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thecaptainsquarters's reviews
2374 reviews
Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Ahoy there me mateys! This was the best one yet! For me, the highlight of the author's writing is her eerie atmospheres. In this story, Halley is hiding from political disaster fallout. She takes a low paying job as a security guard on an ancient spaceship. The ship holds the cryogenically frozen bodies of a prophet, more than 100 years dead, and the wealthy people who chose to be frozen with him. Halley visited the ship as a young child when it was a museum but in recent years it has been maintained by a trust. She feels it is a great place to hide out while deciding what to do next.
At first it seems like an easy job where she does rounds and pushes a security button to show that all is well. However, the timing of the rounds and her own stress begin to make her sleep deprivation all the worse. Is her imagination playing tricks on her or is there something else going on? The only company she really has on the huge ship is a sophisticated AI program in the museum auditorium which can sometimes answer questions in real time and the frozen folks. I would not choose to talk to either but her loneliness begins to grate. Lack of sleep doesn't help. And the engineer somewhere else on the ship refuses to really talk to her.
There is a lot about Halley's circumstances on board the ship that I found to be unrealistic. Halley is a character hard to feel sympathetic towards given her privileged background and very bad choices. However, as the novel progressed, I found that I wanted her to succeed. Halley just wants to have purpose and help people. She may have went about it completely incorrectly but in the end, she makes up for it. Plus the real circumstances and truth of the ship should happen to no one. Ugh. As a poor sleeper, I also began to think about how lack of sleep can cause cognitive dysfunction and how that could be contributing to Halley's predicament, her missing key facts, and her second guessing.
The ending was one of the aspects of the novel that felt most realistic. Halley pays for her bad choices, not everyone survives, and what happens to the AI was refreshing in that "science magic" can't solve everything. There is a small amount of hope but the ending felt right for the story.
I love the author's excellent space horrors and want more! These standalones are excellent fun. Arrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
At first it seems like an easy job where she does rounds and pushes a security button to show that all is well. However, the timing of the rounds and her own stress begin to make her sleep deprivation all the worse. Is her imagination playing tricks on her or is there something else going on? The only company she really has on the huge ship is a sophisticated AI program in the museum auditorium which can sometimes answer questions in real time and the frozen folks. I would not choose to talk to either but her loneliness begins to grate. Lack of sleep doesn't help. And the engineer somewhere else on the ship refuses to really talk to her.
There is a lot about Halley's circumstances on board the ship that I found to be unrealistic. Halley is a character hard to feel sympathetic towards given her privileged background and very bad choices. However, as the novel progressed, I found that I wanted her to succeed. Halley just wants to have purpose and help people. She may have went about it completely incorrectly but in the end, she makes up for it. Plus the real circumstances and truth of the ship should happen to no one. Ugh. As a poor sleeper, I also began to think about how lack of sleep can cause cognitive dysfunction and how that could be contributing to Halley's predicament, her missing key facts, and her second guessing.
The ending was one of the aspects of the novel that felt most realistic. Halley pays for her bad choices, not everyone survives, and what happens to the AI was refreshing in that "science magic" can't solve everything. There is a small amount of hope but the ending felt right for the story.
I love the author's excellent space horrors and want more! These standalones are excellent fun. Arrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Last Chance to Save the World by Beth Revis
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
*** minor spoilers for other books in the series ***
Ahoy there mateys!! This is the third and final book in the Chaotic Orbits series of novellas. I enjoyed book one, adored book two, and found this book to be just okay. Most people will be upset that there is no happy-ever-after here. Aye, the ending is a cliffhanger even though it is a last book. There is no payoff for the romance aspect. I actually thought the ending was rather realistic, if surprising. I rather liked it.
My problem with the book is the whole saving the world thing. Ada’s part in this is boring. Finding out who she works for and why was rather boring. I missed her audacity and being ahead of everyone else. She does, of course, do more than what she says her goal is. I just didn’t care. She would have failed without help. But Rian isn’t the help she used. That bothered me. I wanted to see Rian and Ada work together more. There is a little bit of that but Rian is completely overwhelmed when things do not go to plan. I just don’t think a man with his skills would be that useless.
Even though there were flaws, the book is fast paced and I really enjoyed the audiobook format. Plus it is another series finished. Arrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Side note: Publishers stop comparing books to other things they are nothing like. They claim the series is “perfect for fans of Murderbot novels and the Wayfairers series.” Ugh! These are NOTHING like either of those.
