Category: Book Reviews

2023 Bibliography

Posted on by Taking One Step at a Time

Aaronovitch, Ben. Tales from the Folly. JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc, 2020. 42,868 words. 3 stars.

Aaronovitch, Ben. Winter’s Gifts. JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc, 2023. 47,771 words. 3 stars.

Alderman, Naomi. The Future. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster, 2023. 123,617 words 4 stars.

Alderman, Naomi. The Power. New York, New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2016. 105,994 words. 4 stars.

Anders. Charlie Jane. “The Bookstore at the End of America.” Tor.com, 2019. 7,636 words. 4 stars.

Aoki, Ryka. Light from Uncommon Stars. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2021. 102,985 words. 5 stars.

Ashing-Giwa, Kemi. “The Puppetmaster.” Tor.com, 2023. 3,750 words. 3 stars.

Ashing-Giwa, Kemi. “Sufficient Loss Protocol. Tor.com, 2023. 5,780 words. 3 stars.

Attia, Peter. Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity. New York, New York: Harmony Books, 2023. 178,458 words. 4 stars.

Baker, Donna Cox. Zotero for Genealogy. Tuscaloosa, Alabama: Golden Channel Publishing, 2019. 31,841 words. 4 stars.

Baldree, Travis. Bookshops & Bonedust. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2023. 82,562 words. 5 stars.

Baldree, Travis. Legends & Lattes. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2022. 61,349 words. 5 stars. Review.

Bardugo, Leigh. Hell Bent. New York, New York: Flatiron Books, 2023. 148,723 words. 4 stars.

Blanchard, B. L. The Mother. Seattle, Washington: 47North, 2023. 87,724 words. 4 stars.

Blanchard, B. L. The Peacekeeper. Seattle, Washington: 47North, 2022. 90,916 words. 5 stars.

Bohannon, Cat. Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution. New York, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2023. 241,768 words. 5 stars.

Bujold, Lois McMaster. Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance. Riverdale, New York: Baen Books, 2012. 150,166 words. 5 stars.

Bujold, Lois McMaster. A Civil Campaign. Riverdale, New York: Baen Books, 1999. 174,713 words. 5 stars.

Carroll, Jonathan. “Ceffo.” Tor.com, 2023. 7,601 words. 2 stars.

Chachra, Deb. How Infrastructure Works: Inside the Systems That Shape Our World. New York, New York: Riverhead Books, 2023. 106,305 words. 4 stars.

Chakraborty, Shannon. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi. New York, New York: Harper Voyager, 2023. 153,661 words. 4 stars.

Chase’s, Editors of. 2024 Chase’s Calendar of Events. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2023. 741,679 words. 5 stars.

Comfort, Jen. Midnight Duet. Seattle, Washington: Montlake, 2023. 102,443 words. 3 stars.

Cowley, Colleen. Radical. Slender Sky Books, 2020. 94,345 words. 4 stars.

Cowley, Colleen. Revolutionary. Slender Sky Books, 2020. 113,712 words. 4 stars.

Cowley, Colleen. Subversive. Slender Sky Books, 2020. 96,967 words. 4 stars.

D’Amato, James. The Ultimate RPG Game Master’s Worldbuilding Guide. Avon, Massachusetts: Adams Media, 2021. 55,622 words. 4 stars.

Davis, Jim and Graham, Michael. The Great Dechurching. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Reflective, 2023. 69,299 words. 3 stars.

Dawson, Juno. Her Majesty’s Royal Coven. New York, New York: Penguin Books, 2022. 112,922 words. 3 stars.

Dederer, Claire. Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma. New York, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2023. 76,893 words. 4 stars.

Desmond, Matthew. Poverty, by America. New York, New York: Crown, 2023. 88,574 words. 3 stars.

Dickey, Colin. Under the Eye of Power: How Fear of Secret Societies Shapes American Democracy. New York, New York: Viking, 2023. 112,183 words. 5 stars.

Dimaline, Cherie. VenCo. New York, New York: Harper Collins, 2023. 107,115 words. 4 stars.

Doctorow, Cory. “The Canadian Miracle.” Tor.com, 2023. 4,628 words. 4 stars.

Doctorow, Cory. The Lost Cause. New York, New York: Tor Publishing Group, 2023. 118,531 words. 5 stars.

