Honestly, I thought the year would be a lot crappier than it was. It's like books. Sometimes you go into a tome with a certain expectation that just gets blown up like fish in a dynamited pond.
The year wasn't exactly chum. But it did HAVE chum.
Overall, however, at least when it came to books, I had a relatively great time. Tons of LitRPG which is my version of snack foods and popcorn. Lots of classics, which comes out to comfort food and often full, memory-laden 7-course meals. And then there was my fair share of fast, forgettable food.
But my memories are all for the carefully crafted, savory mind-meals. The steaming soup-books, the spicy tomes, the heartwarming oatwords, and yes, the candies. And of course, the non-fiction veggies.
Let me mention a few of my all-time favorites for the year that weren't re-reads of already-favorites.
FRIEREN Beyond Journey's End.
This was something I started as an anime and ended buying every volume I could find, plus plushies. I watched the anime 5 -- yes, 5 -- times. It makes me laugh, and cry, fills my heart to overflowing, and keeps me awake late into the night. When I need real comfort, I turn to this now, and have been turning to it for smiles, deep melancholy, and sometimes deep glee. It has some brilliant fights, but it is all about the quiet moments, the small details, and everything that's utterly human. Even if there is a thousand year elf in it.
My FAVORITE.
There's really nothing that comes close.
As for everything else, I have to include rereads, like Broken Earth or Stormlight Archive. Or Three Body Problem, or Hannu Rajaniemi's Quantum Thief trilogy.. All of these are great. Let's not forget Terry Pratchett, of course.
Some books that really stood out for quality and worldbuilding are Ken Liu's fantasy, Alastair Reynold's Prefect books. Or the light-hearted Juveniles of Heinlein.
For LitRPGs, standouts were Mother of Learning books and All The Skills.
For light, fun space operas, my go-to gal is Suzanne Palmer's Finder series. But all-around great SF belongs to just about everything Adrian Tchaikovsky writes. He's a go-to always-trust.
But let's not forget the joy of Robert Greenberg's TLC series for music!
As for all the rest, this is far from being a comprehensive list, but if I'm honest, these are the books that my memory allows in the list late at night after a couple of glasses of wine. In other words, those books that shine brightest in memory.
And who's to say if this is a BAD way to do it? If a book stays with you, it's gotta be GOOD.
Happy New Year!
Personal note: If anyone reading my reviews might be interested in reading my own SF, I'm going to be open to DM requests. I think it's about time I get some eyes on them.
I don't get to read many SF like this anymore. It just doesn't get published as far as I can see.
What kind of SF?
A richly imagined future populated I don't get to read many SF like this anymore. It just doesn't get published as far as I can see.
What kind of SF?
A richly imagined future populated by archeology-driven crews, devoted to exploration, knowledge, and uncovering sometimes slow mysteries.
In this particularly fine book, it's about exploring every nook and cranny to discover what happened to the Octavia space station.
Let me just point out something particularly special about these books: practically all the characters are level-headed.
Let me repeat that.
Practically all the characters are level-headed.
That's not to say that those who are investigated are level-headed, or that the alien societies are. Heck, this novel continues the conversation about AIs in a particularly fine way, too. But let me just point out, once again, that this, or these, are quite comforting reads. As in, it helps me restore a bit of faith in humanity.
I think we should all be a bit thankful for that.
Personal note: If anyone reading my reviews might be interested in reading my own SF, I'm going to be open to DM requests. I think it's about time I get some eyes on them....more
Do you like your future solar system full of high-tech iron domination that nears but doesn't quite cross over into religious nuttery? Yeah? So do I. Do you like your future solar system full of high-tech iron domination that nears but doesn't quite cross over into religious nuttery? Yeah? So do I. This is Space-Opera! Not Sparta. Space. Opera. :)
There's fighting, sure, but it's not really war. It's free zones and oppression and great Earthly tragedy and a long economic spiral of an old trope of Reliance On Special Substance. In this case, it happens to be only harvested on Earth, but none of this is what makes this novel special. This is setting, and SF really loves its setting. It's all good, of course.
For those expecting something very similar to the author's Titanborn, think again, unless you mean a similar visiting of father/daughter themes, a very special planet named Titan or a planetoid named Ceres, or a handful of other things that never get in the way of enjoying the novel. Indeed, it only enhances it. You can expect a lot more tech, a lot more glam, and probably a bit more action.
But honestly, I think I loved the characters in Titanborn just a bit more, or at least that's what I thought until I finally realized that no one was really quite what they appeared. I got this weird idea that I knew who the bad peeps were and who were the good, eventually settling into the idea that they were all just people, instead, with all the mix, but then I was handed a zinger near the end.
