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lifstrand's reviews
478 reviews
The Squirrel on the Train by Kevin Hearne
5.0
First: OBERON (five stars right there).
Then: LED ZEPPELIN REFERENCE (and there's another five stars).
This is a quick, fun read. It's all from Oberon's point of view, and such wisdom we are gifted with therein! And meat observations. And squirrel advisories. What's not to like?
Then: LED ZEPPELIN REFERENCE (and there's another five stars).
This is a quick, fun read. It's all from Oberon's point of view, and such wisdom we are gifted with therein! And meat observations. And squirrel advisories. What's not to like?
The Book of Swords by Robin Hobb, George R.R. Martin
Mixed feelings about the stories in this anthology, as I usually have. Some engaged me, some let me down. While I'm not always that enthusiastic about anthologies, I read them because I get introduced to authors I haven't read before. In this volume I was reintroduced to an author I hadn't read in a while: Kate Elliott, who contributed "I Am a Handsome Man,’ Said Apollo Crow”. I loved it! At the other extreme, the final story in the volume was George RR Martin's “The Sons of the Dragon”, which I finally gave up on. Maybe Game of Thrones fans would like it but me? Bleh.
Artemis by Andy Weir
4.0
If this had been Mr. Weir's first book I wouldn't have finished it. But, having loved The Martian, I plowed through the first half of Artemis, and by the middle I was totally hooked.
The Dragon and the Fair Maid of Kent by Gordon R. Dickson
5.0
I love this series! Not nearly enough dragon in this book, mind you, but still great. Dickson did such an excellent job of slowly revealing more information over the course of the series, so that questions you forgot you had suddenly are answered. Highly recommended for those who love dragon stories.
Coyote by Allen M. Steele
5.0
Just found this author and what a great surprise! And how wonderful to discover there's a series. If you liked Andy Weir's The Martian and Artemis, this is a book for you.
Elementary: All-New Tales of the Elemental Masters by Mercedes Lackey
3.0
There were 19 stories in this Elemental Masters anthology but only 5 that I actually liked, Probably I shouldn't count the Mercedes Lackey story because it's the beginning of Blood Red, which I read before I read Elementary. That's what I get for having not read this book when it was published in 2013.
I'm not all that fond of anthologies because good short stories are tough to write and therefore aren't always pleasing to read, but generally Lackey's choices are more satisfying to me than this one was. Oh well, win some, lose some.
The stories I liked:
Arms of the Sea, by Tanya HUff
Bone Dance, by Rosemary Edghill and Rebecca Fox
The Flying Contraption, by Ron Collins
A Peony Amongst Roses, by Gail Sanders and Michael Z Williamson
I'm not all that fond of anthologies because good short stories are tough to write and therefore aren't always pleasing to read, but generally Lackey's choices are more satisfying to me than this one was. Oh well, win some, lose some.
The stories I liked:
Arms of the Sea, by Tanya HUff
Bone Dance, by Rosemary Edghill and Rebecca Fox
The Flying Contraption, by Ron Collins
A Peony Amongst Roses, by Gail Sanders and Michael Z Williamson
Waking Up to the Dark: Ancient Wisdom for a Sleepless Age by Clark Strand
2.0
I was looking for something else than what this book offered. Maybe I thought I'd get more from it than I did just because the author and I share the same last names (no relation, far as I know).
But I just could not slog through it. I guess I missed the part of the description where it said that the book was just ramblings on about the dark. It's more of a personal journal than anything else. Unfortunately, the issues that Clark Strand discusses are non-issues for me. His book might be a fine one, but not my cup of tea.
But I just could not slog through it. I guess I missed the part of the description where it said that the book was just ramblings on about the dark. It's more of a personal journal than anything else. Unfortunately, the issues that Clark Strand discusses are non-issues for me. His book might be a fine one, but not my cup of tea.