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Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
"She forgot about how bad things was for us for a while, and I guess I did too. It never stops amazing me how a story can deliver you out of your own self, even in the worst of times. - the book of koli"
Aye, this story did indeed deliver me out of me own self. I am surviving and really can't complain about me personal life right now. But I am filled with worry about me family, friends, and fellow humans that be struggling because of the pandemic. I have been failing to focus on reading all year but dang March was rough. So it was with both surprise and delight that a sci-fi dystopian would be the book that I could a) finish; b) really enjoy; and c) thoroughly take me away from worry for a small while.
Now I chose to read this knowing nothing about the plot other than it is written by an author that I love and that it dealt with killer plants. Well I have to admit that I was slightly taken aback because I thought I would get more of a thriller about killer plants and instead it be a coming of age story with a slight YA feel. There is also a writing style of degraded language that took an adjustment until I was able to go with the flow.
However, the story, world building, and characters quickly won me over and the current era's woes faded away while experiencing the future centuries from now. I ended up loving the language, world, and especially the side characters. Now no offense to Koli but favorites were Ursula and Monono. I particularly loved the framing of the plot and how Koli was able to tell the story while reflecting from within. I even loved the switches in time frames. I was never confused but always eager to find out how everything was going to work out.
The only minor complaints are the cult section which wasn't all that original and the momentum slowing down in parts but I was extremely satisfied with this read and how it ended. I cannot wait for the next installment in the fall.
So lastly . . .
Thank ye Orbit Books!
"She forgot about how bad things was for us for a while, and I guess I did too. It never stops amazing me how a story can deliver you out of your own self, even in the worst of times. - the book of koli"
Aye, this story did indeed deliver me out of me own self. I am surviving and really can't complain about me personal life right now. But I am filled with worry about me family, friends, and fellow humans that be struggling because of the pandemic. I have been failing to focus on reading all year but dang March was rough. So it was with both surprise and delight that a sci-fi dystopian would be the book that I could a) finish; b) really enjoy; and c) thoroughly take me away from worry for a small while.
Now I chose to read this knowing nothing about the plot other than it is written by an author that I love and that it dealt with killer plants. Well I have to admit that I was slightly taken aback because I thought I would get more of a thriller about killer plants and instead it be a coming of age story with a slight YA feel. There is also a writing style of degraded language that took an adjustment until I was able to go with the flow.
However, the story, world building, and characters quickly won me over and the current era's woes faded away while experiencing the future centuries from now. I ended up loving the language, world, and especially the side characters. Now no offense to Koli but favorites were Ursula and Monono. I particularly loved the framing of the plot and how Koli was able to tell the story while reflecting from within. I even loved the switches in time frames. I was never confused but always eager to find out how everything was going to work out.
The only minor complaints are the cult section which wasn't all that original and the momentum slowing down in parts but I was extremely satisfied with this read and how it ended. I cannot wait for the next installment in the fall.
So lastly . . .
Thank ye Orbit Books!
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye haven’t read the first book then ye might want to skip this post. If ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .
I really enjoyed book one of this series. It had wonderful world building, excellent characters, a fantastic magic system, and a heist gone wrong. So I was super excited to get a chance to read book two. Sadly this was just okay.
The main issue for me is that the scope of the novel was too big in terms of ideas. The first novel was a character driven story that felt intimate and fun. I loved watching the characters grow and influence the world around them. And of course so much of that fun involved the key. Now I didn't read the blurb and went into this blind. Mehaps that was the problem.
Now don't get me wrong, I still love the characters and the world in general. I loved the set-up for this book and was looking forward to the scrapes that Sancia was going to get herself both into and out of. Well sadly, both her and the other characters get lost in the minutiae of the set-up for the big showdown in book three. Also suddenly all of the characters seem to have acquired the ability to be super-humans and conveniently get themselves out of everything with rather little effort. Sancia in particular just seemed to ease her way through every magic situation with her talent. I wanted more struggle and character connections.
Really I wanted the character-driven story back. The plot also became a bit too meta for me. I can't get into it because of spoilers but it was both convenient and lackluster. Perhaps this was because I have read other books where the same type of magic happens. There wasn't enough difficulty in execution and adjustment. The two main characters in this situation just seem to take it in stride and it became a little too woo woo in terms of making human relationships better. Argh! I wish I could explain this better but I don't want to ruin it for those who may find these circumstances mind-blowing.
