sunn_bleach's Reviews (249)

The namesake short story is still amazing today, but the other stories here have their own share of small-town small-mindedness and New England gothic horror.

Probably one of the worst science fiction books I’ve ever read. A very poorly done fix-up where it’s painfully obvious where the original stories ended with little through-line in any of them. Full of Heinlein-level sexism and a completely shallow political intrigue. Pass, even if it is apparently a “classic”.

A completely different interpretation of “VALIS” with much more pronounced sci-fi elements. A science writing drug user’s Theatre of the Absurd.

As with any book on maths and physics, the complexity ramps up as the book goes on. Overall it’s a tight read, and the koan concept is both apt Ake applicable.

It’s RAW, so you know it’s going to be hilarious. And, I’m not convinced he knew how it was going to end, with one of the biggest Gainax moments I’ve ever read in a book.

Another excellent addition to the canon of northeast hiking books. The author lays out likely scenarios and provides no exceptions in describing how to prevent incidents like this, as well as the massive search and rescue efforts that occurred.

The quintessential adventure novel. Shows that with a bit of courage, some luck, and a willingness and curiosity to explore, then even dragons can be beaten.

Interesting framing, but all too often just stories of rescues without as much context as one needs in search and rescue or climbing. I would have more appreciated details on incident command and the physician’s duties while on a rescue. There are also personal life matters that are brought up with the impression of being explored later in context of being an emergency physician but are dropped on the following chapters.

Once again, Ty Gagne writes an immaculate case study on mountaineering incidents that is well worth the read for anybody remotely interested in the field, let alone search and rescue or New Hampshire.

I thought this was going to be a book *about* records, but it’s actually more interesting than that: an autobiography that uses punk rock as the framing device. I love that idea, and it certainly turned me on to plenty of great obscure stuff from the 80s and 90s in addition to a pensive story on life in music.