Book Review: Shards of Honor

Shards of Honor is the book that kicks off the long-running Vorkosigan series, though this book serves more of a “How I Met Your Mother” story – only in a case where the fact that our two leads will get together is a foregone conclusion strictly because I’m reading this now after there have been a slew of sequels based around their son, Miles. So the question then becomes, “How does this book hold up when you know that there’s only one destination it can arrive at?”

Book Review: Iron Widow

When Iron Widow came up on the list of the list of rejected Hugo Award nominees in the controversy over the Chengdu Worldcon, I figured that I should bump the book further up my reading list (it was already there, it was just further in). Then it became a Sword & Laser book club pick, and I made sure to get ahold of a copy from the library – and I was not disappointed by this book at all, and I’m eagerly looking forward to the sequel.

Book Vlog Review: Shining Girls

Time to get caught up with book reviews again, with my thoughts on the novel Shining Girls.

Book Review: Emmanuelle

After I finished reading Emmanuelle, I was very hesitant to discuss the book on my blog, because normally I don’t get into 18+ material here. However, that said, when it comes to the topic of literary erotica, Emmanuelle is the 500 lb gorilla. 50 Shades of Grey couldn’t dream of provoking a multi-million dollar film franchise lasting decades, complete with a big-budget high profile reboot in production with (at least previously) a major actress attached in the title role. Only D. H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover even remotely comes close to the level of impact. But in the year 2024, approaching 60 years since its initial publication, does it hold up?

Content Warning: There will be some descriptions of explicit content in this review – described less explicitly than the source material, but still explicit enough that you couldn’t say it on the radio.

Vlog: The 2023 Hugo Award Mess

Some technical difficulties on my end meant that I had to do another vlog style video, so it’s time to stay semi-topical and talk about the recent 2023 Hugo Award backlash.

Book Review: Shining Girls

January’s book pick for the Sword & Laser Book Club, Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes, is almost something that would have worked better as an October book pick. It’s a story that features a serial killer as an antagonist who can move independently of the rest of us in the time stream – only this one can go back and forth, as opposed to only moving forward, never aging, like the killer in NOS4A2. It’s an interesting story though, though I don’t quite know if it’s my cup of tea (though not for reasons I think the author intended).

Book (Vlog) Review: System Collapse

I’ve fallen a little behind on my next Nintendo Power Retrospectives episode, so let’s talk about the new Murderbot novel!

Book Review: What Abigail Did That Summer

The second of the Rivers of London novellas I’m reviewing at the moment is one from significantly earlier than Winter’s Gift, and set at basically the opposite time of the year. What Abigail Did That Summer goes back in the timeline to Foxglove Summer, and checks in with what was going on in London, with Peter’s cousin Abigail getting to know the Foxes, and going on some adventures of her own.

Book Review: Winter’s Gifts

While I’m caught up on the Rivers of London novels, I’ve fallen behind on a couple of the novellas – at the end of 2023, I decided to get caught up on those novellas. The first I decided to get caught up on was Winter’s Gifts. The novel focuses on Special Agent Kimberley Reynolds (first appearing in Whispers Underground), and introduces the demimonde of the United States to the series, the same way that The October Man introduced the demimonde of Germany.

Book Review: Kings of the Wyld

December’s Sword & Laser Book Club pick was a Dungeon Fantasy novel, Kings of the Wyld, one that takes a different spin on the “Adventuring Band” concept – treating the “Band” idea like a rock band.

Book Review: Designers & Dragons (Vol. 1-4)

It’s time to kick off the new year with a look at a series of nonfiction books that I finished reading last year.

Book Review: Anime – A History

This week I’ve got a review of a book about film history, covering the history of Japanese Animation.

Book Review: System Collapse

This year had a new full Murderbot novel, System Collapse, which I was eagerly looking forward to the whole year? How eager was I – I pre-ordered the audiobook and spent Kumoricon listening to it when I was going back & forth from the con (instead of listening to anime podcasts like I normally do). So, how well did it meet my expectations? Fantastically.

Book Review: Low Action

So, I’ve moved on to the next of the Vinyl Detective novels after Flip Back with Low Action, which once again has kept with the trend started with that book of moving between music scenes, after exhausting types of records (more or less – the Detective hasn’t gone after a Picture Disk yet). This time covering the ’70s Punk scene.

Book Review: The Mimicking of Known Successes

If you asked me to describe The Mimicking of Known Successes by genre, I’d say it’s a queer science fiction cozy mystery that isn’t quite solarpunk, but I’d almost describe it as solarpunk-adjacent. It’s also a nice, brisk read that doesn’t break 200 pages, so if you’re also looking for a mystery that fits those criteria that you’d like to read when heading out for Thanksgiving (or other upcoming holidays), it’s a good book to pick up.

Book (Video) Review: Fourth Wing

This week I start getting a little caught up with some of the books I’ve read for the Sword & Laser Book Club, with a look at one of the best-selling fantasy novels of 2023 – Fourth Wing.

Book Review: The Library at Mount Char

The Library at Mount Char was October’s pick for the Sword & Laser book club, as a “Sword” pick (meaning fantasy) and something meant to be mildly horror adjacent (as co-host Veronica Belmont doesn’t handle horror well – which is fine). The book itself is some okay splatter horror with a side of urban fantasy, but it didn’t quite land for me.

Book Review: China Mountain Zhang

Time to catch up with the book reviews for the Sword & Laser Book Club, with my thoughts on China Mountain Zhang by Maureen F. McHugh.

Book Review: Ninth House

Time to finally get caught up with the Sword & Laser picks with Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, the August pick.

As a content warning – in addition to this book discussing a murder, it also includes a discussion of sexual assault, including a character who is raped while drugged.

Book Review: Fourth Wing

Unfortunately, I’ve fallen a little behind again on the books covered in the Sword & Laser Book Club, from a review standpoint, so it’s time for me to get caught up with some of the past books that I’ve read and finished. The first of these is Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.

Book (Video) Review: Children of Time

I’m continuing to get caught up with the Sword & Laser podcast books, with Children of Time.

Book (Video) Review: Under Fortunate Stars

I continue to get caught up with my Sword & Laser picks with Under Fortunate Stars.

Book (Video) Review: Legends & Lattes

I give my thoughts on a nice cozy little fantasy novel feels like it’s being held back from being as cozy as it wants to be.

Book (Video) Review: The Murderbot Diaries (up to May 2023)

The new Murderbot novel is coming out later this year, so it’s time to get caught up here so I’m ready to talk about it once it comes out.