The crew has overwhelmingly given this one five stars. Wish I could say the same. I am likely to read the last book because of how the battle has begun. I actually did think the ending was the best part. I am interested in seeing how the mess gets resolved. I just be sad that book two didn't make me fall in love the way book one did.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Random House!
I really enjoyed book one of this series. It had wonderful world building, excellent characters, a fantastic magic system, and a heist gone wrong. So I was super excited to get a chance to read book two. Sadly this was just okay.
The main issue for me is that the scope of the novel was too big in terms of ideas. The first novel was a character driven story that felt intimate and fun. I loved watching the characters grow and influence the world around them. And of course so much of that fun involved the key. Now I didn't read the blurb and went into this blind. Mehaps that was the problem.
Now don't get me wrong, I still love the characters and the world in general. I loved the set-up for this book and was looking forward to the scrapes that Sancia was going to get herself both into and out of. Well sadly, both her and the other characters get lost in the minutiae of the set-up for the big showdown in book three. Also suddenly all of the characters seem to have acquired the ability to be super-humans and conveniently get themselves out of everything with rather little effort. Sancia in particular just seemed to ease her way through every magic situation with her talent. I wanted more struggle and character connections.
Really I wanted the character-driven story back. The plot also became a bit too meta for me. I can't get into it because of spoilers but it was both convenient and lackluster. Perhaps this was because I have read other books where the same type of magic happens. There wasn't enough difficulty in execution and adjustment. The two main characters in this situation just seem to take it in stride and it became a little too woo woo in terms of making human relationships better. Argh! I wish I could explain this better but I don't want to ruin it for those who may find these circumstances mind-blowing.
The crew has overwhelmingly given this one five stars. Wish I could say the same. I am likely to read the last book because of how the battle has begun. I actually did think the ending was the best part. I am interested in seeing how the mess gets resolved. I just be sad that book two didn't make me fall in love the way book one did.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Random House!
Ahoy there me mateys! I received a copy of this young adult fantasy eArc from Edelweiss in exchange for me honest musings . . .
I absolutely loved this standalone novel. This novel has great female protagonists, fun evil creatures called kehoks, and some surprising plot twists. It was such a good reading experience that I didn’t even notice many of the writing inconsistencies until after I finished. I wanted to stay up all night reading but made meself go to bed. The author dedicated the book to Tamora Pierce. She is one of me favorite authors and Durst’s book certainly captures the spirit and feel of those beloved books.
Basically there are two main characters, Tamra and Raia. Tamra is a kehok trainer down on her luck. Raia is a runaway who decides the kehok races are the only way to earn her freedom. What is a kehok? Well, reincarnation is a reality in this society. A kehok is a person who is so irredeemable that are reborn as murderous tortured monsters who cannot rejoin the reincarnation cycle. Kehoks are used as racing beasts. Okay it doesn’t quite make sense but I didn’t care. Cause monster racing in the desert sounds cool!
The highlight for me were the characters. I loved Tamra and Raia but I grew to love Shalla, Yorbel, and Lady Evara. I loved that all of them had different reasons for wanting to win the race. I certainly was cheering them on. I enjoyed that the characters were from various backgrounds and of various ages. The races themselves ended up being background for a larger plot about political instability and religion but that ended up being okay because I wanted to see how it all turned out.
The world building was the weakest link even if it didn’t ruin the book for me. The world and politics felt very one dimensional. The emperor-to-be can’t be crowned until they find the animal housing his dead brother’s soul. This aspect of the reincarnation didn’t make sense. There was never any idea of what the point of the cycle was and how ye got out of it. Good people became animals frequently (and expected to) and so there was some puzzlement once the book was finished. Many of the plot points of this aspect of the novel were very easy to predict but not all.
But really those things were minor in comparison to how much I enjoyed the reading experience and characters. I certainly need to get back to Durst’s backlog because I had forgotten how much fun her writing could be. Arrrr!
I absolutely loved this standalone novel. This novel has great female protagonists, fun evil creatures called kehoks, and some surprising plot twists. It was such a good reading experience that I didn’t even notice many of the writing inconsistencies until after I finished. I wanted to stay up all night reading but made meself go to bed. The author dedicated the book to Tamora Pierce. She is one of me favorite authors and Durst’s book certainly captures the spirit and feel of those beloved books.