Could I have wished to know whether or not there are actual villains, or precisely WHO is the villain? Hmmm... maybe? I don't know! When all of the main character arcs played themselves out, I was satisfied with everyone's changes, and some were rather more impressive than others, while the rest were a perfect setup for grand sequels. By the end of the book, I'm rearing to go. The author is pretty damn smooth when it comes to that trick. I'm hooked.
So what characters do I love? And is it *really* like Firefly as per the blurb? Well, I'll answer the second one first: No. Not really. These peeps are pretty much their own people.
Cassius probably surprised me the most and became my favorite character by the end, but Sage had the strongest personal development. Talon is good for sympathy, through and through, and I have fallen into that trap completely.
I suppose the real breakout character is one that some of my friends will appreciate the most: ADIM. I mean, come on? WHO DOESN'T LOVE HUMANIFORM ANDROIDS? Amiright? Right?
We've already been discussing a certain character from Titanborn and how much we love him, but now we've got his original template right here, to a rather offset degree, anyway, but it's hard not to make the connections.
This *IS* the author's first novel, but don't worry. It's quite fun and a very solid read that doesn't betray the reader's trust at all. :) I can honestly say I'm looking forward to following all the novels, including the third in this series which is Coming Soon. :) Woo! Woo!
Merged review:
Do you like your future solar system full of high-tech iron domination that nears but doesn't quite cross over into religious nuttery? Yeah? So do I. This is Space-Opera! Not Sparta. Space. Opera. :)
There's fighting, sure, but it's not really war. It's free zones and oppression and great Earthly tragedy and a long economic spiral of an old trope of Reliance On Special Substance. In this case, it happens to be only harvested on Earth, but none of this is what makes this novel special. This is setting, and SF really loves its setting. It's all good, of course.
For those expecting something very similar to the author's Titanborn, think again, unless you mean a similar visiting of father/daughter themes, a very special planet named Titan or a planetoid named Ceres, or a handful of other things that never get in the way of enjoying the novel. Indeed, it only enhances it. You can expect a lot more tech, a lot more glam, and probably a bit more action.
But honestly, I think I loved the characters in Titanborn just a bit more, or at least that's what I thought until I finally realized that no one was really quite what they appeared. I got this weird idea that I knew who the bad peeps were and who were the good, eventually settling into the idea that they were all just people, instead, with all the mix, but then I was handed a zinger near the end.
Could I have wished to know whether or not there are actual villains, or precisely WHO is the villain? Hmmm... maybe? I don't know! When all of the main character arcs played themselves out, I was satisfied with everyone's changes, and some were rather more impressive than others, while the rest were a perfect setup for grand sequels. By the end of the book, I'm rearing to go. The author is pretty damn smooth when it comes to that trick. I'm hooked.
So what characters do I love? And is it *really* like Firefly as per the blurb? Well, I'll answer the second one first: No. Not really. These peeps are pretty much their own people.
Cassius probably surprised me the most and became my favorite character by the end, but Sage had the strongest personal development. Talon is good for sympathy, through and through, and I have fallen into that trap completely.
I suppose the real breakout character is one that some of my friends will appreciate the most: ADIM. I mean, come on? WHO DOESN'T LOVE HUMANIFORM ANDROIDS? Amiright? Right?
We've already been discussing a certain character from Titanborn and how much we love him, but now we've got his original template right here, to a rather offset degree, anyway, but it's hard not to make the connections.
This *IS* the author's first novel, but don't worry. It's quite fun and a very solid read that doesn't betray the reader's trust at all. :) I can honestly say I'm looking forward to following all the novels, including the third in this series which is Coming Soon. :) Woo! Woo!...more
Some time later, Will finds romance and progresses with some greater powers and negotiations. The space opera continues nicely, but if I am to be entiSome time later, Will finds romance and progresses with some greater powers and negotiations. The space opera continues nicely, but if I am to be entirely honest, it is simple. If nobody expects complicated situations or characterizations, just a well-written formula, then you'll probably have a good time.
It is nothing groundbreaking, however, just psi and better star travel stuff, a long war, and lies.
Time skip, and the destined romance flowered a young man with prodigious psy-talents. He's driven, uncomplaining, and a shoe-in for leadership. Of couTime skip, and the destined romance flowered a young man with prodigious psy-talents. He's driven, uncomplaining, and a shoe-in for leadership. Of course, he must be tested by the other side of the war, and he wasn't found wanting.
