Ahoy there me mateys! This is the third book of the series and newcomers should not start here. Thing and crew go to Coralind Station. It is festivAhoy there me mateys! This is the third book of the series and newcomers should not start here. Thing and crew go to Coralind Station. It is festival time and the station and its famous gardens are full of people and trading. The crew is looking to relax and recover after the crazy events of the last book.
Captain Niko holds the brunt of the problems as she tries to get insurance money for the death of the first restaurant and keep the ship in the black. Then there are the old enemies out to get her and the old friends that she is unsure of. But life is not simple for the other characters either. While there is a lot of intrigue going on in the hunt for Tubal Last, the focus is very much on character growth and interpersonal relationships. Some of the issues were a surprise (Dabry's) and the consequences will certainly be dealt with on their next stop.
One highlight for me involved Atlanta. I loved her trading escapades, her viewpoints of high society functions, and her continued exploration of magic. Though the novel deals with the entire crew, it seemed that she had a lot of the focus. I also love whenever Lassite or Jezli makes an appearance. I also am glad a lot of the Talon subplot seems to be moving away from the angst. So that is a relief and I am interested in how it will evolve.
Coralind Station is the other highlight. I wish I could visit all of the famous gardens. Some examples are the underwater garden, the chocolate garden, and the sharp metallic one. Basically the station has food ingredients from everywhere especially because of festival. We did not get enough gardens because the author has to deal with plot.
One of the best things about this series is that each book is a mini-episode that leads to the next. Also love the recaps provided by the author. Apparently this is supposed to be a ten book series. I don't normally like to read series that spread out but these books are light and fun. I read these for the characters and the humor. They may be fluffy but they have heart. And the set up for the next part sounds awesome. Sign me up. Arrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review....more
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This novella anAhoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This novella answers the question about what would happen if a wormhole opened up in Ikea, I mean, LitenVärld (copyright issues!). In this short but fun #ownvoices story, a grandmother wanders through the portal to another universe and gets lost. Two employees have been tasked to find her . . . only they just broke up a week ago and are barely speaking.
The premise is awesome but I wasn't sure at first if I was going like this one. The humor style took some getting used to and had quite a few pop culture references at the start. Some of it entertained me like how each LitenVärld furniture room set-up had a nickname like "Nihilist Bachelor Room." Other parts could be sarcastic but kinda felt painful and mean-spirited. It was an odd juxtaposition but I got the hang of it. Having worked in retail (ugh!) I could relate to commentary of working for a soulless corporation with arbitrary rules and conformity issues.
The heart of the story lies with the two main characters, Ava and Jules, and how they are coping with the end of their romantic relationship. It really does capture the feel of knowing that a partnership has to end but still struggling with conflicting emotions about the transition. It doesn't help when ye be working at a job ye hate and seemingly have nowhere to go. It was interesting to read about a very unhealthy relationship between two otherwise nice people.
The major complaint I have about this one is that it was actually too short. The relationship between Jules and Ava was excellent and obviously the main point of the story but I would have liked more world building. I loved why the wormholes appeared and how the corporation dealt with them. The commentary about diversity and relationships was excellent but I couldn't help but want more details about the strange lands. The handful of other worlds felt lightly sketched in.
No regrets here at all though. I will certainly be looking for Cirpri's next work.
So lastly . . .
Thank ye Tor.com!
Merged review:
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This novella answers the question about what would happen if a wormhole opened up in Ikea, I mean, LitenVärld (copyright issues!). In this short but fun #ownvoices story, a grandmother wanders through the portal to another universe and gets lost. Two employees have been tasked to find her . . . only they just broke up a week ago and are barely speaking.
The premise is awesome but I wasn't sure at first if I was going like this one. The humor style took some getting used to and had quite a few pop culture references at the start. Some of it entertained me like how each LitenVärld furniture room set-up had a nickname like "Nihilist Bachelor Room." Other parts could be sarcastic but kinda felt painful and mean-spirited. It was an odd juxtaposition but I got the hang of it. Having worked in retail (ugh!) I could relate to commentary of working for a soulless corporation with arbitrary rules and conformity issues.
