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Tag: martha wells
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October 2020 Books
Salvation Day by Kali Wallace (4/5). Interesting future built on & above a worn out Earth. Zarah and Jas are excellent viewpoint characters, each with wounds and flaws that they’re living down. House of Wisdom proves a deadly creepy battleground.
This is how you lose the time war by Amal El-Mohtar (4/5). A fascinating “spy versus spy” conflict, with the added complexity of time travel, and overbearing and intrusive superiors. Subtle… sometimes to us, always in the world. Weird friendships, well handled.
Why We’re Polarized by Ezra Klein. (4/5) Well written and systematic; the evolution of the parties following the conversion of the Dixiecrats explains a lot. At the end, I considered writing up a per chapter response, but… 2020.
Network Effect by Martha Wells (4/5). An interesting Murderbot book, filled with substantial challenges and nice callbacks to the novellas. The last quarter spun a little far for my sensibilities, but the direction Murderbot decides makes a great bridge.
Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold (4/5). This was a much better book to get into Cordelia’s story and the universe. Interesting worlds at both ends (Beta and Barrayar), with the complicated drawbacks of societies.
Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold (3/5). Well written but a tough starting place for the series; it was very dependent on people’s roles from a previous book (and how their current activity breaks from expectation). Probably a universe I’ll like more as I read more.
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September 2020 Books
Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells (4/5). An interesting fantasy world lacking most European or current fantasy tropes. Interesting worldbuilding and political structures.
Elements of Surprise by Vera Tobin (4/5). A very interesting look at tools and tricks that are used to construct good surprised in fiction — and, very interestingly, some discussion about shortcuts that most brains make that allow the same tricks to keep working.
The Wizard Hunters by Martha Wells. The first book set in the Fall of Ile-Rien; it’s dramatic and conflicted. Given the series subtitle, Ile-Rien is losing a war; it’s wounded but fighting, like the blitz. The villains are incomprehensible, but almost understood. 3/5
The Ships of Air by Martha Wells. After the brief rally at the end of Book 1, the counter-strike isn’t going well. Interesting politics in all 3 countries; the passage shipboard life intrigue. 3/5
The Gate of the Gods by Martha Wells (4/5). The concluding book of The Fall of Ile-Rien; begins with much to solve– a lot still left to explore and comprehend. The gates’ underlying logic is revealed, the war staggers on, changed w/ happy & troubled resolutions.
The Cabinet by Lindsay Chervinsky. 4/5 Takes what’s generally known about Washington and his cabinet, then looks deeper, at Councils of War, alternatives explored, public fear of replicating a British cabinet, and more. Both new info and interesting alternate lines.
Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh (5/5). A wide range–a lot of laugh and chortle, but some sobering asides and hard won lessons as it continues. Incredibly well done, impossible to put down.