Every once in a while, it's important to sprinkle in a non-SFF book for flavor. Thrillers that flirt with genre tropes hold a special place in my heart. Mix in a psuedo-military team with historical events and cutting edge contemporary science, well, you've got my attention. Professor Jones created this place in my heart when … Continue reading Review: Assassin’s Code
Reading
Listening to The Demon Cycle
Audiobooks are a large part of how I consume books. They make riding in the car much more enjoyable. Mostly, I listen to audiobooks that I've read in print form first. They're helpful when a new installment in a series is coming out; I can listen to the previous book and get ready for the … Continue reading Listening to The Demon Cycle
Review: The Nine
Fantasy offers us a variety of takes on religion. From Martin's Sparrows to Pratchett's Omnians, religion add flavor and plausibility to a secondary world. It is a part of the human condition, and good fantasy treats it with same complexity as any other aspect of humanity. The worldbuilding that I appreciate does not pose faith … Continue reading Review: The Nine
Review: Mage: The Hero Discovered (Vol. 1)
Back when I first discovered comics, I read only superhero stories, and soon, I grew frustrated with the never ending storylines and having to chase another comic to maintain the story in the one I was reading. It quickly became apparent that I wanted more than a superhero story. There's nothing wrong with those types … Continue reading Review: Mage: The Hero Discovered (Vol. 1)
Review: Noumenon
Sometimes, a book or song or movie will come along at just the right time and strike a resounding chord. Noumenon hit that sweet spot for me. On my blog, I’ve been thinking about generation ships. Suddenly, the stars aligned, and Harper Voyager gave me the opportunity to review Noumenon. It was SF love at … Continue reading Review: Noumenon
Noumenon and Coincidence
This week Harper Voyager granted me access to an advanced reader copy of Noumenon by Marina J. Lostetter. The first chapter is about - wait for it - a generation ship project, sort of. Part of chapter one has characters discussing a long term space travel project, and I loved it. My blog project for … Continue reading Noumenon and Coincidence
Review: The Darkness That Comes Before
Years ago, I saw rave reviews for this debut novel, The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker. Each review highlighted the book's departure from the standard western European setting for an epic fantasy. Based on my reading at the time, that was enough to sell me. I read it back when I lived … Continue reading Review: The Darkness That Comes Before
Review: Browse: The World in Bookshops
"We become the person someone imagines we are…" – Dorthe Nors from "Intimacy". Bookshops are magical places. If this isn't the first article you've read on this blog, you'll see my affinity for books. The love of bookstores is just as great as my love for books. In fact, browsing the shelves of a bookstore … Continue reading Review: Browse: The World in Bookshops
Review: Bitch Planet Vol 2
Graphic novels are a different experience than all text, but the great ones elicit the same responses. Great stories are great regardless of medium. But the best take full advantage of the medium. The first volume of Bitch Planet exceeded all my expectations, which were high based on the creative team of Kelly Sue DeConnick … Continue reading Review: Bitch Planet Vol 2
Review: Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
The difference between a good artist and a great one is never a question of competency. No, the great artist reveals the beauty of the subject in a way that creates awe in us whereas the good simply represents. The great reawakens that childish sense of amazement. If this is true, then Neil deGrasse Tyson … Continue reading Review: Astrophysics for People in a Hurry