Doctorow, Cory. The Internet Con: How to Seize the Means of Computation. Brooklyn, New York: Verso, 2023. 4 stars.

Doctorow, Cory. Red Team Blues. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2023. 68,941 words. 4 stars.

Elliott, Kate. The Keeper’s Six. New York, New York: Tordotcom Books, 2023. 53,875 words. 2 stars

Evanovich, Janet. Dirty Thirty. New York, New York: Atria Books, 2023. 82,414 words. 4 stars.

Evenson, Brian. “After the Animal Flesh Beings.” Tor.com, 2023. 3,468 words. 2 stars.

Fitzsimmons, Matthew. Constance. Seattle, Washington: Thomas & Mercer, 2021. 102,716 words. 4 stars.

Flint, Eric and Huff, Gorg and Goodlett, Paula. 1638: The Sovereign States. Riverdale, New York: Baen Books, 2023. 121,504 words. 4 stars.

Foster, Alan Dean. Star Trek. New York, New York: Pocket Books, 2009. 85,360 words. 3 stars.

Foster, Alan Dean. Star Trek: Into Darkness. New York, New York: Pocket Books, 2013. 78,152 words. 3 stars.

Graff, Garrett, M. UFO: The Inside Story of the Government’s Search for Alien Life Here — And Out There. New York, New York: Avid Press, 2023. 196,921 words. 5 stars.

Grann, David. The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder. New York, New York: Doubleday, 2023. 108,609 words. 3 stars.

Green, Jaime. The Possibility of Life: Science, Imagination and Our Quest for Kinship Through the Ages. Toronto, Ontario: Hanover Square Press, 2023. 79,404 words. 4 stars.

Greyson, Bruce. After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal About Life and Beyond. New York, New York: St. Martin’s Essentials, 2021. 100,981 words. 4 stars.

Grisham, John. The Exchange. New York, New York: Doubleday, 2023. 87,937 words. 4 stars

Grisham, John. The Firm. New York, New York: Dell Books, 1991. 144,578 words. 5 stars.

Grisham, John. A Time to Kill. New York, New York: Dell Books, 1989. 166,338 words. 4 stars.

Gupta, Amit. “India World.” Tor.com, 2023. 6,054 words. 3 stars.

Hahn, Scott. The Creed: Professing the Faith Through the Ages. Steubenville, Ohio: Emmaus Road Publishing, 2016. 40,898 words. 3 stars.

Hamilton, Adam. The Lord’s Prayer: The Meaning and Power of the Prayer Jesus Taught. Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2021. 41,217 words. 4 stars.

Harl, Kenneth W. Empires of the Steppes: A History of the Nomadic Tribes Who Shaped Civilization. Toronto, Ontario: Hanover Square Press, 2023. 211,489 words. 4 stars

Helmuth, Diana. The Witching Year: A Memoir of Earnest Fumbling Through Modern Witchcraft. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster, 2023. 114,865 words. 4 stars.

Holmberg, Charlie N. Heir of Uncertain Magic. Seattle, Washington: 47North, 2023. 75,000 words. 4 stars.

Holmberg, Charlie N. Keeper of Enchanted Rooms. Seattle, Washington: 47North, 2022. 96,432 words. 5 stars.

Howard, Kat. A Sleight of Shadows. New York, New York: Saga Press, 2023. 63,465 words. 4 stars.

Jacka, Benedict. An Inheritance of Magic. New York, New York: Ace Books, 2023. 107,690 words. 3 stars.

Howard, Kat. An Unkindness of Magicians. New York, New York: Saga Press, 2017. 78,847 words. 4 stars.

Keith, Kent M. Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments: Finding Personal Meaning in a Crazy World. New York, New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2001. 15,759 words. 5 stars.

Kellerman, Jonathan. Unnatural History. New York, New York: Ballantine Books, 2023. 77,561 words. 4 stars.

Kelly, James Patrick. “What It Means to Be a Car.” Tor.com, 2023. 3,839 words. 4 stars.

Kennedy, Jonathan. Pathogenesis: A History of the World in Eight Plagues. New York, New York: Crown, 2023. 112,193 words. 4 stars.

Kenson, Steve. Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide. Renton, Washington: Wizards of the Coast, 2015. 52,947 words. 3 stars.

Kenton, Dave. Milford. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2001. 42,624 words. 3 stars.