The heart of the story lies with the two main characters, Ava and Jules, and how they are coping with the end of their romantic relationship. It really does capture the feel of knowing that a partnership has to end but still struggling with conflicting emotions about the transition. It doesn't help when ye be working at a job ye hate and seemingly have nowhere to go. It was interesting to read about a very unhealthy relationship between two otherwise nice people.
The major complaint I have about this one is that it was actually too short. The relationship between Jules and Ava was excellent and obviously the main point of the story but I would have liked more world building. I loved why the wormholes appeared and how the corporation dealt with them. The commentary about diversity and relationships was excellent but I couldn't help but want more details about the strange lands. The handful of other worlds felt lightly sketched in.
No regrets here at all though. I will certainly be looking for Cirpri's next work.
Ahoy there me mateys! This book is plain weird. I read Tchaikovsky's work because I know it will have interesting ideas to explore and make me think.Ahoy there me mateys! This book is plain weird. I read Tchaikovsky's work because I know it will have interesting ideas to explore and make me think. This is no exception.
Kiln is a distant planet where there are artifacts of an alien civilization. Earth, run by a political entity called The Mandate, wants to solve the mystery of who and what the builders are. However, they want to do this as secretly and cheaply as possible. So they ship their dissidents and prisoners to the planet on a one-way trip to their prison camp. Professor Arton Daghdev is one of the prisoners. Upon arrival he is torn between being a prisoner and excitement about studying alien life up close. The problem is the lifeforms are toxic to humans. Will the planet or the prison kill him first?
The highlight of the book was the world building. Tchaikovsky manages to make the alien lifeforms feel about as far away from Earth life as possible. He does this through the use of symbiotic relationships in a fascinating way. I loved reading about the dissections, decontamination procedures, and how the creatures changed human biology. The excursions to the ruins and Arton's thoughts on the wild life were extremely thought provoking. Are the aliens intelligent or do they build structures like ants or termites?
While the world building was amazing, I found the plot and pacing to be a hard sell due to personal preferences. I wanted to read about the planet's evolution not the humans' revolution. I did not care about The Mandate or the internal hierarchy of the prisoners. I found the discussion about the dissent's revolutionary ideas and relationships to be uninteresting. Also there was a lot of jumping around in time that I would have preferred to be avoided. As the narrator, Arton could get wearisome due to his inflated sense of self.
The real exploration of the planet did not begin until around the 60% mark. The first 20% of the book discussing how Arton gets to the planet and his initial impressions was so exciting. The middle of the book was rough though the mystery of the alien structures kept me wondering. The aspects of the camp life trying to avoid infection and their viewpoints about their jobs were also fascinating. There was just such an odd mix to my reading experience. Anytime the aliens were mentioned I would perk up. Talk about politics or revolution and I would falter.
But I never thought about not finishing. This may not have been a five star read for me but does prove that I will read anything by Tchaikovsky. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
*** reviewed in 2020 on blog, cross-posted here in 2024***
Ahoy there me mateys! I just finishing reading the 2020 Nebula winner and I am not sure of h*** reviewed in 2020 on blog, cross-posted here in 2024***
Ahoy there me mateys! I just finishing reading the 2020 Nebula winner and I am not sure of how I rate this one. Maybe writing me thoughts out will clarify things.
I previously read some of the author's short fiction including “The Court Magician” (Hugo nominated 2019), “The Blur in the Corner of Your Eye” (Hugo nominated 2020), and "Our Lady of the Open Road" (Nebula winner 2015). I had been meaning to read this novel and immediately picked it up once the Nebula winners were announced. I did not know until the Acknowledgments of the novel that the "Our Lady" story was the impetus for this first novel. Luce, one of the main characters, felt so familiar and that now makes sense.
