The Last Colony / John Scalzi

 

3.25 out of 5 stars

Book number 522 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

John Scalzi has a very particular and recognizable authorial voice. You always know when you are reading his fiction. I can definitely see his roots, namely Robert Heinlein, that libertarian writer who believed so strongly in personal freedom to choose how he lived. But Scalzi has a progressive side too, advocating for responsibility towards our fellow humans, living with honour and without gratuitous violence.

The narrator of this novel, John Perry, downplays his own intelligence, preferring to credit his wife Jane as the brains of the operation. John and Jane find themselves assigned to be the colonial administrators of a forbidden colony hiding itself on an obscure planet. Jane and her assistant run things and John runs interference for them. Much of his time is spent using the Socratic method to convince the leaders of the colony to acquiesce to his plans. But this is Scalzi, so Perry is also a smartass who is very willing to share his ironic opinions.

Safe to say, as good self reliant folk, John and Jane and their adoptive daughter Zoe try to steer their planet in the right direction and think their way out of their dilemmas while encouraging the colonists to use their brains too. If you like other Scalzi books, you are liable to enjoy this one too. On the other hand, if his worldview grates on you, this book will irritate. I'm kind of middle of the road on him—I love some books, but wasn't as enamoured by this one.

Working Stiff / Annelise Ryan

 

3.75 out of 5 stars 

I really like this author's more recent series, the Monster Hunter Mysteries, which inspired me to search out her back catalogue. I quite enjoyed this book too, surprising myself a bit. I'm coming to terms with my new taste for cozy mysteries but my understanding of humour is still sketchy. I often find it annoying rather than an asset. As a result, some of Mattie's antics grated on me a bit. She knew better than to withhold information during a murder investigation for instance.

I felt that Mattie was generally portrayed as an intelligent and capable woman, so I could forgive her frequently acting like a hormonal idiot over detective Steve Hurley. I hope she gets her divorce from David promptly and becomes a free agent.

Mattie is doing quite well for herself, actually, having impetuously quit her nursing job when she discovered her surgeon husband in flagrante delicto with another nurse. (Why did she quit? It seems to me that her husband and the other nurse are to blame and she has no need to be embarrassed.) Somewhat reluctantly she takes the position of deputy coroner and begins to develop a new expertise. Her nursing training is a definite asset and her interest in learning is obvious.

If I didn't have an enormous stack of library books right now, I'd be snagging book two immediately. It will have to wait until I've thinned the herd a bit, but book two has been moved up the queue smartly.

Towers of Midnight / Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

 

Book number 521 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

3.5 stars

I am closing in on the end of the Wheel of Time. Only one volume left, so it looks like I will conquer it. It has been a long trip. To my way of thinking, having Brandon Sanderson write the final books after Jordan's death has made a definite improvement. There is less emphasis on the irritating characteristics of the main characters and they seem to be behaving in somewhat more rational fashion.

I will say that there are a tremendous number of characters to keep track of and that I can barely remember the events of the first book (which, admittedly, I read back in 2017). But I am curious to see how the series ends who lives, who dies, who wins, who marries, all that jazz. Do Mat and Tuon actually become a true married couple? Does Rand manage to make polygamy a thing? Will Perrin finally admit that he is now a nobleman? Is Lan going to survive to reunite with Nynaeve? Will Egwene and Gawyn make the transition from Aes Sedai and warder to wife and husband?

No doubt the final 900+ page tome will satisfy at least some of my questions. Perhaps I'll wind things up this year, but definitely next year at the latest.

Lore of the Wilds

 

Free Range Reading

3.5 stars

This was an impulse choice. I can't even remember how I heard of it. But I don't mind the combination of fantasy and romance, and I love Fae characters. This seemed like a sure thing.

However, I think I'm too old to properly appreciate it. Lore's problems are very much those of a twenty something. She is attracted to every man who crosses her path, she is impulsive, and rushes into things that she should probably think about more carefully. It is very much a young adult book.

For those who despise love triangles, you might want to avoid this novel, although the end might please you. Those who avoid cliffhangers, on the other hand, will not be happy with the ending. I am unsure if I will read the next installment—my TBR is so long that padding it with YA is maybe not in my best interest.

