Novels that take place as humanity expands its presence in the galaxy are perennial favorites. (See previous post on Catherine Asaro's work as well) I've come across several contrasting and vastly entertaining series in this subgenre lately.
Fans of The Expanse (one of the most well-reviewed series on t.v., which was recently cancelled by Syfy and subsequently saved by Amazon) will be glad to know that it is based on the novels (Orbit Books) by a team of two writers under the pen name James S.A. Corey. Both the show and the novels are fantastic. In my case, since I began seeing the show before reading the novels, the two have melded in my mind in a very pleasing gestalt. Leviathan Wakes is the first of the series. The crew that comes together in the ship Rocinante are the first that remind me of the Firefly crew in their likable motleyness and unity. In this first novel, the point of view shifts between the idealistic Holden and Miller, the hard-bitten detective, a contrast that works very well. My one criticism is that the main female characters, Naomi and Julie Mao, are idealized to a point and not allowed to be totally human. But that's a common issue in sci-fi, I find.
A series that contrasts well with Corey's rather dark and militaristic vision, is Becky Chambers' The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, which Tor.com describes as a "joyous, optimistic space opera."
The debut novel has been followed by two more, one just published, so enjoy! Her novels have attracted much attention and awards for their quality and different approach. Her emphasis is on the characters and their emotions.
In between these two series, as far as tone and ambiance, I would place Martha Wells' (read EVERYTHING she's ever written, not just this series, you will not regret it!) Murderbot Diaries novella series, the first of which, All Systems Red, just deservedly won the Nebula and Locus awards. In this four-part series, we get inside the mind of an AI security unit that goes quietly (and then not so quietly) rogue. The last novella in the series will be released in October.
On a totally different plane, is the hilarious, quirky Union Station series by E.M Foner (this interview by K.C. Sivils will tell you much of what is different about the series, beginning with the author!) While not technically a space opera, this series does take place in a future populated by aliens and AI superminds that interact in strange and surprising ways with the all-too-human humans! It's a laugh-out-loud funny series that bring a welcome optimistic flavor to what is often envisioned as the dark and doomed future of humanity.
Showing posts with label book reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book reviews. Show all posts
Sunday, August 05, 2018
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
K.M. Peyton, an old favorite discovered anew!
Frankly, I thought K.M. Peyton (of Flambards fame) was no longer with us, but I just found out she's still here and still writing!! Her most recent novel, Wild Lily,
was a very enjoyable read. Peyton has not lost her fascination for me, after all these years. Her books have a quality unlike any other (which may not be to everyone's taste) and over the years I've tried to analyze exactly what that quality consists of. For one thing, her books are always about love: whether it's love for another person, an animal (frequently horses), an occupation (flying, sailing), or a place. And it's the kind of all-encompassing love that one sacrifices everything for--the kind of love that few people seem to experience but which Peyton knows all about. Sometimes it's reciprocated, but sometimes it's just a unrequited devoted love for another that never fades.
Another distinguishing trait: her characters--there is always a mad, bad, fascinating character who dominates--for better or for worse. There is always a character who is quietly strong and good to the core. But none of her characters are totally black and white--the good ones can be silly, the bad ones often humane, and the clash of good and evil takes place in at atmosphere where luck sometimes favors one over the other.
The last two books by Peyton I read were _Small Gains_ and _Greater Gains_, a two-part series which thankfully ended happily! When Amazon describes something as a "tragic saga set at the turn of the 18th century," you have to worry! Granted, the happy ended was a bit forced (and unlikely) but I'll take it.
My all-time favorite of hers, besides the Flambards series, is _The Right-Hand Man_, which Wikipedia describes as "the book is set in 1818 in Essex and London, during the Georgian era. It tells the story of Ned Rowlands, a talented stagecoach driver who meets the three creatures he loves best on the same day: a horse, a woman, and the man who will become his employer."
was a very enjoyable read. Peyton has not lost her fascination for me, after all these years. Her books have a quality unlike any other (which may not be to everyone's taste) and over the years I've tried to analyze exactly what that quality consists of. For one thing, her books are always about love: whether it's love for another person, an animal (frequently horses), an occupation (flying, sailing), or a place. And it's the kind of all-encompassing love that one sacrifices everything for--the kind of love that few people seem to experience but which Peyton knows all about. Sometimes it's reciprocated, but sometimes it's just a unrequited devoted love for another that never fades.