This novel is a dystopian where the world has had a global pandemic and the result is that public crowds are illegal, most people stay in their homes and connect through virtual reality, and the Amazon-like business called "Superwally" controls the economy. Luce is a singer whose fame was just taking off in the times Before everything crashed. In the After she performs in illegal underground venues to small crowds who brave the danger. Also in the After is Rosemary whose life changes when she quits Superwally to take a job as a recruiter for StageHoloLive where all entertainment is in VR and not live at all. Of course the two characters' worlds collide with unintended consequences.
I believe the characters are where the story shined. I loved Luce for her artistic drive and how she treats other people in her life. I know people like her in me real life and so she felt real and I related immensely with her character. I was a complete fan of Rosemary at the beginning, only to flounder when she starts making horrible mistakes. How she takes responsibility and grows from the experience gradually had me swinging back around to root for her. But best of all was how the choices of both characters influence the other in terms of character growth and plot direction.
I also thought the writing of this novel was fantastic and evocative. There were some issues though. The beginning of the novel was a bit rough because the timelines were hard to follow. They switch back and forth between Before and After but it was hard to judge how much time had passed. Eventually both POVs take place in the After and that transition in time was confusing.
Another "problem" was that the story and world felt so familiar that the entire story could be happening right now despite the technology like advanced VR and self-driving cars. It didn't quite feel like a dystopian but it didn't quite feel contemporary either. I am still conflicted about that no matter how much I think about it.
Most of the recent award winners (Locus, Hugo, & Nebula) I think about and enjoy either showcase a) a different feel in terms of writing style, b) world building that feels new and exciting, or c) commentary on society structures and morays that provoke intense thought. Pinsker's novel didn't do any of these things for me and frankly feels so realistic that I almost felt underwhelmed by a lot of it. I am not sure if that realism is brilliant and thus should be award-winning or is getting more credit just because of the pandemic angle. I also know the author is a talented writer and so feel like I don't want to belittle her work.
Or am just being weird because of me background. I am not a person for whom music is a key to their inner soul and being. I love music and have favorites that speak to me soul but can (and have) gone though periods where I don't listen to a single song for many months at a time. Also I prefer recorded music in general. Well except for the occasional symphony or opera. I don't have a good ear but I do have problems with unevenly mixed sound. It just plain irks me and is a major problem at most live concerts I attend. I also don't like crowds. This novel is absolutely excellent at discussing the realities of touring, music, and how live music can enhance the enjoyment. I am just not in this group. Strange because I absolutely love live theatre for many of the same reasons that people love live music.
The other issue about the novel unfortunately stems from comparison. Ye see one of me favorite dystopian novels ever is station eleven. It also has great characters, deals with performing, has a hopeful ending, and shows the before and after. I just happen to think that it is also better written and structured. That novel felt familiar, believable, and realistic in the same way Pinsker's does but station eleven absolutely devastated me emotionally. Pinsker's never drew me in and I always felt outside of the story. I don't know if that is because of me relationship with music or because of the current pandemic or what.
I have also had a hard time tracking down other bloggers' opinions on the Nebula winners. Maybe because there was a virtual ceremony this year? I was underwhelmed by the choices for the Hugos this year too. I recognize the writing skill of song and enjoyed the story but didn't really get what made it special enough to be the award winner. Out of the Nebula nominees, I would have been much more satisfied if gods of jade and shadow would have won. I am still conflicted about how to rate this one in me noggin. Any thoughts from the crew?
Ahoy there me mateys! In 2021 the First Mate gave me
a treasure trove
of the entire Vorkosigan Saga. After much internal debate, I decided to reAhoy there me mateys! In 2021 the First Mate gave me
a treasure trove
of the entire Vorkosigan Saga. After much internal debate, I decided to read the series in publishing order . . . well mostly. In 2022 I read seven books of the series. Then I hit a bump.
The next up: barrayar. This book continued the story of Miles mother, Cordelia. That meant that Bothari, a guard, would be a prominent character again. Given how much I disliked hated reading about Bothari in shards of honor (book 1) and almost never picked up another book in the series, I was a bit worried. This lead to a delay in continuing the series.