Basically there are two main characters, Tamra and Raia. Tamra is a kehok trainer down on her luck. Raia is a runaway who decides the kehok races are the only way to earn her freedom. What is a kehok? Well, reincarnation is a reality in this society. A kehok is a person who is so irredeemable that are reborn as murderous tortured monsters who cannot rejoin the reincarnation cycle. Kehoks are used as racing beasts. Okay it doesn’t quite make sense but I didn’t care. Cause monster racing in the desert sounds cool!
The highlight for me were the characters. I loved Tamra and Raia but I grew to love Shalla, Yorbel, and Lady Evara. I loved that all of them had different reasons for wanting to win the race. I certainly was cheering them on. I enjoyed that the characters were from various backgrounds and of various ages. The races themselves ended up being background for a larger plot about political instability and religion but that ended up being okay because I wanted to see how it all turned out.
The world building was the weakest link even if it didn’t ruin the book for me. The world and politics felt very one dimensional. The emperor-to-be can’t be crowned until they find the animal housing his dead brother’s soul. This aspect of the reincarnation didn’t make sense. There was never any idea of what the point of the cycle was and how ye got out of it. Good people became animals frequently (and expected to) and so there was some puzzlement once the book was finished. Many of the plot points of this aspect of the novel were very easy to predict but not all.
But really those things were minor in comparison to how much I enjoyed the reading experience and characters. I certainly need to get back to Durst’s backlog because I had forgotten how much fun her writing could be. Arrrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi novella eARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
One of the things I have come to appreciate about Nancy Kress’ work is that it always be thought provoking. The concepts are interesting and led to some fun conversations with me First Mate. As a conversation starter, I really enjoyed it. As an entertainment it wasn’t so effective.
Though the title is sea change, the real issue behind this novella is GMO crops. The story postulates what would happen if a GMO pharmaceutical product caused child deaths and the response from the world was to ban all GMO products. This choice seemed odd because the product was a drug and not a food. Yet the focus of the GMO fight is bringing back GMO crops to handle the food shortages caused by climate change of weather patterns.
The book felt like the author was trying to bash ye over the head with how GMO crops are necessary. Part of the issue is because there is an underground resistance trying to engineer them. The main character, Renata, is a member of this organization. And I didn’t like her. She was abrasive, kinda naive, and fanatical. As a crusader, she seemed to latch onto her causes with no real discernment. She doesn’t know what the end goal of her organization is, how it is really structured, or who is involved. Safety first, supposedly. Sure they are trying to create new cultivars but beyond that, what? I would want to know the big picture. Renata just wants to believe that she is participating in a good cause and feel better. I sympathized a bit but still thought she was ridiculous.
The story also had a problem because of the mix of science diatribe and interpersonal drama. There is a subplot dealing with her ex-husband that wasn’t poorly written but could have been removed all together. The past and present are showcased in alternating timelines. I think the story would have been much more powerful taking place only in the present. That said, I actually liked the past sections better and they held me attention more satisfactorily.
The present sections left too many unanswered questions. For example there be a self-driving house. Why? Only one color of paint left. Why? How is the food system run now? How do the poor live? How is the economy actually structured after the Catastrophe? In the other books I have read, it seemed as though Kress had really delved into the ramifications of changes to society across the board.
While I thought the writing itself wasn’t bad, the plot did not work for me. I ended up not caring about any of the characters or the plot itself. It just left me confused overall and unsatisfied. Maybe this would have worked better as a longer novel but I have to admit that I don’t want to particularly hear anymore GMO soapboxing regardless of me underlying interest in the topic.
Still enjoyed some of the intellectual ideas and projections but not enough to reread this book or necessarily recommend it.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Tachyon Publications!
One of the things I have come to appreciate about Nancy Kress’ work is that it always be thought provoking. The concepts are interesting and led to some fun conversations with me First Mate. As a conversation starter, I really enjoyed it. As an entertainment it wasn’t so effective.
Though the title is sea change, the real issue behind this novella is GMO crops. The story postulates what would happen if a GMO pharmaceutical product caused child deaths and the response from the world was to ban all GMO products. This choice seemed odd because the product was a drug and not a food. Yet the focus of the GMO fight is bringing back GMO crops to handle the food shortages caused by climate change of weather patterns.