Ahoy there mateys!! This is the third and final book in the Chaotic Orbits series of novellas. I enjoyed book one, adored book two, and found this book to be just okay. Most people will be upset that there is no happy-ever-after here. Aye, the ending is a cliffhanger even though it is a last book. There is no payoff for the romance aspect. I actually thought the ending was rather realistic, if surprising. I rather liked it.
My problem with the book is the whole saving the world thing. Ada’s part in this is boring. Finding out who she works for and why was rather boring. I missed her audacity and being ahead of everyone else. She does, of course, do more than what she says her goal is. I just didn’t care. She would have failed without help. But Rian isn’t the help she used. That bothered me. I wanted to see Rian and Ada work together more. There is a little bit of that but Rian is completely overwhelmed when things do not go to plan. I just don’t think a man with his skills would be that useless.
Even though there were flaws, the book is fast paced and I really enjoyed the audiobook format. Plus it is another series finished. Arrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Side note: Publishers stop comparing books to other things they are nothing like. They claim the series is “perfect for fans of Murderbot novels and the Wayfairers series.” Ugh! These are NOTHING like either of those.
Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Ahoy there me mateys! This is a new series with some big comparisons - "Becky Chambers meets Miss Marple in this sci-fi ode to the cozy mystery" and "Perfect for fans of the plot-twisty narratives of Dorothy Sayers and Ann Leckie." I wanted to read it because it is a cozy mystery set on a generation ship where memories can be stored in the library. This book is a novella and was just okay. It is not like Chambers or Leckie's work though it does have a cozy vibe.
I think that the short length (112 pgs) was the biggest issue for me. I did like the main detective character who is an older protagonist whose consciousness is pushed into the body of a younger person. What was fascinating was the idea of the ship and the library storing the memories of the passengers. The personal problem for me is that I wanted more world building, more exploration of the ship, more explanation for why the ship runs as it does, and more character development. Basically every aspect felt sketched in and rushed. I really wish this had been a novel.
The solution to the mystery wasn't very surprising and the motive was uninteresting. That said I wouldn't be adverse to trying the next in the series to see what the detective gets up to next given that I still love the concepts. I would love to explore more of the world. I listened to this on audio and really enjoyed Blair Baker's narration. This seems like a negative review but honestly I liked enough of what I read. I just wanted more. Arrrrr!
I received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I think that the short length (112 pgs) was the biggest issue for me. I did like the main detective character who is an older protagonist whose consciousness is pushed into the body of a younger person. What was fascinating was the idea of the ship and the library storing the memories of the passengers. The personal problem for me is that I wanted more world building, more exploration of the ship, more explanation for why the ship runs as it does, and more character development. Basically every aspect felt sketched in and rushed. I really wish this had been a novel.
The solution to the mystery wasn't very surprising and the motive was uninteresting. That said I wouldn't be adverse to trying the next in the series to see what the detective gets up to next given that I still love the concepts. I would love to explore more of the world. I listened to this on audio and really enjoyed Blair Baker's narration. This seems like a negative review but honestly I liked enough of what I read. I just wanted more. Arrrrr!
I received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Ahoy there me mateys! One of my favorite childhood books was Watership Down along with its scary animated movie (poor Bigwig!). I did not know much about hares and have to admit that I thought they were more closely related to rabbits given hares' nickname of jackrabbits. When I learned about this memoir of a woman raising a baby hare during the pandemic, I knew I had to read it.
Though it takes place during the pandemic, the focus is not at all on the pandemic itself. The book is a mixture of memoir and naturalist guide. The memoir side touches on how the hare helped change the author's perspectives on her home, the countryside it exists in, and her viewpoints of her job and sense of self. The nature side gives animal facts about hares and the hare she raised in particular. There are also quotes from historical writing about hares which I really enjoyed. Just be aware that there are discussions about the history of hunting hares in parts of the book.
One of the interesting things about the author is that she owns up to her mistakes in dealing with the hare while not regretting the experience. I enjoyed her personal reflections on the relationships between humans and wildlife and how they changed over time. The writing was easy to follow and I read this book quickly. I avidly followed the hare's life and all of the details about it living in the author's house and the accommodations she made for it.
My ebook copy did not showcase the illustrations very well so folks may want to get the physical copy for those if interested. I am very glad to have read this one and learn more about the subject. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Though it takes place during the pandemic, the focus is not at all on the pandemic itself. The book is a mixture of memoir and naturalist guide. The memoir side touches on how the hare helped change the author's perspectives on her home, the countryside it exists in, and her viewpoints of her job and sense of self. The nature side gives animal facts about hares and the hare she raised in particular. There are also quotes from historical writing about hares which I really enjoyed. Just be aware that there are discussions about the history of hunting hares in parts of the book.
