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Dec. 31st, 2012
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Last Book Foo of 2012
Dec. 31st, 2012 11:22 amFinished: The Accidental Time-Machine, by Joe Haldeman
A research assistant creates a measuring device with a unique side effect... when he presses the button, it travels forward in time. Only a second at first, but each time he presses it, it travels twelve times farther into the future than the last. With only a few experiments, he discovers that under certain circumstances, the box can drag other stuff along... including living things. While studying the effects in an attempt to secure fame and fortune, circumstances conspire to force him to jump further into the future than he planned... and then, once he's already disconnected from his old life, it becomes that much easier to just keep pressing the button and visiting farther and weirder futures, in the hopes that he might find somewhere with enough technology to send him back.
Slightly spoilery behind the cut (to the point that you might be able to guess something of the novel's resolution by reading it), the short version: mildly enjoyed it but wanted it to be better. ( Read more... )
Finished: The Quantum Thief, by Hannu Rajaniemi
Far in the future, a thief named Jean le Flambeur is bust out of his prison in outer space by a mysterious benefactor, in order to pull off a daring heist... which means returning to Mars, and reacquiring something he attempted to hide even from himself... his own memories. Slightly spoilery thoughts beyond cut (nothing serious), but the short version: A lot of good ideas, a bit challenging, doesn't entirely satisfy to the level I was hoping, but still leaves me eager for more.
( Read more... )
Finished: American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
Reread, of course, so not much new to say. A lot of fun, still, surprised by how much I'd forgotten about it. I do think certain aspects of the conclusion fell a little flat, and, on a reread, the main character himself doesn't feel especially deep or interesting. I realize that's partly the point, and yet I wanted to be more engaged in him anyway, so it's still a flaw.
Finished: The Year's Best SF 15 (short story collection)
Usual short story mix... maybe a bit more 'good' than 'forgettable' than the usual, actually (too many alternate histories in the mix, though, and most of them made up the ones I didn't care much for). Favorites in this one were probably "The Island", by Peter Watts (even though I've read it before), "The Consciousness Problem" by Mary Robinette Kowal, "The Calculus Plague", by Marissa K. Lingren, and "Another Life", by Charles Oberndorf.
That makes my complete reading list of 2012 (in roughly chronological order):
1. Spin State by Chris Moriarty
( Read more... )
45. The Year's Best SF 15 (short story collection)
45's a little lighter than last year. Have to do better this year.
16 rereads, 29 new, which is pretty good. 3 short story collections, 42 novels.
First book of 2012 (technically already started, by I count by completion>:
Started: Gridlinked, by Neil Asher
Haven't chosen my second one yet (I usually read two at once, but I got the last book in under the wire by rushing).
I don't celebrate New Years and will probably sleep through it this year. But to all who do, Happy New Year.
A research assistant creates a measuring device with a unique side effect... when he presses the button, it travels forward in time. Only a second at first, but each time he presses it, it travels twelve times farther into the future than the last. With only a few experiments, he discovers that under certain circumstances, the box can drag other stuff along... including living things. While studying the effects in an attempt to secure fame and fortune, circumstances conspire to force him to jump further into the future than he planned... and then, once he's already disconnected from his old life, it becomes that much easier to just keep pressing the button and visiting farther and weirder futures, in the hopes that he might find somewhere with enough technology to send him back.
Slightly spoilery behind the cut (to the point that you might be able to guess something of the novel's resolution by reading it), the short version: mildly enjoyed it but wanted it to be better. ( Read more... )
Finished: The Quantum Thief, by Hannu Rajaniemi
Far in the future, a thief named Jean le Flambeur is bust out of his prison in outer space by a mysterious benefactor, in order to pull off a daring heist... which means returning to Mars, and reacquiring something he attempted to hide even from himself... his own memories. Slightly spoilery thoughts beyond cut (nothing serious), but the short version: A lot of good ideas, a bit challenging, doesn't entirely satisfy to the level I was hoping, but still leaves me eager for more.
( Read more... )
Finished: American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
Reread, of course, so not much new to say. A lot of fun, still, surprised by how much I'd forgotten about it. I do think certain aspects of the conclusion fell a little flat, and, on a reread, the main character himself doesn't feel especially deep or interesting. I realize that's partly the point, and yet I wanted to be more engaged in him anyway, so it's still a flaw.
Finished: The Year's Best SF 15 (short story collection)
Usual short story mix... maybe a bit more 'good' than 'forgettable' than the usual, actually (too many alternate histories in the mix, though, and most of them made up the ones I didn't care much for). Favorites in this one were probably "The Island", by Peter Watts (even though I've read it before), "The Consciousness Problem" by Mary Robinette Kowal, "The Calculus Plague", by Marissa K. Lingren, and "Another Life", by Charles Oberndorf.
That makes my complete reading list of 2012 (in roughly chronological order):
1. Spin State by Chris Moriarty
( Read more... )
45. The Year's Best SF 15 (short story collection)
45's a little lighter than last year. Have to do better this year.
16 rereads, 29 new, which is pretty good. 3 short story collections, 42 novels.
First book of 2012 (technically already started, by I count by completion>:
Started: Gridlinked, by Neil Asher
Haven't chosen my second one yet (I usually read two at once, but I got the last book in under the wire by rushing).
I don't celebrate New Years and will probably sleep through it this year. But to all who do, Happy New Year.