The book felt like the author was trying to bash ye over the head with how GMO crops are necessary. Part of the issue is because there is an underground resistance trying to engineer them. The main character, Renata, is a member of this organization. And I didn’t like her. She was abrasive, kinda naive, and fanatical. As a crusader, she seemed to latch onto her causes with no real discernment. She doesn’t know what the end goal of her organization is, how it is really structured, or who is involved. Safety first, supposedly. Sure they are trying to create new cultivars but beyond that, what? I would want to know the big picture. Renata just wants to believe that she is participating in a good cause and feel better. I sympathized a bit but still thought she was ridiculous.
The story also had a problem because of the mix of science diatribe and interpersonal drama. There is a subplot dealing with her ex-husband that wasn’t poorly written but could have been removed all together. The past and present are showcased in alternating timelines. I think the story would have been much more powerful taking place only in the present. That said, I actually liked the past sections better and they held me attention more satisfactorily.
The present sections left too many unanswered questions. For example there be a self-driving house. Why? Only one color of paint left. Why? How is the food system run now? How do the poor live? How is the economy actually structured after the Catastrophe? In the other books I have read, it seemed as though Kress had really delved into the ramifications of changes to society across the board.
While I thought the writing itself wasn’t bad, the plot did not work for me. I ended up not caring about any of the characters or the plot itself. It just left me confused overall and unsatisfied. Maybe this would have worked better as a longer novel but I have to admit that I don’t want to particularly hear anymore GMO soapboxing regardless of me underlying interest in the topic.
Still enjoyed some of the intellectual ideas and projections but not enough to reread this book or necessarily recommend it.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Tachyon Publications!
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this short story collection eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
The cover drew me in and three things convinced me to read this book:
1. I love Elizabeth Bear! I have read at least eight of her novels;
2. It is a Subterranean Press book and they do great work; and
3. This collection has 27 stories and I have never read any of Bear's short fiction.
Out of the 27 stories I loved 14 of them, 7 were just okay, and I didn't like 6. I will say that ye get a lot of bang for yer buck. I will try to give ye an idea of the bare bones and thoughts on the stories:
"Covenant" - Damn. Get inside the head of a convicted and rehabilitated serial murderer and then manage to find compassion for them. I was mesmerized. This was awesome and worth the price of admission.
"She Still Loves the Dragon" - This was weird and I don't think I liked it. It is the story of a female knight and a dragon and their love. I didn't really get it.
"Tideline" - This was a fantastic story about a dying war machine and the boy she befriends on a beach. Sad and lovely.
"The Leavings of the Wolf" - This was an odd story about a woman whose wedding ring haunts her. She is both driven and reluctant to get rid of it. I didn't love the ending of it but it was very engaging.
"Okay, Glory" - I loved this one. A rich recluse's smart house is hacked for ransom. This is how he deals with it. Clever and compelling.
"Needles" - This vampire story was confusing. I didn't understand this one either.
"This Chance Planet" - A street mutt in Moscow helps a woman confront her unhealthy situation that everyone else in her life knows about but won't intrude on. I loved it and thought the ending was excellent.
"The Body of the Nation" - This was a murder mystery with an awesome setting and a fun main character. However, the solving of the mystery was cheating by not giving the reader sufficient clues. It also felt like a snippet of a larger novel and that ye were missing something.
"Boojum" - Living space ships rock! So do space pirates! I actually have read (and loved) this one before but didn't realize it was co-written between Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear.
Side note: I also didn't know that Sarah Monette and Katherine Addison are the same person!
"The Bone War" - I loved this story about a bone wizard who brings a dinosaur back to "life".
"In the House of Aryaman, a Lonely Signal Burns" - Another awesome story with a murder mystery, cool world building, and a cat.
"Shoggoths in Bloom" - Well I didn't know what a Shoggoth was. The First Mate had to explain it me. Loved this historical fantasy fiction set in between the great wars with a black naturalist scientist as the main character. Sad but correct ending.
"Skin in the Game" - A painfully good story about the price of being a rockstar.
"Hobnoblin Blues" - This one was also about a rockstar who happens to be Loki. I have to admit I kinda skimmed the beginning but I liked the ending a bit more. Mixed feelings.
