"Valor's Choice" By Tanya Huff

This book was lent to me by my aunt-in-law. She is a bibliophile and thought I might be interested in this sci-fi series. Note that I read the first two books published in one text, but this review is only the first book.

Summary: The galaxy is inhabited by a variety of intelligent species. In order to develop spaceflight and establish colonies on other worlds, all these species had to first develop their civilizations to a point where they were diplomatic, almost to a fault. The logic seemed to be that all species that were too violent would destroy themselves before they could become interplanetary. Dozens of these peaceful species found each other and formed the Confederation and thrived together for many years until the Others came along and brought war. All diplomatic attempts failed spectacularly and the Confederation quickly realized it did not have the temperament for war. And so they recruited the dumb and brutish humans to fight on their behalf.

Sergeant Kerr is the senior non-com for a platoon on recently pulled from combat duty. They are to escort some diplomats to a world where the dominant species is considering joining the Confederation. If the mission succeeds, they would be a new species with a penchant for violence that could fight the Others. If the mission fails, they might someday be enslaved by the Others and be set against the Confederation. Kerr is surprised that her combat troops are being used for what amounts to parade ground duty, and that is the first hint that something is not quite right.

What I Liked: Huff writes in a very natural style that is very easy to digest. Kerr is a great protagonist, someone worth cheering for and easy to identify with.

What I Didn't Like: I wish I had a more complete sense of life in the Confederation. This book tightly focuses on one story arc and it's hard to imagine what is beyond it.

Rating: Recommended. I will read more of this series!

Also Read by This Author: None

Reviewed by: Nick

"Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys

Image via amazon

I picked this book up after I saw it land on the New York Times Best Seller List. 

Summary:  The Red Army is advancing upon Germany, brutalizing anyone in their path.  The Nazi's have ordered citizens to remain in place.  Those who are caught disobeying orders are shipped off to work camps or killed.  It's a brutally cold and lean winter.  And you're a young adult on your own, hoping to make it to the coast and the ships that could bring you to safety...if the rumors are true.  Told in alternating points of view, "Salt to the Sea" is the story of four young adults desperate to find safety in the unforgiving German countryside.  As their paths cross, the young adults reluctantly band together, using each others strengths to and weaknesses to gain advantage and reach a ship that will take them out of harms way. 

My Thoughts:  "Salt to the Sea" is one of those books that I think about long after I've turned the last page.  While I hold a degree in History, World War II has never been an event on which I've spent much time.  Battles and politics don't interest me, and that's the gist of most lower education courses.  What "Salt to the Sea" did differently, and what captured my attention so soundly, was the focus on the people effected by the war; specifically, those that would be left behind by those fighting: children, teens, the impaired and elderly. 

To steal a term from the targeted demographic: this book gave me all the feels.  At times I found "Salt to the Sea" so bone chilling I had to put the book down.  The idea of children and young people left on their own in situations where death is near certain made me feel  angry, helpless and unsettled.  I wanted to know where the parents were, why the children were alone, and why someone didn't step in to protect them.  However, when the story felt most bleak and all hope seemed dash, the bright glimmer of hope was woven through the fear and sadness.  The combined goal of survival and sudden loyalty among the main characters lends a lighter touch to a dark story.  I enjoyed watching the characters open their hearts to one another as they built their own family from the wreckage around them. 

Overall, I thought "Salt to the Sea" was wonderfully written.  The action was fast paced, which felt appropriate for the story and the events unfolding.  The alternating view points of the four main characters flowed together masterfully - it was easy to keep track of the characters and their back stories and different view points added layers of  emotion to the overall plot.  Finally, although "Salt to the Sea" is a work of fiction, the authors passion for telling an honest story was well done.  I imagine any of the plot points could--and probably did--happen. 

Rating:  I'll reread this one over and over again.  Please note, there are some triggers in this book, as well as imagery some parents will not find acceptable for their children. 

Also Read:  Nothing yet, but the Author's other works are now on my TBR list. 

Reviewed By:  Tami

"World War Moo" by Michael Logan

I found this book at an independent bookstore called Uncle Hugo's and knew that I just had to read it. I did not see the first book, though, so I picked it up at the library and read that first.

Summary: The biological weapon accidentally released from the government facility has infected nearly every mammal living in Britain. Luckily, the ocean and the Channel have provided a barrier to prevent the spread so far, providing that the blockade does not fail. The virus makes the infected seek out and violently attack the uninfected, but as there no longer are any uninfected available, the is dormant. The infected humans have stopped rioting and destroying, and have begun to rebuild.

China, the United States and Russia control the main military response to the outbreak and are eager to nip it in the bud before it crosses the water, while Brits for the Rights of the InfecTed (BRIT) is scrambling for a way to prevent an attack.

While the international tensions are building, Geldof, our young hero from Apocalypse Cow, is living with his wealthy grandfather when they learn his mother is still alive in Britain, and uninfected. A rescue attempt is organized while Lesley the reporter finds herself in trouble after asking too many questions.

What I Liked: This book has the same style of humor I loved from the first book and provides more insight into the characters I loved. I also really love the interesting scenario that BRIT finds itself in, struggling to make peace with an enemy that they view as prey.

