At any given time, I am probably reading one book in paper form, another as an audio book, and another on an e-reader. I also keep an anthology or collection in my car, for those long waits. My average rating is between 3 and 4, because I try to seek out good books and authors. One goal is to read all the SF award winners and SF Masterworks. See my profile at Worlds Without End.
Finally, the "social media" info - I am a long-time reader, proud to have completed several summer reading programs as a kid. I recall reading more than 50 books one summer. When I'm not reading, you might find me gaming (board and role play) or working, either as a baseball umpire or with software.
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Obsessed with creating life itself, Victor Frankenstein plunders graveyards for the material to fashion a …
I enjoyed the nesting stories and overall premise; I disliked Victor the whiny villain, I mean wretch. The monster was frustratingly inconsistent; going from moaning to erudition very rapidly. Good horror or drama, not so good science fiction.
This book covers a few too many points; the message would have been stronger if more focused. I learned a lot about Baptists, and strongly agree with most of the sentiments here. What would have made this book better is "how do we get there from here", which worked very well in "Palestine Peace Not Apartheid".
Seeking refuge in fantasy novel worlds throughout a youth under the shadow of a dubiously …
Much of this story is inferred, which was irritating at times - I kept coming back to this one. Enjoyed the discussion of older SF. Not sure why it was set in the late seventies - to limit the books available? Recommended by the Book-a-Day calendar.
Great ending, great series. There are short stories and at least one other novel in this universe, but I'll have to find them in Russian to read.
This book has the same three story structure as the others; it works very well. I especially enjoyed the character of Afandi.
Quite the fun little romp through time; the Viking bits were especially well done.
Shadows in Flight is a science fiction novella by American writer Orson Scott Card. When …
A short book, the introduced characters are durned similar to the characters from previous books - resurrection? The story itself is okay, and well written. Between 3 and 4 stars, round up for the appropriate length.
Ouroborous indeed! I enjoyed the story, and couldn't help wondering if the Red Dwarf episode was an homage to this.
In this new paperback edition of the classic bestseller, you'll be taken on a hilarious, …
This guy is pretty savvy, and definitely has a handle on the culture of ideas. Clear, concise book, with many interesting anecdotes and footnotes. Very good bibliography; there are a few I will be adding to my reading list. Recommended!
The attempts at humor are a little too forced; the conclusion is achieved quickly with not much argument. Not as good as Eats Shoots and Leaves.
A classic science fiction tale finds new life in this graphic novel adaptation by Humayoun …
Plotwise very much a short story; I enjoyed the visuals of the different voices in singing. A very creative undertaking.
A tale inspired by the writings of Tiro, Cicero's confidential secretary, traces the life of …
While no scholar of the Republic era, I enjoyed this portrayal of the lawyer Cicero and the Roman Republic, and am looking forward to the following volumes. The reading of Simon Jones was a definite plus.
Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship …
A quick read, I enjoyed the humor and the discovery of the narrative qualities of this universe. The three codas were also well done. In between the two was the actual ending of the story, which was lacking somehow. Can't quite put my finger on it.
When available through the library, I'll re-read this as an audio book, read by the incomparable Wil Wheaton.
Addendum: Read while traveling in January 2015. Wil Wheaton rocks this reading. Think I was digging too far for a deep ending; was satisfied with the ending on the re-read.
Translated by Andrew BromfieldNight Watch and Day Watch, the first two books in this remarkable …
Three related stories cover much about the means of Magic in the Watch story world. The character stories are strong; this book shows significant growth for Anton. Can't wait to read the fourth and last of this series, and I still haven't watched the movies made of the first book. Хорошо!
The story of rebuilding civilization after a plague nearly wipes out the human race.
This post apocalyptic tale is from the perspective of one man, and that works very well. Especially enjoyed how disease and the breakdown of infrastructure tied in with the story of his small community. Very thought provoking, and made more enjoyable by other recent reads - The World Without Us; Genes Germs and Civilization; The Ecotechnic Future. I can see why this is on 6 different "best" science fiction lists.
A collection of columns, apparently. Not that funny/interesting/compelling.
