Steve

Space Oddity: The Book—a title that might feel slightly trite—is an engaging read. There are many moments where the prose feels like it could slot into the lyrics of the song. In fact, "lyrical" is perhaps the most fitting word to describe this ode to the planet.

This was suitably energetic and largely kept me involved to the end, but it did commit the cardinal sin (in my eyes) of mashing together a serialized story into a single book without any additional editing. This meant that there was a lot of repeated sentences (and not just in a Basil Exposition sense), and also at least one place where a statement in one chapter seemed to disagree with the previous chapter. So, a good read, but a few minor faults meant I kept bouncing out of the story. Still, if there was a (better edited) sequel, I would be interested.

Fun; feels like the pilot for a TV show. Much as I missed the London-setting, with all its local minutae, this was an effective jaunt across the Atlantic to New York. It started a little slow, but pulled it all together for the denouement.

Maybe a 3.5 if I’m being generous? While the story is intriguing, the execution is muddy. It is never really clear what anybody’s motivations are, and the on-the-brink-of-collapse world-building is depressing. It feels like the author had a goal in mind, but I could never work out what that was (something about refugees and colonialist attitudes?). The authors also had a very odd turn of phrase when it comes to similes; they sound poetically original, but fall apart if you think about them too long...

One of those little vignettes into the Cosmere that add texture to the wider universe.

This is probably my favorite series in all of fantasy, although I am still processing the conclusion to the pentalogy. The book manages to explain most of the mysteries and tie up the majority of the threads, creating a satisfying conclusion, while still managing to set up the next series by ending on a cliffhanger—or perhaps not quite a cliff, but certainly a steep incline. Granted, while reading, you may find yourself constantly asking, "Does it really need to be this long?"—but the payoff in the end is always worth it.

This feels like a myth. You feel like you join the story after the beginning and leave before the end. That’s not to say there isn’t a coherent, and reasonably satisfying, beginning, middle and end, however it does leave a lot unsaid (or hinted at). This isn’t Tolkien, which is not necessarily a bad thing. If anything, this feels like an Ur-myth for the bildungsroman trope.

This is likely one of the earliest examples of cozy fantasy. The stakes are deliberately low, with little to no real peril. The plot revolves around a suspected theft at a fair, sparking an investigation that unfolds alongside an exploration of the characters’ relationships. A touch of magic weaves through the narrative, adding to its charm. The author aptly describes the setting as a “Gentle World,” perfectly capturing the book’s essence. If you’re in search of something truly cozy, this book is a great choice.

Another great collection of cozy short stories.