SciFiOne's bookshelf: all en-US Tue, 29 Apr 2025 09:55:52 -0700 60 SciFiOne's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Technos / A Scatter of Stardust]]> 7197231
Contents:
Technos � [Dumarest] � (1972) � novel by E. C. Tubb

A Scatter of Stardust � (1972) � collection by E. C. Tubb
p. 5 � The Bells of Acheron � (1957) � shortstory by E. C. Tubb
p. 15 � Anne � (1966) � shortstory by E. C. Tubb
p. 23 � Return Visit � (1958) � shortstory by E. C. Tubb
p. 41 � The Shrine � (1960) � shortstory by E. C. Tubb
p. 49 � Survival Demands! � (1972) � shortstory by E. C. Tubb
p. 59 � Little Girl Lost � (1955) � shortstory by E. C. Tubb
p. 74 � The Eyes of Silence � (1957) � shortstory by E. C. Tubb (aka Eyes of Silence)
p. 87 � Enchanter's Encounter � (1959) � novelette by E. C. Tubb]]> 255 E.C. Tubb SciFiOne 4 scifi, scifi-fantasy A Scatter of Stardust, not read
Technos (Dumarest 7), grade B]]> 3.73 Technos / A Scatter of Stardust
author: E.C. Tubb
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.73
book published:
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/04/29
shelves: scifi, scifi-fantasy
review:
Ace Double Novel 441-79975-095
A Scatter of Stardust, not read
Technos (Dumarest 7), grade B
]]> Homecoming (Yngling, #2) 2348266 247 John Dalmas 0812534719 SciFiOne 4 scifi 1988 grade B- 3.41 Homecoming (Yngling, #2)
author: John Dalmas
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.41
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 1987/01/01
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: scifi
review:
1988 grade B-
]]> Monument 1905401
It was a world of dazzling but deadly beauty, where pleasure was man's most precious birthright. In this lost colony the inhabitants had forgotten the very existence of Earth. Only one man remembered. He foresaw the awesome consequences if this paradise were ever rediscovered.

Monument

The novel of a frightening future - a planet in mortal combat with an alien universe.]]> 215 Lloyd Biggle Jr. 0553028774 SciFiOne 5 scifi-fantasy, scifi 2002 Grade A
2024 Grade A

Another enjoyable read by Biggle about commoners fighting for their lives against "civilization." This one is the natives of a limited but beautiful planet verses the government, the courts, and a money hungry corporation owner who wants to turn it into a giant resort. The natives win thanks to a plan and money left behind by an earlier crash landed pilot. It is a little slow and annoying during the courtroom crap, which I tended to speed read, but has an excellent twist ending.

Very Recommended.]]> 3.78 Monument
author: Lloyd Biggle Jr.
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.78
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/30
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: scifi-fantasy, scifi
review:
1986 Grade A+
2002 Grade A
2024 Grade A

Another enjoyable read by Biggle about commoners fighting for their lives against "civilization." This one is the natives of a limited but beautiful planet verses the government, the courts, and a money hungry corporation owner who wants to turn it into a giant resort. The natives win thanks to a plan and money left behind by an earlier crash landed pilot. It is a little slow and annoying during the courtroom crap, which I tended to speed read, but has an excellent twist ending.

Very Recommended.
]]> Planet of No Return 2125105 128 Poul Anderson SciFiOne 4 wishlist Grade B 3.35 1956 Planet of No Return
author: Poul Anderson
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.35
book published: 1956
rating: 4
read at: 1983/01/01
date added: 2025/04/16
shelves: wishlist
review:
Grade B
]]> Question and Answer 715293 147 Poul Anderson 0441697704 SciFiOne 0 <br /> 3.45 1956 Question and Answer
author: Poul Anderson
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.45
book published: 1956
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/16
shelves:
review:


]]> The Psionic Menace 7231138
The Starfolk, arrogant masters of vast stretches of the cosmos beyond the Earth's sphere of influence, were determined to complete the extermination of the mind-reading mutants of Regnier's planet.

But to the mutants themselves, the terror of the Starfolk was nothing compared to the greater dread that gripped their spirits - the obsession that the universe itself was doomed. This obsession ripped into their minds, overwhelmed them, and plunged them into horrifying hysteria.

The message of room reached the ears of the Starfolk themselves, forcing the to a fateful decision. They would allow an Earthman, archeologist Philip Gascon, to visit Regnier in an attempt to unravel its secrets. What he found would either contain the key to the ultimate destiny of the universe - or the date of the doomsday.]]> Keith Woodcott SciFiOne 4 scifi, scifi-fantasy grade B]]> 3.12 1963 The Psionic Menace
author: Keith Woodcott
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.12
book published: 1963
rating: 4
read at: 1984/01/01
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: scifi, scifi-fantasy
review:
Ace Double Novel F199
grade B
]]> Spellsinger (Spellsinger #1) 6899566 0 Alan Dean Foster 0446341959 SciFiOne 4 2004 grade B+

Series book SS1]]> 3.58 1983 Spellsinger (Spellsinger #1)
author: Alan Dean Foster
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.58
book published: 1983
rating: 4
read at: 2004/01/01
date added: 2024/11/07
shelves: scifi-fantasy, currently-reading
review:
1984 grade B
2004 grade B+

Series book SS1
]]> <![CDATA[A Haunting in Venice: A Hercule Poirot Mystery]]> 123239379 259 Agatha Christie 0063342960 SciFiOne 3 true-mystery
The book was originally titled Hallowe'en Party when done in 1969. Venice has nothing to do with the original. This title is from the reprint to advertise the 2023 movie by this name. As for the original story, I don't recommend it. It is very verbose and too long. I speed read a lot and still had trouble. One paragraph in the post climax summation was actually two pages long. I did not read that either. But I picked it up in a roadside free library and will put it in another one. So no money lost.

Not recommended.]]> 3.30 1969 A Haunting in Venice: A Hercule Poirot Mystery
author: Agatha Christie
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.30
book published: 1969
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/24
date added: 2024/10/25
shelves: true-mystery
review:
2024 Grade C-

The book was originally titled Hallowe'en Party when done in 1969. Venice has nothing to do with the original. This title is from the reprint to advertise the 2023 movie by this name. As for the original story, I don't recommend it. It is very verbose and too long. I speed read a lot and still had trouble. One paragraph in the post climax summation was actually two pages long. I did not read that either. But I picked it up in a roadside free library and will put it in another one. So no money lost.

Not recommended.
]]> <![CDATA[Dragonsong (Pern: Harper Hall, #1)]]> 28543 A YOUNG GIRL'S DESTINY AWAITS...

Every two hundred years or so, shimmering Threads fall from space, raining death and black ruin on Pern. The great dragons of Pern hurl themselves through the beleagured skies, flaming tongues of fire to destroy deadly Thread and save the Planet.

But it was not Threadfall that made young Menolly unhappy. It was her father who betrayed her ambition to be a Harper, who thwarted her love of music. Menolly had no choice but to run away.

When, suddenly, she came upon a group of fire lizards, wild and smaller relatives of the fire-breathing dragons, she let her music swirl around them and taught nine of them to sing.

Suddenly Menolly was no longer alone -- she was Mistress of Music and Ward of the dazzling fire dragons.

The Dragonriders of Pern series continues in Dragonsinger.]]> 176 Anne McCaffrey 0553120441 SciFiOne 5 scifi-fantasy
Dragonsong
by Anne McCaffrey

1977 Grade A-
2010 Grade A
2024 Grade A+

Wow. Many books maintain their quality. This one just keeps getting better! It is only 176 paperback pages long and I read it in one physical day. The young woman protagonist is treated quite badly in the first part (30-40 pages) but the rest of the book makes up for it. I did speed through small parts of the maltreatment..

She lives in a remote fishing village that does not approve of woman musicians. She runs away for the second part and lives alone in a dangerous rural world where she actually thrives and makes friends with "fire lizard" hatchlings. The third and final part starts when she is rescued when in deadly peril. At which point she lives in what is called a wher, a place where "dragon riders" live and protect the planet from sky born danger. At the end of that she leaves to join the leading music school on the planet.

YES this is science fiction. That is made very clear in the Forward.

It is also Very RECOMMENDED.]]> 4.30 1976 Dragonsong (Pern: Harper Hall, #1)
author: Anne McCaffrey
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.30
book published: 1976
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/19
date added: 2024/10/19
shelves: scifi-fantasy
review:
Series book P09 and S1

Dragonsong
by Anne McCaffrey

1977 Grade A-
2010 Grade A
2024 Grade A+

Wow. Many books maintain their quality. This one just keeps getting better! It is only 176 paperback pages long and I read it in one physical day. The young woman protagonist is treated quite badly in the first part (30-40 pages) but the rest of the book makes up for it. I did speed through small parts of the maltreatment..

She lives in a remote fishing village that does not approve of woman musicians. She runs away for the second part and lives alone in a dangerous rural world where she actually thrives and makes friends with "fire lizard" hatchlings. The third and final part starts when she is rescued when in deadly peril. At which point she lives in what is called a wher, a place where "dragon riders" live and protect the planet from sky born danger. At the end of that she leaves to join the leading music school on the planet.

YES this is science fiction. That is made very clear in the Forward.

It is also Very RECOMMENDED.
]]> <![CDATA[The Burning Issue of the Day (Lady Hardcastle Mysteries, #5)]]> 42963079
When Lady Hardcastle receives a letter from a suffragette requesting her urgent help, the retired spy turned sleuth knows only she stands between an accused young woman and the gallows. Evidence at the scene makes Lizzie Worrel's innocence difficult to believe, and with the police treating it as an open-and-shut case of arson, Lady Hardcastle faces a barrage of resistance as she tries to dig out the truth.

With her trusted maid and confidante, the formidable Flo, Lady Hardcastle sets off in pursuit of the truth as time runs out for the accused suffragette. Was she set up? And if so, is the real culprit a traitor to the cause - or part of a darker conspiracy?

Listening Length: 9 hours and 19 minutes]]> 315 T.E. Kinsey 1542041147 SciFiOne 3 true-mystery by T E Kinsey

2024 Grade C

As with most books in a series with the same characters, this one suffers from sameness. Usually other characters and the situation are used to make up for the deficiencies. That did not work on this one. I could not read for long without getting bored (nice for naps) and it took me a couple of weeks to finish it. I won't be reading any more.]]> 4.34 2019 The Burning Issue of the Day (Lady Hardcastle Mysteries, #5)
author: T.E. Kinsey
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/16
date added: 2024/10/19
shelves: true-mystery
review:
The Burning Issue Of The Day (Lady Hardcastle Mystery #5)
by T E Kinsey

2024 Grade C

As with most books in a series with the same characters, this one suffers from sameness. Usually other characters and the situation are used to make up for the deficiencies. That did not work on this one. I could not read for long without getting bored (nice for naps) and it took me a couple of weeks to finish it. I won't be reading any more.
]]> Dragondrums (Harper Hall, #3) 28553
Mischievous Piemur is used to getting away with a lot. He has one of the most impressive voices at Harper Hall and, in the world of Pern, there are few things more important than the ability to sing and write songs. But when his voice begins to change, Piemur loses all confidence and questions everything he thought he knew about himself.

No longer capable of singing, Piemur is sent on various errands by Masterharper Robinton, including the task of learning the complicated beats of the messenger drums. Piemur has no clue of the grand adventures that await him, and he’ll need to find the courage within himself to survive.]]> 243 Anne McCaffrey 0689860064 SciFiOne 5 scifi-fantasy
Dragondrums (book 3 of the Harper series)
by Anne McCaffrey

1977 Grade A-
2010 Grade A+
2024 Grade A-

The first 2/3 of this installment of the Harper series again includes the prejudices of the previous books. But it follows Piemer, a young male apprentice from book 2. It also gets much more interesting when he leaves the school on an assignment and extremely interesting after he escapes to the south.

I can Recommend this one.]]> 4.08 1979 Dragondrums (Harper Hall, #3)
author: Anne McCaffrey
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1979
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/26
date added: 2024/10/19
shelves: scifi-fantasy
review:
Series book P11 and S3

Dragondrums (book 3 of the Harper series)
by Anne McCaffrey

1977 Grade A-
2010 Grade A+
2024 Grade A-

The first 2/3 of this installment of the Harper series again includes the prejudices of the previous books. But it follows Piemer, a young male apprentice from book 2. It also gets much more interesting when he leaves the school on an assignment and extremely interesting after he escapes to the south.

I can Recommend this one.
]]> <![CDATA[Dragonsinger (Pern: Harper Hall, #2)]]> 28549
Menolly arrived in triumph at the Harper Hall, aboard a bronze dragon. She had run away from home and lived in a cave, outrun the dread Threadfall, impressed nine fire lizards and written songs that pleased the Masterharper of Pern. But what was her future at the hall to be? It seemed she was always late or her fire lizards underfoot, and why didn't any of the other girls like her? Now that there was nothing to keep her from her beloved music and fire lizards, could Menolly learn to live among others, realize her talent and find her rightful place in the future of Pern?

In this second breathtaking fantasy in Anne McCaffrey's Harper Hall Trilogy, Menolly develops her studies to become a Harper as well as her relationship with the nine fire lizards.]]> 240 Anne McCaffrey 0553225561 SciFiOne 5 scifi-fantasy
Sep 20, 2024
Dragonsinger
by Anne McCaffrey (Book 2 in the hHarper series)

1977 Grade A+
2010 Grade A-
2024 Grade B+

Seven days in the Harperhall (music school/college). It follows Menolly (protagonist from Dragonsong) from apprentice status (immediately after Dragonsong) to journeyman after seven days and introduces many new characters. That's it. There is no other story.

And there is so much prejudice, maltreatment, inequality, and every "ism" known to man, that I wondered how bad the author's early life was. Since she was born in 1926 and attended boarding school, it might have been bad by modern standards.

I can't really recommend this one, especially for reading right after book 1. Still, it is a good book.]]> 4.32 1977 Dragonsinger (Pern: Harper Hall, #2)
author: Anne McCaffrey
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.32
book published: 1977
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/20
date added: 2024/10/19
shelves: scifi-fantasy
review:
Series book P10 and S2

Sep 20, 2024
Dragonsinger
by Anne McCaffrey (Book 2 in the hHarper series)

1977 Grade A+
2010 Grade A-
2024 Grade B+

Seven days in the Harperhall (music school/college). It follows Menolly (protagonist from Dragonsong) from apprentice status (immediately after Dragonsong) to journeyman after seven days and introduces many new characters. That's it. There is no other story.

And there is so much prejudice, maltreatment, inequality, and every "ism" known to man, that I wondered how bad the author's early life was. Since she was born in 1926 and attended boarding school, it might have been bad by modern standards.

I can't really recommend this one, especially for reading right after book 1. Still, it is a good book.
]]> Beyond Eden 6344080
...Great because their discovery opened out into a future of opportunity and abundance.

...Terrible because the living Water intensified men's inherent tendencies for good or for evil. As individuals, tiny were free to drink the living Water...if they dared. As scientists they faced a graver problem. What would the world make of their discovery: another Hell...

...or another Eden?]]> 169 David Duncan SciFiOne 5 scifi 1995 Grade A
2024 Grade B+

Kind of out of date at this point but a rather fun read. Style wise it has some data dump style half page paragraphs. But they are easy to speed read. Just jump to the end of the paragraph. I did that. The rest is easy to follow and fast reading. Story wise it is about an old desert water project that starts growing things too productively. I doubt this project would even be considered in our current world. I would still lightly recommend the book with those conditions.]]> 3.64 1955 Beyond Eden
author: David Duncan
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.64
book published: 1955
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/11
date added: 2024/09/13
shelves: scifi
review:
1976 Grade B
1995 Grade A
2024 Grade B+

Kind of out of date at this point but a rather fun read. Style wise it has some data dump style half page paragraphs. But they are easy to speed read. Just jump to the end of the paragraph. I did that. The rest is easy to follow and fast reading. Story wise it is about an old desert water project that starts growing things too productively. I doubt this project would even be considered in our current world. I would still lightly recommend the book with those conditions.
]]> The Light That Never Was 8530455 MESZ?"

Art critics are notoriously inhuman - and on Donov many of them were physically inhuman as well. Donov was a planet devoted to the arts. People came from all over the galaxy to attend its galleries and meets its artists. And many of its best artists were not human either.

But when a rising tide of anti-alien pogroms and riots begin zeroing in on Donov from outer sace, it became clear that there was a plot afoot that had nothing to do with art criticism. It had to do with planetary genocide.

And that's the basus of Lloyd Biggle's most ingenious and suspenseful space novel since THE WORLD MENDERS.]]> 192 Lloyd Biggle Jr. 0879970529 SciFiOne 4 scifi, scifi-fantasy 1994 Grade A
2012 Grade A
2024 Grade B+

Biggle is noted for writing socio-political novels dealing with one of the fine arts and with persecution of some group. This time it is painters and aliens. One of his noted novels in this category is "The Still Small Voice Of Trumpets." "The Light..." was noted by a critic as being "Refreshing different." If that means excellent story but not expertly written, I agree. I found there was too much detail, some of which was unnecessary, and it was too predictable and long. I also found it difficult to speed read and could only read for about 30 min before going to or falling asleep. Still, the story is very good and I recommend it as a first read only.
]]> 3.67 1972 The Light That Never Was
author: Lloyd Biggle Jr.
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1972
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/07
date added: 2024/09/13
shelves: scifi, scifi-fantasy
review:
1979 Grade A+
1994 Grade A
2012 Grade A
2024 Grade B+

Biggle is noted for writing socio-political novels dealing with one of the fine arts and with persecution of some group. This time it is painters and aliens. One of his noted novels in this category is "The Still Small Voice Of Trumpets." "The Light..." was noted by a critic as being "Refreshing different." If that means excellent story but not expertly written, I agree. I found there was too much detail, some of which was unnecessary, and it was too predictable and long. I also found it difficult to speed read and could only read for about 30 min before going to or falling asleep. Still, the story is very good and I recommend it as a first read only.

]]> Dream Park (Dream Park, #1) 3007417 434 Larry Niven 0441167276 SciFiOne 5 scifi, abandoned Series book D1
Written with Steven Barnes
==========================================
Aug 31, 2024
Dream Park
by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes

1983 Grade A+
2024 Grade Z

Although I rated it grade A 40 years ago, I could not get into it this time and abandoned it early, on page 76 of 434. Up to that point it was all character introduction and world building. As for the world, it is an unrealistic expansion of gaming idea to real world games. As for the characters, they were all so similar that I lost track of who was who. It is probably a good first time read though. But I have others in my collection to read..]]> 3.85 1981 Dream Park (Dream Park, #1)
author: Larry Niven
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.85
book published: 1981
rating: 5
read at: 1984/01/01
date added: 2024/09/13
shelves: scifi, abandoned
review:
1984 grade A
Series book D1
Written with Steven Barnes
==========================================
Aug 31, 2024
Dream Park
by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes

1983 Grade A+
2024 Grade Z

Although I rated it grade A 40 years ago, I could not get into it this time and abandoned it early, on page 76 of 434. Up to that point it was all character introduction and world building. As for the world, it is an unrealistic expansion of gaming idea to real world games. As for the characters, they were all so similar that I lost track of who was who. It is probably a good first time read though. But I have others in my collection to read..
]]> The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress 1061929
It is a tale of revolution, of the rebellion of a former penal colony on the Moon against its masters on the Earth. It is a tale of a culture whose family structures are based on the presence of two men for every woman, leading to novel forms of marriage and family. It is the story of the disparate people, a computer technician, a vigorous young female agitator, and an elderly academic who become the movement's leaders, and of Mike, the supercomputer whose sentience is known only to the revolt's inner circle, who for reasons of his own is committed to the revolution's ultimate success.]]> 302 Robert A. Heinlein 0425016013 SciFiOne 5 scifi
1967, 1976, 1991, 2011, 2021, 2024 grade A+

As you can see, I read this again, 6th time. It is still grade A+ and the previous review is also on this post.

My original paperback version is 300 pages long. It was wearing out so I bought a new hard bound copy. The story is told in three parts.

The first part is fully half the book. It is almost all character development and world building (which includes setting up the reason the moon colony needs to be an independent nation). This is my favorite part of the story.

The third quarter is the lunar leaders difficult trip to earth and the politics of trying to get recognition. I don't care for politics but still enjoyed this section.

The last part is the fast moving war. The colonists win but a lot of people die including some family and friends. Indeed, the two supporting characters, without whom the war would have failed, die. This part was pretty much riveting and the end is strong and good.

Recommended!

==================

1967, 1976, 1991, 2011, 2021 grade A+

An earlier novel "The Rolling Stones" takes place about 80 years after this story and uses some of the same characters. But each book reads just fine on its own. No particular order is necessary at all.

In my opinion this is not only Heinlein's best novel but is my favorite novel period. So I am biased. The story is about humans shipped to the moon who are stuck there because of the physiological changes low gravity causes. They work under the the iron fist of an earth governing body, and have the inevitable and necessary revolution. Yes it is patterned a bit around the English colonies of the mid 1700s, especially the USA and Australia.

The first half of the book is the best character driven world building I've seen. The culture developed by the group of ex-convicts shipped to the moon and their later children is amazing. It does include many of the author's strange ways of life in case that bothers you. Very, very little is explicit. The prose is written in their abbreviated English but is easy to get the hang of and read despite the missing words. The discussions of what it would take to have a revolution are detailed and interesting. I never got bored in this section. It was possible to stop reading but stopping places had to be carefully picked.

