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
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
3.0 Stars Post apocalyptic is a challenging subgenre to get right, especially post 2020. I feel like I've read so many similar stories before and it's 3.0 Stars Post apocalyptic is a challenging subgenre to get right, especially post 2020. I feel like I've read so many similar stories before and it's challenging to find a fresh angle.
I found this one to be a fine post apocalyptic story but ultimately very familiar, leaning heavily into tropes. I would primarily recommend this one to readers who love this subgenre and are looking for more.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
4.0 Stars I know some readers steer away from longer works of fiction but I have come to enjoy sinking deeply into a story.
As someone fascinated by dar4.0 Stars I know some readers steer away from longer works of fiction but I have come to enjoy sinking deeply into a story.
As someone fascinated by dark fiction, I enjoyed the grittiness of this story. The tone of this one was much more serious and mature compared to the other pieces of indie sci fi I have been reading recently.
I also felt that the writing was quite strong. Not poetic or overly complex, but a style never felt amateurish.
I would recommend this one to science fiction readers looking for a meaty, darker story.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
3.0 Stars This is a fast paced piece of science fiction. Admittedly this is the kind of action packed sci fi thriller that I wouldn't normally pick up 3.0 Stars This is a fast paced piece of science fiction. Admittedly this is the kind of action packed sci fi thriller that I wouldn't normally pick up so I'm not the target audience.
For the subgenre, I thought it was fairly well done and generally delivers what it promises. The writing and subsequent dialogue is quite casual, which is not my personal preference. I would have preferred a more complex futuristic execution of these ideas. That being said, I think this book will satisfy readers who don't share my reading tastes.
Disclaimer I received this one for review as a judge for the SPSFC....more
3.5 Stars I am enjoying this military science fiction series. At time, the story reads as very traditional military fiction which isn't necessarily my 3.5 Stars I am enjoying this military science fiction series. At time, the story reads as very traditional military fiction which isn't necessarily my thing, but then the supernatural elements would come back and I was hooked again.
I have already read the third book but I look forward to rereading it because in my opinion the series just gets better with each book.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
This is a strange one to review because I read book three before book one. I loved where the series3.5 Stars Video Review: https://youtu.be/Oh17of8BO7g
This is a strange one to review because I read book three before book one. I loved where the series goes so I was interested to see how the series got there. I enjoy the narrative although I would describe it as a dryer storytelling style.
This one is set closer to our present day and feels more reminiscent of the sci-fi movies like Independence Day. It focuses on the interplay between the countries. I prefer more large scale space based military stories so this one worked less for me.
However I loved some of the ending reveals of this book which lead into the narrative I loved in book three. I look forward reading book two to see how it bridges together.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
This is a companion novella within the science fiction fantasy series that starts with Dark Theory.3.5 Stars Video Review: https://youtu.be/Oh17of8BO7g
This is a companion novella within the science fiction fantasy series that starts with Dark Theory. I loved the first book and so I was interested to read more within this world.
I liked this one, but since it's not required reading within the series, I found myself overly aware that the story wasn't critical to the larger story. I found myself wanting to continue on with the main story with the second book, rather than segway to this additional story. To be fair to the author, I feel this way about virtually every companion novella.
The writing remains consistently strong with this author. This one has an entertaining self contained story with an interesting plot and complex characters. It felt long enough to be fully fleshed out and satisfying.
