My full review of "Toward Eternity" So this is my second 5 star book of the year, and it's a debut novel that really didn't feel like one. It's a storyMy full review of "Toward Eternity" So this is my second 5 star book of the year, and it's a debut novel that really didn't feel like one. It's a story about humanity, languages, art, technology and how those things tremendously affect each other. This book is for you if you like stories about how important art is even when the world is deteriorating (like in Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven, with a bit of the dystopian world of "Sea of Tranquility"), or if you enjoy novels that features a lot of different characters, spanning multiple generations. Toward Eternity is a near-perfect soft sci-fi story with compelling philosophical elements that perfectly complement the book's focus on character depth. ...more
My full review of Beautyland. an excellent literary sci-fi about an alien sent to Earth to observe human being and humanity. It meanders a bit sometimeMy full review of Beautyland. an excellent literary sci-fi about an alien sent to Earth to observe human being and humanity. It meanders a bit sometimes, but the book makes up for that with the excellent prose and character work that really drilled down on the themes. If you enjoy character/theme-focused literary fiction with a dash of sci-fi in the premise, then you should pick up this book....more
My full review of Ghost of the Neon God a quick read but in the best possible ways. usually sff novellas can feel too short or underdeveloped, but thisMy full review of Ghost of the Neon God a quick read but in the best possible ways. usually sff novellas can feel too short or underdeveloped, but this was perfect in terms of the length. it's a cyberpunk story about AI so a lot of the worldbuilding is done by the fact that the readers have probably read other cyberpunk stories before, so this book didn't need to explain much. The three main characters are really compelling especially considering how short the book is. And while the story doesn't contain anything particularly new or revolutionary, almost everything felt well-executed. ...more
My full review of The Stars Too Fondly. This is one of those books that I feel like are quite obviously a debut novel. It's described as a rom-com but My full review of The Stars Too Fondly. This is one of those books that I feel like are quite obviously a debut novel. It's described as a rom-com but I think it's just romance, really. Most of thee supposedly funny parts are from the dialogues, not from the characters' circumstances, and the dialogues themselves are often not that funny. And I feel like there are a lot of inconsistencies when it comes to the science and characters too, which are just there to make sure the plot moves forward. Fortunately, I think the romance parts are done quite well, it's slow burn and quite understated, but it's still the book's most interesting aspect by far....more
My full review of Dreadnought. This definitely worked a lot better as a trans coming of age story than as a superhero story (or maybe my standards for My full review of Dreadnought. This definitely worked a lot better as a trans coming of age story than as a superhero story (or maybe my standards for superhero stories are just too high after reading Worm/Ward). This book really didn't shy away from any of the depressing realities of growing up as a trans person, and even though it didn't do anything particularly new as a superhero story, that part of the story can often be fun (though occasionally dark too) to balance out the darker coming of age part. Though I do wish the book was longer as a lot of the details (especially regarding the superhero stuff) feel missing and it's not like the book is that long as it stands....more
4.5 My full review of Saturation Point here. This is an excellent novella that is obviously influenced by things like Annihilation, Roadside Picnic, and4.5 My full review of Saturation Point here. This is an excellent novella that is obviously influenced by things like Annihilation, Roadside Picnic, and Stalker, at least at the beginning, before it became it's own unique thing by the end. As the main characters suggest, the events of this book is basically the manifestation of the "nature is healing" meme we often see today. And "nature is healing" is good for nature, but it's not always so good for us humans, and the book makes it clear that while we need nature to survive, nature doesn't need us, especially with how humanity as a whole keeps on doing things that are destroying our natural world. If you're looking for a short eco/climate-thriller with a copious amount of social commentary, then this book is worth picking up....more
This is a short story collection about solastalgia, a type of grief caused by changes in the natural world (which are mostly caused by climate change). It's a fascinating concept that the author delved really deep into in these short stories, some of which are written in really unique styles that are closer to things you'd find in an epistolary novel than normal short stories, making them feel unique. the stories themselves can vary a bit in quality but that's just how most short story collections are. There's enough cohesion shared by them all because of the uniting concept (solastalgia) and so even if there are very few (if any) connections in terms of the plot and characters, these stories still feel like they belong together. It's a good work of speculative fiction that feels both realistic and imaginative in the best possible ways....more
3.5 My full review of The Stardust Grail A pretty good heist story. I think the plotting could've been better, but the characters are excellent. And the3.5 My full review of The Stardust Grail A pretty good heist story. I think the plotting could've been better, but the characters are excellent. And the worldbuilding too, with all the different aliens (even if we don't get to see all of them that much). All the heists feel unique and the main thing causing that is the stakes, the book is really good at increasing stakes in a natural way, and it makes the whole thing really exciting to read....more
