Justine’s Comments (group member since Jan 27, 2015)

Justine’s comments from the Beyond Reality group.

Just a question, not a criticism, but why the use of French names and the scattering of French words? I don’t know where that is coming from since the author is from Vancouver, Canada (not at all a French area per se) and I don’t think the Valley is anywhere specifically? Soooo…is there a reason or is it just a stylistic writing choice?

I’d like to nominate New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson for SF. I checked the bookshelf and it isn’t on the past book of the month shelf, which honestly seems weird so if I’ve missed something and it has been read please let me know and I’ll pick something else.

For Fantasy I’d like to nominate The Waking of Angantyr by Marie Brennan.

I’ve started; I like the writing very much.

Oh Kathi so sorry for your loss; I’m glad that book helped ❤️

Kathi wrote: "Forrest wrote: "Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune"

I loved that book!"

I think there is something wrong with me. Everyone loved that book except me I think. I’m not good with anything remotely cozy. Which is weird because I strive for cozycore aesthetic in my everyday life 😂😂😂

Shel wrote: "I read this last week when my loan came in early. Can't wait to hear what everyone thinks of it."

I have this one so I’ll try to fit it in if you have it 5 stars, Shel!

Random wrote: "Is Murderbot an AI? It has a human brain."

Now there’s a question worth pondering: if you use biological parts can you still be an AI? I would say yes, if we are talking a sentient AI that was created through manipulation and programming?

Started and gave up on Shroud at 35%. It was just not interesting enough to hold my attention. I switched to Once Was Willem, which was a 5 star read for me!

Currently reading Lisey's Story and listening to Hyperion on audio for the group series read that starts in March 15. It’s such a long listen I wanted to get a head start on that one.

Also still working through The Green Mile, reading a part between other books. It was originally published as a serial so I thought I would read it like that.

Next up on my ereader I have The Unworthy, the new English translation to start after I finish Lisey’s Story.

I finished Emergence (Foreigner 19) and am sad this is the last of the books available as an audiobook, but on the plus side, I can finally be done with Audible (who had this series exclusively) and just use Libra.fm for audiobooks and support my local bookstore at the same time. I’ll finish up the last 3 books in print. I’ve started The Two Towers on audio, with Andy Serkis narrating. It’s good but I do FF on the singing parts 😂

I finished The Terror (5 stars!) and am rereading The Clan of the Cave Bear, which I’m pretty sure I read when I was about 14? Anyway…

Also reading The Green Mile but in between other books, in sections, like a serial as it was originally published.

It’s good! It has Jared Harris as Captain Crozier, Ciaran Hinds as Sir Franklin, and Tobias Menzies as Captain Fitzjames. Season two is also very good, it’s an original story about the haunting of the inmates at a Japanese internment camp in California during WWII. George Takei has a small role and also served as a consultant because of his personal experience being interned as a child with his family. Season three is in production and will be based on the book, The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle.

Yay, excited to read these 🥰

I’m reading Rose Madder by Stephen King.

Here’s the first line of the Prologue: Sinister Kisses

She sits in the corner, trying to draw air out of a room which seemed to have plenty just a few minutes ago and now seems to have none.

Yes, both the title of the prologue and the first line were a great hook. It instantly sets a tone of tension in your mind, which I can tell you only gets worse throughout this opening scene. Even if you don’t know this book is about domestic abuse, it immediately raises your sense of alert.

I have a feeling this is a book that other people will enjoy more than I did. I’m not a fan of cosy or heist and this really is a cosy heist. So for sure take my comments with that grain of salt.

I was with the story until about the last third and then I started to kind of lose track of what was happening. The part in the Encyclopedium should have been the highlight but it didn’t feel as focused as it could have. I still don’t 100% understand what happened at the end there, but whatever. Like I get the Frenro were supposed to have created the nodes, but shouldn’t there have been a whole lot more of them if that’s how they supposedly reproduced? And why exactly were they closing all the nodes? And how, if they were supposed to have forgotten all about having created them by going into this last reproductive cycle?

So, not bad but I didn’t love it either.

I read this not too long ago; it wasn’t my favourite but that is much more about my personal taste than the book itself. I’ll post more in the spoiler thread!

So, the last book published was book 22, and was cowritten by Cherryh and her daughter Jane Fancher, so I’m not sure if it will continue beyond that or not. The story arcs are in 3 book sequences, so book 22 would technically start another sequence? But I haven’t got there yet so I can’t say for sure. Cherryh was undergoing treatment for breast cancer as of late 2024 so probably not much writing I would think. It’s a great series though so I would encourage you to read it especially if you like political SF. The books are fairly short and the story is kind of like life, you know, there are some mind blowing points but mostly it just keeps going on and ends when it ends, if you take my meaning.

It’s not like, just as a random example, a main character gets stabbed by his own men of the Night’s Watch and is left seemingly for dead at the Wall. I mean, it would really suck to leave a book series on that kind of a cliffhanger 😂😂😂🙄

Just started Emergence, book 19 in the Foreigner series by C.J. Cherryh. I’ve done the entire series on audio but this is the last book in the series where the audiobook is available. So disappointed about that as it has been a great audio series even if one of the characters who is a security specialist is voiced to sound exactly like Worf in TNG 🤣 I’ll finish the last few books on my ereader but it won’t be the same!

Also just started Rose Madder by Stephen King.

🤣🤣🤣 yeah I’ve done that!

I’ve read the first two in her African Immortals Series, My Soul to Keep and The Living Blood. Most recently I read The Reformatory. All of them were excellent. I think until The Reformatory started getting so much attention she was one of those criminally under read writers, but given that book’s success I think her entire backlist will start getting more of the attention it deserves.

Random, have you read Tananarive Due before? I think she’s a terrific writer. I haven’t read The Good House yet but it’s definitely on my list of things to read soon.

Currently reading Mentats of Dune (Schools of Dune 2). This is a pretty good trilogy and I’m enjoying it! I started reading these because I watched Dune: Prophecy, which had a great esthetic but storywise was confusing. Anyway…the purported source material is actually completely different and has turned out to be a fun read.

I just finished The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes because there is a new book coming out in March. It was good although YMMV because it’s a psychological story where you’re basically following a sociopath and that is not everyone’s idea of a good time. Snow isn’t a loveable character at all.

Random wrote: "Yeah, its not just ghosts, hauntings, serial killers, or the like. Reality can also be horror..."

Well said!