"Form and Void" - A weird, cool story about space, an unhealthy friendship, and odd dragons. I liked it.
"Your Collar" - This story was about the minotaur and a queen. It was interesting but I didn't completely understand the ending.
"Terroir" - I didn't know what this French word meant but dang was it used well as the theme of this story that dealt with memory and ghosts. I thought the story was a bit too long but I enjoyed it.
"Dolly" - Murder-mystery robot story. Absolutely loved it.
"Love Among the Talus" - This was set in the same world as the Eternal Sky trilogy which I read and loved. Loved this story too.
"The Deeps of the Sky" - Ships sailing in the sky. First contact story told from the perspective of an alien meeting a human for the first time. Liked it.
"Two Dreams on Trains" - This was a heart wrenching story set in New Orleans in the distant future. It showcases a mother's love and dreams for her son and her disappointment. Beautifully done.
"Faster Gun" - A western with Doc Holiday, a crashed spaceship in the desert, and magic. Fun.
"The Heart's Filthy Lesson" - An adventurer on Venus is trying to discover a lost civilization while dealing with the conflicted feelings about her lover who happens to share a mind-link with her. I really loved this one.
"Perfect Gun" - A mercenary buys the perfect ship only that ship has her own ideas about her pilot's actions.
"Sonny Liston Takes the Fall" - A weird story about Las Vegas and boxing with a bit of magic and horse racing thrown in. Well written but I didn't like it.
"Orm the Beautiful" - A weird story about the last dragon and how he chose to end his life.
"Erase, Erase, Erase" - I liked the concepts in this one but the plot was kinda tedious.
I be very grateful to have a chance to read these stories. While I didn't love every story, I do have a few new favourites of hers. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Subterranean Press!
The cover drew me in and three things convinced me to read this book:
1. I love Elizabeth Bear! I have read at least eight of her novels;
2. It is a Subterranean Press book and they do great work; and
3. This collection has 27 stories and I have never read any of Bear's short fiction.
Out of the 27 stories I loved 14 of them, 7 were just okay, and I didn't like 6. I will say that ye get a lot of bang for yer buck. I will try to give ye an idea of the bare bones and thoughts on the stories:
"Covenant" - Damn. Get inside the head of a convicted and rehabilitated serial murderer and then manage to find compassion for them. I was mesmerized. This was awesome and worth the price of admission.
"She Still Loves the Dragon" - This was weird and I don't think I liked it. It is the story of a female knight and a dragon and their love. I didn't really get it.
"Tideline" - This was a fantastic story about a dying war machine and the boy she befriends on a beach. Sad and lovely.
"The Leavings of the Wolf" - This was an odd story about a woman whose wedding ring haunts her. She is both driven and reluctant to get rid of it. I didn't love the ending of it but it was very engaging.
"Okay, Glory" - I loved this one. A rich recluse's smart house is hacked for ransom. This is how he deals with it. Clever and compelling.
"Needles" - This vampire story was confusing. I didn't understand this one either.
"This Chance Planet" - A street mutt in Moscow helps a woman confront her unhealthy situation that everyone else in her life knows about but won't intrude on. I loved it and thought the ending was excellent.
"The Body of the Nation" - This was a murder mystery with an awesome setting and a fun main character. However, the solving of the mystery was cheating by not giving the reader sufficient clues. It also felt like a snippet of a larger novel and that ye were missing something.
"Boojum" - Living space ships rock! So do space pirates! I actually have read (and loved) this one before but didn't realize it was co-written between Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear.
Side note: I also didn't know that Sarah Monette and Katherine Addison are the same person!
"The Bone War" - I loved this story about a bone wizard who brings a dinosaur back to "life".
"In the House of Aryaman, a Lonely Signal Burns" - Another awesome story with a murder mystery, cool world building, and a cat.
"Shoggoths in Bloom" - Well I didn't know what a Shoggoth was. The First Mate had to explain it me. Loved this historical fantasy fiction set in between the great wars with a black naturalist scientist as the main character. Sad but correct ending.
"Skin in the Game" - A painfully good story about the price of being a rockstar.
"Hobnoblin Blues" - This one was also about a rockstar who happens to be Loki. I have to admit I kinda skimmed the beginning but I liked the ending a bit more. Mixed feelings.