The next third is mostly the difficult journey to earth of two moon representatives to obtain recognition as an independent country. This section is a little tedious and I admit to skimming thru small sections of it. But this was my fifth time reading it.

Recognition was refused so the last sixth is the war. I read this non-stop in one 2.5 hour section. A warning though, not all the protagonists survive.

Recommended!!]]> 4.08 1966 The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
author: Robert A. Heinlein
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1966
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/22
date added: 2024/08/25
shelves: scifi
review:
Aug 22, 2021

1967, 1976, 1991, 2011, 2021, 2024 grade A+

As you can see, I read this again, 6th time. It is still grade A+ and the previous review is also on this post.

My original paperback version is 300 pages long. It was wearing out so I bought a new hard bound copy. The story is told in three parts.

The first part is fully half the book. It is almost all character development and world building (which includes setting up the reason the moon colony needs to be an independent nation). This is my favorite part of the story.

The third quarter is the lunar leaders difficult trip to earth and the politics of trying to get recognition. I don't care for politics but still enjoyed this section.

The last part is the fast moving war. The colonists win but a lot of people die including some family and friends. Indeed, the two supporting characters, without whom the war would have failed, die. This part was pretty much riveting and the end is strong and good.

Recommended!

==================

1967, 1976, 1991, 2011, 2021 grade A+

An earlier novel "The Rolling Stones" takes place about 80 years after this story and uses some of the same characters. But each book reads just fine on its own. No particular order is necessary at all.

In my opinion this is not only Heinlein's best novel but is my favorite novel period. So I am biased. The story is about humans shipped to the moon who are stuck there because of the physiological changes low gravity causes. They work under the the iron fist of an earth governing body, and have the inevitable and necessary revolution. Yes it is patterned a bit around the English colonies of the mid 1700s, especially the USA and Australia.

The first half of the book is the best character driven world building I've seen. The culture developed by the group of ex-convicts shipped to the moon and their later children is amazing. It does include many of the author's strange ways of life in case that bothers you. Very, very little is explicit. The prose is written in their abbreviated English but is easy to get the hang of and read despite the missing words. The discussions of what it would take to have a revolution are detailed and interesting. I never got bored in this section. It was possible to stop reading but stopping places had to be carefully picked.

The next third is mostly the difficult journey to earth of two moon representatives to obtain recognition as an independent country. This section is a little tedious and I admit to skimming thru small sections of it. But this was my fifth time reading it.

Recognition was refused so the last sixth is the war. I read this non-stop in one 2.5 hour section. A warning though, not all the protagonists survive.

Recommended!!
]]> Foundation (Foundation, #1) 332040 The first novel in Isaac Asimov's classic science-fiction masterpiece, the Foundation series

For twelve thousand years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. But only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future--to a dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare that will last thirty thousand years. To preserve knowledge and save humankind, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire--both scientists and scholars--and brings them to a bleak planet at the edge of the galaxy to serve as a beacon of hope for future generations. He calls his sanctuary the Foundation.]]> 200 Isaac Asimov 0380440652 SciFiOne 4 scifi
Aug 13, 2024

1989 Grade A+
2024 Grade C

When I decided to read the Foundation series again, I was worried about it being a little dry and slow. Still, I started with the prequel, Prelude To Foundation. Prelude was delightful compared to this, the original Foundation. This book was pretty much continuous tedious political dialog droning on and on. There is a grade A story underneath and Asimov is a grade A writer. I managed to finish it but with difficulty. It was very good at putting me to sleep. Not recommended any more. I speed read it when I could and won't be reading it again. Sorry.]]> 3.89 1951 Foundation (Foundation, #1)
author: Isaac Asimov
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.89
book published: 1951
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/13
date added: 2024/08/15
shelves: scifi
review:
Grade A+. Book F1, Fh10.

Aug 13, 2024

1989 Grade A+
2024 Grade C

When I decided to read the Foundation series again, I was worried about it being a little dry and slow. Still, I started with the prequel, Prelude To Foundation. Prelude was delightful compared to this, the original Foundation. This book was pretty much continuous tedious political dialog droning on and on. There is a grade A story underneath and Asimov is a grade A writer. I managed to finish it but with difficulty. It was very good at putting me to sleep. Not recommended any more. I speed read it when I could and won't be reading it again. Sorry.
]]> <![CDATA[The Beasts of Tarzan (Tarzan, #3)]]> 330110 240 Edgar Rice Burroughs 0809599848 SciFiOne 3 Grade C. Book T3. 3.75 1914 The Beasts of Tarzan (Tarzan, #3)
author: Edgar Rice Burroughs
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.75
book published: 1914
rating: 3
read at: 1979/01/01
date added: 2024/08/13
shelves:
review:
Grade C. Book T3.
]]> Eternal Frontier 17974
Crowell, born a Swimmer but now a Walker by choice, is caught in the middle as the two sides seem headed for war. Then he discovers the true cause of the altercation: a hidden alien race moving behind the scenes to provoke a war so that they can pick up the pieces after the two sides have obliterated each other. And if Crowell cannot head off the war and convince both sides of the existence of the real enemy, both branches of the human race may be headed for untimely extinction.

This full-length novel and much more, fill a huge volume from the master of science fiction adventure.]]> 729 James H. Schmitz 0743471903 SciFiOne 5 scifi
The Eternal Frontiers
by James H. Schmitz

1983 Grade A+
2024 Grade Z

Although I rated it grade A+ 40 years ago, I could not get into it this time and abandoned it early in chapter 5.]]> 3.80 2002 Eternal Frontier
author: James H. Schmitz
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2002
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/30
date added: 2024/07/30
shelves: scifi
review:
Hmm, another edition not listed by Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ. My copy is SBN 425-02458, published 1973 by Berkley Medalion, is titled "The Eternal Frontiers," is 143 pages, and has a red cover with strange shapes.

The Eternal Frontiers
by James H. Schmitz

1983 Grade A+
2024 Grade Z

Although I rated it grade A+ 40 years ago, I could not get into it this time and abandoned it early in chapter 5.
]]> <![CDATA[The Holovid Hero (Green Charisma Chronicles, #1)]]> 215565167
Cinematographer Ian “Mac� MacIntyre needs to revive a sinking career. His new job involves directing and recording a reality show, The Adventures of Captain Charisma. The episodes will portray his actor’s exploits as he visits the farthest reaches of the galaxy.

When the producer sends Captain Charisma to smash a dangerous alien bug aboard a space station and milk the ratings, Mac sweats over his own safety and his actor’s peril. As a paunchy, balding guy approaching middle age, Mac isn’t built for heroics. However, the producer insists on exciting footage.

The show’s rating success is thrown into question when Mac’s ex-wife, Rose, appears as a director for a rival show. Despite power failing on the damaged station, Mac must put his actor (and himself) into the monster’s path to create unforgettable scenes and to prove he is a better director than Rose. A wrong step and he might lose a ratings war and his reality show. Worse, he and his actor could end up as bug food.]]> 327 David M. Pearce SciFiOne 4 2010 Grade B+
2024 Grade B+

I've wanted a copy of this book for my bookshelf since I first read it under the title Bug Hunt on the editing service Scribophile. Writing and publishing a book can take quite a while as you can see. It is available on Amazon now.

The story is just plain fun. It is a bit like reading a SciFi action movie with many interesting characters and species. It often reminded me old SciFi monster bug movies, updated to Starship Troopers or Japanese animation levels. If it has any cons they would be that it is about 25% too long (I wanted to get to the climax earlier) and rather graphic on the gore in places. On the movies I keep in my collection, that have the same problems, I often edit out those parts. (This includes A budget films like Mission Impossible.) If the gore bothers you, well you decide if you want to read it. Otherwise it is a fun and pretty fast read. It has many places to stop but is easy to pick up again and makes you want to pick it up again.

]]> 4.00 The Holovid Hero (Green Charisma Chronicles, #1)
author: David M. Pearce
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/30
date added: 2024/07/30
shelves:
review:
1995 Grade B+
2010 Grade B+
2024 Grade B+

I've wanted a copy of this book for my bookshelf since I first read it under the title Bug Hunt on the editing service Scribophile. Writing and publishing a book can take quite a while as you can see. It is available on Amazon now.

The story is just plain fun. It is a bit like reading a SciFi action movie with many interesting characters and species. It often reminded me old SciFi monster bug movies, updated to Starship Troopers or Japanese animation levels. If it has any cons they would be that it is about 25% too long (I wanted to get to the climax earlier) and rather graphic on the gore in places. On the movies I keep in my collection, that have the same problems, I often edit out those parts. (This includes A budget films like Mission Impossible.) If the gore bothers you, well you decide if you want to read it. Otherwise it is a fun and pretty fast read. It has many places to stop but is easy to pick up again and makes you want to pick it up again.


]]> Four from Planet 5 10683292 The strange visitors had landed. Why had they come, and what unknown terror would they bring upon our world?

Back cover:
The Radio and Television stations of the world carried the short, terrifying statement: The visitors were telepaths.

These children from another time, another planet, were able to read human minds. They were utterly invincible.

And they were infinitely dreaded. . .

In the Pentagon and the Kremlin, leaders were grim with the awareness that all military secrets would be exposed. . . . The overlords of the underworld realized the children could smash their most profitable rackets. . . And even ordinary citizens shuddered at the prospect of their shabby sins being found out.

So four small chidlren came to be hated by the entire world.

A whole civilization wanted them dead.]]> 160 Murray Leinster SciFiOne 3 scifi 2024 Grade C+

While this book would have been extremely relevant when it was written in 1958, it is not anymore. Instead it is just long and tedious and difficult to easily speed read. It all takes place on earth and all the characters are human. A space ship crashes in the antarctic with four young people in it, apparently from another time. Every government goes bonkers. Two science types help the kids "escape." So the story is seen from the protagonists POV, but they are just being pushed by the governments and populations. I speed read it and won't be reading it again.]]> 3.50 1959 Four from Planet 5
author: Murray Leinster
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.50
book published: 1959
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/30
date added: 2024/07/30
shelves: scifi
review:
1975 Grade A
2024 Grade C+

While this book would have been extremely relevant when it was written in 1958, it is not anymore. Instead it is just long and tedious and difficult to easily speed read. It all takes place on earth and all the characters are human. A space ship crashes in the antarctic with four young people in it, apparently from another time. Every government goes bonkers. Two science types help the kids "escape." So the story is seen from the protagonists POV, but they are just being pushed by the governments and populations. I speed read it and won't be reading it again.
]]> <![CDATA[Vengeance of the Dancing Gods (Dancing Gods, #3)]]> 584384 303 Jack L. Chalker 0345315499 SciFiOne 3 Grade C-. Book Dg3. 3.76 1985 Vengeance of the Dancing Gods (Dancing Gods, #3)
author: Jack L. Chalker
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.76
book published: 1985
rating: 3
read at: 1985/01/01
date added: 2024/07/22
shelves:
review:
Grade C-. Book Dg3.
]]> <![CDATA[Prelude to Foundation (Foundation #6)]]> 7773428
Hari Seldon has come to Trantor to deliver his paper on psychohistory, his remarkable theory of prediction. Little does the young Outworld mathematician know that he has already sealed his fate and the fate of humanity. For Hari possesses the prophetic power that makes him the most wanted man in the Empire. . .the man who holds the key to the future—an apocalyptic power to be known forever after as the Foundation.]]> 434 Isaac Asimov SciFiOne 4 scifi
1989 Grade A+
2024 Grade B+

When I decided to read the Foundation series again, I was worried about it being a little dry and slow. Still, I started with the prequel. Prelude To Foundation is indeed padded, dry, long, and slow but interesting. I suspect I will never read it again, but if I do, I will skip the entire Mycogen section from P135 to P275 (out of 435). Nothing is really accomplished there. There will be some continuity errors in the later parts of the book, but nothing critical that is not explained later. It is just too long otherwise.]]> 3.98 1988 Prelude to Foundation (Foundation #6)
author: Isaac Asimov
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1988
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/01
date added: 2024/07/19
shelves: scifi
review:
Book series sequence F0

1989 Grade A+
2024 Grade B+

When I decided to read the Foundation series again, I was worried about it being a little dry and slow. Still, I started with the prequel. Prelude To Foundation is indeed padded, dry, long, and slow but interesting. I suspect I will never read it again, but if I do, I will skip the entire Mycogen section from P135 to P275 (out of 435). Nothing is really accomplished there. There will be some continuity errors in the later parts of the book, but nothing critical that is not explained later. It is just too long otherwise.
]]> <![CDATA[The Trilisk AI (Parker Interstellar Travels, #2)]]> 18872894 262 Michael McCloskey 098384304X SciFiOne 4 scifi
I actually finished this a while ago but forget exactly when. It is book two in the series and, like many serialized stories, I see a sameness appearing. The adventure is good enough and the characters are still OK, but not a lot is added to the long story arc. It was not quite good enough to make me want to read another.

Merged review:

2019 grade B

I actually finished this a while ago but forget exactly when. It is book two in the series and, like many serialized stories, I see a sameness appearing. The adventure is good enough and the characters are still OK, but not a lot is added to the long story arc. It was not quite good enough to make me want to read another.]]> 3.93 2013 The Trilisk AI (Parker Interstellar Travels, #2)
author: Michael McCloskey
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2019/12/31
date added: 2024/07/09
shelves: scifi
review:
2019 grade B

I actually finished this a while ago but forget exactly when. It is book two in the series and, like many serialized stories, I see a sameness appearing. The adventure is good enough and the characters are still OK, but not a lot is added to the long story arc. It was not quite good enough to make me want to read another.

Merged review:

2019 grade B

I actually finished this a while ago but forget exactly when. It is book two in the series and, like many serialized stories, I see a sameness appearing. The adventure is good enough and the characters are still OK, but not a lot is added to the long story arc. It was not quite good enough to make me want to read another.
]]> <![CDATA[The Twist of a Knife (Hawthorne & Horowitz #4)]]> 60461888 New York Times bestselling author Anthony Horowitz’s ingenious fourth literary whodunit following The Word is Murder, The Sentence is Death and A Line to Kill, Horowitz becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation� and only one man can prove his innocence: his newly estranged partner in solving crime, Detective Hawthorne.

“I’m sorry but the answer’s no.� Reluctant author, Anthony Horowitz, has had enough. He tells ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne that after three books he’s splitting and their deal is over. The truth is that Anthony has other things on his mind.

His new play, a thriller called Mindgame, is about to open at the Vaudeville Theatre in London’s West End. Not surprisingly, Hawthorne declines a ticket to the opening night. The play is panned by the critics. In particular, Sunday Times critic Margaret Throsby gives it a savage review, focusing particularly on the writing. The next day, Throsby is stabbed in the heart with an ornamental dagger which turns out to belong to Anthony, and has his fingerprints all over it.

Anthony is arrested by an old enemy... Detective Inspector Cara Grunshaw. She still carries a grudge from her failure to solve the case described in the second Hawthorne adventure, The Sentence is Death, and blames Anthony. Now she’s out for revenge. Thrown into prison and fearing for both his personal future and his writing career, Anthony is the prime suspect in Throsby’s murder and when a second theatre critic is found to have died in mysterious circumstances, the net closes in. Ever more desperate, he realizes that only one man can help him. But will Hawthorne take the call?]]> 373 Anthony Horowitz 0062938185 SciFiOne 0 other, abandoned
I suspect this modern mystery might be a fun read. I just got bored in chapter 2 and abandoned it. Chapter 1 was quite interesting. Chapter 2 was a data dump of the backstories of various characters in a setting from the past. I don't care for data dumps or flashbacks and gave up after trying various speed reading techniques.]]> 4.02 2022 The Twist of a Knife (Hawthorne & Horowitz #4)
author: Anthony Horowitz
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2024/06/04
date added: 2024/06/04
shelves: other, abandoned
review:
2024 Grade Z

I suspect this modern mystery might be a fun read. I just got bored in chapter 2 and abandoned it. Chapter 1 was quite interesting. Chapter 2 was a data dump of the backstories of various characters in a setting from the past. I don't care for data dumps or flashbacks and gave up after trying various speed reading techniques.
]]> League of Free Cadorie 59515475 If the aliens had stayed in the valley, they might have been safe. But they didn't. They assumed the locals were too primitive to be a problem.

They were wrong

Groomed from birth to be a famous singer, Kefan's true genius lies elsewhere. Raised as a farm boy, Lannes never expected to discover invaders from space. Lenea joins her boyfriend, Kefan, and brother, Lannes, to stop the aliens from destroying her world, and becomes a hero in her own right.]]> 274 Romana Drew SciFiOne 5 scifi 2016 Grade A
2022 Grade A
2024 Grade A+
(Kindle version)

This story is still so damn good it brings tears to my eyes. The characters are fabulous. The prose is excellent. The world building is amazing. It is basically about two young adults coming of age. They are just about to graduate and enter the real world (college, jobs, and marriage). And then their lives are interrupted as their country is invaded. The fact that not a single person is human is irrelevant.

This is a complete standalone novel. There is no cliffhanger. It has a beginning, middle, climax, and conclusion. You do not need to worry about reading the sequels to finish the story, although they are excellent too. The story is mostly light and friendly. It only gets dark near the climax and has a positive end.

RECOMENDED

This is a full length literature quality social SciFi novel.

The story takes place on an alien planet with an indigenous alien population living in harmony with their environment. They may appear to be non-technological and not advanced, but that is because the planet has limited fuel resources so they keep their tech small. The world building is excellent.

The character building is even better. The characters are vibrant, varied, and alive - both villains and protagonists. Although there are no humans, the people are easily matched to human characteristics. Individuals are easy to keep track of and identify with. The villains are on a corporate space ship and decide to mine for minerals despite the planet being inhabited - a rather arrogant race.

This is one of the best stories I've read in a long time. The style and story remind me of - "Dragon Singer" by McCaffrey and "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" by Heinlein. It also has a feel of Clifford Simak. The story is detailed, has depth, and is never dull.

Highly recommended.
Review by John Burt

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The League of Free Cadorie
by Romana Drew

I was first introduced to this world via occasional posts on a Facebook page by the writer, Romana Drew, who was sharing a story about Robin Mayfield bit by bit as she built it into a book. Thoroughly enjoying this, I purchased "End of Innocence" (League of Free Cadorie) when the offer came up. It sat on my shelf for a while until after the Robin Mayfield was finished.

It didn't take long to be willingly dragged to the same world. The book is well written, easy to read and hard to put down. I'd like to say it's a classic tale of what happens when a more advanced race meets a less advanced race, but it's far more complex than that and delves into the varying emotional stresses of both good guy and bad guy. The imagery is such that your mind is there, right there, and you miss the places when you're finished, hungry for more of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end - except that there's more to come and that hasn't been published yet! I'm also of the opinion that the original title served it better.

Review by Pete Howe]]> 5.00 League of Free Cadorie
author: Romana Drew
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/05/20
date added: 2024/06/04
shelves: scifi
review:
20xx Grade A
2016 Grade A
2022 Grade A
2024 Grade A+
(Kindle version)

This story is still so damn good it brings tears to my eyes. The characters are fabulous. The prose is excellent. The world building is amazing. It is basically about two young adults coming of age. They are just about to graduate and enter the real world (college, jobs, and marriage). And then their lives are interrupted as their country is invaded. The fact that not a single person is human is irrelevant.

This is a complete standalone novel. There is no cliffhanger. It has a beginning, middle, climax, and conclusion. You do not need to worry about reading the sequels to finish the story, although they are excellent too. The story is mostly light and friendly. It only gets dark near the climax and has a positive end.

RECOMENDED

This is a full length literature quality social SciFi novel.

The story takes place on an alien planet with an indigenous alien population living in harmony with their environment. They may appear to be non-technological and not advanced, but that is because the planet has limited fuel resources so they keep their tech small. The world building is excellent.

The character building is even better. The characters are vibrant, varied, and alive - both villains and protagonists. Although there are no humans, the people are easily matched to human characteristics. Individuals are easy to keep track of and identify with. The villains are on a corporate space ship and decide to mine for minerals despite the planet being inhabited - a rather arrogant race.

This is one of the best stories I've read in a long time. The style and story remind me of - "Dragon Singer" by McCaffrey and "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" by Heinlein. It also has a feel of Clifford Simak. The story is detailed, has depth, and is never dull.

Highly recommended.
Review by John Burt

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The League of Free Cadorie
by Romana Drew

I was first introduced to this world via occasional posts on a Facebook page by the writer, Romana Drew, who was sharing a story about Robin Mayfield bit by bit as she built it into a book. Thoroughly enjoying this, I purchased "End of Innocence" (League of Free Cadorie) when the offer came up. It sat on my shelf for a while until after the Robin Mayfield was finished.

It didn't take long to be willingly dragged to the same world. The book is well written, easy to read and hard to put down. I'd like to say it's a classic tale of what happens when a more advanced race meets a less advanced race, but it's far more complex than that and delves into the varying emotional stresses of both good guy and bad guy. The imagery is such that your mind is there, right there, and you miss the places when you're finished, hungry for more of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end - except that there's more to come and that hasn't been published yet! I'm also of the opinion that the original title served it better.