What I Didn't Like: One of the reasons I love apocalypse stories is because they often take a regular guy at the grocery store and suddenly, he has to create a plan to survive the zombie wars. This book doesn't have that feel, as that all happened in book one. Since this is the sequel, the pace is a little different, with some tension from high stakes global politics and some from people taking on dangerous missions.

Rating: Recommended.

Also Read by this Author: Apocalypse Cow.

Reviewed by: Nick

"Apocalypse Cow" by Michael Logan

I found the sequel to this book at an independent bookstore called Uncle Hugo's and knew that I just had to read it. I read them in order, though.

Summary: The British government created a secret weapons program designed to destroy the food supply of potential enemy nations. The weapon of choice was a virus custom built to infect cows and similar food animals. Unfortunately, the virus got out and infected a slaughterhouse.

This story follows a group of people including a lousy journalist who gets the biggest break in history, a nerdy teenage boy who has the most ridiculous parents and the sole surviving slaughterhouse worker who is kidnapped by the government. They all start out in different places but find themselves thrown together in a world filled with murderous cows.

In the beginning, no one knows how bad it is, and so they try to go about normal life. As the epidemic gets worse, people begin to panic and the government initiates their response plans. The virus spreads to more and more animals until the group finally decide to escape the UK.

Special note, this book won the Terry Pratchett Prize in 2011, with Pratchett writing a forward.

What I Liked: The humor in this book is amazing. There are lots of great puns, hilariously awkward scenes and killer cows. In general, I like post apocalyptic stories, and Logan fully takes advantage of the serious genre all the while making interesting characters and compelling plot. Take out the cows and this is still great writing, but the cows make it that much better.

What I Didn't Like: ......

Rating: Must read.

Also Read by this Author: None.

Reviewed by: Nick

"Exist" by Jennifer Cazey Daniels

I saw an instagram post soliciting bloggers to read an ARC of "Exist."  The book would be free in exchange for an honest review.  Here are my honest thoughts.

Summary:  Ember is a psionic, or a person who is more than human.  She has powers that allow her to read minds and feel/broadcast emotions.  When her soulmate breaks her heart, she disappears.  Although she is no longer visible, the Shadows are able to find her, and Ember must run for her life before they take her over.  As she searches New York City for others like her, she comes to terms with her powers and a legacy she didn't know she had.

My Thoughts:  I think Daniels has several good ideas throughout Exist.  Psychics + love stories + epic battles are a sure-fire recipe for an entertaining book.

However, I feel that Daniels put a lot of plot into her story without truly exploring any of the details for very long.  "Exist" almost feels like a summary an entire series instead of a standalone novel.  I want to read the story of Ember's past:  Ember grew up an orphan, raised by a government agency.  What happened to her while she was there?  The reader is told that she escaped the agency and I'd love to read about her daring and probably brutal escape.  Shortly after her escape she met the love of her life, Aden, and it was a love like no other.  Tell me more...was she able to instantly trust him, or was it a long process for her, seeing as she hadn't ever loved or trusted before.  (Or had she?)

Ember's life changes after her breakup with Aden.  She disappears for goodness sake!  I'd like to read more about why this happened---was it just because the breakup left her feeling insignificant or is there something deeper?  After the breakup, Ember takes off to hide from the Shadows chasing her.  This could be a tale on its own.  How does she get to NYC?  Does she meet anyone or learn anything on the way?  I'd love to see this story end with the epic first showdown with the shadows.

Finally Ember learns about the guild, her past, and the expectations her new society has for her..  This is a great opportunity to go into detail about the different kinds of psionic powers.  Let's see them in action.  Ember suddenly goes from shy girlie girl to warrior, without much in between.  I want to see her transformation!

There is so much unexplored potential in this book - I'd like to read more than what there is.

I'd also like to see Daniels take the time to polish her work.  There were some errors that could be fixed that I personally found distracting, and think others would as well:  the dialogue formatting was inconsistent, making it hard to tell who was speaking.  There were some situations where spell check chose the wrong word (ie her instead of he).  And towards the end of the story some of the sentences changed tense in the middle of the line.

Finally, I'm the type of reader that is frustrated by being told instead of shown.  I had a hard time connecting to Ember because of this.  I felt like she endured crazy, intense, interesting transformations but instead of seeing them unfold, I was just told they happened.  The only times I felt like I got to see what the characters were thinking were through massive chunks of monologue that seemed to go on for longer than was needed to get the point across.  But then again, I'm older than the target audience so it could only be a matter of taste.

Overall I think this is a decent first attempt at a young adult novel.  I like the plot lines and appreciate the creativity and effort that went into the story. It feels like a first draft to me, rather than a second draft or ARC ready copy.  I hope Daniels finds a professional editor who can help her break the story down and refine her ideas.

Rating:  "Exist" has a Mocking Jay meets New Moon vibe that I think the young adult audience will enjoy once the book has been polished and reworked.

Reviewed By:  Tami

Note:  Although I received an Advanced Reader Copy of "Exist" for free, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Ender in Exile" by Orson Scott Card

This book is part of the Ender's Game series and as I have read the first five books plus the parallel Ender's Shadow series, I figured it would be worth my time. I listened to this as an audiobook on my phone.