Stitches and Witches / Nancy Warren

 

2.7 out of 5 stars 

Free Range Reading

I borrowed the audiobook version of this title on impulse, having read this first book recently. This one was neither better nor worse than that first volume—it kept me engaged in the investigation and I wanted to know the outcome. I am somewhat surprised, though, at how little progress Lucy has made in her private life. There's an obvious set-up for a love triangle between her, Rafe the vampire, and Ian the detective. Rafe has shown a teeny bit more initiative, but Ian would seem to be Lucy's preference. I don't think I will ever know, however, as I don't believe that I'll be proceeding any further.

As cozy series go, this one isn't bad, but it's not exciting my desire to continue. The vampires seem awfully tame (I mean, knitting!) and I prefer the menacing variety. Ian seems decent, but the man has had two books now in which to make an impression and hasn't really bothered. At this glacial pace, it will take more books than I have patience for to get a romance underway. Besides, the star-crossed romance of Florence Watt, one of the elder ladies next door, doesn't bode well for other relationships.

Perhaps if I was a knitter I'd be more enthused.

Dead Girls are Easy / Terri Garey

 

2.5 out of 5 stars 

Book 10 of the 2024 Read Your Hoard Challenge

I started this book, got distracted, then picked it up again today when I needed a book that didn’t weigh down my purse. Nothing like a paperback to keep you company in a waiting room. I added this to my TBR way back in 2016 and boy was my life different back then--pre-retirement, pre-Covid… So I'm not really surprised that I didn't like this book nearly as much as I thought I would. I'm not the same person who added this book.

I'd give it about 2.5 stars. It probably would have received higher marks if I'd read it back in 2016. Don't get me wrong, there are lots of good points about it. Nicki, the main character, has had a near death experience which leaves her with the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Both of these things would give anyone pause, but Nicki has also become romantically involved with her ER doctor.

Not every phantom is friendly and Nicki is drawn into a neighborhood drama, being haunted by a murdered frenemy. There are stereotypes galore: more voodoo than I was interested in and a really stereotypical gay best friend. The grandmother of the deceased woman gets Nicki more enmeshed in the whole situation, leading to most of the action.

I have the next two novels in the series, so I must have really liked the descriptions of them. I'll give them an honest try, but I'm willing to bail if I don't find them better than this one. My dance card is too full to spend time on less than great books.

Accepting the Lance / Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

 

4.4 out of 5 stars 

Book number 520 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

It was with pleasure and sorrow that I picked up this installment of the Liaden Universe series. I love these books and am seriously grieved by the death of co-author Steve Miller. This volume resolves some long standing plotlines in fine style, but there are enough significant characters that there are always new issues to explore.

This is the tome in which the Department of the Interior gets its hash settled! Their own agents are sent against them, their machinations are side-stepped, and their final violence, although not fully avoided, is mitigated. No doubt there will be details yet to be resolved, but the worst is surely over.

Better, the clan of Korval seems to be stabilizing. Theo Waitley has willingly acknowledged her blood ties and names Surebleak as home. Daav and Aelliana have found new identities and pilot's licenses. Anthora is out of hospital and awaits her life mate's healing. Pat Rin, in his role as Boss Conrad, has received overwhelming endorsement from the citizens of Surebleak. Rhys has returned, badly wounded, from space to meet his new daughter and reunite with his partner, Droi. The clutch turtles have sent an envoy to liase with Surebleakeans and correct a defect within the planet. Even the crazy neighbour has been stabilized by the influence of the young Tree that was gifted to him.

The Elder Tree continues to meddle, heal, and guide the clan. Val Con has been wishing for a more lively clan home and it seems that he may get it. It is a joy to me to realize that I still have several books remaining in this beloved series. The trick now will be resisting the urge to read them too quickly, ending the journey too soon. Wish me luck with that endeavor as my ability to resist their siren song is weak.

Survival of the Richest / Douglas Rushkoff

 

3.5 out of 5 stars 

I don't often quote scripture, but I've got to credit whoever wrote the first book of Timothy: the love of money truly is the root of all evil. When you have more money than you can ever use, continuing to make more and more while ruining the world seems more than a little evil to me.