Another distinguishing trait: her characters--there is always a mad, bad, fascinating character who dominates--for better or for worse. There is always a character who is quietly strong and good to the core. But none of her characters are totally black and white--the good ones can be silly, the bad ones often humane, and the clash of good and evil takes place in at atmosphere where luck sometimes favors one over the other.
The last two books by Peyton I read were _Small Gains_ and _Greater Gains_, a two-part series which thankfully ended happily! When Amazon describes something as a "tragic saga set at the turn of the 18th century," you have to worry! Granted, the happy ended was a bit forced (and unlikely) but I'll take it.
My all-time favorite of hers, besides the Flambards series, is _The Right-Hand Man_, which Wikipedia describes as "the book is set in 1818 in Essex and London, during the Georgian era. It tells the story of Ned Rowlands, a talented stagecoach driver who meets the three creatures he loves best on the same day: a horse, a woman, and the man who will become his employer."
Catherine Asaro, where have you been all my life?
Nothing's sweeter than discovering an author, who, unbeknownst to you, has been writing exactly the type of novel you love to read for years and yet somehow has managed to remain under your radar! We're talking about an extensive backlist of titles waiting for my reading pleasure!
I've heard Catherine Asaro's name before but finally chanced upon her book, Primary Inversion, recently and had a great time immersing myself into its colorful characters and world.
Kick-ass female protagonists ready to take over galactic empires, political machinations, worlds in conflict, star-crossed lovers...it's all there for your reading enjoyment!
To top it all, Asaro is one of the few well-known hispanic female science fiction writers and she's a scientist and dancer as well!
I've heard Catherine Asaro's name before but finally chanced upon her book, Primary Inversion, recently and had a great time immersing myself into its colorful characters and world.
To top it all, Asaro is one of the few well-known hispanic female science fiction writers and she's a scientist and dancer as well!
Sunday, January 21, 2018
Historical murder mysteries for the fantasy lover
I'm on a roll of excellent historical mystery/fantasy reads that shows no signs of ending! Due in part to my ill health the last week, I finished
The Hanged Man by P.N. Elrod
the first of a series, I'm pleased to note! This mystery laced with magic takes place in an alternate Victorian England any lover of Sherlock Holmes will enjoy. In this novel the magic makes perfect sense and posits preferable criminal investigative techniques than our present ones, that's for sure! Her characters are well-developed and I look forward to reading more about all of them.
A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain
In this novel, a time traveler from the present encounters a serial killer in Regency England. Fast-moving and led by a very unique female protagonist, this novel satisfies to the very last, (the very last) word! I liked that the author zigged where the reader would zag. I heartily approve of zigging!
The Hanged Man by P.N. Elrod
the first of a series, I'm pleased to note! This mystery laced with magic takes place in an alternate Victorian England any lover of Sherlock Holmes will enjoy. In this novel the magic makes perfect sense and posits preferable criminal investigative techniques than our present ones, that's for sure! Her characters are well-developed and I look forward to reading more about all of them.
A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain
In this novel, a time traveler from the present encounters a serial killer in Regency England. Fast-moving and led by a very unique female protagonist, this novel satisfies to the very last, (the very last) word! I liked that the author zigged where the reader would zag. I heartily approve of zigging!
Sunday, January 14, 2018
More glowing book recommendations...
Mentioned by many as one of the best non-fiction books of 2017,
The Radium Girls: the dark story of America's shining women by Kate Moore (Sourcebooks)
definitely deserves that distinction. The story is old, as there have been a few books written about it (and a play, These Shining Lives!) but Moore's approach is fresh. She focused on the women and their personal lives, which makes the story of their suffering and struggle for justice even more poignant. The book reads fast and makes a lasting impression. What strikes me the most is the courage these very young women had in the face of unbelievable setbacks, indifference on the part of both employers and industry, and the hopelessness of their situation. They really did shine like beacons in the dark history of industrial safety in this country, making it safer for generations to come.