So skip ahead to 2024. The Vorkosigan Saga taunted me from the bedside bookshelf. The First Mate and I casually discussed the Bothari problem on and off since 2022. The completionist in me wanted to read the full series and couldn't skip the problem book. I tried to skip and just couldn't do it. I wondered out loud to the First Mate if I could get through it by audiobook. He secretly got me the entire series in audiobook form!
So here be a review for a recent book I tackled. There be minor spoilers given that I am reading them in publishing order. Proceed at yer own peril . . . .
Seriously, this book was funny which was surprising after the serious tone of the prior novel. I loved how the last three novels tied together. In this book, Miles is trying to woo his future wife but she cannot know his actual intentions because he doesn't want to scare her away. Watching Miles be an absolute goober and witnessing his family and friend's reactions were excellent. Then there is Mark and his money making scheme and the shenanigans related to that. Pim was a delight. I actually laughed out loud a lot. I don't tend to have that reaction to books. The dinner party scene was seriously one of the best. For a book focusing on multiple romances and family reactions, I was surprised at how content I was to watch the show unfold. Despite the humor, there are also serious moments due to inheritance issues that were actually a nice balance to the sillier side. I found the climax to the end to be awesome. Ivan even has a fantastic subplot. The only sad part is that the issues that pop up in this novel are relevant today. Arrr!...more
Ahoy there me mateys! In 2021 the First Mate gave me
a treasure trove
of the entire Vorkosigan Saga. After much internal debate, I decided to reAhoy there me mateys! In 2021 the First Mate gave me
a treasure trove
of the entire Vorkosigan Saga. After much internal debate, I decided to read the series in publishing order . . . well mostly. In 2022 I read seven books of the series. Then I hit a bump.
The next up: barrayar. This book continued the story of Miles mother, Cordelia. That meant that Bothari, a guard, would be a prominent character again. Given how much I disliked hated reading about Bothari in shards of honor (book 1) and almost never picked up another book in the series, I was a bit worried. This lead to a delay in continuing the series.
So skip ahead to 2024. The Vorkosigan Saga taunted me from the bedside bookshelf. The First Mate and I casually discussed the Bothari problem on and off since 2022. The completionist in me wanted to read the full series and couldn't skip the problem book. I tried to skip and just couldn't do it. I wondered out loud to the First Mate if I could get through it by audiobook. He secretly got me the entire series in audiobook form!
So here be a review for a recent book I tackled. There be minor spoilers given that I am reading them in publishing order. Proceed at yer own peril . . . .
The planet of Komarr is being terraformed and it will be a very long time until completion. The population lives in domes. When there is a technical disaster, Miles joins the investigator to observe the situation. Of course, he is drawn in to help with the problem. This book is where Miles' future wife joins the cast. I knew once we met her that she was the One but I wasn't sure how that would come to play given the set up. I really enjoyed this foray into Komarr but would have liked more insight into the cultural practices of the planet. Given the nasty circumstances, I had to be content with what glimpses we did get. Ekaterin and her uncle were highly enjoyable new characters. I really felt awful for Ekaterin's situation. When the action really gets going, there are some unanticipated plot points with mistakes and unexpected consequences. The implications of the tech in this novel were very concerning for all involved. Humans and their horrible weapons. Ugh. After two awesome books, I immediately jumped into the next. Arrr!...more
Ahoy there me mateys! In 2021 the First Mate gave me
a treasure trove
of the entire Vorkosigan Saga. After much internal debate, I decided to reAhoy there me mateys! In 2021 the First Mate gave me
a treasure trove
of the entire Vorkosigan Saga. After much internal debate, I decided to read the series in publishing order . . . well mostly. In 2022 I read seven books of the series. Then I hit a bump.
The next up: barrayar. This book continued the story of Miles mother, Cordelia. That meant that Bothari, a guard, would be a prominent character again. Given how much I disliked hated reading about Bothari in shards of honor (book 1) and almost never picked up another book in the series, I was a bit worried. This lead to a delay in continuing the series.
