Tuesday, June 30, 2020

26. The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf

By Ambelin Kwaymullina (369 pp)

I am disappointed I didn't like this book more than I did. It's a YA set in a post-environmental disaster world. The author is Palyku people (Aboriginal Australia) and the story is influenced by that culture. A group of young people with abilities "illegals" are hiding in the forest and trying to stir up revolt against an evil government. It stared out amazing with the kickass leader captured by the government but about halfway through the timeline started jumping around and the story lost steam. Still worth a look for YA fans of this genre.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

25. Network Effect

By Martha Wells (350 pp)

MURDERBOT! It's one thing to like reading and another thing to have fun reading. These books are so much fun to read. I keep going back and re-reading bits that make me laugh. The books are set in a future world where corporations control exploration. The MC is a security robot who has disconnected its governing module and has actiony adventures while trying to sort out unfamiliar feelings now that it's free. It is one of my favorite characters in a long time.

Thursday, June 25, 2020

24. The Buried Giant

By Kazuo Ishiguro (317 pp)

I love this author. Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go are both phenomenal. I remember when this came out and the reviews talked about him writing a fantasy, I was intrigued. Sadly, I found this a long, hard slog. It's set in King Arthur times England and is about an elderly couple who set off on a journey to visit their son. There's a weird fog in the land that makes people have hazy memories so you're never quite sure what's going on. When I was done and looked back at the story, I could appreciate the things it had to say about memory, but overall, not one of my favorites.