Review by Pete Howe
]]> Freedom Hold 33781430
Kaylee finds Gillis and together they attempt to rescue Kaylee’s family. But doing so brings the wrath of the Langons down upon them and the rest of their world.]]> 255 Romana Drew SciFiOne 4 scifi, scifi-fantasy
2016 Grade B+
2024 Grade B

The basic story type is geeks verses bullies, and it is fairly dark. It deals with slavery and the end is quite dark. It takes place about 150 years after the first book, so it is completely stand alone. The Cadori do achieve complete freedom by the end but have a hard time getting there. Yes, I did speed read as needed.

RECOMENDED

series book C2

The second story in the Cadorie timeline takes place about a century after The League of Free Cadorie. At this point the Cadorie resistance against the Langon invasion of their world turns to active rebellion. It is intense in places. The Cadorie do it small and smart, but, as with all wars, people get hurt and die. In many ways, this book is better than the first with quite a bit more action and a solid positive end.

The chapters are short, interesting, and fast reading. The first nine or so deal with the Langon enslavement of a group of Cadorie who "work" for them. Those chapters are gritty in places. But stick with it, the information is needed and when the young female protagonist escapes to Freedomhold, it becomes very, very smart and good. There are two other traumatic spots but the reader sees them mostly blunted via second hand news and video reports.

The story is carefully crafted, strong, emotional, social SciFi and was hard to put down most of the time. The characters are vibrant and alive, the world building is solid, and the lighter sections delightful.

Available on Amazon

It is very enjoyably and
Highly recommended.]]> 4.00 2021 Freedom Hold
author: Romana Drew
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/25
date added: 2024/06/04
shelves: scifi, scifi-fantasy
review:
(LFC book 2) Kindle version

2016 Grade B+
2024 Grade B

The basic story type is geeks verses bullies, and it is fairly dark. It deals with slavery and the end is quite dark. It takes place about 150 years after the first book, so it is completely stand alone. The Cadori do achieve complete freedom by the end but have a hard time getting there. Yes, I did speed read as needed.

RECOMENDED

series book C2

The second story in the Cadorie timeline takes place about a century after The League of Free Cadorie. At this point the Cadorie resistance against the Langon invasion of their world turns to active rebellion. It is intense in places. The Cadorie do it small and smart, but, as with all wars, people get hurt and die. In many ways, this book is better than the first with quite a bit more action and a solid positive end.

The chapters are short, interesting, and fast reading. The first nine or so deal with the Langon enslavement of a group of Cadorie who "work" for them. Those chapters are gritty in places. But stick with it, the information is needed and when the young female protagonist escapes to Freedomhold, it becomes very, very smart and good. There are two other traumatic spots but the reader sees them mostly blunted via second hand news and video reports.

The story is carefully crafted, strong, emotional, social SciFi and was hard to put down most of the time. The characters are vibrant and alive, the world building is solid, and the lighter sections delightful.

Available on Amazon

It is very enjoyably and
Highly recommended.
]]> Mastodonia 1436437 233 Clifford D. Simak 034527427X SciFiOne 4 scifi-fantasy 2005 Grade A-
2024 Grade B

Simak's characters and locales are laid back and midwestern. He is often called a pastoralist, which is a good description. The end was a little weak in my opinion. I did skip some long paragraphs as needed but not very much.

The story is about an attempted commercialization of an odd alien time travel source. Yes there are a lot of holes in the story but not enough to cause problems, and it is a lot of fun. The story is also predictable with the interference by the government, news, religious, legal, and other groups.

As I said, it is quite a lot of fun to read. It also did not take long to read, and was easy restart after a break

Recommended.
]]> 3.56 1978 Mastodonia
author: Clifford D. Simak
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.56
book published: 1978
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/04
date added: 2024/06/04
shelves: scifi-fantasy
review:
1979 Grade B+
2005 Grade A-
2024 Grade B

Simak's characters and locales are laid back and midwestern. He is often called a pastoralist, which is a good description. The end was a little weak in my opinion. I did skip some long paragraphs as needed but not very much.

The story is about an attempted commercialization of an odd alien time travel source. Yes there are a lot of holes in the story but not enough to cause problems, and it is a lot of fun. The story is also predictable with the interference by the government, news, religious, legal, and other groups.

As I said, it is quite a lot of fun to read. It also did not take long to read, and was easy restart after a break

Recommended.

]]> Ringworld (Ringworld, #1) 17339928 Alternate Cover for ISBN #0345257766/ISBN13 #9780345257765

A new place is being built, a world of huge dimensions, encompassing millions of miles, stronger than any planet before it. There is gravity, and with high walls and its proximity to the sun, a livable new planet that is three million times the area of the Earth can be formed. We can start again!]]> Larry Niven SciFiOne 4 scifi
1977 Grade B
2008 Grade A
2024 Grade B

Ringworld is definitely classic grade A hard SciFI. But the story is only grade C. Most of it is a constant barrage of hard SciFi facts told from the POV of 4 characters with poor and similar personalities that I had a hard time caring about. In fact, when I got to the end, I turned it over thinking "That's it?" And yet it is 330+ pages and seemed to take forever to read. I won't read it again.

Recommended for the extraordinary hard SciFi facts though.
]]> 3.33 1970 Ringworld (Ringworld, #1)
author: Larry Niven
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.33
book published: 1970
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/12
date added: 2024/05/13
shelves: scifi
review:
Series book R1

1977 Grade B
2008 Grade A
2024 Grade B

Ringworld is definitely classic grade A hard SciFI. But the story is only grade C. Most of it is a constant barrage of hard SciFi facts told from the POV of 4 characters with poor and similar personalities that I had a hard time caring about. In fact, when I got to the end, I turned it over thinking "That's it?" And yet it is 330+ pages and seemed to take forever to read. I won't read it again.

Recommended for the extraordinary hard SciFi facts though.

]]> <![CDATA[Watchful Wisteria (Wisteria Witches, #4)]]> 34881428
When someone from her past shows up in the most dramatic fashion (i.e. bleeding and nearly dead), this sassy single mother gains a whole new set of relationship problems to juggle.

And now there's a new ghost haunting Zara, making her do the strangest things, like gardening.

Zara's back yard is starting to resemble the lush lawns of a stately manor, yet not all is calm and serene in Wisteria. There's been an unexplained death, and someone close to the Riddle family is the prime suspect. It's time for Zara to put down her garden spade and trade it for a sharper weapon. Or, at the very least, a bigger shovel.]]> 329 Angela Pepper SciFiOne 3 fantasy
Book 4 in this series of cozy fantasies did not work for me. It was almost all cozy fantasy with no other story. I started speed reading very early and never stopped. In fact, I speed read the so called climax even more. The protagonist was less effective than before and the morphing house sub-plot was never resolved. On top of that I did not like the new family character who seemed more annoying and boring than anything else. I won't be reading anymore of these stories.

NOT recommended.
]]> 4.32 2017 Watchful Wisteria (Wisteria Witches, #4)
author: Angela Pepper
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/14
date added: 2024/05/06
shelves: fantasy
review:
2024 Grade C-

Book 4 in this series of cozy fantasies did not work for me. It was almost all cozy fantasy with no other story. I started speed reading very early and never stopped. In fact, I speed read the so called climax even more. The protagonist was less effective than before and the morphing house sub-plot was never resolved. On top of that I did not like the new family character who seemed more annoying and boring than anything else. I won't be reading anymore of these stories.

NOT recommended.

]]> The Bad Weather Friend 135415637 Benny is so nice they feel compelled to destroy him, but he has a friend who should scare the hell out of them.

Benny Catspaw’s perpetually sunny disposition is tested when he loses his job, his reputation, his fiancée, and his favorite chair. He’s not paranoid. Someone is out to get him. He just doesn’t know who or why. Then Benny receives an inheritance from an uncle he’s never heard of: a giant crate and a video message. All will be well in time.

How strange—though it’s a blessing, his uncle promises. Stranger yet is what’s inside the crate. He’s a seven-foot-tall self-described “bad weather friend� named Spike whose mission is to help people who are just too good for this world. Spike will take care of it. He’ll find Benny’s enemies. He’ll deal with them. This might be satisfying if Spike wasn’t such a menacing presence with terrifying techniques of intimidation.

In the company of Spike and a fascinated young waitress-cum-PI-in-training named Harper, Benny plunges into a perilous high-speed adventure, the likes of which never would have crossed the mind of a decent guy like him.]]> 374 Dean Koontz 1662500483 SciFiOne 0 action-thriller
This was a free book of the month from Amazon. It was uninteresting, I did not like the characters, and I abandoned it early.]]> 3.89 2024 The Bad Weather Friend
author: Dean Koontz
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at: 2024/04/17
date added: 2024/05/06
shelves: action-thriller
review:
2024 Grade Z

This was a free book of the month from Amazon. It was uninteresting, I did not like the characters, and I abandoned it early.
]]> The Trouble with Tycho 1436435
Chris Jackson was no exception. He put everything he owned and could borrow into this, and he'd be ruined if he failed. His only chance meant going into Tycho - where three expeditions had already disappeared. He could try, but would he come out again?]]> 115 Clifford D. Simak 0441824439 SciFiOne 5 scifi, scifi-fantasy The Trouble With Tycho, Clifford Simak, grade A-. (Also ACE 82442 115 pages)
Bring Back Yesterday, A. Bertram Chandler, grade B+

1982 Grade A-
2024 Grade B+

This short (115 page) paperback novel has clearly been cut down to fit an ACE double novel. I found several missing transition areas I had to read twice to make sure I did not miss anything. But it is still a fun classic old SciFi story.

Simak is one of the great writers of old social/physical SciFi and tends to be a little abstract. His average book quality is grade B although some of his later novels are grade A. The end of this story is rather repetitive and verbose but easy to speed read. A miner on the moon investigates the dangerous mystery of the missing missions into Tycho crater, solves and fixes the problem, and survives. Not only that, he finds the mother load of valuables.]]> 3.43 1961 The Trouble with Tycho
author: Clifford D. Simak
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.43
book published: 1961
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/27
date added: 2024/03/28
shelves: scifi, scifi-fantasy
review:
Ace Double Novel D517
The Trouble With Tycho, Clifford Simak, grade A-. (Also ACE 82442 115 pages)
Bring Back Yesterday, A. Bertram Chandler, grade B+

1982 Grade A-
2024 Grade B+

This short (115 page) paperback novel has clearly been cut down to fit an ACE double novel. I found several missing transition areas I had to read twice to make sure I did not miss anything. But it is still a fun classic old SciFi story.

Simak is one of the great writers of old social/physical SciFi and tends to be a little abstract. His average book quality is grade B although some of his later novels are grade A. The end of this story is rather repetitive and verbose but easy to speed read. A miner on the moon investigates the dangerous mystery of the missing missions into Tycho crater, solves and fixes the problem, and survives. Not only that, he finds the mother load of valuables.
]]> The Practice Effect 24926674 Only after Dennis has stepped into the airlock, with the door about to close, does Brady mysteriously hint that they've discovered something strange on the other side, something different abut the other world's physical laws. But before Dennis can question Brady, the door swings shut.
Stepping through the door into this new world, Dennis discovers to his horror that the return mechanism isn't malfunctioning - it's been vandalized. Instead of mere repairs, he has a complete job of reconstruction on his hands!
The search for the materials and technology he needs to make the repairs takes Dennis on a journey that will introduce him to the Coylians, people who are quite human and speak a recognizable form of English, but whose culture is discerningly different from any on Earth. Coylian society is based on "The Practice Effect," the anomalous physics Brady hinted at. The Coylians need not make implements and clothes. Rather, they "practice" goods into perfection. Primitive instruments of flint and twigs are practiced into gleaming tools; rough garments are worn and practiced into silk and brocades; huts are practiced into soaring buildings of a tiered city.
Dennis wants only to return home, but he soon finds himself entangled with the ruthless political schemer, Kremer, in his plot to take over. Dennis is to be Kremer's secret weapon in his conquest of the world.
Aided by a clever thief, a plucky little exploration robot, the irrepressible pixolet, and the beautiful L'Toff Princess Linnora, Dennis must combine the science of Earth with his still nascent ability to "practice" if he is to vanquish the formidable Kremer and repair the zievatron in order to return home.]]> 249 David Brin SciFiOne 5 scifi The Practice Effect
by David Brin

1986 Grade A+
2024 Grade A-

A grade A story with grade B prose. A man steps through a portal and ends up on another world where crude tools get better with use, the opposite of good tools wearing out - reverse entropy as another reviewer said. The first two thirds is very good as the protagonist explores the world, how it works, and the social structure. The last third is mostly journey and war which got boring in all its details. I speed read much of that, especially the fighting in the war. Otherwise, quite good.

Recommended.]]> 3.75 1984 The Practice Effect
author: David Brin
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.75
book published: 1984
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/28
date added: 2024/03/28
shelves: scifi
review:
Mar 23, 2024
The Practice Effect
by David Brin

1986 Grade A+
2024 Grade A-

A grade A story with grade B prose. A man steps through a portal and ends up on another world where crude tools get better with use, the opposite of good tools wearing out - reverse entropy as another reviewer said. The first two thirds is very good as the protagonist explores the world, how it works, and the social structure. The last third is mostly journey and war which got boring in all its details. I speed read much of that, especially the fighting in the war. Otherwise, quite good.

Recommended.
]]> <![CDATA[The Monitor, the Miners and the Shree]]> 2178299
The team from the Department of Surveys and Charters wasn't anticipating anything special on Nira. DSC policy called for periodic studies of developing races on proscripted worlds, and it was merely time for another look at the winged, stone-age Shree.

The team scientists were curious about how far the Shree might have come in their slow climb toward intelligence; Monitor Chemel Krar was mainly concerned with enforcing the absolute rule against any contact or interference with Nira's natives. The hardest part of the job would be sticking out the full five years of the study.

As it turned out, the study lasted five days. At the end of that time, one team member had died violently, and the rest were scattered over the face of Nira. Suddenly it was the Shree who were doing the studying...]]> 215 Lee Killough 0345284569 SciFiOne 5 scifi 2004 Grade A
2024 Grade A-

This enjoyable SciFi novel has hovered about the same A- grade each of the three times I read it. It is a complex story with lots of speculations, no humans that I can verify, an alien planet, and many different species. A government monitor and a team of scientists show up on a proscribed planet to examine the progress of the intelligent natives, the Shree. They discover it is being illegally mined when they are attacked.

But the book's prose is just a little weak. I lost track of the various species in the early team and their names, and never really knew what they looked like. That aspect became lot better when the protagonist was living alone with the Shree. But there is quite a bit of introspection and repetition in that section Including a chapter in a courtroom. I did speed read some of that. Still very enjoyable as I said.

Recommended.]]> 3.64 1980 The Monitor, the Miners and the Shree
author: Lee Killough
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.64
book published: 1980
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/12
date added: 2024/03/13
shelves: scifi
review:
1984 Grade B+
2004 Grade A
2024 Grade A-

This enjoyable SciFi novel has hovered about the same A- grade each of the three times I read it. It is a complex story with lots of speculations, no humans that I can verify, an alien planet, and many different species. A government monitor and a team of scientists show up on a proscribed planet to examine the progress of the intelligent natives, the Shree. They discover it is being illegally mined when they are attacked.

But the book's prose is just a little weak. I lost track of the various species in the early team and their names, and never really knew what they looked like. That aspect became lot better when the protagonist was living alone with the Shree. But there is quite a bit of introspection and repetition in that section Including a chapter in a courtroom. I did speed read some of that. Still very enjoyable as I said.

Recommended.
]]> The Lincoln Hunters 6676214 192 Wilson Tucker 0441484212 SciFiOne 5 scifi 2024 Grade A-

I have read this book three times but don't have a date for the first time. The first time, it blew me away with the amazing story telling and it still does now. I did speed read a few small bits this time. Most of them were at the end when I was hurrying to finish because I was short on time, not because of content.

The story is about time travel. I found a few holes this time and it is rather tragic and also a little repetitive in places. Thus the speed reading. A man and his three man crew are sent back from the 2500s to the mid 1800s to record a lost Lincoln speech. Many things go wrong with the trip. Much of the story takes place in the past.

(BTW, wire recording was a real thing it the 1950s. I own an old home wire recorder although the speaker has disintegrated from age and the vacuum tubes are probably dead. It did work when I obtained it in the 70s.)

This book is Highly RECOMMENDED.]]> 3.70 1958 The Lincoln Hunters
author: Wilson Tucker
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.70
book published: 1958
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/04
date added: 2024/03/05
shelves: scifi
review:
1983 Grade A
2024 Grade A-

I have read this book three times but don't have a date for the first time. The first time, it blew me away with the amazing story telling and it still does now. I did speed read a few small bits this time. Most of them were at the end when I was hurrying to finish because I was short on time, not because of content.

The story is about time travel. I found a few holes this time and it is rather tragic and also a little repetitive in places. Thus the speed reading. A man and his three man crew are sent back from the 2500s to the mid 1800s to record a lost Lincoln speech. Many things go wrong with the trip. Much of the story takes place in the past.

(BTW, wire recording was a real thing it the 1950s. I own an old home wire recorder although the speaker has disintegrated from age and the vacuum tubes are probably dead. It did work when I obtained it in the 70s.)

This book is Highly RECOMMENDED.
]]> Flight of the Dragonfly 263496 376 Robert L. Forward 0671559370 SciFiOne 5 scifi 2024 Grade A-

Very hard SciFi with massive and logical technical explanations of a possible laser driven solar sail space trip to another star system and the exploration of the planets and life there. It is very good but even as a hard SciFi fan, there was a bit too much science. I would have removed a bit of it. Instead, the publishers later released a longer version called Rocheworld, which I only rated grade B. Yes, I did skip small bits of Dragonfly.

The actual story is excellent with strong interesting characters and enjoyable action. It is 332 pages long, followed by 43 pages of reference material, which I skipped. And yet, there is no epilog of what happened to the aliens. I was disappointed about that. Overall though, an excellent book.

Recommended.

(Please note that 'Flight Of The Dragonfly" and "Rocheworld" are not the same book no matter what Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ or Amazon say. Rocheworld is the same story but expanded.)]]> 3.82 1984 Flight of the Dragonfly
author: Robert L. Forward
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.82
book published: 1984
rating: 5
read at: 2024/02/27
date added: 2024/03/03
shelves: scifi
review:
1985 Grade A
2024 Grade A-

Very hard SciFi with massive and logical technical explanations of a possible laser driven solar sail space trip to another star system and the exploration of the planets and life there. It is very good but even as a hard SciFi fan, there was a bit too much science. I would have removed a bit of it. Instead, the publishers later released a longer version called Rocheworld, which I only rated grade B. Yes, I did skip small bits of Dragonfly.

The actual story is excellent with strong interesting characters and enjoyable action. It is 332 pages long, followed by 43 pages of reference material, which I skipped. And yet, there is no epilog of what happened to the aliens. I was disappointed about that. Overall though, an excellent book.

Recommended.

(Please note that 'Flight Of The Dragonfly" and "Rocheworld" are not the same book no matter what Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ or Amazon say. Rocheworld is the same story but expanded.)
]]> 6 x H 124512 *"The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag"
*"The Man Who Traveled in Elephants"
*"All You Zombies"
*"They"
*"Our Fair City"
*"And He Built a Crooked House"]]> 219 Robert A. Heinlein 0515036358 SciFiOne 5 scifi by Robert Heinlein

1977 Grade B
2009 Grade B
2024 Grade B

1) Grade B-. 120 pages. The "Jonathan Hoag" story is a novelette. It has Heinlein quality and starts well, but it feels padded. Overall I found it dreary, thought the end weak, and speed read some of it. The rest are short stories.
2) Grade A. 16 pages. In "The Man Who Traveled In Elephants" Heinlein reveals his romantic side in an enjoyable personal short period story.
3) Grade A-. 14 pages. In "All You Zombies" a time travel agent recruits himself in a classic time loop story.
4) Grade Z. 18 pages. I skipped "They" because I only rated it grade C last time.
5) Grade A+. 22 pages. The wind is alive in "Our Fair City," as much a period political satire as an enjoyable fantasy.
6) Grade A. 22 pages. "And He Built A Crooked House" is an enjoyable & odd romp through alternate dimensions.

One could also call this collection "the six sides of Heinlein." Overall, it is worth reading.

(my weird 1975 cover is not on the list)
]]> 3.81 1959 6 x H
author: Robert A. Heinlein
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1959
rating: 5
read at: 2024/02/14
date added: 2024/02/18
shelves: scifi
review:
6 X H (original title= The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag)
by Robert Heinlein

1977 Grade B
2009 Grade B
2024 Grade B

1) Grade B-. 120 pages. The "Jonathan Hoag" story is a novelette. It has Heinlein quality and starts well, but it feels padded. Overall I found it dreary, thought the end weak, and speed read some of it. The rest are short stories.
2) Grade A. 16 pages. In "The Man Who Traveled In Elephants" Heinlein reveals his romantic side in an enjoyable personal short period story.
3) Grade A-. 14 pages. In "All You Zombies" a time travel agent recruits himself in a classic time loop story.
4) Grade Z. 18 pages. I skipped "They" because I only rated it grade C last time.
5) Grade A+. 22 pages. The wind is alive in "Our Fair City," as much a period political satire as an enjoyable fantasy.
6) Grade A. 22 pages. "And He Built A Crooked House" is an enjoyable & odd romp through alternate dimensions.

One could also call this collection "the six sides of Heinlein." Overall, it is worth reading.

