3.5 Stars I enjoyed that this science fiction novel explored themes surrounding privilege and class in the age of space travel. So much of this story d3.5 Stars I enjoyed that this science fiction novel explored themes surrounding privilege and class in the age of space travel. So much of this story discussed who would be seen as valuable (and who would not).
The story eventually moved into more of a fast paced action story. Personally I didn't need those aspects and would have been happy to just explore the complexities of these characters and their futures.
Overall I enjoyed this one, but felt the narrative could have been better focused to make the story more impactful. I would recommend this to readers looking for a new science fiction novel....more
2.5 Stars I appreciate that Tor keeps republishing out-of-print books under the Tor Essentials.
I have read Kim Stanley Robinson before but I wasn't ev2.5 Stars I appreciate that Tor keeps republishing out-of-print books under the Tor Essentials.
I have read Kim Stanley Robinson before but I wasn't even aware of this title. Some of this author's books have been absolute favourites while others have… not. In this case, I really struggled with this one. I found it to be so dry and not as interesting as it should have been given the premise. It had a setup for a big mystery but I found myself not as invested as I will like.
Regardless, I am always grateful for the opportunity to read a released title that would otherwise be unavailable to me. While it wasn't a favourite for me, I can see from the reviews that it is for others.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.5 Stars I appreciate that Tor keeps republishing out-of-print books under the Tor Essentials.
This is one where I really liked the premise. Published3.5 Stars I appreciate that Tor keeps republishing out-of-print books under the Tor Essentials.
This is one where I really liked the premise. Published back in 1996, I love that the author really predicted the vloggers of today.
The story was fairly well paced with some exciting intrigue and action. I think it holds up so well in comparison to the new releases. It was an enjoyable easy read that plays with some timely concepts.
Regardless, I am always grateful for the opportunity to read a released title that would otherwise be unavailable to me. I will have to look up more by this author.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.5 Stars This was such an enjoyable litrpg novel. I liked that this one was a mashup of fantasy and science fiction. This one is clearly meant to be a3.5 Stars This was such an enjoyable litrpg novel. I liked that this one was a mashup of fantasy and science fiction. This one is clearly meant to be a story for those that love video games. The story is built around game mechanics, which made the worldbuilding fun to discover.
A friend gifted me a copy of the audiobook so I ended up having the opportunity to experience both formats. I can definitely see the appeal of audio because the narrator really brought the protagonist to life. The novel has a lot of humor, which made for a lighthearted but enjoyable read.
I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a geeky sci fi fantasy story inspired by video games.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.5 Stars This was a super cute speculative piece of fiction. I appreciated the multifaceted representation. Given my personal preference for darker st3.5 Stars This was a super cute speculative piece of fiction. I appreciated the multifaceted representation. Given my personal preference for darker stories, this one wasn't destined to be a favourite but I would still recommend it to someone looking for a cozy SFF read, especially those that enjoy some romance in their stories.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher last....more
3.5 Stars I really enjoyed the vN trilogy by this author so I was eager to check out her newest release. This one was more of a sci fi thriller, heavy 3.5 Stars I really enjoyed the vN trilogy by this author so I was eager to check out her newest release. This one was more of a sci fi thriller, heavy on the suspense aspects. It was a fun page turner that was easy to fly through. I wish it had been more focused on the sci fi elements because they fell into the background. An enjoyable read, but not as memorable as I would have liked.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from publisher....more
2.5 Stars I have read and enjoyed several of this author's novellas so I was hopeful this would be a favourite.
I found the prose to be pleasing. Howev2.5 Stars I have read and enjoyed several of this author's novellas so I was hopeful this would be a favourite.
I found the prose to be pleasing. However, I found the characters and worldbuilding to be underwhelming. I wanted to love this one but it was too vague for me to fully grasp and I found myself wanting more.
I think this author has a lot of potential but this story felt so undeveloped.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.0 Stars I adore this author's novel, 36 Streets, so I was eager to read another story by this author.
Like their previous work, this one is dark and 3.0 Stars I adore this author's novel, 36 Streets, so I was eager to read another story by this author.
Like their previous work, this one is dark and gritty. The narrative is fast paced and thrilling. Personally, I wish the novella slowed down a touch because I wanted more character development and world building. Instead, this high octane ride was fast and furious. It was an easy pageturner but it felt too surface level to leave much of an impression on me.
That being said, I would still look definitely read more by this author as I see a lot of potential.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
4.0 Stars The premise of this novella is so cliche yet in this author's hands, the execution felt fresh.
I have read/watched so many murderous robots s4.0 Stars The premise of this novella is so cliche yet in this author's hands, the execution felt fresh.
I have read/watched so many murderous robots so many times but this hit differently. This one has very little action but instead follows the slow investigation.
The robot at the center of the story is technically emotionless which makes for a flat presentation. I felt it fit the narrative so I was more forgiving of this aspect than usual. I previously have said that I don't find this author to be exceptional at writing characters so I didn't expect to find a complex protagonist here. Instead I read this for the quirky narrative that is explored in this futuristic world.
If you love stories exploring worlds with artificial intelligence then I would recommend this one.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
4.0 Stars This is one of those cases where the sequel is even stronger than the first book. I liked the worldbuilding in the Surviving Sky but I felt t4.0 Stars This is one of those cases where the sequel is even stronger than the first book. I liked the worldbuilding in the Surviving Sky but I felt there was room for growth.
