Tell Me an Ending by Jo Harkin

Title: Tell Me an Ending

Author: Jo Harkin

Publisher: Scribner 2022

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 448

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

What if you didn't have to live with your worst memories?

Across the world, thousands of people are shocked by a notification that they once chose to have a memory removed. Now they are being given an opportunity to get that memory back. Four individuals are filled with new doubts, grappling with the unexpected question of whether to remember unknown events, or to leave them buried forever.

Finn, an Irish architect living in the Arizona desert, begins to suspect his charming wife of having an affair. Mei, a troubled grad school dropout in Kuala Lumpur, wonders why she remembers a city she has never visited. William, a former police inspector in England, struggles with PTSD, the breakdown of his marriage, and his own secret family history. Oscar, a handsome young man with almost no memories at all, travels the world in a constant state of fear.

Into these characters’ lives comes Noor, a psychologist working at the Nepenthe memory removal clinic in London. The process of reinstating patients’ memories begins to shake the moral foundations of her world. As she delves deeper into how the program works, she will have to risk everything to uncover the cost of this miraculous technology.

And a big old dud for me. I was intrigued by the Black Mirror and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind comparisons. I was looking for a very strange trip through memory and neuroscience (with a dash of the sci-fi thrown in). Unfortunately, we get a book of terrible people speculating about the terrible things they may or may not have done. The pace was excruciating. Nothing happened for chapters and chapters and chapters. And then when things happened, they weren’t that exciting. I was just thoroughly bored and definitely did not like this book.

star-rating-remains-the-most-important-part-of-a-review-cad0047.cad0047.png

Next up on the TBR pile:

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

Title: How High We Go in the Dark

Author: Sequoia Nagamatsu

Publisher: William Morrow 2022

Genre: Speculative Fiction

Pages: 304

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR List

For fans of Cloud Atlas and Station Eleven, a spellbinding and profoundly prescient debut that follows a cast of intricately linked characters over hundreds of years as humanity struggles to rebuild itself in the aftermath of a climate plague—a daring and deeply heartfelt work of mind-bending imagination from a singular new voice. In 2030, a grieving archeologist arrives in the Arctic Circle to continue the work of his recently deceased daughter at the Batagaika Crater, where researchers are studying long-buried secrets now revealed in melting permafrost, including the perfectly preserved remains of a girl who appears to have died of an ancient virus. Once unleashed, the Arctic plague will reshape life on Earth for generations to come, quickly traversing the globe, forcing humanity to devise a myriad of moving and inventive ways to embrace possibility in the face of tragedy. In a theme park designed for terminally ill children, a cynical employee falls in love with a mother desperate to hold on to her infected son. A heartbroken scientist searching for a cure finds a second chance at fatherhood when one of his test subjects—a pig—develops the capacity for human speech. A widowed painter and her teenaged granddaughter embark on a cosmic quest to locate a new home planet. From funerary skyscrapers to hotels for the dead to interstellar starships, Sequoia Nagamatsu takes readers on a wildly original and compassionate journey, spanning continents, centuries, and even celestial bodies to tell a story about the resilience of the human spirit, our infinite capacity to dream, and the connective threads that tie us all together in the universe.

I’m not exactly sure how to review this book. I do know that I loved it and have been talking about it nonstop. There are some very heavy themes in here and it’s definitely not for HSPs. There are many parallels to our current pandemic that made me think about our future and how people have responded to events. I imagine that I will be thinking about this book for many days to come. I’m participating in a zoom conversation at the beginning of April. Maybe I will solidify my thoughts by that time. Overall, I found this collection of connecting stories to be absolutely amazing.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Clean Air by Sarah Blake

Title: Clean Air

Author: Sarah Blake

Publisher: Algonquin Books 2022

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 320

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

The climate apocalypse has come and gone, and in the end it wasn't the temperature climbing or the waters rising. It was the trees. They created enough pollen to render the air unbreathable, and the world became overgrown.

In the decades since the event known as the Turning, humanity has rebuilt, and Izabel has grown used to the airtight domes that now contain her life. She raises her young daughter, Cami, and attempts to make peace with her mother's death. She tries hard to be satisfied with this safe, prosperous new world, but instead she just feels stuck.

And then the tranquility of her town is shattered. Someone—a serial killer—starts slashing through the domes at night, exposing people to the deadly pollen. At the same time, Cami begins sleep-talking, having whole conversations about the murders that she doesn't remember after she wakes. Izabel becomes fixated on the killer, on both tracking him down and understanding him. What could compel someone to take so many lives after years dedicated to sheer survival, with society finally flourishing again?

