A Conventional Boy by Charles Stross

June 7, 2025

A Conventional Boy by Charles Stross

Welcome to Camp Sunshine. It rains a lot. Specializing in cult deprogramming, Camp Sunshine is part of The Laundry, the government department that defends Great Britain from occult threats. Most residents stayed a few months, were rehabilitated, and returned to society. But Derek has been there since 1984, when he was rounded up with some of his mates as part of the Satanic Panic, since they were avid Dungeons & Dragons players, and therefore cultists. Due to what was essentially a clerical error, it took the government too long to realize he was just a harmless nerd, and by that time he was institutionalized. But after many years at Camp Sunshine, Derek gets his hands a local newspaper with an announcement that DiceCon, an annual gaming convention, would be coming to one of the local towns. Derek decides that no matter the consequences, he is going to DiceCon. 

Part of the Laundry Files series. I haven’t read any of the series because it seemed like it was a little too science-geeky (don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against geeky types since I lean toward the nerdy myself), but this was so entertaining that I am rethinking that. Derek has been incarcerated at Camp Sunshine, a cult deprogramming center, for over 20 years, and he interprets everything through a gaming lens, quickly finding a gaming parallel to any unfamiliar situation (enthusiastic women with big boobs trying to sell him something? Obviously a Wandering Monster encounter). Creative and entertaining, recommended for sci-fi/fantasy/horror readers who like a little humor in their reality. 

If you don't know what the Satanic Panic was, look it up on Google and spend a couple of hours down the rabbit hole.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Nerds, er, fans at a gaming convention

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

February 9, 2025

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

Dorothy Gentleman, detective on the Fairweather, an interstellar cruise ship, wakes up in a body that doesn't belong to her. Normally finding oneself in a new body isn't that unusual on the ship, since that is one of the services offered: eternal reincarnations, at least until they reach their final destiny. But Dorothy's mind was supposed to be resting for a few years in the ship's library between incarnations, and she certainly didn't ask to be transferred into THIS body. The ship's AI appears to be on a drunken bender, so it's up to Dorothy to figure out on her own what is going on.

First book in a new noir sci-fi mystery series, although some readers feel it has a cozy setting, on an interstellar cruise ship on a millennia-long voyage to a new destination after leaving Old Earth. All of the passengers live out their lives, die, and are brought back to life in a new body. The science makes sense, like a magnetic storm erasing some of the files where a person's permanent memories are kept. Who doesn't love a cocktail drinking auntie who solves mysteries? Fun setting, fun characters, fun premise. There is even some P. G. Wodehouse-esque humor, with Dorothy's nephew having a boyfriend who strongly reminded me of Jeeves. Recommended for readers who enjoy Becky Chambers' quirky novels.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Now THIS looks like a fun cruise ship!

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger

December 11, 2024

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger

In the not too distant future, musician Rainy lives with his wife Lark in a remote town in the upper peninsula of Michigan on the shore of Lake Superior. Lark owns a bookstore in an age where people no longer read - for many people, it's a struggle to survive. Rainy and Lark rent out a room in their house to travelers, offering them a bed and meals and whatever else they may need, until they are ready to move on. When one of these travelers brings trouble with him, Rainy flees in his boat on Lake Superior, running from a mysterious man who believes that Rainy knows where to find a cache of stolen drugs.

Dystopian fiction set in the near future. Confusing at first, it was hard to know what direction the story was going. Rainy may be searching for his dead wife or he may be searching for an elusive poet. There are a number of references to Don Quixote, a dreamer on a quest. Wonderful characters, even the evil ones, and poetic language as well as poetic justice. Fans of the novels of Peter Heller will enjoy Enger's dystopian story.

Lake Superior of the Michigan coast on a calm day

Hard Time by Jodi Taylor

November 13, 2024

Hard Time by Jodi Taylor

The Time Police's three most unusual trainees, Luke, Jane and Matthew (aka Team 236, aka Team Weird) return for an adventure that requires their unique skill set. At least one corporation is running illegal time travel excursions for tourists, and the conventional methods used by the Time Police to apprehend the perpetrators have failed. So Commander Hays send out her unconventional team to do their thing.

As much as I enjoy the original Chronicles of St. Mary's series, I think I enjoy this spin-off series more. There is still the wacky humor and adventures of the disaster magnets of St. Mary's, but within a military setting. So far, not as dark as the original series became in later books, probably because of the three main characters here. Fans of sci fi with a strong shot of humor will enjoy the Time Police series.

