Cover art by Jaime Jones
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Murderbot Diaries (Book #4)
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 150 pages (Kindle Edition)
Word count: 32,400 words
Published: 2nd October 2018 by Tordotcom
Exit Strategy concluded the first story arc of The Murderbot Diaries with another action-packed narrative.
“I was having an emotion, and I hate that.”
Cover art by Jaime Jones
Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Murderbot Diaries (Book #3)
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 150 pages (Kindle Edition)
Word count: 32,400 words
Published: 7th August 2018 by Tordotcom
An action-packed story and Miki turned Rogue Protocol into a pleasant surprise for me, despite my preliminary disappointment.
“There needs to be an error code that means “I received your request but decided to ignore you.”
Cover art by Jaime Jones
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Murderbot Diaries (Book #2)
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 149 pages (Kindle Edition)
Word count: 32,400 words
Published: 8th May 2018 by Tordotcom
Artificial Condition offers one great new supporting character to accompany our beloved Murderbot.
“I would defer to your expertise in shooting and killing things. You should defer to mine in data analysis.”
Cover art by Gary Ruddell
The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: Hyperion Cantos (Book #2 of 4)
Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera
Pages: 676 pages (Kindle Edition)
Word count: 184,000 words
Published: 1st March 1990 by Spectra
Utterly awesome. This book was phenomenal in every way. The Fall of Hyperion is a riveting sci-fi epic with heart, intensity, unpredictability, and gigantic scope.
“It’s hard to die. Harder to live.”
Above the Circle of Earth by E. Stephen Burnett
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Above the Circle of Earth is a standalone work of science fiction that explores an aspect of the expansion of the human race into space that we don’t often contemplate: the mission field. Imagine a world that is edging closer to a utopia from a secular perspective, but in which those who practice one of the current world religions find themselves relegated to preserves. These preserves are seen as a blessing by many in these faith communities, as it provides them with protection and insulation from the outside world. But how does this effect the Great Commission? We as Christians were commanded to “go ye therefore,” so should we be content to stay in our own insular bubbles because it’s safe and inoffensive to the outside world? And what about when planets beyond Earth begin to be populated? Do we let entire worlds of people live and die without ever hearing the Gospel of Jesus? When we neglect to share our faith out of fear, do we realize the blood that’s on our hands? …
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: Standalone, The Hainish Cycle (Book #4)
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 367 pages (ebook edition)
Word Count: 92,000 words
Publish date: March 1969 by Ace Books
The Left Hand of Darkness is a great example of a book conveying big themes in a small package.
“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
Brand of Light by Ronie Kendig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Brand of Light is completely unlike anything I’ve ever read. For one thing, it’s such an interesting blend of medieval fantasy and space opera. I’ve never encountered quite this mix of the two. It is also among the edgiest Christian fiction I’ve read. Kendig takes this story to some dark places, but she does so with a respectable amount of tact and grace. You know that some horrible things are happening, but she never revels in descriptions of that darkness. Instead, even when things seem to be at their most hopeless, she finds a way to shine a light into that darkness. If this first book is any indication, the Droseran Saga can hold its own against any sci-fi in the general market. …
The Nightmare Virus by Nadine Brandes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned at the end of the world, it’s that hope is stronger than despair.”
The Nightmare Virus is exactly the kind of book I’ve been hungering for without being able to describe. This is fast-paced, high octane dystopian science-fantasy with incredibly high stakes and some captivating allegorical themes. The writing flowed wonderfully, there was a ton of believable character development, and the faith element mattered deeply to the plot. The story itself was fantastic and, while I could draw some comparisons to other stories I’ve loved, it also felt wholly unique. It felt familiar and true while still being a story unlike any other I’ve experienced. I loved everything about it. …
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Disquiet Gods
ARC provided by the publisher—Baen Books—in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art illustrated by Kieran Yanner
Disquiet Gods by Christopher Ruocchio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: The Sun Eater (Book #6 of 7)
Genre: Sci-fi, Space Opera, Science Fantasy
Word Count: 290,000 words
Pages: 704 pages (Hardcover edition)
Published: 2nd April 2024 by DAW Books (US) & Head of Zeus (UK)
This book… What a penultimate installment. Disquiet Gods is a festival of epic science fantasy masterwork cranked to maximum level. …
Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art illustrated by John Barry Ballaran
The Dregs of Empire: A Tale of the Sun Eater by Christopher Ruocchio
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Sun Eater (Book #5.6 of 7)
Genre: Science Fantasy, Sci-fi, Space Opera
Pages: 332 pages (Kindle edition)
Published: 14th November 2023 by Christopher Ruocchio (Self-published)
The Dregs of Empire is the finest companion novel in The Sun Eater series so far.
“I am not afraid to die… because I know this is not the end for us. We are all of us trapped in an endless cycle of life and death and rebirth. What matters is what we do within that cycle. Right understanding. Right thought . . . Right speech.”