Review: The Girl Who Played with Fire

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

I listened to the audiobook read by Simon Vance.

Tricksy, with lots of diversionary tactics, these books keep you reading and wondering just how things can possibly turn out well. The main character, Lisbeth, is a troubled young woman who has no idea how to back down. You come at her and she comes right back at you with all her strength, intelligence and ability.

Characters are interesting, flawed and complex. They interact in surprising ways and the plot is hard to predict.

Really enjoyed it and hope to read the last of the trilogy soon.

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Review: Hunting Party

Hunting Party by Elizabeth Moon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really enjoyed her series Vatta's War, so was looking forward to reading this. She's really good at depicting women in the military, and does a great job of getting the types of thinking that is required of anyone in charge of other people and their health and well being.

Hunting Party didn't disappoint in this regard. This is an older woman in this series, where the heroine in Vatta's War was young and new to the experiences. This time, this woman is seasoned and unhappy about having resigned her commission and missing all that went with it.

I enjoyed the characters and the different settings, although I confess I learned more about fox hunting that I really ever expected to, but as there was quite a bit of character development going on with it, I didn't mind all that much.

The younger characters were annoying at first but definitely grew through the adventures they endured.

If you like military sci fi, give this a try. It's quite different from most of the genre but all the better for that.

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Review: Deadhouse Landing

Deadhouse Landing by Ian C. Esslemont
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

hroughout the Malazan series, I moaned about how little of Dancer and even Kellanved we saw. So when Esslemont came out with this prequel series I was ready to grab it up. And I'm delighted I did. The two of them together are hilarious, and seeing them grow up together and Dancer's constant frustration with his little mage friend makes me grin.

Eager for the next book.

I listened to the audiobook read by John Banks who did a terrific job.


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Review: The Wrong Stars

The Wrong Stars by Tim Pratt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Interesting sci fi with a strange alien race the humans call Liars. When the survivor of a goldilocks ship turns up unexpectedly with a piece of alien tech that could change life forever, things start to go badly wrong.

Quite well written, a plot that moves things along nicely, likeable characters, and distinctly inscrutable tech and aliens.

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Review: Brilliance

Brilliance by Marcus Sakey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nicely conceived alt history where children are born with greater mental abilities, exploring the consequences for the greater population. Well written, and compelling storyline.

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Review: The Woman on the Orient Express

The Woman on the Orient Express by Lindsay Jayne Ashford
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not my usual sort of book, far too dependent little women wailing about not having a man.

That said, it was well enough written, and kept me reading despite what I don't like.

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Review: Mortal Engines

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pretty good steampunk version of cities on the hoof rather than cities in flight, but good nonetheless.

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