What have I read this week?

Nothing, again. Hopefully I’ll do better next week.

© bardofupton 2020

What have I read this week? I have not actually finished anything this week. Hopefully I’ll manage at least one next week.

© bardofupton 2020

What have I read this week? Just one, this time.

Mecha Samurai Empire by Peter Tieryas

This is an alternative history novel about a young man named Makoto Fujimoto who lives in the American part of the Japanese empire. He aspires to be a mecha pilot. I enjoyed this; it was really interesting and I liked the characters.

© bardofupton 2020

What have I read this week?

Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven (Book 1) by Bella Forrest

This is a fantasy novel about a young woman named Harley who has magical abilities who finally meets someone else with similar powers. I quite enjoyed this; the story was fun although Harley could be annoying as a main character. I might read more in this series.

All Systems Red: The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

This is a science fiction novel about a security android that calls itself Murderbot and has hacked itself to have free will. I enjoyed this; Murderbot is an interesting character and the plot was interesting. I will definitely read more in this series.

American Ghosts and Old World Wonders by Angela Carter

This is a collection of short stories. I found this a bit of a mixed bag; I really liked some of the stories and didn’t like others.

Cyber-Killers edited by Ric Alexander

This is a collection of short stories by various authors on the theme of cyberspace and killing. I enjoyed this; most of the stories were interesting.

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk

This is a novel about an elderly woman named Janina Duszejko who lives in a small isolated village in Poland. I enjoyed this; the characters are interesting, although the main character’s viewpoint took a bit of getting used to. I’d read more by this author, though

The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra (A Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation) by Vaseem Khan

This is a detective novel about a man named Inspector Ashwin Chopra who inherits an elephant on the day he retires from the police force in Mumbai. I really enjoyed this; Inspector Chopra is an engaging protagonist and the story is interesting. I would definitely read more in this series.

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What have I read this week?

Under the Hat: Tales from the Cauldron edited by Jonathan Strahan

This is a collection of short stories about witches by various authors. I enjoyed this: there were a lot of different takes on the basic concept, and they were all interesting.

The Lost Sisters: A Folk of the Air Novella by Holly Black

This is a fantasy story about three sisters who are living in Faerieland, and the different ways they deal with their situation. I enjoyed this; it was an interesting take on the fairy tale form, and I’d definitely read more in this series.

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What have I read this week?

Vicious by V. E. Schwab

This is a superhero novel about a man named Victor who gains powers and the effect that has on his life. I enjoyed this; it’s well-written and the characters are interesting. I would definitely read more by this author.

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

This is a science fiction novel about the religious nation of Gilead, and three women who are heavily involved in it. It took me a little while to get into it, but I ended up really enjoying it. I’d read more by this author.

What Color Is My World? The Lost History of African-American Inventors by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld

This is a children’s book about African-American inventors. I enjoyed it and learned a lot from it. As a children’s book, it’s written in a very simple style, but still engaging.

© bardofupton 2020

What have I read this week?

Draykon (Book One of the Draykon Series) by Charlotte E. English

This is a fantasy novel about a young woman named Llandry who is a jeweller and finds an unusual type of stone that she uses in her jewelry. This sets off a whole series of events. I quite liked this, but not enough to read more in the series, as I found Llandry an annoying character.

Mycroft and Sherlock: The Empty Birdcage by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anna Waterhouse

This is a detective novel about a young Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes investigating a series of murders. It is the third book in the series. I enjoyed this: it’s an interesting story and well-told. I would definitely read more in this series.

Born in Fire (Demon Days, Vampire Nights World Book 1) by K.F. Breene

This is a fantasy novel about a woman named Reagan Somerset who is a magical bounty hunter in New Orleans. I quite enjoyed this; she’s a pretty interesting protagonist and the story was quite fun. I would probably read more in this series.

The Utopia of Rules: On Technology, Stupidity, and the Secret Joys of Bureaucracy by David Graeber

This is a nonfiction book about bureaucracy from a leftist standpoint. It took me a while to get into it, but in the end I found it really interesting. I’d definitely read more by this author.

Favourite quote:

Perhaps the leftist sensibility was expressed in its purest form in the words of Marxist philosopher John Holloway, who once wanted to title a book, “Stop Making Capitalism.” Capitalism, he noted, is not something imposed on us by some outside force. It only exists because every day we wake up and continue to produce it. If we woke up one morning and all collectively decided to produce something else, then we wouldn’t have capitalism anymore. This is the ultimate revolutionary question: what are the conditions that would have to exist to enable us to do this – to just wake up and imagine and produce something else?

© bardofupton 2020

What have I read this week?

The Book of Deacon by Joseph R. Lallo

This is a fantasy novel about a young woman named Myranda, who lives in a country that has been at war for longer than she’s been alive. I liked the world and the magic system, but I found Myranda a little annoying as a character. I might read more in this series.

Daggerspell by Katharine Kerr

This is a fantasy novel about a young woman named Jill and an elderly man named Nevyn, whose fates are entwined due to events that happened in Jill’s previous incarnation. I quite enjoyed this; the characters are interesting and so is the plot. I will probably read more in this series.

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What have I read this week?

The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy, Book 1) by S. A. Chakraborty

This is a fantasy novel about a young girl named Nahri, who accidentally summons a daeva (djinn). I liked this a lot; the characters are interesting, the world is fascinating and the plot is exciting. I definitely want to read more in this series.

The 13th Witch (The First Book of The King’s Watch) by Mark Hayden

This is a fantasy novel about a man named Conrad, who is recruited by Odin for a dangerous mission. I enjoyed this; the story is interesting, and I liked the characters. I would probably read more in this series.

Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver

This is a novel about a girl named Maud, who lives by a fen with her family. I quite liked this; Maud is an interesting character, and the story is suitably macabre. I would probably read more by this author.

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What have I read this week? Late again, sorry!

Shockwave (Star Kingdom Book 1) by Lindsay Buroker

This is a science fiction novel about a scientist named Casmir and a spaceship captain/smuggler named Bonita. It is set in the far future when ships from Earth have settled multiple star systems. I enjoyed this: I liked the characters and the plot was interesting. I would read more in this series.

© bardofupton 2020