David Bremner commented on Before They Are Hanged by abercrombie-joe
Content warning vague plot discussion
The violence in some scenes is tough going for me. I stalled for a few weeks at the first battle with the Northmen.
Reviews and Comments
computer scientist, mathematician, photographer, human. Debian Developer, Notmuch Maintainer, scuba diver
Much of my "reading" these days is actually audiobooks while walking.
FediMain: bremner@mathstodon.xyz
bremner@bookwyrm.social is also me. Trying a smaller instance to see if the delays are less maddening.
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David Bremner wants to read Autopsy of a Crime Lab by Brandon L. Garrett
Based on a thread from glammr.us/@platypus
David Bremner finished reading Gallant by Victoria Schwab
Gallant (2022, Greenwillow Books)
Just the right amount of scary. I found this more compelling than the last book from the "Colour of Magic" series I read. Now I'm wondering if I should revisit the latter.
David Bremner finished reading Autonomous by Annalee Newitz
Autonomous features a rakish female pharmaceutical pirate named Jack who traverses the world in her …
As if Neal Stephenson had an editor, and a bit more nuanced politics.
David Bremner reviewed Ancestral Night by Elizabeth Bear
Solid space opera
4 stars
It would be unfair to call it derivative but it seems clear the author is an Ian M Banks / Culture novels fan. What makes the book interesting for me is the exploration of the question of "what if effective and precise self-regulation of brain chemistry was possible". This has interesting ripple effects on politics and the definition of personal autonomy.
David Bremner finished reading The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey
I’m embarrassed, still, by how long it took me to notice. Everything was right there …
This is really good, I would say genre transcending. While reading it, I had the (probably trite) thought that good books make you think about the system, great books make you think about your self.
David Bremner commented on Translation State by Ann Leckie
Qven was created to be a Presger translator. The pride of their Clade, they always …
At points this felt a bit like a murderbot homage (or at least a sly reference).
David Bremner finished reading Translation State by Ann Leckie
Qven was created to be a Presger translator. The pride of their Clade, they always …
I'm a fan of the Ancillary books, so probably biased, but I enjoyed this. Just enough thinking with my coming-of-age-space-adventure.
David Bremner started reading Ancestral Night by Elizabeth Bear
For once I think the cover comparisons to other space-opera luminaries like Alistair Reynolds or Iain M Banks are fair. I have yet to decide if there is anything deeper there, but am enjoying it so far. It also upended my ideas of Elizabeth Bear as a writer, so that's a feature.
David Bremner finished reading The Unbroken by C. L. Clark
Touraine is a soldier. Stolen as a child and raised to kill and die for …
Overall I found it decent, but it was a bit of a slog. I think most of the character + world building could have been done with less words. I listened to it on audiobook, which usually makes long books somewhat easier to (passively?) take.
David Bremner wants to read Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane Staxxx” Stacker are the stars of the Chain-Gang All-Stars, the …
Based on a review by wandering.shop/@Pheebsdw
"Mankind will not get to fight for its destiny. They must sing. A century ago, …
Good, but not that kind of Space Opera
4 stars
Fans of Alastair Reynolds, beware, this is not your stuff. Fans of Douglas Adams, you will probably like this, if you can admit that on some level, Valente is the better writer. Or perhaps it just seems so to me because the satire is more on point for current events.
The overall arc of the story is not too surprising, but there are many extremely quotable quips. Valente seems to have a gift for humorous (pop or otherwise) culture references.
Not to talk down the book, which has no pretensions of being more than what it is, but I look forward to reading Valente putting that raw wordpower to something a little more ambitious.
David Bremner started reading Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente (duplicate)
"Mankind will not get to fight for its destiny. They must sing. A century ago, …
Starting my first @Catvalente@wandering.shop book, wish me luck!
David Bremner finished reading The found and the lost by Ursula K. Le Guin
[This book] represents the first time that all of Le Guin novellas have been collected …
Amazing. Changed my view of the novella as an art form.
David Bremner commented on Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee
Ester's family was torn apart when a manticore killed her mother and baby brother, leaving …
No spoons for reviews ATM, but I will say I would probably read a sequel where I kindof had enough after Jade City.