I was happy that this second book resolved a lot of my quibbles with the previous novel. The characters felt more developed with stronger with a more well fleshed out world.
I enjoyed the plot progression in this one and look forward to the next volume when it is released.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.0 Stars I have read and enjoyed a few different books by this author so I was eager to read their newest release. The premise is interesting, but the3.0 Stars I have read and enjoyed a few different books by this author so I was eager to read their newest release. The premise is interesting, but the author's choice of tone did not entirely work for me. The narrative is very light hearted and at times silly. I found it hard to provide an objective review given the fact that I don't tend to love these goofy stories. There was some enjoyable sections of the narrative, but ultimately I found this one not to my tastes and fairly forgettable.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.5 Stars As a huge fan of the Expanse series, this was easily one of my most anticipated releases of the year.
If you share my love for the authors’ writing style, you will find the same prose here. I felt that was one of the best parts.
I did struggle to connect to the characters though. I think most readers will agree that the characters were one of the best aspects of the Expanse so I was disappointed to find these ones to be so flat and forgettable. I never loved the relationships in the Expanse but I found the romance in this one much weaker. With the focus on crushes and kissing, it just felt surprisingly young for a book marketed to an adult audience.
In terms of the scope of the plot, this one was an action packed story that I feel sacrificed worldbuilding for pacing. The story felt extremely narrow in scope with the focus on this small group of individuals. I recognize the same could be said for Leviathan Wakes but when I read that I could clearly see the building blocks of a bigger story.
Despite all my criticisms, I still think it's a decent new release in comparison to the other 2024 science fiction I have been reading. I just don't feel it met my expectations or the level of hype I am seeing online. I would still recommend people try this for themselves but recommend going in with tamed expectations.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
This is a new release from the same author who wrote The Lost Fleet series. I enjoyed the first book for the most part, but I choose to continue on with the series. So if you absolutely love the author’s previous series, you may enjoy this series more than me.
This was a easy space opera with likeable, if not simple, characters. The plot moves quickly, making this for a fun fast read. Personally I wanted more meat from this story because the stakes felt low. I prefer stories with more weight since those serious elements tend to hook me in and keep me engrossed.
This is the start of a series and I would potentially continue as it offers a light escapist experience.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
3.0 Stars This is an action driven sci fi thriller. It's not the kind of science fiction I would normally pick up on my own if I wasn't judging the SPS3.0 Stars This is an action driven sci fi thriller. It's not the kind of science fiction I would normally pick up on my own if I wasn't judging the SPSFC.
This one is very dialogue and action heavy but I felt it was shy in terms of worldbuilding and character development. These are the elements that tend to really make me fall in love with a story. As an action story, this one fit the bill but I personally wanted something more from the novel
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
3.5 Stars I enjoyed the concept of this indie science fiction novel. Perhaps it's not revolutionary but the premise really grabbed me.
In terms of overa3.5 Stars I enjoyed the concept of this indie science fiction novel. Perhaps it's not revolutionary but the premise really grabbed me.
In terms of overall execution, I liked this one but the narrative felt narrower than I wanted. The story focused on small interactions in places where I would rather the author backed up and spent more time on the wider worldbuilding.
Overall, I liked this one but felt the author could have pushed further to create a bigger story.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
3.0 Stars This one had an interesting premise and start, but I found the full experience a bit underwhelming. The idea was good but the actual executio3.0 Stars This one had an interesting premise and start, but I found the full experience a bit underwhelming. The idea was good but the actual execution was not as interesting as I would have liked. The story was just not as memorable as I hoped it would be.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
4.0 Stars As someone who enjoys a good gritty thriller, this one was right up my alley. I worried it might not appeal as much to other sci fi readers w4.0 Stars As someone who enjoys a good gritty thriller, this one was right up my alley. I worried it might not appeal as much to other sci fi readers who don't share my love for dark fiction. However this one is well regarded among the other SPSFC judges so that appears not to be an issue.
I enjoyed this fast paced narrative. It feels like a cliche to call a book a pageturner, but the description fits here. I blasted through this book in a day because it was so addictive. The use of VR technology was not the most unexpected but it's the kind of plot I enjoy reading.
I would received this one to readers who love a dark sci fi thriller as much as I do.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
3.5 Stars I had a really good time reading this fast paced sci fi thriller. I thought the fertility and baby engineering parts fascinating and wish the3.5 Stars I had a really good time reading this fast paced sci fi thriller. I thought the fertility and baby engineering parts fascinating and wish the novella had dived deeper into those societal aspects
I expected this one to be more science fiction but it ultimately ended up being more of a thriller. I would primarily recommend it to fans of suspense that are looking for a new fun twisty story in the vein of John Marrs
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
2.5 Stars I generally liked the narrative structuring of this novel. In terms of the premise, it had an intriguing premise but I didn't find myself ove2.5 Stars I generally liked the narrative structuring of this novel. In terms of the premise, it had an intriguing premise but I didn't find myself overly invested in the actual story.
I found the characters to be flat and, despite a formatting choice I usually enjoy, I never felt a sense of suspense. I could appreciate pieces of this one but a lot of the story choices left me underwhelmed.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
Rachel (TheShadesofOrange)
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