So skip ahead to 2024. The Vorkosigan Saga taunted me from the bedside bookshelf. The First Mate and I casually discussed the Bothari problem on and off since 2022. The completionist in me wanted to read the full series and couldn't skip the problem book. I tried to skip and just couldn't do it. I wondered out loud to the First Mate if I could get through it by audiobook. He secretly got me the entire series in audiobook form!
So here be a review for a recent book I tackled. There be minor spoilers given that I am reading them in publishing order. Proceed at yer own peril . . . .
This book was excellent, especially given the previous one as comparison. Miles is back on Bayarrar and he is in trouble. The mistake he made and why he made it was extremely surprising. What happens because of that mistake was another excellent plot twist that I wasn't expecting. As Miles begins to switch careers he has to figure out who he is when not being Admiral Naismith. Additionally, Illyan's chip is malfunctioning. What this does to him is horrifying. Miles is drawn into figuring out if this malfunction is natural or sabotage. I figured out who the Big Bad was fairly quickly. That was fine because I was so engrossed in the consequences of Miles' mistake and IIlyan's illness both personally and politically. And there is Gregor and his romance. Love it! Can't talk too much about this because of spoilers. Arrr!...more
Ahoy there me mateys! In 2021 the First Mate gave me
a treasure trove
of the entire Vorkosigan Saga. After much internal debate, I decided to reAhoy there me mateys! In 2021 the First Mate gave me
a treasure trove
of the entire Vorkosigan Saga. After much internal debate, I decided to read the series in publishing order . . . well mostly. In 2022 I read seven books of the series. Then I hit a bump.
The next up: barrayar. This book continued the story of Miles mother, Cordelia. That meant that Bothari, a guard, would be a prominent character again. Given how much I disliked hated reading about Bothari in shards of honor (book 1) and almost never picked up another book in the series, I was a bit worried. This lead to a delay in continuing the series.
So skip ahead to 2024. The Vorkosigan Saga taunted me from the bedside bookshelf. The First Mate and I casually discussed the Bothari problem on and off since 2022. The completionist in me wanted to read the full series and couldn't skip the problem book. I tried to skip and just couldn't do it. I wondered out loud to the First Mate if I could get through it by audiobook. He secretly got me the entire series in audiobook form!
So here be a review for a recent book I tackled. There be minor spoilers given that I am reading them in publishing order. Proceed at yer own peril . . . .
Yikes, I did not enjoy this novel. It seems that I again have an unpopular opinion. I found the odd culture of Cetaganda to be interesting but the plot did not work for me. A servant is killed and Miles has to solve the murder or cause a massive diplomatic incident leaving him as the scapegoat for starting a war. I felt that Miles fumbled around without his usual brilliance and wit. Both Miles and his cousin Ivan felt rather flat. I missed the flair of the personal exchanges between the two of them. Cetaganda itself was so crafty when Miles became a POW in a prior book. This version of Cetaganda seemed like a completely different planet. I felt rather disconnected from it all. Arrr!...more
Ahoy there me mateys! In 2021 the First Mate gave me
a treasure trove
of the entire Vorkosigan Saga. After much internal debate, I decided to reAhoy there me mateys! In 2021 the First Mate gave me
a treasure trove
of the entire Vorkosigan Saga. After much internal debate, I decided to read the series in publishing order . . . well mostly. In 2022 I read seven books of the series. Then I hit a bump.
The next up: barrayar. This book continued the story of Miles mother, Cordelia. That meant that Bothari, a guard, would be a prominent character again. Given how much I disliked hated reading about Bothari in shards of honor (book 1) and almost never picked up another book in the series, I was a bit worried. This lead to a delay in continuing the series.
So skip ahead to 2024. The Vorkosigan Saga taunted me from the bedside bookshelf. The First Mate and I casually discussed the Bothari problem on and off since 2022. The completionist in me wanted to read the full series and couldn't skip the problem book. I tried to skip and just couldn't do it. I wondered out loud to the First Mate if I could get through it by audiobook. He secretly got me the entire series in audiobook form!
So here be a review for a recent book I tackled. There be minor spoilers given that I am reading them in publishing order. Proceed at yer own peril . . . .