Again, it's pretty boilerplate space-opera SF, but it IS written easy-going and should appeal to the popcorn-loving crowd.
Easy-reading space-opera. We've got the standard hidden-war thing going on with the special heroes sporting powerful psi-powers. Mix a little genetic Easy-reading space-opera. We've got the standard hidden-war thing going on with the special heroes sporting powerful psi-powers. Mix a little genetic tampering, bloodlines, and engineered romance, and that pretty much describes the first book.
It's not bad, of course. It's pretty standard you-get-what-you-come-for fare. Fun, if this is what you crave. For me, I didn't mind it at all. I've read much worse.
I can't really review this book without writing a book about it -- and that's because it's an enormous, sprawling far-future SF full of humans, demi-pI can't really review this book without writing a book about it -- and that's because it's an enormous, sprawling far-future SF full of humans, demi-post-humans, and post-humans that have settled across a goodly portion of space without breaking the speed of light barrier.
Those who arrived first got to set up everything however they wanted, passing down the torch in spectacularly high-tech ways, while those who slow-moved their way into the cluster are pretty much given a couple of super-planet reservations to farm and feed the rest of the empire.
Of course, that's just the setup. The rest of the book is over nine-hundred pages, and we've got investigations, intrigue, adventure, interesting politics, high-tech enmeshed plot, and the titular Archimedes Engine -- based on some of the oldest original tech that only the Archons should have their hands on. Of course, the Celestials, the Uranic, and the normal latecomer normal humans will all vie for power -- and there's no power quite as big as that engine. No spoilers, but it's impressive.
What I should really point out is that this is a deep, wildly imaginative, and thoroughly explored novel. If you want to get lost in a really huge tale with amazing, far-reaching worldbuilding, great plots, tons of characters, and great action, then I'm just going to point at Peter here.
He's got it all -- big books that will last you a great long time. :) ...more
We've got the modern genre of cozy space-opera mixed with a heist tale that has a little bit of everything else. Maya is a symExcellent and fun tale.
We've got the modern genre of cozy space-opera mixed with a heist tale that has a little bit of everything else. Maya is a sympathetic character coming off a mini-career of stealing from museums to return art to the alien species they came from, now trying to get some higher-education in. From there, however, is the call of an alien friend's Grail, and it all gets fun from there.
Between lots of travel, alien locales, and bumping into her academic advisor in all the weirdest places, we get space battles, bloody broken planets, and some enormous stakes for her alien friend.
I love it. It's adventure like I used to love grand adventure. Indiana Jones in space. I need a lot more of this. ...more
I feel like I lucked out on this one. The first part made me feel like I was reading another clone of a long, drawn-out, almost YA military space-operI feel like I lucked out on this one. The first part made me feel like I was reading another clone of a long, drawn-out, almost YA military space-opera where the embittered survivors deny themselves or later discover some pleasure in life, but I AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE that this novel goes well beyond that setup.
Indeed, the many twists and turns it takes is rather rich and satisfying. I wouldn't spoil it, but the plot, new personality twists, and the overlapping structure seriously enriched both the characterizations and the overall plot in a serious way.
My recommendation? Stick with it. It turns into one hell of an interesting SF adventure.
Well, this is the first of the whole series where I was actively put off by the language. It was the super short, "Surge. Blah. Blah. Blah," stufYeah.
Well, this is the first of the whole series where I was actively put off by the language. It was the super short, "Surge. Blah. Blah. Blah," stuff. I know it should have given me more descriptive impact, but it went on far too long and I was wondering if I was going through some cerebral infarction.
Getting beyond that, I was just trying to figure out what the importance of being a jungle-captive, which maybe didn't have to be so bad, but then it all boiled down to assumptions and piss-poor communications and then the obvious straw man of the Traders being the baddies, I started zoning out. Yes, it's the aftermath of the war, but these situations are now getting annoying. I may need to call it after this one. ...more
I love the Prefect Dreyfus novels. It's a great blend of detective novel matching well with a high-tech belt of many hundreds of orbiting colonies in I love the Prefect Dreyfus novels. It's a great blend of detective novel matching well with a high-tech belt of many hundreds of orbiting colonies in a system in Reynold's overall Revelation Space universe.
It is great because we get to see things at the calmest before the technoplague, but also because we see how they all lived at their so-called awesome SFnal height.