(my weird 1975 cover is not on the list)

]]> The Godwhale (The Hive, #2) 2431798 Cover Artist: Paul Lehr]]> 281 T.J. Bass 0345237129 SciFiOne 0 scifi 2024 Grade Z

This time I abandoned the story in chapter 2. It is very well written, and I can see from it's complexity why I rated it grade A the first time. There is lots to explore. But chapter 1 is also very negative. And Chapter 2 is very esoteric and does not seem to have anything to do with chapter 1. I have plenty of more enjoyable books to read. So I switched.]]> 3.80 1973 The Godwhale (The Hive, #2)
author: T.J. Bass
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.80
book published: 1973
rating: 0
read at: 2024/02/02
date added: 2024/02/18
shelves: scifi
review:
1982 Grade A-
2024 Grade Z

This time I abandoned the story in chapter 2. It is very well written, and I can see from it's complexity why I rated it grade A the first time. There is lots to explore. But chapter 1 is also very negative. And Chapter 2 is very esoteric and does not seem to have anything to do with chapter 1. I have plenty of more enjoyable books to read. So I switched.
]]> <![CDATA[Time Traders (Time Traders/Ross Murdock, #1-2)]]> 17162645
DRAFTED INTO THE ARMY OF TIME

Intelligence agents have uncovered something which seems beyond belief, but the evidence is incontrovertible: the USAs greatest adversary on the world stage is sending its agents back through time! And someone or something unknown to our history is presenting them with technologies -- and weapons -- far beyond our most advanced science. We have only one option: create time-transfer technology ourselves, find the opposition's ancient source...and take it dawn.

When small-time criminal Ross Murdock and Apache rancher Travis Fox stumble separately onto America's secret time travel project, Operation Retrograde, they are faced with a challenge greater than either could have imagined possible. Their mere presence means that they know too much to go free. But Murdock and Fox have a thirst for adventure, and Operation Retrograde offers that in spades.

Both men will become time agents, finding reserves of inner heroism they had never expected. Their journeys will take the battle to the enemy, from ancient Britain to prehistoric America, and finally to the farthest reaches of interstellar space...

]]> 361 Andre Norton 1618242482 SciFiOne 4 scifi 1997 grade B+
2011 grade B+

Series book TT1]]> 3.86 2013 Time Traders (Time Traders/Ross Murdock, #1-2)
author: Andre Norton
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2011/01/01
date added: 2024/02/15
shelves: scifi
review:
1978 grade C
1997 grade B+
2011 grade B+

Series book TT1
]]> The Beast 5941514 ]]> A.E. van Vogt SciFiOne 4 scifi 2024 Grade B

A.E. van Vogt is another historical SciFi writer. I always knew there was something odd about his books and I shouldn't read them too often. Now I know why. This story starts very well, level headed, and at a grade A level, with a man finding a crashed engine in a field. He starts to make it functional until it is taken away from him on page 34. From there on it changes gear so much I could not believe it. By the time it ended, the story is so outlandish I could not suspend my disbelief. I used quite a bit of speed reading from the moon on.

But it is an interesting and unusual read and worth reading once.
]]> 3.25 1943 The Beast
author: A.E. van Vogt
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.25
book published: 1943
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/30
date added: 2024/01/30
shelves: scifi
review:
1981 Grade A
2024 Grade B

A.E. van Vogt is another historical SciFi writer. I always knew there was something odd about his books and I shouldn't read them too often. Now I know why. This story starts very well, level headed, and at a grade A level, with a man finding a crashed engine in a field. He starts to make it functional until it is taken away from him on page 34. From there on it changes gear so much I could not believe it. By the time it ended, the story is so outlandish I could not suspend my disbelief. I used quite a bit of speed reading from the moon on.

But it is an interesting and unusual read and worth reading once.

]]> <![CDATA[Black Easter: Faust Aleph-Null (After Such Knowledge, #2)]]> 2147756
One other man is fully aware of their evil machinations, Brother Domenico Garelli of the small, obscure order of Monte Albano, and because of the strict limitations placed on his powers he finds himself unable to stop the rising tide of horror.

'Each of the opposing sides in any war always predicts victory. They cannot both be right.']]> 128 James Blish 0140034161 SciFiOne 4 fantasy aka Faust Aleph Null
Series book R2a

1981 Grade A
2024 Grade B

The famous SciFi author wrote a fantasy. A very dark hard fantasy that takes place in a modern world and is heavily steeped in theology, but still a fantasy. I actually didn't care for this one the second time around. Be sure to Not read the last few words of the story ahead of time. I read them accidentally, and found it to be too much of a spoiler. (Faust Aleph-Null is actually a shorter previously published version of the story.)

The story is full of black and white magic, magicians, priests, demons, gods, demigods, and conceited humans. I speed read through many of the tools lists and I think all of the demon name lists. They were not important. Yes, it is very good, but it is not my kind of thing anymore.]]> 3.86 1968 Black Easter: Faust Aleph-Null (After Such Knowledge, #2)
author: James Blish
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.86
book published: 1968
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/19
date added: 2024/01/26
shelves: fantasy
review:
Religious Fantasy
aka Faust Aleph Null
Series book R2a

1981 Grade A
2024 Grade B

The famous SciFi author wrote a fantasy. A very dark hard fantasy that takes place in a modern world and is heavily steeped in theology, but still a fantasy. I actually didn't care for this one the second time around. Be sure to Not read the last few words of the story ahead of time. I read them accidentally, and found it to be too much of a spoiler. (Faust Aleph-Null is actually a shorter previously published version of the story.)

The story is full of black and white magic, magicians, priests, demons, gods, demigods, and conceited humans. I speed read through many of the tools lists and I think all of the demon name lists. They were not important. Yes, it is very good, but it is not my kind of thing anymore.
]]> <![CDATA[Where the Forest Meets the Stars]]> 41574589 In this gorgeously stunning debut, a mysterious child teaches two strangers how to love and trust again.

After the loss of her mother and her own battle with breast cancer, Joanna Teale returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, determined to prove that her recent hardships have not broken her. She throws herself into her work from dusk to dawn, until her solitary routine is disrupted by the appearance of a mysterious child who shows up at her cabin barefoot and covered in bruises.

The girl calls herself Ursa, and she claims to have been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. With concerns about the child’s home situation, Jo reluctantly agrees to let her stay―just until she learns more about Ursa’s past.

Jo enlists the help of her reclusive neighbor, Gabriel Nash, to solve the mystery of the charming child. But the more time they spend together, the more questions they have. How does a young girl not only read but understand Shakespeare? Why do good things keep happening in her presence? And why aren’t Jo and Gabe checking the missing children’s website anymore?

Though the three have formed an incredible bond, they know difficult choices must be made. As the summer nears an end and Ursa gets closer to her fifth miracle, her dangerous past closes in. When it finally catches up to them, all of their painful secrets will be forced into the open, and their fates will be left to the stars.]]> 332 Glendy Vanderah 1503904911 SciFiOne 4 other
This book was given to me for Xmas. Apparently there were claims that it is SciFi. It is NOT SciFi! It is a very well written fairly predictable family drama.

Three damaged characters accidentally meet and form a functional unofficial family unit. When some criminals catch them, the shit hits the fan. Of course the police and family services people totally blow it as expected. They are more the bad guys in the story than the criminals. It would be a tragedy if a functional family unit were to be left alone to exist smoothly (I'm being facetious).

Personally I am very tired of damaged characters and backstories. I also think the book is about 25% too long, and after all that detail, the final chapter seems to lack enough transition. I did speed read some of the last 1/3 of the book. But there was never any doubt that I would finish it. The characters are very distinct, real feeling, and easy to identify with. It was so well written, smooth, & interesting that it was hard to put down at times. Oddly, it was a little hard to pick up again too, because I knew there was just going to be more of the same.]]> 4.11 2019 Where the Forest Meets the Stars
author: Glendy Vanderah
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/19
date added: 2024/01/26
shelves: other
review:
2024 Grade B

This book was given to me for Xmas. Apparently there were claims that it is SciFi. It is NOT SciFi! It is a very well written fairly predictable family drama.

Three damaged characters accidentally meet and form a functional unofficial family unit. When some criminals catch them, the shit hits the fan. Of course the police and family services people totally blow it as expected. They are more the bad guys in the story than the criminals. It would be a tragedy if a functional family unit were to be left alone to exist smoothly (I'm being facetious).

Personally I am very tired of damaged characters and backstories. I also think the book is about 25% too long, and after all that detail, the final chapter seems to lack enough transition. I did speed read some of the last 1/3 of the book. But there was never any doubt that I would finish it. The characters are very distinct, real feeling, and easy to identify with. It was so well written, smooth, & interesting that it was hard to put down at times. Oddly, it was a little hard to pick up again too, because I knew there was just going to be more of the same.
]]> Kuldesak 5869452
Up into this eerie world comes Mel, a questioning young Roamer who has disobeyed the Law which says he must never venture into or beyond the Lost Levels. Together with three companions, and a companion not of this Earth, Mel takes on the awesome task of freeing human beings from the tyranny imposed on them by their remote ancestors; of justifying the agonized cry of Barney as he died in a Forbidden "I am a man! Everything is for man!"]]> Richard Cowper SciFiOne 5 scifi 2024 Grade A

I think this book is misunderstood by many people. It is not all about god or sex. What it is, is a very complex and intellectual cultural SciFi story. The humans in the book have lived isolated in a machine controlled society for 2000 years. All cultures evolve in that amount of time. For us, 2000 years ago the ancient Egyptians were still active. There is no more religion or sex in the book than there is now. It is just different!

I can see that the prose might confuse readers. Language evolves too, and the author has used some of those changes in the prose. So, some words do not mean exactly the same as they currently mean. Some have almost no understandable meaning. What is a planted person? Add to that a start with no human POV, and it can be confusing. But stick with it. The story quickly shifts to the human protagonists POV, becomes interesting as they explore the world, and eventually becomes rather exciting. All will be explained.

Frankly, it is a rather incredible novel.

RECOMMENDED!]]> 4.00 1973 Kuldesak
author: Richard Cowper
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1973
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/10
date added: 2024/01/12
shelves: scifi
review:
1983 Grade A+
2024 Grade A

I think this book is misunderstood by many people. It is not all about god or sex. What it is, is a very complex and intellectual cultural SciFi story. The humans in the book have lived isolated in a machine controlled society for 2000 years. All cultures evolve in that amount of time. For us, 2000 years ago the ancient Egyptians were still active. There is no more religion or sex in the book than there is now. It is just different!

I can see that the prose might confuse readers. Language evolves too, and the author has used some of those changes in the prose. So, some words do not mean exactly the same as they currently mean. Some have almost no understandable meaning. What is a planted person? Add to that a start with no human POV, and it can be confusing. But stick with it. The story quickly shifts to the human protagonists POV, becomes interesting as they explore the world, and eventually becomes rather exciting. All will be explained.

Frankly, it is a rather incredible novel.

RECOMMENDED!
]]> The Ark 62835329 292 Christopher Coates 4867451010 SciFiOne 0 thriller, scifi, abandoned
A new dystopian novel. But instead of being about recovery from, or living in dystopian times, it is about preparations for the catastrophic event. The story actually starts with a Prologue about post recovery (I think) and then flashes back. Thereafter the chapters start with a day number. That number is a countdown till the apocalypse, as near as I can tell. It would have helped if I had figured that out sooner.

The prose was a little wordy right from the start and I never made an attachment to any of the characters. The story has a little science at the start about a long term sleep project and a deadly comet. Those kept me reading. But it seemed to be turning into a sort of government espionage story. The government did not want the secret reveled. When the second set of anti-government characters was eliminated in rather unpleasant and overlong chapters, I gave up. I did check the post comet area and tested speed reading, but I still did not like it.

I finished 70 out of 284 pages.]]> 0.0 The Ark
author: Christopher Coates
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2024/01/04
date added: 2024/01/07
shelves: thriller, scifi, abandoned
review:
2024 Grade Z

A new dystopian novel. But instead of being about recovery from, or living in dystopian times, it is about preparations for the catastrophic event. The story actually starts with a Prologue about post recovery (I think) and then flashes back. Thereafter the chapters start with a day number. That number is a countdown till the apocalypse, as near as I can tell. It would have helped if I had figured that out sooner.

The prose was a little wordy right from the start and I never made an attachment to any of the characters. The story has a little science at the start about a long term sleep project and a deadly comet. Those kept me reading. But it seemed to be turning into a sort of government espionage story. The government did not want the secret reveled. When the second set of anti-government characters was eliminated in rather unpleasant and overlong chapters, I gave up. I did check the post comet area and tested speed reading, but I still did not like it.

I finished 70 out of 284 pages.
]]> Resurrection Days 738866
From Indiana to a dangerous no MAN'S land

Journeyman carpenter, Owen Hall -- killed in 1943 during an unfortunate accident at a railroad crossing -- finds himself resurrected thousands of years later in a world dominated by women. The men are all automatons, without free will or conscience.

In just 24 hours, Owen wreaks havoc on this disciplined female civilization, turning it topsy-turvy by refusing to obey orders. But as his madcap adventures threaten to destroy their ordered world, the women realize that Owen's independence must be corrected...

Suddenly Owen must use all his cunning and guile against a horde of determined female warriors if he is to stay alive ... with a mind of his own!]]> 191 Wilson Tucker 0671832425 SciFiOne 5 scifi-fantasy 2006 Grade A
2024 Grade A-

This is kind of a "fish out of water" story. A man from 1940s Indiana "wakes" up in the future and is rather confused. He has to figure things out quickly in order to survive. Needless to say, he causes rather a lot of havoc.

The world building is incredible. The city the author has built is like nothing I have ever seen before. The characters are just too good to ignore, and one is on their side almost instantly.

It is a lot of fun but is overwritten enough to speed read lightly in places. I also lost track of the author's "map" of the future city several times. But I just kept reading and it worked out fine. I don't think the losing track was my fault.

Recommended.
]]> 3.29 1981 Resurrection Days
author: Wilson Tucker
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.29
book published: 1981
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/01
date added: 2024/01/03
shelves: scifi-fantasy
review:
1983 Grade A-
2006 Grade A
2024 Grade A-

This is kind of a "fish out of water" story. A man from 1940s Indiana "wakes" up in the future and is rather confused. He has to figure things out quickly in order to survive. Needless to say, he causes rather a lot of havoc.

The world building is incredible. The city the author has built is like nothing I have ever seen before. The characters are just too good to ignore, and one is on their side almost instantly.

It is a lot of fun but is overwritten enough to speed read lightly in places. I also lost track of the author's "map" of the future city several times. But I just kept reading and it worked out fine. I don't think the losing track was my fault.

Recommended.

]]> The Fury Out of Time 25998981 223 Lloyd Biggle Jr. SciFiOne 5 scifi-fantasy, scifi 2002 Grade A
2023 Grade A-

There are three worlds in this 223 page book and a journey in each world. The world building and character development are great in all three worlds even the one in present day earth. Part one is in the present. The delightful & grumpy protagonist sees an "explosion" and investigates. The whole world gets involved in the investigation and the device that caused it. Part two is the in the far future and explores a whole new civilization. Part three is in the far past and even the aliens are fun to read about.

The journey in part three becomes a little tedious and the end is sketchy but it is a decidedly good book book even though my rating has gone down each read. Biggle is a good story teller.

Recommended.]]> 3.71 1965 The Fury Out of Time
author: Lloyd Biggle Jr.
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.71
book published: 1965
rating: 5
read at: 2023/12/20
date added: 2023/12/24
shelves: scifi-fantasy, scifi
review:
1982 Grade A+
2002 Grade A
2023 Grade A-

There are three worlds in this 223 page book and a journey in each world. The world building and character development are great in all three worlds even the one in present day earth. Part one is in the present. The delightful & grumpy protagonist sees an "explosion" and investigates. The whole world gets involved in the investigation and the device that caused it. Part two is the in the far future and explores a whole new civilization. Part three is in the far past and even the aliens are fun to read about.

The journey in part three becomes a little tedious and the end is sketchy but it is a decidedly good book book even though my rating has gone down each read. Biggle is a good story teller.

Recommended.
]]> Assignment in Eternity 2159996
«Missione nell’eternità» è uno dei libri maggiormente celebrati di Robert Heinlein, l’autore forse più prestigioso della fantascienza mondiale, uno dei «padri fondatori» del genere: e lo presenta ai lettori di « Futuro » nel meglio delle sue qualità narrative ed inventive.

Titoli
L'ereditĂ  perduta (Lost Legacy, 1941), romanzo breve
Altroquando (Elsewhen, 1941), racconto lungo
Jerry era un uomo (Jerry Was a Man, 1947), racconto
Abisso (Gulf, 1949), romanzo breve]]> 127 Robert A. Heinlein 0450006778 SciFiOne 5 scifi 2009 Grade A
2023 Grade B-

One single chapter short novel (Gulf=84 pages) and one long short story (Elsewhen=38 pages).

"Gulf" is one of Heinlein's standard futuristic super-agent stories. The agents are supposedly an extra smart next generation of humans. The first half is pretty good action except for the torturing to death of a young innocent woman and the obvious mistakes the agent was making left and right. The next half is all philosophy and fake science which I speed read massively. The last few pages are a final mission where everyone dies. This is not really worth reading except as an intro to this story type before reading a longer later version. Grade B-

"Elsewhen" is quite a bit more fun as a professor sends some students to alternate realities/times. So we get four stories within a story with an adequately satisfying conclusion. This one is quite worth reading. Grade A]]> 3.33 1953 Assignment in Eternity
author: Robert A. Heinlein
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.33
book published: 1953
rating: 5
read at: 2023/12/13
date added: 2023/12/14
shelves: scifi
review:
1979 Grade A-
2009 Grade A
2023 Grade B-

One single chapter short novel (Gulf=84 pages) and one long short story (Elsewhen=38 pages).

"Gulf" is one of Heinlein's standard futuristic super-agent stories. The agents are supposedly an extra smart next generation of humans. The first half is pretty good action except for the torturing to death of a young innocent woman and the obvious mistakes the agent was making left and right. The next half is all philosophy and fake science which I speed read massively. The last few pages are a final mission where everyone dies. This is not really worth reading except as an intro to this story type before reading a longer later version. Grade B-

"Elsewhen" is quite a bit more fun as a professor sends some students to alternate realities/times. So we get four stories within a story with an adequately satisfying conclusion. This one is quite worth reading. Grade A
]]> Man from Tomorrow 1333928 Wilson Tucker SciFiOne 5 3.75 1954 Man from Tomorrow
author: Wilson Tucker
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.75
book published: 1954
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2023/12/11
shelves:
review:
aka and read as "Wild Talent" (grade A)
]]> Wild Talent 125587168 176 Wilson Tucker SciFiOne 5 scifi
1982 Grade B+
2009 Grade A
2023 Grade A+

Wow, Tucker is a very good story teller and telling a story is basically what all novels are about. This story just grows and grows and grows. I don't think I speed read anything. At this time it would be classified as a SciFi period spy novel. The real history of those years appears to be correct. The one thing that makes it SciFi is the protagonist.

As a kid in the 1930s, he discovers he has telepathy. In the 1940s a few government agents discover the ability when he is drafted during WW2. From then on, he is used to spy on people so much, his life is not his own or very pleasant. But that does force him to grow and increase his powers. He escapes to freedom in the 1950s.

It is incredibly solid social SciFi that I had a hard time putting down. I never had any problem knowing the characters or the locations. One note, the story is not fully told in chronological order. I started on chapter 2 and read through chapter 15 (my note in the book recommended that). Then I read chapter 1 and the final chapter, 16. You might be able to skip chapter 1 altogether. Those two chapters are basically the end of the story. Chapter 1's prose is a bit off read that way, but I liked it.

RECOMMENDED whatever way you read it.
]]> 5.00 1954 Wild Talent
author: Wilson Tucker
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 5.00
book published: 1954
rating: 5
read at: 2023/12/05
date added: 2023/12/09
shelves: scifi
review:
Wild Talent (1954) aka Man From Tomorrow

1982 Grade B+
2009 Grade A
2023 Grade A+

Wow, Tucker is a very good story teller and telling a story is basically what all novels are about. This story just grows and grows and grows. I don't think I speed read anything. At this time it would be classified as a SciFi period spy novel. The real history of those years appears to be correct. The one thing that makes it SciFi is the protagonist.

As a kid in the 1930s, he discovers he has telepathy. In the 1940s a few government agents discover the ability when he is drafted during WW2. From then on, he is used to spy on people so much, his life is not his own or very pleasant. But that does force him to grow and increase his powers. He escapes to freedom in the 1950s.

It is incredibly solid social SciFi that I had a hard time putting down. I never had any problem knowing the characters or the locations. One note, the story is not fully told in chronological order. I started on chapter 2 and read through chapter 15 (my note in the book recommended that). Then I read chapter 1 and the final chapter, 16. You might be able to skip chapter 1 altogether. Those two chapters are basically the end of the story. Chapter 1's prose is a bit off read that way, but I liked it.

RECOMMENDED whatever way you read it.

]]> The Hidden 202595410 Stranded on an island, Lannes must get home and confront the aliens who kidnapped him.

On his way home from a student exchange program, Langons, aliens invading his world, kidnap Lannes and leave him alone on an island. Over time, more people, all vocal anti-alien activists, are dropped on the island. It’s back to the stone age, hunting game, and building rock huts. But it can’t last forever. Either he will find a way to escape, or the resistance will rescue him. Someday, the aliens will make a mistake, and then they will pay for what they have done.]]> 246 Romana Drew SciFiOne 5 scifi The Hidden
by Romana Drew

2023 Grade A

"It's easy to die. Staying alive is hard work."