Kingfisher, T. Nettle & Bone. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2022. 84,002 words. 4 stars. Review.

Klune, T.J. In the Lives of Puppets. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2023. 124,157 words. 3 stars.

Kowal, Mary Robinette. Glamour in Glass. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2012. 77,972 words. 4 stars.

Kowal, Mary Robinette. Of Noble Family. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2015. 138,275 words. 4 stars

Kowal, Mary Robinette. Shades of Milk and Honey. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2010 75,045 words. 4 stars.

Kowal, Mary Robinette. The Spare Man. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2022. 108,377 words. 4 stars. Review.

Kowal, Mary Robinette. Valour and Vanity. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2014. 102,810 words. 4 stars.

Kowal, Mary Robinette. Without a Summer. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2013. 89,356 words. 4 stars.

Kowalski, Dean A. Indiana Jones and Philosophy: Why Did It Have to Be Socrates. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2023. 107,153 words. 4 stars.

Kritzer, Naomi. Liberty’s Daughter. Bonney Lake, Washington: Fairwood Press, 2023. 74,652 words. 5 stars.

Kuang, R.F. Babel or The Necessity of Violence. New York, New York: Harper Voyager, 2022. 198,265 words. 5 stars.

Lackey, Mercedes and Dixon, Larry. Gryphon in Light. New York, New York: DAW Books, 2023. 125,860 words. 4 stars.

Lackey, Mercedes. Valdemar. New York, New York: DAW Books, 2023. 149,404 words. 4 stars.

Lafferty Mur. Chaos Terminal. New York, New York: Ace Books, 2023. 106,138 words. 4 stars.

Lafferty, Mur. Station Eternity. New York, New York: Ace Books, 2022. 133,248 words. 4 stars.

Leckie, Ann. Ancillary Justice. New York, New York: Orbit, 2013. 118,270 words. 4 stars.

Leckie, Ann. Ancillary Mercy. New York, New York: Orbit, 2015. 102,934 words. 5 stars.

Leckie, Ann. Ancillary Sword. New York, New York: Orbit, 2014. 112,071 words. 4 stars.

Leckie, Ann. Provenance. New York, New York: Orbit, 2017. 108,438 words. 5 stars. Review.

Leckie, Ann. Translation State. New York, New York: Orbit, 2023. 100,658 words. 5 stars. Review.

Loehnen, Elise. On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to be Good. New York, New York: Dial Press, 2023. 137,587 words. 3 stars.

Maddow, Rachel. Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism. New York, New York: Crown, 2023. 136,602 words. 4 stars.

Maehrer, Hannah Nicole. Assistant to the Villain. Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania: Entangled Publishing, 2023. 114,948 words. 4 stars.

Marrs, John. The Marriage Act. Toronto, Ontario: Hanover Square Press, 2023. 111,973 words. 4 stars.

Marsham, Liz. Exquisite Exandria: The Official Cookbook of Critical Role. New York, New York: Random House Worlds, 2023. 45,827 words. 4 stars

Marske, Freya. A Marvellous Light. New York, New York: Tordotcom Books, 2021. 123,407 words. 4 stars.

Marske, Freya. A Power Unbound. New York, New York: Tordotcom Books, 2023. 136,451 words. 4 stars.

Marske, Freya. A Restless Truth. New York, New York: Tordotcom Books, 2022. 119,611 words. 3 stars.

Martine, Arkady. Rose/House. Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2023. 29.915 words. 3 stars.

McCarthy, Wil. Poor Man’s Sky. Riverdale, New York: Baen Books, 2023. 109,396 words. 3 stars.

McCarthy, Wil. Rich Man’s Sky. Riverdale, New York: Baen Books, 2021. 103,563 words. 3 stars.

McGuire, Seanan. Chaos Choreography. New York, New York: DAW Books, 2016. 115,110 words. 4 stars.

McGuire, Seanan. Discount Armageddon. New York, New York: DAW Books, 2012. 106,430 words. 4 stars.

McGuire, Seanan. Half-Off Ragnarok. New York, New York: DAW Books, 2014. 109,515 words. 5 stars.

McGuire, Seanan. Lost in the Moment and Found. New York, New York: Tordotcom Books, 2023. 40,485 words. 4 stars.

McGuire, Seanan. Magic for Nothing. New York, New York: DAW Books, 2017. 117,367 words. 4 stars. Review.