Summary: At the end of Ender's Game we get something of a denouement in which humans colonize the old bugger worlds and a few satisfying details wrap up the story. In this new volume, the last couple chapters of Ender's Game are expanded greatly. We get to see Ender dealing with his new status as the most honored and most feared human in existence, loved and spurned by the masses. We get to see what life is like on the second wave of colony ships as they rush to their new homes and trail blaze a new political path as people begin to live light years away from each other. This is the first time civilians have had to deal with the realities of relativistic speeds compounded with the technology of cryogenic freezing makes for some interesting problems with ages and seniority.

We also get a glimpse into the world of Peter and Bean who are the stars of Ender's Shadow. If you loved that parallel series, there is some material in this book you might be interested in.

What I Liked: Ender gains some insights as to how he really won the war against the buggers and does a lot of reflection. This book is the denouement readers needed after the intensity of the first book.

What I Didn't Like: Honestly, this book was boring. I listened to it as an audiobook which means I did not have to do anything to keep up a good pace. There is very little action, even non-violent action. What builds the tension is finding out what doesn't happen.

Rating: Not the best of the series, but if you have already read most of them, it answers a lot of questions.

Also Read by this Author: Ender's Game, Speaker For the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind, Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant, Shadow's in Flight, The Memory of Earth, The Call of Earth, The Ships of Earth, Earthfall.

Reviewed by: Nick

"Death or Glory" by Sandy Mitchell

As I have started reading the Ciaphas Cain series, here is the forth installment. 

Summary: This adventure follows our anti-hero Commissar Cain as he is lost and confused behind enemy lines. His unit is sent to a planet infested by an ork invasion. As the transport ships enter the star system, they are attacked by ork vessels. Cain's ship is damaged and in a desperate attempt to avoid death, Cain dives into a lifepod. He and Jurgen spend weeks alone in the tiny craft as the fly toward the battle.

They crash in the middle of a desert with little idea where they are, much less where their unit landed. The first inhabitants they meet are orks on patrol and they work to get their bearings. Cain, eager to regain the protection afforded by his unit, is determined to get out of ork territory. He and Jurgen slowly but surely collect supplies and rally together human survivors in the wasteland so that they can punch through the enemy lines.

We see in this book Cain's skill with civilians more than with soldiers as is typical in the previous books. We also see humans using a lot of ork technology in order to get through it all. 

What I Liked: This is classic Cain, with lots of decisions between Bad and Worse. There is just the right amount of suspense and hope mixed to make it satisfying read.

What I Didn't Like: Of the four Cain books I have read, this was the least exciting. It's a lot of battles and not a lot of investigation. I recall the earlier books having a lot more analysis of the situation, trying to find the traitor and such. In this book the lines are clear, and all that remains is fighting, which I don't find so interesting.

Rating: This is my least favorite book so far in a great series. Hopefully the next books will be better.

Also Read by this Author: Scourge The Heritic, Innocence Proves Nothing, The Traitor's Hand, Caves of Ice, For the Emperor.
A side note, Sandy Mitchell is a pseudonym for Alex Stewart.

Reviewed by: Nick

"World War Z" by Max Brooks

I read World War Z when it first came out, then I went and saw the movie when it came out. Then I saw the audiobook at the library and listened to it at work with headphones on.

Summary: This book takes place about a decade after the zombie war has ended and humanity is rebuilding. Max Brooks decides to tour the globe and interview dozens of people to hear their personal stories from the war. He interviews scientists, soldiers, refugees, profiteers, war criminals and people who don't fit into a category, but were just trying to get through it all. Each person tells their story as they remember it happening and Max Brooks asks questions to try and flesh out the context or to pin down the truth. Certain historical events are assumed to have happened between right now and the first battle of the zombie war, which are hinted at throughout the book.

The interviews are organized into several sections based on the timeline of the war and context of the intended audience (which is American). There is a story for everything, as the incredibly complex unfolding of the war is revealed in small doses. By the end, it all hangs together as a clean whole.

As this is the audiobook, I must point out a few things. First, there are three editions, the abridged edition which came first, the Lost Files which was sold as a supplement to the abridged and a complete edition which has both. Second, this is not your traditional audiobook. This is closer to a radio play where Max Brooks plays the Interviewer and dozens of different actors play the variety of interviewees. Some highlights for the geek in me were Alan Alda, Mark Hamill, Nathan Fillion & Simon Pegg. All the readers did a fantastic job.

Also, I feel a certain obligation to say something about the movie World War Z. The movie is fun, I own it and I've watched it a few times. Definitely see it. But the movie has nothing to do with the book. There is no overlap beyond the fact that both stories deal with a global zombie infestation. As far as I can tell, no characters from the book are in the film, nor any unique story elements. Basically, Hollywood had a cool zombie movie and bought the rights to the name World War Z. Still, good movie.

What I Liked: I love how the story is presented, through interviews. Each person has a chance to recollect the events and string them together into a meaningful narrative, without having to make it fit into the bigger picture. And yet, they do all fit together quite well. Also, the grand story is a perfect balance of realistic despair, as humanity suffers massive losses to infection, and genuine triumph as humanity regains its footing to push back against the horde. It is both a story of failure and redemption on a global scale. 

