Skyward Flight, Brandon Sanderson

Skyward Flight

by Brandon Sanderson, Janci Patterson

(Skyward #3)

young adult, science fiction, fansonly

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

When an author publishes a novel I expect that the novel will include a start, a middle and an end.

This is a book of middles.

Sanderson has written two quite good novels. Both of which failed to finish. This book is three novellas which fit somewhere in the middle. Each story has a standard plot: a threat appears, young heroes go off to form an alliance with aliens, they fight the enemy, wait to the last chapter, save the alien world, return home, lovers are separated... and a new threat appears.

Okay it's all good fun... but it will never end. The planned trilogy of novels is now four. With readers asking if a fifth is planned (probably yes). A never-ending soap opera.

These novellas introduce a new author The first books did question the need for war. This author has characters wondering if they are right to fight. It becomes somewhat preachy, definitely tedious.

This book could be read alone and still enjoyed. For fans it fills in some gaps -- gaps that did not need explicit filling.

It's easy reading. It's enjoyable. It's definitely young adult:

Main characters are young adult. Couples are separated -- to avoid the difficulties of sex. The science is simplified -- embarrassingly so, the travel is almost fantasy. The aliens are either decent or evil. The characters are "nice". I miss M-Bot, the only character with real depth and complexity.

Read to pass the time. Or not.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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

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Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas

First published 1844

read in February 2023

fiction (classic)

rated 8/10: really quite good

I like to review before I get other people's opinions. but this time... 

while i was reading this book... and muttering about how very long it is... my wife went to a popular book review site.

The longest book I've ever read, says one review. honest but pointless.

describes the joy of revenge, says another.

joy?! that's what you get when a reviewer had not bothered to read the book.

The Count discovers that revenge, in a modern idiom, is like a shotgun. aim at one person and you are likely to injure many others.

there is revenge. there is also reward. then there is some restitution for unintended damage. it's a complex book.

is an enjoyable book but hard to follow. so many characters. identified sometimes by name, sometimes by title. plus a dependence on facts and ideas that were well known when the book was written.

First, i read up on popes and French Kings... not exactly the good, old days.

half way through the book i checked Wikipedia. it has an excellent plot summary, i was able to get a clearer idea of who was who, the rest of my reading was a lot easier.

the actions and knowledge of the Count verge on fantasy, barely believable. though the underlying idea is still valid. Someone with infinite money can do and control whatever they want.

then the ending... no surprises, the final reward is clearly signalled.

but it seems to be a bit rushed. as though the author just wanted to be done with it.

and then... are the last words a hint that he plans to write, Count 2?

give yourself time. take early notes of characters. settle down for a good, long, enjoyable read.

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/ :-)