Enjoying this series as a departure from some of the other stuff I've been reading. I find Victorian era stuff quite fun aesthetically and the murder Enjoying this series as a departure from some of the other stuff I've been reading. I find Victorian era stuff quite fun aesthetically and the murder mystery stuff is an old favorite as well.
The first couple had better and more interesting mysteries than this one did while there is more focus on the time travel essence and nature of Mallory's position. Rather than giving us a bit more on the relationship building side of things the book sort of does a mediocre landing on both fronts.
As in many stories the wonder of how something will resolve is often stronger and more exciting than the actual answers that are given eventually and that's where people feel a series can go down hill. It will be interesting to see where Armstrong goes with the series from here, as I am of the belief this series is her strongest work.
Fun series. This one just gets an OK from me....more
It's easy to forget how much I enjoy the general setting and court politics formula in the extended Dune universe. It's an old favorite and I'm gratefIt's easy to forget how much I enjoy the general setting and court politics formula in the extended Dune universe. It's an old favorite and I'm grateful that they have kept churning out material for me to occasionally dip into and remind myself of how much I love these characters and the dynamics that exist there.
This particular one is made up of 3 novella sized shorts that focus on different characters and times. Two are old well known characters within from the first book getting little filler segments to build their lore a bit more. The last is a court politics wheels within wheels style story that lands somewhere after the butlerian jihad.
Nothing huge or ground shaking here. But if you love Dune it's enjoyable....more
In my quest to read as much Science Fiction as possible in 2025, I've got to put Fractal Noise in the top half of what I have encountered so far. It dIn my quest to read as much Science Fiction as possible in 2025, I've got to put Fractal Noise in the top half of what I have encountered so far. It didn't leave me buzzing for more, but it also didn't drag me down and leave me feeling drained and needing a break.
Paolini really nails a mystery exploration vibe here that goes from anomaly to anomalous to esoteric transcendence as the story goes along. The tech feels good enough to feel science fiction without being overly heavy and requiring pages of explanation, which I feel like is a nice place to land for most readers. The writing is smoothly paced and weird enough to keep you wondering where it's going.
This is a sort of prequel (same universe) as To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, which I have not read at the writing of this review. I'm quite curious after the conclusion.
Fractal noise struggles in the same areas a lot of anomaly type stories do. They are either based on a weird premise and then rapidly spiral into SO weird that the story itself becomes an ephemeral oddity, or the weird premise becomes a promise that goes largely unfulfilled as the landing fails to stick and the premise proves to be a mostly empty shell of an idea. Fractal Noise is more the first of these options. It is a bit weird, and then gets weirder as it goes along.
You will likely close this one up with a little headscratch. ...more
As short as this book is, it takes a while to get to the horror/fantastical elements. The story centers around two private school students who are parAs short as this book is, it takes a while to get to the horror/fantastical elements. The story centers around two private school students who are particularly focused on art. One drawing, the other writing. A mystery develops around one of the student's missing parents and a growing accusation of potential foul play.
This one is pretty dark in tone. There are monsters full of violence and there are injuries and death that occur. Interestingly enough the concept of nightly battles with horrific beasts is almost a side note as the characters are such bleeding hearts so taken with the ache that comes with each bereft beat of their wounded hearts that each page almost oozes with tears and agony.
The story really leans into a metaphorical exploration of the self-hate and loathing that forms in the gap between the object of one's affections and your own understanding of your worth. Particularly angled with the trepidation and pitfalls that coming to terms with alternative sexuality might foster. Pouring your darkness and pain into your art and that art becoming a vector for manifesting that darkness into monstrosities that can harm those around you.
It wants to be Poe-etic at times. It is blatantly gay. It is soaked with jealous and romantic insecurity. Might be a little hard for someone in a great state of mental health to really appreciate the oozing dripping open wound soul of it all....more
Fungus with some ambitious functions, a mad botanist, grave digging, and murder. This story feels a bit like Frankenstein and The Little Shop of HorrorFungus with some ambitious functions, a mad botanist, grave digging, and murder. This story feels a bit like Frankenstein and The Little Shop of Horrors tried to have a baby, they sprinkled some gay romance around as fertilizer but somehow forgot the music.