This author is upfront right in the first chapter, letting the reader know that he is a Marxist, who was hired by a bunch of rich guys to help them make decisions about where to locate their doomsday bunkers and how to keep their security forces on their side after The Event (whatever that should turn out to be). Trying to improve the world around them didn't seem to compute—they were much more focused on leaving the rest of us outside their bunker walls.

The very wealthy seem to believe that money makes them somehow superior to regular people. They tend to be libertarian, wanting to go it alone with no responsibilities to other people or to society. I can understand the mindset to some extent: it is nice to have some independence in one's life. However, as much as they may believe they can separate themselves from the rest of humanity, one person simply cannot do all the things: mining, smelting, manufacturing, spinning, weaving, sewing, lumbering, building, mixing concrete, plumbing, electrifying, farming, etc. To get their bunkers built and supplied, they have already relied on a lot of other people. There is no such thing as complete independence. And, as we learned during Covid, being isolated doesn't benefit our mental health.

Then there are the weirdos who want to upload their consciousness to the cloud. I don't understand how this could be a good thing. I think it would be giving up all of the pleasures in life—eating, sleeping, having sex, even just walking in a forest or on a grassland. Smelling wet earth or your favourite food. Plus we would leave our brain structures behind and I doubt that we could feel emotions without those. I have zero desire to be stuck in some data bank somewhere unable to feel happiness, contentment, excitement or anticipation. I volunteer to stay behind to service the machines. When we get all the weirdos uploaded, let's just turn them off, shall we?

The biggest problem with the billionaires? They seem to believe that having billions makes them qualified to lead and that all solutions require technology. I hate to break it to the tech bros, but we already have what we need to make the world a better place. Try kindness and respect for others. Tone down our consumerist impulses and live simpler lives. I'm not anti-technology or I wouldn't be on Goodreads and other such websites, but I do try to limit my time on them.

The biggest problem that I see is a bunch of white men thinking that their interpretation of the world is the only one or the best one. Best for them maybe, but for those of us who want communities and meaningful lives, very unattractive. Unfortunately for them, the saying “Wherever you go, there you are” applies. No matter where they go, they take their essential human selves along. Humans are social primates so likely they won't go alone. There is no escaping humanity--it's built in. Resistance is futile.

Deceiver / C.J. Cherryh

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Book number 519 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

Eleven books in, and I am still enjoying this series very much. I do realize that there is always a dangerous chase combined with gunfire, but each time it fits with the other events of the book. Cherry writes very good pursuit scenes.

Bren has come into his own—a Lord in his own right, with a reputation as a dispassionate negotiator. He is reunited with Lord Geigi, who has returned from the space station to restore order in his district. The two men find themselves very much in accord with each other and the aiji-dowager. Will these three and their respective staff members be able to deal with the Marid clan? If they can do it without involving Tabini, he can deny knowledge of it and still reap the benefits.

As in the last couple of books, the heir-apparent, Cajeiri, gets his own POV chapters. He may only be almost nine years old, but he is mature beyond that. Sometimes he resents the necessity but he steps up when he can. He has trials imposed on him, namely two Assassin's Guild members selected by his father. They seem to have an attitude problem which he tries valiantly to remedy with limited results. For once, he is only tangentially involved in the biggest kerfuffle this time out. He is too smart for his own good, letting his occasional boredom lead him astray!

Cherryh leaves matters on a hopeful cliffhanger and I will definitely be reading the next volume before too much time has passed.

Lavender House / Lev AC Rosen

 

3 out of 5 stars 

Mystery Book Club 2024

True confession: I would never have picked up this book if it hadn't been chosen as a selection for my RL book club. It's never going to be a favourite, I don't expect to ever re-read it, and I doubt that I will read further in the Evander Mills series. Still, I am not unhappy to have read it.

This novel gave me an intimation of what it is like to belong to a persecuted minority. The constant need to be on guard, trying to hide your essential self, is exhausting and it's so easy to mess up. Evander (Andy) Mills came back from the war and opted to become a cop. He spends his spare time drinking and cruising the clubs for sexual encounters in the bathrooms. Until he gets caught in a police raid. Suddenly, he is unemployed, homeless and seriously considering suicide. He has internalized his society's hatred for gay men.