What I Didn't Like: Obviously, I wish there were more interviews.

Rating: Must Read.

Also Read by this Author: Zombie Survival Guide

Reviewed by: Nick

"The Traitor's Hand" by Sandy Mitchell

This is the third book in the Commissar Cain series. I can't get enough.

Summary: Adumbria is a curious planet that is tidally locked with its home star. This creates three main zones, a hot and bright hemisphere always facing the sun, a cold and dark hemisphere always facing away, and a shadow belt in between. The majority of the population lives in the belt, with small settlements in the desert and tundra regions.

This story is chronologically after the first two books and during the time Cain is with the 597th Valhallans (who happen to be cold climate specialists). A significant time has passed and Cain's unit is urgently being sent to Adumbria in anticipation of a Chaos fleet headed towards the planet. Some of the Imperial fleet arrives before the Chaos cultists and is able to prepare. Unfortunately, travelling through the Warp (the only form of faster than light travel available to the Imperium of Man) is a complicated business and the bulk of the fleet is delayed.

Cain and his regiment originally assume that the Chaos fleet is the danger they need to be ready for, but even as they are deployed on the surface, they realize that a homegrown Chaos thread is already there. As they gather clues, the picture becomes clear as to what the cultists are trying to do on the planet and why the Chaos fleet is headed right for them.

While Cain is trying to maintain his heroic image, an old acquaintance from the Scola Progenium is picking up an old rivalry. Commissar Beije is assigned to the very pious regiment of the Tallarn 229th (who happen to be desert fighters). Beije sees through Cain's legendary reputation and knows him to be the selfish opportunist that he is. He takes it upon himself to bring down Cain during the mission and it is up to our clever protagonist to parry the challenges while simultaneously working to save the planet (and himself) from destruction.

What I Liked: This book has fresh enemies that are at first glance simple, but reveal a more developed identity as the story progresses. I like how it slowly dawns on Cain and his peers what is really going on. 

What I Didn't Like: It has become clear to me that some of the events in this book and previous books reference short stories (The Beguiling, Fight or Flight, and Echoes of the Tomb) I have not yet read. I found them now and will read them before moving onto the 4th book.

Rating: Love it! I am still reading the series.

Also Read by this Author: Scourge The Heritic, Innocence Proves Nothing, For the Emperor, Caves of Ice.

A side note, Sandy Mitchell is a pseudonym for Alex Stewart.

Reviewed by: Nick

"Agatha H and the Airship City" by Phil & Kaja Foglio

I was first introduced to these characters through the award-winning Girl Genius online comic. When I saw their book for the first time, I needed to read it. 

Summary: This book follows the first part of the online comic, in which Agatha begins as an ordinary lab assistant at the university of Professor Beetle. The professor is a Spark, a title which denotes individuals who have an especially sharp minds. Sparks can take a pile of discarded parts and build a fully functional vehicle in a day, they can rewire the brains of animals to give them human intelligence, and they can do it in a steampunk universe where computers and circuits have never been invented. Most sparks are very dangerous and mentally unstable. They bring terror and ruin to the people of Europe with their armies of combat squids and war klanks constantly fighting. Professor Beetle is peaceful by comparison and has found himself working for Baron Wulfenbach, the most powerful spark who presides over the continent with a fleet of airships.

In this book Agatha's life is totally turned upside-down and she meets a cast of characters pulled from across the continent and across species. She can no longer stay in the home she has always known, and must make do with strangers in the airship city of Castle Wulfenbach, where she finds herself again as a lab assistant. But this time things have gotten a lot more complicated. After reading the comics, this book feels like it is entirely exposition for the adventures that follow, but it is compelling in its own right.

What I Liked: As the comic updates three pages a week, it can be slow going to follow along. It was a fun look-back to recall how the stories began. The Foglio's inject everything with a joke, keeping the story light-hearted even when it's serious. Also, the steampunk theme is exciting and interesting, with monsters, talking animals, robots and zepplins!

What I Didn't Like: I am biased to like this book, not sure what to put here.

Rating: Must read.

Also Read by this Author: Girl Genius online comic.

Reviewed by: Nick

"Caves of Ice" By Sandy Mitchell

After finishing the ebook of For the Emperor, I started this one, the second in the Commissar Cain series.

Summary: This story takes place a short time after the first book. Commissar Cain is still assigned to the 597th Valhallans and on a civilian vessel headed for the next mission. Commandeered by the Imperial Guard, the captain of the ship is not excited to be headed toward danger, but time is short and no troop ship is nearby. The regiment lands on Simia Orichalcae, an ice covered planet that reminds the Valhallans of their homeworld. Orks have crash landed and are marching to the promethium refinery looking for good fight and possibly a means to repair their ship.

The 597th dig in to repel the horde of orks and their terrifying war machine called a gargant. The mechanized walker towers over the battle and festooned with weapons, covered in thick armor. The "brave hero" Cain abuses his authority to avoid the battlefield dangers and leads a mission down into the promethium mines, justifying it by ensuring no orks had found a secret entrance into the tunnel network. Not actually expecting to find anything, Cain's team stumbles into a situation more dangerous than the raging battle on the surface. Once committed, Cain's reputation is on the line to resolve the issue.

