Reviews and Comments

"Between two rivers" describes a number of artifacts from ancient Mesopotamia, from the viewpoint of the author. She describes how, as a student, she became fascinated with these civilizations that left us the oldest written records. She then takes us to Ennigaldi-Nanna's museum: an archeological site that, as the name suggests, is likely to have been a museum in the distant past. Artifacts from very different periods were found there, including lists (in clay) describing them. From here, several of these artifacts are discussed, each in their own chapter.

The chapters are lightened up by the author's personal story, focusing on how she relates to the ancient Mesopotamians. For example, she observes how even back then mothers sang lullabies to their babies like she did for her own children. Thus she shows us how the clay tablets and ancient ruins become a window into a once vibrant society. But the relation to ancient history seems forced in at least one place. When she describes a set of anatomically correct drawings, she observes that one among them did not have reproductive parts; she then concludes that this represented a nonbinary person. This conclusion seems drawn from preciously little evidence; surely the drawing could also represent a eunuch? Such hastened conclusions make one wonder if other interpretations are informed by 21st century ideals.

Although the artifacts themselves are clearly described, the bigger picture isn't always clear. There is a timeline but it is somewhat hidden at the back of the book; what's also missing is a map. It is clearly a popular-scientific publication with the emphasis on popular.

All in all, it is a pleasant read but it was not the introductory text I had hoped for.

This is a translation of "The Map of Knowledge", and discusses how scientific knowledge was advanced and preserved from Antiquity until the Renaissance, in Europe and the Middle East.

The book discusses the history of science. More specifically, it looks at the scientific world in seven cities in chronological order. These cities are Alexandria (mainly because of its library), Baghdad (under the Abbasid dynasty), Cordoba (under the Umayyad dynasty), Toledo (mostly under Alfonso X "The Wise"), Salerno, Palermo, and Venice.
While the first four cities are in clear chronological order, after that it feels like we're being moved forward and downward in time. A timeline would have helped to make things more clear.
Although the motivation for each town is clearly explained, it still sometimes feels arbitrary. Paris is mentioned often enough that it, too, might have been included. The book ends with the printing press, and how Venice became a primary source of printed books. This is a fitting end, as the dissemination of scientific knowledge was revolutionized and a new era began in the scientific world.
In the epilogue, it discusses how the telescope and microscope revolutionized science even further.

If you're interested in the medieval world, this is a worthwhile read.

"Witch Hat Atelier" follows the adventures of Coco, a young girl who is fascinated by magic, but has no magical talents herself. Until she discovers the truth.... amidst controversy, Coco is inducted into magical society and allowed to become a witch.

In volume 4, two of Coco's fellow students enter a practical exam. Unfortunately, they are not alone - the antagonists of the series, an group that calls itself the Brimmed Hats, are in the labyrinth where the exam takes place. They have designs on Coco and they're not above targeting her friends...

In this volume, the Brimmed Hats' trap is sprung. The students, their master, and the proctor of the exam need to pull all their strings to get out unharmed.

One of the great things about "Witch Hat Atelier" is that it actually tells us how spells are constructed. Where Harry Potter would simply be taught a spell, Coco has to construct one. This makes magical fights in "Witch Hat Atelier" more than combat sequences. It becomes a duel where creative use of one's spells, both prepared and improvised, can spell the difference between victory and defeat. And when the violence breaks out in volume 5, Kamome Shirahama does not disappoint. Coco and her friends have to think on their feet and make good use of their abilities. This makes for a very dynamic type of battle.

There are other interesting things in this volume, but what I appreciate most is how characters are fleshed out. In previous volumes, we met Easthies, a member of the Knights Moralis. The Knights Moralis are effectively the police force of the magic users and they are described as rigid people - they'll uphold the law of their society and make no exceptions.
In volume 5, we see Easthies has a human side. Most authors would give him a tragic background causing him to become a ruthless policeman, but Kamome Shirahama does not resort to such an overused plot device. Instead, she simply shows him interacting with his own students. We also see a man who is very aware of the responsibility that rests on the Knights Moralis' shoulders.

All in all, this is an excellent installment in an excellent series. If you enjoy the fantasy genre, this series is heartily recommended. Do start at volume 1, though.

"Illium" is a good SF book, with some interesting concepts.

It's a bit difficult to give an excerpt, because the book has three separate storylines. Only two of them come together, and even that only happens at the end.

The first storyline is that of Thomas Hockenberry, Ph.D., and is told in a first-person perspective. He is a scholar of classical literature and the Greek gods have tasked him with recording the events of the Trojan War. The Greek gods know about Homer's poem but are not allowed to know the contents, hence they set humans to check if the war is unfolding like Homer said it would.

The second storyline is about a group of robot-like beings called moravecs. They live and work at the asteroid belt and beyond. Their leaders have learned that there is a lot of quantum activity going on around Mars, which represents a threat to the entire solar system. (The details of the threat are a bit vague to the reader, but the moravecs take it seriously - and they know their science).
Four moravecs are sent on a mission to Mars to investigate.
It is clearly hinted that this "quantum activity" is in fact caused by the Greek gods, but the moravecs only meet Hockenberry and the Grecian pantheon at the end of the book.

A third storyline takes place on Earth, although not at the time of the Trojan war. The time seems to be about 2300 and humans are having a luxury life, their every need taken care of. Of course, in a novel, this means there is something wrong under the surface. A few of them suspect it and set out to learn more.
This third storyline never explicitly touches the other two, which makes "Illium" like reading two different novels.

The book ends, not quite on a cliffhanger, but with a lot of open conflict looming over both storylines. It is continued and concluded in the next book, "Olympos".

All in all, it as a good read with a nice mix of actual physics and speculation. The book includes discussions not only of Homer's Illiad, but also of Shakespeare and Proust. I was torn between giving it 3 and 4 stars, but the the lack of interaction between the different storylines made me settle on a lower score.