Between Planets by Robert A. Heinlein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This old Heinlein was surprisingly great. Perfect for a Boy's adventure between planets in the Solar System, meeting fun people (and aliens), getting waylaid in a fresh interplanetary war machine, and finding delightful ways out of the messes he finds himself.

Make no mistake--this is old SF, but it FEELS fresh enough to be marketed today to actual YA. It's wholesome, full of can-do attitude, and a lot happens in a short book. It's simply a fun, even rollicking, SF adventure. This might be one of my favorites in RAH's juveniles.




Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews might be interested in reading my own SF, I'm going to be open to DM requests. I think it's about time I get some eyes on them.

Arctunn.com

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Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I think Kristoff did a good thing in this book. I won't get into the details or spoil it, but from where the first book felt rather chosen one vampire-y, with the good one getting away, THIS one really took off with the full aftermath, with every single consequence.

This is a very good thing. I love aftermath stories. Or rather, everything has gone to hell and now they're fighting, on the run, getting captured, having a whole damn war, and a hefty dose of reveals.

Plus, mind you, this is all about vampires in power, the church, and everything is very medieval... with the powerful, as always, being pretty nasty blood-suckers trying to convince themselves that they're good.

It's pretty fascinating. Not unusual in fiction like this, but Kristoff pulls it off. And I think I liked it much better in this sequel.

So here we have it! An epic fantasy AND a horror. Definitely worth reading.



Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews might be interested in reading my own SF, I'm going to be open to DM requests. I think it's about time I get some eyes on them.

Arctunn.com

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The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The name Susanna Clarke should pretty much be a household name everywhere by now. So, by saying, HEY, THERE, this here's a short story by Susanna Clarke, then all the winter animals and the speaking trees should be perking up about now.

Yes, I mean you.

This is a very saintly story full of a shocking thing. If you're in the wintery spirit, why aren't you seeing what this shocking thing is by such a household name?

Hmmm?




Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews might be interested in reading my own SF, I'm going to be open to DM requests. I think it's about time I get some eyes on them.

Arctunn.com

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Precious Mental by Robert Reed
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm slowing working my way through Reed's Great Ship stories. I'm still quite fascinated by the endless, immortal ship making its way across so much space, with near-immortal captains and aliens being polite--and politely violent--on occasion.

Seriously, I'm always so much more thrilled with the concepts than the actual storytelling, but I don't have any real complaints. It's simply short and interesting as hell.






Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews might be interested in reading my own SF, I'm going to be open to DM requests. I think it's about time I get some eyes on them.

Arctunn.com

View all my reviews

Best African American Fiction: 2009 by Gerald Early
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was hunting down some Samuel Delaney, found one in this collection: Dark Reflections, a novelette.

All told, it was about a poet reflecting on the hardships of being black and gay. No lie, it was written well and introspective, but I, naturally, wanted something SF. It is what it is.

Still a good, genuine read.




Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews might be interested in reading my own SF, I'm going to be open to DM requests. I think it's about time I get some eyes on them.

Arctunn.com


View all my reviews