The Adeptas Mechanicus play a big role in this book and a squad of Stormtroopers gets moment in the spotlight.

What I Liked: This story had more action and higher stakes than the first, because the enemies were less predictable. 

What I Didn't Like: Sometimes the narrator leaves Cain's perspective and follows someone else in order to flesh out the situation. These sidelines are less interesting than Cain's story.

Rating: Love it! I will definitely read the rest of the series.

Also Read by this Author: Scourge The Heritic, Innocence Proves Nothing, For the Emperor.
A side note, Sandy Mitchell is a pseudonym for Alex Stewart.

Reviewed by: Nick

"For the Emperor" By Sandy Mitchell

A friend of mine gave me the push I needed to start reading ebooks and said push involved a lot of Warhammer 40,000 books. Also, other friends have been trying to get me to read this series for a while now. 

Summary: This story follows an officer in the Imperial Guard of the Imperium of Mankind in the Warhammer 40k universe. There is a huge collection of books, movies, video games, role-playing games and table top wargames all based in this setting. Humanity is constantly at war with a variety of aliens and internal threats. The Imperial Guard is the largest force of soldiers that stand between the the subjects of Terra and certain doom. There is one particular office in each regiment called the Commissar. It is the duty of the Commissar to ensure the regiment is loyal to the Emperor and ready to serve Him. Commissars are authorized to summarily execute troops under their command, including other officers.

This story follows the exploits of Commissar Cain, a peculiar individual amongst his cadre. Cain is in many ways a psychopath, worrying only about himself with no regard for the well being of his friends and companions. He is constantly calculating the odds of his survival and makes decisions that will maximize it. Despite this selfishness, he is an exceptionally good officer who achieves great feats for humanity and takes good care of the soldiers under him. In fact, Cain is an interesting case-study exploring the idea that a morality can be built out of rationality. That one need not have good intentions in order to behave as a good person.

Anyway, "For the Emperor" starts when Cain is transferred to a new regiment that was formed out the ashes of the 296th and the 301st Valhallans. Both regiments had been severely reduced in their last major battle and many of the officers had been battlefield promotions. Cain comes in as the most experienced leader among them and helps them take the reigns of the rowdy group so that they may once again be a fit fighting force. They are sent to Gravalax where the aliens called the Tau have established a foothold through trading with the locals. The politics are delicate as a war has not started, but the Imperium fears this Tau incursion will lead to a takeover of the planet. Unfortunately, Gravalax is not an important world and few resources can be devoted to the task. Cain and the other leaders are forced to walk carefully in both their fights and their negotiations to resolve the situation.

What I Liked: This is my first ebook and I should note here that I very much enjoyed reading this way. I admit I am addicted to my phone and waste a lot of time on social media or playing with dumb apps. Reading an ebook means I can fulfill my phone addiction and my reading addiction simultaneously.

As for the story, I really liked the narrative style with Cain telling his stories as an unreliable narrator, but then having annotations added in by more reliable source.

What I Didn't Like: My ebook formats strangely, so the footnotes do not work quite the way I want them to.

Rating: Love it! I will definitely read the rest of the series.

Also Read by this Author: Scourge The Heritic, Innocence Proves Nothing.
A side note, Sandy Mitchell is a pseudonym for Alex Stewart.

Reviewed by: Nick

"To Say Nothing Of The Dog" by Connie Willis

This book was lent to me by my aunt-in-law who thought that I might like it.

Summary: This book follows the adventure of Ned Henry, a historian from the year 2057. With the discovery of time travel in the early 21st century, the profession of historian became a lot more interactive. Ned works for Lady Shrapnell, a ridiculously wealthy woman who has devoted enormous amounts of money and resources to rebuild the Coventry Cathedral, which was destroyed in 1940 by the Luftwaffe. Lady Shrapnell insists on recreating every detail exactly as it was right before the air raid, including the Bishop's Bird Stump, an artifact adored by her great- great- (not sure how many) grandmother, Tossie.

Ned is sent a lot of missions, quickly becoming disoriented from time lag. He is finally sent on a simple quiet mission to 1888 where he will be able to rest for 2 weeks and come back refreshed. Unfortunately, everything starts unraveling. One thing after another gets worse and worse, and with the help fellow historian Verity, they try to get everything sorted out before the space-time continuum collapses!

This book is heavily inspired by the Book "Three Men in a Boat" Jerome Jerome and by several old detective series like Lord Peter and Harriet, Sherlock Holmes, and Agatha Christie. There is also a lot of Victorian era poetry, mainly Tennyson.

What I Liked: This is an irreverent book in which Ned is constantly thinking something sarcastic, or hilariously cynical. The humor is multi-level and has well executed running jokes throughout the novel. Ned also spends a lot of time considering how the space-time continuum is kept stable with so many historians bouncing around. The laws of time travel physics are explored and discussed in a way that I found exciting. Also, the cast of characters is wonderfully eccentric, each uniquely interesting and fitting for their role.

