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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Sci-fi’s favorite antisocial A.I. is back on a mission. The case against the too-big-to-fail GrayCris …
Murderbot is a delight.
Hyper competent at dealing with danger.
Hopeless at interpersonal dealings.
These were well written stories, but they were bleak. And lately, I'm not in the mood for bleak stories.
These were well written stories, but they were bleak. And lately, I'm not in the mood for bleak stories.
All the horrors of Hell stand between Snorri Ver Snagason and the rescue of his …
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.
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.
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.
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.
It's fun reading about a character who seems to have all sorts of amazing experts living in his head. It was particularly cool how he considered what others thought was a mental illness to be an asset.
It's fun reading about a character who seems to have all sorts of amazing experts living in his head. It was particularly cool how he considered what others thought was a mental illness to be an asset.
Set in the same empire as the "Thorns" books, but a completely different protagonist, this time, one who was inspired by Harry Flashman of [b:Flashman|142458|Flashman (The Flashman Papers, #1)|George MacDonald Fraser|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320656064s/142458.jpg|1137467].
Now, I read all the Flashman books back in the 80s, and I'll admit, I got a bit tired of him, but I never tired of Prince Jalan.
Plus he travels with the bravest and strongest Viking you could imagine, and who doesn't love a good Viking?
Set in the same empire as the "Thorns" books, but a completely different protagonist, this time, one who was inspired by Harry Flashman of [b:Flashman|142458|Flashman (The Flashman Papers, #1)|George MacDonald Fraser|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320656064s/142458.jpg|1137467].
Now, I read all the Flashman books back in the 80s, and I'll admit, I got a bit tired of him, but I never tired of Prince Jalan.
Plus he travels with the bravest and strongest Viking you could imagine, and who doesn't love a good Viking?
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.
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.
All the horrors of Hell stand between Snorri Ver Snagason and the rescue of his …
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.
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.
In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and …
Loved it.
Murderbot wasn’t programmed to care. So, its decision to help the only human who ever …
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.
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.
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.
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.
"My Documents is the latest work from Alejandro Zambra, the award-winning Chilean writer whose first …
These were well written stories, but they were bleak. And lately, I'm not in the mood for bleak stories.
These were well written stories, but they were bleak. And lately, I'm not in the mood for bleak stories.
This deepened my understanding of modern genocides, but it didn't help overcome the feeling of hopelessness I get about them.
This deepened my understanding of modern genocides, but it didn't help overcome the feeling of hopelessness I get about them.
"As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure."
In a corporate-dominated spacefaring …
This is a charming series and I loved spending time with Murderbot.
I think this might be a good series for people who want to try science fiction because they like things like Star Trek, but don't like most sci-fi they have tried.
The stories are pretty short. Not too short for a full story to be told, but too short for someone who wants to spend a lot of time with the delightful Murderbot. (Spoiler Alert: Murderbot isn't actually a murderer. It's more a life-saver.)
This is a charming series and I loved spending time with Murderbot.
I think this might be a good series for people who want to try science fiction because they like things like Star Trek, but don't like most sci-fi they have tried.
The stories are pretty short. Not too short for a full story to be told, but too short for someone who wants to spend a lot of time with the delightful Murderbot. (Spoiler Alert: Murderbot isn't actually a murderer. It's more a life-saver.)
In January 1986, fifteen-year-old boy-genius Nick Hayes discovers he’s dying. And it isn’t even the …
Between this book and Stranger Things, I get the impression that my life would have gone better if Dungeons and Dragons had been a thing in the early 70s and I'd found a few people to play it with.
Between this book and Stranger Things, I get the impression that my life would have gone better if Dungeons and Dragons had been a thing in the early 70s and I'd found a few people to play it with.