Not that things are all that calm or easy. A lot happened in the first two novels, but it may not be necessary to read those before picking up this one. It's pretty clear that the artificial (and one might say, derived human, advanced) intelligences are the biggest bads, or at some times, just really annoying. It's clear, however, that they are seriously formidable -- and one seems to have it bad for Dreyfus. :)
So very enjoyable. The worldbuilding is vast and complicated, but never a pain. The mystery is always the key, but the reveals are even more delicious.
Highly recommended for all you space-opera, hard-SF mystery fans. ...more
Very decent SF as long as you're all about Space Operas, golden Greek/Mayan telepathic cyborg-gods, a lost war, rough survival, and a trip across all Very decent SF as long as you're all about Space Operas, golden Greek/Mayan telepathic cyborg-gods, a lost war, rough survival, and a trip across all known space to get yourself healed.
I used to enjoy Catherine Asaro's short fiction back in the 80's, occupying a very short but ravenous SF period for me where I actually had subscribedI used to enjoy Catherine Asaro's short fiction back in the 80's, occupying a very short but ravenous SF period for me where I actually had subscribed to SF magazines rather than focusing entirely on novels. That being said, I had successfully MISSED all her novels ever since.
And why? I HAVE NO IDEA. Or rather, the bookshelves in bookstores conveniently didn't stock them. I got all the Lois McMaster Bujold SFs, the Vorkosigans, which are similar to this, but nobody had pushed Catherine Asaro where I lived. It just... fell beneath the cracks. I'm sad. So many great SF authors fell that way during the 90's, and then never got any reprints, and are generally lost to history because there was no electronic versions until a decade later.
*rages*
Ahem, anyway, my ears perked up THIS MUCH LATER and now I hunted all these down and now I'm finally RIGHTING A MASSIVE WRONG.
Mid-nineties SF is some of the best. It's pretty hardcore science with the fiction with thoroughly balanced characters, romance, intrigue, action, and heart. Basically, it has a lot of everything and doesn't skimp. Sure, it's a light adventure-type SF with princes and princesses, but it is also full of battle-hardened psy-tech-AI warriors, a little trauma, and a lot of pretty great worldbuilding that will probably last a good long time.
In other words, I'm thrilled to find something like this. Onward!
First thing first, this isn't the Expanse. It is, however, a truly fascinating exploration of a vast prisoner's dilemma on the scale of many, many civFirst thing first, this isn't the Expanse. It is, however, a truly fascinating exploration of a vast prisoner's dilemma on the scale of many, many civilizations.
A hive-like alien civilization basically hoovers-up every alien species in its range, and we humans just happen to be in its path -- on this lonely, strange, colony world.
We follow its scientists and survivors among what amounts to an absentee landlord that just cherry-picks the best parts of our civilization, or any civilization, and us humans are forced to try to survive not just our total captivity, but also our own shit.
Great start to a series. I'm all down for it. It's exciting and enraging just like our reality, only put on a much bigger display. There's choice, but not really. There's huge stakes beyond just us, too, with the threat of another vast enemy. So it's not like we can simply just choose sides. The premise is difficult, complex, and fascinating.
We go back in time to the height of the Prador War in this standalone hard-SF and I have to admit I enjoyed going back to the genesis of some great siWe go back in time to the height of the Prador War in this standalone hard-SF and I have to admit I enjoyed going back to the genesis of some great side-plot-character points in a number of other novels. The reptilian AI symbiote? Hell yeah.
But more-so, I thought it was pretty fantastic to see the creation of one of the greatest generals (with the help of AIs and some pretty nasty scientists) of the Prador War. When it comes to hard-SF, Neal Asher is rather a master. Tons of great elements woven together into constantly great stories, but more importantly, great characters wrangling with the implications of all such.
In this particular novel, I loved the total philosophy about power. Truly impressive battles, overwhelming force, and the implications of mental control all made this a rather important piece of the entire series. It really focused on it. Very enjoyable. ...more
This series has become something of a staple for all space opera -- to me. Huge ships, ground battles across the Solar System, and of course near-godlThis series has become something of a staple for all space opera -- to me. Huge ships, ground battles across the Solar System, and of course near-godly martial might with power armor and razors in single combat. Of course, with the Roman themes, the immense stratification of societies, the honor, the brotherhoods, make it beautiful in a different way.
And then, there's the long-drawn hate and endless 12 years of war that has taken a huge toll on everyone. The Golds no less than any of the other colors, societies.
I can think of no other SF or MilSF that comes as close to the epic feel of the Iliad than this. Yeah, it's that good.
I'm pretty shocked. And reading this after, say, Dark Age? So delicious. Worth the wait.