What I Didn't Like: I wish I had read more old Victorian murder mysteries.

Rating: Must Read.

Also Read by this Author: None.

Reviewed by: Nick

"Shadows in Flight" By Orson Scott Card

I selected this audiobook because I have already read eight books in this universe and really love the main character, Bean. 

Summary: This is this fifth book in the Ender's Shadow series and takes place about 400 years after the events in the first four books. Bean is flying through space with three of his children at near light speed, so that they will age slower than their friends and relatives back on Earth. Without this intervention, they would surely die in their twenties as everyone else grew old. They spend much of their energy researching their peculiar and rare genetic disease which makes their minds and bodies grow at the a constant pace. Their brains are perpetually learning like an infant, becoming geniuses at toddler age, but the constant growth means they will not stop in adulthood. Bean, in his twenties, is at the edge of death as his heart struggles to supply blood to is enormous body, even at 1/10th Earth's gravity. These four adventurers discover an ancient Formic ship and explore it to learn all kinds of new things about their one-time enemy. This story spends a lot of time exploring the inner thoughts and vocal debates between the four travelers.

What I Liked: This book takes the time to answer some of the lingering questions from the other eight books and develops more background on the Formics. Card really did make an interesting and exciting world which is a treat to read about.

What I Didn't Like: This is a low tension book, compared to the earlier Ender's Shadow series, and it felt shorter (and apparently is shorter). On a different note, I should say that Orson Scott Card has expressed many political views that I personally find distasteful and disrespectful, and makes me hesitant to give him money.

Rating: I recommend the whole series from Ender's Game to this book, though this is not the most exciting of the series.

Also Read by this Author: Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind, Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant, The Memory of Earth, The Call of Earth, The Ships of Earth, Earthfall.

Reviewed by: Nick

"Cauldron of Ghosts" by David Weber and Eric Flint

We I have been reading the Honor Harrington series for years now, always anticipating the next book. I have already reviewed one book and gave a summary of the series then.  

Summary: This book is part of the Honorverse, but does not follow Honor Harrington herself. Instead, it follows Victor Cachat (of the star nation of Haven) and Anton Zilwicki (of the star empire of Manticore) as they carry out a huge mission against the Mesan Alignment. In this spin-off Honorverse series, Victor and Anton have been working together professionally for many years, despite being from different nations. They are united in the common cause of ending genetic slavery, a crime committed most extensively by the corporate rulers of the planet Mesa. In previous books, these special agents uncovered a centuries-old plot being carried out by a secret organization called the Alignment. Deciding that time was critical, Victor and Anton pull together an elite team of agents to bring to the planet Mesa and gather more intelligence regarding the Alignment's future plans. To carry out their mission, Victor uses the criminal networks that arose out of the seccy population, a class of disenfranchised descendants of freed slaves. Things move quickly as everyone tries to get ahead of everyone else.

What I Liked: This is classic Honorverse material. Everything is high stakes, intergalactic combat. I love the Victor/Anton story arch because it is heavy on spy games and politics. They are a pair of master spies, always at the top of their game and it is fun to see that in action.

What I Didn't Like: So, there are two things to keep in mind regarding this book and a few others in the series.

Firstly, there are multiple authors. Weber is the primary author and plays a hand in all the stories. He gets credit on all the books and it is his brain-child. Flint is the secondary author and is the custodian of Victor Cachat. Flint clearly writes a lot of the book when Victor is involved and Weber takes a backseat. I love Weber's writing style, but I am not as big a fan of Flint. He loves to hurry things along, while Weber is content to let the plot unfold gracefully. In this book, a lot happens and it happens very quickly. I let it slide because I love the series, but it makes it hard to suspend disbelief.

Secondly, I am the kind of reader who goes slow and sees each word. I know, I should learn to speed-read or something, but I like the way I read and I notice things most people miss. Having said this, I have noticed that early Honorverse books had few typos. The publishers clearly spent the time proofreading the books before printing and cleared up the mistakes. At some point, I suspect they stopped proofing. The typos increased in frequency and impact. For example, this book has a scene repeat, and the two versions cannot be reconciled on multiple points. It suggests no one proofed the final draft and that bothers me.

Rating: This is not the best book in the series, but I highly recommend the whole series, including this volume.

Also Read by this Author: 
Main Honor Harrington series: On Basilisk Station, The Honor of the Queen, The Short Victorious War, Field of Dishonor, Flag in Exile, Honor Among Enemies, In Enemy Hands, Echoes of Honor, Ashes of Victory, War of Honor, At All Costs, Mission of Honor, A Rising Thunder, Shadow of Freedom
Crown of Slaves series: Crown of Slaves, Torch of Freedom
Saganami Island series: The Shadow of Saganami, Storm from the Shadows
Star Kingdom series: A Beautiful Friendship
Anthologies: More Than Honor, Worlds of Honor, Changer of Worlds, The Service of the Sword, In Fire Forged, Beginnings

Reviewed by: Nick

"Snow Crash" By Neal Stephenson

I picked up this book at a used bookstore because a friend of mine has quoted little bits of it for the last several years. I saw it and thought, "Well, let's see what this is all about".