The concept of a fungal colony operating a cadaverous doll construct that goes awry and leads to horror is so loaded with potential that I was very excited to crack this one open. Tie in the potential for a budding (heh) romance between plant zombie and young woman and it's exactly the sort of thing that creates a page turner.
As the book rolls on the romances feel mostly shallow, the zombie feels at worst like a developmentally disabled child, and the horror remains stronger in your imagination of where it might be going than it ever manages to get on paper. There is a significant darker tone shift near the end. But it feels like too little too late for me.
I was enjoying this one right up to the point I realized it wasn't ever going where I hoped it would. It isn't a bad book, it just feels a bit underwhelming based on the potential of the premise....more
A short 100 pagish novella between books 2 and 3. The formula here is a bit different as there really is only a shade of a mystery and it feels more liA short 100 pagish novella between books 2 and 3. The formula here is a bit different as there really is only a shade of a mystery and it feels more like an interlude outting with a crime organization. Their particular brand of crime being sex trafficking.
Nothing outstanding here, but as quick as it is, there's really no harm or cost in chomping through it....more
Continuing the Ringworld story Larry Niven sends Louis Wu and Speaker to Animals back some 20 years later. Why? Mostly for alien cross species sex. ThContinuing the Ringworld story Larry Niven sends Louis Wu and Speaker to Animals back some 20 years later. Why? Mostly for alien cross species sex. There's a bit of a plot here, but it mostly acts as a vehicle to allow setups for sex with a new different species.
There's a lot of focus on dry mathematical calculations with O_O eyes widened by scale. The main story here is that the ringworld is drifting off of its orientation and will burn up in the sun. Trapped there, they have a relatively short amount of time to get it fixed or they will burn up with it.
You get more lore about the engineers who originally built the thing, and there are new races. Particularly space vampires who have irresistible sex hormones they can use to seduce you and then drain your blood while you are in an ecstasy coma. (Lots of alien sex.)
It still has that old cavalier style of story telling that feels loaded with happenstance and ends up being a series of loosely connected smaller encounters which don't really make up a well-formed story arc to follow, but is more of a this, then this, then this, then this approach to telling a tale. bleh...more
A science fiction novel about a 40 something scientist that reads more like a Young Adult love triangle oopsy daisy. One husband dies and 12 years latA science fiction novel about a 40 something scientist that reads more like a Young Adult love triangle oopsy daisy. One husband dies and 12 years later she's remarried with a couple of 6 year old twins. Unfortunately now she finds out that her previous (ex?) husband isn't quite dead and there is an alien pressence of some sort involved. It was a coverup.
So rather than focusing on the earth shattering implications of an actual confirmed extraterrestrial visit and disappearing investigators, the book spends more than 40% of it's introduction focused on bemoaning the difficulty of her marital situation. It makes plenty of sense to focus on this. It's really a quite relevant and serious matter to think about. But it goes on and on to the point that the book really reveals itself to not be about an anomaly at all.
This is even further hammered in as you finally get to the later portion of the book and all the reveals are held intentionally in obscurity. It's kept an anomallous question mark for you so that all of the arduous crawling through all that drama leads to nothing worthwhile in an alien/science fiction/mystery focus.
The book really is just about the love triangle and the difficulty between them all oh and some kids that are not quite an afterthought, but mostly just there as a plot tool. There is nothing deceptive about the book, but I felt lied to by it. Like I kept rolling it over and over looking for the "good part" and it never came.
Oh well. Kinda hated it because I felt deceived....more
At this point Ringworld is one of the old dogs of Science Fiction. It's one of those almost whimsical stories with strange imaginative alien races likeAt this point Ringworld is one of the old dogs of Science Fiction. It's one of those almost whimsical stories with strange imaginative alien races like three-legged two-headed oddities that roll up in a ball when they get scared and Tigermen who just want to rip everyone and anything apart. Full of interesting ideas of technology and what the results will be of some changes such as being able to live for a couple hundred years but still appearing to be 20 and never worrying too much about injury because any harm can be cured rapidly.
As a lot of the science fiction of the era (1960s-1970s) there's a lot of focus on sex. With a striking amount of stage time taken up focusing on the breeding habits of the main races of beings in the series and practicing it. Sexual revolution soaked right through into the imaginations of the writers of the time and they enjoyed speculating and imagining fun new stances on sex.
