not fair to review a book I haven't read and nobody really needs to hear why I didn't get into a book especially when they might like it.

My goals with reviews are to be brief and give other potential readers an idea of why they might like the book. I leave it to the marketing people and other reviewers to describe the plots.

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reviewed Rosewater by Tade Thompson (The Wormwood Trilogy -- book 1)

Tade Thompson: Rosewater (2018, Orbit)

"Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a …

Review of 'Rosewater' on 'Storygraph'

A captivating read.

Science fiction that takes place in Nigeria, which is a nice change, and it's a story that would only make sense in Nigeria.

The story is a lot more about psychology than technology, which is also a nice change for me.

I'm looking forward to #2 and #3.

reviewed Hexarchate Stories (3) (Machineries of Empire) by Yoon Ha Lee

Yoon Ha Lee: Hexarchate Stories (3) (Machineries of Empire) (2019)

Review of 'Hexarchate Stories (3) (Machineries of Empire)' on 'Storygraph'

If you're a Yoon Ha Lee fan, you don't need my review to know you have to read this.

If you're a fan of modern science fiction, you have to read Yoon Ha Lee and you should probably start with [b:Ninefox Gambit|26118426|Ninefox Gambit (The Machineries of Empire, #1)|Yoon Ha Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1446557461l/26118426.SY75.jpg|46065520].

reviewed This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar

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Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone: This is How You Lose the Time War (Paperback, 2019, Jo Fletcher Books)

Two time-traveling agents from warring futures, working their way through the past, begin to exchange …

Review of 'This is How You Lose the Time War' on 'Storygraph'

I don't know if this was fantasy or science fiction. It was maybe weirder than I'm ready for.

reviewed Chasing the Phoenix by Michael Swanwick

Michael Swanwick: Chasing the Phoenix (2015, Tom Doherty Associates, LLC)

In the distant future, Surplus arrives in China dressed as a Mongolian shaman, leading a …

Review of 'Chasing the Phoenix' on 'Storygraph'

I love Darger and Surplus.

If you like a weird post-post-apocalyptic future like out Gene Wolfe's [b:The Shadow of the Torturer|60211|The Shadow of the Torturer (The Book of the New Sun, #1)|Gene Wolfe|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1329650008l/60211.SX50.jpg|762497], and you like lovable rogue conmen, you have to read Swanwick's Darger and Surplus stories.

reviewed This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar

Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone: This Is How You Lose the Time War (EBook, 2019, Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers)

Two time-traveling agents from warring futures, working their way through the past, begin to exchange …

Review of 'This Is How You Lose the Time War' on 'Storygraph'

I don't know if this was fantasy or science fiction. It was maybe weirder than I'm ready for.

reviewed Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

Sarah Gailey: Magic for Liars (Hardcover, 2019, Tor Books)

Ivy Gamble has never wanted to be magic. She is perfectly happy with her life …

Review of 'Magic for Liars' on 'Storygraph'

I'm not super-big on mysteries, but a I found this story about a non-magic person surrounded by magicians engaging.

reviewed A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie

Joe Abercrombie: A Little Hatred (Hardcover, 2019, Orbit)

The chimneys of industry rise over Adua and the world seethes with new opportunities. But …

Review of 'A Little Hatred' on 'Storygraph'

It is great to be back in the world of the First Law Trilogy.

There's a good chance that everything is going to turn out awful. But I think I'll at least try book #2.

reviewed Akin by Emma Donoghue

Emma Donoghue: Akin (Hardcover, 2019, Little, Brown and Company)

Review of 'Akin' on 'Storygraph'

Emma Donoghue is a guaranteed good read.

What set this one apart for me is
- it had the type of characters you don't see many stories about, and
- the two main characters aren't that nice, but you wind up liking them anyway.

reviewed Eight skilled gentlemen by Barry Hughart

Barry Hughart: Eight skilled gentlemen (1991, Doubleday)

Review of 'Eight skilled gentlemen' on 'Storygraph'

This was fun.

If you enjoy gentle humour, fantasy, and foreign culture, the chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox, are rewarding.

But I have to admit that I was sad to learn that Barry Hughart had intended to write seven books, not only three, in the series, but had a falling out with his publishers. And now he's gone, so we'll never get more.