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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Lois Clary is a software engineer at General Dexterity, a San Francisco robotics company with …
Kind of a weird story.
But it made me want to eat sourdough bread. And I am not a bread guy.
It’s not every afternoon that an enigmatic, comely blonde named Stilton (like the cheese) walks …
Of course this was fun. It's Christopher Moore.
Of course this was fun. It's Christopher Moore.
Over the course of several months, two retail workers at an office supply superstore--Roger, a …
This book has a novel inside a novel and then... there's a novel inside the novel that is inside the novel!
I don't really know if that's a good thing. I was not very interested in the third level down. I cared about the characters in the main novel. Maybe it was deliberate that I wouldn't care so much the further levels down.
The main novel characters know each other from the Staples they work at. That was definitely fun.
And I'm happy to report that this book was in my big pile of books to read and now I can put it in one of the nearby little free libraries.
This book has a novel inside a novel and then... there's a novel inside the novel that is inside the novel!
I don't really know if that's a good thing. I was not very interested in the third level down. I cared about the characters in the main novel. Maybe it was deliberate that I wouldn't care so much the further levels down.
The main novel characters know each other from the Staples they work at. That was definitely fun.
And I'm happy to report that this book was in my big pile of books to read and now I can put it in one of the nearby little free libraries.
Ex-military policeman Jack Reacher is lying low in Key West, digging up swimming pools by …
I was happy to see that on this, Jack Reacher doesn't get sucked into a murderous plot because he's in the wrong place at the wrong time. Instead, it's because someone went looking for him.
And Jack Reacher is one big and tough guy. I cannot understand how they have Tom Cruise playing him in movies.
I was happy to see that on this, Jack Reacher doesn't get sucked into a murderous plot because he's in the wrong place at the wrong time. Instead, it's because someone went looking for him.
And Jack Reacher is one big and tough guy. I cannot understand how they have Tom Cruise playing him in movies.
Ex-military policeman Jack Reacher is lying low in Key West, digging up swimming pools by …
I was happy to see that on this, Jack Reacher doesn't get sucked into a murderous plot because he's in the wrong place at the wrong time. Instead, it's because someone went looking for him.
And Jack Reacher is one big and tough guy. I cannot understand how they have Tom Cruise playing him in movies.
I was happy to see that on this, Jack Reacher doesn't get sucked into a murderous plot because he's in the wrong place at the wrong time. Instead, it's because someone went looking for him.
And Jack Reacher is one big and tough guy. I cannot understand how they have Tom Cruise playing him in movies.
The only problem with this excellent piece of space opera is that it is only just over a hundred pages. I'd really like to read more about where this goes.
The only problem with this excellent piece of space opera is that it is only just over a hundred pages. I'd really like to read more about where this goes.
The only problem with this excellent piece of space opera is that it is only just over a hundred pages. I'd really like to read more about where this goes.
The only problem with this excellent piece of space opera is that it is only just over a hundred pages. I'd really like to read more about where this goes.
Harry August is on his deathbed. Again. No matter what he does or the decisions …
This was an engrossing story with a new version of time travel.
I was able to let myself overlook a fundamental paradox in how it couldn't work with multiple people living their lives over and over again while changing how things go, but I still fully enjoyed it.
I really don't know how it took me so long to discover Claire North's books.
This was an engrossing story with a new version of time travel.
I was able to let myself overlook a fundamental paradox in how it couldn't work with multiple people living their lives over and over again while changing how things go, but I still fully enjoyed it.
I really don't know how it took me so long to discover Claire North's books.
When a woman is kidnapped, Jack Reacher's in the wrong place at the wrong time. …
Every now and then, I really enjoy a story about a tough guy who beats the bad guys.
And nobody is tougher than Jack Reacher and the bad guys he beats are really bad.
This is only the second of the Jack Reacher books I've read. I hope that others don't follow the pattern of Jack just being in the wrong place at the wrong time and winding up at the middle of an enormous and murderous crime. But if all the others do follow this pattern, I'll still read them.
Every now and then, I really enjoy a story about a tough guy who beats the bad guys.
And nobody is tougher than Jack Reacher and the bad guys he beats are really bad.
This is only the second of the Jack Reacher books I've read. I hope that others don't follow the pattern of Jack just being in the wrong place at the wrong time and winding up at the middle of an enormous and murderous crime. But if all the others do follow this pattern, I'll still read them.
This collection shows the enormously wide range that Jo Walton can do.
In her introduction, she says that she could write novels right away, but struggled to write short stories. She goes further to say that some of the stories in this collection still aren't right. I wouldn't try to guess which ones aren't right, because every story felt right to me.
There's even one that has a talking cat.
This collection shows the enormously wide range that Jo Walton can do.
In her introduction, she says that she could write novels right away, but struggled to write short stories. She goes further to say that some of the stories in this collection still aren't right. I wouldn't try to guess which ones aren't right, because every story felt right to me.
There's even one that has a talking cat.
A razor-sharp portrait of a morally bankrupt and gleefully wicked modern man, Worst. Person. Ever. …
Only 4 stars instead of 5, because, this guy might not be the worst person ever, but he's really not a good guy and how much time do you want to spend around a guy like this?
On the other hand, I read the whole book and lately, I'm stopping a lot after a couple of chapters or even half way and I did want to find out how this story ended.
Only 4 stars instead of 5, because, this guy might not be the worst person ever, but he's really not a good guy and how much time do you want to spend around a guy like this?
On the other hand, I read the whole book and lately, I'm stopping a lot after a couple of chapters or even half way and I did want to find out how this story ended.
Jo Walton: Starlings (2018)
"In her first collection, award-winning novelist Jo Walton delivers both subtle legends and reinvented realities. …
This collection shows the enormously wide range that Jo Walton can do.
In her introduction, she says that she could write novels right away, but struggled to write short stories. She goes further to say that some of the stories in this collection still aren't right. I wouldn't try to guess which ones aren't right, because every story felt right to me.
There's even one that has a talking cat.
This collection shows the enormously wide range that Jo Walton can do.
In her introduction, she says that she could write novels right away, but struggled to write short stories. She goes further to say that some of the stories in this collection still aren't right. I wouldn't try to guess which ones aren't right, because every story felt right to me.
There's even one that has a talking cat.
Harry August is on his deathbed. Again. No matter what he does or the decisions …
This was an engrossing story with a new version of time travel.
I was able to let myself overlook a fundamental paradox in how it couldn't work with multiple people living their lives over and over again while changing how things go, but I still fully enjoyed it.
I really don't know how it took me so long to discover Claire North's books.
This was an engrossing story with a new version of time travel.
I was able to let myself overlook a fundamental paradox in how it couldn't work with multiple people living their lives over and over again while changing how things go, but I still fully enjoyed it.
I really don't know how it took me so long to discover Claire North's books.
“Bob Johansson didn't believe in an afterlife, so waking up after being killed in a …
Good old science fiction fun. I'm looking forward to #3, and sad that it will end there.
Good old science fiction fun. I'm looking forward to #3, and sad that it will end there.
Only 4 stars instead of 5, because, this guy might not be the worst person ever, but he's really not a good guy and how much time do you want to spend around a guy like this?
On the other hand, I read the whole book and lately, I'm stopping a lot after a couple of chapters or even half way and I did want to find out how this story ended.
Only 4 stars instead of 5, because, this guy might not be the worst person ever, but he's really not a good guy and how much time do you want to spend around a guy like this?
On the other hand, I read the whole book and lately, I'm stopping a lot after a couple of chapters or even half way and I did want to find out how this story ended.