This is a book about Mark, Miles' cloned brother, and how he botches a mission to Jackson's Whole. The story is split between Mark and Miles' viewpoints. The plot was just sooo darn twisty and surprising. What happens to Miles in this book was completely unexpected but so darn fun and had so many weird consequences. It was kinda awesome to get perspectives of known characters from Mark's thoughts especially given his background and training.
However, there is a scene with Mark and a young woman that was gross. What is it with the author's weird viewpoint about sexual assault, mental illness, and forgiveness? Like Bothari, it makes it very hard to sympathize with Mark. It also makes me feel very uncomfortable that I can continue to like characters that have done very bad things. It is one thing in Grimdark novels but in these Miles books, I feel queasy at times. Sure, I can appreciate their horrific backgrounds but can't excuse their behaviors towards women because of it. I rate this book so highly in my head but also don't. I will continue to think about this issue every time Mark and Bothari are mentioned. Do any of the crew have thoughts about these aspects of the series?...more
Ahoy there me mateys! In 2021 the First Mate gave me
a treasure trove
of the entire Vorkosigan Saga. After much internal debate, I decided to reAhoy there me mateys! In 2021 the First Mate gave me
a treasure trove
of the entire Vorkosigan Saga. After much internal debate, I decided to read the series in publishing order . . . well mostly. In 2022 I read seven books of the series. Then I hit a bump.
The next up: barrayar. This book continued the story of Miles mother, Cordelia. That meant that Bothari, a guard, would be a prominent character again. Given how much I disliked hated reading about Bothari in shards of honor (book 1) and almost never picked up another book in the series, I was a bit worried. This lead to a delay in continuing the series.
So skip ahead to 2024. The Vorkosigan Saga taunted me from the bedside bookshelf. The First Mate and I casually discussed the Bothari problem on and off since 2022. The completionist in me wanted to read the full series and couldn't skip the problem book. I tried to skip and just couldn't do it. I wondered out loud to the First Mate if I could get through it by audiobook. He secretly got me the entire series in audiobook form!
So here be a review for a recent book I tackled. There be minor spoilers given that I am reading them in publishing order. Proceed at yer own peril . . . .
barrayar i.e. my problem book
Apparently this book won both the Hugo and Locus awards in 1992. While I did find a lot to like in this book, I still find the handling of Bothari and his relationship with Cordelia to be problematic.. The audiobook turned out to be a great way to read this novel even if the audiobooks sound a bit old-fashioned.
This story follows Cordelia's entrance into Barrayar and the politics of Miles' dad, Aral, and his trials of trying to keep the child Emperor alive in a time of civil war. This is also about how Miles became a mutant and what his early life is like. The first half of the book is slow because it sets up the Barrayar politics and Cordelia's thoughts on dealing with the conservative planet with its militaristic bent and patriarchal system. The second half whirls by. Having already read about Miles, this fills in the blanks about Miles past. The highlight was watching Cordelia be fierce, principled, and determined. Arrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! This won the Hugo Award for best novel in 1991. I can see why. SO much fun. Miles graduates from the Academy and gets his unexpecteAhoy there mateys! This won the Hugo Award for best novel in 1991. I can see why. SO much fun. Miles graduates from the Academy and gets his unexpected assignment. He is sent to a miserable cold place called Kyril Island where he is a weatherman. Not what I was expecting. Is recalled back home for spoilery reasons involving making the correct choice in a bad situation. Then Miles is assigned to Hegen Hub where he inadvertently loses his handlers, finds an unexpected prisoner, starts a rescue, and gets in over his head yet again. The mercenaries are involved. Threat of war is involved. It is a big mess but resolves in an excellent way if disbelief is suspended. Five stars for pure enjoyment. Arrrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! This is a collection of three novellas with a fun frame story of Miles telling Illyan about why he went over budget. In “The MountaAhoy there mateys! This is a collection of three novellas with a fun frame story of Miles telling Illyan about why he went over budget. In “The Mountains of Mourning” Miles has to act as a representative of his father in the hinterlands of his father’s domain. Miles has to solve the murder of an infant, deal with prejudice, and make hard choices. It was bittersweet and lovely. I also loved Fat Ninny the horse. Won the Hugo and Nebula in 1990. I did not really like the second novella “Labyrinth” at all. There is a sex scene between Miles and a sixteen year old genetically engineered human that did NOT work for me because