If you love story- and action-driven books, Beautyland might not be the one for you. However, if contemplative and perceptive novels are your thing, tIf you love story- and action-driven books, Beautyland might not be the one for you. However, if contemplative and perceptive novels are your thing, then this is absolutely one to dive head-first into. But please be aware that Beautyland is listed as sci-fi and it's definitely not that. I am a sci-fi nerd, which is how Beautyland ended up on my radar. But unless you count constant references to Carl Sagan, there's nothing scientific about it.
Adina, a self-identifying alien, is easy to relate to because she is us and we are she. We walk the walk of an observer, someone who outwardly appears to be human but whose identity is not. To those who are dismissing this novel's message with "she's just on the spectrum", I want to remind them that every single one of us, at one time or another, has felt like an imposter in their own life. Adina just puts a voice to her inner outlander.
As someone who came of age in approximately the same timeline as Adina does, the reminiscent sprinkling of all the little period-specific things enriched Beautyland in ways I simply can't explain. It is in this world-building where Beautyland really sparkles and shines.
Is Adina truly an alien? If you are still asking, you completely missed the point....more
I made it to about 4o%. I felt like I was in every single other Connie Willis novel, with all the time wasting narcissistic characters and meandering.I made it to about 4o%. I felt like I was in every single other Connie Willis novel, with all the time wasting narcissistic characters and meandering.
But on the other hand, it also felt nothing like a Connie Willis novel, because the writing wasn't as polished and the characters' comments weren't nearly as quotable. It honestly read more fan-fiction, by someone who adores both Connie Willis and Scooby Doo, and maybe needs to put a hold on their SyFy Channel subscription.
If you keep your expectations to jaunty dialogue, a whole bunch of much ado about nothing, and tons of TV/movie alien references, then you will probably enjoy this one. As for me, I don't know what I was looking for, but it wasn't this. ...more
Rubicon offers the dark intensity of Starship Troopers (the book, not the campy movie) and a cunning rival like The Borg with the refreshingly non-relRubicon offers the dark intensity of Starship Troopers (the book, not the campy movie) and a cunning rival like The Borg with the refreshingly non-religious and non-misogynistic scenarios best done by John Scalzi. For a sci-fi nerd like me, this was an easy five stars.
My favorite aspect of the book: You know David in Schitt's Creek? His character offers an abundance of uniqueness, but never once does anyone put a label on him or offer any judgment. He is David, and that is all we need to know. Same here with Adriene, our main character. Her character may be female, but this is never treated as "a thing". Her skills, her expertise, her decisions, all of who she is is based upon her humanity and her badassness, never her gender. I can always get behind a character like that....more
As we discovered in Mickey7, the first of this series, Mickey is a once-"expendable" in a colony of humans on a distant world, which means he was the As we discovered in Mickey7, the first of this series, Mickey is a once-"expendable" in a colony of humans on a distant world, which means he was the one they sent in to fix a core on the verge of meltdown or used as a guinea pig for a new vaccine they're testing. They can make more Mickeys and simply pull a new one out of the tank, upload the previous Mickey's download, and move on. But here in Antimatter Blues, he's retired now, because it was just too hard to die each time, and know a new Mickey would take his place, with his friends, with his girlfriend Nasha, with everything. Same personality, but very different person, and like all of us, Mickey just wants to live his own life.
This time Mickey should be owning up to a falsehood he told Marshall, the leader of the colony. He left a valuable antimatter bomb out in the wilderness, but he told Marshall he gifted it to a sentient species on the planet. Now they colony is running dangerously low on fuel and need the antimatter back, to survive the winter. Can he find it? And even if he finds it, can he get it back? Ridiculous, fast-paced, action-filled and chock full of fun banter, this Mickey novel is just as enjoyable as the first. I sure hope this series continues.
Does anyone else feel like Mickey7's story is practically cinema ready? Just like in The Martian, you can almost feel the flawed and frustrated Mickey coming alive, with the big screen calling his name....more
This book reminded me of a short sci-fi novel I read a few years back, Genesis by Bernard Beckett. Both offer a nice perspective twist to keep us on oThis book reminded me of a short sci-fi novel I read a few years back, Genesis by Bernard Beckett. Both offer a nice perspective twist to keep us on our toes.
In Out There, we are given the chance to speculate on what it would be like "out there" while comparing it to "down here". I love how our point of view, from our pale blue dot, is shown as only one of potentially many.