"The Hidden" is a SciFi survival story with fabulous world building and character development. It is a very real feeling story with the protagonist's sanity and life in danger. The author takes it right to the edge and then puts in just enough relief to relax the reader. Everything the protagonist does to survive is described succinctly so I never got bored. Yes there is tragedy too that fits exactly as needed. A Perfect Balance, and I suspect a difficult story to write.

Despite everything being alien, the story could happen now to a college student who was raised on a small farm with outdoor skills, if you could find a suitable uninhabited island to dump him on.

A lot of the tension relief is from the POV of other people on the planet and what they are doing about the protagonist and the villains who perpetrated the crime. It all ties together at the end into an exciting conclusion. It also fits between the other two novels of the long story arc but stands solidly alone as a self contained novel.

RECOMMENDED.
]]> 4.57 The Hidden
author: Romana Drew
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.57
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/23
date added: 2023/12/02
shelves: scifi
review:
Nov 13, 2023
The Hidden
by Romana Drew

2023 Grade A

"It's easy to die. Staying alive is hard work."

"The Hidden" is a SciFi survival story with fabulous world building and character development. It is a very real feeling story with the protagonist's sanity and life in danger. The author takes it right to the edge and then puts in just enough relief to relax the reader. Everything the protagonist does to survive is described succinctly so I never got bored. Yes there is tragedy too that fits exactly as needed. A Perfect Balance, and I suspect a difficult story to write.

Despite everything being alien, the story could happen now to a college student who was raised on a small farm with outdoor skills, if you could find a suitable uninhabited island to dump him on.

A lot of the tension relief is from the POV of other people on the planet and what they are doing about the protagonist and the villains who perpetrated the crime. It all ties together at the end into an exciting conclusion. It also fits between the other two novels of the long story arc but stands solidly alone as a self contained novel.

RECOMMENDED.

]]> S.O.S. from Three Worlds 7141876
Plague, mystery, and menace marked the missions—and the human enemies they faced on each world were just as virulent as the microscopic ones.]]> 140 Murray Leinster SciFiOne 4 scifi S.O.S. From Three Worlds (1967)
by Murray Leinster
series book MD2

1984 Grade A-
2023 Grade B+

The second book about Calhoun and the ship from the med-service heading out to do regular health checks on planets. This one has three interesting stories averaging 45 pages each. None of the checks turn out to be routine of course. The stories are interesting takes on what can go wrong, but the prose is old and very verbose. I had to do a lot of speed reading when the prose started to repeat itself.
]]> 3.59 1966 S.O.S. from Three Worlds
author: Murray Leinster
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.59
book published: 1966
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/01
date added: 2023/12/02
shelves: scifi
review:
Nov 25, 2023
S.O.S. From Three Worlds (1967)
by Murray Leinster
series book MD2

1984 Grade A-
2023 Grade B+

The second book about Calhoun and the ship from the med-service heading out to do regular health checks on planets. This one has three interesting stories averaging 45 pages each. None of the checks turn out to be routine of course. The stories are interesting takes on what can go wrong, but the prose is old and very verbose. I had to do a lot of speed reading when the prose started to repeat itself.

]]> The Mind Traders 6052142 143 J. Hunter Holly SciFiOne 5 scifi-fantasy 2023 Grade A-

This book is quite definitely grade A! It is also the most nasty and tense psychological SciFi thriller I have ever read.

One human teams with an alien and goes to their planet to figure out who is kidnapping humans. The aliens have a kind of telepathy/empathy that controls their entire society, which is not human in any way. The author has a degree in psychology and has done a masterful job of describing the aliens, their society, and its affect on the human.

The problem is it is too masterful. I had some trouble suspending my disbelief that the human could survive at all, let alone succeed in the investigation. The story is so tense through out, with little comic relief, that I could only read for about 45 min at a time before I needed a break. I felt the ending could have been stronger to match the rest of the novel. I did skip to the end of a few paragraphs when it got too much for me.

Is it good(?), a strong Yes. Do you want to read it(?), depends on whether you want this level of tension. I don't plan to read it again. Fortunately it is less than 140 pages and easy to read.
]]> 4.23 1966 The Mind Traders
author: J. Hunter Holly
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.23
book published: 1966
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/25
date added: 2023/11/26
shelves: scifi-fantasy
review:
1983 Grade A
2023 Grade A-

This book is quite definitely grade A! It is also the most nasty and tense psychological SciFi thriller I have ever read.

One human teams with an alien and goes to their planet to figure out who is kidnapping humans. The aliens have a kind of telepathy/empathy that controls their entire society, which is not human in any way. The author has a degree in psychology and has done a masterful job of describing the aliens, their society, and its affect on the human.

The problem is it is too masterful. I had some trouble suspending my disbelief that the human could survive at all, let alone succeed in the investigation. The story is so tense through out, with little comic relief, that I could only read for about 45 min at a time before I needed a break. I felt the ending could have been stronger to match the rest of the novel. I did skip to the end of a few paragraphs when it got too much for me.

Is it good(?), a strong Yes. Do you want to read it(?), depends on whether you want this level of tension. I don't plan to read it again. Fortunately it is less than 140 pages and easy to read.

]]> Planet of the Damned 12304657
There are many foolish and dangerous things that can be done, such as smoking next to high octane fuel and putting fingers into electrical sockets. Just as dangerous, and equally deadly, is physically attacking a Winner of the Twenties.

Two men hit Brion together, though this made very little difference. The first died suddenly as hands like steel claws found his neck and in a single spasmodic contraction did such damage to the large blood vessels there that they burst and tiny hemorrhages filled his brain. The second man had time for a single scream, though he died just as swiftly when those hands closed on his larynx.There were no others.

Only when he touched the softness of Lea's body did the blood anger seep from him. He was suddenly aware of the pain and fatigue, the sweat soaking his body and the breath rasping in his throat. Holstering the gun he ran light fingers over her skull, finding a bruised spot on one temple. Her chest was rising and falling regularly. She had struck her head when he pushed her. It had undoubtedly saved her life.]]> 169 Harry Harrison SciFiOne 5 scifi 2023 Grade A-

A typical fast paced, fast moving, Harry Harrison SciFi adventure. The protagonist has three days to prevent two very alien planets from destroying each other in thermonuclear war. War is only averted in the last few minutes on the last few pages. There is some repetition in some of the paragraphs in the later parts of the book which I skipped. It was still a pretty vivid and fun read.]]> 3.43 1962 Planet of the Damned
author: Harry Harrison
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.43
book published: 1962
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/19
date added: 2023/11/21
shelves: scifi
review:
1981 Grade A+
2023 Grade A-

A typical fast paced, fast moving, Harry Harrison SciFi adventure. The protagonist has three days to prevent two very alien planets from destroying each other in thermonuclear war. War is only averted in the last few minutes on the last few pages. There is some repetition in some of the paragraphs in the later parts of the book which I skipped. It was still a pretty vivid and fun read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Mutant Weapon / The Pirates of Zan]]> 28009884 92 p. + 161 p. 163 Murray Leinster SciFiOne 4 scifi 1984, Pirates of Zan, 163 pages, grade B-
1984, Mutant Weapon, 93 pages grade B
The Mutant Weapon (1959 book 1 in the Med Service series)
2023 Grade B-

I read "The Mutant Weapon" again because the second book is the series is listed as grade A in my records. The prose here is old and repetitive but interesting enough. When the author started repeating material he had already given me, it was almost always at the end of a long paragraph so I just skipped on to the next paragraph, an easy speed reading trick.

The story is about a one man med service ship that finds a planet ready to colonize but not occupied. The ship is attacked. The doctor figures out what is going on and solves it. It is actually a good story and I'm glad I read it. But the style is visibly old.]]> 4.25 1959 The Mutant Weapon / The Pirates of Zan
author: Murray Leinster
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1959
rating: 4
read at: 2023/11/15
date added: 2023/11/17
shelves: scifi
review:
Ace Double Novel D403
1984, Pirates of Zan, 163 pages, grade B-
1984, Mutant Weapon, 93 pages grade B
The Mutant Weapon (1959 book 1 in the Med Service series)
2023 Grade B-

I read "The Mutant Weapon" again because the second book is the series is listed as grade A in my records. The prose here is old and repetitive but interesting enough. When the author started repeating material he had already given me, it was almost always at the end of a long paragraph so I just skipped on to the next paragraph, an easy speed reading trick.

The story is about a one man med service ship that finds a planet ready to colonize but not occupied. The ship is attacked. The doctor figures out what is going on and solves it. It is actually a good story and I'm glad I read it. But the style is visibly old.
]]> <![CDATA[Murder in the Rose Garden (Eleanor Roosevelt, #7)]]> 484375 256 Elliott Roosevelt 038070529X SciFiOne 4 true-mystery
This is a true mystery in that the reader does not know who did it until the end. It is also a bit of a gritty period police detective story because it mostly follows a "police" investigation in a harsh time in history. Thus some of the ways people are treated were not nice. It is not a cozy mystery.

The prose is economically written so it is easy and fairly fast to read. There is only some superfluous material in the 3rd quarter. The world is the USA 1936 White House which is interesting and described very nicely. The characters are quite vivid.

I found the book in a roadside free library - the best story I have found in one of those.
]]> 3.67 1989 Murder in the Rose Garden (Eleanor Roosevelt, #7)
author: Elliott Roosevelt
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1989
rating: 4
read at: 2023/11/08
date added: 2023/11/14
shelves: true-mystery
review:
2023 Grade B+

This is a true mystery in that the reader does not know who did it until the end. It is also a bit of a gritty period police detective story because it mostly follows a "police" investigation in a harsh time in history. Thus some of the ways people are treated were not nice. It is not a cozy mystery.

The prose is economically written so it is easy and fairly fast to read. There is only some superfluous material in the 3rd quarter. The world is the USA 1936 White House which is interesting and described very nicely. The characters are quite vivid.

I found the book in a roadside free library - the best story I have found in one of those.

]]> Virgin Planet 2986094 159 Poul Anderson 058310519X SciFiOne 5 scifi by Poul Anderson

1979 Grade A
2023 Grade A

Poul Anderson was one of the great SciFi masters who actually used science in his world building but wrote stories about people. In this case the world is populated only by women. Their colonization ship crashed on the planet. The scientists and doctors managed to set up a parthenogenesis process so they could colonize anyway. But with resources and education failing, and the limited source type for cloning, the world developed a cast based feudal tribal system. There were feudal style wars and the "doctors" were the uber lords. Into this lands a survey ship, with one male aboard who promptly gets captured. The women don't know if it is a monster or a man but he represents power- and another war starts!

The world building and character development are excellent. The story is an adventure tale with lots of personality clashes and is just plain fun. The Psychotechnic League is not really visible in the story. In fact, if you didn't already know it was part of the series, it would make no difference at all. I finished the 150 page paperback in 3 days. (There is no erotica if the title is worrying or luring you.)

RECOMMENDED. (Be sure you get the right book. There seems to be spurious listings on Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ with the author listed as Xox.)]]> 3.40 1959 Virgin Planet
author: Poul Anderson
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.40
book published: 1959
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/03
date added: 2023/11/05
shelves: scifi
review:
Virgin Planet (Psychotechnic League book 5)
by Poul Anderson

1979 Grade A
2023 Grade A

Poul Anderson was one of the great SciFi masters who actually used science in his world building but wrote stories about people. In this case the world is populated only by women. Their colonization ship crashed on the planet. The scientists and doctors managed to set up a parthenogenesis process so they could colonize anyway. But with resources and education failing, and the limited source type for cloning, the world developed a cast based feudal tribal system. There were feudal style wars and the "doctors" were the uber lords. Into this lands a survey ship, with one male aboard who promptly gets captured. The women don't know if it is a monster or a man but he represents power- and another war starts!

The world building and character development are excellent. The story is an adventure tale with lots of personality clashes and is just plain fun. The Psychotechnic League is not really visible in the story. In fact, if you didn't already know it was part of the series, it would make no difference at all. I finished the 150 page paperback in 3 days. (There is no erotica if the title is worrying or luring you.)

RECOMMENDED. (Be sure you get the right book. There seems to be spurious listings on Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ with the author listed as Xox.)
]]> A Spectre is Haunting Texas 10436471 Scully Christopher Crockett La Cruz is an actor, fortune seeker & adventurer from the isolated orbital technocratic democracies of Circumluna & the Bubbles Congeries. He lands in what he believes to be Canada to reclaim family mining interests. He discovers Canada is now N. Texas & what remains of civilization in N. America is ruled by primitive, backslapping, bigger than life anti-intellectual "good ole boys" convinced of their own moral superiority.
In the tortured version of history known to the giant hormone-boosted Anglo-Saxon inhabitants who rule a diminutive Mexican underclass, the original Texas had secretly ruled the pre-nuclear war USA since 1845: "Of it was never given out to the general public in the states, who never had no brains or guts nohow & flustered easy, that this assumption of leadership was annexation--but it was always known to the Speaker of the House & the senators who counted in Washington that secretest treaty Texas was boss...With the coming of the 3rd World War & the atomization of Washington, New York, San Francisco & so forth, secrecy became unnecessary."
Texas escaped the USA's nuclear destruction because of the foresight of Lyndon I. An emormous bunker known as the Houston-Carlsbad Caverns-Denver-Kansas City-Little Rock Pentagram & now referred to simply as the Texas Bunker had saved the heartland during a war that destroyed the American coasts, Europe, Russia, China & Africa. Texas then conquered the rest of the continent, tho Hawaii & Cuba remain stubbornly unconquered.

Cover Illustration: Fred Pfeiffer]]> 197 Fritz Leiber SciFiOne 4 scifi 2023 Grade B+

The unique feature that made this book Grade A is the exuberant, flowery, stilted prose. It was so strongly toned that it was almost Shakespearian at times and sometimes took a whole chapter to make one point. It is definitely worth reading once just to experience the prose.

Unfortunately, there can be too much of a good thing and I started heavy speed reading half way through.

The story is set in the far future where Texas covers/rules almost all of the North American continent and every kind of prejudice and stupidity you can think of has been exaggerated beyond belief. The story is basically a heavy farce/satire of the social/political aspects of life. Everyone uses and cheats everyone else even if it physically hurts them. Into this walks an innocent skinny feeble man raised in zero gravity and wearing an exoskeleton. I had trouble believing he survived the trip at all. But when written, all those problems were much worse than now so it was a real eye opener.

The book is recommended reading once just for its uniqueness.]]> 3.13 1968 A Spectre is Haunting Texas
author: Fritz Leiber
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.13
book published: 1968
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/31
date added: 2023/11/02
shelves: scifi
review:
1975 Grade A
2023 Grade B+

The unique feature that made this book Grade A is the exuberant, flowery, stilted prose. It was so strongly toned that it was almost Shakespearian at times and sometimes took a whole chapter to make one point. It is definitely worth reading once just to experience the prose.

Unfortunately, there can be too much of a good thing and I started heavy speed reading half way through.

The story is set in the far future where Texas covers/rules almost all of the North American continent and every kind of prejudice and stupidity you can think of has been exaggerated beyond belief. The story is basically a heavy farce/satire of the social/political aspects of life. Everyone uses and cheats everyone else even if it physically hurts them. Into this walks an innocent skinny feeble man raised in zero gravity and wearing an exoskeleton. I had trouble believing he survived the trip at all. But when written, all those problems were much worse than now so it was a real eye opener.

The book is recommended reading once just for its uniqueness.
]]> Dragon's Island 34463736
"THE NOT-MEN"]]> 222 Jack Williamson SciFiOne 4 scifi Dragon's Island (1950) aka The Not-Men

1980 Grade A-
2023 Grade B+

Another good old story burdened by out of date writing and science. This is a genetic engineering story. It all takes place on earth and is basically the manufactured more advanced mutants verses the humans although not in armed conflict. There is quite a bit decent action, tension, and story. But it is a bit pedantic about the mental ruminations of the protagonist, the structure of genetics, and repeated descriptions of the past. Some of that even slowed down the climax, which was too open ended for me. I did guess who the protagonist was early on and some of the other characters. Some of the events were predictable too but not all of them! I also ended up speed reading to skip overwritten places.

I enjoyed the story and do not regret reading it a second time. But I cannot recommend it and do not plan to read it again. The world has moved on.]]> 3.43 1951 Dragon's Island
author: Jack Williamson
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.43
book published: 1951
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/06
date added: 2023/10/16
shelves: scifi
review:
Oct 6, 2023
Dragon's Island (1950) aka The Not-Men

1980 Grade A-
2023 Grade B+

Another good old story burdened by out of date writing and science. This is a genetic engineering story. It all takes place on earth and is basically the manufactured more advanced mutants verses the humans although not in armed conflict. There is quite a bit decent action, tension, and story. But it is a bit pedantic about the mental ruminations of the protagonist, the structure of genetics, and repeated descriptions of the past. Some of that even slowed down the climax, which was too open ended for me. I did guess who the protagonist was early on and some of the other characters. Some of the events were predictable too but not all of them! I also ended up speed reading to skip overwritten places.

I enjoyed the story and do not regret reading it a second time. But I cannot recommend it and do not plan to read it again. The world has moved on.
]]> <![CDATA[Wisteria Wonders (Wisteria Witches, #3)]]> 32912216
The Department of Water and Magic gets involved, but now they want Zara to channel a missing spirit. The fiesty redheaded librarian wants to help, REALLY, but this new spirit is going to be murder on her love life.

With a few timely spells, some top-secret sleuthing, and (of course) the appropriate reference materials, Zara Riddle should have this case solved in no time. If it doesn't kill her.]]> 310 Angela Pepper SciFiOne 4 fantasy
Chapter one in this story is one of the best I have ever read - fun, surprising, upbeat. Sadly, the rest of the book has little in common with chapter one and has a lower tone - downbeat and repetitive. I did speed read a little including areas repeating earlier material for new readers, and depressing areas full of sad angst. But it was still enjoyable with adequate character development and expansion of the magical world of Wisteria. The last chapter was just plain annoying, from the overlong standard celebration party to the ominous "to be continued" final sentences. It is not good to leave a reader in a downbeat state of mind.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, and it is worth reading. But I consider it disposable.
]]> 4.17 2017 Wisteria Wonders (Wisteria Witches, #3)
author: Angela Pepper
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/21
date added: 2023/09/28
shelves: fantasy
review:
2023 Grade B

Chapter one in this story is one of the best I have ever read - fun, surprising, upbeat. Sadly, the rest of the book has little in common with chapter one and has a lower tone - downbeat and repetitive. I did speed read a little including areas repeating earlier material for new readers, and depressing areas full of sad angst. But it was still enjoyable with adequate character development and expansion of the magical world of Wisteria. The last chapter was just plain annoying, from the overlong standard celebration party to the ominous "to be continued" final sentences. It is not good to leave a reader in a downbeat state of mind.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, and it is worth reading. But I consider it disposable.

]]> The Seedling Stars 6342811 Contents:
"Seeding Program"
"The Thing in the Attic"
"Surface Tension"
"Watershed"]]> 160 James Blish 0451069773 SciFiOne 5 scifi 2023 Grade A-

Pantropy, genetically engineering human gametes to make people who can live in an alien ecosystem. It's an alternative to terraforming. The trick is, the engineered people are new, have no memories of the past, and no one to teach them. They have to learn to survive, develop their own culture, and maybe even evolve to the environment. The concept has been around for a long time. Blish coined the name.

This book has four stories published separately in the anthologies of the 1950s. Each is about pantropy but each stands alone. They range in length from 9 to 60 pages and grades from A to C. The longest is apparently the most popular. It was indeed a grade A adventure story even if I had trouble suspending my disbelief that a "man" the size of a microscopic paramecium could have intelligence. Good book.
]]> 3.82 1957 The Seedling Stars
author: James Blish
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.82
book published: 1957
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/12
date added: 2023/09/15
shelves: scifi
review:
1980 Grade A+
2023 Grade A-

Pantropy, genetically engineering human gametes to make people who can live in an alien ecosystem. It's an alternative to terraforming. The trick is, the engineered people are new, have no memories of the past, and no one to teach them. They have to learn to survive, develop their own culture, and maybe even evolve to the environment. The concept has been around for a long time. Blish coined the name.

This book has four stories published separately in the anthologies of the 1950s. Each is about pantropy but each stands alone. They range in length from 9 to 60 pages and grades from A to C. The longest is apparently the most popular. It was indeed a grade A adventure story even if I had trouble suspending my disbelief that a "man" the size of a microscopic paramecium could have intelligence. Good book.

]]> <![CDATA[The Maker of Universes (World of Tiers, #1)]]> 2132254
For that other universe was a place of tiers, world upon world piled upon each other like the landings of a sky-piercing mountain. The one to blow that horn would ascend those steps, from creation to creation, until he would come face to face with the being whose brain-child it was.

But what if that maker of universes was a madman? Or an imposter? Or a super-criminal hiding from the wrath of his own superiors?

The Maker of Universes is unlike any science-fiction novel you have ever read, it is wonderfully unique.]]> 191 Philip José Farmer 0722134487 SciFiOne 4 scifi-fantasy 2023 Grade B and Z

This roughly 200 page book is basically out of date by my prose standards. The protagonist steps through a portal from earth to an artificial planet in an alternate universe. In the first quarter of the book, he learns about the planet & universe and adapts to it. That is the SciFi veneer to the story. The rest is pretty much fantasy with strange creatures and medieval level cultures. They may have been created by an alien "god," but it still reads like fantasy. It reminded be of Burroughs and Chalker novels.