of the age gap even though it was consensual. I also thought how easily Miles was able to trick the facility was lame. I hated Canaba. Jackson’s Whole still sucks. The third novella “The Borders of Infinity” dealt with Miles trying to rescue a POW from a horrible bubble prison. Of course things get more complicated fast. I really liked the crazy religious dude. I liked getting to see more of Mile’s cleverness. How the Ceta’s manage to follow the letter of POW law but not the spirit was horrible and fascinating. This third novella actually takes place before the novel, brothers in arms. Fun. Arrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! Back to Miles. He visits Earth on what is supposed to be quick stop and sort of brief vacation only to get stuck there over bureaucAhoy there mateys! Back to Miles. He visits Earth on what is supposed to be quick stop and sort of brief vacation only to get stuck there over bureaucracy and the need of monies. There is lots of drama of him having to hop between his two identities. There is a lot of time where Miles is spent waiting. In this book Miles is having major problems and his is having trouble coming up with anything clever to get him out of trouble. There is a ridiculous twist that I didn’t quite love but does have some interesting ramifications that I am sure will appear later. I loved more Eli Quinn. Ivan also continues to grow on me. This was a solid read. Onto the next! Arrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! This book only features Miles indirectly but I was highly entertained by this one. This is the story of Ethan from the planet AthosAhoy there mateys! This book only features Miles indirectly but I was highly entertained by this one. This is the story of Ethan from the planet Athos. Athos is populated only by men therefore woman are treated as mythical, scary creatures. Children are born in artificial wombs. Ethan is a head doctor who learns that the ovarian samples are malfunctioning and so he is sent off planet to get more. Silliness ensues. This also features Eli Quinn (from a previous novel) and I love her. Ethan’s culture and religion are highly misogynistic but Ethan’s attitudes grow and mature in the end. Given that this was written in 1986, there are some anti-gay sentiments present on the planet that Ethan finds himself on (called Jackson’s Whole where everything including justice is for sale). This book itself shows that this is not the author’s personal belief and it seemed to be used here (as does Athos itself) to explore the ramifications of misogyny. I missed Miles but Eli Quinn and Ethan’s relationship made this one of me favorites so far. Arrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! This was a nominee for the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards for Sci-Fi. In this future U.S., criminals are given additional shadows anAhoy there mateys! This was a nominee for the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards for Sci-Fi. In this future U.S., criminals are given additional shadows and of course folks with more than one shadow are lower-class citizens. I like books about weird shadows so gave this one a shot. Sadly, it was just okay. There is no real world building about how the government or world really works. There is no science discussed about how the additional shadows work either. The stream of consciousness from Kris, the main character was engaging. There is a lot of focus on grief which was well done. I did not, however, like how Kris ended up poorly parenting with no real commentary on it. Plus ultimately the resolution felt like magical thinking and pure luck. Kris may be saved but nothing has changed for the rest of the world. None of the big societal issues were deeply discussed. Now I love personal reflection and change but have to admit that I was reading this one for the bigger picture. I didn't get that. So maybe it just be me. Maybe it's the book. In the long run, this book leaves me with a feeling of overall disappointment. Arrrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! Sadly, I had forgotten that I read this one and it was a complete blank in me mind. I found this was really weird as I had given iAhoy there mateys! Sadly, I had forgotten that I read this one and it was a complete blank in me mind. I found this was really weird as I had given it a 4.5 when I read it last year. I usually remember books much better than that! I was able to jog me memory a bit with the help of the synopsis and some of the other reviews. I remember enjoying Sean, the main protagonist, despite his annoying attitude. By the end of the book, I was thoroughly on his side. I very much enjoyed the creepy spaceship. The aliens, with their language of light, were fun. The other main human, Tamara, was a hardened soldier that was the type of military character I like. I likely will pick up book two, especially after the cliffhanger of an ending. Arrrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! I was interested in this one because it was inspired by the real work of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Matey Imyril's review
