joël finished reading Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros (The Empyrean, #2)
“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is …
as I said: only for research purposes
Reviews and Comments
he/him, cis. ~37 years. journalism, podcasts, writing. and also reading, of course.
I like sci-fi, plants, public transport, ttrpgs, lasagna, birds. Thinking a lot about the apocalypse, the climate, monsters and queerness.
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joël finished reading Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (The Empyrean, #1)
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among …
I read this only for research purposes and I'm afraid I need to read the next one in the series, purely for research purposes of course.
I read this only for research purposes and I'm afraid I need to read the next one in the series, purely for research purposes of course.
joël finished reading Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
Leah is changed. Months earlier, she left for a routine expedition, only this time her …
Great subtle horror.
joël started reading The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
"Look at you, eating magic like you're one of us."
Doctor Walden is the …
Had already a few giggles. The concept reminds me a lot of the wonderful TTRPG "Pigsmoke".
Had already a few giggles. The concept reminds me a lot of the wonderful TTRPG "Pigsmoke".
joël finished reading Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
Good Omens meets The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet in this defiantly joyful …
Aliens, Daemons, Donuts! I had a lot of fun, despite finding the food descriptions a bit much at times.
joël started reading The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera
Fetter was raised to kill, honed as a knife to cut down his sainted father. …
At this point, I'm already 2 hours in. The language was hard to grasp at the beginning, but that has either been smoothed or I have become better at grasping it. Very enjoyable, but I'm also glad I've read a goodreads comment where somebody explained what this is about (Buddha’s son Rahula).
At this point, I'm already 2 hours in. The language was hard to grasp at the beginning, but that has either been smoothed or I have become better at grasping it. Very enjoyable, but I'm also glad I've read a goodreads comment where somebody explained what this is about (Buddha’s son Rahula).
joël started reading Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin
Y: The Last Man meets The Girl With All the Gifts in …
In the very first chapters, there was already a scene where I pondered if this was going to be too brutal for me. But I think I'm hooked anyway.
In the very first chapters, there was already a scene where I pondered if this was going to be too brutal for me. But I think I'm hooked anyway.
joël reviewed A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine (Teixcalaan, #2)
An alien armada lurks on the edges of Teixcalaanli space. No one can communicate with …
enjoyed it a lot
5 stars
I enjoyed this a lot, even if I found the viewpoint of the young emperor sometimes a bit tired, because it seemed to slow down the narrative. Will have to think about all the different perspectives on personhood and assimilation that are offered here.
fun concept, but gets tiresome
3 stars
I found this as an audiobook on an old HDD, quite mysteriously. The premise is fun, but most of the short stories are presented in form of fluffy newspaper articles, which I found a bit tiresome after a while. The last two or so stories aren't, and I enjoyed them more.
I found this as an audiobook on an old HDD, quite mysteriously. The premise is fun, but most of the short stories are presented in form of fluffy newspaper articles, which I found a bit tiresome after a while. The last two or so stories aren't, and I enjoyed them more.
joël reviewed It Came from the Closet by Carmen Maria Machado
Through the lens of horror—from "Halloween" to "Hereditary"—queer and trans writers consider the films that …
a very interesting collection of personal essays
4 stars
I think I expected a less personal approach to the subject, but I found this very good and enlightening as well.
joël reviewed Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky
In Adrian Tchaikovsky's Elder Race, a junior anthropologist on a distant planet must help the …
interesting concept
4 stars
A friend recommended me this after I wrote a blog post about real-world towers that would be good magical towers in 1000 to 10 000 years. This is, in a way, a story about such a tower. It has also a protagonist that has some curious parallels with Murderbot, which I enjoyed. It is also quite short and doesn't overstay its welcome.
A friend recommended me this after I wrote a blog post about real-world towers that would be good magical towers in 1000 to 10 000 years. This is, in a way, a story about such a tower. It has also a protagonist that has some curious parallels with Murderbot, which I enjoyed. It is also quite short and doesn't overstay its welcome.
joël reviewed Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt
When a transphobic woman bombs Frankie’s workplace, she blows up Frankie’s life with it. As …
Disgusting and brilliant.
4 stars
Disgusting and brilliant. I liked this very much, I would have loved a little bit more of the "main plot", but I liked the rest a lot.
Disgusting and brilliant. I liked this very much, I would have loved a little bit more of the "main plot", but I liked the rest a lot.
joël finished reading Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
I liked this a lot. It's been five years since the "official" start of the COVID 19 pandemic in western Europe, so this felt like a very timely lecture. Bonus: the cover has a very beautiful gold effect.
I liked this a lot. It's been five years since the "official" start of the COVID 19 pandemic in western Europe, so this felt like a very timely lecture. Bonus: the cover has a very beautiful gold effect.
joël reviewed Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff VanderMeer
thrilling, but ultimately very dystopian
4 stars
I liked this, but damn it is bleak.
joël started reading Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
So that's going to be it, isn't it? An audiobook, an ebook on the tablet, and a paperback to read on Saturday mornings while drinking coffee? Here, also, very small chapters, at least in the first … part(?). Reads very well. Kinda want to make another coffee, get back in bed read it all in one go.
So that's going to be it, isn't it? An audiobook, an ebook on the tablet, and a paperback to read on Saturday mornings while drinking coffee? Here, also, very small chapters, at least in the first … part(?). Reads very well. Kinda want to make another coffee, get back in bed read it all in one go.