Phil in SF started reading The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal
It's 1963, and riots and sabotage plague the space program. The climate change caused by …
Starting the third Lady Astronaut audiobook at Emeryville on Amtrak.
Reviews and Comments
I have moved my Bookwyrming to @kingrat@sfba.club
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Phil in SF commented on Emperor of Ruin by Django Wexler
Emperor of Ruin (2023, Orbit)
Like the first two books in the series, I'm really enjoying Emperor of Ruin. There are a lot of side quests tho.
Phil in SF reviewed The Poison Squad by Deborah Blum
From Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times-bestselling author Deborah Blum, the dramatic true story …
Solid history of early food regulation in the US
4 stars
I found myself fascinated by the chapters covering Harvey Wiley's early investigations and efforts. Once the book became about the political machinations after the law was passed, i became less interested. Business applying secret pressure to get regulations eased is a well trod tale
Phil in SF commented on The Poison Squad by Deborah Blum
From Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times-bestselling author Deborah Blum, the dramatic true story …
After 20+ years of advocacy Harvey Wiley sees the Pure Food and Drug Act. Upton Sinclair's The Jungle was published widely just before, though apparently it omitted a pro socialism ending that had been present in the original serial.
Phil in SF started reading The Poison Squad by Deborah Blum
From Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times-bestselling author Deborah Blum, the dramatic true story …
Picked up The Poison Squad a few years ago in order to have more science books by women, though this one seems to be a bit of science and a bit of history.
Phil in SF reviewed Die Trying by Lee Child
Jack Reacher, alone, strolling nowhere. A Chicago street in bright sunshine. A young woman, struggling …
Pure Jason Bourne style action
3 stars
Content warning Spoilers, mild
It's Jack Reacher. There's a dozen or more books in the series. Reacher is going to survive until those books. In Die Trying, Reacher accidentally stumbles across a plot by a Montana militia to kidnap the president's god daughter and hold her hostage so that the militia can declare a remote Montana county independent. They think the president will let them because of his god daughter. But Jack Reacher doesn't miss at 1200 yards. Ludicrous, sure. But I don't read Jack Reacher for a plot that makes a lick of sense.
Phil in SF commented on Die Trying by Lee Child
Jack Reacher, alone, strolling nowhere. A Chicago street in bright sunshine. A young woman, struggling …
This is only the second Jack Reacher novel I've picked up, so maybe this changes in the future. But I really enjoy that there's no real sense of danger. Jack Reacher is such an über competent badass that I know he's not going to get more than a scratch. It means the story is not really allowed to have possibility, but I'm in the mood for a predictable story.
Phil in SF wants to read Emperor of Ruin by Django Wexler
Emperor of Ruin (2023, Orbit)
Added to hold list at Sno-Isle Libraries. (Try #2 at this status.)
Phil in SF reviewed Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott
Princess Sun has finally come of age.
Growing up in the shadow of her mother, …
Convoluted and busy
3 stars
Court intrigue and space opera. As i noted in a previous comment, the plot in Unconquerable Sun is convoluted and busy. Even after finishing the book, I still don't understand most of what happened.
Phil in SF commented on Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott
Princess Sun has finally come of age.
Growing up in the shadow of her mother, …
This book is far too complicated and "busy" for my taste. But I'm already halfway through, so I might as well finish it.
Phil in SF reviewed The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey
Best book I've read in ages
5 stars
Easily the most engrossing book I've read in a long time. Take science fiction (cloning) and mix it with domestic suspense (murder!) into a very compelling and original plot. Rather than presenting the reader with a babyface and heels, the book has complex characters that lean toward mean because they come from damaging backgrounds. And while I didn't want to root for them, the story drew me in to where I wanted to see everyone have a satisfying end, rather than get what they deserved.
The background of these characters makes the story extremely layered and rich, but a warning. As the author writes in their acknowledgements, The Echo Wife is about abuse, grooming and identity. My abuse was long enough ago, and my psyche is hard to damage these days. The specific situations described are also dissimilar enough from what I faced that I did not have trouble with …
Easily the most engrossing book I've read in a long time. Take science fiction (cloning) and mix it with domestic suspense (murder!) into a very compelling and original plot. Rather than presenting the reader with a babyface and heels, the book has complex characters that lean toward mean because they come from damaging backgrounds. And while I didn't want to root for them, the story drew me in to where I wanted to see everyone have a satisfying end, rather than get what they deserved.
The background of these characters makes the story extremely layered and rich, but a warning. As the author writes in their acknowledgements, The Echo Wife is about abuse, grooming and identity. My abuse was long enough ago, and my psyche is hard to damage these days. The specific situations described are also dissimilar enough from what I faced that I did not have trouble with my own memories while reading. However, there are a lot of people for whom this will be tough reading. Check your headspace before diving in.
Phil in SF commented on The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey
Still digging this. Our protagonist, self involved and oblivious, ignores another's subtle warning. And now they're all one bit more screwed. Noir
Phil in SF commented on The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey
Content warning Mild spoiler
Still early, but still brilliant. Gailey makes Evelyn a wronged woman, but mean as hell when she's hurt. The ex calls her a hornet, for good reason. At this point, The Echo Wife has also established the plot point in the back cover synopsis: her husband is murdered and Evelyn cold-heartedly is going to help cover it up because she and the clone have the same DNA. It would look like she did it if she went to the police. (Though a previous chapter established that clones have a DNA marker, so something is weird here.) Anyway, after this, any spoilers will be serious spoilers, so I'll probably hold off on spoilers from now on.
Phil in SF wants to read The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz
From science fiction visionary Annalee Newitz comes The Terraformers, a sweeping, uplifting, and illuminating exploration …
On hold with King County Libraries. At 9 weeks, it was the shortest wait of any of the 8 libraries at which I have a library card. People, including me, want to read this book.