"Form and Void" - A weird, cool story about space, an unhealthy friendship, and odd dragons. I liked it.
"Your Collar" - This story was about the minotaur and a queen. It was interesting but I didn't completely understand the ending.
"Terroir" - I didn't know what this French word meant but dang was it used well as the theme of this story that dealt with memory and ghosts. I thought the story was a bit too long but I enjoyed it.
"Dolly" - Murder-mystery robot story. Absolutely loved it.
"Love Among the Talus" - This was set in the same world as the Eternal Sky trilogy which I read and loved. Loved this story too.
"The Deeps of the Sky" - Ships sailing in the sky. First contact story told from the perspective of an alien meeting a human for the first time. Liked it.
"Two Dreams on Trains" - This was a heart wrenching story set in New Orleans in the distant future. It showcases a mother's love and dreams for her son and her disappointment. Beautifully done.
"Faster Gun" - A western with Doc Holiday, a crashed spaceship in the desert, and magic. Fun.
"The Heart's Filthy Lesson" - An adventurer on Venus is trying to discover a lost civilization while dealing with the conflicted feelings about her lover who happens to share a mind-link with her. I really loved this one.
"Perfect Gun" - A mercenary buys the perfect ship only that ship has her own ideas about her pilot's actions.
"Sonny Liston Takes the Fall" - A weird story about Las Vegas and boxing with a bit of magic and horse racing thrown in. Well written but I didn't like it.
"Orm the Beautiful" - A weird story about the last dragon and how he chose to end his life.
"Erase, Erase, Erase" - I liked the concepts in this one but the plot was kinda tedious.
I be very grateful to have a chance to read these stories. While I didn't love every story, I do have a few new favourites of hers. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Subterranean Press!
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this historical fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here are me honest musings . . .
The cover drew me in and three things convinced me to read this book:
1. Connie Willis wrote the doomsday book and it was seriously one of the best books I have ever read;
2. It is a Subterranean Press book and they do great work; and
3. This novella was a finalist for the 1991 Nebula and Hugo awards and is set during the Blitz in London.
I have yet to read a bad Connie Willis book. This novella is awesome! This story is told from the prospective of Jack who is a member of the air raid rescue squad. The main job of their squad is to rescue folks trapped in rubble from the bombs. A new member joins the squad who also happens to be called Jack. The two Jacks end up on patrol together. But the newest Jack (#2) doesn't seem to have a clear past and has an uncanny ability to find survivors. So Jack (#1) starts to investigate his partner. Jack's (#1) rationale for what he finds sounds insane. Or is it . . .
I am not going to give ye anymore plot then that. I loved the ending. Ye can take it two different ways. One just happens to be more fun than the other. As always the setting is excellent, the world-building superb, the writing sublime, and the characters lovely. I do think Willis is a genius. So much complexity and yet a short, clear, and engaging read. If ye have missed this one pick it up. If ye have never read anything by her then certainly get a hold of her work. This would be a great place to start.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Subterranean Press!
Side note: I do really need to finish the Oxford Time Travel series. I am only halfway through but the two books I have read were awesome!
The cover drew me in and three things convinced me to read this book:
1. Connie Willis wrote the doomsday book and it was seriously one of the best books I have ever read;
2. It is a Subterranean Press book and they do great work; and
3. This novella was a finalist for the 1991 Nebula and Hugo awards and is set during the Blitz in London.
I have yet to read a bad Connie Willis book. This novella is awesome! This story is told from the prospective of Jack who is a member of the air raid rescue squad. The main job of their squad is to rescue folks trapped in rubble from the bombs. A new member joins the squad who also happens to be called Jack. The two Jacks end up on patrol together. But the newest Jack (#2) doesn't seem to have a clear past and has an uncanny ability to find survivors. So Jack (#1) starts to investigate his partner. Jack's (#1) rationale for what he finds sounds insane. Or is it . . .
I am not going to give ye anymore plot then that. I loved the ending. Ye can take it two different ways. One just happens to be more fun than the other. As always the setting is excellent, the world-building superb, the writing sublime, and the characters lovely. I do think Willis is a genius. So much complexity and yet a short, clear, and engaging read. If ye have missed this one pick it up. If ye have never read anything by her then certainly get a hold of her work. This would be a great place to start.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Subterranean Press!
