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David Scrimshaw Locked account

DScrimshaw@bookwyrm.world

Joined 1 year, 4 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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David Scrimshaw's books

To Read (View all 328)

Pat Murphy: The Adventures of Mary Darling (Paperback, Tachyon Publications LLC)
Kevin Hearne: Candle and Crow (2024, Little, Brown Book Group Limited)
Austin Grossman: Fight Me (2024, Penguin Books, Limited)

Currently Reading

Lev Grossman: The magician king (2011, Viking)

Read (View all 959)

K. J. Parker: The Two of Swords: Volume One (Orbit)
Kate Heartfield: The Embroidered Book (AudiobookFormat, 2022, HarperCollins UK and Blackstone Publishing)
Steven Brust: Lyorn (EBook, 2024, Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom)

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reviewed Agency by William Gibson

William Gibson: Agency (Hardcover, 2020, Berkley)

They call Verity 'the app-whisperer,' and she's just been hired to evaluate a pair-of-glasses-cum-digital-assistant called …

Review of 'Agency' on 'Storygraph'

William Gibson is keeping it weird.

If you're into William Gibson, you don't need me to tell you to read this.

If you haven't tried any, I'd start with [b:Neuromancer|6088007|Neuromancer (Sprawl, #1)|William Gibson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554437249l/6088007.SY75.jpg|909457], but you should definitely read [b:The Peripheral|24611819|The Peripheral|William Gibson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574084339l/24611819.SY75.jpg|40167043] before this one.

reviewed Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire (Wayward Children, #5)

Seanan McGuire: Come Tumbling Down (Hardcover, 2020, A Tom Doherty Associates Book)

Review of 'Come Tumbling Down' on 'Storygraph'

If you have started the Wayward Children series, you are hooked and have already read this one.

If you haven't started, but have liked other stories about children being transported to magical lands, you should start.

If you're wondering if the series holds up and further volumes add new and interesting things without rehashing the same old stuff, be assured the series holds up.

reviewed Iron Dragon's Mother by Michael Swanwick

No cover

Michael Swanwick: Iron Dragon's Mother (2019, Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom)

Review of "Iron Dragon's Mother" on 'Storygraph'

I was lucky enough to get this from the library just before the lockdown started.

This is the third Iron Dragon book from Mr. Swanwick and it is a good fast-paced read with lots to think about.

I feel fine in saying you don't have to read the other Iron Dragon books first. I did. But so long ago that I only remember that I loved them. I want to read them again now.

reviewed The Quantum Magician by Derek Künsken (The Quantum Evolution, #1)

Derek Künsken: The Quantum Magician (Paperback, 2018, Solaris)

Belisarius is a quantum man, an engineered Homo quantus who fled the powerful insight of …

Review of 'The Quantum Magician' on 'Storygraph'

This was great fun. Great sci-fi elements including interesting types of post-humans and artificial intelligence.

Also interesting future societies that had roots in today's world.

For a Canadian, having people who spoke varieties of French that included "tabarnak" as a bad swear word, was great.

And because this is more or less a heist story, it starts with the gathering of the team. I just love stories that start that way.

Alas, no talking rodents.

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

No cover

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 Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

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

Ivy Gamble was born without magic and never wanted it.

Ivy Gamble is perfectly …

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 Chasing the Phoenix: A Science Fiction Novel by Michael Swanwick

Michael Swanwick: Chasing the Phoenix: A Science Fiction Novel (Paperback, Tor Books)

Review of 'Chasing the Phoenix: A Science Fiction Novel' 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.