Stephen finished reading Contact by Carl Sagan
Contact by Carl Sagan
In December, 1999, a multinational team journeys out to the stars, to the most awesome encounter in human history. Who …
Brit in Canada. I read when I can't sleep, so yes there's a lot of books here. Nearly all SF.
he/him
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34% complete! Stephen has read 17 of 50 books.
In December, 1999, a multinational team journeys out to the stars, to the most awesome encounter in human history. Who …
Considering there can't be many primary sources to read to support writing such a book on an-almost-half-millennium-old set of voyages, this is a great story. Some of the winter parts can get slightly repetitious "and then there was a storm, and then they ate another fox, and then.." but I'm sure that exactly reflects the dull nature of being icebound. William Barents himself isn't known too well in the sources, as he was mythologised a while after.
The author also adds variety by interleaving in explanations of scurvy or technology and trade levels, which helps.
Content warning Just read it first, it's super short
I can't decide, but I really enjoyed it, takes 10 minutes. I was worried this was going to be Torment Nexus-worthy like the Manna algorithm by Marshall Brain, but Abelique seems nice. I'm sure the prices would rise, mind. Where's the VC?
Another enjoyable Discworld. But unlike The Truth and Going Postal, I just don't really understand the story. It doesn't have much tension in it, and certainly the bank does not the attention of the post office. Whereas a dog carrying a vibrator is the same joke in about four scenes.
Sarcastic characters in a straight fantasy, another couple who are obviously going to fall in love. It's nice to see characters come around from previous books with different levels of engagement.
This one did feel like there were more moments of "the heroes felt they were going to die and said goodbye to each other" without actually feeling darker. I haven't worked out if that is on purpose or not. Second one is probably still my favourite.
Nothing happens in this without foreshadowing or a trope, so if that irritates you, well, you probably didn't finish the others.
Can't complain for such a cheap find, but it covers the history of the railway being built but is very vague on the specs of the locos, just "bought from such and such railroad". Also bittersweet in that it is old enough that the railway was still running. There is a note in the foreward saying "ah no closed a few years later".
Looking forward to trying the tourist train to carcross at least