A bit of mixed bag with this one. I was intrigued by the post-apocalypse setup and was intrigued by the murder mystery aspect of it. I love good disaster dystopian novel and this one seemed to fit the bill. I enjoyed the world-building and the murder mystery aspects. I was on the edge of my seat to figure out exactly who was killing people in the neighborhood. Those sections were done well. I was less interested with Isabel and her reactions to life and the murders. Her constant cycling through apathy and anxiety left me tired. It felt odd to me to follow someone who is having very PTSD-like symptoms ten years after the inciting events. I had a hard time connecting to her and her actions. I almost wish that we had either focused on the murders or the adjustment to a new way of life. Izabel was not the person that I wanted to follow on this journey.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor

Title: Just One Damned Thing After Another (The Chronicles of St. Mary's #1)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Night Shade Books 2013

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Meet St Mary's - a group of tea-soaked disaster magnets who hurtle their way around History.

If the whole of History lay before you, where would you go?

When Dr Madeleine Maxwell is recruited by the St Mary's Institute of Historical Research, she discovers the historians there don't just study the past - they revisit it.

But one wrong move and History will fight back - to the death. And Max soon discovers it's not just History she's fighting...

I reread this one for this month’s book club selection. I forgot how much I enjoyed this book and just how much happens! I think I’ve decided to reread this entire series to catch up. I know have almost every book in the series in ebook form. Let’s see what I wrote years ago:

“A friend told me I had to read this one and lent me her copy. She was right! This was such a fun adventure story. I loved the main character of Max, but all the side characters were also great. I fell right into the fun storyline in the first chapter and almost couldn't put the book down to sleep. The pace is fast and the twists and turns just keep coming. There are some pretty far out happenings, but the way this book is written, I didn't stop to shake my head at the crazy. I was fully immersed in the world. So much fun and a great needed escape from the events of the past few days. Now I need the second book.”

The Chronicles of St. Mary's:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary's Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#7.7 Desiccated Water
#8 And the Rest is History
#8.1 Markham and the Anal Probing
#8.5 A Perfect Storm
#8.6 Christmas Past
#9 An Argumentation of Historians
#9.5 The Battersea Barricades
#9.6 The Steam Pump Jump
#9.7 And Now for Something Completely Different
#10 Hope for the Best
#10.5 When Did You Last See Your Father?
#10.6 Why is Nothing Ever Simple?
#11 Plan for the Worst
#11.1 St Mary’s and the Great Toilet Roll Crisis
#11.2 The Girl with a Pearl in Her Nose
#11.3 The Muse of History
#11.5 The Ordeal of the Haunted Room
#12 Another Time Another Place
#12.5 The Toast of Time
#13 A Catalogue of Catastrophe

Next up on the TBR pile:

Far Sector by N.K. Jemisin

Title: Far Sector by

Author: N.K. Jemisin, Jamal Campbell

Publisher: DC Comics 2021

Genre: Comics

Pages: 213

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

The first murder in 500 years. Twenty billion suspects. One hope.

The City Enduring, a booming metropolis at the edge of the universe, hasn’t experienced a violent crime in generations. The Emotion Exploit has erased its citizens’ full range of feelings, allowing three resident races to overlook their turbulent history and coexist peacefully—until now.

Rookie Green Lantern Sojourner “Jo” Mullein is still adjusting to her assignment to protect this strange world when a brutal murder rattles its social order, threatening to undo centu r ies of controversia l pro gress . As the populace rises up against the legacy of the Emotion Exploit and leaders grapple for power under threat of a new war, Jo must rely on her unique instincts—as a Green Lantern and the only human in this sector—to solve the crime and guide the City Enduring toward a more promi sing future.

I don’t usually read “cape” comics, but I made an exception for one written by N.K. Jemisin. I mean, who an resist another story from Jemisin? For this one, Gerard Way resurrected some of the side stories from the DC Universe into a new series called Young Animals. In this volume, we get a story about a solo Green Lantern in the far searches of the sector struggling to understand the culture, the people, and the murder of a citizen. Immediately, I fell for the complicated society full of rogues and confusion. And then we get the murder mystery to keep up going. And finally, we get Sojourner herself. I loved the weaving of her background on Earth and her current standing as a Lantern. Strong, yet flawed women are my catnip and Sojourner is exactly what I needed. I really enjoyed this story.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Foundation and Earth by Isaac Asimov

Title: Foundation and Earth

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 423

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scif/Fan

Golan Trevize, former Councilman of the First Foundation, has chosen the future, and it is Gaia. A superorganism, Gaia is a holistic planet with a common consciousness so intensely united that every dewdrop, every pebble, every being, can speak for all—and feel for all. It is a realm in which privacy is not only undesirable, it is incomprehensible.

