arealswellfellow's reviews
210 reviews

Saga, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Feels very 2012. It’s got some cool ideas but tries to be so edgy (both dramatically and for comedy) that it’s really hard to get into.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Sexual assault

Spy x Family, Vol. 1 by Tatsuya Endo

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I think I’m going to keep saying this everytime, but Becky Chambers is probably the best American Science Fiction writer right now.

Each book is emotional, empathetic, empowering, and funny. I will laugh, cry, and be moved by profound thoughts with every page.

I am convinced these will be considered classics in the future, and I’m excited to be an early fan.

On Ambivalence: The Problems and Pleasures of Having It Both Ways by Kenneth Weisbrode

informative reflective fast-paced

1.5

The most ambivalent book on ambivalence I’ve ever read 

Why We Drive: Toward a Philosophy of the Open Road by Matthew B. Crawford

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

2.0

Imagine an avid chess player writing a book about video games replacing chess. Or more appropriately, an equestrian writing a book on cars replacing horses. That’s what this book is but with self driving cars.

The book comes across as a boomer doomer rant about cars. There is some interesting research early on, and there is an important underlying message about data privacy. But overall this book goes off on too many tangents, rants, and slippery slope fear mongering.

This guy is clearly passionate about cars, but he treats it like it’s a universal interest. It’s not. You can have your hobby, no one is taking it away from you. You don’t need to write a book about how cool you are when you are speeding in your modded car.

Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

In the last year of elementary school we got to read this book. It’s treated as this big secret. All the younger kids here about an amazing book they get to read soon but no one reveals what it was. It was definitely one of the best books to read in school and it’s one of the only books I read around 10 that still sticks with me.

Neuromancer by William Gibson

adventurous reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I feel unfair rating this book. To me it felt a little cliched and like any other cyber punk story. However, it is the originator of the genre. It’s not derivative, everything else is. I imagine reading this in the 80s would have been insane.

A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers

adventurous emotional funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I love this series a lot. I think Becky Chambers will go down as an iconic science fiction writer of this generation. These books may be classics of the genre in their own right someday.

The Tale of Despereaux Special Edition: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What a good children’s book. The depth and emotion is so good. We don’t give kids enough credit for understanding nuance and deep themes. 

Also, funny coincidence of me reading this right after left hand of darkness. Vastly different target audiences and reading levels but like very similar themes and motifs in the light and darkness.

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

adventurous challenging dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Le Guin books are some of the most thought provoking reads. I sometimes wish I was reading them in a class or with a guide though because they can be very dense with detail and complexity. 

Likely worth a reread. The afterword in my edition also clarified a lot of questions I was left with after reading.