The former Battersea Power Station, home base of the Time Police at some point in the future, silhouetted on the book cover

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend by M. J. Wassmer

July 11, 2024

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend by M. J. Wassmer

Dan and Mara are vacationing at a new island resort when the sun bursts. And not in a giant explosion in the sky, more like a pop and then broken egg yolk dripping down the sides of the sky, and then darkness. Not only are they trapped on the island, an athleisure-wear entrepreneur named Lilyanna (think Cruella DeVille dressed in Lululemon) who sounds like Dolly Parton has taken control of the resort - as well as the only plane on the island. But there is an observatory on the other side of the island, and the resident astronomer believes there is something strange going on - well, stranger than the sun exploding.

It's class warfare at a new luxury resort, where the rich people in building A take over all the resources and put the guests in buildings B and C to work for them. Except for Lilyanna and her head of security (boo, hiss), the characters might be clueless but they all have a lot of heart. BTW, this is the kind of thing that would happen to me. I suspected the answer about halfway through, but it was still a fun read. Recommended for readers who enjoy not-too-serious dystopian fiction.

Dystopian resort

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde

June 29, 2024

Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde

Following the death of a prominent Orange, Eddie Russet and his lover Jane Brunswick are about to go on trial. Since Eddie tested at 87% red, he has been forced into an arranged marriage with the awful Violet DeMauve, whose family wants to strengthen their color line with his strong red genes. Even though he is married to Violet, Eddie has no intention of giving up Jane. The village is competing in the upcoming Jollity Fair, with Jane being one of the star athletes, provided she is not found guilty during the trial. But Eddie and Jane are more interested in finding out the truth about their world, as well as following clues about what Eddie's mother was up to, and what really happened to her.

Return with me to Chromatacia where your existence is controlled by your limited color vision in the long-awaited sequel to Shades of Grey. Really delightful, clever and creative world building. Life is ruled by the color-tocracy with all of its bizarre rules (residents cannot wear gloves no matter what their job is or how cold it is, spoons cannot be manufactured, linoleum is the major produce even though no one wants it, etc.) which begins to make sense as our star-crossed lovers Eddie and Jane go digging for answers. The ways in which the villagers subvert the rules and the rulers is very entertaining. Read the first book before this one - it will make a lot more sense. Recommended for fantasy readers, especially those who enjoy world building.

The color spectrum

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

April 4, 2024

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

The last 122 people on earth live in a village on an island at the end of the world - everyone else has been consumed by a mysterious fog. Technology is gone, the last of it buried somewhere beneath the island. All of the residents work for the greater good, managed by Abi, an artificial intelligence. No one lives beyond the age of 60 - when a villager dies, another appears to take their place. The deadly fog remains at bay, but they all fear that someday, the fog will consume them too. Equilibrium is maintained until a resident is murdered, and the fog suddenly begins to creep closer.

Stuart Turton writes mysteries that are anything but ordinary. I refer to them as "thinking person mysteries," with stories that are complex and original. Like the author's previous books, this one is edgy and a blend of dystopia, sci fi, and mystery. It's a "locked room" mystery, where a group of people are isolated from the outside, and one of them must be the murderer, but it seems to be impossible that any of them did it. Hints of the television series LOST and also The Prisoner. I could have used a map of the island since it was sometimes difficult to picture where the characters were at times in relation to the village and the bay. Not for someone looking for a traditional mystery, but will appeal to readers who like fiction that is "out there."

Many thanks to NetGallery and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

A foggy island at the end of the world

System Collapse by Martha Wells

March 4, 2024

Murderbot, the rogue SecUnit, is back for another adventure, only this time, something traumatic has happened to it, causing it to experience false memories and flashbacks. Worse, its breakdown happened in front of the crew, ART, and another SecUnit, so everyone knows something is wrong. Both its mechanical and organic parts are affected, and it makes Murderbot question whether it can do its job. For the first time, it is afraid to go into unknown situations, that it will freeze and be unable to protect its humans. And Murderbot has more humans than ever to look after, and is starting to care about many of them.

Love the Murderbot series! It's been a while since the last book, so it takes the reader a few chapters to get back into the story (stick with it, it's worth it). Wells revisits many of our favorites characters, including ART, the Asshole Research Transport and Murderbot's best friend. We get to see Murderbot's human side here, which just makes me love it even more. I'm so sad that I have to wait another year for the next book. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys science fiction and fantasy.