In almost every single case, I pick up the book for one thing more than any other: Big Scope SF. This is HardI've been reading Baxter for many years.
In almost every single case, I pick up the book for one thing more than any other: Big Scope SF. This is Hard SF that touches on Olaf Stapledon territory, deep time with deep changes and vast imagination.
This particular book is no exception. The only other book of his that I think comes close to Thousand Earths is Baxter's Ring. This is NOT a Xeelee novel, however. It is a standalone that starts with near future slower-than-light exploration and ends at the deepest recesses of time, with all the interesting stuff that might occur in-between.
It's hard to say more without spoiling some really great plot and pacing and reveals, but suffice it to say, we've got two separate stories going on here. Hackett's story is one of pure curiosity and wonder. The hints about him and his future quest through deep-time is tantalizing. Mela's story is quite different. Grounded. Fascinating in equal degrees, what, with her beginning at age 12 looking up at a thousand Earths in her night sky, with no star to be seen.
While Hackett gets an amazing adventure, Mela, on the other hand, is destined for a lot of grief, desperation, and yes, also dogged perseverance. The worldbuilding is great, but the reveals are something rather special. I often raged and grew very fearful, but this is what survival is all about. Thirty years until the end. It was so... tragic, truly terrifying.
But that's the thing. Survival and hope. As long as you keep breathing, there's hope.
I'll put it out there right now: this is one of my favorite SFs. It got me good. Huge scope, yes, great science, speculation, future history, curiosity, hell, WONDER. And thanks to the dual nature of this novel, there's even such hope -- even in the worst of times.
I rarely ever get to read such SF like this. Its focus is equally on both the Ideas and the Human Spirit. I loved the story and it makes me sad that we don't see this kind of serious Big Idea SF anymore.
I'm even sadder that we don't get such SF devoted to pure WONDER, either.
So, yeah, I'm propping this book up, hoping that people see it for the breathtaking beauty it displays.
This short feels like a very good introduction to the Great Ship, as seen from those people who spend their entire lives on the outside.
Honestly, theThis short feels like a very good introduction to the Great Ship, as seen from those people who spend their entire lives on the outside.
Honestly, the whole concept is pretty wonderful SF, exploring the ramifications, the kinds of things that would naturally develop after attaining a kind of immortality, jaunting across the universe in an absolutely enormous spacecraft, picking up alien species and becoming alien, ourselves....more
In one way, this is a pretty fascinating set piece of espionage on a grand scale between an amorphous intelligence the size of a nebula and the wanderIn one way, this is a pretty fascinating set piece of espionage on a grand scale between an amorphous intelligence the size of a nebula and the wandering Great Ship, itself an enormous spaceship carrying many, many now-immortal species between galaxies, the long route.
While I appreciate the idea, I found myself wandering and wishing we had more of the internal intrigues of the Great Ship and less of the almost aimless machinations outside of it.
I feel like it could have been a lot better, sharper, in short format. It could also be that I wasn't all that invested in these particular characters.
Anyway, I'm not unhappy to have read it. The ideas and worldbuilding, if not the execution of it, were pretty great. ...more
All right then, this SF is WELL off the beaten track and for the ideas alone, I want to jump up and down.
Why?
We've got a fantastically big BDO (Big DAll right then, this SF is WELL off the beaten track and for the ideas alone, I want to jump up and down.
Why?
We've got a fantastically big BDO (Big Dumb Object) here. Fashioned out of the materials of a gas giant, this ship that was probably built 5 billion years ago is big enough to conveniently lose a whole planet in its deepest inner-workings. That's Marrow. The Captains, humans who've conquered mortality, explored, conquered, and eventually opened up the Great Ship to countless alien species across so much time and space, stumble upon Marrow and look like a bunch of fools, getting lost there for thousands of years, get children, eventually have to get over THAT, and find their way back to the comfortable, normal, VAST ship again.
Wild, right? We're dealing with a story that lasts many thousands of years, and it doesn't even end there. There's other mysteries, great aliens, mischievous AI, a bit of deep-time mysticism, and other idiocy.
I'm reminded fondly of Bank's Culture ships, Neal Asher's Shipminds, Niven's Ringworld, Baxter's BIG BIGNESS, but all written in Reed's inimitable style.
Fortunately, I love stories written like vignettes and the sense of living tons of history is pretty spectacular. For sheer imagination, I would love to recommend this book to any SF fan. It is definitely a book of big ideas if not one of lyrical style. The plots are fascinating, however, and nicely grounded for all that they keep landing us in weird situations.
*rubs hands* I'm looking forward to a lot more....more