Saturday, February 22, 2025

Review: The Amulet of Samarkand

The Amulet of Samarkand The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved Bartimaeus, his snarky tone, his irascible nature. Nathaniel, like his master, was extremely well-drawn, and consequently, annoying as hell. Stroud kept me walking that tightrope of being sympathetic to him in his quest for revenge, and also made me want to shake the snot out of him and force feed him a clue or two.

Library copy

View all my reviews

Review: Everfair

Everfair Everfair by Nisi Shawl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Everfair - Nisi Shawl It's an alternate history in which a genocide doesn't happen.
It's about a utopian society that isn't so cleverly set up as to avoid all problems, but in which people work to find different, practical, solutions.
It's steampunk that feels utterly plausible.
It's a book that acknowledges the tremendous breadth and depth of people and cultures throughout Africa, although it focuses on one nation.
It is a marvelous accomplishment in every sense of the word, and I'm sure it's going to be one of my top reads for the year, and probably every other reader's list, because it is a book that makes you go "ohhh" and "ahhh", that constantly delights and surprises, even though it is addressing many of the darkest aspects of colonialism.
It's a book that reminded me of how new and appealing are the many voices in scifi these days, and actually makes me feel optimistic about humanity.
Sweet, fancy Moses, it's just a great, sweeping Victorian "ills of society" novel, such as those of Charles Dickens, but with a light touch. It's just perfect.
 
Now goo, read it right away, unless you're devoting October to horror, in which case, okay, but then you have to start it on November first.
 
ARC provided by publisher via GoodReads

View all my reviews

Review: The Ink Drinker (A Stepping Stone Book

The Ink Drinker (A Stepping Stone Book The Ink Drinker (A Stepping Stone Book by Eric Sanvoisin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't remember how or why I acquired this, but it is a strange little book.

View all my reviews

Review: Varjak Paw

Varjak Paw Varjak Paw by S.F. Said
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Once again a matriarchal society has been transformed into a patriarchal one, largely inhabited by male characters, but still, it's about cats, so I had to love it. Plus I really love that cover with the golden eyes. And yes, I did google to see if the breed really existed.

***

Casting about for the next read-aloud after the Penderwicks, we struck on this. Glad I finished it last month. Also, very glad that the McKean illustrations aren't as disturbing as the ones he does for Gaimain's books.

***

It's a cat adventure, therefor good. But this second time through, I'm thinking about the cliche of special training, and the hero who is unusually adept even before the training.

Also, I'm wincing from the contempt for the hunting abilities of pets. I know a cat who doesn't have claws and still managed to kill a mouse by pushing a carton of sodas over on top of it. Pets can kill, too.

***

2008 September 16

Ah, the ending is even better when I'm reading aloud. I"m already looking forward to the sequel.

View all my reviews

Review: The House of Stairs

The House of Stairs The House of Stairs by Barbara Vine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not my favorite. I much prefer A Dark-Adapted Eye

Library copy

View all my reviews

Review: The Venus Fix

The Venus Fix The Venus Fix by M.J. Rose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



View all my reviews

Review: A Dark-Adapted Eye

A Dark-Adapted Eye A Dark-Adapted Eye by Barbara Vine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I can't remember if I read the book first, or watched the film first, and the two are now inseparable in my mind.

View all my reviews

Review: A Place of Execution

A Place of Execution A Place of Execution by Val McDermid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

January 1, 2001
January 9, 2015

I'm sorry I didn't keep any comments from my original reading; I'd love to compare them. What I do know is that I liked the book even better, despite knowing the big twist. The greatest strength of the book is the earnest young detective doing his best to solve a heinous crime in 1963 without any preparation but his own sensitivity. Aces there. And although the book deals with repeated rape and sexual abuse of a minor, there is no titillation in it: all the reactions we see are from people horrified, shocked, and disgusted. Although grooming behavior wasn't identified as such then, that is how it is perceived.

