@dht6000 I enjoyed the first, but struggled in the second to keep my interest. Would you say the third is more like the first or the second?
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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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2023 Reading Goal
66% complete! Stephen has read 33 of 50 books.
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Nice travelogue
4 stars
Unlike the other two books, this is just Talia and Kris patrolling the kingdom. Relaxing holiday read.
If this didn't have the internal monologues of the pair recriminating themselves again, it would be more enjoyable.
Cozy but not one of the best
3 stars
I like Lackey's books, this whole trilogy feels more YA than I remember. There's whole pages of self-recrimination, the novelty definitely wears off.
But the setting is very cozy, of this unashamedly liberal kingdom trying to do the right thing.
Stephen finished reading The Heritage of North American Steam Railroads by Brian Solomon
Stephen reviewed British Steam Railways by David Ross
Lots of pictures at least
4 stars
Self admitted train enthusiast, I enjoyed leafing through this. I didn't necessarily understand all of it though. Despite the glossary there's a lot of passing references to loco design and the like that you have to take as read.
Mind this is mainly a picture book I guess.
Stephen finished reading British Steam Railways by David Ross
Stephen reviewed Clockwork Boys by T. Kingfisher
Enjoyable fantasy romp
5 stars
Very easy to read. Was on a train all day and just powered through. Turns out I remember very little from the first time. It's quite funny for a book that is basically set in a war zone.
Stephen finished reading Clockwork Boys by T. Kingfisher
Stephen reviewed The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie
Nice god POV
5 stars
Standard fantasy narrative, except...
The narrator is a god and uses second person narrative to follow a human "main" character. The human is trans, and this isn't a defect, or a super power, it just is present in the world and accepted. Although twins are hated and feared in some cultures, despite not controlling how they are born.
Very Leckie, and also my favourite, I think. It's faster paced than the Ancillary books. Less tea and gloves.
Stephen finished reading The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie
Stephen finished reading One Day All This Will Be Yours by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Stephen reviewed There is No Antimemetics Division by qntm
Good, but too much in one go
4 stars
I should have read this slower, the book is fine. SCP lit in long form, done well. All creatures that cause you to forget them, or other things. It starts as short stories, and then the links start appearing.
Uses some Memento backwards story telling to keep the audience in the right mind frame. Too bleak for me by the end.
Stephen reviewed Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Nice twist
5 stars
Adrian's short stories seem to all have the SF twist ending but this has a couple of neat ideas in it that I don't want to mention. Some were more obvious than others to me but no less welcome.
Narration is in the second person and not my favourite, but didn't spoil my enjoyment. Short and sweet, a new favourite of his for me I think.
Stephen reviewed The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard
Perhaps not the best introduction to the universehe
3 stars
Having finished the book I still don't understand what 'bots' are in this, they're small but not too small and fix things but also provide touch?
I think I'm not really destined for romance, the plot is interesting until the main characters have a fight that feels needlessly dramatic.
Also one of the lovers is also a spaceship, and emotions cause displays to flicker or even loss of attitude control.
Stephen finished reading The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard

The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard
Xich Si: bot maker, data analyst, mother, scavenger. But those days are over now-her ship has just been captured by …