Summary: It is modern day, but certain trends have reached an extreme. The government has become a near-irrelevant entity as laws dissolved under the weight of corporate might. The US president is an obscure figure, unrecognizable to the masses. All valuable real estate has been claimed and developed by various corporations who have built up their franchises. There are franchises for roads, restaurants, neighborhoods, jails, police, schools, deliveries, you name it. People are citizens of their franchise, and register their vehicles that way. Messengers have dozens of barcode/visas that get scanned as they enter each different zone. Crime is suppressed by private security, the mafia run around with the word blazoned on their jackets and fear no one. Areas that are not profitable are franchise ghettos, where the poor are left to suffer in the worst possible conditions. This is also a world of high technology. Vehicles go faster, computers are more powerful, virtual reality is everywhere, tires adapt to the ground, cyber animals guard buildings and everything is being scanned by everyone.

In this world Hiro is a master hacker and swordsman, delivering pizza. He meets up with Y.T. a RadiKS Kourier who delivers high value packages by magnetically harpooning vehicles and trailing behind them on a skateboard. Hiro and Y.T. meet quite randomly on the job and soon get sucked into a high-stakes investigation. Hiro learns that one man has been spending the last several years preparing to take control of the whole world using an obscure idea he discovered in Sumarian texts.

This book explores the ancient and futuristic, solid reality and the virtual Metaverse, the common good and selfishness. It is really a perfect book for this era of human civilization as it is a commentary on where we are and where we might go while telling a really exciting story.

What I Liked: This is a very fast-paced book with a lot of action and investigation. The tech is fun to think about, since we are on the edge of making a lot of it. Hiro is a very compelling protagonist, as he is both highly-capable, and totally laid-back. There are a lot of cool ideas about how the brain could work like a computer that fuel the main story.

What I Didn't Like: [This area intentionally left blank]

Rating: Must read.

Also Read by this Author:  Nothing yet.

Reviewed by: Nick

"William Shakespeare's Star Wars" by Ian Doescher

My best friend received this book as a Christmas gift and after reading it lent it to me. 

Summary: Honestly, this is the story of Star Wars, Episode 4: A New Hope. That's it. 

Well, there are some differences. Like how the whole thing is written in the style of William Shakespeare. Many of the speeches are adaptations of famous Shakespearean soliloquies or turns of phrase. I have not read many of his plays, but even I recognized a lot of bits here and there that were space-age adaptations of the Bard, like "Once more unto the trench, dear friends, once more!" for example. It was also interesting to imagine this as a stage production with actors reading these lines to a live audience. The play includes stage directions explaining where the actors should go and what they should be doing. The space battle even envisions pilots arranged on the stage to attack the Deathstar. 

Many times the characters have wonderful soliloquies where they explain their thoughts to the reader in a way that is never done in the movie. R2-D2 finally gets to say some things, but only to we readers. There are also a few illustrations that are inspired by the Renaissance era, but depict the high tech world. All around this is a perfect book for that nerd who loves sci-fi movies and Renaissance festivals!

What I Liked: This is a very funny book because this combines two things that don't necessarily go together. They pair up awkwardly which is fun to read. Since this is a retelling of a popular story, it also is a commentary on the story. We get to see what Doescher thinks about the inner minds and motivations of the characters.

What I Didn't Like: Shakespearean writing is always a bit frustrating for me.

Rating: AMAZING. If you like Star Wars (which, of course you do) then you will find this book very entertaining.

Also Read by this Author:  This is his first book, but I will be reading the next two in the trilogy.

Reviewed by: Nick

"Impact" by Douglas Preston

We selected this audiobook because of the excitement and fascination we had reading The Monster of Florence, by Preston & Spezi. 

Summary: There are three main story lines that eventually all weave into one. There is a NASA scientist who identifies and investigates strange phenomenon recorded by the Mars Orbiter satellite, Wyman Ford an ex-CIA agent hired to track down the source of radioactive gems, and two young women who search for a meteorite that struck off the east coast. Most of the book is spent following each character as they learn more and more through their investigations. All the characters eventually meet and put their heads together to figure out how it is all connected. There is also an assassin trying to kill all of them and some other exciting dangers like ships in storms, drug addled gunmen/rapists, Cambodian separatists, and more.

What I Liked: Preston does a good job writing individual scenes so that they are exciting and interesting. He also fleshes out the characters and gives them opportunities to develop.

What I Didn't Like: Early on, the NASA scientist (who has no social life and studies Mars all day every day) forgot the length of a Martian day. It led to him profoundly bungling a work presentation. That is one example how the professionals in this book made amateur mistakes. The professional assassin was really sloppy and the experienced boaters kept destroying their boats.

Rating: Skip it, even if you like Preston's other work.

Also Read by this Author: The Monster of Florence (with Mario Spezi).

Reviewed by: Nick

"Beginnings" By David Weber

This book is part of a collection of books lovingly called the Honorverse because the first books started by following Honor Harrington, an officer of the Royal Manticoran Navy. I have read nearly all the Honorverse books, but this is the first one since we started the blog. 