One of the interesting things about the author is that she owns up to her mistakes in dealing with the hare while not regretting the experience. I enjoyed her personal reflections on the relationships between humans and wildlife and how they changed over time. The writing was easy to follow and I read this book quickly. I avidly followed the hare's life and all of the details about it living in the author's house and the accommodations she made for it.
My ebook copy did not showcase the illustrations very well so folks may want to get the physical copy for those if interested. I am very glad to have read this one and learn more about the subject. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Tomb of Dragons by Katherine Addison
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Ahoy there me mateys! While I try to post no spoilers, this is the third book of a sub-trilogy so proceed at yer own peril . . .
I received an e-book from the publisher, read it immediately, and pre-ordered the audiobook as soon as I finished. On publishing day, I immediately listened to the audiobook. This book is already on the comfort reads list along with the others in the series. Why did it take me two weeks to write a review? Because honestly I fail to do this book justice beyond flailing.
This book is the final book in the Amalo sub-trilogy which is part of the larger Chronicles of Osreth series. Celehar is no longer Amalo’s Witness for the Dead as he has lost his power. He is assigned a special project to fix a municipal cemetery that has not been functioning for 50 years. Of course the poor guy doesn’t have the best luck to he also gets kidnapped by miners and is dealing with PTSD from his ordeal under the hill.
Basically I fall more in love with the world the more books I read set in it. I particularly love Celehar and think he is a wonderful character and is my favorite. That said, I love all of Celehar’s friends and how much they care for him despite Celehar’s obtuseness of why he is worthy of friendship. Iäna Pel-Thenhio and his opera antics are always a delight. I also enjoyed the addition of guard Hanu Olgarezh. The Emperor is always fun to read about too. Seriously I love them all! I will continue to reread these books. Also while this is the ending of the trilogy, I would read a lot more books about the characters’ adventures outside of Amalo. Write more please!
This book should not be read as a standalone. I believe all prior books are necessary to read before this one. That said, if ye loved those then this one is likely to float yer boat too. Arrr!
I received an e-book from the publisher, read it immediately, and pre-ordered the audiobook as soon as I finished. On publishing day, I immediately listened to the audiobook. This book is already on the comfort reads list along with the others in the series. Why did it take me two weeks to write a review? Because honestly I fail to do this book justice beyond flailing.
This book is the final book in the Amalo sub-trilogy which is part of the larger Chronicles of Osreth series. Celehar is no longer Amalo’s Witness for the Dead as he has lost his power. He is assigned a special project to fix a municipal cemetery that has not been functioning for 50 years. Of course the poor guy doesn’t have the best luck to he also gets kidnapped by miners and is dealing with PTSD from his ordeal under the hill.
Basically I fall more in love with the world the more books I read set in it. I particularly love Celehar and think he is a wonderful character and is my favorite. That said, I love all of Celehar’s friends and how much they care for him despite Celehar’s obtuseness of why he is worthy of friendship. Iäna Pel-Thenhio and his opera antics are always a delight. I also enjoyed the addition of guard Hanu Olgarezh. The Emperor is always fun to read about too. Seriously I love them all! I will continue to reread these books. Also while this is the ending of the trilogy, I would read a lot more books about the characters’ adventures outside of Amalo. Write more please!
This book should not be read as a standalone. I believe all prior books are necessary to read before this one. That said, if ye loved those then this one is likely to float yer boat too. Arrr!
The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
Ahoy there mateys! My problem with this book comes down to my sense of humor and how the women are portrayed. I am certainly in the minority because the crew loves it and there are eight books in the series. I am glad I got this via Audible Plus and did not spend loot on it. I also did not know it written as a series of short stories. This is another book where I know I read about 20% but didn't take good notes so I could have read more.
I really did like the set-up of Fred becoming a vampire and decided to continue with his regular life because he likes being an accountant. I liked the idea of him going to his high school reunion and what happens there. The major problem was that the story felt so light and undetailed. This makes sense given the short story angle but I wanted a better fleshed out world and details about Fred's life.
I also hated the insta-relationship between Fred and his girlfriend. It came out of nowhere. Also while Fred respects his girlfriend and her skills, I couldn't stand how he talked about how hot and badass she is. Personal preference. The voice actor for Fred didn't help matters. Fred sounded like a teen idiot boy instead of a grown man.
Chalk this one up to not intended for me as an audience. Arrrr!
