#bookreview

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reviewed The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang (duplicate) (The Poppy War, #1)

R. F. Kuang (duplicate): The Poppy War (Hardcover, 2018, Harper Voyager)

One of Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time

“I have no …

Turns disturbingly dark without warning

A reimagining of China & Japan, with shamans & gods for interest, and war crimes & genocide for a horrifying reality check. Misleadingly begins with standard 'orphan goes to hero school' trope, but turns disturbingly dark without warning.

Reading time 6 days, 88 pages/day

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reviewed Network Effect by Martha Wells

Martha Wells: Network Effect (2020)

WINNER of the 2021 Hugo, Nebula and Locus Awards!

The first full-length novel in …

Perfected the recipe

She's perfected the MurderBot recipe: awkward AI-AI relationship, friendly humans, emotional discomfort, clever conflict.

Reading time 3 days, 117 pages/day

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reviewed The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson

Diane Wilson: The Seed Keeper (Paperback, 2021, Milkweed Editions)

A haunting novel spanning several generations, The Seed Keeper follows a Dakota family’s struggle to …

Heritage, belonging, purpose

A Dakhota woman connects with her heritage and finds belonging & purpose in the seeds she inherits from her female ancestors. Gentle despite colonial trauma.

Reading time 4 days, 90 pages/day

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reviewed Two brothers by Ben Elton

Ben Elton: Two brothers (2012, Bantam Press)

Berlin 1920 Two babies are born. Two brothers. United and indivisible, sharing everything. Twins in …

Flat as a brick wall.

Brothers in a Jewish family strive to protect their loved ones from the increasing horrors of Nazi Germany. Boringly one-dimensional portrayal of Nazis - they're evil brutes, I get it. Distinct lack of emotional connection considering intensity of subject matter. Flat as a brick wall.

Reading time 7 days, 89 pages/day

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reviewed Cosmos by Carl Sagan

Carl Sagan: Cosmos (1980, Random House)

This book is about science in its broadest human context, how science and civilization grew …

reviewed A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine (Teixcalaan, #2)

Arkady Martine: A Desolation Called Peace (Hardcover, 2021, Tor Books)

An alien armada lurks on the edges of Teixcalaanli space. No one can communicate with …

Unclear motivations & prose

Disappointing sequel despite potential. Some dubious premises (surely a galactic empire would have first contact specialists?). Unclear motivations & prose: I rarely understood why particular choices were being made. Also an annoying inconsistency: internally, characters were flailing haplessly, but in actuality they were exceedingly competent.

Reading time 6 days, 80 pages/day

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reviewed Permanent Record by Edward Snowden

Edward Snowden: Permanent Record (Paperback, 2020, Picador)

Edward Snowden, the man who risked everything to expose the US government’s system of mass …

Serious gumption

I also grew up in a government town in the early days of home computers & the internet. Perhaps if I had stumbled across hacking I'd have ended up in a similar role to him, though I doubt I'd have his gumption to expose the gross overreach of the security services. Their capability was (and remains) alarming.

Reading time 9 days, 37 pages/day

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reviewed The Value of Everything by Mariana Mazzucato

Mariana Mazzucato: The Value of Everything (Paperback, 2020, PublicAffairs)

Growth should be purposeful & hopeful!

Argues that governments are co-creators of wealth and essential for a dynamic & innovative economy (duh? But neoliberals ...). Finance is a rent-seeking leech. Growth should be purposeful & hopeful! Full of sense but not engaging.

Reading time 13 days, 22 pages/day

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reviewed Izzy by Moira McAlister

Moira McAlister: Izzy (2021, MoshPit Publishing)

Amazing colonial fictionalised biography

Follows the extraordinary life of an early Australian colonist who was present for some momentous historic events & more than the usual share of drama. All the more amazing for being based on real people. Pedestrian prose with awkward dialogue, but captivating.

Reading time 6 days, 59 pages/day

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