Project Hail Mary Andy wier returns to the roots of The Martian. Also, movie is coming next spring about it.
Dark Matter Some deep physics stuff occurs, but the story can be followed with no knowledge of super position. Also released as a mini series on some streaming channel
1Q84. Magical realism. Bizarre, but can’t stop reading. I need to know mooore.
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie. It’s set in a fantasy medieval Europe. Unfortunately, its not long out and is the first of a series, so I’ll have to wait for the rest.
I read the First Law series. And after that devastating ending, I can never go back to reading his books. Do all of his books end like that?
I haven’t finished this one yet, do we’ll see.
I’m guessing you mean the first trilogy (apologies if I’m mistaken), as the First Law universe continues for 6 more books after that (plus a collection of short stories). After the Last Argument of Kings, there are 3 “stand alone” novels, which are the strongest, in my opinion, and then a second trilogy, which is excellent.
I believe there are more books planned for that universe, but The Devils is separate. The others I haven’t read as they’re Young Adult, so they probably have cheerier endings.
Were you to read on, you’d probably find some joy for characters you like, but I think unhappy endings outweigh the happy ones. Of course, I could be mistaken and you’ve read all 9, because the ending of the last can definitely be described as devastating too!
Nope, I didn’t know there were more books in the first law universe. I only read the first trilogy.
I reread 1984, Animal Farm and Farenheight 451 recently, for no particular reason, but they are more accurate and depressing than ever about current events.
Highly recommended. But be prepared to be angry or depressed.
Driving directions to your mom’s house. 🥁
I’m on book 3 of the Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson. It’s fantasy, it’s weird in a lot of ways, but it’s well written for the most part and enjoyable to read. It feels like reading an unfolding story of people in a parallel universe where things are half the same and half completely alien and different, but to them, it’s commonplace, and I like that.
I’m partway through The Have and Have-Yachts: Dispatches on the Ultra Rich by Evan Osnos. It is a collection of essays originally published in the New Yorker dissecting the culture and fads of the modern Gilded Age.
I also STRONGLY recommend the Culture series by Iain Banks. It is perhaps the most realistic and well though out sci-fi utopia.
I recently started Blood Meridian. It’s too early to tell if I like it yet, but I like McCarthy’s other works I’ve read. I’m also listening to the audiobook adaption of Alien: Covenant. It’s part of the Audible subscription right now, so I thought I’d give it a try. I like it a bit better than I remember liking the movie. It’s pretty similar, but I feel like it adds a little more nuance to some character actions.
Slowly making my way through They Though They Were Free by Milton Mayer. Haunting comparisons to today.
The Hydrogen Sonata by Iain M. Banks
The Golem & The Jinni by Helene Wecker
I just started Excession!
I’ve already finished it, but House of Leaves is amazing
Reading Anne Leckie’s latest book, Translation State. If you’re a fan of scifi, and especially space operas, I’d recommend her books, but start off with Ancillary Justice.
The Stand by Stephen King.
It’s over 1200 pages long and I have always been scared of anything above six hundred pages.
It’s so good. It’s taking me a long time, but it’s worth it. As always, Stephen King never let’s you down. I just love his writing.
It’s so epic though. Such a great book.
Reading Frostbound Queen. Um, idk if I’d recommend it. It’s ok. Very “BookToc”.
Finishing the Imperial Radch sci-fi trilogy (Ancillary Justice/Sword/Mercy) by Ann Leckie. Despite the agender language feature (everyone is addressed as she) the books deal more with colonialism, imperialism, and personal identity, rather than gender. Writing style is very information-dense, lots of thoughts and actions happening simultaneously. Compared to other science fiction that I read, it gets much more into the cultural and interpersonal situations, especially the second book.
Bouncing between Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions and The Screaming Staircase.
Algorithms is interesting but the actual algorithms aren’t terribly useful so far.
The Screaming Staircase has a very neat world but not very interesting characters. I’m hoping it improves.