Summary: First, a summary of the Honorverse novels, since this book is part of a series. In the year 2103, humanity began colonizing other star systems. The process was slow at first, but with new hyperspace technologies it became possible to travel faster than light and the number of colonies soared into the thousands. In the year 1416 Post Diaspora, humanity colonized the Manticore star system, where Honor Harrington eventually is born and becomes an officer. Most of the books are dedicated to her adventures commanding starships in battle against enemy star nations, pirates, terrorists and incompetence. There are also three spin-off series based on cool characters that are introduced in the main series, but only briefly cross paths with Honor Harrington, one of these series is co authored with Eric Flint. There is one more series called Worlds of Honor, which are collections of short stories which take place in the Honorverse, but do not fit in one of the established series for some reason or other. Typically they are about side characters, or take place a long time ago or just do not fit in the story arch. Also, Weber invites other authors to write short stories for the anthologies.

"Beginnings" is the sixth anthology and includes five stories, two by Weber himself, and one from each of the following: Charles E. Gannon, Timothy Zahn and Joelle Presby. The first story is about a ship captain on Earth, shortly after the Diaspora, investigating a merchant vessel taken by pirates. He navigates the harsh politics of a world torn between its desire to explore and its desire to keep everyone under control while he finds the masterminds behind the crime. The second story takes place in space around the young star nation of Manticore, before Harrington's time. The star nation has experienced an extended peace-time and a mysterious enemy wants to take advantage of the lull in military spending. The vulnerable nation is attacked and the Royal Manticoran Navy struggles to fend it off. In the third story, Allison Chou and Alfred Harrington meet at the university and undergo quite the adventure before eventually becoming Honor's parents. The fourth story is a glimpse into the childhood of Honor Harrington as she wanders around the dangerous forests of her home planet and has a fateful encounter with some treecats. And the last story follows one of the first female officers in the Grayson Space Navy as she navigates uncharted territory.

What I Liked: Being a huge fan of the Honorverse, I love these little stories as they provide insight into events that are hinted at in the books, but never explained. It's like the saying about New York, “There are 8,000,000 Million Stories in The Naked City”. Well, these anthologies are a great opportunity to see bits and pieces of the other stories on the fringe of the main story line.

What I Didn't Like: These are short stories, and there is a chance Weber will never expand on your particular favorite. And in the anthology you end up jumping from story to story that you come out of the reading groove more than usual, but that is true will all short stories. It's also strange to have four different writing styles in one book. They emphasize different politics, technologies and conventions, which can be off balancing.

Rating: Must read. The Honorverse universe is the best setting for a book.

Also Read By This Author: 
Main Honor Harrington series: On Basilisk Station, The Honor of the Queen, The Short Victorious War, Field of Dishonor, Flag in Exile, Honor Among Enemies, In Enemy Hands, Echoes of Honor, Ashes of Victory, War of Honor, At All Costs, Mission of Honor, A Rising Thunder, Shadow of Freedom
Crown of Slaves series: Crown of Slaves, Torch of Freedom
Saganami Island series: The Shadow of Saganami, Storm from the Shadows
Star Kingdom series: A Beautiful Friendship
Anthologies: More Than Honor, Worlds of Honor, Changer of Worlds, The Service of the Sword, In Fire Forged

Reviewed By: Nick

"Monster Hunter Legion" by Larry Correia

I found this book in a used bookstore. I had already read the first three books of the series and decided to grab this one based on that. This one happens to be a signed copy from a book signing I never knew about. Every copy was signed, which was something I've never seen before.

Summary: Monsters are real and governments know all about them. In the US the Monster Control Bureau issues out secret PUFF bounties on paranormal creatures deemed dangerous to the human race. Private contractors compete to clean up these horrors in order to cash in on the huge bounties. In this series you follow Owen Zastava Pitt (aka: Z), a gun-loving accountant who survived a werewolf attack years ago. Like other surviviors, Z was recruited by Monster Hunters International, a private firm. A lot happens in the first three books, ranging from minor outbreaks to game-changing near-apocalypse. The consistent theme from all the books is that the rate of outbreaks is increasing in number and intensity. The MCB is having trouble keeping it off the front pages and private hunters are fearing a world ending event. Z has a unique heritage and subsequently plays a unique role in the monster hunting world. Each book reveals a little more. 

In this fourth installment a wealthy and mysterious benefactor has organized the first annual International Conference of Monster Hunting Professionals. Hunters from all over the world gathered to share trade secrets and brag to their peers. After putting all the hunters in one place, all we need is a monster! Enter the Nachtmar. The rest of the book is trying to find a way to defeat the Nachtmar while government agents play internal politics.

What I Liked: This is a fun action thriller with a variety of monsters and interesting plots and backstories. There are a lot of funny lines and satisfying resolutions. The characters are badass heroes and the villains are scum. It's a good classic framework with modern places, ideas and tools folded in. I also like how the monsters strike the right balance of terrifying, but killable. Guns work, if you use them right.

What I Didn't Like:  Correia's range of dialogue is lacking. All the characters speak with the same voice and slang which is awkward considering the variety of backgrounds. 

Rating: Solid monster action, worth the read, just read them in order. 

Also Read By This Author: Monster Hunter International,  Monster Hunter Vendetta, Monster Hunter Alpha.

Reviewed By: Nick