Niven has a long career of let's say problematic portrayals on the female side of the human race and that stands out like a blinkin beacon in Ringworld. There is actually a central plot focus that emerges and continues putting a female character as the central nexus of all their problems because of her natural bumbling talents for happenstance.
Overall Ringworld is a true classic in the genre. A bit of an old school rompy adventure to an unknown object in space that's so huge it's impossible to fathom. It's basically setting up for a sandbox of adventures to come, but the main plot here is almost comical in its absurdity. The cast is also rather amusing in the way they bounce off one another.
Seventh Circle is barely an Alien novel. It's all about synthetics. The protagonist, Mae, is an especially human-like covert model that looks and actsSeventh Circle is barely an Alien novel. It's all about synthetics. The protagonist, Mae, is an especially human-like covert model that looks and acts human, bleeds red blood, feels pain, and has emotions... sort of. The other protagonist is Mae, an amnesiac girl who awakens from a cryopod that's been found by a bunch of salvagers. They have a suppporting cast of characters. Mae, Mae, and Mae. If that sounds confusing. You are right. They are all the same character... sort of. There are some other characters who are by far the BEST parts of the book, but they get much less focus and "screen time".
It's set up like a mystery with a viewpoint bouncing between two(or more) points in time. It's been done before, but the method here takes any attachments to the main character and puts it straight into the gutter. I found it nearly impossible to care about this Mae at any point in time.
Attempting a plot structure like this can get pretty messy, so you would expect the author to give you some sort of indication of which Mae and WHEN at the start of each chapter, but you generally just kinda have to figure it out for yourself. For the most part it does bounce back and forth from chapter to chapter, but that's not always the case.
I don't go into an Alien novel expecting something that's going to make my year or change the way I think about science fiction for weeks. I pick one up expecting some pulpy action horror in space. Maybe if I'm really lucky I get a bit of an eerie chilling atmospheric vibe to go with it.
Maybe that's the problem. There aren't many "real" people in the book so there isn't much character growth and there isn't much risk for it to ever be a horror novel. Even in the most tense moments, I really struggled to find any care about the characters in it.
The last 50-100 pages of this is where Xenos actually have a presence, but even then it's mostly a side note as the plot plays out. The tempo is better there, the chronological jumping about is over and we get a straight forward narrative that does a lot of work to leave you feeling like this was almost a decent book. The trouble is that it wasn't and I had to remind myself how much I hated this book all the way up until that last bit....more
Valiant picks up the somewhat cliffhanger ending of the previous novel coming into a seeming repeat battle against forces the Alliance fleet had previValiant picks up the somewhat cliffhanger ending of the previous novel coming into a seeming repeat battle against forces the Alliance fleet had previously barely escaped from. It seems like by all accounts there could be no way to succeed when facing these odds unless something miraculous happens. And at this point the series begins to show its stitching a little bit.
The Lost Fleet is built upon a fun premise, but Jack Campbell isn't a deft hand with foreshadowing and any development that occurs very quickly becomes a blatant telegraphing of what is to come. This doesn't bring the books down from good to bad, but certainly pulls away from the believability and immersion a touch when a development occurs that feels even a bit unnatural so it can set up the next step of the plot down the line.
The most egregious case of this is the crude about face of one side of the love triangle that Campbell has formed within the main characters. One of them takes such a sudden turn here that their personality shift feels completely out of character and it's an uncomfortable shift. But one that is made to set up later developments. It feels like the work of a hacksaw where a scalpel was required.
There are some new technology developments here that are fun. Larger plot formations forming on the horizon to set up what will come if they do eventually make it home. And a greater focus on Geary taking the position of a paragon of justice and honor, the guiding light by which he future will find its way...
At any rate book four brings the series downward a full notch into just passable. The action is still good. The setting and plot premise, still strong enough to carry the story forward in a somewhat exciting way. Onward through the next jump point to Book 5....more
2.5 I've been here before. Every turn seems to lead me back to the same spot. I'm trapped, unable to get out. I should be able to just keep going and f2.5 I've been here before. Every turn seems to lead me back to the same spot. I'm trapped, unable to get out. I should be able to just keep going and find my way eventually, but...
This is one of those inexperienced kids out in nature who go from dumb to dumber to gruesomely dead in varying degrees of gore stories that relies on all the same tropes you are familiar with. Oops this ones hurt, they lose the trail, cell phones won't work, can't trust their senses. Bad to worse to doom.
