David Bremner replied to Tak!'s status
@Tak@reading.taks.garden This book manages to be fun as well as grim
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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's books
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David Bremner wants to read Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the powerful Celestial …
David Bremner wants to read Afrotistic by Kala Allen Omeiza
Afrotistic
Noa Ohunene Jenkins doesn't feel Black enough. Or autistic enough. Or cool enough.
In her …
David Bremner wants to read An Outline History of East Asia to 1200 by Sarah Schneewind
Open Access textbook escholarship.org/uc/item/9d699767
Via @noracodes@weirder.earth
David Bremner commented on Afterland by Lauren Beukes
Most of the men are dead. Three years after the pandemic known as The Manfall, …
Second word of the second day: reprohibition.
David Bremner wants to read Under Fortunate Stars by Ren Hutchings
Under Fortunate Stars by Ren Hutchings
Fleeing the final days of the generations-long war with the alien Felen, smuggler Jereth Keeven's freighter the Jonah breaks down …
David Bremner replied to David Bremner's status
Word of the next day: sororicide
David Bremner commented on Afterland by Lauren Beukes
Most of the men are dead. Three years after the pandemic known as The Manfall, …
Word of the day: manplague
David Bremner started reading Afterland by Lauren Beukes
Most of the men are dead. Three years after the pandemic known as The Manfall, …
Nothing like a little post-apocalyptic social commentary to get one through the festive season.
David Bremner wants to read Scattered All Over the Earth by Yōko Tawada
Scattered All Over the Earth by Yōko Tawada
Welcome to the not-too-distant future: Japan, having vanished from the face of the earth, is now remembered as “the land …
David Bremner reviewed Jade City by Fonda Lee
"Stylish and action-packed, full of ambitious families and guilt-ridden loves, Jade City is an epic …
Not sad I read it, but I'll probably stop here.
4 stars
Overall this book felt very conventional to me. Not quite cliched, but following well trodden paths. Some of the characters have the potential to stretch the crime family framing, but they didn't really in this volume of the self described "saga".
I should confess that I would (and have) happily watch a TV show like this, but somehow my expectations for a book are a bit higher these days.
David Bremner commented on Jade City by Fonda Lee
"Stylish and action-packed, full of ambitious families and guilt-ridden loves, Jade City is an epic …
Interesting to read a 2017 "contemporary" novel without mobile phones.
David Bremner replied to David Bremner's status
I have just reached the stage where the book emphasizes "The warrior leader" more than the "Crime family". It is easy to see similarities to sword-and-sorcery type fantasy. The emphasis on "honour" also shows up in Japanese martial stories (Samurai/Ronin being the obvious analogues). I guess I don't know enough about "Kung Fu" movies / stories to see that connection as strongly.
David Bremner commented on Jade City by Fonda Lee
"Stylish and action-packed, full of ambitious families and guilt-ridden loves, Jade City is an epic …
This book reminds me of the Godfather, although my memories of that book have probably been merged with many other "Crime Family" stories.
David Bremner commented on Jade City by Fonda Lee
"Stylish and action-packed, full of ambitious families and guilt-ridden loves, Jade City is an epic …
To be fair, the "chosen people" trope is not exactly unexamined in the book