House of Earth and Blood / Sarah J Maas

House of Earth and Blood

(Crescent City #1)

by Sarah J Maas

fantasy, chicklit

copyright 2020

read in March 2021

rated 9/10: really really good

I read the first chapter or three -- party girl celebrating with drugs dance and drink -- and thought, Chicklit. Then the killings began.

The chicklit continues: the heroine wears skin-tight skimpy dresses, the hero wears all black. Yes, they are really heroine and hero: they drive the plot. They annoy each other so that -- inevitably -- they fall in love. With various murders, phone calls and explosions to stall the passion.

Amongst all the passionate looks and longings -- the action is non-stop -- and amazing. Amazing? Well... over-the-top, exciting, winning and losing.

The plot continually thickens. The villain is obvious -- then not -- then a new villain is revealed -- then cleared... The plot moves steadily forward in a reasonably straight line -- and is logical. And gripping.

A major hurdle is overcome -- a new hurdle appears... And I just want to keep reading.

This is a book which I just had to finish -- and I enjoyed every page. Take out the chicklit and it is a gripping fantasy. With the ridiculously romantic -- sexy -- chicklit aspects: This is an absolutely excellent book.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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... for the greater good ... against the corrupt metastasis of oligarchic power that stomps on humanity's neck everywhere" ... Sacranist creed, Thin Air

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Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

The Sparrow / Mary Doria Russell

The Sparrow

by Mary Doria Russell

science fiction

copyright 1996

read in March 2021

rated 3/10: so bad it's embarrassing

I read the first sixty pages of slow moving philosophical and religious clap-trap then gave up. Will they ever reach the new planet? I wondered. And skipped over several hundred pages.

Okay, it seems that the story of the new planet will be dragged out -- tedious sentence by tedious sentence -- from the one survivor. I skip to the end, to see if it ever ends.

Some science fiction stories have rules of conduct for first-contact. The standard rules are -- do not interfere. These religious idiots go straight in, to live amongst -- and pervert -- the alien culture.

They teach the natives to grow vegetables; the natives are carnivorous. They encourage the natives to have more children; thus destroying a carefully balanced population. They say, Let us join your society -- without the faintest understanding of that society.

Having read the final chapters I stood up and muttered to myself, Well that was a miserable load of shit. With time for thought -- I cannot think of a better summary.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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I've never had bad luck. Just fits of stupidity... per Ginger Meggs

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Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

The Tower of Fools / Andrzej Sapkowski

The Tower of Fools

(Hussite Trilogy #1)

by Andrzej Sapkowski

fantasy

copyright 2020

part read in March 2021

rated 5/10: readable but only if there's nothing else

Are you excited by Polish history? Can you spend hours discussing the Hussite Wars of 1425? When you read that Zawisza the Black of Garbow is told that he will die in a city with a river round it, do you say, oooohhh, clever? If that is yes, yes and yes then this book is for you. That is, if you also enjoy long-winded and often pointless narratives.

Okay, not entirely pointless. There is a thread of plot. There are also the occasional entertaining, sometimes funny action scenes that move the plot along.

Most of the book is given to Polish history. Or historical references, perhaps. I have no idea of the accuracy but Wikipedia supports some of the names and incidents.

I read 80 pages and have decided to leave the remaining 440 -- plus two more books -- for fans of Polish history.

I rate this as readable if there's nothing else. Well... I have nothing else to read. But I would prefer to re-read something entertaining.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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All we can do is what we can do... Leonard Barrens in The Forever Watch

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Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

Speaker for the Dead / Orson Scott Card

Speaker for the Dead

(Ender #2)

by Orson Scott Card

science fiction

copyright 1986

part read in March 2021

rated 4/10: bad but could be read

Okay, if you're into philosophical smartarsery and pseudo-religious claptrap, read this book. If you can stay awake for nearly 400 pages.

There's an author's introduction which is interesting, to see how a novel may develop. Also interesting is his explanation of making two girls distinct characters so that the reader could distinguish them. Then he names three characters Pipo, Libo and Miro. I eventually learnt to distinguish two of these but I have no idea what role was played by the third. Totally forgettable.

So, to the plot.

A researcher discovers the secret of an alien race. What is it? he is asked. I won't explain, he says, then runs off to be killed for his knowledge. An absolutely rubbish way to hide information from the reader.

The one other person who has data which may allow others to discover the secret thinks, How can we use this new discovery but not be killed for it... Oh no, sorry. Having seen one death she destroys all hope of anyone else finding out. It killed one idiot, she thinks, therefore I shall hide the facts. What an idiot.