Personal copy

View all my reviews

Monday, February 17, 2025

Review: A Simple Plan

A Simple Plan A Simple Plan by Scott Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion. You know just how bad it's going to be, and then it gets even worse. Gripping.

View all my reviews

Review: If I Die in a Combat Zone Box Me Up And Ship Me Home

If I Die in a Combat Zone Box Me Up And Ship Me Home If I Die in a Combat Zone Box Me Up And Ship Me Home by Tim O'Brien
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the kind of war book that feels like stories told to you by a new friend you're getting to know: they feel revealing, and raw, and painful but also a bit charming. The mix of just-a-regular-guy and the very skilled writer makes you think he's got it all exactly right, as if there could be only one perspective on such an experience. This and Herr's Dispatches are the two best memoirs I've read on Viet Nam.

I also recommend Going After Cacciato and The Things They Carried

Personal copy

View all my reviews

Sunday, February 09, 2025

Review: The Three Pigs

The Three Pigs The Three Pigs by David Wiesner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wiesner is amazing, and this is my favorite. The hyper-realism, the three-Dimensionality, makes the text so much more meaningful. Both kids have always loved these, and we none of us show any signs of getting tired of his work.

View all my reviews

Saturday, February 08, 2025

Review: The End of All Things

The End of All Things The End of All Things by John Scalzi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Aug 30, 2015

View all my reviews

Review: The Human Division Extras

The Human Division Extras The Human Division Extras by John Scalzi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



View all my reviews

Review: Earth Below, Sky Above

Earth Below, Sky Above Earth Below, Sky Above by John Scalzi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm ambivalent. I really enjoyed the writing of this segment, just as I did all the others. But I'm really bummed that the story wasn't brought to some sort of conclusion. On the other hand, there will be another series...

I bought it.

View all my reviews

Review: The Gentle Art of Cracking Heads

The Gentle Art of Cracking Heads The Gentle Art of Cracking Heads by John Scalzi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am both very eager to read next week's final installment, and somewhat saddened, because then it will be over.

I bought it.

View all my reviews

Review: A Problem of Proportion

A Problem of Proportion A Problem of Proportion by John Scalzi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We're nearing the end, with more of the puzzle being revealed, and also, more of the characters.

Well done, and touching.

I bought it.

View all my reviews

Review: This Must Be the Place

This Must Be the Place This Must Be the Place by John Scalzi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A relatively calm, quiet interlude in which Hart Schmidt goes home for a harvest festival dinner with his family. No big adventure, no tricky plot, just good-natured family ribbing and some backstory. Well, okay, some thoughtful observations about class, presented in an amusing way.

As a whole, this is going to be great.

I bought it.

View all my reviews

Friday, February 07, 2025

Review: The Observers

The Observers The Observers by John Scalzi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've started really looking forward to these Tuesday episodes. Shouldn't have left the house this morning without downloading this one.

You know what this one is like? Asimov short space mysteries. Not exactly, but the idea of a puzzle for which the solution lies in the specific setting. And the mildly humorous tone. Loved it, again.

I bought a copy.

View all my reviews

Review: The Sound of Rebellion

The Sound of Rebellion The Sound of Rebellion by John Scalzi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well here's a new thing: props to Scalzi for showing a woman soldier in peril, but with nothing sexy about it whatsoever.

That sounds sarcastic, but really, it's refreshing not to have bad guys leering at women and threatening them with sexual violence as a plot point.

Anyway, clever, clever, clever. And intriguing. Eagerly awaiting next week. And the rest.

I bought it.

View all my reviews

Review: The Dog King

The Dog King The Dog King by John Scalzi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A perfect little short story, funny, that fits into the arc. If I thought for a second that diplomacy were anything like Scalzi writes it, I'd be be kicking myself for never having joined the foreign service. He skips over the tedious bits in favor of the clever solution to thorny problems. Such fun.

Interesting that he didn't end each section on a cliff-hanger. Well, interesting because I'm totally enthralled anyway. I'm gonna miss this when it's done.

I bought it.

View all my reviews