Diversity rules the universe. A reminder to stop and appreciate it is always a good thing....more
Scion of Conquered Earth by Michael J. Allen is a young adult science fiction novel, the first book in the Scion series. I absolutely love science ficScion of Conquered Earth by Michael J. Allen is a young adult science fiction novel, the first book in the Scion series. I absolutely love science fiction, and after reading the description, I thought I would love this book. Sadly this one wasn't for me, being too odd and kind of claustrophobic for my tastes.
We view a dystopian near-future after an apocalyptic alien invasion through the eyes of The Teen -- aka Maggot, later aka Alaric -- a reluctant hero type with amnesia. When we first meet The Teen, he is running, through rotting corpses and decimated buildings, from cannibalistic lawyers and aerobics instructors. (Yes, you read that correctly.)
Then it gets odd. (Okay, let's say the oddness amplifies) Scion of Conquered Earth is confusing in many places. The post-apocalyptic world-building left a lot to be desired. A better foundation of what has happened and how it has become what it has would have been helpful to frame the activities. I often felt lost, like I'd missed the preface that gave us an overview of where we are and why. Additionally the book jumps ahead a lot, and doesn't explain the transitions at all, so as the reader you have to stop often and try to orient yourself. He's in some building, then The Teen is a prisoner in a parking lot next to (the same?) building, then he's running through rubble, then at a train and then *boom* we're in Colorado. After a while I stopped stopping, and just let myself be confused, hoping it would all make sense later. And it did, to a small degree, and I get where the author was going with our unconsciously unreliable narrator, but could it have been handled more stylistically and methodically? I vote yes.
Also oddly, there was a lot of gore that seemed unnecessary and, in my otherwise horror- and gore-loving mind, did not enhance the effectiveness of the story. It may seem like a powerful example of the unspeakable to force a starving captive to eat his own vomit, which came up when he found out the food was actually another prisoner, but honestly, it was too much and just came across as gimmicky. And gross. Very, very gross.
The narrator of the audio version, A. W. Dickson, did well with the content, though his attempts at distinguishing between characters and minor accents left a lot to be desired. He made a good effort with the female voices, something that is no easy feat for most male narrators. I want to recognize that it must have been difficult for Dickson to resist glossing over grammatical errors, but it seems he read true to the written word, mistakes and all.
The ending leaves us with a cliffhanger, which I am never happy with. Each novel should always wrap its own plots, even if it leaves an opening for a sequel. In my opinion, leaving most everything open is a cheap attempt to manipulate readers into going for the next book. If an author wants people to continue the series, then give them quality writing and great characters they can't help but follow.
I received this audiobook from Audiobook Empire in exchange for an honest review. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it....more
A worthy read, if you're a sci-fi nerd who appreciates a bit of ripped-from-the-headlines reality inspiring your stories.
It strikes him that the memorA worthy read, if you're a sci-fi nerd who appreciates a bit of ripped-from-the-headlines reality inspiring your stories.
It strikes him that the memories he recalls belong to a boy who has been gone for such a long time, he no longer feels real.
Jumping from teen years to middle age, we follow a group of kids (now grandparents) who experience something so horrifying it defines their lives, even if they try to forget what happened.
You'll be glad to know Unidentified accomplishes in 193 pages what Summer of Night danced around for a whopping 634. Something evil is stalking a rural town, and sh*t gets insane while people try to deal with it, or tragically decide not to.
The ending was shockingly abrupt, but the epilogue gives you a bit to chew on so you don't leave hungry. And the nice little dessert in the author's notes satisfies the nerd in you who simply has to go check his research, and see if it all really adds up.
Fear is the answer. No, the answer is not hate. Maybe our humanity is the answer? No, love is the answer. Or is it?
"They had no answer for love."
The LFear is the answer. No, the answer is not hate. Maybe our humanity is the answer? No, love is the answer. Or is it?
"They had no answer for love."
The Last Star was a satisfying conclusion to The 5th Wave trilogy, though in all honesty I didn't find it to be all that interesting. I'm giving it 4 stars because it's well written and constructed, but as for the intrigue value? Ehh, it was pretty low.
All the reviewers are gabbing about some big answers, one to a question we didn't even know to ask, and about some late-in-the-game twists, but these weren't game-changing thrillers for me. They merely reminded me to keep my commitment to the series, when my wandering eyes were starting to notice younger, hotter titles....more
Loading...