Side note: I do really need to finish the Oxford Time Travel series. I am only halfway through but the two books I have read were awesome!
Ahoy there mateys! In looking this up on Goodreads today due to a crew member's recommendation, the plot felt familiar and I had rated it. Then I went to the blog to see if I had a review somewhere. Apparently in my March discussion of the 2015 Campbell award finalists I had written this "okay so I apparently have read this one and promptly forgotten all about it. I did enjoy it, at least so says me Goodreads rating. A perusal of other crew members’ reviews did remind me of most of the plot and politics. But forgetting about it completely afterwards doesn’t truly bode well for it. Ugh." I have now forgotten about this book twice. Thus I have reduced me initial rating and put this review in so that next time I stumble across this book and look it up to see if I want to read it, I will save some time. Arrrr!
Update (5/5/2020): Ahoy there mateys!!! RELEASE DAY!!!!! I LOVE MURDERBOT!!!!!!
The crew should know at this point that I LOVE MURDERBOT!!! In fact, it be fair to say I be a bit obsessed. I have read the four novellas in the series multiple times and have disciplined those crew members who have not yet met the Murderbot. Iconsider know meself as the number one fan. I read this FULL-LENGTH Murderbot novel a while back because Matey Tammy @ Books,Bones,&Buffy gave me an Arc. Then I reread it yesterday to celebrate the release. Am I gonna tell ye what it's about? NO ABSOLUTELY NOT. This be one of the time where spend yer loot on something other than vittles, grog, and tobaccee. That's an order.
Once ye have caught up, celebrate with me that #6, Fugitive Telemetry, is scheduled for 2021. Arrrr!
Update (1/29/2020): I loved it. Can I have some more? Arrrr!
I was denied a copy of network effect on Edelweiss! Why oh why? I be devastated. I neeed more Murderbot! I LOVE MURDERBOT!!! I be so sad that I want to toss meself overboard. But then I would never get more Murderbot! May 5, 2020 cannot come soon enough. Arrrrr!
The crew should know at this point that I LOVE MURDERBOT!!! In fact, it be fair to say I be a bit obsessed. I have read the four novellas in the series multiple times and have disciplined those crew members who have not yet met the Murderbot. I
Once ye have caught up, celebrate with me that #6, Fugitive Telemetry, is scheduled for 2021. Arrrr!
Update (1/29/2020): I loved it. Can I have some more? Arrrr!
I was denied a copy of network effect on Edelweiss! Why oh why? I be devastated. I neeed more Murderbot! I LOVE MURDERBOT!!! I be so sad that I want to toss meself overboard. But then I would never get more Murderbot! May 5, 2020 cannot come soon enough. Arrrrr!
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
Upon seeing the beautiful cover and reading the synopsis, I thought this novel would float me boat. No such luck. I read 40% before abandoning ship. The only reason I read that long is that I wanted to know about the mermaids.
I was prepared to root for a sapphic romance between the orphan turned bad pirate and the spoiled naive rich girl. But basically the leads suck. Both are intelligent but don't use their brains. Both are kinda hateful. Pirate girl has no problems being a slaver and her selfishness is appalling. The only person she kinda cares about is her brother but that is out of guilt. Rich girl dumps her former lover and "best" friend (and servant with no power) with nary a thought about her feelings or future.
Pirate girl is determined to hate rich girl. But insta-lust still ensues. Rich girl has no common sense but wants a friend. But wait! Pirate girl is dressed like a boy!! But Shakespeare this ain't. No comedy just weird internal angst and a ridiculous reveal moment. On top of that the portrayal of ship life is laughable and the circumstances of the two girls interacting is just plain stupid and makes no sense.
As for the mermaid, the backstory and character angst took up the first 30% or so. Then we finally get the mermaid. I liked the mermaid depiction but it took up so little of the plot and the "twist" about feeding it was stupid. The mermaid fun was nowhere to be found.
I should have given up on this book as soon as rape was used as a motivating character trait for a baddie early on. I was seduced by the siren's song much to me disadvantage. I should have known better.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Candlewick Press!
Upon seeing the beautiful cover and reading the synopsis, I thought this novel would float me boat. No such luck. I read 40% before abandoning ship. The only reason I read that long is that I wanted to know about the mermaids.