The second quarter starts a journey story with, travel, meeting new "tribes," battles, and repeat. I estimate the total fictional travel time at two years. The story jumped ahead months at times so not every footstep is followed. But, even with skips, the story was droning on and I got bored. It was either abandon it or skip ahead. I skipped 50 pages to the last quarter. There were a few tolerable continuity problems but it worked adequately. Even then it droned on and I speed read the rest of the book.

Farmer is always pretty strange. Good for what it is, but not recommended.]]> 3.88 1965 The Maker of Universes (World of Tiers, #1)
author: Philip José Farmer
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1965
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/31
date added: 2023/09/04
shelves: scifi-fantasy
review:
1980 Grade A. Book T1.
2023 Grade B and Z

This roughly 200 page book is basically out of date by my prose standards. The protagonist steps through a portal from earth to an artificial planet in an alternate universe. In the first quarter of the book, he learns about the planet & universe and adapts to it. That is the SciFi veneer to the story. The rest is pretty much fantasy with strange creatures and medieval level cultures. They may have been created by an alien "god," but it still reads like fantasy. It reminded be of Burroughs and Chalker novels.

The second quarter starts a journey story with, travel, meeting new "tribes," battles, and repeat. I estimate the total fictional travel time at two years. The story jumped ahead months at times so not every footstep is followed. But, even with skips, the story was droning on and I got bored. It was either abandon it or skip ahead. I skipped 50 pages to the last quarter. There were a few tolerable continuity problems but it worked adequately. Even then it droned on and I speed read the rest of the book.

Farmer is always pretty strange. Good for what it is, but not recommended.
]]> <![CDATA[Eye Of The Monster and Sea Siege]]> 16029544 No. F-147. First printing. 80 Andre Norton SciFiOne 5 scifi, scifi-fantasy Eye of the Monster grade A+
Sea Siege grade A-]]> 3.94 1957 Eye Of The Monster and Sea Siege
author: Andre Norton
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.94
book published: 1957
rating: 5
read at: 1982/01/01
date added: 2023/09/01
shelves: scifi, scifi-fantasy
review:
Ace Double Novel F147
Eye of the Monster grade A+
Sea Siege grade A-
]]> The Peregrine 2414707 184 Poul Anderson 0441659497 SciFiOne 5 scifi by Poul Anderson

1978 Grade B
2023 Grade A

Where book 1 of this future history series is in the near future and now suffers from events that did not happen syndrome, this book is far enough from earth and the present that there were no content problems that way at all. In fact, the characters in the book have never seen earth and it is almost impossible to identify the League at all.

The first half of the book is all character, culture, and world building. In fact it is a little slow but very well done and enjoyable. The largest action area comes early in the second half. That is catastrophic and long and leaves the people fixing things before a battle. I had some trouble suspending my disbelief there but overcame it. After the battle there is some more culture building. The end again has an action peak in the resolution of the story. The last couple of pages are a bit tragic but not unexpected.

Obviously, I enjoyed the book much more this time since I graded it an A instead of a B. Recommended if you like the story type listed above.
]]> 3.30 1956 The Peregrine
author: Poul Anderson
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.30
book published: 1956
rating: 5
read at: 1978/01/01
date added: 2023/08/29
shelves: scifi
review:
The Peregrine (Book 4 in the Psychotechnic League series. aka Star Ways)
by Poul Anderson

1978 Grade B
2023 Grade A

Where book 1 of this future history series is in the near future and now suffers from events that did not happen syndrome, this book is far enough from earth and the present that there were no content problems that way at all. In fact, the characters in the book have never seen earth and it is almost impossible to identify the League at all.

The first half of the book is all character, culture, and world building. In fact it is a little slow but very well done and enjoyable. The largest action area comes early in the second half. That is catastrophic and long and leaves the people fixing things before a battle. I had some trouble suspending my disbelief there but overcame it. After the battle there is some more culture building. The end again has an action peak in the resolution of the story. The last couple of pages are a bit tragic but not unexpected.

Obviously, I enjoyed the book much more this time since I graded it an A instead of a B. Recommended if you like the story type listed above.

]]> <![CDATA[A Yank at Valhalla / The Sun Destroyers]]> 6320631
Contents:
A Yank at Valhalla (1950) novel by Edmond Hamilton
The Sun Destroyers (1973) collection by Ross Rocklynne:
� Into the Darkness (1940)
� Daughter of Darkness (1941)
� Abyss of Darkness (1942)
� Rebel of the Darkness (1951)]]> 284 Edmond Hamilton 0441939007 SciFiOne 3 scifi-fantasy, scifi A Yank At Valhalla, Edmond Hamilton, grade C+
The Sun Destroyers, Ross Rocklyne, grade D
Both very old stories.

Merged review:

Ace Double Novel 441-93900-095
A Yank At Valhalla, Edmond Hamilton, grade C+
The Sun Destroyers, Ross Rocklyne, grade D
Both very old stories.]]> 3.93 1973 A Yank at Valhalla / The Sun Destroyers
author: Edmond Hamilton
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.93
book published: 1973
rating: 3
read at: 1982/01/01
date added: 2023/08/24
shelves: scifi-fantasy, scifi
review:
Ace Double Novel 441-93900-095
A Yank At Valhalla, Edmond Hamilton, grade C+
The Sun Destroyers, Ross Rocklyne, grade D
Both very old stories.

Merged review:

Ace Double Novel 441-93900-095
A Yank At Valhalla, Edmond Hamilton, grade C+
The Sun Destroyers, Ross Rocklyne, grade D
Both very old stories.
]]> The Hanging City 63127235 For a young woman who wields the power of fear, humanity’s greatest enemy is her only hope in a new fairy-tale adventure by Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.

Seven years on the run from her abusive father, and with no hope of sanctuary among the dwindling pockets of human civilization, Lark is out of options. Her only leverage is a cursed power: she can thrust fear onto others, leaving all threats fleeing in terror. It’s a means of survival as she searches for a place to call home. If the campfire myths of her childhood are true, Lark’s sole chance for refuge could lie in Cagmar, the city of trolls—a brutal species and the sworn enemies of humanity.

Valuing combat prowess, the troll high council is intrigued. Lark could be much more useful than the low-caste humans who merely labor in Cagmar. Her gift makes her invaluable as a monster slayer to fight off the unspeakable creatures that torment the trolls� hanging city, suspended from a bridge over an endless dark canyon.

Lark will do anything to make Cagmar her home, but her new role comes with a caveat: use her power against a troll, and she’ll be killed. Her loyalty is quickly put to the test when she draws the hatred of a powerful troll who loathes humankind. Still, she finds unexpected friendship in the city and, even more surprisingly, love. But if everything else doesn’t undo her, being caught in the arms of a troll surely will. Now in the fight of her life, Lark has a lot to learn—about her past, about trust and hope when all seems lost, and above all, about the extraordinary power of fear itself.]]> 344 Charlie N. Holmberg 1662508719 SciFiOne 0 ebook, fantasy, abandoned
Abandoned. This fantasy story was not holding my attention, and I found the first person prose hard read for some reason. ]]> 3.96 2023 The Hanging City
author: Charlie N. Holmberg
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2023/08/16
date added: 2023/08/16
shelves: ebook, fantasy, abandoned
review:
2023 Grade Z

Abandoned. This fantasy story was not holding my attention, and I found the first person prose hard read for some reason.
]]> Tiger by the Tail 1360005
Tiger by the Tail An ordinary black pocketbook turns out to be the threshold of an unknown and terrifying dimension...

Nightmare Brother One man's torturous sleep was his only chance for survival in the the stars...

Letter of the Law On a planet of con-men, an earth born swindler must lie for his life . . .

Brightside Crossing On the sunward side of Mercury the temperature was 770 degrees--and a man could die more than once...

Plus the following stories...

Problem
The Coffin Cure
The Native Soil
Love Thy Vimp
Family Resemblance]]> 144 Alan E. Nourse 0532501993 SciFiOne 5 scifi
1978 Grade A+
2023 Grade B

I can see why I liked this book of nine short stories 45 years ago. They are striking stories and very well written. Most of them are tiger by the tail type stories in that the people have taken on more than they can handle. But now I find them unbelievable, frustrating, predictable, and all about losers. Don't get me wrong, they are exciting, just not for me- like most short stories.]]> 3.55 1961 Tiger by the Tail
author: Alan E. Nourse
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.55
book published: 1961
rating: 5
read at: 2023/08/15
date added: 2023/08/16
shelves: scifi
review:
Hard cover with this artwork, 1964, and 184 pages. It has the dust cover also which is not acid free!

1978 Grade A+
2023 Grade B

I can see why I liked this book of nine short stories 45 years ago. They are striking stories and very well written. Most of them are tiger by the tail type stories in that the people have taken on more than they can handle. But now I find them unbelievable, frustrating, predictable, and all about losers. Don't get me wrong, they are exciting, just not for me- like most short stories.
]]> The Winged Man 5941517 Suddenly, it reappeared, and Kenlon found himself fighting for his life in the cold water of the night. As he finally surfaced it was to find himself at the beginning of a journey into a fearful future where a grotesque war was being waged between the frightening birdmen and their even more terrifying opponents...]]> 159 A.E. van Vogt SciFiOne 5 scifi The Winged Man
by A.E van Vogt and E. Mayne Hull

1980 Grade A
2023 Grade A-

This has a rather good SciFi story but has become a little dated in technology and prose. It was written in 1944 by Hull for the periodical 'Astounding Science Fiction.' The story was expanded by van Vogt for novelization in 1966. I doubt the expansion helped a lot except to provide a new audience and more income to the copyright holders. The prose became a little too internalized and repetitive at the end, and I used light speed reading. But I did enjoy the story and it is still on my OK to read again list.

Ships from various eras are transported to 25000 AD to solve the battle between the remaining two factions of humans on a damaged earth. Only the XO of the 1950s era earth submarine can solve the problem.]]> 3.33 1966 The Winged Man
author: A.E. van Vogt
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.33
book published: 1966
rating: 5
read at: 2023/08/07
date added: 2023/08/07
shelves: scifi
review:
Aug 06, 2023
The Winged Man
by A.E van Vogt and E. Mayne Hull

1980 Grade A
2023 Grade A-

This has a rather good SciFi story but has become a little dated in technology and prose. It was written in 1944 by Hull for the periodical 'Astounding Science Fiction.' The story was expanded by van Vogt for novelization in 1966. I doubt the expansion helped a lot except to provide a new audience and more income to the copyright holders. The prose became a little too internalized and repetitive at the end, and I used light speed reading. But I did enjoy the story and it is still on my OK to read again list.

Ships from various eras are transported to 25000 AD to solve the battle between the remaining two factions of humans on a damaged earth. Only the XO of the 1950s era earth submarine can solve the problem.
]]> C.O.D. Mars / Alien Sea 935499 256 E.C. Tubb 0441080405 SciFiOne 4 scifi-fantasy, scifi
C.O.D. Mars, E.C. Tubb, grade B, not read again.

Alien Sea, by John Rackham

1980 Grade A
2023 Grade B

This actually has a more complex story than the last ace double novel I read, but the pace and the prose are not as well done. The story follows a B-roll "camera-man" who records emotions for editors to add to videos. He accidentally gets involved in a multi-world plot to conquer earth, falls in love with an "alien" human, and eventually helps prevent the disaster. The world building, character development, and story are actually quite good. I can see why I rated it grade A the first time.

Chapter 1 is basically a prolog that takes place 2000 years before the main story. As near as I can tell, it can be skipped entirely, the same as most prologs. Since the prose is overwritten, tedious and a bit ponderous throughout the book, I would suggest starting with chapter 2. I speed read many long paragraphs by just skipping to the start of the next paragraph. It did not seem to create significant problems.]]> 3.29 C.O.D. Mars / Alien Sea
author: E.C. Tubb
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.29
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/23
date added: 2023/08/07
shelves: scifi-fantasy, scifi
review:
Ace Double Novel H40

C.O.D. Mars, E.C. Tubb, grade B, not read again.

Alien Sea, by John Rackham

1980 Grade A
2023 Grade B

This actually has a more complex story than the last ace double novel I read, but the pace and the prose are not as well done. The story follows a B-roll "camera-man" who records emotions for editors to add to videos. He accidentally gets involved in a multi-world plot to conquer earth, falls in love with an "alien" human, and eventually helps prevent the disaster. The world building, character development, and story are actually quite good. I can see why I rated it grade A the first time.

Chapter 1 is basically a prolog that takes place 2000 years before the main story. As near as I can tell, it can be skipped entirely, the same as most prologs. Since the prose is overwritten, tedious and a bit ponderous throughout the book, I would suggest starting with chapter 2. I speed read many long paragraphs by just skipping to the start of the next paragraph. It did not seem to create significant problems.
]]> <![CDATA[The Rites of Ohe / Castaways World]]> 7215530
The Rites of Ohe: A genetically manipulated human pursues a mysterious cult. He must find a way unravel the phoenix mystery or else he would see the destruction of the universe.]]> John Brunner SciFiOne 4 scifi-fantasy, scifi "The Rites of Ohe" grade C. Not read again.

Jul 23, 2023
"Castaways World (1963)" Book Z1 of the Polymathseries

1980 Grade A
2023 Grade A

That was a fast and fun read - 80 pages of fast moving material in an old Ace double novel. It is a survival story but not the hard SciFi I expected. Two large cargo ships full of refuges from a destroyed world crash but in different places on an uninhabited jungle planet. There is good world building, but the story is about the people. The problem solvers, the problem makers, the useful, and the useless.

Can the leader accept his job and make a functional group that can survive and build a society. The plot follows the group that realizes they are there to stay and starts doing what is needed to survive. They eventually have to rescue the other group, but it is all about people, sane and insane alike, the frictions between them, and the strain struggling to survive causes.

This is not a great and meaningful novel. But that isn't always needed for an enjoyable read.]]> 3.28 1962 The Rites of Ohe / Castaways World
author: John Brunner
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.28
book published: 1962
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/31
date added: 2023/08/07
shelves: scifi-fantasy, scifi
review:
Ace Double Novel F249
"The Rites of Ohe" grade C. Not read again.

Jul 23, 2023
"Castaways World (1963)" Book Z1 of the Polymathseries

1980 Grade A
2023 Grade A

That was a fast and fun read - 80 pages of fast moving material in an old Ace double novel. It is a survival story but not the hard SciFi I expected. Two large cargo ships full of refuges from a destroyed world crash but in different places on an uninhabited jungle planet. There is good world building, but the story is about the people. The problem solvers, the problem makers, the useful, and the useless.

Can the leader accept his job and make a functional group that can survive and build a society. The plot follows the group that realizes they are there to stay and starts doing what is needed to survive. They eventually have to rescue the other group, but it is all about people, sane and insane alike, the frictions between them, and the strain struggling to survive causes.

This is not a great and meaningful novel. But that isn't always needed for an enjoyable read.
]]> Grimm's World 6944687 176 Vernor Vinge 0425017508 SciFiOne 4 scifi
The book has an almost classic tragic ending. The protagonist does live and will be cured but readers do not see the cure.]]> 3.18 1969 Grimm's World
author: Vernor Vinge
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.18
book published: 1969
rating: 4
read at: 1986/01/01
date added: 2023/08/03
shelves: scifi
review:
1986 grade B- (second read)

The book has an almost classic tragic ending. The protagonist does live and will be cured but readers do not see the cure.
]]> The Darkness on Diamondia 1678923 176 A.E. van Vogt 0879977248 SciFiOne 3 scifi 1982 grade C- 3.20 1972 The Darkness on Diamondia
author: A.E. van Vogt
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.20
book published: 1972
rating: 3
read at: 1982/01/01
date added: 2023/08/01
shelves: scifi
review:
1982 grade C-
]]> The Weapon Shops of Isher 2422640
Into this explosive deadlock was thrust a man of the present, himself a weapon of time, threatening to end both the Weapon Shops and the Empire of Isher!]]> 156 A.E. van Vogt 0441878563 SciFiOne 5 scifi 2015 grade A

Series book WS2

The book has odd POV transitions in that it is not always obvious that the POV has changed. Content wise, in the beginning chapters, all the characters seem to be losers. But stick with it. It is a pretty easy but intelligent read and gets immensely better.

(Note: My edition is the 1973 fourth printing of the Ace edition pictured above - condition "Very Good." That edition is not listed in the owned books section and I do not feel like dealing with Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ problematic edition editor.)]]> 3.62 1951 The Weapon Shops of Isher
author: A.E. van Vogt
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.62
book published: 1951
rating: 5
read at: 2015/01/01
date added: 2023/08/01
shelves: scifi
review:
1980 grade A
2015 grade A

Series book WS2

The book has odd POV transitions in that it is not always obvious that the POV has changed. Content wise, in the beginning chapters, all the characters seem to be losers. But stick with it. It is a pretty easy but intelligent read and gets immensely better.

(Note: My edition is the 1973 fourth printing of the Ace edition pictured above - condition "Very Good." That edition is not listed in the owned books section and I do not feel like dealing with Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ problematic edition editor.)
]]> The Last Planet 2418319 Book 192 Andre Norton 0441063667 SciFiOne 4 scifi 2023 Grade B+

Pretty standard Norton. Good story but her characters always seem a little off probably because of the sexism of the 50s. She was a woman writing male characters in science fiction stories when the audience was mainly male teens. I also never fully cared for the mentalism in the stories, with battles being fought via mind control. It was too much like dreams. But when I started reading SciFi, there was a lot of Norton available and the basic story is sound. I'm just not as tolerant of the problems now. I did speed read as needed, not too much, but noticeable.

The story is the end of an era and the start of a new one. A patrol ship of a dying empire crashes, and the characters have to start a new life on the last planet. The beginning of the ending.

aka Star Rangers

Title on book =
The Last Planet
Original Title: Star Rangers]]> 3.88 1953 The Last Planet
author: Andre Norton
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1953
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/22
date added: 2023/07/23
shelves: scifi
review:
1979 Grade A-
2023 Grade B+

Pretty standard Norton. Good story but her characters always seem a little off probably because of the sexism of the 50s. She was a woman writing male characters in science fiction stories when the audience was mainly male teens. I also never fully cared for the mentalism in the stories, with battles being fought via mind control. It was too much like dreams. But when I started reading SciFi, there was a lot of Norton available and the basic story is sound. I'm just not as tolerant of the problems now. I did speed read as needed, not too much, but noticeable.

The story is the end of an era and the start of a new one. A patrol ship of a dying empire crashes, and the characters have to start a new life on the last planet. The beginning of the ending.

aka Star Rangers

Title on book =
The Last Planet
Original Title: Star Rangers
]]> The Power of Blackness 6241451 220 Jack Williamson 0425032604 SciFiOne 4 scifi 1977 grade B- 3.13 1976 The Power of Blackness
author: Jack Williamson
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.13
book published: 1976
rating: 4
read at: 1977/01/01
date added: 2023/07/22
shelves: scifi
review:
1977 grade B-
]]> Clone 1413831 168 Richard Cowper 070431116X SciFiOne 5 scifi 2023 Grade A

The basic story is about Alvin (a Clone) reconnecting with his 3 brothers and their "awakening." But what the content is really about is the absurd society Cowper has built. The society is an overpopulated world (mainly England is shown) derived from 1972 society, and it makes fun of just about everything from sex to politicians. And it's all done in formal British prose. I was often chuckling after reading a section. Very Enjoyable.

Recommended]]> 3.20 1972 Clone
author: Richard Cowper
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.20
book published: 1972
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/14
date added: 2023/07/16
shelves: scifi
review:
1979 Grade A+
2023 Grade A

The basic story is about Alvin (a Clone) reconnecting with his 3 brothers and their "awakening." But what the content is really about is the absurd society Cowper has built. The society is an overpopulated world (mainly England is shown) derived from 1972 society, and it makes fun of just about everything from sex to politicians. And it's all done in formal British prose. I was often chuckling after reading a section. Very Enjoyable.

Recommended
]]> <![CDATA[The Complete Psychotechnic League, Vol. 1 (1)]]> 34466821
FROM THE ASHES OF WORLD WAR III

World War III has ravaged the globe. Once great nations have been brought to their knees. Now, a new science offers hope for the Psychodynamics, the ability to influence government and popular opinion. Led by the Psychotechnic Institute, humanity denounces its violent ways, once and for all. While peace reigns on Earth, humankind ventures out into the Solar System—and to the stars beyond. But soon the cycle of war and destruction begins anew.

The first of three volumes collecting all of multiple Hugo- and Nebula-Award winning author Poul Anderson's massive future history magnum opus. Includes short stories previously uncollected in a Psychotechnic League volume!

About Poul

"One of science fiction's authentic geniuses."� Chicago Sun-Times

“Anderson fuses elegiac prose and a sweeping vision of man’s technological future…”� Booklist

“One of science fiction’s giants.”–Arthur C. Clarke]]> 240 Poul Anderson 148148284X SciFiOne 5 scifi 1984 Grade A
2023 Grade A-

I read five of the original "Psychotechnic League" books in the 1970s-80s, but I only have 4 and 5 in my collection. They are no longer in print under the original titles. I wanted to read the start again so purchased this Kindle title hoping it had the same content. I think it does. The League future history series is indeed out of date as others have said. But if you ignore the dates, it is good. I had no trouble.