But is it the right choice for the destiny of mankind? While Trevize feels it is, that is not enough. He must know.

Trevize believes the answer lies at the site of humanity’s roots: fabled Earth . . . if it still exists. For no one is sure where the planet of Gaia’s first settlers is to be found in the immense wilderness of the Galaxy. Nor can anyone explain why no record of Earth has been preserved, no mention of it made anywhere in Gaia’s vast world-memory. It is an enigma Trevize is determined to resolve, and a quest he is determined to undertake, at any cost.

I fear that I cannot say too much about this book without spoiling it or at least the books that come before. What I can say is that I was completely into this book right from the first page. We begin moments after the last book ended and continue at a fast pace until the final reveals. We visit multiple planets (some we’ve been to before and some new-to-us) and face many dangers. Asimov sprinkles in a ton of callbacks throughout the story. To really understand it all, you have to read the entirety of the series starting with I, Robot. It is a daunting task I admit, but I am so glad that I read them all. The payoff is amazing. I only guessed the ending right before it gets revealed. So satisfying!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov

Title: Foundation’s Edge

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 398

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

At last, the costly and bitter war between the two Foundations has come to an end. The scientists of the First Foundation have proved victorious, and now they return to Hari Seldon’s long established plan to build a new Empire on the ruins of the old. But rumors persist that the Second Foundation is not destroyed after all—and that its still-defiant survivors are preparing their revenge. Now two exiled citizens of the Foundation—a renegade Councilman and a doddering historian—set out in search of the mythical planet Earth . . . and proof that the Second Foundation still exists.

Meanwhile someone—or something—outside of both Foundations seems to be orchestrating events to suit its own ominous purpose. Soon representatives of both the First and Second Foundations will find themselves racing toward a mysterious world called Gaia and a final, shocking destiny at the very end of the universe.

Oh goodness! This book brought together so many threads that have been building for many books. We get to see a big confrontation between the First Foundation, Second Foundation, and another mystery group. The plot is very fast paced (especially the last 50 pages). The characters are intriguing and interesting. I loved seeing all the reveals and twists as we learn who these characters actually are. We get all the interesting conversations about the past and the future. This book does not make any sense without reading all the previous books, but it was a great payoff for all the pages. I cannot wait to read the final book in this epic series.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Spell or High Water by Scott Meyer

Title: Spell or High Water (Magic 2.0 #2)

Author: Scott Meyer

Publisher: 47North 2014

Genre: Sci-Fantasy

Pages: 442

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

The adventures of an American hacker in Medieval England continue as Martin Banks takes his next step on the journey toward mastering his reality-altering powers and fulfilling his destiny.

A month has passed since Martin helped to defeat the evil programmer Jimmy, and things couldn’t be going better. Except for his love life, that is. Feeling distant and lost, Gwen has journeyed to Atlantis, a tolerant and benevolent kingdom governed by the Sorceresses, and a place known to be a safe haven to all female time-travelers.

Thankfully, Martin and Philip are invited to a summit in Atlantis for all of the leaders of the time-traveler colonies, and now Martin thinks this will be a chance to try again with Gwen. Of course, this is Martin Banks we’re talking about, so murder, mystery, and high intrigue all get in the way of a guy who just wants one more shot to get the girl.

Another pretty fun scifi fantasy romp through time and space. After the big reveals at the end of the first book, I was hoping that we would get to see Atlantis and more of Gwen. Thankfully that has happened in this book. I loved seeing Gwen and Martin’s relationship developed as well as different sides of Philip. I was less excited about the Jimmy storyline. I did enjoy seeing the trials and tribulations that Miller and Murphy went through, Jimmy was still very annoying. He became even more annoying once he arrived in the past. That storyline was really lacking. Thankfully the murder mystery in Atlantis more than made up for that lack.

