Jacob Tender
Out of the Shadows asks the question: What if the event bridging Alien and Aliens is the storyline of Aliens?
I thought I’d check out the Dirk Maggs dramatization for this one after the paperback failed to grip me a few years ago. Laurel Lefkow deliver’s Lebbon’s Ellen Ripley impeccably. Rutger Hauer’s Ash fails to capture the character at all. The choice to keep him around as a malicious AI is nearly as bad as the heavily accented delivery. The whole thing sounds like a video game cutscene.
"Lying was a sin, apparently. Unless you did it outrageously and persistently enough. In which case it qualified as scripture."
I really enjoyed this book and was fully in it for the characters. It's very funny and the Audiobook is particularly great. Steven Pacey is right up there with Jim Dale, in my opinion. Great, distinct voices for the whole crew. His Vigga is my favorite thing about the book.
A slight improvement on the previous adventure. Simultaneously a return to form for Brown and a too-familiar pace of plot. Many familiar turns and character archetypes that, this time, made their presence too known. Brown's been known to repeat himself, even within a given book. That's noticeably present here.
Still, it’s a Langdon novel which I very much enjoy. Brown is great at introducing areas of academia that I inevitably spend weeks reading about in the non-fiction sections of the world.
If I were to select one passage I liked most in this book, it was near the end with two female characters discussing the idea that the most common response to a fear is not fight or flight, but selfishness. I’m glad he got that part in.
I was attracted to Wild Dark Shore by its hardback cover, which is stunning—drawn in by the dark, mysterious waves depicted therein. Of course, it was the audiobook I ended up consuming. This was narrated by an unbelievably gruff, monotonous man and a woman who carried our main character with a complete range of emotions. (and a lovable voice for the youngest child to boot)
I’m not a big fan of romance. Wild Dark Shore earns it in the end, but for most of its length it gives character background as a justification for a forbidden romance the author has already established. When the focus is put on sex and desire when there are more interesting themes at play, it cheapens the plot.
This novel reads like it was written with a television series in mind. It was a pretty good book, written quite well, but it would be a great ITV miniseries.
This is the second story with a hydrophone I’ve read this year.
A former executive economist is hit by the effects of an unstablized economy and takes up work as a letter carrier for a government agency that’s served as the bedrock of the United States since the days before its inception.
I’ve always carried a profound respect and curiosity for the USPS and this insider account has only deepened it. I loved this memoir of Grant’s year as a mailman and will by buying some physical copies to give as gifts to some folks I think could use a reminder of what being an American is really all about—service.
When I was in elementary school, our student library’s available material was very dated. During my first and second grade years, I exhausted the westerns section on Native American stories several times over.
I don’t remember the names of any of those tattered library-bound books today, but I remember the feeling. I was totally drawn into the mysticism and cultural traditions described on the page, mostly by white men in the 40s and 50s.
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter attracted me from shelves in bookstores around the Midwest this year. My assumptions kept me from the plot summaries on its dust jacket, making my jump into its text completely cold. The experience is better for it, I think.
With the exception of the story wrapping the story which wraps the story, I loved this. It shines during Cold Stab’s telling of events—particularly with Shane Ghostkeeper’s narration in the audiobook. But its themes and roots in genuine history make it great.
The mirrored inner conflict between a Lutheran Pastor and a cursed Blackfoot was threaded expertly through the tale. It’s not dictated to the reader, but my observation of Takes No Scalps’ hypocrisy made his actions that much more horrific. There are no heroes in this tale, only victims.
Excellent book. I’ll be seeking out more from Jones as well as Fools Crow, a reference for the historical events mentioned in this tale.
A very slow start. For me, it took a couple of attempts to get the audiobook going with any velocity. I’m not very fond of the cadence used by the narrator, but the writing is very good. This is a contemplative book. Told, mostly, through the inner monologue of Leigh, a scientist embroiled in various breakthroughs of discovery and personal conflict of her own.
Attacks the same ideas from the viewpoint of several characters: what happens when you buck societal expectations?
A little rigid in places, very tender in others. I had a difficult time keeping track of points of view from time to time. The one thought experiment I’m taking away is this: do you prefer fun or satisfaction?
With the first book, I read it in Bob’s voice and that elevated the experience. For the second, I listened to it in his voice. At first I preferred my imagination, but I came around to enjoying Bob and Sally’s vocal contributions to this fairly straightforward sequel. Paul Whitehouse didn’t quite hit the mark in his delivery. Not by my estimation, at least.
I don’t know that more of Gary Thorn is necessary. His character progression was wanting. Looking forward to Bob’s next story all the same.
The first third of this book feels like classic King. While conventional, it remains strong. I wish that held through the turn. Fairy Tale is full of reassurances that the author is aware of the similarities to stories you've read before. This comes across as a bizarre lack of confidence for King.
There are other faults—namely the repetitive allusions and references to the untold insecurities of our main character. These put the book's length on display. As we neared the end, fatigue from cringeworthy fantasy and romantic speech peaked. Otherwise, I found this an immersive and enjoyable story from the master.
I read a lot of Mark Twain as a kid. I loved his adventure stories and also that weird Tom & Huck adaptation my parents bought us on VHS.
Not weird was this book, which I tore through in two vacation days. Every bit as good as the source material with such an interesting expansion of character. I loved it.
The only thing that would have improved it is a map of James’ many ups and downs on the Mississippi.
Perhaps not the most riveting book to those unfamiliar to its author but, when read in Bob Mortimer’s voice, is a regular crack up. For now on, if I don’t care for a book, I’m going to try Bob’s voice on to see how it carries.
Mortimer has a joyous rapport with himself through Gary and Emily. I’m happy with what this book achieves for me.
I recently visited an exhibit on Kafka at the Morgan library in NYC. It was there I determined that I didn’t really care much for his work or most of its derivatives.
The hole falls in line with this tradition, finding absurdity in the mundane and leading the reader to question occurrences that have no answer. There are interesting themes involving losing one’s self to changing circumstances—hinted at frequently by the oft-referenced cicadas and extreme deviations to weather patterns.
The titular hole that drew me in, its unnamed inhabitant, and the mysteries of those living in our narrator’s rural neighborhood had no explanation. That left me wanting.
It seems to me that the trick to a successful novella is making up for time with personality. Murderbot’s quirks align closely enough to my own neurodivergences that I can look past this book’s shortcomings.
In many ways the first half of All Systems Red feels like a paraphrasing of a book. So much is glossed over or taken as read. Things start to click after everyone involved is on the same page. Even with just a few dozen pages left to go, I found myself tripping on awkward sentences that would have benefited from more words and different punctuation.
This was a funny read in such close proximity to Becky Chambers’ Monk + Robot duology. Brief reads about quirky robots trying to find ways to help humans while also prioritizing their own interests.
I think I can visualize how this show would play out enough that I’m not convinced I’ll watch it. At least not until I finish the next installment.