The content is a selection of short stories, novelettes, and a short novel. The league is in its early days, but it does have agents (the focus of the stories) trying to fix the societies on various planets. The content can be little harsh but that is the reality of the fictional history at this point. The stories are not gross enough to put me off. Except for a bit of repetition in the longest story, the writing is excellent.

I enjoyed Anderson's afterward where he praised Heinlein for inventing Future Histories and explained the reasons for the new release.

The book might not be worth reading repeatedly, but I do Recommended it.]]> 3.56 2017 The Complete Psychotechnic League, Vol. 1 (1)
author: Poul Anderson
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/11
date added: 2023/07/15
shelves: scifi
review:

1984 Grade A
2023 Grade A-

I read five of the original "Psychotechnic League" books in the 1970s-80s, but I only have 4 and 5 in my collection. They are no longer in print under the original titles. I wanted to read the start again so purchased this Kindle title hoping it had the same content. I think it does. The League future history series is indeed out of date as others have said. But if you ignore the dates, it is good. I had no trouble.

The content is a selection of short stories, novelettes, and a short novel. The league is in its early days, but it does have agents (the focus of the stories) trying to fix the societies on various planets. The content can be little harsh but that is the reality of the fictional history at this point. The stories are not gross enough to put me off. Except for a bit of repetition in the longest story, the writing is excellent.

I enjoyed Anderson's afterward where he praised Heinlein for inventing Future Histories and explained the reasons for the new release.

The book might not be worth reading repeatedly, but I do Recommended it.
]]> The Psycho-technic League 512411 285 Poul Anderson 0812530594 SciFiOne 5 scifi
(See The Complete Psychotechnic League for the 2023 review)]]> 3.81 1981 The Psycho-technic League
author: Poul Anderson
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1981
rating: 5
read at: 1984/01/01
date added: 2023/07/15
shelves: scifi
review:
Grade A. Short novel. Book P1.

(See The Complete Psychotechnic League for the 2023 review)
]]> Asimov's Mysteries 22207844 251 Isaac Asimov SciFiOne 5 scifi 2023 Grade A-

The word "Mysteries" was used loosely by the publishers. These thirteen Science and SciFi short stories are more like crime dramas than true mysteries. Often the only thing present is the actual crime with no detective work at all, just an odd twist at the end. They are still great stories, but my standards have changed. Thus the altered grade. Still eight of the stories are grade A!

Recommended.]]> 5.00 1968 Asimov's Mysteries
author: Isaac Asimov
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 5.00
book published: 1968
rating: 5
read at: 2023/05/15
date added: 2023/05/17
shelves: scifi
review:
1978 Grade A+
2023 Grade A-

The word "Mysteries" was used loosely by the publishers. These thirteen Science and SciFi short stories are more like crime dramas than true mysteries. Often the only thing present is the actual crime with no detective work at all, just an odd twist at the end. They are still great stories, but my standards have changed. Thus the altered grade. Still eight of the stories are grade A!

Recommended.
]]> A Fall of Moondust 1407038 It fell slowly, as all things must upon the Moon. The sea was alive and moving . . . Every stage of that nightmare transformation was pitilessly illuminated by the earth light, until the crater was so deep that its firewall was completely lost in shadow, and it seemed as if Selene were racing into a curving crescent of utter blackness � an arc of annihilation.

In darkness and in silence, they were sinking into the Moon. . . .

]]> 215 Arthur C. Clarke 0451083202 SciFiOne 5 scifi 2023 Grade A

Classic hard SciFi and an immensely good book. Hard SciFi often has two problems, it tends to become out of date pretty fast and it is often very dry. This one is not very out of date, but I will admit to skipping over some paragraphs this time. But it is so amazing that it still ranks up with the best. The moon is populated. The story is about a rather unique accident. Can the trapped passengers and crew be rescued in time.

Highly recommended.]]> 3.84 1961 A Fall of Moondust
author: Arthur C. Clarke
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.84
book published: 1961
rating: 5
read at: 2023/05/03
date added: 2023/05/08
shelves: scifi
review:
1977 Grade A
2023 Grade A

Classic hard SciFi and an immensely good book. Hard SciFi often has two problems, it tends to become out of date pretty fast and it is often very dry. This one is not very out of date, but I will admit to skipping over some paragraphs this time. But it is so amazing that it still ranks up with the best. The moon is populated. The story is about a rather unique accident. Can the trapped passengers and crew be rescued in time.

Highly recommended.
]]> Communipaths 16251701 Noblest Exp In The Galaxy, Louis Trimble, grade B+
Communipaths, Susette Haden Elgin, grade C]]> Suzette Haden Elgin SciFiOne 3 scifi, scifi-fantasy Noblest Exp In The Galaxy, Louis Trimble, grade B+
Communipaths, Susette Haden Elgin, grade C]]> 3.22 Communipaths
author: Suzette Haden Elgin
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.22
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 1983/01/01
date added: 2023/05/01
shelves: scifi, scifi-fantasy
review:
Ace Double Novel 441-05595-075
Noblest Exp In The Galaxy, Louis Trimble, grade B+
Communipaths, Susette Haden Elgin, grade C
]]> <![CDATA[Flandry of Terra (Flandry Stories)]]> 715303
To this end he battles gloriously, murders remorselessly, betrays outrageously. His justification? "Supple young women clad in sunlight, blooded horses stamping on the plains of Ilion, smoke curling fragrant about coffee and cognac on Terra" - in a phrase, all the joys and pleasures that, taken together, comprise human civilization.

Contains three novellas:

The Game of Glory
A Message in Secret
The Plague of Masters]]> 291 Poul Anderson 0441240712 SciFiOne 4 scifi
1978 Grade A
2023 Grade B+

Another SciFi Spy book, but rather different. Anderson's prose is so beautiful that it is almost poetic. No wonder he has so many awards. This book is 3 stories of 56, 88, and 145 pages. The first and second are grade A. But last one drags on too long. It never gets boring but the story, style, and end do not really support that much length. Other than that, there were no problems.

Fun book.]]> 3.47 1965 Flandry of Terra (Flandry Stories)
author: Poul Anderson
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.47
book published: 1965
rating: 4
read at: 2023/04/24
date added: 2023/04/27
shelves: scifi
review:
(Book 5 in the series)

1978 Grade A
2023 Grade B+

Another SciFi Spy book, but rather different. Anderson's prose is so beautiful that it is almost poetic. No wonder he has so many awards. This book is 3 stories of 56, 88, and 145 pages. The first and second are grade A. But last one drags on too long. It never gets boring but the story, style, and end do not really support that much length. Other than that, there were no problems.

Fun book.
]]> <![CDATA[The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge (Berkley Medallion, S2304)]]> 1671980 191 Harry Harrison 0425023044 SciFiOne 4 scifi 2023 Grade B+

(Book 2 in the series)

This SciFi Spy novel is basically a fast fun romp that hits all the high points of dangerous spy, SciFi, and action stories. And it does not let up for very long. I did find some of the torture scenes a bit too much and marked them to skip next time. Other than that, there were no problems.

Fun book.]]> 3.28 1970 The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge (Berkley Medallion, S2304)
author: Harry Harrison
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.28
book published: 1970
rating: 4
read at: 2023/04/13
date added: 2023/04/16
shelves: scifi
review:
1981 Grade B+
2023 Grade B+

(Book 2 in the series)

This SciFi Spy novel is basically a fast fun romp that hits all the high points of dangerous spy, SciFi, and action stories. And it does not let up for very long. I did find some of the torture scenes a bit too much and marked them to skip next time. Other than that, there were no problems.

Fun book.
]]> Beyond the Barrier 12044182
Serialized originally in 3 parts: Dec. 1963, Jan. 1964, April 1964 editions of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction]]> 188 Damon Knight SciFiOne 4 scifi 2023 grade B+

"He sat down and watched the great sheet of wrinkled cloud drift slowly ..."

"What is a zug?" Professor Naismith does not remember the first 30 odd years of his life, only the last few. That all starts to change near the beginning when an odd student asks him "What is a zug?" after his university lecture. The story gets wilder after that, and it takes him the whole book to find the answer. In most of the story, he is reacting to other people pushing him, which gets annoying (I did skip over small bits). But the world building is fantastic, and the prose, which included the first quote, is fast reading. The content is a bit nasty in places, and I did guess a few small things ahead of time, but not enough to spoil an interesting story.

Recommended, I think.]]> 2.62 1964 Beyond the Barrier
author: Damon Knight
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 2.62
book published: 1964
rating: 4
read at: 2023/03/27
date added: 2023/04/13
shelves: scifi
review:
1987 grade B+
2023 grade B+

"He sat down and watched the great sheet of wrinkled cloud drift slowly ..."

"What is a zug?" Professor Naismith does not remember the first 30 odd years of his life, only the last few. That all starts to change near the beginning when an odd student asks him "What is a zug?" after his university lecture. The story gets wilder after that, and it takes him the whole book to find the answer. In most of the story, he is reacting to other people pushing him, which gets annoying (I did skip over small bits). But the world building is fantastic, and the prose, which included the first quote, is fast reading. The content is a bit nasty in places, and I did guess a few small things ahead of time, but not enough to spoil an interesting story.

Recommended, I think.
]]> <![CDATA[A Picture of Murder (Lady Hardcastle Mysteries, #4)]]> 40190686 Lady Hardcastle and her trusted lady’s maid, Florence, find themselves hosting a colourful cast of actors whose spooky moving picture, The Witch’s Downfall, is being shown to mark Halloween. But things take a macabre turn when the first night’s screening ends with a mysterious murder, and the second night with another…One by one the actors turn up dead in ways that eerily echo their film.

With the police left scratching their heads, Lady Hardcastle calls upon her amateur sleuthing skills to launch an investigation, with Flo’s able assistance. Surrounded by suspects both human and supernatural, Lady Hardcastle must use a little trickery of her own to unmask the murderer.

]]> 320 T.E. Kinsey 1542099951 SciFiOne 4 true-mystery, ebook
Reading these cozy mysteries is like relaxing in your most comfortable clothes. In other words, enjoyable. I love how the author includes period words and less used words such as "supercilious" - it describes so many people. The author also leaves out the common cliches such as the police not liking the amateurs. I might suggest changing venues or something in the next story though because the story did slip a bit this time.

As for the mystery I figured out the motive and two of the characters involved pretty quickly, but I did not figure out the twist to the whole story even when the final clues were presented. Perhaps that was because I did not believe the clue could be true. In the afterword the author confirmed the clue actually could not do what it is commonly believed. I am also a film fan of most eras and so have more knowledge of film history than many people.

Still it was an enjoyable book and worth buying.]]> 4.30 2018 A Picture of Murder (Lady Hardcastle Mysteries, #4)
author: T.E. Kinsey
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2023/04/06
date added: 2023/04/08
shelves: true-mystery, ebook
review:
2023 Grade B

Reading these cozy mysteries is like relaxing in your most comfortable clothes. In other words, enjoyable. I love how the author includes period words and less used words such as "supercilious" - it describes so many people. The author also leaves out the common cliches such as the police not liking the amateurs. I might suggest changing venues or something in the next story though because the story did slip a bit this time.

As for the mystery I figured out the motive and two of the characters involved pretty quickly, but I did not figure out the twist to the whole story even when the final clues were presented. Perhaps that was because I did not believe the clue could be true. In the afterword the author confirmed the clue actually could not do what it is commonly believed. I am also a film fan of most eras and so have more knowledge of film history than many people.

Still it was an enjoyable book and worth buying.
]]> The Chemistry of Love 61375528 True love requires a little research and development in a funny, heart-racing romance by Sariah Wilson, the bestselling author of The Paid Bridesmaid.

How can Anna Ellis, a geeky, brilliant, and hopelessly smitten cosmetic chemist possibly win over Craig Kimball, the man of her dreams—who also happens to be her boss? The answer is Craig’s empathetic (and handsome) CEO half brother, Marco. The makeup mogul knows Craig for the ridiculously competitive rival he is. Whatever Marco has, Craig wants. That can be Anna, if she’s game to play.

All Anna and Marco have to do is pretend they’re falling in love and let the rumors begin. If the experiment in attraction works, a jealous Craig will swoop in and give Anna her happily ever after—if it weren’t for one hitch in the plan. There’s more to Marco than meets the eye. With every fake date, Anna’s feelings are starting to become dizzyingly real.

Blame it on chemistry. It’s unpredictable, exciting, and occasionally combustible. If Anna and Marco are really falling in love, who are they to argue with science?]]> 347 Sariah Wilson 1542039231 SciFiOne 0 other, abandoned
This is a romance (not my normal thing) but I liked the title and the premise of a person in a chemistry lab in love. So I tried it when Amazon offered it for free. The characters were adequate but the prose was massively introspective, and tedious. What I read of the story I found predictable. Those are the main reasons I abandoned it. As for the chemistry, after 40 years in a chemistry lab, to say it seemed a little off is putting it mildly. There was a lot of speed reading before I gave up.]]> 3.94 2023 The Chemistry of Love
author: Sariah Wilson
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2023/03/25
date added: 2023/03/27
shelves: other, abandoned
review:
2023 grade Z

This is a romance (not my normal thing) but I liked the title and the premise of a person in a chemistry lab in love. So I tried it when Amazon offered it for free. The characters were adequate but the prose was massively introspective, and tedious. What I read of the story I found predictable. Those are the main reasons I abandoned it. As for the chemistry, after 40 years in a chemistry lab, to say it seemed a little off is putting it mildly. There was a lot of speed reading before I gave up.
]]> <![CDATA[The Empire of Time (Chronoplane Wars, #1)]]> 6760033
Jerry Pierce was the Intertemporal Agency's most experienced operative, a seasoned time-traveler on the old subway train that whisked him back and forth through the ages. He'd already altered history by directing the Turkish conquest of Constantinople four centuries ahead of schedule and garrotting an obscure Mongol chief before the man became a problem. But his biggest difficulty lay ahead of him.

Seventy-four years ahead, to be exact.

Somehow, someway -- nuclear war, alien attack, no one really knew -- Earth was going to be destroyed and left a lifeless cinder. It was every Intertemporal agent's goal to find out how and to prevent disaster. But suddenly the problem had become Pierce's special assignment. And just as suddenly, the man for all ages had been mentally blocked from knowing what was going on. What he didn't know was that he was now programmed to kill -- and was being pushed to the end of the world....]]> 182 Crawford Kilian 0345279387 SciFiOne 4 scifi 2023 grade B

An old and a bit odd dystopian alternate worlds action based hard SciFi novel. But I like hard SciFi because of the world building which is good. This one is only B level because it is too gritty and nasty. Earth prime colonizes alternate earths via time travel. That never fully made sense, but suspend your disbelief and it works just fine. Agent Pierce works for a policing agency that shuts down problems in the alternate worlds - or so he thinks. It turns out the evil things he has done have just been blocked from his mind. When the blocks are released, his actions change. I did not speed read it. It is too quickly paced for that. But I have over a dozen pages marked for skipping in the unlikely case I read it again. Still enjoyable.

(There are two spellings for the author's name. The book cover has "Kilian."]]> 3.25 1978 The Empire of Time (Chronoplane Wars, #1)
author: Crawford Kilian
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.25
book published: 1978
rating: 4
read at: 2023/03/19
date added: 2023/03/23
shelves: scifi
review:
1984 grade B-
2023 grade B

An old and a bit odd dystopian alternate worlds action based hard SciFi novel. But I like hard SciFi because of the world building which is good. This one is only B level because it is too gritty and nasty. Earth prime colonizes alternate earths via time travel. That never fully made sense, but suspend your disbelief and it works just fine. Agent Pierce works for a policing agency that shuts down problems in the alternate worlds - or so he thinks. It turns out the evil things he has done have just been blocked from his mind. When the blocks are released, his actions change. I did not speed read it. It is too quickly paced for that. But I have over a dozen pages marked for skipping in the unlikely case I read it again. Still enjoyable.

(There are two spellings for the author's name. The book cover has "Kilian."
]]> Over Her Dead Body 59967765
Ashley Brooks’s life isn’t working out as planned. After years of struggling to make it in Hollywood, she’s still waiting for her big break. When fate leads her to the doorstep of legendary casting director Louisa Lake George, Ashley thinks her luck is about to change: the prickly old pro knows about a role she’s perfect for. The aspiring actress never gets to thank her, though, because the day after the audition, Louisa is dead. The bigger shock—she left all her money to Ashley.

Louisa’s grown children arrive stunned and ready to fight. Her nephew tries to play peacemaker, while Ashley grapples with why Louisa would leave her fortune to a stranger—and whether she should keep it. But Ashley quickly discovers everyone, including the dead woman, is hiding something, and it’s a race to get to the truth before someone else winds up dead.]]> 305 Susan Walter 1542029058 SciFiOne 0 abandoned Over Her Dead Body
by Susan Walter

2023 grade Z

I thought I had a good one here in part one, but it fell apart in part two. Each of the six parts is told from specific alternating points of view. In part one the two female leads and the story were very interesting. But part two switched to two male leads I found boring, and the first half was a repeat of part one. The second half turned into a tragic romance as near as I can tell and was boringly introspective. Massive speed reading took place throughout all of part two. I think the murder takes place in part three, but by then I was bored and checked the Table of Contents to see how long it was. I saw there was an epilogue and read that instead. It finished the the story quite well. My guess is the story was, in movie terms, a melodramatic Rom-Com Mystery which makes sense, because the author is a Hollywood writer/director. The prose was mechanically good and easy to read, but the story presentation was not my thing. It needed editing. I read 33% of it.]]> 3.98 2022 Over Her Dead Body
author: Susan Walter
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2023/03/11
date added: 2023/03/11
shelves: abandoned
review:
Mar 10, 2023
Over Her Dead Body
by Susan Walter

2023 grade Z

I thought I had a good one here in part one, but it fell apart in part two. Each of the six parts is told from specific alternating points of view. In part one the two female leads and the story were very interesting. But part two switched to two male leads I found boring, and the first half was a repeat of part one. The second half turned into a tragic romance as near as I can tell and was boringly introspective. Massive speed reading took place throughout all of part two. I think the murder takes place in part three, but by then I was bored and checked the Table of Contents to see how long it was. I saw there was an epilogue and read that instead. It finished the the story quite well. My guess is the story was, in movie terms, a melodramatic Rom-Com Mystery which makes sense, because the author is a Hollywood writer/director. The prose was mechanically good and easy to read, but the story presentation was not my thing. It needed editing. I read 33% of it.
]]> <![CDATA[Dark City (A Cooper & Quinn Mystery, #0.5)]]> 34330231 Alternate cover edition for ASIN: B01DTRFUY6]

A fast-paced murder mystery set in the city of Sydney, Australia, DARK CITY is the prequel novella to the Dark series featuring Detectives Cooper and Quinn.

DARK CITY tells the story of how Cooper lost his first partner, Stocky. It's a tale of families, greed, corruption, and murder.

How well do you know the people you love?]]> 155 Catherine Lee SciFiOne 0 Dark City
by Catherin Lee (Eric Warren?)

2023 grade Z

Kind of an ugly police detective series with a predictable start. I made it to 8% before abandoning it. I just was not interested.]]> 3.81 Dark City (A Cooper & Quinn Mystery, #0.5)
author: Catherine Lee
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.81
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2023/03/07
date added: 2023/03/11
shelves:
review:
Mar 7, 2023
Dark City
by Catherin Lee (Eric Warren?)

2023 grade Z

Kind of an ugly police detective series with a predictable start. I made it to 8% before abandoning it. I just was not interested.
]]> I'll Stop the World 62649600
Is it the right place at the wrong time? Or the wrong place at the right time?

Trapped in a dead-end town, Justin Warren has had his life defined by the suspicious deaths of his grandparents. The unsolved crime happened long before Justin was born, but the ripple effects are still felt after thirty-eight years. Justin always knew he wouldn’t have much of a future. He just never imagined that his life might take him backward.

In a cosmic twist of fate, Justin’s choices send him crashing into the path of determined optimist Rose Yin. Justin and Rose live in the same town and attend the same school, but have never met―because Rose lives in 1985. Justin won’t be born for another twenty years. And his grandparents are still alive―for now.

In a series of events that reverberate through multiple lifetimes, Justin and Rose have a week to get Justin unstuck in time and put each of them in control of their futures―by solving a murder that hasn’t even happened yet.

CW: I’LL STOP THE WORLD contains depictions of emotional abuse, alcoholism and excessive drinking, underage drinking, smoking, racism, discussions of homophobia, and violent bullying.]]> 446 Lauren Thoman 1662509979 SciFiOne 0 abandoned
2023 grade Z

Third person present tense prose and unlikable high school characters. I gave up at 1% mainly because of the prose. I could have made my brain handle it but decided I did not want to make the effort. Sorry.]]> 3.82 2023 I'll Stop the World
author: Lauren Thoman
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2023/03/11
date added: 2023/03/11
shelves: abandoned
review:
Mar 7, 2023

2023 grade Z

Third person present tense prose and unlikable high school characters. I gave up at 1% mainly because of the prose. I could have made my brain handle it but decided I did not want to make the effort. Sorry.
]]> Silence is Deadly 3567603
The tension was exacerbated by the unnatural silence of the place.... The people even walked silently, their wooden-soled shoes somehow negotiating the cobble-stones without clomping. Females and vendors haggled with soundless gestures. Itinerant musicians, such as would have been a prominent feature of a fair on almost any other world, were replaced by shabby performers shaping whirling disks of color into exotic patterns for small troops that watched intently- but did not applaud.