Magic 2.0

#1 Off to Be the Wizard
#2 Spell or High Water
#3 An Unwelcome Quest
#4 Fight or Flight
#5 Out of Spite, Out of Mind
#6 The Vexed Generation

Next up on the TBR pile:

Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Title: Second Foundation

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 304

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

The Foundation lies in ruins—destroyed by a mutant mind bent on humanity’s annihilation. But it’s rumored that there’s a Second Foundation hidden somewhere at the end of the Galaxy, established as insurance to preserve the knowledge of mankind. Now a desperate race has begun between the survivors of the First Foundation and an alien entity to find this last flicker of humanity’s shining past—and future hope. Yet the key to it all might be a fourteen-year-old girl burdened with a terrible secret. Is she the Foundation’s savior—or its deadliest enemy?

This was such a ride! We’re immediately thrown back into the chaos of the power struggle between the First and Second Foundations. We finally get the reveal of where the Second Foundation is based (How did I not see that? Obvious and yet such a surprise.) and we meet the First Speaker ( I did not see that coming!). Thankfully we get to follow a fun and adventurous young lady, Arkady, throughout the galaxy to seek the answers to all the big questions. After that whirlwind of a book, I cannot wait to see what happens next. Who will emerge at the leaders of the galaxy? Will they ever figure out that Earth is the home planet of us all? I’m so close to the end.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Off to Be the Wizard by Scott Meyer

Title: Off to Be the Wizard (Magic 2.0 #1)

Author: Scott Meyer

Publisher: 47North 2014

Genre: Sci-Fantasy

Pages: 277

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Martin Banks is just a normal guy who has made an abnormal discovery: he can manipulate reality, thanks to reality being nothing more than a computer program. With every use of this ability, though, Martin finds his little “tweaks” have not escaped notice. Rather than face prosecution, he decides instead to travel back in time to the Middle Ages and pose as a wizard.

What could possibly go wrong?

An American hacker in King Arthur's court, Martin must now train to become a full-fledged master of his powers, discover the truth behind the ancient wizard Merlin…and not, y'know, die or anything.

J downloaded this audio book for our road trip enjoyment. He has read the entire series and has been wanting me to read them too. This is a fun and delightful medieval magical romp featuring a very silly, but likable main character. I loved the scenes of typical life in medieval England and the random side characters. The “exorcism” scene was my absolute favorite! I was laughing so hard. The ending battle with Merlin was a bit overwrought in places, but I do love the reveals of Jimmy’s plan. This was a quick listen and perfect for our road trip mindset.

Magic 2.0

#1 Off to Be the Wizard
#2 Spell or High Water
#3 An Unwelcome Quest
#4 Fight or Flight
#5 Out of Spite, Out of Mind
#6 The Vexed Generation

Next up on the TBR pile:

Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov

Title: Foundation and Empire

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual -

Led by its founding father, the psychohistorian Hari Seldon, and utilizing science and technology, the Foundation survived the greed and barbarism of its neighboring warrior-planets. Now cleverness and courage may not be enough. For the Empire—the mightiest force in the Galaxy—is even more dangerous in its death throes. Even worse, a mysterious entity called the Mule has appeared with powers beyond anything humanly conceivable. Who—or what—is the Mule? And how is humanity to defend itself against this invulnerable avatar of annihilation?

A bit uneven, but this book has furthered the saga so much! I am desperate to know what happens to the Foundation and to the Second Foundation. I cannot wait until the secrets of Star’s End are revealed. For this book, I had to settle for seeing how Foundation centered on Terminus rose to the the status of a Galactic Empire. We get to see the big confrontation between the Foundation and the Old Empire. Very interested within the larger saga of the galaxy.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

Title: A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot #1)

Author: Becky Chambers

Publisher: Tordotcom 2021

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 160

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Modern Mrs. Darcy; Seasonal TBR

It's been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again; centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend.
One day, the life of a tea monk is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do people need?" is answered.
But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how.
They're going to need to ask it a lot.
Becky Chambers's new series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?

A philosophy text masquerading as a science fiction novella. Right away we are dumped into a world that doesn’t quite look like our own. We meet Sibling Dex and follow them as they explore the country and life. I loved the world building and descriptions. I really felt connected to the world of a tea monk and learning more about these settlements. And then we meet a robot. Oh how I loved Mosscap! From that point on, we get into the philosophy section of the book. We explore the meaning the life and identity through the eyes of two very different creatures. I am so in love with this book. I definitely need to reread this at some point. I feel like it will be one of the books that I get different lessons from each time I read it.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Title: Foundation (Foundation #1)

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 255

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

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.