McGuire, Seanan. Midnight Blue-Light Special. New York, New York: DAW Books, 2013. 108,801 words. 5 stars.

McGuire, Seanan. Pocket Apocalypse. New York, New York: DAW Books, 2015. 113,733 words. 4 stars.

McIntosh, Kenneth. Reading the Bible the Celtic Way: The Peacock’s Tail Feathers. Vestal, New York: Anamchara Books, 2019. 19,556 words. 3 stars.

Miller, Max & Volkwein, Ann. Tasting History: Explore the Past Through 4,000 Years of Recipes. New York, New York: Simon Element, 2023. 68,771 words. 4 stars.

Moore, Scotto. Wild Massive. New York, New York: Tordotcom Books, 2023. 149.011 words. 3 stars.

Moreno-Garcia, Silvia. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau. New York, New York: Del Rey Books, 2022. 102,844 words. 3 stars. Review.

Moss, Alexander. A More Perfect Union: Reimagining the United States as a European Union-style Federation. Self, 2022. 16,159 words. 4 stars.

Muir, Tamsyn. Gideon the Ninth. New York, New York: Tordotcom Books, 2019. 141,992 words. 4 stars. Review.

Muir, Tamsyn. Harrow the Ninth. New York, New York: Tordotcom Books, 2020. 178,196 words. 3 stars. Review.

Muir, Tamsyn. Nona the Ninth. New York, New York: Tordotcom Books, 2022. 157,434 words. 3 stars.

Neuvel, Sylvain. A History of What Comes Next. New York, New York: Tordotcom Books, 2021. 77,441 words. 2 stars.

Newitz, Annalee. Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age. New York, New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2021. 82,291 words. 4 stars.

Newitz, Annalee. The Terraformers. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2023. 118,160 words. 3 stars.

Newman, Kyle & Peterson, Jon & Witwer, Michael & Witwer, Sam. Heroes’ Feast: Flavors of the Multiverse. New York, New York: Ten Speed Press, 2023. 57,281 words. 4 words.

Nuttall, Jenni. Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women’s Words. New York, New York: Viking, 2023. 90,966 words. 3 stars.

Parker, K.J. Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead. New York, New York: Orbit Books, 2023. 115,321 words. 3 stars.

Pinsker, Sarah. “Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather.” Uncanny Magazine, vol. 39, March/April 2021. 6,790 words. 4 stars.

Polk, C. L. Even Though I Knew the End. New York, New York: Tordotcom Books, 2022. 34,929 words. 5 stars.

Powell, Gareth L. Stars and Bones. London: Titan Books, 2022. 86,995 words. 3 stars.

Reynolds, Alistair. “Detonation Boulevard.” Tor.com, 2023. 8,233 words. 3 stars.

Robertson, Craig. The Filing Cabinet: A Vertical History of Information. Minneapolis, Minnesota: The University of Minnesota Press, 2021. 94,915 words. 2 stars.

Sachdeva, Anjali. Arbitrium. Tor.com, 2023. 5,750 words. 3 stars.

Saini, Anglea. The Patriarchs: The Origins of Inequality. Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press, 2023. 101,346 words. 4 stars.

Sanderson, Brandon. The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England. American Fork, Utah: Dragonsteel Books, 2023. 80,991 words. 5 stars.

Satifka, Erica. How to Get to Apocalypse and Other Disasters. Bonney Lake, Washington: Fairwood Press, 2021. 94,468 words. 2 stars.

Scalzi, John. The Dispatcher. Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2017. 23,162 words. 4 stars.

Scalzi, John. The Kaiju Preservation Society. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2022. 79,821 words. 5 stars. Review.

Scalzi, John. Murder by Other Means. Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2021. 37,345 words. 3 stars.

Scalzi, John. Starter Villain. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2023. 76,197 words. 5 stars.

Scalzi, John. Travel by Bullet. Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2023. 41,559 words. 4 stars.

Schanoes, Veronica. “Burning Girls.” Tor.com, 2013. 17,757 words. 4 stars.

Schneider, F. Wesley. Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. Renton, Washington: Wizards of the Coast, 2021. 85,248 words. 2 stars.

Schneier, Bruce. A Hacker’s Mind: How the Powerful Bend Society’s Rules, and How to Bend Them Back. New York, New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2023. 83,235 words. 2 stars.

