SF Bookclub

 Let me begin by saying that I *loved* Space Opera , which was the first book in the series. I was eager to learn more about Decibel Jones, Mira Wonderful Star, and Oort Saint Ultraviolet. And, if you enjoyed Space Opera , you might enjoy this direct sequel. It continues the adventures of Decibel Jones, Mira Wonderful Star, and Oort Saint Ultraviolet. In her breezy, clever style Valente fills us in on every species from the Intergalactic Grand Prix. The result is like a cross between Douglas Adams and James Joyce. Sometimes it's brilliant, and sometimes it's a chore. I really enjoyed parts of it and parts of it I just trudged through. I had hoped it would be more about Dess, Mira, and Oort, but most of the book seemed to be about the politics of the universe and the purpose of all this was not clear, even at the end. Only a few of the species/factions were relevant to the plot. I have to wonder what Valente's editor was thinking in approving this for press. I did genuinely ...

Veycosi, a historian and musician in training, is impulsive and prone to making gaffes and mistakes. He is sincere and earnest, but can't quite manage to be successful. He is engaged, but his fiancees are not willing to go through with the marriage until he successfully completes his education. Unfortunately, he pursues a bold idea to solve a problem, and creates more problems as a result, which derails his education and his status in the community. While all this is happening to Veycosi personally, his island is being invaded by a larger, better armed group of people, and Veycosi continues to try to solve problems with clever ideas and shortcuts and keeps causing greater problems.  Hopkinson weaves a complex plot and keeps all the threads going throughout the novel. It's carefully plotted and satisfying.  I will say that the mix of English with the other language used was sometimes confusing. The words could eventually be figured out from context, but to be honest, the mix of...

  For September and October, we're reading Elizabeth Moon's Remnant Population .  I'm enjoying the story, but I couldn't think of questions to ask, so I let the AI, Claude, write questions for me.  I did adapt/correct some of the questions to be more accurate to the text. Here are some book club questions tailored to this specific book: Character: How does Ofelia's character evolve throughout the story? What drives her changes? What do you think about Ofelia's decision to stay behind when the colony leaves? Was it selfish or brave? Themes: How does the book explore themes of aging, independence, and self-discovery? What commentary does the novel offer on colonialism and its impact on indigenous species? Alien encounters: How does Moon portray the indigenous population? What makes their society unique? How does the communication barrier between Ofelia and the indigenes  affect the story? Society and culture: Compare the human colony's culture with that of...

The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey is another winner from the authors who brought us _The Expanse_ series. Dafyd Alkhor is an indifferent scientist, but a skilled politician. He's worked his way into a research group whose work is so important that other groups are trying to steal it (and the credit). Then, the unthinkable happens. (Spoilers ahead). Humans are invaded by aliens more stronger and more powerful than they are, the Carryx. They Carryx pit humanity against other sentient beings in a battle for survival, but they objective that they are given is not the true objective. Dafyd has to use all his political acumen to suss out how to help humanity survive, I loved the Expanse series, and although this story is completely different, it still has the action and intrigue. I couldn't put this down!

Review: Alliance Unbound by C.J. Cherryh and Jane S. Fancher I'm going to preface this by saying that I have loved most of what I read by Cherryh. And overall, I liked this book. However, and this is a big however, I felt like I must have missed the previous book in this series.* I felt a bit lost through much of this book. It was also poorly edited with some information repeated multiple times and other information given once, and never again. Like Downbelow Station , this book has a complex political setting, but there was way too much rumination by Ross Monahan. The book opens with Ross trying to find his place with a new crew and a new ship. Most ships are crewed by literal families who take on the various roles within the crew from navigator to captain to kitchen staff. Ross and some of his Monahan cousins are displaced from their family's ship for a political situation that occurred in the first book. This situation is described several times.  At 535 pages, this book is...

  Haunt Sweet Home by Sarah Pinsker was an absolute treat to read. Mara Billings, an indifferent college student who is drifting through life, takes a job on her cousin's reality show that combines haunted houses with home renovation. She doesn't seem to fit in with the crew any better than she did at college, until she meets Jo. Jo is kind to her and Mara impulsively invites her to join her family for the weekend, which leads to a falling out. That is when things get odd. I greatly enjoyed this book, even though I figured out the "twist" well before it happened. The plot was well-supported and plausible, given the rules established in the story. It was a fun read, with actual character development and a satisfying ending. At just 176 pages, it was a quick read. Perfect to wiling away an afternoon. (I was allowed to read this for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

  The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves; China Miéville   The Book of Elsewhere begins in a military barracks, but this isn't really a military book. Instead, it is a book about a god who is grappling with metaphysical questions while dodging a rival god. I did enjoy the book, but the choices that the authors made in narrative structure made it more difficult to follow. The overarching plot, though, was intriguing. I liked some of the characters, but many of them were unlikable and/or underdeveloped. I would read more by Reeves and Miéville, though.  I received access of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.