Overall I really enjoyed seeing what has happened to the Empire and the two Foundations after the fall. We are moving forward in time and things are beginning to be muddled and forgotten from the time of Hari Seldon. I appreciate how Asimov tries to create through lines to demonstrate how a widespread society can slowly stagnate and eventually fall apart. I’m still very much in this series. I did knock off a star for the uneven pacing. This book contains basically four stories. The first one was pretty slow and boring. Asimov did a lot of reminding the reader what has happened. Understandable if you were reading this series as it was published. Reading them all in a row made it very slow and boring. The second story was middling, but really turned up with the last 5 pages or so. And then the third and fourth parts were very interesting and fast-paced. I feel like this is going to be a thing going forward in the Foundation series. Still reading. Still hoping to finish before the television show airs.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Forward the Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Title: Forward the Foundation

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 359

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

As Hari Seldon struggles to perfect his revolutionary theory of psychohistory and ensure a place for humanity among the stars, the great Galactic Empire totters on the brink of apocalyptic collapse. Caught in the maelstrom are Seldon and all he holds dear, pawns in the struggle for dominance. Whoever can control Seldon will control psychohistory—and with it the future of the Galaxy.

Among those seeking to turn psychohistory into the greatest weapon known to man are a populist political demagogue, the weak-willed Emperor Cleon I, and a ruthless militaristic general. In his last act of service to humankind, Hari Seldon must somehow save his life’s work from their grasp as he searches for its true heirs—a search that begins with his own granddaughter and the dream of a new Foundation.

Picking up just a few hours after the previous book, Prelude to Foundation, we get a slightly uneven story following the rest of Hari Seldon’s life. The first half of this volume was fairly boring. Asimov does a lot of recapping what happened the previous book. This would probably have been okay if I had read these back-to-back. As it was, I was bored for the first two sections. Until the last five pages or so of the second section. And then everything got really good and I gasped out loud. The second half speeds through the major changes in Trantor and within the Seldon family. Things are really coming together with relation to Foundation. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Title: Prelude to Foundation

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher: 1988

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 405

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

It is the year 12,020 G.E. and Emperor Cleon I sits uneasily on the Imperial throne of Trantor. Here in the great multidomed capital of the Galactic Empire, forty billion people have created a civilization of unimaginable technological and cultural complexity. Yet Cleon knows there are those who would see him fall—those whom he would destroy if only he could read the future.

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.

Oooh. This is a good one. Right away I was sucked into this story following Hari Seldon’s adventures around Trantor. The pace is propulsive. The characters are intriguing. The adventures are illuminating. And the twists caused me to gasp out loud. I rarely gasp out loud at twists, but I did with this book. We get so much information about the state of the Empire and specifically Trantor in this story. It’s a nice bridge from the Robots and Empire books and the Galactic Empire books to the Foundation series. I can’t wait see what happens next.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Pebble in the Sky by Isaac Asimov

Title: Pebble in the Sky (Galactic Empire #3)

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 246

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

After years of bitter struggle, Trantor had at last completed its work—its Galactic Empire ruled all 200 million planets of the Galaxy . . . all but one. On a backward planet called Earth were those who nurtured bitter dreams of a mythical, half-remembered past when the planet was humanity’s only home. The other worlds despised it or merely patronized it—until a man from the past miraculously stepped through a time fault that spanned a millennium, living proof of Earth’s most preposterous claims.

Joseph Schwartz was a happily retired Chicago tailor circa 1949. Trapped in an incredible future he could barely comprehend, the unlikely time traveler would soon become a pawn in a desperate conspiracy to bring down the Empire in a twist of agony and death—a mad plan to restore Earth’s tarnished glory by ending human life on every other world.

Wow! This was such a great adventure style story. We get to see what became of Earth years after Elijah Bailey and Daneel. I needed that interlude to understand what has happened to the Galaxy. We get the very classic scifi trope of a man being transported into the future. Schwartz is a typical 1950s character and is definitely out of place in the future, but not that much out of place. Really the star of the show is Dr. Arvardan and his conspiracy theories about Earth being the birthplace of humanity. I loved how the story unfurled. We get planet, nay Galaxy wide, threats and more insight into the political relationships within the Empire. I have my momentum back and am ready to dive into the next trilogy.

Galactic Empire:

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Currents of Space by Isaac Asimov

Title: The Currents of Space (Galactic Empire #2)

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 242

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual

Trantor had extended its rule over half the Galaxy, but the other half defied its authority, defending their corrupt fiefdoms with violence and repression. On the planet Florina, the natives labored as slaves for their arrogant masters on nearby Sark. But now both worlds were hurtling toward a cataclysmic doom, and only one man knew the truth--a slave unaware of the secret knowledge locked inside his own brain.