It's a story that relies on low hanging fruit. Ultimately nothing egregiously awful or atrocious. Plenty to nitpick at, but its really not deserving of that much criticism. It's a tree in the evershifting trail through similar books, looking so samey that it makes you feel like you've been here before.
The rock-climbing streamer angle is the most unique aspect of the book, too bad there wasn't more of that or it didn't lean into it more....more
I've never encountered a book with so much raw information regarding the native tribes of North America. It's not focused entirely on Comanches and actI've never encountered a book with so much raw information regarding the native tribes of North America. It's not focused entirely on Comanches and actually really doesn't get into focusing on them specifically for quite a ways into the book.
Comprehensive. All-encompassing. Without romance. Author did very little to glorify any practice, people or event and the entire book is presented as raw info....more
If you come for Beowulf's Children wanting more of the science fiction / horror mingled with parallels to mythology that was the backbone of the LegenIf you come for Beowulf's Children wanting more of the science fiction / horror mingled with parallels to mythology that was the backbone of the Legend of Heorot, you may find yourself a bit disappointed.
Beowulf's Children takes place about two decades later and is effectively a next generation tale that focuses more on the social and political dynamics of the colony as its first wave of children grow into adulthood. For lack of a better word, they are bored with the almost cooshy utopia they grow up in. What is there to overcome for people who have no disease, complete food security, and a stable and safe environment? To top it off, many of them realize that the older generation are mostly compromised by damage from their time in cryosleep during the trip across the stars.
This is really the bulk of the book and the heavy focus on alien ecology that made the first book so entertaining is relegated to the back burner for most of the first couple hundred pages. What we are left with is mostly a teenage space sexcapade and a lot of "Those darn kids".
Eventually the alien life comes forward and takes center stage, leaving the second half of the book much more entertaining with some stakes elevated. When it does come there is a lot of new life explored in new biomes and that is quite interesting. Unfortunately most of the alien lifeforms are summed up or equated to strange variations of earth life. Phrases such as "piglike" thing, "variations of crabs", "some type of lizard" are very common descriptors for the bulk of the life described. The tone of this book never quite matches the feel or intrigue of the first.
The women here are somewhat better represented than the first outting as well. Where Heorot left many of the brilliant women dumbed down and essentially operating as happy complacent breeding vessels, many of the characters here have better composed personalities and presences.
Overall it feels like a book that was intentionally fluffed out by a couple hundred pages and could have been better served by focusing on a real inciting incident and direct plot through to a decisive conclusion. Though the first book also had a bit of this issue, it feels more egregious here. Still enjoyable if you like aliens and exploration. Biology. Ecology. That sort of thing....more
Courageous does some solid work to shore up some of the weaknesses that have been present in The Lost Fleet series up to this point. Particularly, sloCourageous does some solid work to shore up some of the weaknesses that have been present in The Lost Fleet series up to this point. Particularly, slowing down on plot pacing a bit to give some character development to those around Geary. Adding a touch of personality to these characters gives the story a touch more depth that allows it to feel like more is at stake here.
The naval ship battles in space have been absolutely stellar up to this point and including this book, but losses have to happen for a story like this to have a shred of verisimilitude. The trouble with one note characters is that you really don't feel much of a loss when they are gone. Similarly the fleet of ships has many vessels and commanders/captains who have gone completely unnamed, which leaves those moments of loss in battles feeling very clearly like just numbers. Geary's big thing is that he cares about his losses, but it's hard for the reader to care if they don't know who they are as well.
With all that said there is some definite leveling up of characters here and the naval battles are getting more interesting. Technology is explained more in some areas that give the science fiction setting even more fun for those that are into this stuff. It's an enjoyable and quick read as the previous two books were.
The overall plot here feels a bit jerky and zigzaggy. The slow down to develop characters comes between intense moments of heavily veering in response to new developments and this leave you unsure of what is going to happen next. Right up to the end it does this sort of stuttering rip roar stall rip roar stall of action and waiting/deliberating.
Nightborn is a prequel to Friedman's Coldfire trilogy, which I consider one of the best sleeper fanasy novel trilogies out there. It's got a weird gotNightborn is a prequel to Friedman's Coldfire trilogy, which I consider one of the best sleeper fanasy novel trilogies out there. It's got a weird gothic vampire fantasy thing going on in a world with unique rules set up with a science fiction origin point. Friedman likes dark fantasy and it definitely hits all the right marks on that.