He is both intrigued and uneasy when he is approached by an obviously well-to-do woman to investigate a murder—of her wife. Andy gets to see what life can be like in a found family where everyone can be honest within their community about who they are and who they love.

My curiosity was engaged around the issue of how Andy was going to investigate the matter without his official status and connections. That's what kept me reading. So, intellectually kind of interesting, but I wasn't emotionally engaged. The book ended up feeling more like a vitamin pill rather than a delicious treat.

The Stainless Steel Rat Returns / Harry Harrison

 

3 out of 5 stars 

Book number 518 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

Well this is goodbye to the Stainless Steel Rat. Despite the hopeful “until next time” on the final page, this was the last Rat book. It was published in 2010 and Harrison died in 2012. Slippery Jim was obviously a favourite character of Harrison's—he returned to Mr DiGriz eleven times!

Jim DiGriz is enjoying his illgotten gains on the pleasure planet Moolaplenty, when his agrarian relatives and their livestock arrive on his doorstep. Jim had devoutly hoped that he would never see another porcuswine (except as a menu item), but as he deals with this crisis he finds he must purchase the spaceship that his cousins and their critters arrived on and evacuate them to more suitable environs. He inherits the grumpy ship's engineer and accepts a pilot provided by his son James.

This unlikely conglomeration of people and porcuswine bumps from one problem to the next. Jim finds that he can still think and fake his way across the universe successfully, although his beloved Angelina must give him pep talks and nudge him along from time to time. With her support (and unspoken threats) they deal with whichever predicament confronts them.

You can see Harrison's sharp and humorous attitude toward the world. His style is perfect for making fun of governments, the military, and violence of all kinds. I found this novel a bit less focused than I could have wanted, as their sabotaged spaceship bloats along from planet to planet in search of intergalactic communications.

It is with fondness that I say, “So long, Slippery Jim DiGriz!”

Only Hard Problems / Jennifer Estep

 

3.5 out of 5 stars 

Free Range Reading

Once again, my attention has been hijacked by the unexpected arrival of an e-book on my library account. I've been enjoying Estep's self-published stuff quite a bit. Yes, she has a formula, but it's a recipe that I like. This little novella gives us a peek into the world of Zane Zimmer, Regal bad boy and frequent opponent of Kyrion Calderan, love interest of Vesper Quill. Despite (or maybe because) they are both Arrows, Zane and Kyrion have despised each other for a long time.

Vesper has her own reasons to look askance at Zane, despite her desire to put some trust in him. But she realizes that if what he says is true, he is in a difficult spot—wanting to protect her but being ordered to capture Vesper and Kyrion to return them to the Imperium. Lack of success could mean his execution.

Estep does a good job of humanizing her part-time villain. Zane has some redeeming qualities: he truly loves his family, even when they disappoint him, and he is highly motivated to keep them safe in an uncertain world. He's developed a persona as an arrogant arse specifically to keep the other Arrows and the public at arm's length. No one quite knows how smart and sensitive he is under the disguise, just as he wants it. Being underestimated is his advantage, at least until he meets Asterin Armas, heiress to a mineral fortune. Everyone seems to be pushing them to get engaged and they both react poorly to being pressured. But as they are thrown together more often, Zane is softening on this issue. Maybe Asterin is too.

My next decision is whether to petition my library to purchase the next book? They've developed a pattern of rejecting my recommendations, so I'm scared of jinxing things. There seems to be a waiting list for this one, so perhaps I can count on other fans to make the request. Fingers crossed!

Fair Trade / Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Book number 517 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

It is always a pleasure to spend time with Jethri Gobelyn van'Deelin, especially when he is dealing with twisty and ticklish situations. He can see that the Dust clouds moving in certain parts of space are wreaking havoc with ship navigation and that delivery of necessary goods to planets within the Dust is tricky and getting trickier. However, the big trade associations don't seem to understand the urgency of the situation. Jethri, young as he is, seems to be the Ambassador for his father's plan to cope with Dust, at the South Axis Trade Fair.

