Network Effect is the sixth book in the acclaimed Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells and I have read four of them now. All of the books are creative works, full of strong characters, humor, action, and plot twists. In this novel, Murderbot (a self-aware cyborg security bot) is joined by a sentient artificial intelligence, ART, now called Perihelion by its crew members, another … Continue reading →
James is a retelling of the Huckleberry Finn story, but told from the point of view of the slave (Jim). Modern themes of inequality, injustice, and institutionalized racism are found in all parts of the novel. It is a serious story with realistic period characters, but overall, told today with a humanist perspective. The noble character of James resonates while reading the book, … Continue reading →
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry is a novel by Frederik Bachman. It is narrated by a clever, but “different” seven year old girl (Elsa). She is close to her grandmother, but when she dies, she leaves Elsa with some questions, some clues, and some tasks to undertake. Her grandmother’s life, her family, and the people who live nearby are all … Continue reading →
The Lost Man is a mystery/thriller written by Jane Harper. It is set in the vast ranching country of the Outback of Queensland. The protagonist is Nathan who has been isolated from his family and the community. His brother is found dead and he probes to find out more about his brother Cameron’s secrets. It is a moody, suspenseful book that burns slowly, but … Continue reading →
The Black Tower is a detective novel in the Inspector Dalgleish series (the 5th of 14). P. D. James is one of the best crime fiction writers and all of her books feature careful craftsmanship of the plot, character development, and original stories. I have read most of the books over the years. I found this one to be slow and a little lackluster, … Continue reading →
Artificial Condition is the second book in the Murderbot Series by Martha Wells. All of the books are entertaining and well-written, favorites of many readers. In this book, the main character (Murderbot, a security cyborg) boards a Research Transport Vessel back to the spot where an early catastrophe occurred, an incident for which he has only vague and unreliable memories, but had the result of … Continue reading →
Although I have read Lord of the Rings a number of times, I chosen to listen to the three audiobooks again with Andy Serkis (Gollum) as the narrator. This is a superb rendition of the stories. 5 stars/5 HarperCollins Publishers · The Return of the King, By J. R. R. Tolkien, Read by Andy Serkis
Continue reading →Nightshade is a recently published book by crime writer Michael Connelly. Connelly has published 40 novels and has a strong following for this Bosch novels, but also the Lincoln Lawyer, and Ballard series. He has won multiple awards and has had his books turned into several TV series. Nightshade is his most recent novel. It features a new character, Detective Stillwell, who is assigned to … Continue reading →
When the Music’s Over is the 23rd book in the Inspector Banks series, a crime/mystery novel by Peter Robinson. Inspector Alan Banks and his team investigate two cases – a murder of a 14 year old girl and a cold case of the rape of a teenager by a famous celebrity. As the background to each case unfolds, the detectives find strong evidence of the … Continue reading →
Some Lie and Some Die is a mystery novel by Ruth Rendell, the 8th book in the Inspector Wexford series. The setting is a music festival in Kings Markham. A woman is found in a quarry, a murder victim, and Wexford’s team need to investigate. There are lots of interviews with witnesses and suspects, lots of checking up, and a number of meetings, often … Continue reading →
