Carrion Comfort / Dan Simmons

Carrion Comfort

by Dan Simmons

horror

copyright 1989

read in January 2023

rated 2/10: unreadably bad

Don't get me wrong. If you enjoy reading about evil, cruelty and lovingly detailed gore then this book is for you.

The book begins in a Nazi death camp. Sickening violence is described in detail. One inmate is witness to a mysterious power which would allow the Nazis to rule the world. The inmate survives.

Forty years later that survivor is the only person who can stop the Nazis from using that power to rule the world.

At that point I realise that I have already read this book. Several times. All that changes is the mysterious power. In one less horrible book it was flying saucers. This time it is vampires.

From then on the only point is, can the author make the book even more sickening. Unfortunately the answer is yes.

I was sickened. I jumped to the end, to see if anyone survived. Then I went back to see why the two definitely dead villains were still alive. A few more murdered children and I stopped again.

My rating: "bad" because it is violent in a nasty way. And for me, it is unreadable.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

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

Maddigan's Fantasia / Margaret Mahy

Maddigan's Fantasia

by Margaret Mahy

subadult, science fiction

copyright 2005

read in January 2023

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

With a higher rating if you are 12 years old.

The main character is a young teen girl, the story is written for similar readers -- particularly those who would like to run away to join a circus.

There is fun, adventure, some drama and plenty of simplistic escapes. All well suited to the younger reader.

And as a much older reader -- I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

There's time travel, with some exploration of the difficulties of changing the past. Plus some not-all-nice exploration of their present post-apocalyptic world.

There are also family themes: not wanting mother to re-marry and loving the littler kids even though they can be annoying.

The book does not preach, it provides some good examples.

Mixed in with an enjoyable adventure and minor mysteries.

Easy reading and pleasantly enjoyable.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

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

Galaxias, Stephen Baxter

Galaxias

by Stephen Baxter

science fiction

copyright 2022

read in January 2023

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

One day the sun goes out. Then it's back again. Who would have thought that such a "simple" thing could cause so much trouble. This book details the trouble. In far too much detail.

The book is astronomic in scale and ultimately in time-scale.

The author does well to bring it down to a readable scale.

It still reads like a textbook. Readable, yes. Not at all gripping.

And then, finally, the evil space slug that caused all the trouble gets its come-uppance (quiet rebel yell) The book changes from "readable but tedious and pointless" to "well that was sort of interesting".

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

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

Chasing Shadows, deLonge, Hartley

Chasing Shadows

(Sekret Machines #1)

by Tom deLonge, A J Hartley

thriller, science fiction

copyright 2016

read in January 2023

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

It's an enjoyable way to pass the time :-) But it fails of its promise.

There's a big build-up but the denouement is less exciting. Largely because it is so incomplete.

The characters are a mixed bag. Some interesting though minor variations on the standards. All the good people are likeable but they don't do enough to make me want to follow them. There is promise, unfulfilled.

The plot is the same: interesting, exciting, it leads nowhere.

This is book one. It reads like chapter one: The introduction to a full novel. Worth reading by itself, incomplete, I will look for book two, I will not be disappointed if I never see the next book.

And now there are two points which are trivial. Barely worth mentioning. They do not affect my opinion of the book. I just can't stop being annoyed by them:

The pilot pushes gently on the throttle and flies faster. Okay, it's very likely that a jet fighter is different to a light aircraft. But my understanding of a light aircraft is that you fly faster by *pulling* back on the throttle. Push the throttle in and the engine slows down.

Although... strictly speaking, to fly faster you lower the nose. Then adjust engine speed to stay level.

It's unimportant, it doesn't affect my enjoyment of the book, I just can't forget it.

And the other thing: The hero pilot is selected for his flying skill. Which he puts to good use. Until the final battle, where he thinks, "blow up that plane" and it just happens, no skill required. Perhaps they should have selected the Last Starfighter.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

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

When we Cease to Understand the World, Benjamin Batut

When we Cease to Understand the World

byBenjamin Batut

fantasy

copyright 2019

not read in 2022

rated 2/10: unreadably bad

Name a lot of famous scientists. Preferably dead so that they won't sue for libel.

Invent a lot of stupid rubbish. All bad. Pretend that this is about the scientists.

Make sure that every stupid claim is demeaning or insulting.

There may be an underlying statement that humans are destroying the world. This book, with no justification, places the blame on mad scientists.

It smells of idiot author, jealous because he is unable to understand science. What he fails to understand, he fears and so attacks.

Supported by the idiots who give an "English Pen Award" to a fellow conspiracy nutter.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

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

House of Sky and Breath / Sarah J Maas

House of Sky and Breath

(Crescent City #2)

by Sarah J Maas

fantasy, chicklit, porn

copyright 2022

read in Dec 2022

rated 6/10: read to pass the time.

Maas has written for "young adults". This series is for the growing market of "new adult": Those who are old enough to have invented and practised sex. To target this market, this book is porn. Not soft, either.

I'm sure that book one had romance. The sort where the hero and heroine hold hands... and the sun shines more brightly, the birds all sing.

In this book the hero and heroine hold hands and his cock juts out against his shorts, while her knickers are suddenly soaking wet.

It's not subtle. It's just sex.

There is also some violence and a lot more promise of violence.

Every other character is being forced into violence, or into violent sex, against their will. Quite unpleasant really.

Yes there is excitement. There is also the strong feeling that the book was written as in stream-of-consciousness: a vague idea of direction and any old nonsense to get there. New characters appear, new threats arise, every new character turns out to have some secret relationship, usually bad, to every other character.

I was nearing the end of the book -- and it was obvious that there would be no clear end.

Sure enough, no threads are tied off. No subplots are resolved. But by that stage it does not matter. The characters have lost their appeal, it no longer matters that they are all facing imminent and separate deaths. It's a soap opera in at least three books, of which only two have so far been written.

Yes, the violence -- and the sex -- is enjoyable. It is also meaningless.

The last few chapters open up new worlds of, probably, sex and violence. With, potentially, dozens of new characters.

I may never read the next books in the series. It won't matter. More books will continue the excitement. It is unlikely that more books will ever reach a satisfying conclusion.

An enjoyable book. But ultimately pointless.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

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

Threadneedle, Cari Thomas

Threadneedle

by Cari Thomas

fantasy, chicklit, subadult

copyright 2021

read in December 2022

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

... but add an extra point if you are a fan of witchcraft :-)

The book is about -- and aimed at -- sixteen year old girls.

There's a lot of angst over gossip, boyfriends, who is dating who.

Though, as a modern book, no-one is judged for whether or not they are having sex.

There's also a strong flavour of "witch-fulfilment" -- that's where you are told how fantastic life could be if only you were a witch.

It's all verging on nonsense --- but despite that it is surprising good.

On the con side, the end is a bit rushed and rather deus ex machina.

On the pro side: the mysterious curse is both dealt with quite well -- and it is truly horrible.