I was prepared to root for a sapphic romance between the orphan turned bad pirate and the spoiled naive rich girl. But basically the leads suck. Both are intelligent but don't use their brains. Both are kinda hateful. Pirate girl has no problems being a slaver and her selfishness is appalling. The only person she kinda cares about is her brother but that is out of guilt. Rich girl dumps her former lover and "best" friend (and servant with no power) with nary a thought about her feelings or future.
Pirate girl is determined to hate rich girl. But insta-lust still ensues. Rich girl has no common sense but wants a friend. But wait! Pirate girl is dressed like a boy!! But Shakespeare this ain't. No comedy just weird internal angst and a ridiculous reveal moment. On top of that the portrayal of ship life is laughable and the circumstances of the two girls interacting is just plain stupid and makes no sense.
As for the mermaid, the backstory and character angst took up the first 30% or so. Then we finally get the mermaid. I liked the mermaid depiction but it took up so little of the plot and the "twist" about feeding it was stupid. The mermaid fun was nowhere to be found.
I should have given up on this book as soon as rape was used as a motivating character trait for a baddie early on. I was seduced by the siren's song much to me disadvantage. I should have known better.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Candlewick Press!
Ahoy there me mateys! This book has been on me list to read ever since I first heard about it. It's a sea yarn! Then of course it appeared as a nominee for the Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book this year and I am trying to read more of the list before the Hugo winners are announced.
I have read two other books by this author and what I love about her work is that the world-building is divine, the magic is fascinating, and the atmosphere is wonderful. Even if the characters and plot ultimately made this book not completely work for me, I still found a lot to enjoy here.
Did I mention this was a sea yarn? Floats me boat and tickles me fancy. I absolutely loved the island culture, the sea gods and their history, the sea-kissed divers and their sign language, and how real it all felt. Visitors would have to be wary but I wanted to set sail for the Myriad archipelago immediately. Not so sure how I would feel being in a ship underwater but there be a first time for everything.
So what was the problem? A personal quirk of mine. The friendship in the story is a toxic one and I don't like reading about them. I wanted to kick the main character, Hark, even if I understand that these types of relationships do occur in the real world. Reading the blurb would have helped but I chose to go into this book blind and so got more annoyed with the main character than I perhaps would have otherwise. At first I enjoyed that Hark was an ambivalent, flawed character who makes bad choices. I was cheering him on . . . until I wasn't. No one deserves to be treated the way he was and yet I started to get annoyed with Hark's choices and justifications and it tainted the book. In fact there was a secondary character named Selphin that I loved so much, I began to wish it was her story. But again, I think this is more me than the book. I think.
I also didn't love the climax and conclusion of the novel. It felt both overly complicated in execution and disappointingly predictable in story elements at the same time. If that makes any sense. So while this wasn't a solid win, it proves that I will read books by this author just to see what world she will come up with next. Arrr!
I have read two other books by this author and what I love about her work is that the world-building is divine, the magic is fascinating, and the atmosphere is wonderful. Even if the characters and plot ultimately made this book not completely work for me, I still found a lot to enjoy here.
Did I mention this was a sea yarn? Floats me boat and tickles me fancy. I absolutely loved the island culture, the sea gods and their history, the sea-kissed divers and their sign language, and how real it all felt. Visitors would have to be wary but I wanted to set sail for the Myriad archipelago immediately. Not so sure how I would feel being in a ship underwater but there be a first time for everything.
So what was the problem? A personal quirk of mine. The friendship in the story is a toxic one and I don't like reading about them. I wanted to kick the main character, Hark, even if I understand that these types of relationships do occur in the real world. Reading the blurb would have helped but I chose to go into this book blind and so got more annoyed with the main character than I perhaps would have otherwise. At first I enjoyed that Hark was an ambivalent, flawed character who makes bad choices. I was cheering him on . . . until I wasn't. No one deserves to be treated the way he was and yet I started to get annoyed with Hark's choices and justifications and it tainted the book. In fact there was a secondary character named Selphin that I loved so much, I began to wish it was her story. But again, I think this is more me than the book. I think.
I also didn't love the climax and conclusion of the novel. It felt both overly complicated in execution and disappointingly predictable in story elements at the same time. If that makes any sense. So while this wasn't a solid win, it proves that I will read books by this author just to see what world she will come up with next. Arrr!