Sheffey, Brian. Practical Genealogy. Emeryville, California: Rockridge Press, 2020. 42,383 words. 3 stars.

Sherred, Jules. Crip Up the Kitchen: Tools, Tips and Recipes for the Disabled Cook. British Columbia, Canada: TouchWood Editions, 2023. 63,773 words. 3 stars.

Soria, D.L. Thief Liar Lady. New York, New York: Del Rey, 2023. 136,987 words. 5 stars.

Stratman, Paul. Prayers from the Ancient Celtic Church. Beaver Dam, Wisconsin: Paul Stratman, 2018. 23,614 words. 2 stars.

Swanwick, Michael. “The Star Bear.” Tor.com, 2023. 3 stars.

Swarthout, Olivia. Weird Medieval Guys. Vintage, 2023. 25,431 words. 3 stars.

Taylor, Jodi. Another Time, Another Place. London: Headline Publishing Group, 2021. 124,327 words. 5 stars.

Taylor, Jodi. A Bachelor Establishment. London, England: Headline Publishing Group, 2015. 59,273 words. 4 stars.

Taylor, Jodi. A Catalogue of Catastrophe. London: Headline Publishing Group, 2022. 134,513 words. 4 stars.

Taylor, Jodi. The Good, the Bad, and the History. London: Headline Publishing Group, 2023. 132,376 words. 4 stars. Review.

Taylor, Jodi. The Long and the Short of It. London: Headline Publishing Group, 2019. 113,040 words. 4 stars.

Taylor, Jodi. Plan for the Worst. London: Headline Publishing Group, 2020. 139,471 words. 5 stars.

Toews, Miriam. Women Talking. New York, New York: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018. 53,641 words. 3 stars.

Torzs, Emma. Ink Blood Sister Scribe. New York, New York: Harper Collins, 2023. 4 stars.

Unger, Kimberly. The Extractionist. San Francisco, California: Tachyon Publishing, 2022. 96,406 words. 4 stars.

Weinersmith, Kelly and Zach. A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through? New York, New York: Penguin Press, 2023. 132,362 words. 4 words.

Weir, Alison. Queens of the Crusades: England’s Medieval Queens, Book Two, 1154-1291. New York, New York: Ballantine Books, 2021. 176,612 words. 4 stars.

Wells, Martha. System Collapse. New York, New York: Tor Publishing Group, 2023. 63,433 words. 4 stars.

Wells, Martha. Witch King. New York, New York: Tordotcom Books, 2023. 136,315 words. 4 stars.

Williamson, Jenny & McMenemy, Genn. Women of Myth: From Deer Woman and Mami Wata to Amaterasu and Athena, Your Guide to the Amazing and Diverse Women from World Mythology. Stoughton, Massachusetts: Adams Media, 2023. 52,771 words. 4 stars.

Willis, Connie. A Lot Like Christmas. New York, New York: Del Rey Books, 2017. 189,891 words. 4 stars.

Willis, Connie. The Road to Roswell. New York, New York: Del Rey Books, 2023. 127,103 words. 5 stars. Review.

Wiswell, John. “D.I.Y.” Tor.com, 2022. 4,929 words. 4 stars.

Wrede, Patricia C. & Stevermer, Caroline. The Grand Tour: Or, The Purloined Coronation Regalia. New York, New York: Open Road Integrated Media, 2004. 109,872 words. 4 stars.

Wrede, Patricia C. & Stevermer, Caroline. The Mislaid Magician or Ten Years After: Being the Private Correspondence Between Two Prominent Families Regarding a Scandal Touching the Highest Levels of Government and the Security of the Realm. New York, New York: Open Road Integrated Media, 2006. 102,463 words. 4 stars.

Wrede, Patricia C. & Stevermer, Caroline. Sorcery & Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot. New York, New York: Open Road Integrated Media, 2003. 85,149 words. 5 stars.

Wyatt, James & Crawford, Jeremy & Levitch, Ari. The Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica. Renton, Washington: Wizards of the Coast, 2018. 128,000 words. 4 stars.

