I was eager to read the continuation of Byron’s journey from CassaStar, and I was not disappointed. CassaFire by Alex J. Cavanaugh was an enjoyable anI was eager to read the continuation of Byron’s journey from CassaStar, and I was not disappointed. CassaFire by Alex J. Cavanaugh was an enjoyable and quick read.
Byron kept his promise at the end of the first book and signed on to an exploration team. He serves as a pilot for scientists as they study alien technology on a planet that only recently discovered they were not alone, but has not yet mastered space travel of their own. Byron’s unique abilities in telepathy make him more than just a useful chauffeur.
For me, Byron is the attraction. I think his character is interesting and unique and his struggle with relationships makes him very relatable. There is even a bit of romance, which I was not expecting. I think it was well executed and crucial to the plot.
I would recommend this book/series to SciFi lovers who want to explore space and hear the tales of exploration and everyday life. The rest of the series is definitely on my TBR list. Cavanaugh is an addictive storyteller. ...more
Need a quick SciFi fix? This is it. I enjoyed #2 as much as I did #1 and I really want to buy the whole series to sit on my shelf so I can touch it afNeed a quick SciFi fix? This is it. I enjoyed #2 as much as I did #1 and I really want to buy the whole series to sit on my shelf so I can touch it affectionately when I'm feeling down.
But seriously, these quick reads are perfect little episodes with just the right amount of fun. Where else can you find a deadly murderbot who sighs at the idiotic and suicidal decisions of humans?
Martha Wells builds a convincing and effective world through the eyes of a "rogue murderbot," otherwise known as a security model that has hacked its governor module and uses its spare time to watch too much TV while trying to figure out humans. The first-person perspective is perfect and I have no trouble relating to this bot. I imagine most SciFi fans have similar opinions of most humans. Wells' writing style is easy to read and very clean. I cannot think of a single thing I would complain about in this book....more
This is easy to read, contains a good blend of research, story, and information. I would recommend this book to anyone whUser manual for body and mind
This is easy to read, contains a good blend of research, story, and information. I would recommend this book to anyone who has genitals or loves someone who does. (So, everyone.) It is tricky to take things out of context to share with others, they really should read it themselves. She earned all 5 stars for being honest and so passionate about helping women find pleasure....more
I might give this 5, but I would have to read it again, which I may eventually do. I liked the "complex" grammar. Having to reread a sentence or paragI might give this 5, but I would have to read it again, which I may eventually do. I liked the "complex" grammar. Having to reread a sentence or paragraph does not bother me when it is packed with so much meaning. Martine does this effectively, I think.
I enjoyed the worldbuilding. I think Martine has created a fantastic universe and described it well. She includes clear references to the ancient cultures of Central and South America, which I enjoyed personally since I studied pre-colonial cultures in college.
I love the unique qualities of the two main cultures, the interesting way they receive names (number + noun), and the use of futuristic technology to preserve the most valuable people in the limited society of space station life.
I have searched for months for a modern Sci-Fi book to drift away in. This book met my needs completely. I wanted to get lost in new civilizations, explore human conflicts in the future, and travel across space. I needed a newer version of my favorites (Le Guin universe), and I think this succeeds. It has the layers of tension that modern audiences want more of, addresses the modern questions we have about how love looks without the restrictions we see in our own societies, and requires a certain level of knowledge about our own history to be truly understood.
I also love the use of poetry. I love how Martine uses it to build our understanding of the main culture and how she uses it to pull us in and make us feel like outsiders at the same time. It helped me connect with the main character, who was also an outsider. I see her desire to want to be included and understand why she could not be.
Most of the book is third-person limited, following the main character, with a few interludes that give a small piece of the unknown backstory. I think this was effective, but the single point of view was perhaps too limiting for my taste.
I think I lost a little of the understanding of the overarching threat in the book, which is likely more valuable to the sequels. It was tricky for me to fully understand the larger motivations of the societies. I think if I get the chance to reread it, I will better understand that part by giving less attention to understanding the character and her world.
As a writer working on a debut novel, this was a perfect model for creating a fresh work of science fiction that can still captivate modern readers and their own increasingly complex perspectives....more
Black Sun is the first book of an epic fantasy series. Like many first books, it covers the beginning of the journey for multiple characters. There isBlack Sun is the first book of an epic fantasy series. Like many first books, it covers the beginning of the journey for multiple characters. There is a definitive two-sided conflict rising but there are a number of unaffiliated characters who become involved along the way either as a main character visits their past, or reaches out for assistance. The two main characters that "lead" the opposing sides do not meet by the end of this novel, but the sides do encounter their first clash.
The voice was engaging and shifted appropriately from character to character. One character in particular, Xiala, had a distinct voice that was well developed. Her personality was more clear and her motivations believable despite being one of the unaffiliated characters caught up in a personal conflict. There were only a few minor distractions in the writing style. I was tempted to start a tally of how many times I read the word 'had.' This could be because I have been self-editing some work and am sensitive to overused words at this point.
I did not have issue with the genderless, or third gender, pronouns. This is not the first work I have read that employs this and it does not take away from the story. (But I also feel like it did not necessarily add anything either. Maybe the author's personal attempt to 'normalize' alternate genders? Which is certainly a worthwhile endeavor, but it still felt like more of an afterthought. Like, by the way, I want to support people who do not fit into the two-gender illusion, so here's a shout-out.) Maybe this will be further developed later?