This book led me to
The Woman Who Knew Too Much: Alice Stewart and the Secrets of Radiation,
by Gayle Greene (University of Michigan Press, 1999).
Another incredible story: a pioneer female doctor who became an epidemiologist who saved countless lives by first discovering the danger of x-raying fetuses before birth, a formerly common practice, and later in her careet, at an age when most people are retired "challenged international nuclear safety standards." An amazing woman who has not been celebrated enough.
My fiction recommendation is another Jane Austen world spinoff:
Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (2011)
This is the first of a series of regency/fantasy novels by this author, who very skillfully weaves the working of "glamour" as she calls the magical essence into an Austen inspired world. This particular novel derives inspiration from Austen's Sense and Sensibility but does a nice job of making you forget that fact! Entertaining, enchanting, and fun. Even though I enjoyed this novel tremendously, I find I don't feel the need to read the next one, which is strange but maybe a tribute to the satisfying ending of the first!
The Radium Girls: the dark story of America's shining women by Kate Moore (Sourcebooks)
definitely deserves that distinction. The story is old, as there have been a few books written about it (and a play, These Shining Lives!) but Moore's approach is fresh. She focused on the women and their personal lives, which makes the story of their suffering and struggle for justice even more poignant. The book reads fast and makes a lasting impression. What strikes me the most is the courage these very young women had in the face of unbelievable setbacks, indifference on the part of both employers and industry, and the hopelessness of their situation. They really did shine like beacons in the dark history of industrial safety in this country, making it safer for generations to come.
This book led me to
The Woman Who Knew Too Much: Alice Stewart and the Secrets of Radiation,
by Gayle Greene (University of Michigan Press, 1999).
Another incredible story: a pioneer female doctor who became an epidemiologist who saved countless lives by first discovering the danger of x-raying fetuses before birth, a formerly common practice, and later in her careet, at an age when most people are retired "challenged international nuclear safety standards." An amazing woman who has not been celebrated enough.
My fiction recommendation is another Jane Austen world spinoff:
Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (2011)
This is the first of a series of regency/fantasy novels by this author, who very skillfully weaves the working of "glamour" as she calls the magical essence into an Austen inspired world. This particular novel derives inspiration from Austen's Sense and Sensibility but does a nice job of making you forget that fact! Entertaining, enchanting, and fun. Even though I enjoyed this novel tremendously, I find I don't feel the need to read the next one, which is strange but maybe a tribute to the satisfying ending of the first!
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Book Reviews--Two feel-good books: one from the past, one from the present
This blog has become less and less about books and frugality and more about my writing and publications, so I thought I'd break the pace and recommend some books.
Over my blessedly quiet Thanksgiving holidays, I've completed two very different books that nonetheless have been very satisfying reads and somehow seem to complement each other well. I think a Jane Austen reader would heartily approve of this first book:
Mrs Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson, was first published in 1938 and has been reintroduced by Persephone Classics books. My copy has a 10 lb price on and it's worth every penny (pence?)--it's 10 lbs of utter satisfaction. Mrs. Watson, who like Jane Austen (foreshadowing next book review here) published six books upon which her fame was made, but who unlike Ms. Austen, lived a long and healthy life afterwards, was interviewed by the person who rediscovered her book and urged it upon the publishers. Since then, a film starring Frances McDormand, which is also stupendous, has been made.
Mrs. Pettigrew has been described as a frothy confection of a novel with a Cinderella theme, but I think the reason it is so touching and enjoyable is because the author herself experienced a version of the Cinderella dream she confers so entertainingly on her book's eponymous heroine. Watson herself was an "overnight" success with her first novel and was widely feted and celebrated, so she knew first-hand how it felt. What distinguishes the novel from other fun reads is the author's deep sense of compassion for the frantic desperation behind all the bubbly adventures and witty repartee. Watson's insight into the human heart makes her novel timeless.