I then skipped over several hundred pages in order to see if the secret was finally revealed.

The star of the previous book, Ender, arrives. He quickly sorts out the secret, uses it to make peace and save the world... If only that woman had had half his brains, she could have saved herself a lifetime of misery.

And so it's all wrapped up by Ender. Except for the question of ever leaving the planet. Whoopie.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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All we can do is what we can do... Leonard Barrens in The Forever Watch

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Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

Zeroes / Chuck Wendig

Zeroes

by Chuck Wendig

science fiction

copyright 2015

not read in March 2021

rated 2/10: unreadably bad

Okay, that rating is based on the first few pages. At that point I decided that I did not want to read any more. It's a nasty few pages.

On the basis that I read a few pages then chose to stop reading: this book is unreadably bad.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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All we can do is what we can do... Leonard Barrens in The Forever Watch

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Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

Teknophage / Neil Gaiman

Teknophage

by Neil Gaiman (not really)

fantasy, comic

copyright 1995

read in March 2021

rated 5/10: readable but only if there's nothing else

I would class this as "fansonly" -- rubbish though fans may enjoy it -- except that I'm not sure who the fans would be. The full title is "Neil Gaiman's Teknophage" but Gaiman's only involvement is to provide a concept. And perhaps half the plot of the first few pages. So, not for Gaiman fans. Perhaps for a subset of comic fans.

There are lots of colourful pictures, quite dramatic. A plot which -- with a complete suspension of critical faculties -- makes some sense. Strange dialogue...

There's a character -- he seems to be a gold robot. He and another character seem to have a history, they speak as though this comic is a continuation of an older story. That could explain the gaps in explanation.

That gold robot... speaks a strange mixture of Cockney and English toff. Whoever wrote the dialogue has no idea. When I accepted it as bad writing it was a lot easier to read.

And then... the whole plot seemed to change. Okay, it made some sort of sense. I skipped to the end to see if it ended sensibly... no. The end -- as far as I can understand it -- is a mishmash of deeply significant but completely unexplained... things. Much like the first half which I had read more carefully. Possibly a happy ending.

If you like comics then this one is, probably, pretty average.

Me? I would rather read or even re-read a good book.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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All we can do is what we can do... Leonard Barrens in The Forever Watch

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Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

A Second Chance / Jodi Taylor

A Second Chance

(Chronicles of St Mary's #3)

by Jodi Taylor

fantasy

copyright 2014

read in February 2021

rated 7/10: well worth reading

Okay, I suspect that I alternate categories for this series, sometimes fantasy, sometimes science fiction. Take your pick...

This book could almost be historical romance except... the first rule for these time travellers is, Do not interact. This is modern people (in a somewhat alternate modern universe) acting out their own dramas -- with a background of history.

This third in the series has even more history -- and it is fascinating. Some of the history is true. Some is best-guess. Very little -- I believe -- is pure fantasy. I am continually checking Wikipedia to get an explanation of some historical reference... And that is a sure sign that I am enjoying reading history :-)

On the other hand... the ending uses deus ex machina plus a scientific possibility which spoils the logic of the plot. (Other books use the same "trick". I don't like it. Post a comment if you disagree:-)

The ending also slips into soap opera... But so what? The book is great fun, the series is thoroughly enjoyable... I'm happy with the way that the series continues.

I'm looking forward to reading more of the series.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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All we can do is what we can do... Leonard Barrens in The Forever Watch

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Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)

Ender's Game / Orson Scott Card

Ender's Game

(Ender #1)

by Orson Scott Card

science fiction

copyright 1977

read in March 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

I think that -- in its time -- this book could have rated seven. Reading it now my main thought is, How could people be so cruel?

The training regime is cruel. The reasons are sound -- as one option -- but unpleasant. Is the author's message that we should not treat children this way? I suspect that the author supported the approach that he describes.

It's real old-school brutality. Break the soldier so that he can save humanity... which, on the evidence, is not worth saving. Sacrifice small children in order to -- possibly -- save the world? Nasty.

When I saw this book I remembered that I had read it before, many years before. I remembered the twist at the end. I also remembered the book as being not worth reading. The twist is still unpleasant. The book is unpleasant -- but not as bad as I remembered. Not quite.

It's a book of its time. Read it to get a feel for the attitudes of its day. Hope that humanity survives as a quality rather than just a collection of people. And check the definition of hegemony, it's the most-used word in the book.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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All we can do is what we can do... Leonard Barrens in The Forever Watch

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Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)