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mentat_stem's reviews
787 reviews
Fair Coin by E.C. Myers
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
adventurous
dark
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A sound engineer (Montserrat) and her childhood friend (Tristán) get caught up in shenanigans surrounding a cursed film in mid 90’s Mexico.
I love Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing. She has the science fiction writer’s grasp of just how much your characters can infodump to propel vs weigh down the story. In the case of Silver Nitrate we get a ton of inside baseball on the craft of movie production in the last decade before the transition to digital started. Montserrat fills us in on sound editing while Tristán gives us the actor’s viewpoint. These are older characters (early 40’s) interacting mostly with characters significantly older.
The mystery of the unfinished film and the backstory of the main characters are established well in the first 70% or so of the book. Almost everything up to that point could be mimetic. No definitive need for supernatural explanations. The world of the protagonists feels lived in even though some of the antagonists are significantly less developed. The sounds and smells of December in Mexico stay with you.
At the point where magic can no longer be questioned, the rules have been established and the ultimate battle against evil sprints to the finish line. Fighting an undead Nazi sorcerer would be outright silly in less capable hands. It becomes the best bits of Lovecraft, with all the problematic bits exposed and examined with a clear head. This definitely gets shelved with The Weird.
I love the ups and downs of the friendship between Montserrat and Tristán over the course of the book. Rarely is a platonic MF relationship both so intense and nuanced.
I love the ups and downs of the friendship between Montserrat and Tristán over the course of the book. Rarely is a platonic MF relationship both so intense and nuanced.
Highly recommended, especially to horror movie geeks and anyone who likes a bit of the occult in their fiction.
Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
On this episode of Murderbot we have a cozy mystery. This particular space station might as well be a quaint seaside village and a murder (no relation) is definitely unexpected. Murderbot will begrudgingly aid the local authorities.
Murderbot's bubble of humans who should be protected expands slightly. Hints about the wider machinations of corporate entities emerge. Much expensive equipment is destroyed. A documentary is recorded for viewing after the climax.
If you've read this far into the series, you don't need any convincing.
If my description of this as a cozy mystery piques your interest this wouldn't be a horrible entry point into the series. It also sets up the stand-alone novel, Network Effect, quite well, even though it was published after it.
Murderbot's bubble of humans who should be protected expands slightly. Hints about the wider machinations of corporate entities emerge. Much expensive equipment is destroyed. A documentary is recorded for viewing after the climax.
If you've read this far into the series, you don't need any convincing.
If my description of this as a cozy mystery piques your interest this wouldn't be a horrible entry point into the series. It also sets up the stand-alone novel, Network Effect, quite well, even though it was published after it.
Network Effect by Martha Wells
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Linghun by Ai Jiang
dark
mysterious
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? No
5.0
Whalefall by Daniel Kraus
adventurous
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Suicide
Read Between the Lines by Rachel Lacey
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Perfectly delightful romance. Loved both characters. Loved the friends. Loved the bookstore and the writing and the New York flavor.
However it also sort of felt like apologetics for the rent seeking/gentrification class. The "Evil corp" demolishing the bookstore don't come off smelling like roses, but the owners end up as sympathetic characters and that's enough to bump this down a star for me.
A contemporary romance isn't where I expect to find a challenge to the fundamental precepts of capitalism. However, the "it's just business" handwavium is deeply frustrating.
However it also sort of felt like apologetics for the rent seeking/gentrification class. The "Evil corp" demolishing the bookstore don't come off smelling like roses, but the owners end up as sympathetic characters and that's enough to bump this down a star for me.
A contemporary romance isn't where I expect to find a challenge to the fundamental precepts of capitalism. However, the "it's just business" handwavium is deeply frustrating.
Green Fuse Burning by Tiffany Morris
dark
hopeful
tense
slow-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
The 2 main characters in this book are a young artist and nature. They are both attempting to understand their identity in the context of traumatic loss.
The physical book was surprisingly beautiful. The narrative was cleverly structured. The prose was as lush as the nature surrounding the isolated cabin.
This enough body horror and descent into madness to satisfy a horror fan. However, it's also a slice of an artist's life who's moving through the stages of grief. Definitely an entry point for anyone new to eco horror.
The physical book was surprisingly beautiful. The narrative was cleverly structured. The prose was as lush as the nature surrounding the isolated cabin.
This enough body horror and descent into madness to satisfy a horror fan. However, it's also a slice of an artist's life who's moving through the stages of grief. Definitely an entry point for anyone new to eco horror.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Chaotic cell reception
Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies by E.M. Roy
dark
emotional
tense
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
4.75
In the spirit of Get Out, mundane fears are realized in over the top horrors. In this case the fear is getting stuck: by young love, by the expectations of others, by a small town that nobody ever leaves.
The horror is intense yet oddly comforting.
The mystery and the structure of the narrative and the tropes of horror all combine to explore a whirlwind summer relationship between two very different girls.
The resolution is satisfying yet melancholy.
The supernatural isn't supposed to exist in this small town and the ultimate battle is against its very existence.
The horror is intense yet oddly comforting.
The mystery and the structure of the narrative and the tropes of horror all combine to explore a whirlwind summer relationship between two very different girls.
The resolution is satisfying yet melancholy.
The supernatural isn't supposed to exist in this small town and the ultimate battle is against its very existence.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts