Ahoy me mateys! Grab your grog! Here be book 3 of the 10th installment of the 3 Bells trilogy showcase where for 3 days straight I will be reviewing 3 books in a row. The catch is that the 3 books will showcase an entire trilogy. So throw your 3 sheets to the wind and get ready to celebrate with me. Grog optional . . .

Unpopular opinion time! I really did not like the last book of this trilogy. I still love Trouble Dog and Sal. But ultimately the story went places that I didn’t care about and found nonsensical. I liked the new character of Cordelia Pa. I am completely in love with Nod who went from being an okay character in book one to a delight. In fact the part the Druff played in this book ended up being one of me favorite parts.

The main problems in this book were two fold – dangling plot points and problematic character motivation. In terms of characters, Sal and Trouble Dog were the only ones that still kinda felt real in this installment. All the other characters seemed incidental or became two dimensional. Characters previously important in other books do nothing in this one (like Lucy or Preston). Other characters sacrifice themselves for no real purpose. Ona Sudak really was the most boring bad guy ever who twirls their bad guy mustache and has no real motivation. The “realization” moment by her at the end was just ludicrous.

As for dangling plot points. Well the ideas of reality quakes and plates were fascinating and never really explained. Both could have been used awesomely and weren’t. Cordelia is a fun character but kinda magics her way through the end of the book. The sci-fi feel of the book just went “poof!” And how she saved the world was lame. There is a trans character added in for no reason (okay as a random lust interest) who actually has a sex change operation in the MIDDLE of a battle. Then leaves abruptly at the end of the book. Michael goes on a salvage hunt that could have been cut out of the book with no substantive change to the plot. There is a memory switch that really adds nothing to the plot. The void creatures are never explained satisfactorily or actually dealt with. They really are magic space dragons. The loss of an eye side plot was so lacklustre. The fleet of knives lose and randomly go back to do what they could have done all along. And not to mention the deus ex machina savior thrown in at the end.

I could go on and on but who has time to that. On to a new adventure. This one walks the plank! Arrr!

Side note: I still be glad I met Trouble Dog.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this sci-fi 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. I now try to read all the Connie Willis I can get me hands on.

I requested this not reading the blurb because ultimately I know it will be a good read.  So imagine me surprise to find out that this was a holiday tale.  I am not a holiday person and only care to pillage the baked goods.  So I had a small moment of dismay about the holiday aspect.  I needn't have worried.  This story was lovely.

Ori dreads spending the holidays with her family.  Her step-dad's latest wife and her daughter are horrible.  The other issue is Grandma Elving.  She worked in Woolworth's during Christmas in 1950.  And loves to talk about her time there ad nauseum and in detail.  Everyone dreads hearing about Woolworth's and Ori gears up for survival mode.  Only this holiday is different. 

Sloane, the current wife's daughter, has brought her most recent boyfriend, Lassiter, to dinner.  And he actually wants to hear all about Woolworth's. Lassiter is studying TFBM, or traumatic flashbulb memories.  He thinks Grandma Elving has one.  So Ori is dragged into helping Grandma Elving participate in a scientific study. which ultimately changes Ori's life.

This story is heartwarming and lovely.  I adored Ori and I really adored Grandma Elving.  The descriptions of Woolworth's were so vivid and alive.  I actually spent time trying to figure out if I was remembering ever being in Woolworth's meself or if the imagery was so strong that I just felt like I had. 

This reminded me of being a child when Christmas actually did feel magical.  Back then I loved seeing the department stores decorated, riding around neighborhoods looking at Christmas lights, and watching Christmas movies.  Seriously if Connie Willis can make this grouchy grinch forgo a bah humbug and smile with nostalgia then ye know it be an excellent story.  Arrrr! 

So lastly . . .

Thank you Subterranean Press!

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this fantasy horror eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

I really enjoyed blackfish city and was excited when I saw that Miller had a new book coming out and it had something to do with whales.  I was looking forward to seeing what the mind that came up with the “orcamancer” would give us next.

This story follows a gay photographer, Ronan, who fled small town Hudson, New York to go to the big city and never wants to go back.  Ronan is thus surprised to find himself on a train headed there.  Ronan is a complicated character.  He is selfish, damaged, and filled with hate.  Being recently sober, he doesn't know why he is headed to Hudson.

The reasons for this are complicated and ultimately don't make much sense.  There are mystical dead whales or gods or something.  I really did enjoy the set up for the novel and Ronan meeting up with his old high school friends.  I did not however, really care for the way the gentrification plot was handled even though the subject is an important one.  The side characters were intriguing and complicated but there were so many of them that none were explored satisfactorily. 

This really was a novel of big ideas that didn't cohesively gel.  The ideas included commentary on gentrification, homophobia, open marriages, drug abuse, bullying, obfuscation of history, embracing history, suicide, health problems, police brutality, corruption, social change, online manipulation, race, poverty, anger, social services, and the complicated love/hate relationship of hometowns and family.  Add in the other elements like magical realism, cosmic horror, weird dreams, ghosts, and gods who suck.