If that was not enough, someone in the Liaden ranks is playing dirty tricks to prevent him from gaining Master Trader status. He is lead trader on his ship, but is saddled with a pilot who is set in his ways and not inclined to be flexible. And how does one pursue a promising relationship when one's time is scheduled down to the bathroom breaks?

Meanwhile, there are complications aboard the Dulcimer, the ship that lent Jethri assistance when he was challenged to a duel in a previous installment. A neurodivergent young woman is coming into her own, possibly with the assistance of a posse of norbears, those fuzzy telepathic beings who cause consternation among some in the galaxy. The new captain is trying to extricate himself from the less-than-legal patterns of the previous management and facing opposition from one crew member who is determined to make trouble (and who intensely dislikes norbears and the young woman).

These two story lines intersect at the trade conference, along with a stash of forbidden Old Tech, drawing the Uncle into the mix. As I understand it, this subseries is set in between the Great Migration (of books 1 & 2) and the much later adventures of Clan Korval. There are enough loose ends that I am certain that the authors planned more Jethri in future.

Sadly, however, I learned that co-author Steve Miller died in February of this year. It's anyone's guess whether Sharon Lee will continue to write, with her husband and co-conspirator gone. I wouldn't blame her if she declared herself unwilling to go on. I love the universe that this pair created and I will undoubtedly continue to reread the published material long into the future. I will treasure the books that I have not yet read (rapidly decreasing) and have my fingers crossed that maybe one was left in the hopper before Miller's passing. Good lift, Mr Miller, and safe landing.

Bride / Ali Hazelwood

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Free Range Reading

I got a message from my library this afternoon: this e-book is ready for you, please do something about that. After a bit of debate, I signed it out and foolishly thought, “I'll just read a few pages to see if I'll like it.” And, yes, I read the whole thing in one sitting.

All the details were just perfect for me. Vampyres, Were shifters, complex political manoeuvring, including an arranged marriage to cement an alliance between the Vampyres and the Weres. The narrator of this tale and the less-than-willing bride is Misery, the daughter of the Vampyre leader. Just like Medieval times, there will be the exchange of hostages and this arranged marriage. Misery is used to this—she has previously been the hostage to the Humans, where she grew up with a human girl, Serena. Serena, now a journalist, has gone missing and left a note which references the name of the Were leader. This is what cinches Misery's decision—she must know what happened to her only friend and agreeing to the wedding will aid her search.

But of course you know going in that this is going to be a romance. It is in fact perfectly suited to my taste. There are overarching questions about Serena, politics, and other characters that we get to know. More than just the romance in other words. Misery has a snarky sense of humour that I loved. She and her husband Lowe see their relationship shift as they get to know each other, but they each have wrong ideas that they can't seem to get around. Lowe provides the heading to each chapter, giving us a glimpse into his point of view and allowing us to see their misguided ideas. Yum!

So, I enjoyed it a great deal and I'm glad I abandoned my responsibilities to read it. If you like the fake marriage kind of romance plot, I would recommend it.

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known / Seanan McGuire

 

3.5 out of 5 stars 

Free Range Reading

Slightly less satisfying for me than the previous books in this series. I do love portal fantasy and McGuire is very up front, letting her characters know that there are portals (known as Doors) and the basics of the workings of these openings in reality. I love the idea that children can escape difficult home circumstances and find an alternate reality where they are appreciated and valued. But sometimes things still don't work out and these fugitives end up back on Earth, learning to fit back into their old lives at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children. Eleanor had her own experiences and provides understanding and safety.

This volume was basically more of the same stuff that McGuire has been dishing up for nine books now. So why was I less impressed? Well, for one, look at that cover, at that lovely sauropod framed by one of those notorious Doors. I felt like I had been promised a heaping helping of dinosaurs and I got only one chapter. And may I add that there was not one sauropod on offer.

Also, McGuire has not hidden her messages about the abuse of children, whether by neglect or active. However, this book felt particularly preachy to me. There was quite a lot of fulminating on the theme that you are not justified in perpetrating abuse because you experienced it. Which I completely agree with. I just felt like I was beaten over the head with this super-obvious moral to the story.

Will I continue reading this series? Very probably. I'm still very much a Seanan McGuire fan girl. She is an amazingly prolific and entertaining writer.