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hlau's reviews
115 reviews
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
5.0
Scalzi strikes again! Fast-paced and fun, this one is a fun roller coaster with some karma built in (Scalzi sprinkles it throughout every work it seems). In the credits, he says how fun and liberating and refreshing it was to write this one and it definitely shows.
Heaven's River by Dennis E. Taylor
4.0
I have loved the Bobiverse through and through, for all the reasons one would think. It's good and nerdy, brilliantly written in an irreverent and real tone that is so easy on the brain. The jokes and the stakes are both where one expect them to be.
This volume is twice the length of the previous editions and I think it might suffer a bit for it. There are at least three major plots going at the same time, tackling all the issues you'd expect when you have sentient non biological life intermingling with flawed "bios" as they learn their place in the universe. Throw in a few alien species and an artificial stellar mega-construct and you'd think this has everything it needs.
But something about the energy of this one feels like it got lost about 2/3 of the way through. I didn't care much for the extended interactions with the newest race, mostly because it felt like it was like a hard jungle slog for no real great plot reasons. As opposed to the first couple of books which dealt with watching an otherwise unassuming non-human culture evolve in real time, this one felt alot more drawn out. That's the only knock against it and frankly it's not enough to ding more than a star off. I still want to keep going in the Bobiverse and this doesn't inhibit me at all from reading more Taylor books. In fact, looking forward to it.
I haven't as much fun with a series since John Scalzi's [insert anything here, but especially The Collapsing Empire series].
This volume is twice the length of the previous editions and I think it might suffer a bit for it. There are at least three major plots going at the same time, tackling all the issues you'd expect when you have sentient non biological life intermingling with flawed "bios" as they learn their place in the universe. Throw in a few alien species and an artificial stellar mega-construct and you'd think this has everything it needs.
But something about the energy of this one feels like it got lost about 2/3 of the way through. I didn't care much for the extended interactions with the newest race, mostly because it felt like it was like a hard jungle slog for no real great plot reasons. As opposed to the first couple of books which dealt with watching an otherwise unassuming non-human culture evolve in real time, this one felt alot more drawn out. That's the only knock against it and frankly it's not enough to ding more than a star off. I still want to keep going in the Bobiverse and this doesn't inhibit me at all from reading more Taylor books. In fact, looking forward to it.
I haven't as much fun with a series since John Scalzi's [insert anything here, but especially The Collapsing Empire series].
In The Ruins Of Empire: The Japanese Surrender And The Battle For Postwar Asia by Ronald H. Spector
4.0
Spector delivers on his promise to fill in the gap that generally exists in the popular consciousness about when WWII ends and the days that immediately followed. It's very easy to say that the Chinese Civil War, the Vietnam War and the Korean War were inevitable, but in reality, they were ultimately culminations that came at the end of long occupations. Probably one of the most salient observations from later chapters is that successful occupations are long; successful occupations are short, but ultimately, they usually last long enough that they're resented before they end, no matter the altruism or idealism that fuels them.
This was a surprise find that was highly engrossing, meticulously researched and very well told. At the end of the day, it was written in the middle of the second invasion and occupation of Iraq, so it frames much of what is presented to the reader to make some conclusions that, in 2024, we can arrive at - but that doesn't get any focus until you're almost done.
WWII-interested folks would well pick this one up. In over 20 years of consuming similar content, this is the first time I've heard these stories told this way.
This was a surprise find that was highly engrossing, meticulously researched and very well told. At the end of the day, it was written in the middle of the second invasion and occupation of Iraq, so it frames much of what is presented to the reader to make some conclusions that, in 2024, we can arrive at - but that doesn't get any focus until you're almost done.
WWII-interested folks would well pick this one up. In over 20 years of consuming similar content, this is the first time I've heard these stories told this way.
Columbus Day by Craig Alanson
5.0
Didn't know how much I'd like this first outing with Alanson and as it turns out, quite alot. The genre can be pretty staid, but not Columbus Day. The dialogue is crisp, incisive, irreverent, and witty. There's just enough intrigue to keep the pacing from falling off. But the real clincher is about 55% the way through, Alanson throws a curveball and the relationship that bears out is, very much the comic relief as intended, but in the best amazing way. So, if you need to be told to stick with it for something, it is that. And you'll certainly know when you get there. All told, this one was hard to put down. Expecting great things as this series is quite voluminous and robust.
SpecOps by Craig Alanson
4.0
I genuinely wondered how this one would go. Someone described the last book as GI Joe in space. For the genre, that's not entirely wrong. But ultimately, what makes this book and the last pretty interesting is the writing and ease of the irreverent nature and voices. So if you're looking for something that'll make you laugh a little bit while you hear about grunts on the ground or space battles, then this probably a match. Genuinely the conflicts and the resolutions to problems set up with enemy forces are genuinely funny and thought-provoking. If you're a fan of the TV show Stargate Atlantis at all, this will also be funny from the nature of the multinational special forces and their interactions. In fact, it. Stargate is probably a great parallel to compare it to (with a fair dose of cheeky banter similar to Q via Star Trek). How does Earth deal with a universe of hostile aliens, with eminently and apparently superlative technology? How does Earth accomplish a defense when all it has is one ship it didn't build itself?
Still worth the ride. Happily moving on to the next installment.
Still worth the ride. Happily moving on to the next installment.
The Martian by Andy Weir
3.0
This was a much harder installment to get through than I would've thought given how much I enjoyed the movie adaptation.
In reality, it was a very close adaptation with one big exception: the writing was maddening in its structure. So many of the interactions, particularly Earthside was "he said" then "she said" then "he said" then "he said" and on and on and on.
The science and premise are the best. But it's hard to believe this survived editing passes without some attention to that.
Otherwise, story great, premise great.
In reality, it was a very close adaptation with one big exception: the writing was maddening in its structure. So many of the interactions, particularly Earthside was "he said" then "she said" then "he said" then "he said" and on and on and on.
The science and premise are the best. But it's hard to believe this survived editing passes without some attention to that.
Otherwise, story great, premise great.
Paradise by Craig Alanson
4.0
Another interesting installment. I understand people have mixed feelings about the content and some of the pacing of the mostly magnificent omnipotent Skippy, but enjoyed as an audiobook with RC Bray doing the narration makes this a fun radio play.