-------
And, speaking of time, the other book I devoured over the break is a brand new one (though also about the past):
The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen A. Flynn (who, by the way, had the same idea as I had had a while back for a story but she made it into a novel! In my story, it was the Great Lives Project) In this time travel novel, two researchers go back to Jane Austen's time ostensibly to retrieve the lost full manuscript of The Watsons (ha! another link to Mrs. Pettigrew book) and the letters Cassandra destroyed but also end up doing something else (no spoilers!) that of course, alters everything in unpredictable ways.
My only objection to this novel is that I was led to believe by the blurb writers that it had a surprise ending, which it didn't. Not unless you count the present being changed by the time travelers' actions in the past as surprising, which it shouldn't be to anyone who has ever read a time travel novel! Also, the author keeps dropping what I thought were really obvious hints about certain things which never came to pass--ok, so maybe that was me reading things into things but still, I think it would have made for an interesting twist if what I thought was going to happen had happened. Oh, and I thought the main character acted quite against character in the end, which threw me a bit.
But all these comments don't detract in any way from it being a most wonderful read. I don't even bother thinking up all these objections to novels that don't have meat to them. I love when novels give you food for thought and raise all these questions in your mind. Few novels are even worthy of a second thought and this one will certainly provide lots of discussion fodder for an Austenite book club!
Over my blessedly quiet Thanksgiving holidays, I've completed two very different books that nonetheless have been very satisfying reads and somehow seem to complement each other well. I think a Jane Austen reader would heartily approve of this first book:
Mrs Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson, was first published in 1938 and has been reintroduced by Persephone Classics books. My copy has a 10 lb price on and it's worth every penny (pence?)--it's 10 lbs of utter satisfaction. Mrs. Watson, who like Jane Austen (foreshadowing next book review here) published six books upon which her fame was made, but who unlike Ms. Austen, lived a long and healthy life afterwards, was interviewed by the person who rediscovered her book and urged it upon the publishers. Since then, a film starring Frances McDormand, which is also stupendous, has been made.
Mrs. Pettigrew has been described as a frothy confection of a novel with a Cinderella theme, but I think the reason it is so touching and enjoyable is because the author herself experienced a version of the Cinderella dream she confers so entertainingly on her book's eponymous heroine. Watson herself was an "overnight" success with her first novel and was widely feted and celebrated, so she knew first-hand how it felt. What distinguishes the novel from other fun reads is the author's deep sense of compassion for the frantic desperation behind all the bubbly adventures and witty repartee. Watson's insight into the human heart makes her novel timeless.
-------
And, speaking of time, the other book I devoured over the break is a brand new one (though also about the past):
The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen A. Flynn (who, by the way, had the same idea as I had had a while back for a story but she made it into a novel! In my story, it was the Great Lives Project) In this time travel novel, two researchers go back to Jane Austen's time ostensibly to retrieve the lost full manuscript of The Watsons (ha! another link to Mrs. Pettigrew book) and the letters Cassandra destroyed but also end up doing something else (no spoilers!) that of course, alters everything in unpredictable ways.
My only objection to this novel is that I was led to believe by the blurb writers that it had a surprise ending, which it didn't. Not unless you count the present being changed by the time travelers' actions in the past as surprising, which it shouldn't be to anyone who has ever read a time travel novel! Also, the author keeps dropping what I thought were really obvious hints about certain things which never came to pass--ok, so maybe that was me reading things into things but still, I think it would have made for an interesting twist if what I thought was going to happen had happened. Oh, and I thought the main character acted quite against character in the end, which threw me a bit.
But all these comments don't detract in any way from it being a most wonderful read. I don't even bother thinking up all these objections to novels that don't have meat to them. I love when novels give you food for thought and raise all these questions in your mind. Few novels are even worthy of a second thought and this one will certainly provide lots of discussion fodder for an Austenite book club!
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