Reading in SF, September 2024

krisbslick said:
(But, I still have yet to read Peter Hamilton's new one - out later this month for us... common-folk. >_<)
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NetGalley approved the ARC for me as a brand new user with no history, a handful of friends on GoodReads, and only a few short public reviews. If you’re interested in checking it out early (and for free), it’s worth a shot!

The Kindle version is clean too; I’ve only found a couple of typos/issues in the first half of the book.
 
ZimFasa said:
NetGalley approved the ARC for me as a brand new user with no history, a handful of friends on GoodReads, and only a few short public reviews. If you’re interested in checking it out early (and for free), it’s worth a shot!
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I usually do most of my 'reading' via audiobooks these days, but maybe I will check it out, thanks!
 
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krisbslick said:
I usually do must of my 'reading' via audiobooks these days, but maybe I will check it out, thanks!
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Don't use it myself, but I think NetGalley offer audiobooks as well, these days, Kris. You have to use the NetGalley Shelf app, though.
 
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I just read Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future which is a 2014 anthology edited by Ed Finn & Kathryn Cramer. This is the resulting work from Project Hieroglyph, which was lead by author Neal Stephenson. The goal of this project was to write near-future stories that were on the whole positive, and which might spur innovation. There are a number of works by big names in the field of science fiction, and range from advances in the biological sciences to engineering. It’s an ambitious work.

Personally, I found it varied in interest to my tastes. While this is going to be true of every anthology, I found less here to like than usual for me. It might be the nature of the subject matter, and of course your experiences may be different. There are some stories that I found memorable, and others left me wishing they were over sooner. I like that the theme of the anthology avoided dystopian tales, and tried to tend toward positivity. There’s a lot of supporting materials associated with each story, which is a nice aspect of this concept.
 
By the way, Sunday was Star Trek day.
The premiers of various shows are on YouTube. The Cage from TOS is there.

Don't know how long they will be left up.

2 more years and Trek will be 60.
 
psikeyhackr said:
By the way, Sunday was Star Trek day.
The premiers of various shows are on YouTube. The Cage from TOS is there.

Don't know how long they will be left up.

2 more years and Trek will be 60.
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I didn't know there was a Star Trek day, what does the date signify?
 
I’m listening to audiobook Stringers by Chris Panatier. It’s mostly a humorous alien abduction / adventure story, but not without high stakes for mankind (and other lifeforms in the universe). A lot of the humor is centered around main character’s savant-like knowledge of bizarre biological facts about bugs (e.g. how they reproduce) and trivia about watches (so mileage may vary relative to the humor). I’m enjoying it so far.
 
blailock said:
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I finished Demon in White, #3 in the Sun Eater series by Ruocchio. I really enjoyed this one. The only negative for me was that it was a door stopper. I think this was the best of the series so far.
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And there's a quote from me on the front cover! (Admittedly from Book One, mind...) Hadn't seen that before., thanks for sharing, Blailock! :)
 
dannymcg said:
I didn't know there was a Star Trek day, what does the date signify?
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Phasers on full power Mr. Sulu. Fire until power down to 80%. FIRE!

September 8, 1966

The very first day that Spock, Kirk and McCoy beamed into American homes. Of course it was preceded by months of advertising.

The Man Trap

I watched it. I was rather disappointed since it was an evil monster episode. I had been reading SF for 5 years by that time and had unrealistic expectations of television. Most episodes were better though. I don't understand why that one was first.
 
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Finished "Custer at the Alamo" by Gregory Urbach. An alt world / time travel tale where General George Armstrong Custer and scattered elements of the 7th Cavalry do not perish at Little Big Horn and find themselves transported to Texas 1836 due to the machinations of a Lakota Sioux Medicine Man. Landing some 40 years earlier at the time of the Battle of the Alamo in Texas.

Having just finished fighting in the Civil war, all of Custer's battle hardened vets have low opinions of any type of slavery. What transpires is a new battle at the Alamo against the armies of Santa Anna. And an attempt to change the course of history and create a true Free State in Texas and possibly, avert the oncoming Civil War. Well told tale with many historical figures playing parts. Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie to name a few.

On to the next book, "Custer and Crockett: After the Alamo"
 
Started The Exodus Gambit (House Adamant 1) by G Stewart and I quite like it so far - the usual ruling family of a planet is decapitated in a sneak attack by a member desiring the crown but lower on the succession pole but one junior member of the ruling house (a daughter who is an officer in the Planetary Navy here) survives by luck and wants to get back her rights and the throne, but well done and with interesting characters and setup.

Blurb:
In a single ruthless blow, Commander Lorraine Adamant’s favorite uncle murders everyone ahead of him in the succession for the Star Kingdom of Adamant. Only luck and the paranoia of her bodyguard, Vigo Jarret, saves Lorraine’s life. On the run in a single starship Lorraine should never have commanded, with a crew she can not trust, she swiftly learns her uncle’s hounds are hot on her heels. She must gather every skill, every trick, she has ever learned if she is to survive—and pray the uncle who taught her those tricks is a step behind. Because one thing is certain: Lorraine Adamant will save her Kingdom—or die.
 
suciul said:
Started The Exodus Gambit (House Adamant 1) by G Stewart and I quite like it so far - the usual ruling family of a planet is decapitated in a sneak attack by a member desiring the crown but lower on the succession pole but one junior member of the ruling house (a daughter who is an officer in the Planetary Navy here) survives by luck and wants to get back her rights and the throne, but well done and with interesting characters and setup.

Blurb:
In a single ruthless blow, Commander Lorraine Adamant’s favorite uncle murders everyone ahead of him in the succession for the Star Kingdom of Adamant. Only luck and the paranoia of her bodyguard, Vigo Jarret, saves Lorraine’s life. On the run in a single starship Lorraine should never have commanded, with a crew she can not trust, she swiftly learns her uncle’s hounds are hot on her heels. She must gather every skill, every trick, she has ever learned if she is to survive—and pray the uncle who taught her those tricks is a step behind. Because one thing is certain: Lorraine Adamant will save her Kingdom—or die.
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It's like Long Ballad in space. :)

As for me, I'm finishing Sinophagia: A Celebration of Chinese Horror 2024. The title speaks for itself. It's a collection of modern Chinese horror stories translated into English. To be honest, the traditional ghost and shape-shifter stories were better.
 
DNF on, ""Custer and Crockett: After the Alamo" by Gregory Urbach. The first book was okay, but some of the assumptions in the 2nd book are not working for me. Yes, it's fiction. But you can't take liberties with known geographical distances.

Like the plan for Custer to accompany a regiment to Sutter's Mill in California to take advantage of the gold found there before the historical strike. They'll be gone a for a few weeks.

A couple of years more likely. Its over 2000 miles from Galveston to Sutter's Mill. On horseback with wagons through Indian territories over mountains and rivers. No roads in 1836. Really?

I've got 3 books going now and none of them are really clicking...sigh.
 
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