David Scrimshaw reviewed Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey
Review of 'Persepolis Rising' on 'Storygraph'
4 stars
These guys are certainly not just coasting. I'm looking forward to #8
Reviews and Comments
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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David Scrimshaw reviewed Divine misfortune by A. Lee Martinez
Review of 'Divine misfortune' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
A book by A. Lee Martinez is guaranteed to be fun and have characters you like.
This one has a bunch of gods and the main one is a luck god who mostly manifests as a talking raccoon.
And a talking raccoon is at least as good as a talking cat.
Review of 'Kill the Farm Boy: The Tales of Pell' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
Until I looked this up on Goodreads and saw "The Tales of Pell #1" I didn't know there would be more books in this series. That there will be at least one more is excellent news.
If you like kind-of-goofy fantasy stories that aren't all dark and gloomy where characters have a remarkably modern sensibility, this is for you.
Warning: There are puns. But not too many for me, and I'm known for not liking puns. I think I'm okay with them here because it's the characters who say them, not the narrator, and it's not like when you're talking to someone who is only listening for words you say that they can make puns on and don't really care about what you're actually talking about.
Bonus: There is a talking goat. And he's a lot of fun. Easily as much fun as a talking cat. Perhaps not as much …
Until I looked this up on Goodreads and saw "The Tales of Pell #1" I didn't know there would be more books in this series. That there will be at least one more is excellent news.
If you like kind-of-goofy fantasy stories that aren't all dark and gloomy where characters have a remarkably modern sensibility, this is for you.
Warning: There are puns. But not too many for me, and I'm known for not liking puns. I think I'm okay with them here because it's the characters who say them, not the narrator, and it's not like when you're talking to someone who is only listening for words you say that they can make puns on and don't really care about what you're actually talking about.
Bonus: There is a talking goat. And he's a lot of fun. Easily as much fun as a talking cat. Perhaps not as much fun as a talking rodent, but he's good. This talking goat, Gustave, has a personality that is consistent with the personality of goats that I met in my youth.
David Scrimshaw reviewed Red Moon by Kim Stanley Robinson
Review of 'Red Moon' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
This is hard science fiction in the believable space ship sense.
It's also social science fiction in how it deals with politics and political movements.
It's also, and this is the main thing for me, a story about people that I found myself caring about right from the beginning.
I really like how in Robinson's recent fiction he shows how systems could change to make things better.
Review of 'Kill the Farm Boy: The Tales of Pell' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
Until I looked this up on Goodreads and saw "The Tales of Pell #1" I didn't know there would be more books in this series. That there will be at least one more is excellent news.
If you like kind-of-goofy fantasy stories that aren't all dark and gloomy where characters have a remarkably modern sensibility, this is for you.
Warning: There are puns. But not too many for me, and I'm known for not liking puns. I think I'm okay with them here because it's the characters who say them, not the narrator, and it's not like when you're talking to someone who is only listening for words you say that they can make puns on and don't really care about what you're actually talking about.
Bonus: There is a talking goat. And he's a lot of fun. Easily as much fun as a talking cat. Perhaps not as much …
Until I looked this up on Goodreads and saw "The Tales of Pell #1" I didn't know there would be more books in this series. That there will be at least one more is excellent news.
If you like kind-of-goofy fantasy stories that aren't all dark and gloomy where characters have a remarkably modern sensibility, this is for you.
Warning: There are puns. But not too many for me, and I'm known for not liking puns. I think I'm okay with them here because it's the characters who say them, not the narrator, and it's not like when you're talking to someone who is only listening for words you say that they can make puns on and don't really care about what you're actually talking about.
Bonus: There is a talking goat. And he's a lot of fun. Easily as much fun as a talking cat. Perhaps not as much fun as a talking rodent, but he's good. This talking goat, Gustave, has a personality that is consistent with the personality of goats that I met in my youth.
David Scrimshaw reviewed Revenant Gun by Yoon Ha Lee
Review of 'Revenant Gun' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
This is a strong finish to the trilogy.
I especially like the "servicer" characters, who are basically sentient robots that the humans are barely aware of as thinking beings. I hope Yoon Ha Lee gives us more of them.
David Scrimshaw reviewed Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence
Review of 'Grey Sister' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
This is a satisfying second book in what is apparently going to be a trilogy.
Mark Lawrence is now on my must-read list.
I particularly like that each of the three series of his that I've read have very different protagonists and the stories have very different feelings.
All the horrors of Hell stand between Snorri Ver Snagason and the rescue of his …
Review of "The Wheel of Osheim (Red Queen's War)" on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
I really enjoyed this.
I liked the little crossovers with the Thorn series.
Spoilers follow:
Things get mostly wrapped up.
Jalan and Snorri both survive.
I see no reason that we can't have more novels about them.
David Scrimshaw reviewed The wheel of Osheim by Mark Lawrence (The Red Queen's war -- book 3)
All the horrors of Hell stand between Snorri Ver Snagason and the rescue of his …
Review of 'The wheel of Osheim' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
I really enjoyed this.
I liked the little crossovers with the Thorn series.
Spoilers follow:
Things get mostly wrapped up.
Jalan and Snorri both survive.
I see no reason that we can't have more novels about them.
David Scrimshaw reviewed Beautiful Scars by Tom Wilson
Review of 'Beautiful Scars' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
This isn't fantasy or science fiction, so I wasn't inclined to read it, but Manon told me I'd like it.
She was right.
Even though I've followed the music of many of Tom Wilson's contemporaries, I've never followed his music.
But he has a fascinating story and he tells it beautifully.
David Scrimshaw reviewed A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Review of 'A Gentleman in Moscow' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
Loved it.
David Scrimshaw reviewed Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries, #3)
Sci-fi’s favorite antisocial A.I. is back on a mission. The case against the too-big-to-fail GrayCris …
Review of 'Rogue Protocol' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
Murderbot is a delight.
Hyper competent at dealing with danger.
Hopeless at interpersonal dealings.
Review of 'Grey Sister (Book of the Ancestor, #2)' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
This is a satisfying second book in what is apparently going to be a trilogy.
Mark Lawrence is now on my must-read list.
I particularly like that each of the three series of his that I've read have very different protagonists and the stories have very different feelings.
David Scrimshaw reviewed Exit Strategy by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries, #3)
"Martha Wells's Hugo, Nebula, Alex, and Locus Award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling …
Review of 'Exit Strategy' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
When this book arrived on my e-reader from the library it was a real good news, bad news things.
Good news, because I'd get to spend more time with Murderbot. Who it is a delight to spend time with.
Bad news, because this maybe means I won't have any Murderbot time to look forward to.
David Scrimshaw reviewed Exit Strategy by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries #4)
Murderbot wasn’t programmed to care. So, its decision to help the only human who ever …
Review of 'Exit Strategy' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
When this book arrived on my e-reader from the library it was a real good news, bad news things.
Good news, because I'd get to spend more time with Murderbot. Who it is a delight to spend time with.
Bad news, because this maybe means I won't have any Murderbot time to look forward to.