made me wAhoy there mateys! I was interested in this one because it was inspired by the real work of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Matey Imyril's review
made me want to read it with the description of: “With a supporting cast that includes trans, nonbinary and disabled characters, this is space opera as inclusive as anything penned by Becky Chambers, set in an egalitarian queernorm future with plenty of side-eye for toxic family and other asshattery,” While I did not seem to love the book as much as Matey Imyril, I really did enjoy the main character, Maxine Carmichael and the found family aspects. The main problems for me were the focus on the Boarding Games (a competition between military branches) and the overall lack of regular rescue missions. I wanted way less Games and way more plot about the "dangerous secret" I was warned about. Though at the same time, the big secret didn't really wow me. I also would have liked a little more complicated world-building. I have book three already (though not two) and I am ambivalent about reading more. I could read more about the characters but book two has more Games and crew changes. Any thoughts from the crew? Arrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! This be an omnibus of the first three in the Serrano Legacy series. I very much enjoyed this. In many ways, it feels like a precursAhoy there mateys! This be an omnibus of the first three in the Serrano Legacy series. I very much enjoyed this. In many ways, it feels like a precursor to creating the Vatta series (which is what led me to me reread that series this year). That said, I loved Heris as a character. She resigns from her military position and takes a job as a civilian captain on a space yacht for a rich old lady. The old lady loves horses. What other books feature space and fox hunting? Of course Heris discovers sinister plots where she must help save the world. This book also has the two themes of Moon that I like about old ladies not being worthless and young stupid people making mistakes and then overcoming them to thrive. I love when characters I hate grow to be characters that I love. There are lots of side characters in these books and the plot can be a bit jumbled. But these are excellent fun and I love them despite the flaws. I will try to read the rest of the series in 2024. Arrrr!...more
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye haven’t readAhoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye haven’t read the first three books 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 continue to very much enjoy this sci-fi series. I mistakenly thought this was the final book but apparently the author is writing book 5. I am not sure how long this series is supposed to be. The author’s other series is 8 books long.
Descent is a fun, if short, novel. One of my favorite things about this series is that it deals with a war that has ended and what happens to the losing side. In this installment, we still follow the original POVs. I really do enjoy all four characters. Aden was my favorite in the last book but I honestly couldn’t make up my mind for this one. I enjoyed what each character was going through:
Aden – a POW from the losing side of the battle. Back in prison, he makes a deal to return to his hated home world and infiltrate the insurgency that wants to remove the victors and retake their planet. Aden no longer believes in their cause.
Idina – a soldier from the winning side who holds a grudge, she is part of the occupying military force on the defeated planet. She is now part of a secret force to take down the insurgents. Her job is much harder due to the insurgents having infiltrated the regular police force.
Dunstan – a member of the winning naval space fleet whose simple guard duty turns into a mess with epic ramifications. He is tracking pirates with his stealth ship. Being a Captain is not easy.
Solvieg – a civilian who was a minor during the war now has to deal with the consequences of her planet’s loss and what it means for the family business. Now an adult, she is trying to assert her independence and found out what her father is really up to.
Book 4 is certainly a middle book that is setting up what is to come. I read this quickly and found all of the politics enjoyable. There were two plot twists that I was not expecting but ultimately I am very excited for what comes next. I will certainly be reading book 5. Arrrrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! I didn't really get into this book until about the 20% mark and almost abandoned it. I continued reading due to the world buildingAhoy there mateys! I didn't really get into this book until about the 20% mark and almost abandoned it. I continued reading due to the world building and several of the characters. The planet is being terraformed by persons that are genetically modified. This includes animals and an intelligence-based caste system. Corporate greed runs the show. There are time jumps. One section had a bit too much sexual description for personal taste. This was fascinating in ideas but I don't think I really enjoyed it. Arrr!...more
The Captain
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