If this book doesn’t make one sit back and say hmmmm…or fuuuccckkk…or wtf did I just read and how are my pitiful little brain cells ever going to compIf this book doesn’t make one sit back and say hmmmm…or fuuuccckkk…or wtf did I just read and how are my pitiful little brain cells ever going to comprehend it? …I don’t know what book will. This is going to be a love it or loathe it kind of book (for the most part) and definitely one that will need to be reread to get everything from it, perhaps multiple times, but oh my, that means rereading Lowry’s pov and he was so loathsome and foul mouthed. I am sure I have never read the word fuck so many times in a narrative and initially it was a grind (I wonder how many readers tapped out at this point and dnffed?) To say it was distasteful was putting it far too mildly, and yet it is through Lowry’s distorted and unreliable pov where we learn so much and have ‘firsthand� experience of the truly epically twisted nature of area x. This was wildly imaginative, disturbing and engrossing and I am happily in the camp of loving it. I also fully admit to not totally understanding it, my mind filling in some of the voids, but I’ve never let a little thing like comprehension get in the way of a well crafted novel and I’m pretty sure the incomprehensible is part of the package and the point so I’m just going to happily roll with that....more
The stories I loved I really loved. The ones I loved were quirky, a little off centre with characters I enjoyed reading about. My favourites, one of wThe stories I loved I really loved. The ones I loved were quirky, a little off centre with characters I enjoyed reading about. My favourites, one of which was the couple who would reanimate after death and seek one another out in a most bizarre game of hide, seek and kill. Very unique love story, that one...more
I enjoyed this so much! It was clever and well put together with such an excellent premise for the world created. Tchaikovsky is one of the very few wI enjoyed this so much! It was clever and well put together with such an excellent premise for the world created. Tchaikovsky is one of the very few who can write science in a way that I find intriguing and accessible and my mind doesn’t do the blah blah blah thing that it likes to do when things get all sciencey. The story and pacing were so good, that had I started the book earlier in the day, I would certainly have finished it in one sitting. Something I appreciate about Tchaikovsky’s writing is that not everything is a gigantic tome in a series. There is almost something for everyone. Love big books? He’s written them. Love something short and quick? He’s written them. Want something lengthier within a series? Well, he’s got that covered too. He’s very versatile and though his work is recognizable it’s not formulaic. He approaches it with a question. A big what if and then follows it through to some interesting places and unique worlds and creatures. He seems endlessly inventive to me and I enjoy that as a reader. His book, Children of Time got me reading sci-fi and it’s books like this that keep me reading. I’m gushing so I’ll end this now but I sure did enjoy the hell out of this. And that ending! Anyways, very good stuff! ...more
3.5 Lovely Yuletide story that I listened to on Audible. It was a very nice production and I enjoyed my listen. I’m thinking though this might have be3.5 Lovely Yuletide story that I listened to on Audible. It was a very nice production and I enjoyed my listen. I’m thinking though this might have been better had I had a physical copy as the art would surely have enhanced the story. As it was I found it lacked enough time spent to feel truly immersed in the world and character, (though the animals were very well written). I’ll have to see if I can get my hands on a physical copy to add to my library....more
This was awesome! I loved everything about it and was very entertained. The audio version was top tier and learning that Tchaikovsky himself narrated This was awesome! I loved everything about it and was very entertained. The audio version was top tier and learning that Tchaikovsky himself narrated was a little shocking. Best author reading, (well almost best, Christopher Buehlman reading Blacktongue Thief is the very best in my humble opinion) but certainly very impressive. The story and characters were super engaging and it also had some interesting themes on purpose, autonomy, and the drawbacks to society and humanity in the face of relying too heavily on technology. As is always the case when I really love something I have less to say than ‘this was awesome!� Hate reviews practically write themselves, but love reviews are more challenging. I will say that the robots interacting with humans, well with anyone, was hilarious. The passive aggressive behaviours in the nano seconds of answering queries, or finding ways around not complying had me often laughing out loud which is reflected in the ratings. I’m a simple girl. If a book makes me laugh or cry to the extent this one did, it’s pretty much a 5 star read for me. ...more
3.25 I thought this began well. I enjoyed the perspective of C S Lewis� young self and I enjoyed the perspective of young George. I just didn’t really3.25 I thought this began well. I enjoyed the perspective of C S Lewis� young self and I enjoyed the perspective of young George. I just didn’t really enjoy the main character and I thought the pacing dragged as she persisted in trying to understand where Narnia came from. I didn’t think that how the question was pursued was realistic. There became a point where the two narratives didn’t quite come together in a way that was cohesive, believable or engaging. But what I liked, I liked and though I thought it dragged in parts, i didn’t feel the desire to dnf. I haven’t read Narnia, which if I had, and had enjoyed it, I may have enjoyed this more, but having read this has sparked an interest. ...more
I received this as an early Christmas gift from my sweet and generous daughter-in-law. It had Christmasy vibes which she knew I loved and I had fun woI received this as an early Christmas gift from my sweet and generous daughter-in-law. It had Christmasy vibes which she knew I loved and I had fun working on a Christmas puzzle while listening. Had some book love content as well which I always love to read about....more
I was hedging between 4.5 and 5 because though I had a very good time, I loved Service Model just a smidge more. But as I was processing the book beyoI was hedging between 4.5 and 5 because though I had a very good time, I loved Service Model just a smidge more. But as I was processing the book beyond it’s entertainment value, I had a lot to digest. Again, agency and free will are themes that are examined as they were explored in Dog’s War. But in Bear Head, the themes were explored from different povs that added another level of interest for me. There was an examination of power corrupting, from the viewpoints of very different beings with radically different intentions. Conclusion, robbing people of their agency and power to choose is not good no matter one’s intentions. From reading reviews there are many that took Thompson as representing Trump. I can’t say whether that’s true or not, but I could see the correlation between the 2, both lacking any conscience or moral imperative to not behave solely in one’s best interest. But when I contemplated the choice of dogs to be in a position to obey whether it was morally the right thing to do or not, I was put in mind of Martin Luther King’s eloquent letter from a Birmingham jail addressed to the clergymen, and church going folk who actively turned a blind eye to injustice and inequality. It’s disheartening sometimes to see how often sci-fi and dystopian writers get a bead on where we’re heading and all they have to do is look at where we are are right now. Anyways, good thought proving stuff while being entertaining with characters I enjoyed reading and a story and plot I was engaged with. ...more
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