Nightborn is a true science fiction novel that tells the story of people came to land on Erna and what happened in the early days as they were first encountering the fae and learning how it worked. It's a quick read and you can feel that this book is right on the edge of being a true space horror novel. I understand the choices she made here to focus a lot on tie-ins as this IS a prequel. But a part of me really wishes she had left it feeling more like an isolated book and focused directly on the horror elements even more.
What could be more scary than an unidentified force manifesting all of your worst fears and worries around you, pulling from your darkest memories and recreating your most painful tormenters which then seek to feed on you? Meanwhile all your technology is failing and you have no solutions and no real understanding of how to combat this undetected force.
Nightborn is, as mentioned, fast. Overall a good toe dip into space horror. Colony space exploration. Lots to love. It does ultimately focus on tie-in and that leaves the story itself feeling a little incomplete in its way. Like a burger without fries. It just left me feeling like i wanted a bit more out of it. But what can we say about a good book other than we want more?
Not sure if all editions of Nightborn include Dominion, but mine does. Dominion is a novella prequel that fits between Nightborn and the Coldfire trilogy that touches on Gerald Tarrant's first steps into the Forest that he comes to call his domain. It is very good, but barely more than a short story. Filled with Tarrant goodness and left me actually wanting to reread the Coldfire Trilogy for the umpteenth time....more
Continues immediately where the first book left off, but the stellar premise of the first book begins to lose a little carrying power as the story conContinues immediately where the first book left off, but the stellar premise of the first book begins to lose a little carrying power as the story continues. Fearless contains much of the same elements of the first book, but a lack of expanding development pulls this book down a bit.
Geary continues to try to rely on gambits to surprise the Syndic empire's efforts to catch them. There is a heavy focus on space naval battles and tactical warfare here that is fantastic easy reading if you are into that sort of stuff. Unfortunately, our cast of characters aren't getting any major development beyond what Geary needs them to be in the moment. In fact, all of the supporting cast could be easily described with single word descriptors adequately. You would hope for more as the story continues on and the tempo consists mostly of hurry up and wait moments that require a lot of speculating and sitting around deliberating between moments of grand intensity.
It's a quick read. There is plot development on a grander campaign scale. Naval battles are amped up in this one in a big way and there is more focus on technology in this second book. There just isn't a lot of character progression or development. The major plot arc focuses on a mutiny from some of his opposition within the fleet and this actually does more to make things go more smoothly for him than harder.
Still a fun read for the space battles. Hoping for some real development in book three....more
Space colonists on a foreign world with a no way back set of circumstances find themselves up against an unknown predator that none of their scans or Space colonists on a foreign world with a no way back set of circumstances find themselves up against an unknown predator that none of their scans or reconnaissance have turned up any evidence of. Suspicions, internal conflicts, and a bit of hubris all mingle together to take this from a mystery, into a murder mystery, into a full on conflict with a beast whose home they have invaded.
The entire story is set against the backdrop of Beowulf and routinely cites the book as it progresses and illustrates parallels. The tale truly is a monster in space angle and it becomes rather violent. There is plenty of action, but it takes a bit to come along. Once it does, you are almost waiting for gaps in it to take a breather.
Overall the book is fun if you are into monsters/creatures/aliens and space. It has a really strong focus on ecology. If you know the story of Beowulf you will predict a number of things and wonder how it will come to be revealed in this telling. Truly enjoyable on these fronts.
The book does suffer from some weaknesses. Particularly the way the woman feel more and more reduced to breeders as the story progresses and the men are picked off one by one. This never felt like a circumstance that needed such spotlight time with a gallant harem fantasy joy to it all. Definitely pulls the book down.
There is also a focus on intelligence in this book that feels odd. That people are somehow less if they aren't genius level or brilliant. That without that sharpness they are reduced to being simply a resource to be used. It's a bit of a gross characterization that in some ways I found more difficult to shrug off than the sticky fantasy of having a cadre of woman all wanting to breed with you because all your buddies died.
In spite of these problematic issues... I tore through this book in a couple afternoons. I found it fun, amusing, and particularly loved the creatures and focus on alien life....more
Loading...
