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David Scrimshaw Locked account

DScrimshaw@bookwyrm.world

Joined 2 years 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 Babylon's Ashes (The Expanse, #6) by James S. A. Corey

James S. A. Corey: Babylon's Ashes (The Expanse, #6) (2017, Orbit)

Review of "Babylon's Ashes (The Expanse, #6)" on 'Storygraph'

The Expanse series continues to be excellent sci-fi. It's got lots of space ships with believable politics.

The end of this book felt like it could be the end of the series, which would have made me sad. But I see that there are supposed to be at least three more novels.

reviewed Goldenhand by Garth Nix (Old Kingdom series -- [5])

Garth Nix: Goldenhand (2016, HarperCollins Publishers)

Lirael lost one of her hands in the binding of Orannis, but now she has …

Review of 'Goldenhand' on 'Storygraph'

An entirely satisfying read. I hope Mr. Nix writes more in this series, but since I like pretty much everything he writes, I just want him to keep writing.

However, this series does have something for fans of talking cats. I'd say more but spoilers.

reviewed Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley

Daniel O'Malley: Stiletto (Hardcover, 2016, Little, Brown and Company)

In this spirited sequel to the acclaimed The Rook, Myfanwy Thomas returns to clinch an …

Review of 'Stiletto' on 'Storygraph'

A terrific sequel to [b:The Rook|10836728|The Rook (The Checquy Files, #1)|Daniel O'Malley|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327619585s/10836728.jpg|15750881].

I hope Daniel O'Malley keeps this going. Even though there are no talking cats or rodents. Admittedly there were some talking reptiles, but they were more like reptile shaped telephones.

reviewed The last Adventure of Constance Verity by A. Lee Martinez (Constance Verity)

A. Lee Martinez: The last Adventure of Constance Verity

Review of 'The last Adventure of Constance Verity' on 'Storygraph'

Like all Martinez books, this was fun. It moved along and I didn't know where it would go next.

But there are other Martinez books that I loved and this wasn't up there with those.

No talking cats or rodents, just a talking pen.

reviewed Hurricane fever by Tobias S. Buckell

Tobias S. Buckell: Hurricane fever (2014, Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom)

"A storm is coming ... Introducing a pulse-pounding technothriller by the New York Times bestselling …

Review of 'Hurricane fever' on 'Storygraph'

It's kind of fun to read a James Bond type action story where the secret agent is a Caribbean guy.

I like Buckell's outer space science fiction more, but I'll read the next story about Roo Jones.

Even though small talking animals aren't even a possibility.

reviewed Not So Much, Said the Cat by Michael Swanwick

No cover

Michael Swanwick: Not So Much, Said the Cat (2016, Tachyon Publications)

Review of 'Not So Much, Said the Cat' on 'Storygraph'

I wanted to read this book so much that I actually paid for it. I was not disappointed, and I get to read it again any time I want to.

It's got a great assortment of stories. Even if you don't include the title one that includes a talking cat.

reviewed Hurricane Fever by Tobias S. Buckell

Tobias S. Buckell: Hurricane Fever (2014, Penguin Random House)

"A storm is coming ... Introducing a pulse-pounding technothriller by the New York Times bestselling …

Review of 'Hurricane Fever' on 'Storygraph'

It's kind of fun to read a James Bond type action story where the secret agent is a Caribbean guy.

I like Buckell's outer space science fiction more, but I'll read the next story about Roo Jones.

Even though small talking animals aren't even a possibility.

reviewed Not so much said the cat by Michael Swanwick

Michael Swanwick: Not so much said the cat (2016)

In this collection of short stories, Swanwick takes us on a whirlwind journey across the …

Review of 'Not so much said the cat' on 'Storygraph'

I wanted to read this book so much that I actually paid for it. I was not disappointed, and I get to read it again any time I want to.

It's got a great assortment of stories. Even if you don't include the title one that includes a talking cat.

reviewed Bury Your Dead (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #6) by Louise Penny

Louise Penny: Bury Your Dead (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #6)

Review of 'Bury Your Dead (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #6)' on 'Storygraph'

Did I say Ms Penny was getting dark in [b:The Brutal Telling|6449551|The Brutal Telling (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #5)|Louise Penny|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327952311s/6449551.jpg|6639657]? Ha. That was like a fluffy cloud blocking the sun for a few minutes compared to Bury Your Dead.

But still, what are we going to do? Stop reading about Inspector Gamache? I don't think so.

reviewed Necessity by Jo Walton

Jo Walton: Necessity (2016, Tor Books)

"The conclusion to The Just City and The Philosopher Kings" --

"More than sixty-five …

Review of 'Necessity' on 'Storygraph'

I feel like I know a lot more about Plato, Socrates and Aristotle now. And more about Greek gods.

I don't feel the same affection for the Just City series as I do for most of Jo Walton's other books, but if she writes another one, I'm in.

reviewed The Brutal Telling (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #5) by Louise Penny

Louise Penny: The Brutal Telling (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #5) (2010, Minotaur)

Review of 'The Brutal Telling (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #5)' on 'Storygraph'

There's not much point in reviewing this book. If you're ready to read it, you've read the earlier books about Inspector Gamache and Three Pines and you're not going to stop now.

Even if I warn you that Ms Penny is getting dark.

reviewed All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Anthony Doerr: All the Light We Cannot See (Hardcover, 2014, Scribner)

From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, a stunningly ambitious and beautiful novel about …

Review of 'All the Light We Cannot See' on 'Storygraph'

This is a good book. But it is long. And it is mostly set in fascist Germany and occupied France during World War 2. Awful things happened. Even to people who you feel genuine affection for.

reviewed Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee (The Machineries of Empire, #1)

Yoon Ha Lee: Ninefox Gambit (2016)

Captain Kel Cheris of the hexarchate is disgraced for using unconventional methods in a battle …

Review of 'Ninefox Gambit' on 'Storygraph'

I enjoyed this thoroughly. The technology is so weird that you could argue it's fantasy, not science fiction. And I didn't understand a lot of what was going on. But it pulled me along. I'm looking forward to the next volume that is due out in April 2017.

reviewed The Murder Stone by Louise Penny

Louise Penny: The Murder Stone (Paperback, Headline Book Publishing)

Wealthy, cultured and respectable, the Finney family is the epitome of gentility. When Irene Finney …

Review of 'The Murder Stone' on 'Storygraph'

It kept me guessing. I feel like I'm in a much longer novel about the people Gamache keeps running into.

And I'd really like to get a long weekend at that Auberge. But I hope anyone who doesn't get invited along realizes it's to prevent one of us from getting murdered.