I really did like the set-up of Fred becoming a vampire and decided to continue with his regular life because he likes being an accountant. I liked the idea of him going to his high school reunion and what happens there. The major problem was that the story felt so light and undetailed. This makes sense given the short story angle but I wanted a better fleshed out world and details about Fred's life.
I also hated the insta-relationship between Fred and his girlfriend. It came out of nowhere. Also while Fred respects his girlfriend and her skills, I couldn't stand how he talked about how hot and badass she is. Personal preference. The voice actor for Fred didn't help matters. Fred sounded like a teen idiot boy instead of a grown man.
Chalk this one up to not intended for me as an audience. Arrrr!
Latchkey by Nicole Kornher-Stace
Did not finish book. Stopped at 50%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 50%.
Ahoy there mateys! This is the second book in a series. I loved the first book very much and have reread it. I had been meaning to read this one for a long, long time. I tried it a couple of times and couldn't seem to get into it. In this read, I think I made it more than half-way through but am not sure because I did not take good notes. Maybe because I was so sad I finally have to abandon it.
The setting is a fairly short time after the events in book one. The village saved by Isabel is trying to adjust to their new lives after the defeat of the Catchkeep-priest. However, they get word of a coming raid of a nearby town due to a natural disaster. Isabel will again have to find a way to save those she cares about.
The majority of this book takes place in the tunnels beneath the town. I enjoyed this creepy setting and the struggles that arise. I think the biggest problem with the book that I couldn't overcome was that a dead character comes back and I didn't like that choice at all. I mean ghosts are part of the first story so it is not like there isn't precedent. However, the particular person who comes back seemed like a horrible choice given how book one ended. Once the raid begins, I just never felt the urge to pick it back up. So book one is a favorite and I will let book two go. Arrrr!
The setting is a fairly short time after the events in book one. The village saved by Isabel is trying to adjust to their new lives after the defeat of the Catchkeep-priest. However, they get word of a coming raid of a nearby town due to a natural disaster. Isabel will again have to find a way to save those she cares about.
The majority of this book takes place in the tunnels beneath the town. I enjoyed this creepy setting and the struggles that arise. I think the biggest problem with the book that I couldn't overcome was that a dead character comes back and I didn't like that choice at all. I mean ghosts are part of the first story so it is not like there isn't precedent. However, the particular person who comes back seemed like a horrible choice given how book one ended. Once the raid begins, I just never felt the urge to pick it back up. So book one is a favorite and I will let book two go. Arrrr!
All Better Now by Neal Shusterman
Did not finish book. Stopped at 45%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 45%.
Ahoy there mateys! The silly but awesome cover and the author is what led me to try this one. A virus is taking over the world and the people who catch it get utter contentment. This happiness leads to unusual circumstances. For example, the richest man in the world gives away his fortune. But there are those in power who don't want to catch the virus and lose control. What is the proper path forward for Earth?
There are four main characters in the novel. Mariel Murdoch is a homeless teen who lives with her mother in her car. She seems to be immune to the virus. Rón Escobedo is the favored son of one of the world’s wealthiest men but is lonely and feels like he has no purpose outside of his father's plans for him. Dame Glynis Havilland is an elderly adult who needs someone to run her empire and continue the quest for a cure to the virus. Margot Willmon-Wu is an intelligent but ruthless 19-year-old who inherits this empire. I found the teens to be caricatures. Dame Glynis was my favorite because of her transformation after catching the virus.
Once again the set-up was the better part of the novel. I stopped reading at the 45% mark. Rón ends up becoming a super spreader with no real care about how 1 in 25 people die. While the concept of people people happy from a virus was interesting at first, the consequences of this happiness causes a lot of scary problems. For example, a boat overturns and an entire group is compelled to jump into the water to save them and many die because of the current or not being able to swim. So the virus is killing more people then Covid, is taking away their autonomy, and has horrible irreversible side effects.
Full disclosure, is that I was recently diagnosed with Long Covid and my autonomy is actually being taking away due to the side effects I am experiencing. So when the happy people began to actually die and be controlled like infected zombie ants, I just couldn't bring myself to read more of this book and actually started to have more PTSD symptoms. What started out as silly turned into a kind of offensive read for me based on my personal circumstances. No more for me. I cannot even recommend this book. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
There are four main characters in the novel. Mariel Murdoch is a homeless teen who lives with her mother in her car. She seems to be immune to the virus. Rón Escobedo is the favored son of one of the world’s wealthiest men but is lonely and feels like he has no purpose outside of his father's plans for him. Dame Glynis Havilland is an elderly adult who needs someone to run her empire and continue the quest for a cure to the virus. Margot Willmon-Wu is an intelligent but ruthless 19-year-old who inherits this empire. I found the teens to be caricatures. Dame Glynis was my favorite because of her transformation after catching the virus.
