justins52books's reviews
1139 reviews

Stalin and the Scientists: A History of Triumph and Tragedy, 1905-1953 by Simon Ings

funny informative sad medium-paced

4.5

Entropy by Aaron Costain

reflective sad slow-paced

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

1.75

Have you ever read Alan Moore's From Hell?  You know how you had no idea what was going on until you found the appendix and had the author's ideas and intents commented on?  Entropy needs that.  Badly.  I know golemns and I know creation myths and I know existential angst...I still have no idea what Entropy is about.  It's not enigmatic, either.  It's obtuse.  I think it's worth reading, but I'm not a fan.

Stalin: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley

informative sad fast-paced

3.25

The End of White Christian America by Robert P. Jones

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

3.75

The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester

dark reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

Zone One by Colson Whitehead

adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

Spin by Robert Charles Wilson

hopeful mysterious slow-paced

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

3.75

There's a slow second act that's tough to get through and some of the mystery set up doesn't pay off as much as I would've liked, but this is a good book with great hard and soft SF elements.  It's hard to do both those well and still have a comprehensible plot.  I will be checking out the sequels.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore

Imaro by Charles Saunders

adventurous sad tense 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

3.5

Travels with Jotaro by Stan Sakai

3.75