It was just too much.  I didn't connect to most of the characters and found the "horror" elements to be lame.  Also the pace starts out well, declines steadily throughout most of the novel, and then has an abrupt, poorly explained ending.  Though what happens to Ronan wasn't a surprise. There are also loose ends in many of the side plots.  I did however like the use of harpoons even if the whales in this story could have been removed.  Were they just there so there could be harpoons?

Overall a disappointing read that had a strong beginning and premise that failed to deliver.

So lastly . . .

Thank you Ecco Press!

Side note:  I always heard about whaling in Nantucket and not Hudson.  Also I never knew that Hudson was infamous for brothels in the 1920s and 1930s.  And a lot of this story seems partially inspired by the author's life as described in his author bio on his website.

Ahoy there me mateys! Book two was so much fun and I was thrilled to see how the story would end.  It was time for a treasure hunt!  Arrr!  This book ended up being me least favorite of the series but it comes down to personal preferences.  I expected that the author would throw in some plot hitches that I wasn't expecting.  I just wanted something different.  I wanted more treasure hunt and less politics.  I wanted more Marie and didn't get enough.  I didn't love the direction that Isabelle took in this.  I surprisingly didn't love how the romance played out.  I didn't really love the ultimate conclusion thought it really does makes perfect sense for the book.  I did continue to adore Jean-Claude and Capitaine Bitterlich. I really enjoyed the new character, Rebecca.  Objectively there is nothing wrong with the book.  Subjectively every time I was excited about a plot point, it didn't happen even close to what I wanted.  Not the author's fault.  None of the crew seems to have read this one.  I wonder what they will think of it.  Read it ye stragglers and tell me what ye think!

Me thoughts of book three aside, I am very happy to have picked up this series and will be reading whatever Craddock writes next.  Arrr!

Ahoy there me mateys! The first book in the series was a five star read for me so I was so excited to get additional insight into the characters and world. Book two was almost as good and proved that ye cannot predict where the author will take the plot. Seriously, I kept being surprised over and over again and loving it. The expectations created by the end of the first book are turned upside down and be awesome. It saddens me that I cannot tell ye more about the plot but it be too twisty. I can say that I absolutely adored getting more of Isabelle, Jean-Claude, and Marie. I also loved the new addition of Capitaine Bitterlich, a shapeshifter. He quickly joined the list of favorites. Poor Isabelle has it rough and cannot catch a break. It was awesome. Arrrr!

Ahoy there me mateys! This is me fifth work by the author but not me last. I have loved every one. This story takes place after a dead djinn in cairo which was set in 1912 in alternate Cairo and followed female investigator Fatma el-Sha’arawi. These two can be read in any order but I am glad to have read them the way I did. The first book was a taste at 40 pages and this was a bit longer at 130.

This book follows Hamed al-Nasr who is a rank and file investigator who is called on to look into a simple haunting. The haunting turns out to be something very complicated (and fun!). I really enjoyed Hamed’s sidekick Onsi who is a great foil. The world building remains exquisite. The writing deals with diverse characters, well-written women, fun magic, steampunk elements, and fuzzy feelings of hope at the end. Note that there isn’t much insight into the plot here. Both stories are short enough to read and experience the wonder and joy for yerself. Arrr!

Side note: I wished for a novel set in this world and me wish was granted! Get ready for a master of djinn set to come out on May 11, 2021! ARRRR!

Ahoy there me mateys! When I read the book, finder, I didn’t know that this was the first book in a series. It was a five star read and I adored Fergus Ferguson so much that I had to follow his next adventure. Now I didn’t bother with reading the blurb because I wanted to be surprised. And I am so glad I didn’t. Cause the author took me expectations and quickly flipped them upside down.

The fast and zany action of the first book is very toned down here but Fergus Ferguson is still a joy to be with. In this book we get a new character, Zacker, who annoyed me at the beginning and slowly grew on me until I enjoyed him. We also get several new settings that I won’t talk about because of spoilers. However, the environment that Fergus finds himself in is an unusual one. He spends a lot of his time alone. This book deals a lot more with Fergus’ inner psychology. The small downside is a lot of the witty banter of the first book is lacking here. The plus side is that I love Fergus and don’t mind spending more time with him and inside his head. Plus there is a cat. I love the cat.

There is a mystery in this book that really didn’t surprise me but a couple of issues unrelated to the mystery that did. Fergus Ferguson is just a delightful character. I be so excited for book three. What trouble will he get into next? Arrrr!

Ahoy there me mateys! For those of ye who are new to me log, a word: though this log’s focus is on sci-fi, fantasy, and young adult, this Captain does have broader reading tastes. Occasionally I will share some novels that I enjoyed that are off the charts (a non sci-fi, fantasy, or young adult novel), as it were.

