Review: The 6th Extinction

The 6th Extinction by James Rollins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rating: The usual exciting complex and unpredictable mix of science and military response to threats.

I really love how much this series examines scientific advances and the ways they might create totally new ways for bad actors to create havoc.

And who doesn't love Kowalski.

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Review: Prince of Thorns

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Unreliable and at first, at least, unlovable protagonist. But his smart ass ways do grow on you and sometimes his responses make you laugh. It's very bloody and gory but very well written.

It appears to be the standard sword and sorcery sort of story, but morphs into something quite different.

I'll definitely be continuing the series.

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Review: Bride of the Rat God

Bride of the Rat God by Barbara Hambly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rating: Chinese demon, guardian Pekineses, 1920s starlet !

Good fun with an early version of urban fantasy. A 1920s starlet finds herself stalked by a Chinese demons and it takes her and a lot of friends to save her!

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Review: La Belle Sauvage

La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent!

Prequel series for His Dark Materiels it is an unputdownable book. Excellent characterization, world-building and plot.

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Review: Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Since much of the book deals with the morality and intelligence of just doing something because we can, rather than thinking things through, I thought the book held up pretty well over the years. Although I thought the changes for the movie to make the females more proactive and involved was a great idea.

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Review: Revenger

Revenger by Alastair Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a fun read. Looking forward to more in this series. It is supposed to be YA but the moral complexity makes it feel far more adult than most in that category. And who doesn't like pirates and alien tech no one understands.

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Review: Hunted

Hunted by Kevin Hearne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Entertaining entry to the series, with a bit too much running. Great ending though.

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Review: The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse

The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse by Alan Bradley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Meh. Flavia didn't really have a chance to fully get into 'character.'

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Review: A Darkling Sea

A Darkling Sea by James L. Cambias
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rating: Interesting and quite complex first contact story with the added element of happening in an environment exceedingly dangerous to Terrans.

Exploration has found intelligent life at the bottom of a sea on a moon. Earth has protocols: no first contact. Observe, do not interfere. But then contact is made accidentally and things go particularly pear-shaped when the other species Terrans share the skies with arrives. And they are definitely pissed off.

A little slow to start, but once the other aliens arrive, things heat up and the action keeps you reading.

The world building is interesting and complex. The characters are pretty well-drawn given that humans don't really get either alien species very well. The decisions by the Terrans are a bit hard on the imagination, in that I wonder if real people would be that willing to risk their lives in so hostile an environment. But definitely intriguing nonetheless.

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Review: Beyond the Empire

Beyond the Empire by K.B. Wagers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Last book of the Indranan War trilogy.

What a fun, fun series. Love the characters, lots of action, exotic world-building, with palace intrigue and political brinksmanship.

Looking forward to the new books she's writing. Bring the gunrunner back!

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Review: After the Crown

After the Crown by K.B. Wagers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rating: Continuing right on to the third book in the trilogy, so that should say something.

So, it turns out gunrunning is the best sort of training ground for a future empress. Haile, runaway princess, has been brought back home to become empress when her family is murdered. Things don't go so well. But then Haile isn't the sort of woman to just accept a coup without fighting back.

Love the characters, all are well drawn. The world is interesting and you definitely want to find out what the heck Haile is going to do next. Thus, right on to the third book of the trilogy.

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Review: The Scar

The Scar by China Miéville
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As usual, beautifully written, and tightly plotted with The Scar and it's impact interwoven throughout every thing and every one.

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