For the year 2023, I read 162 books, for a total of 15,454,711 words, with an average of 95,399 words per book. Breaking that down into months, that is

MonthWordsCount
January735,44110
February609,2777
March559,9987
April1,201,15215
May1,959,66425
June1,554,69322
July1,408,12116
August623,6675
September1,119,49612
October2,265,29914
November1,771,19219
December1,546,71110
Total15,454,711162

Review – Translation State

Posted on by Taking One Step at a Time

The Presger Translators of Ann Leckie’s Radchverse are somewhat alien and very strange; they’re humans who have been modified by the Presger to interact with humans. In Translation State, we get to see more about them. This story is a standalone novel and the most recent entry in the Radchverse, and it is delightful.

What this story is really about is family and growing up, and what each of these mean. There are three main characters, with the chapters rotating between them as viewpoint characters. Two of them are adults according to human definitions, but all three of them are going through an experience that maps onto the “becoming an adult” experience. Enae is in eir fifties, but is only now making eir own choices about eir life; e has spent eir entire life until now caring for eir, now deceased, controlling grandmother. Reet is in his thirties but, due to circumstances that are discovered through the novel, is going through a different type of maturity. Qven, a Presger Translator, is actually about to become an Adult. Leckie takes us through each of their experiences, with all of the turmoil and difficulties that that process entails.

The story is also about family, what defines a family, and how important the genetic relationship is to that process. Each of the main characters have difficult relationships with their genetic family, and all of them are trying to figure out who their real family is.

As with the other stories in the Radchverse, gender is both important and unimportant. There are at least five different genders (he, she, it, they, e), and multiple types of relationships. Leckie navigates these ably, while keeping it simple to keep track of everyone.

All in all, this is an enjoyable novel that I recommend to anyone who enjoys science fiction with real aliens and real heart at the center of the story.

Leckie, Ann. Translation State. New York, New York: Orbit, 2023. 100,658 words. 5 stars.

Review – Harrow the Ninth

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The second book in a series, especially a short series (three or four books), has a tough job to do. The first book ropes in the viewer, so it’s generally enjoyed. The last book wraps everything up, so it’s generally enjoyed. The second, or middle, books have to get you from the beginning to the end, so it’s generally not as well liked. This is very true of Harrow the Ninth.

In addition, I had a very difficult time with this book. The first issue is one that I had with Gideon the Ninth, and I suspect I will have with the latter two books. I don’t like horror, I don’t like psychological horror, and I don’t really like books that are gory, and Harrow the Ninth has all three in spades. In addition, it has been described as gaslighting the reader, as it describes the events of the first book as happening very differently–in one case, with a completely different character in an important position, as Harrow’s cavalier. Finally, Ortus (Harrow’s cavalier according to this book) is the name for two important characters, which is just confusing. It turns out, in the end, to have happened that way for a reason, but I found it confusing.

Confusing, and frequently disgusting, are the two best descriptions I have for this book. Until the last act, I was thinking I’d rate it two stars. In the end, I gave it three. It would probably benefit greatly from a reread, but I’m not sure I can stomach that. Maybe after the last two books.

Muir, Tamsyn. Harrow the Ninth. New York, New York: Tordotcom Books, 2020. 178,196 words. 3 stars.

Review – The Road to Roswell

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Frothy, screwball, science fiction romances is a type of book that Connie Willis has mastered. Like Bellwether, To Say Nothing of the Dog, All Seated on the Ground, and Crosstalk, The Road to Roswell belongs to this category. I read this book for precisely this reason: I adore Willis’s romances.

The science fiction is an important descriptor of these stories. Although they aren’t, quite, “hard” science fiction, they are clearly science fiction. In The Road to Roswell, this is the facts behind alien conspiracies, and some of the theories around alien visitation, both pro and con. As the title suggests, some of the theories center around Roswell, New Mexico, and the incident that happened in 1947. The story also leans into the alien abduction and first contact tropes, and mines both suspense and humor from them.

Once you understand the type of novel this is, spoilers aren’t really an issue, so I won’t try to avoid them. Yes, the girl gets the boy in the end, although I think he deserves to get a little more roughed up before he gets his happy ending. As well, Willis has a delightful way with zany side characters, some of whom aren’t quite what they appear to be. The alien is actually alien, communication is difficult through most of the story, and their motives are clear as mud through almost all of it.

A delightful romp, as I expected and hoped for from Willis.

Willis, Connie. The Road to Roswell. New York, New York: Del Rey Books, 2023. 127,103 words. 5 stars.