Terraforming a new planet

Titan's Tears by Chad Lester

February 21, 2024

Titan's Tears by Chad Lester

Three characters are on a collision course in a dystopian world: Seth works for an Amazon-like corporation until he is replaced by a robot. Belle is an odd young woman living in a remote Alaskan town, until she is offered a high-paying job at Eccleston Evolution, a high-level tech company, even though she has no real job skills. Sophia is the founder of Eccleston Evolution, which develops cutting edge and sometimes controversial technology, and created the world's most advanced AI, The Augur.

Strange dystopian book about scientific and bio-ethics and the evils of science gone wrong, as well as greed, megalomania, etc. As soon as I read about the forest full of bio-engineered creatures outside the compound, I knew there would be at least one frantic escape attempt pursued by wild prehistoric animals. My biggest complaint is that the writing is sloppy - it needed a really GOOD editor. There are a lot of errors - at some points, the author forgets that one of his characters is blind. At another point, two of the characters are handcuffed but not to each other, and he has them run holding hands - how awkward is that? Super advanced robots go out in the rain and short out - seriously?? Not sure where the title came from, either, as it doesn't seem to have anything to do with the storyline. I think the author tried to cover too much ground and too many topics. If you want to read a really good futuristic book that covers many of the same subjects, read The Tomorrow File by Lawrence Sanders.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Great Transition by Nick Fuller Googins

September 24, 2023

The Great Transition by Nick Fuller Googins

Emi lives in Nuuk, Greenland with her parents, who have been having marital difficulties for some time. Emi is SO tired of hearing how lucky she is to be born after the Great Transition, a time of major climate change, which her parents never stop reminding her about. During the global celebration of Day Zero, there are assassinations in several locations including Nuuk. Emi's mother is supposed to be in New York but has now vanished, and it appears she may have something to do with the killings. Emi and her father set out to find her, but who can they trust?

While I'm pretty much over climate change fiction, this was well-written. Except there is too much crying. With a dual timeline that moves from the present to 20 years ago, it was recommended as a read-alike for Station Eleven, which I loved. It also reminded me of Our Missing Hearts, where an activist mother goes missing and her son searches for her under politically dangerous conditions. 

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Nuuk, Greenland

The Jinn-bot of Shantiport by Samit Basu

September 11, 2023

The Jinn-bot of Shantiport by Samit Basu

Shantiport is a major city that is slowly crumbling into decay due to flooding and political factions. Everyone who lives in Shantiport is trying to find a way to get out, except Lina, who loves the city and wants to save it. When she and her brother Bador, a monkey bot, find a magic lamp complete with jinn who will grant their wishes, they decide to punish the man who killed their father while also saving Shantiport. What could possibly go wrong? Be careful what you wish for.

A retelling of the Aladdin story from 1001 Arabian Nights, which the author tried to marry to Murderbot but not successfully. The first half of the book is some amazing world building, but the second half dragged and I started skimming. The jinn is amusing since before he will grant a wish, he goes through the user agreement and other legalese that we are all familiar with. If you are a hardcore fantasy reader, you may enjoy this but it wasn't for me. I suggest reading Martha Wells' Murderbot series instead.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Dystopian city

Another Place, Another Time by Jodi Taylor

June 7, 2023

Another Place, Another Time by Jodi Taylor

Just when things seem to be settling down at St. Mary's, things go balls up again, this time in a big way. There's a marriage, a birth and a death (maybe). Markham and his family (nurse Diana Hunter and baby daughter Flora) are off on "family leave," Leon has take St. Mary's young people (his son Matthew, and Adrian and Mikey) off to scout a new location for a safe haven for St. Mary's people and the archives should the need ever arise (again), and Max and the others take the new head of security on her first jump to investigate the death of Amy Robsart, wife of Robert Dudley, Elizabeth I's favorite favorite. Was it accidental or homicide? With the new security staff, the historian visit Babylon in 565BC with disastrous results when two of the team are left behind. But the new security chief is just the beginning of the changes, leaving Max and Markham to wonder if the place will survive.

Although I love the Chronicles of St. Mary's series, I wasn't sure I wanted to read this one based on the description and reviews left by other readers. But I started it and immediately got sucked in. There are a lot of changes and St. Mary's isn't the same place we've come to know. And what's up with Max and Peterson? Already ordered the next one from the library to find out what happens next.