Perhaps it's not entirely fair to criticize a book for not being something it was never marketed to be. Again, I really enjoy this series but my interest remains with the main story first and foremost.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
This was such an incredibly unique book. I loved how this work of fiction read as fact. The imagine4.5 Stars Video Review: https://youtu.be/Oh17of8BO7g
This was such an incredibly unique book. I loved how this work of fiction read as fact. The imagined world was lush and well fleshed out. The diagrams and pictures were detailed and often breathtaking. I highly recommend this strange book for anyone looking to get lost in another world....more
Maybe I'm biased because I knew that this book was originally fanfiction but I was pretty underwhel2.0 Stars Video Review: https://youtu.be/hFXGrkG_A64
Maybe I'm biased because I knew that this book was originally fanfiction but I was pretty underwhelmed by this novel. It added more to the original trilogy but I don't feel I needed the extra material. Moreover, it never felt at the same level of quality. I would not personally recommend this one. It doesn't add significant value to the trilogy. I would rather honor the original work....more
3.5 Stars As someone who loves dinosaurs, I was quite excited to discover this story by Cixin Liu existed. The premise and plot are honestly quite weir3.5 Stars As someone who loves dinosaurs, I was quite excited to discover this story by Cixin Liu existed. The premise and plot are honestly quite weird and took some suspension of disbelief to wrap my head around. I liked parts of this one but honestly the setup was just too kooky for my personal tastes. If you like fables, you'll likely enjoy it more than me....more
This was a good short story collection. However I made the mistake of reading this one immediately 3.5 Stars Video Review: https://youtu.be/hFXGrkG_A64
This was a good short story collection. However I made the mistake of reading this one immediately after reading The Wandering Earth collection. That one was so incredible that this one paled in comparison. Some of the stories were better than others. My personal favourite was Contraction. I would still recommend it as long as you don't compare it too closely to the author's stronger works....more
This was such a gripping sci fi thriller. If you love the Three Body Problem, I strongly suspect yo4.0 Stars Video Review: https://youtu.be/hFXGrkG_A64
This was such a gripping sci fi thriller. If you love the Three Body Problem, I strongly suspect you will love this other work by the same author.
I thought this book created a wonderful sense of suspense and wonder. The beginning read like a beautiful coming of age narrative and then grew into this epic tale of hard science. Strangely this book felt like reading an anime.
I would highly recommend this one to readers looking for smart sci fi thrillers.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
I rarely read and review short fiction anymore because I prefer the epic scale of long fiction. How4.5 Stars Video Review: https://youtu.be/hFXGrkG_A64
I rarely read and review short fiction anymore because I prefer the epic scale of long fiction. However I am so glad I gave this one a try.
These were more novellas than short stories so they had the room to explore bigger ideas. Usually short story collections are hit or miss but I honestly loved nearly every story. There were so many creative ideas.
If you love The Three Body Problem, then you should definitely check out these short stories. You can see the author similar ideas that are fleshed out in their iconic trilogy.
Some of my favourite stories in the collection were The Wandering Era Curse 5.0 For the Benefit of Mankind The Micro Era...more
I am always drawn to science fiction novels involving artificial intelligence so I was very excited 3.0 Stars Video Review https://youtu.be/vANfnwA99y0
I am always drawn to science fiction novels involving artificial intelligence so I was very excited for the premise of this book.
The beginning immediately pulled me in as the story played with the social situations that would arise with artificial companions. However the story took a turn for the dramatic and quickly became all about relationship drama. While technically science fiction, this book will better appeal to those who love contemporary fiction and thrillers. It's very accessible but may disappoint those (like me) who hoped to approach this story from a place of science and technology.
I enjoyed the unique formatting of this one but the immature characters and relationship drama real3.0 Stars Video Review: https://youtu.be/Oh17of8BO7g
I enjoyed the unique formatting of this one but the immature characters and relationship drama really held me back from loving this one. I would only recommend this one to readers who regularly read YA fiction....more
This is a light hearted sci fi story that will appeal to fans of John Scalzi, Dennis E Taylor and P3.5 Stars Video Review: https://youtu.be/Oh17of8BO7g
This is a light hearted sci fi story that will appeal to fans of John Scalzi, Dennis E Taylor and Peter Clines. The story plays with science fiction concepts but in a light hearted way that will appeal to readers who don't necessarily love hard science and technical explanations. I have come to prefer more meatier books in the genre, which is reflective in my rating here.
I had the opportunity to read this one via the audiobook and I highly recommend the version. The narrator was excellent and brought the humor to life.
I enjoyed this one but I personally preferred Mickey7 and its sequel. This is a standalone so new readers could start in either place.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
4.0 Stars This was an entertaining, fast paced sci fi thriller that will likely appeal to readers of both genres. This one would be very accessible to 4.0 Stars This was an entertaining, fast paced sci fi thriller that will likely appeal to readers of both genres. This one would be very accessible to sci fi newbies because it doesn't dive into the science elements. Instead it explores situations that feel like they could become possible in the near future. I found the ethical dilemmas to be particularly interesting.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher....more
Rachel (TheShadesofOrange)
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Books:
science-fiction
(598)
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