My full review of Service Model. Another excellent Tchaikovsky read, he's 2/2 this year so far, with at least one more book to come, very impressive. TMy full review of Service Model. Another excellent Tchaikovsky read, he's 2/2 this year so far, with at least one more book to come, very impressive. This was a funny but also poignant read about a robot trying to find a purpose in a dying world. The characters are few but memorable, the storytelling is never boring, with the different styles in each section, and the philosophical and political discussions are very apparent, but in the best possible ways......more
3.5 My full review of The Annual Migration of Clouds This feels less like an actual post-apocalyptic story, and more like a literary fiction story that 3.5 My full review of The Annual Migration of Clouds This feels less like an actual post-apocalyptic story, and more like a literary fiction story that just happens to take place in a post-apocalyptic world. Quite good, if a bit incomplete (it definitely felt like reading something that's not meant to be a standalone). It's a novella so there's a lot of simplicity in the storytelling, a lot of things that are left to the readers' imagination, and it works pretty well for the most part....more
My full review of "Rakesfall" Even though a lot of readers aren't gonna see it that way, for me, Rakesfall is an improvement over the author's debut, TMy full review of "Rakesfall" Even though a lot of readers aren't gonna see it that way, for me, Rakesfall is an improvement over the author's debut, The Saint of Bright Doors. It's a novel that is told with utmost confidence and self-indulgence, not really caring about whether readers will actually understand it. If you're looking for a mainstream sci-fi/fantasy story where things are explained in ways that always make sense, then this is not for you, but if you're a reader looking for something that experiments not only with the structure of the story, but with prose itself, then this is something you should consider reading. It's not an easy read at all, you might be trying to figure out who the narrator is for most of the book and it'll almost certainly make you slow down, but it's worth it....more
Definitely my favorite among the three books so far. Not as irritatingly confusing as the previous two books, but it My full review of Nona the Ninth.
Definitely my favorite among the three books so far. Not as irritatingly confusing as the previous two books, but it still has its moments. Though funnily enough there's a section of the book that's basically a full on info dump, that could've used a bit more mystery and confusion. It also feels like a very different book compared to the first two because a big part of it is somewhat mundane compared to the previous two books. And that's the part where the main character is basically just living her life in the city, going to work, etc. It's great, and a big reason why this is my favorite of the series so far. Can't wait for the next one......more
My review of Alien Clay. So this is my first five star read of the year, better late than never, I guess. Reminds me a lot of the show Scavengers ReignMy review of Alien Clay. So this is my first five star read of the year, better late than never, I guess. Reminds me a lot of the show Scavengers Reign with the way the aliens are portrayed. Very fascinating book that delved into themes of collectivism and binaries (even includes a non-binary character to make the point more clearly), among others. And the ending is a really satisfying one both just narratively and thematically. ...more
An excellent post-apocalyptic spy thriller taking place in a solarpunk world. I have some gripes regarding the pacing and storytellinFull review here.
An excellent post-apocalyptic spy thriller taking place in a solarpunk world. I have some gripes regarding the pacing and storytelling, but as a whole, it's a really well thought out story with a restrained plotting and small cast of characters, delivered with a less exciting, but more philosophical type of prose/dialogues that might not be for everyone. This feels like a book that readers in the future will point to as one of the early and less polished works of solarpunk fiction....more
A very interesting solarpunk/first contact combo that is focused more on the philosophical questions/big ideas rather than charact3.5 Full review here.
A very interesting solarpunk/first contact combo that is focused more on the philosophical questions/big ideas rather than characters. Feels clunky in a lot of places, but redeems itself in the nuances and depth of the ideas being tackled. Pretty slow paced, so not for you if you're looking for something plot/character focused....more
3.5 Full review here. For most of the book, this was even more confusing than the first one. I love how both books have different main characters, but b3.5 Full review here. For most of the book, this was even more confusing than the first one. I love how both books have different main characters, but both main characters are the one person who know the least about what's going on in the plot. Despite all the confusion, it was satisfying at the end. And the character work is even better than before, so I really do get the appeal. Still, I'm a bit surprised that this book (and the series in general) is as popular and well received as it is....more
3.5 Full review here One of those books that feels a bit rough around the edges the way many debut novels do. Still, has some really interesting charact3.5 Full review here One of those books that feels a bit rough around the edges the way many debut novels do. Still, has some really interesting characters and character work that really carried the book's second half. I like how unlikeable the protagonist is, and how the author made it clear that she's not meant to be likeable, which I feel like doesn't happen too much in YA? Either way, the dynamics of the three major characters is brilliant, and the exploration of gender is really well-done too. ...more