Ishtar Gate, ancient Babylon

The Long and Short of It by Jodi Taylor

May 22, 2023

The Long and Short of It by Jodi Taylor

The disaster magnets from St. Mary's Institute for Historical Research (aka historians) are back for a collection of short stories previously published in ebook form. I'm not usually a fan of short stories (not enough time for character development, truncated plots, etc.), but I've read most of the books in the Chronicles of St. Mary's series. This collection of short stories fills in some of the blanks and hanging plot lines from previous books.

We learn how Dr. Bairstow founded St. Mary's, discover more about Markham, and learn how Mr. Bashford met Angus the chicken (who is actually a hen). Many of the stories are holiday themed. Unlike most short story collections, all of these stories are good. Great fun.

Angus the chicken, who is actually female

Plan for the Worst by Jodi Taylor

May 11, 2023

Plan for the Worst by Jodi Taylor

The good people from St. Mary's Institute for Historic Research are back for another wild adventure. Max and her family visit Iron Age America, where they unexpectedly encounter a group of lost Vikings. Then, when a government official expresses a desire to find out what really happened to the princes in the tower, Max and director Bairstow jump to 15th century London, timed for the last known date that the princes were seen. Finally, her team jumps to Bronze Age Crete to witness the bull jumpers, King Minos, and the earthquake that destroyed the city of Knossos. But events from the past and future shake the foundations of Max's world, causing her to question what is true and who she can trust.

This is really Mr. Markham's book. We get his backstory but he also becomes a father (although we still don't know if he and Hunter are married) when Nurse Hunter's baby is born. The Time Police make several appearances and Max works to restore goodwill between them and St. Mary's. And Clive Ronan finally takes things too far and destroys himself. Good. I was tired of Clive a few books back.

And if you're going to test whether your windows, walls, or pods can withstand being hit by a bird, remember (and I'm quoting NASA here): "Gentlemen, thaw your chickens." Read the book and you'll get the reference.

Ancient city of Knossos

Hope for the Best by Jodi Taylor

April 30, 2023

Hope for the Best by Jodi Taylor

The historians from St. Mary's are back for another adventure, this time working in conjunction with the Time Police. Somehow, 16th century England has gone completely off the rails. There is a Tudor queen on the throne but it's the wrong one - it's Jane Grey rather than Elizabeth. Drake lost to the Spanish Armada, France and Scotland are both invading, and evil Queen Jane has fled to the Continent. Meanwhile, arch-villain Clive Ronan continues to evade the Time Police, traveling up and down the time map. Which, incidentally, Max's son Matthew broke. Completely by accident. Meanwhile, nasty Malcolm Halcombe has taken over St. Mary's and is trying to figure out where everyone is (they're in hiding in some prehistoric time somewhere in the western U.S., probably Wyoming or Montana). 

Another entertaining entry in the Chronicles of St. Mary's series. Most of the regulars appear, including Adrian and Mikey and their teapot time travel pod, still just two hours ahead of the Time Police. The Time Police prove they are just as unprincipled as ever, even if they are supposed to be allied with St. Mary's. And Max travels to the lost kingdom of Kush with a couple of gangsters, who do the usual gangster double-cross. Great fun, looking forward to getting the next book, where I seriously hope they will finally catch Clive Ronan, since I'm a little tired of him.

The Lost Kingdom of Kush, where Max and two mobsters cause a riot during a religious festival

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin

April 19, 2023

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin

The country of Prospera consists of three islands: the main island of Prospera where citizens live, work, and play; the Annex, where support workers live, commuting back and forth to their jobs in Prospera; and the Nursery, the island where Prosperans are recycled to new existences. Although it seems to be Utopia for Prosperan citizens, not everyone is happy with this arrangement, and revolt is brewing among the residents of the Annex. Or is it?