Once again the set-up was the better part of the novel. I stopped reading at the 45% mark. Rón ends up becoming a super spreader with no real care about how 1 in 25 people die. While the concept of people people happy from a virus was interesting at first, the consequences of this happiness causes a lot of scary problems. For example, a boat overturns and an entire group is compelled to jump into the water to save them and many die because of the current or not being able to swim. So the virus is killing more people then Covid, is taking away their autonomy, and has horrible irreversible side effects.
Full disclosure, is that I was recently diagnosed with Long Covid and my autonomy is actually being taking away due to the side effects I am experiencing. So when the happy people began to actually die and be controlled like infected zombie ants, I just couldn't bring myself to read more of this book and actually started to have more PTSD symptoms. What started out as silly turned into a kind of offensive read for me based on my personal circumstances. No more for me. I cannot even recommend this book. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
We Lived on the Horizon by Erika Swyler
Did not finish book. Stopped at 61%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 61%.
Ahoy there mateys! The main characters of a bio-prosthetic surgeon and her personal AI are what captivated me about the book. Saint Enita Malovis is one of the city's elite thanks to the sacrifices her family made when the city was founded in order to save humanity after the cataclysms. She does not have to work but chooses to be a surgeon. She has no children so she decides to create a body for her house's AI system, Nix, and train it to take over when she dies. Cool right?
The set-up and history of how the city is structured was fascinating. I loved Saint Enita and Nix's relationship. I loved the body horror in how they grow prosthetics. I also appreciated the body horror in Body Martyrs and how they donate organs to the elite in return for credits towards living expenses. There is also a murder with interesting ramifications for why the city is failing.
I managed to get to 61% of this novel before I found it dragging. The problem was that I was not interested in the newer characters and the revolution. I also found that a lot of the world building and the politics did not always make sense and ended up being confusing once the setting extended outside of Saint Enita's home.
The ideas here were worth exploring but the novel didn't seem to have a strong focal point. There was the AI portion of Nix exploring the world with a new body and then the sections about the poor and how they are exploited. But overall it became muddy in both plot and purpose. However, what I did enjoy was evocative. I am willing to try whatever the author writes next. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The set-up and history of how the city is structured was fascinating. I loved Saint Enita and Nix's relationship. I loved the body horror in how they grow prosthetics. I also appreciated the body horror in Body Martyrs and how they donate organs to the elite in return for credits towards living expenses. There is also a murder with interesting ramifications for why the city is failing.
I managed to get to 61% of this novel before I found it dragging. The problem was that I was not interested in the newer characters and the revolution. I also found that a lot of the world building and the politics did not always make sense and ended up being confusing once the setting extended outside of Saint Enita's home.
The ideas here were worth exploring but the novel didn't seem to have a strong focal point. There was the AI portion of Nix exploring the world with a new body and then the sections about the poor and how they are exploited. But overall it became muddy in both plot and purpose. However, what I did enjoy was evocative. I am willing to try whatever the author writes next. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Ahoy there mateys! This was a romantic fantasy about an "evil" queen who hires a dark magician to organize her library. Queen Saskia is actually highly loyal to her country and friends. The dark magician is a case of mistaken identity. Felix is an archduke on the run from his minister who has abused him his whole life.
I am normally a huge fan of this author's work but have to admit that this one was not to my taste at all. Surprisingly, I had problems with the characters and the world building. Everything seemed too simplistic. The romance was too much of insta-lust. Even though the queens are supposed to be the focus of the story, we got a lot more of Felix being the central character. Saskia felt immature and threw temper-tantrums. Even the plot was just okay.
I did like the bats. I don't have a lot more to say given how little this worked for me. I will not be reading the rest of the series. I am in the minority though because other fans of the author are loving this. Arrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I am normally a huge fan of this author's work but have to admit that this one was not to my taste at all. Surprisingly, I had problems with the characters and the world building. Everything seemed too simplistic. The romance was too much of insta-lust. Even though the queens are supposed to be the focus of the story, we got a lot more of Felix being the central character. Saskia felt immature and threw temper-tantrums. Even the plot was just okay.
I did like the bats. I don't have a lot more to say given how little this worked for me. I will not be reading the rest of the series. I am in the minority though because other fans of the author are loving this. Arrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.