Review – Babel

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Babel is the winner of the Nebula award for Best Novel on 2022. The question isn’t “Why did it win the Nebula?” but “Why wasn’t it even nominated for the Hugo?” It is an excellent book which deserves all of the awards it has won or been nominated for. I read it in one day, which was tough even for me as it’s long.

The length of the book is one of the two things I would quibble about. I’m not sure what you would cut to shorten it, and I don’t think it would work as two books, or that it would be better if you left things out. It’s just long, and one of the reasons that it took me as long as it did to start it. The other quibble is the footnotes. They aren’t necessary and, from what I can tell, are just the things that Kuang couldn’t fit into the story but still wanted to share.

As well as just being a good story, Babel addresses the evils of capitalism and colonialism, and discusses the difficulty of being a minority in a society. The main character, Robin Swift, is a Chinese boy who is “rescued” by Richard Lovell and brought to England, to eventually be trained at Babel in Oxford and become a translator and silver worker, or mage. Said like that, it doesn’t sound bad, and for much of the book, Robin doesn’t complain much about it. However, as the story progresses, the evil to which Robin, and others like him, have been subjected to become more and more apparent. By the end, the consequences of those evils are shown. More than that will spoil the ending, which I won’t.

I found this a “quick” read (for its length; it took me all day), but there’s a lot going on. Of the Nebula nominees that I’ve read, it is the best by far. It definitely deserves to have been nominated for the Hugo.

Kuang, R. F. Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution. New York, New York: Harper Voyager, 2022. 198,265 words. 5 stars.

Review – Gideon the Ninth

Posted on by Taking One Step at a Time

Lesbian necromancers IN SPACE!!! This is one of the descriptions of Gideon the Ninth, and it’s accurate if a little misleading. This is difficult book for me to describe, or even state if I enjoyed. I generally don’t like stories in which necromancy is a key factor, and I don’t like horror, which most stories about necromancy have as a factor. I’m not sure I can say that I enjoyed the book, but it’s a good one, once it gets started. For me, this was a slow start.

The book follows Gideon Nav, a young woman of the Ninth House (Keepers of the Locked Tomb) who hates her house and wants to escape; however, she is blocked by the head of the house, Reverend Daughter Harrowhark Nongesimus. During the current attempt, Harrow receives a summons from their Emperor, that she and her cavalier are to report to Canaan House to (try to) become a Lyctor. Since her cavalier has successfully left, Harrow convinces Gideon to pretend to be her cavalier and go with her.

Yes, the names are something else. Most of the last names have to do with the number of the house. And the events at Canaan House are intense. Without spoiling the plot, it’s hard to discuss what happens there, but a lot is going on, and things we are told in the beginning turn out to be either wrong or not quite what was first assumed.

This book was nominated for the Hugo and Nebula awards for its year, among others. It won the Locus Award for first novel and the William L. Crawford award for first fantasy novel. It is also the first book of The Locked Tomb series; the most recent of which was published last year and the last is to be published next year.

Muir, Tamsyn. Gideon the Ninth. New York, New York: Tordotcom Books, 2019. 141,992 words. 4 stars.

Review – The Spare Man

Posted on by Taking One Step at a Time

The Spare Man is the last of the stand-alone novels that has been nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel for 2023. For me, it is actually a reread, since I read it initially when it first came out; I enjoy Kowal’s work. This is a delightful novel, which I enjoyed rereading.

This is a murder mystery set on a cruise (space)ship during the main character’s honeymoon. Although I’ve never read or watched the Nick and Nora mysteries, the descriptions of them are similar, in type if not in the specifics, of that type of mystery.

Although I suspect Kowal is being incredibly optimistic in the acceptance of diversity (pronouns are expected to be announced on introductions, LGBTQ+ characters of all kinds abound, the one character who is less than accepting is called out as such), it is encouraging to see it play out in fiction. The main character is cisgender and in a heterosexual relationship, but she is severely, mostly invisibly, disabled. Her issues are important to the plot, but the only people who treat her as less because of them are called out on it.

I’ve never been any good at solving the mysteries of a mystery novel; I no longer even try. I read mysteries to enjoy the intricacy of the plot and the clues. For those of you who enjoy trying to solve the mystery, I can’t really say how “honest” the book is in it. I can say that it is complicated and twisty and I found the denouement satisfying.