The first 2/3 of the book is fabulous; I read it in a single day and could not put the book down. But the last third - not so much. We find out that the first 2/3 of the book is just a dream, a fantasy world created by the characters. Been there, done that, used to have the t-shirt (am I the only person who watched LOST or St. Elsewhere? Or the old TV show Dallas, where mercifully at least only one season was a dream? Maybe the author is figuring no one over 20 reads his books, so they've never heard of a dream sequence before). The it-was-all-just-a-dream is a copout when a writer doesn't know how to finish up a story in a satisfying manner. And there is more than one ending - what is this, choose your own story? Really disappointing after such a great start.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Cabinet of Dr. Leng by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

April 10, 2023

The Cabinet of Dr. Leng by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Constance Green, Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast's ward, has traveled back in time to 19th century New York City, to save her siblings Joe and Mary, and also her younger self. Not only has Constance gone back in time, she is in a parallel universe, so she is able to encounter herself as a child. When Pendergast realizes what Constance has done, he has the time machine reassembled (it was destroyed at the end of the previous book) by an eccentric scientist named Gaspard Ferenc. Enlisting the help of his old friend Vincent D'Agosta of the NYPD, Pendy follows Constance back to 19th c. New York, because although he knows Constance is deadly, he also knows that his ancestor Dr. Leng is absolutely a match for her.

Meanwhile, Special Agent Armstrong Coldmoon, Pendy's sometime partner, is tracking down a killer who has been trafficking in Native American artifacts, substituting fakes for the real thing (like Sitting Bull's peace pipe). His investigation takes him to New York, where he learns that his case is tied to a murder case that Vincent is working on. He traces the artifacts to a Colombian drug lord living in Ecuador and sets up a sting operation to draw the man back to the U.S. The sting goes off without a hitch, but there's something not sitting right with Coldmoon. 

And then the book ended.

Damn. So this is only the first half of the story, and the conclusion will be another book (this one was close to 600 pages). I was really irritated when I got to the end, and there's this semi-apology from Douglas saying they're writing the conclusion as fast as they can. Not nice, Douglas and Lincoln. I put that in my Goodreads review so that other readers are aware that they're going to be left hanging, probably for another year. Also, Pendy still hasn't gotten around to telling Constance that he loves her - maybe at the end of the next book. Although considering that Constance has killed several people, it might be prudent to review the situation first.

Blackwell Island, New York, now Roosevelt Island - prison, workhouse, and insane asylum

An Argumentation of Historians by Jodi Taylor

April 2, 2023

An Argumentation of Historians by Jodi Taylor

The historians of St. Mary's (aka disaster magnets) are back. Hawking Hanger has been repaired after villain Clive Ronan nearly destroyed it (see And the Rest is History), young Matthew Farrell is safely in the future with the Time Police, and Max's husband Leon is slowly recovering from injuries sustained at the destruction of Constantinople. With their pods repaired and ready for service, Max and her fellow historians are off to observe Henry VIII's disastrous joust in January 1536, then on to Persepolis while setting a trap for Ronan. But things go disastrously wrong (no surprise there) and Max finds herself separated from her people by several centuries.

Very entertaining series, just what I needed after finishing a really depressing lit fic title. This is book #9, and one of the differences from previous books is that while the historians are usually in and out quickly, Max has an adventure that lasts much longer. They still haven't captured Ronan and we still don't know if Markham and Hunter are married and/or if they are pregnant. I guess I'll have to get the next book.

Life in a medieval town

And the Rest is History by Jodi Taylor

March 19, 2023

And the Rest is History by Jodi Taylor

The historians of St. Mary's are back for another adventure. Max, her husband Leon, and their baby son Matthew are together as a happy family, with the historians planning a trip back to 1066 to observe the battle of Hastings and the events leading up to it. Until arch-villain Clive Ronan shows up, that is, and throws a major spanner into the works, with the Time Police in hot pursuit of Ronan up and down the timeline. We lose a beloved character but several new characters are introduced, including a taxidermied dog named Colin.

This is book #8 in the Chronicles of St. Mary's series. Book #7 was really dark, so I took a break from the series (for several years, as it turns out). Taylor has no qualms about dragging her readers through the emotional wringer and book #8 is pretty dark, too, but there is hope and humor at the end (are Markham and Hunter really having a baby?? Are they really married??).

The Bayeux Tapestry, depicting the Battle of Hastings in 1066

Doing Time by Jodi Taylor

March 9, 2023

Doing Time by Jodi Taylor

Three misfits find themselves as Time Police trainees, seemingly doomed to failure. They resolve to succeed in spite of the obstacles thrown in their path and the poor assignments they receive. But when another officer is found murdered, one of the team members is accused of being the murderer and the other two trainees resolve to rescue their partner.

A spin-off series from the author's Chronicles of St. Mary's series. Characters from St. Mary's make appearances with the usual resulting mayhem (if the bells are ringing, the dogs are barking, and a mob is chasing a group of people, you know St. Mary's is in town). The first book in a new series. Great fun, as always.