Kamm, the Silent Planet. For the first time, that concept oppressed Darzek. Silence seemed to hang about him heavily as he watched the slow-moving crowds, watched the triangular coins fall noiselessly onto the vendors' padded trays, watched insect-like creatures buzzing in furious silence over a soggy pile of something that looked like sea mollusks. He repressed an urge to cry out; he knew the sound would drop from his lips unheard.]]> 184 Lloyd Biggle Jr. 0385110332 SciFiOne 5 scifi, scifi-fantasy 2002 grade A+
2012 Grade A+
2023 Grade A
Hardcover and Ace double novel C1977

Series D4

A SciFi Detective Mystery from one of the best story tellers, and world and character builders in the business. The book starts with an action sequence from later in the story and then restarts at the beginning to fill in the background for first time readers. Stick with it. The story picks up when the journey begins.

The protagonist was a detective on Earth and is now the leader of the galactic synthesis which keeps watch over the space faring member planets and non-space faring non-member planets like Earth. When their world-size computer spits out a warning about a problem, he goes to investigate. In this case a planet whose inhabitants have no hearing.

The prose is excellent but is a little verbose and repetitive in places causing a small amount automatic speed reading. Otherwise it is easy, fun, interesting, and fast reading.

RECOMMENDED.]]> 3.62 1977 Silence is Deadly
author: Lloyd Biggle Jr.
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.62
book published: 1977
rating: 5
read at: 2023/03/07
date added: 2023/03/11
shelves: scifi, scifi-fantasy
review:
1978 grade A+
2002 grade A+
2012 Grade A+
2023 Grade A
Hardcover and Ace double novel C1977

Series D4

A SciFi Detective Mystery from one of the best story tellers, and world and character builders in the business. The book starts with an action sequence from later in the story and then restarts at the beginning to fill in the background for first time readers. Stick with it. The story picks up when the journey begins.

The protagonist was a detective on Earth and is now the leader of the galactic synthesis which keeps watch over the space faring member planets and non-space faring non-member planets like Earth. When their world-size computer spits out a warning about a problem, he goes to investigate. In this case a planet whose inhabitants have no hearing.

The prose is excellent but is a little verbose and repetitive in places causing a small amount automatic speed reading. Otherwise it is easy, fun, interesting, and fast reading.

RECOMMENDED.
]]> <![CDATA[Flip-Flops and Murder (Barefoot Sleuth #1)]]> 54665194 Welcome to the deadliest beach resort in Florida - in USA Today bestselling author H.Y. Hanna's new cozy mystery series!

English girl Ellie is a 'fish-out-of-water' when she arrives in sunny Florida for a vacation with her aunt at a beach resort. But she's barely dipped her toe in the ocean before she stumbles on a sinister murder. Now Ellie must battle jet lag, sunburn, and a cheeky parrot named Hemingway, while trying to unravel the mystery. With a writers' conference in full flow, there's no shortage of suspects. Is the killer a jealous rival author? Or the victim's secret lover? And why are some of the resort staff behaving so suspiciously?

To make things worse, Aunt Olive has gone missing, fueling gossip that she might be on the run. But Ellie is sure that her aunt isn't guilty. Life gets even more complicated when she starts snooping around the resort. First there's the resident cat Mojito, who leads Ellie on a wild 'gator' chase, and then there's the handsome resort doctor who sets Ellie's pulse racing in a different way! As more red herrings than sand dollars wash up on the beach, Ellie must use all her wits to solve the case before her visit to the Sunshine State becomes deadlier than she ever imagined...

CLEAN READ: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.
GENRE: beach mystery, cat cozy mystery series, culinary cozy mysteries, women sleuth, amateur sleuth, humorous cozy mysteries

BAREFOOT SLEUTH COZY MYSTERIES:
*Flip-Flops and Murder (Book 1)
*Seashells and Murder (Book 2)
*Cocktails and Murder (Book 3)]]> 219 H.Y. Hanna 1922436216 SciFiOne 4 true-mystery
I would put this in the light mystery category. A young London woman visits her rich aunt in Florida only to find her missing - and then a murder takes place. She has to solve the murder and find her aunt because the aunt is a suspect. The prose is very good and easily read. But the story and many of the characters are very stereotypical. Some automatic speed reading did take place. I did not solve the murder ahead of time, a good thing, but I did see many things the characters never mentioned. The character and world building were good (I did see some truisms from England that are not true in the USA. For example I do not think there is a standard "full American breakfast.") Overall it was a fun read even if not significant literature. I doubt I would read more in the series though.]]> 4.06 Flip-Flops and Murder (Barefoot Sleuth #1)
author: H.Y. Hanna
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.06
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2023/02/24
date added: 2023/02/27
shelves: true-mystery
review:
2023 Grade B-

I would put this in the light mystery category. A young London woman visits her rich aunt in Florida only to find her missing - and then a murder takes place. She has to solve the murder and find her aunt because the aunt is a suspect. The prose is very good and easily read. But the story and many of the characters are very stereotypical. Some automatic speed reading did take place. I did not solve the murder ahead of time, a good thing, but I did see many things the characters never mentioned. The character and world building were good (I did see some truisms from England that are not true in the USA. For example I do not think there is a standard "full American breakfast.") Overall it was a fun read even if not significant literature. I doubt I would read more in the series though.
]]> <![CDATA[Murder at the Dolphin Hotel (Miss Underhay Mysteries #1)]]> 50963103 A room with a view� to murder

June 1933. Independent young Kitty Underhay has been left in charge of her family’s hotel, The Dolphin, on the tranquil English coast. She’s expecting her days at the bustling resort to be filled with comfortable chatter with chambermaids as they polish the mahogany desks and glittering candelabras of the elegant foyer. Everything must be perfect for the arrival of a glamourous jazz singer from Chicago and a masked ball that will be the cultural highlight of the season.

But when several rooms are broken into and searched, including Kitty’s own, she quickly realises that something out of the ordinary is afoot at the hotel. Soon rumours are flying in the cozy town that someone is on the hunt for a stolen ruby. A ruby that Kitty’s mother may well have possessed when she herself went missing during the Great War. And when the break-ins are followed by a series of attacks and murders, including of the town’s former mayoress, it seems the perpetrator will stop at nothing to find it.

Aided by ex-army captain Matthew Bryant, the Dolphin’s new security officer, Kitty is determined to decipher this mystery and preserve not only the reputation of her hotel, but also the lives of her guests. Is there a cold-blooded killer under her own roof? And what connects the missing jewel to the mystery from Kitty’s own past?

A classic page-turning murder mystery! Fans of Agatha Christie, Elizabeth Edmondson and T.E. Kinsey will love this unputdownable whodunnit. ]]> 252 Helena Dixon SciFiOne 4 true-mystery
A rather good cozy mystery. First the mystery is complex and interesting. Second, there is a lot of investigation by the amateur detectives. Third, the characters are interesting and likable when appropriate. The world building and character development are excellent. I was never lost in time or place. The only negative is the prose is a bit verbose and slightly repetitive - automatic speed reading kicked in as needed. (I'm so glad I forced myself to learn to speed read, although it's not really necessary on this book.) I can recommend this novel.]]> 4.10 2019 Murder at the Dolphin Hotel (Miss Underhay Mysteries #1)
author: Helena Dixon
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2023/02/17
date added: 2023/02/19
shelves: true-mystery
review:
2023 Grade B

A rather good cozy mystery. First the mystery is complex and interesting. Second, there is a lot of investigation by the amateur detectives. Third, the characters are interesting and likable when appropriate. The world building and character development are excellent. I was never lost in time or place. The only negative is the prose is a bit verbose and slightly repetitive - automatic speed reading kicked in as needed. (I'm so glad I forced myself to learn to speed read, although it's not really necessary on this book.) I can recommend this novel.
]]> <![CDATA[Arson at the Art Gallery (Getaway Bay #1)]]> 55098688
Or is it?

The beach house is Addison Lake’s retirement plan. Memories of childhood holidays playing in the sand with her cousins come flooding back as soon as she sets foot in Getaway Bay. After the death of her husband, turning her new beach house into a bed and breakfast and reconnecting with family is just the tonic she needs. But just days after her move to the sleepy coastal town, Addison’s new life turns on its head.

A fire at her cousin Layla’s art gallery has devastating consequences.

There’s a body in the rubble.

The stubborn local detective needs a fast arrest, and he has Layla in his sights.

With her cousin accused of murder, Addison must act. But between the beach house renovations, an ailing uncle, an over-protective daughter, and the quirky inhabitants of Getaway Bay, she has her work cut out.

Can Addison and her new friends uncover the real culprit before Layla is charged with murder?

The Getaway Bay cozy mysteries have everything you love � suspense to keep you guessing, twists you don’t see coming, and characters you want to have a cup of tea with � plus an added dose of Aussie flavour.

Get Arson at the Art Gallery now.
]]> 145 Catherine Lee SciFiOne 3 true-mystery
This "COZY mystery" is more cozy that mystery and has a very standard plot. A mom and daughter move from a large city to an easy fixer upper house in a small coastal village; mom 55, daughter young adult. There is really not much investigating going on, but there is a lot of mom interacting with relatives, neighbors and police. Pretty fast and fun but also repetitive, predictable, and not very memorable (I've forgotten who did it already). Automatic speed reading did take place.]]> 4.17 Arson at the Art Gallery (Getaway Bay #1)
author: Catherine Lee
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.17
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2023/02/06
date added: 2023/02/13
shelves: true-mystery
review:
2023 Grade C+

This "COZY mystery" is more cozy that mystery and has a very standard plot. A mom and daughter move from a large city to an easy fixer upper house in a small coastal village; mom 55, daughter young adult. There is really not much investigating going on, but there is a lot of mom interacting with relatives, neighbors and police. Pretty fast and fun but also repetitive, predictable, and not very memorable (I've forgotten who did it already). Automatic speed reading did take place.
]]> Exodus (Starfire Book 5) 19369643
Once before, the sentient races in the known part of the galaxy had united against alien invaders. Decades have since passed and new generations have grown complacent . . . dangerously so.

Long ago, much of the population of an entire planet fled their world before its sun went nova in thousands of ships, each one larger than a city. Now, the armada has arrived at the world they intend to make their new home. They regard the fact that the planet is already colonized by humans as a mere inconvenience, and their mode of communication is so different from anything humans use that they do not consider humans and their allies to be truly intelligent.

This time, the races of the old alliance will not have to worry about becoming an invader's meal� but that will be small comfort if these new invaders decide that genocide is justified for their own survival. . . .

At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (DRM Rights Management).]]> 368 Steve White 1618245473 SciFiOne 0 scifi, abandoned By Steve White and Shirley Meier

2023 Grade Z

I read 30% of the book before I abandoned it, so it is Not a bad story. I just found it more difficult to keep track or the who, what, and where of the story than it was worth. I expect the author to do that for me. Some continuity errors were so big I never figured out who and when the POV was in relation to the previous part of the tale. It might be more understandable if a person has read books one thru four first but the cover did not say it was book 5 when I found it in a little roadside free library.]]> 4.02 2006 Exodus (Starfire Book 5)
author: Steve White
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at: 2023/02/02
date added: 2023/02/04
shelves: scifi, abandoned
review:
Exodus (Book 5 in the series)
By Steve White and Shirley Meier

2023 Grade Z

I read 30% of the book before I abandoned it, so it is Not a bad story. I just found it more difficult to keep track or the who, what, and where of the story than it was worth. I expect the author to do that for me. Some continuity errors were so big I never figured out who and when the POV was in relation to the previous part of the tale. It might be more understandable if a person has read books one thru four first but the cover did not say it was book 5 when I found it in a little roadside free library.
]]> <![CDATA[Friday Night Bites (Magic Market Mysteries, #2)]]> 52923860 Pet psychic Jolene needs some excitement to keep her mind off her downward spiral. So when her dreamy police crush asks her to interview a massive eight-legged murder witness, the former shifter signs on despite the risks. With an enchanted sweatshop owner and a testy trendsetter both dying from the same venom, Jolene fears their crafty assassin has spun a complex web�

Following the officer and his lie-sniffing German Shepherd into a labyrinth of clues, she cuts through a suspect list full of jealous rivals and bitter enemies. But when their investigation shines a light on the frayed corners of the black market, Jolene worries she’s pulled the wrong thread�

Can she stitch up the case before she gets sewn into a body bag?

Friday Night Bites is the second book in the charming Magic Market paranormal cozy mystery series. If you like clever wit, supernatural settings, and lighthearted whodunits, then you’ll love Erin Johnson’s enchanting tale.

Buy Friday Night Bites for a delectable detective treat today! ]]> 158 Erin Johnson SciFiOne 4 fantasy, true-mystery
2023 Grade B-

This fantasy mystery probably falls in the cozy category but it is a little too harsh and negative for me to agree. As is common with the second book of a series, there is not a lot of character expansion. I got tired of the protagonist repeating how tragic her life has been, and did skip paragraphs that dwelled on that. I also got tired of the antagonism between the dog and the protagonist, and the mention of the mafia boss which seemed superfluous. Otherwise, the prose is quite florid, vibrant, and enjoyable. The mystery is quite good although one of the clues was pretty obvious. I kept waiting for the investigators to catch on, but then I deal with a lot of animals and know the signs. Pretty much a fun easy read.]]> 4.31 2019 Friday Night Bites (Magic Market Mysteries, #2)
author: Erin Johnson
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/28
date added: 2023/01/28
shelves: fantasy, true-mystery
review:
(Book 2 of the Pet Psychic Kindle collection)

2023 Grade B-

This fantasy mystery probably falls in the cozy category but it is a little too harsh and negative for me to agree. As is common with the second book of a series, there is not a lot of character expansion. I got tired of the protagonist repeating how tragic her life has been, and did skip paragraphs that dwelled on that. I also got tired of the antagonism between the dog and the protagonist, and the mention of the mafia boss which seemed superfluous. Otherwise, the prose is quite florid, vibrant, and enjoyable. The mystery is quite good although one of the clues was pretty obvious. I kept waiting for the investigators to catch on, but then I deal with a lot of animals and know the signs. Pretty much a fun easy read.
]]> Ralestone Luck 9789873 200 Andre Norton SciFiOne 4 ebook, adventure
2011 Grade B
2023 Grade B+/A-

This young adult adventure novel by Ms Norton was written when she was in High School and clearly illustrates her master writer abilities. It is not childish in any way. The Ralestones are three siblings age 26, 19 and 17. They inherit an old but well kept bayou mansion and have to find the secrets to save it from false claims. It is masterfully written from the 17 and 19 year olds' POV. I never lost interest and only skipped over a few of the longer paragraphs. Even those were simply because I have read that kind of material before. ]]> 3.67 1938 Ralestone Luck
author: Andre Norton
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.67
book published: 1938
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/24
date added: 2023/01/28
shelves: ebook, adventure
review:
Grade B-. Not SciFi. Sort of historical, teen in the 1930s I think.

2011 Grade B
2023 Grade B+/A-

This young adult adventure novel by Ms Norton was written when she was in High School and clearly illustrates her master writer abilities. It is not childish in any way. The Ralestones are three siblings age 26, 19 and 17. They inherit an old but well kept bayou mansion and have to find the secrets to save it from false claims. It is masterfully written from the 17 and 19 year olds' POV. I never lost interest and only skipped over a few of the longer paragraphs. Even those were simply because I have read that kind of material before.
]]> Meru (The Alloy Era, #1) 61183452 One woman and her pilot are about to change the future of the species in an epic space opera about aspiration, compassion, and redemption by Hugo and Nebula Award finalist S. B. Divya.

For five centuries, human life has been restricted to Earth, while posthuman descendants called alloys freely explore the galaxy. But when the Earthlike planet of Meru is discovered, two unlikely companions venture forth to test the habitability of this unoccupied new world and the future of human-alloy relations.

For Jayanthi, the adopted human child of alloy parents, it’s an opportunity to rectify the ancient reputation of her species as avaricious and destructive, and to give humanity a new place in the universe. For Vaha, Jayanthi’s alloy pilot, it’s a daunting yet irresistible adventure to find success as an individual.

As the journey challenges their resolve in unexpected ways, the two form a bond that only deepens with their time alone on Meru. But how can Jayanthi succeed at freeing humanity from its past when she and Vaha have been set up to fail?

Against all odds, hope is human, too.]]> 443 S.B. Divya 1662505086 SciFiOne 0 scifi
I did not get very far. I managed to finish chapter one despite the odd language use, undefined fictional words, and weak world building. Forty years ago I might have put up with it. In fact I once read a novel where every verb was regularized. I also read a first draft that was so good but so poorly written that I had to sort of throw my mind out of gear to follow it. But when I started chapter 2 in this one, I just gave up. Sorry.]]> 3.77 2023 Meru (The Alloy Era, #1)
author: S.B. Divya
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2023/01/16
date added: 2023/01/20
shelves: scifi
review:
2023 Grade Z

I did not get very far. I managed to finish chapter one despite the odd language use, undefined fictional words, and weak world building. Forty years ago I might have put up with it. In fact I once read a novel where every verb was regularized. I also read a first draft that was so good but so poorly written that I had to sort of throw my mind out of gear to follow it. But when I started chapter 2 in this one, I just gave up. Sorry.
]]> All Cats Are Gray 6522491 24 Andre Norton SciFiOne 5 scifi, ebook 2023 Grade A

This is a single SciFi short story. It is quite good! But then it is by one of the SciFi old masters.]]> 3.38 1953 All Cats Are Gray
author: Andre Norton
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 3.38
book published: 1953
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/16
date added: 2023/01/16
shelves: scifi, ebook
review:
2011 Grade B
2023 Grade A

This is a single SciFi short story. It is quite good! But then it is by one of the SciFi old masters.
]]> <![CDATA[The Great American Deception (The Great American #1)]]> 50950571 221 Scott Stein 1946501212 SciFiOne 3
This is a SciFi detective farce. Great America is not current USA. It is an enclave in the USA with hyper accentuated USA facets. And it is a beautiful setting for the author's farcical character development and world building. It is so strange that I almost gave up after chapter one. But I persisted and it got better as the author poked fun at many things with puns and hyperbole. But, I am not a fan of farce, and it often goes on too long including page length paragraphs. For me, it often became boring and repetitious. I ended up intentionally speed reading rather large areas. It might not be my thing, but if you like this kind of material, it is well done and I can recommend it.
]]> 4.12 2020 The Great American Deception (The Great American #1)
author: Scott Stein
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2023/01/14
date added: 2023/01/16
shelves:
review:
2023 Grade C (maybe more)

This is a SciFi detective farce. Great America is not current USA. It is an enclave in the USA with hyper accentuated USA facets. And it is a beautiful setting for the author's farcical character development and world building. It is so strange that I almost gave up after chapter one. But I persisted and it got better as the author poked fun at many things with puns and hyperbole. But, I am not a fan of farce, and it often goes on too long including page length paragraphs. For me, it often became boring and repetitious. I ended up intentionally speed reading rather large areas. It might not be my thing, but if you like this kind of material, it is well done and I can recommend it.

]]> <![CDATA[Wicked Wisteria (Wisteria Witches, #2)]]> 31939179
Zara Riddle is on the case! As both a witch and a librarian, she takes a special interest in finding out who or what is stealing the town of Wisteria's printed words.

With the help of her mentor witch aunt and a few unauthorized spells, soon Zara is deep into mystical trouble way over her head. Now her hunky shifter would-be boyfriend Chet is charging in with his macho guys to save the day. But when the trap is sprung, who's going to save Chet?]]> 304 Angela Pepper SciFiOne 4 fantasy
2023 Grade B-

Because Cozy Witches is a Kindle compilation, there is no useful table of contents. Thus it is hard to tell how far into a story the reading has progressed. So far the books seem to be about 40 reasonably short chapters each.

The author mentioned zany in the biography at the end. That is an appropriate term. If you like reading about the zany actions of the odd characters in the strange world they live in, then enjoy, because that part is well done and fun. If you prefer a bit more plot, character development, and world building, be warned, those are limited. The MacGuffin that drove the plot was a bit abstract and the conclusion not quite satisfying to me.

Personally, I could usually only take 30 to 45 minutes (about 3 chapters) at a time and tended to drop into light speed reading automatically. Still I enjoyed being in the world with the characters the author built, and I intend to read the next one.
]]> 4.06 2016 Wicked Wisteria (Wisteria Witches, #2)
author: Angela Pepper
name: SciFiOne
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/05
date added: 2023/01/14
shelves: fantasy
review:
Wicked Wisteria ("Cozy Witches" book 2 of 8)

2023 Grade B-

Because Cozy Witches is a Kindle compilation, there is no useful table of contents. Thus it is hard to tell how far into a story the reading has progressed. So far the books seem to be about 40 reasonably short chapters each.

The author mentioned zany in the biography at the end. That is an appropriate term. If you like reading about the zany actions of the odd characters in the strange world they live in, then enjoy, because that part is well done and fun. If you prefer a bit more plot, character development, and world building, be warned, those are limited. The MacGuffin that drove the plot was a bit abstract and the conclusion not quite satisfying to me.

Personally, I could usually only take 30 to 45 minutes (about 3 chapters) at a time and tended to drop into light speed reading automatically. Still I enjoyed being in the world with the characters the author built, and I intend to read the next one.

]]>