I enjoyed the similarities between native cultures in our own history and those in the book. I think good stories make us reach into our own experiences and pull out similarities and differences. The description of the different clans, or ethnicities, was effective and the use of magic and ritual certainly aligned with pagan and naturalistic religions I have studied. Seeing magic that does not only align with common Western beliefs was enjoyable.
Worldbuilding was perfect. I had a good image of the terrain, the people, their clothing, beliefs, and even their diets. None of it was overdone with boring descriptions or exposition.
The plot moved at a decent pace and the character's conflicts were relatable. Maybe one or two events felt forced like there was no other way out of that situation, so here is some magic. But overwhelmingly, that was not the case and it was mostly well used.
I felt like the ending was good as well. I did not feel like I was missing anything or like the story just suddenly stopped. Obviously, the main conflict is not over, and the characters have unfinished business, but the first part of the story ended well....more
A fast-paced, good read. Jean Davis’s 'Trust' is my favorite type of SciFi: foreign worlds, multiple races, and intriguing abilities and technology. IA fast-paced, good read. Jean Davis’s 'Trust' is my favorite type of SciFi: foreign worlds, multiple races, and intriguing abilities and technology. I picked this book because I enjoyed another book by Davis (The Last God). I would recommend both books to anyone who enjoys traveling to other worlds and tales about the complications of love and war.
Vayen is a survivor and always has been. No matter what women, partners, or secret government agencies throw at him, he finds a way to rise above. (Not that he doesn’t hit rock bottom on more than one occasion.
It was difficult to put this book down. I will definitely be following the rest of the series.
The title is an interesting connection to the story. I find myself wondering why 'Trust?' I think it does push me to reflect on the characters’ arcs. In that capacity, the title is perfect.
I noticed a couple of editing errors, but none were distracting or annoying. The first-person perspective is perfect for the story and the reader feels everything as the characters do. The world-building is weighted mostly towards systems and technology and not as much environment or scenery, but there were enough details to give me a picture of how each world was different, particularly the architecture. (Same with ships.) I have a feeling more of this will be visualized in later books in the series as the author further explores the Narvan.
I am mostly satisfied with the ending, I think the story wraps up well, if not a little too quickly. But that matches the overall pace.
I do read for pleasure but also to study the craft of storytelling. I think Davis is an excellent science fiction storyteller and a good inspiration for other writers.
An enjoyable read. I was surprised by the romance blended into the science fiction plot, but pleasantly surprised. It might have been a shock at firstAn enjoyable read. I was surprised by the romance blended into the science fiction plot, but pleasantly surprised. It might have been a shock at first because I did not know the characters or their intentions well enough and it caught me off guard. They developed throughout the plot, but despite the dual perspectives offered, they were still a little mysterious to me. The conflicts were clear and I enjoyed the world building. (Maybe there could have been more, but I love lots of world building.)
I would definitely recommend this to people who love reading about the interaction of different "races" in space. I was able to finish it easily because it kept my attention and I was invested in their conflicts, wanting to see if they were resolved.
It was well written and I have already ordered another book by Davis and look forward to reading it. ...more
An enjoyable novella. The story follows the first person narrative of a being constructed of organic and mechanical parts called a SecUnit. It took meAn enjoyable novella. The story follows the first person narrative of a being constructed of organic and mechanical parts called a SecUnit. It took me a few tries to get into the voice of the character, but once I did, the story unfolded nicely.
The author does a good job of helping the reader relate to a mostly non-human being battling with the highly relatable human desire to not be told what to do. It does read like a short story, the reader spends a lot of the time inferencing and picking up clues about the situation. First person also limits the world building, but it was not lacking. For this format, it does a lovely job of immersing the reader.
For whatever reason, I got hung up on the names a lot. This is an ongoing issue with me for some reason. The names were not necessarily difficult, or too similar, but they just never sounded right when I said them, or they sounded to close to another word and I had to double take.
I felt the ending was appropriate but the resolution of the conflict did leave me a little confused and wanting more explanation. I think it is worth a second read to see what else I can pick up. I definitely recommend this as a quick read that helps you get off the planet for a bit....more
I really enjoyed this book! I love the unique blend of Asian culture and fantasy elements. I rented this book fromSometimes the righteous are not right
I really enjoyed this book! I love the unique blend of Asian culture and fantasy elements. I rented this book from my local library and started reading it to my son, but loved it so much I finished it without him. This book reminds me of Studio Ghibli films, and I hope to one day see it made into one. I was able to read it quickly, which is a plus for my busy schedule. I didn't want to put it down because the mixture of believable struggles and magical elements was very intriguing and I wanted to see how the main character would overcome his past, being born into a prison and sentenced to live there until he aged out. Beautifully done, I would love to read more stories that take place in the same world, and only left off one star because I wish I had known just a little more about the world and the other point of view character and her special abilities. ...more
I read this book to my son. I think it is such an important story to hear. I enjoyed the Japanese word spoken before the meaAn important story to tell
I read this book to my son. I think it is such an important story to hear. I enjoyed the Japanese word spoken before the meal, it connects the reader to the family and the traditions that are different yet familiar. I told my son I was writing a review (he is 6) and he wanted to share that he liked it too....more
This is a super handy guide. It is easy to create a setting in my mind and even to write about events happening in that setting, Excellent easy advice
This is a super handy guide. It is easy to create a setting in my mind and even to write about events happening in that setting, but to truly have an amazing story the setting needs to become something more. This is especially true for sci fi, which is my passion. This books contains great advice for doing just that....more
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