Of the nominees that I have read to date (all of them but Nona the Ninth), this is my favorite to win. It has more “weight” than the two that I rated higher (The Kaiju Preservation Society and Legends & Lattes). I don’t expect it to win the award, but it’s a worthy entry.

Kowal, Mary Robinette. The Spare Man. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2022. 108,377 words. 4 stars.

Review – Nettle & Bone

Posted on by Taking One Step at a Time

Nettle & Bone has been nominated for both the Hugo and Nebula awards for 2023; at the time of this writing, it did not win the Nebula but the Hugo is still in the future. “This isn’t the kind of fairytale where the princess marries a prince. It’s the one where she kills him.“

The author’s note at the end references “The Princess and the Pea,” but the fairy tale that most resonated with me while reading it was “The Seven Swans.” Marra is the youngest of three princesses and it is she who is the main, and viewpoint, character. The beginning of the book sets up the situation: eldest sister Damia marries Prince Vorling and dies in a fall, middle sister Kania marries Prince Vorling and has one living daughter and miscarries all the others. The action is set into effect during a vigil before the daughter’s funeral, when Marra realizes that her sister is being abused by Vorling. Marra decides that she must kill him to protect her sister.

Marra sets off on her quest to remove the godmother’s blessing that protects Vorling. Along the way, she accumulates people who decide to help her, a group of fairy tale helpers. Kingfisher doesn’t quite stick to the fairy tale template, although the story remains recognizably one, but throws in twists and surprises along the way. It’s a slow start–I don’t much care for apocalyptic stories, which this one appeared to be at the beginning–but I was thoroughly engrossed by the end.

This is a worthy nominee for both the Hugo and Nebula awards. Although it didn’t win the Nebula, I believe it is one of the two most likely to win the Hugo (I haven’t read Nona the Ninth yet). It has some grit and realism to it which is surprising for the genre, but makes it stick.

Kingfisher, T. Nettle & Bone. New York, New York: Tor Books, 2022. 84,002 words. 4 stars.

Review – The Good, the Bad, and the History

Posted on by Taking One Step at a Time

The Good, the Bad, and the History is the fourteenth book of the Chronicles of St. Mary’s series; it may also be the last book, although it isn’t advertised as such. It’s a solid and enjoyable entry to the series and for the first time in quite a few books, most of the loose ends have been tied up. They aren’t neatly tied up, because St. Mary’s isn’t neat.

The first thing to understand about the St. Mary’s series is that it is about time travel. The standard discussions about time travel are addressed as appropriate throughout the series, and are specifically discussed in this book. St. Mary’s is an organization tied to a greater and lesser extent to the University of Thirsk that investigates major historical events in contemporary time.

The second thing to understand about the St. Mary’s series, and the author, Jodi Taylor, is that they are funny. Full of suspense and tragedy, but Taylor injects a lot of humor, sometimes silly, sometimes slapstick, sometimes heart-breaking.

Without getting into potential spoilers, the book, and especially the end, does read as if Taylor is ending the series. The threads that have been left dangling over the course of the series have been tied up into bows–not always neat ones, but that’s St. Mary’s for you. The characters’ fates are settled, some well and some dead, but settled. Except, of course, for the one that is clearly a trigger for his own story. It’s a satisfying closure for the series, and if the author changes her mind and continues, that will be enjoyable as well.

An enjoyable, satisfying entry in the series. Now, I just have to finish off the short stories.

Review – The Daughter of Doctor Moreau

Posted on by Taking One Step at a Time

The Daugher of Doctor Moreau is a retelling of the H. G. Wells’s classic science fiction novel, The Island of Doctor Moreau. It has been nominated for the Hugo award for Best Novel for 2023. I’ve never read the original story, and this one isn’t one I’ll be rereading. It took me a bit to understand why I disliked this story so much.

I don’t like horror.

I didn’t realize at first that this is a horror novel, as is the original from what I know of it, and that is enough for me to dislike it. It’s well-written, and the descriptions of the surroundings are lush and inviting. I couldn’t warm up to the characters, but that may be because I never warmed up to the book. There is a love triangle and, if you like horror, it’s probably a decent book. But.

This is one of the nominees for the Hugo Best Novel award. I don’t think it’s a likely winner, and I personally hope it doesn’t win; I don’t want to see more horror in later years.

Moreno-Garcia, Silvia. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau. New York, New York: Del Rey Books, 2022. 102,844 words. 3 stars.