This be historical fiction and the companion book to keeping the castle. Ye don’t have to read the first one first but I do think it makes book two more fun. This is a light regency feeling novel. Fluffy, fun, and a little bit (okay really) silly.

The story follows the school where eight young ladies are being prepped for marriage. Five of them are at the correct age, only there is one eligible bachelor in town and he isn’t good looking! What are the girls to do?

Well shenanigans ensue and entertainment be had. The flaw to this novel is that is has a large cast of characters and ye lose a lot of the fun of the first book. None of the characters, love interests, or plot lines are particularly developed. I still very much enjoyed how it all worked out. I would read another book set in Lesser Hoo. Arrr!

Ahoy there me mateys! This be the tenth book in me Ports for Plunder – 19 Books in 2019 list. The story of reading this book can trace its roots back to me 2016 trip to Maine wherein I got 17 books for 20 bucks. This be one of them. I had never heard of it and picked it up based on the title and fun cover. This was before I understood the hype. When 2019 came around and I still hadn’t read it, I added it to the 19 in 2019 list.

While this wasn’t quite a five star read for me, I do understand the joy that this book brings. The writing style was extremely evocative and I adored the circus. Seriously I want to go there and find me favourite act. I really enjoyed how the circus functioned in terms of how it appeared, the colour scheme, and its operating hours. The circus itself just felt so atmospheric.

As for characters, I absolutely loved Friedrick Stefan Thiessen, the clock maker. He was the highlight on the book for me. Isobel is a close second followed by the twins. While I liked Marco and Celia individually, the flaw in this story was their romance. I kinda hated it. Plus Marco’s treatment of Isobel was kinda crappy.

In terms of the magic itself, it was a bit confusing. I get that there be two types of magic but really both types seemed to have no real rules overall. And the constraints of the contest made no real sense either. Basically I wanted a more substantial understanding of how the circus worked in terms of the duel. And again the romance and resolution of the contest wasn’t the best. The plot was sometimes a bit haphazard. And I didn’t like the second person perspective chapters at all.

I did like the circus so much that while writing this post I went looking for information online to remind me of the specific acts in the circus and to see some artists’ takes. I found a very interesting Night Circus fandom wiki and several fun threads on Goodreads. Also there was this: “FBG* refers to the interactive Failbetter Game.” Me First Mate found the promotion page on the Failbetter Games website. Apparently the game is preserved on StoryNexus.

I am very much looking forward to the starless sea (sea yarn!) and certainly won’t wait three years to read it. Arrrr!

Side note: Out of those 17 books, I have only read 4 1/2 of them! Problems of a bookwyrm.

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Ahoy there me mateys! I have really been enjoying my foray into Elizabeth Bear’s works and this was no exception. This story follows Haimey Dz who is a member of a three person salvage crew. A routine salvage trip turns to disaster when the ship they attempt to retrieve is a crime scene. And Haimey also catches an unknown alien virus. What results is a foray into ancient alien technology, dealing with space pirates, and exploring Haimey’s own past.

While I enjoyed this book, it was a very odd read to me. Part of this stems from the fact that there is a lot of physics in this book about the folding of space time and travel. As I continue to state, physics and I are not friends. There was also a small section about music theory that went over me noggin. But most of me personal problems stem from the world-building and plot pacing.

Elizabeth Bear’s fantasy series are dense in descriptions and ideas that make the fantasy worlds feel real. The plots are meandering and slow-paced. The action sequences are spaced out and a lot of the information feels like filler that is super fun but could be removed. I loved it in her fantasy books. This space book had all of those writing hallmarks but the sequences failed to capture me fancy in quite the same way. I had to put down the book at several points because I was slightly bored with the descriptions of the tech or philosophical platitudes.

In fact, I really would categorize this book more as a character study. The sections regarding Haimey and how she deals with the “sexy pirate” or the uses of her internal brain computer or her memories to be the highlights of this book for me. I also enjoyed what existed of the interplay being Haimey and her crew. The psychological effects of Haimey’s entire journey is really what kept me reading and what interested me the most.

This book will not suit every reader. While the plot is character driven, this is a book of ideas at its core. There are philosophical conundrums like how to run a society, the responsibilities of individual, the uses of technology, the applications and rights of artificial intelligence, genetic modifications, the fundamental nature of personalities, etc. I stuck with this book because I know that the endings of Bear’s books usually pan out and make the journey worth it. This was no exception. Plus there is a giant praying mantis space detective.

Apparently this is the first in a duology. Though in Bear’s interview with Barnes & Noble she states that “It’s not exactly accurate to call it a duology, however. It’s two related books, which will have some continuing characters, but each one should stand on its own as an arc and a story . . . The second book, which is titled Machine, is about a woman is a space trauma rescue specialist for an enormous multi-species medical center.” Sign me up!

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