Rik had once been a prominent scientist until a psychic probe erased all memories of his past. Now he was a humble laborer in the kyrt mills of Florina. Then the memories began to return, bringing with them the terrible truth about the future--a truth that his masters on Sark would kill to keep secret . . . even at the cost of their own survival.

I was concerned after the last book (seriously the point in the giant series so far). I had hoped we would get something with more likable characters and a better pacing. Thankfully, this book delivers. The plot is fast-paced involving a mysterious person and a bunch of politicians and ambassadors. Sounds dull, but in reality it’s like one big action movie. We have to figure out the mystery of who Rik really is and what is means to the ruling parties of Sark/Florina and Trantor. We get some information about the galaxy at large and the specifically the growth of the Trantorian Empire. I loved playing along trying to figure out who all the different parties really worked for or at least what their motivations were. I was in this story right until the very end. Now I have the motivation to dive into the next book and continue to see how Trantor creates a Galactic Empire.

Galactic Empire:

#1 The Stars, Like Dust
#2 The Currents of Space
#3 Pebble in the Sky

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Kingdoms Natasha Pulley

Title: The Kingdoms

Author: Natasha Pulley

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing 2021

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 437

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Modern Mrs. Day Summer Reading; Seasonal TBR

Joe Tournier has a bad case of amnesia. His first memory is of stepping off a train in the nineteenth-century French colony of England. The only clue Joe has about his identity is a century-old postcard of a Scottish lighthouse that arrives in London the same month he does. Written in illegal English-instead of French-the postcard is signed only with the letter “M,” but Joe is certain whoever wrote it knows him far better than he currently knows himself, and he's determined to find the writer. The search for M, though, will drive Joe from French-ruled London to rebel-owned Scotland and finally onto the battle ships of a lost empire's Royal Navy. In the process, Joe will remake history, and himself.

This is one of those books that I really loved, but I won’t be recommending to most people I know. This story meanders through the plot both past and present and keeps you slightly confused and in the dark about the characters. I really enjoyed the world setup and see the alternate history play out. I really enjoyed the time at the lighthouse and the interactions between characters there. Once Joe passes through the pillars, the action speeds up a bit and we finally start learning what’s going on. Early on I totally called Joe’s identity in the other timeline, but it was nice to question my own suspicions right along with Joe. I didn’t power through this book, but took it slowly and let myself really sit with the prose. I put it in the same category of books as Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell or The Night Circus. Books full of mystery, atmosphere, and slow moving plots are apparently my jam.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Title: Project Hail Mary

Author: Andy Weir

Publisher: Ballantine Books 2021

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 482

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: MMD; Seasonal TBR

Usually I copy and paste a book summary here, but all the ones I found contained way too many fucking spoilers! So here is my summary: This is a fun space romp involving a desperate race to save humanity. That’s it. That’s all you need to know before reading this book.

I closed this book and had a huge smile on my face while simultaneously crying. So incredibly amazing. I loved The Martian, but was less enthused by Artemis. I dove into this book after my husband kept shoving it in my face. And I’m so glad that he did! Right from the first page, I was sucked into this story based in space. I love a well-written space adventure and this does not disappoint. Weir includes a lot of science, but it does it in such way that I understood and even if I skimmed it, it wasn’t absolutely essential to the larger story. This review is incredibly vague because I do not want to spoil anything. Seriously, don’t read the summaries, just go and get the book right now.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark

Title: A Master of Djinn

Author: P. Djèlí Clark

Publisher: Tor.com 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 396

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR

Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.

So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world forty years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.

Alongside her Ministry colleagues and a familiar person from her past, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city—or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems…

I was super excited by the first full-length from Clark after reading some of his novellas. I got into it and really enjoyed the story following Agent Fatma and her adventures through Egypt. I loved the inclusion of steampunk elements to this alternate history of Egypt. I love a good world-building in my fantasy novels and this one did not disappoint. I really enjoyed puzzling out the mystery and how Fatma was going to catch the killer. I will admit that I had the killer pegged from about a fourth of the way through the novel. But I did still enjoy the ride. My favorite parts were the interactions with the various djinn. I loved seeing all the different types and how they fit into human society. The pacing was a bit off at times and I felt like there’s was a bit much of posturing by some of the characters. For those reasons, I did take off a star.

Next up on the TBR pile: