Matt
Killers of a Certain Age is a great book about a team of retired assassins...of a certain age. Imagine The Thursday Murder Club meets Kingsmen with a bit of Jason Bourne, and you'll maybe have a sense of what this book is like. Four middle aged women are retiring from The Museum, a mysterious international extra-governmental agency, but just when they think they're going to finally move on to a new phase of life...SURPRISE...things get complicated. While I felt some parts dragged a little bit, overall I enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and hearing about their exploits. This is a fun book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Singer Distance by Ethan Chatagnier: my overall impression is that this is a literary novel focused on relationships, life journeys, and the distance between people. The premise is that of a sci-fi alternative history, in which beings on Mars begin communicating with Earth via giant glowing glyphs reflecting complex equations. A ragtag band of graduate students sets out to solve the equation, and the plot ensues. The prose is elevated beyond most books I read, sometimes almost attaining a level of word-craft worthy of being called poetry. It is hard science fiction in that it has lots of references to math and physics, etc. but I never found these elements to be overwhelming. Despite Mars, aliens, etc. being a prominent aspect of the book, it's not a sci-fi adventure/thriller in the sense of Star Wars/Trek, etc. It's really about the humans, not the Martians. In this sense it reminds me a tiny bit of Station Eleven, wherein the big sci-fi event, though important, is really a device for a meditation upon humanity in the form of a story, not the principle focus of the work itself. A couple aspects of the plot confused me. This may be due to me missing something in the audiobook (I do not love the narrator's performance...) and some characters seemed underdeveloped (who exactly is Otis again?) but nevertheless I am thinking this book is ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
The Return by Rachel Harrison is a chilling novel about relationships, grief, the haunting of the past, and attachments we just can't let go. It's hard to explain, and even harder to articulate without spoilers, but it's a meditation on female friendships combined with monsters, a creepy hotel, and a bit more. There were parts that were really creepy, and I loved the characters. I did think the plot got bogged down too many times by flashback monologues where the protagonist would let the audience in on some pivotal information from the past, but overall this was an enjoyable listen. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Last Iota by Robert Kroese and read by P.J. Ochlan is a great follow-up to The Big Sheep. Picking up where the previous book left off, Kroese delivers another sci-fi mystery for Fowler and Keane to investigate, this time revolving around a cryptocurrency known as the Iota. The book ties up some loose ends from the previous installment, while leaving the door open for more. Ochlan did a good job narrating, although I am not generally a fan of audiobook series' changing narrators from one book to another. Perhaps the most egregious shortcoming of this audiobook is that at least one name was pronounced differently in The Last Iota than in The Big Sheep. I consider a lack of continuity between installments in an audio series to be a cardinal sin in this medium, and I'm frustrated it has been committed here. If Kroese writes additional books in this saga, which I sincerely hope he will, I fervently wish that the publisher will hire Fred Berman or P.J. Ochlan for the remainder of the series, rather than changing narrators again. Overall, I enjoyed it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ghost Eaters by Clay McLeod Chapman is a haunting book about grief, addiction, trauma, and ultimately life and death. Erin, a recent college grad trying to make her way in the world, along with her friends discover a fantastic new drug that claims to allow the living to see the dead. Is it true? Is it a trip? What are the implications of such a drug, and what are the costs? These are just some of the questions explored by the author of Whisper Down the Lane in his newest narrative. This book, read by Elisabeth Rodgers, represents a very different take on haunted houses and possession than any other work of genre fiction I've encountered. Still, this book is not without antecedents, as fans of that specific horror element found in Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic or Caitlin Starling's The Luminous Dead may find spores of delight throughout this hallucinogenic novel. I found this work less grunge and more relatable than Kathe Koja's The Cipher, but also see how certain elements of Ghost Eaters might appeal to fans of that cult classic too. I generally enjoyed this book, and recommend it as a great addition to your spooky season reading list. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Big Sheep by Robert Kroese and read by Fred Berman is a fun soft sci-fi procedural thriller. Blake Fowler, partner to PI - that's Phenomenological Inquisitor - Erasmus Keane, takes the cases of a missing sheep and a possible conspiracy involving a starlet that take him all across a future dystopian Los Angeles. Kroese generally found success blending humor and plot to craft a story that I found compelling. Some characters felt somewhat underdeveloped, and perhaps the plot dragged or became a little bit lost in some places, but overall I thought it was a lot of fun. I think fans of authors like John Scalzi (The Android's Dream), G.S. Denning (Warlock Holmes), and David Brin (Kiln People) might enjoy this book. I look forward to checking out the sequel, The Last Iota, and continuing the story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (audiobook read by Jon Lindstrom) is a thrilling sci-fi novel resonating with themes of identity, family, and really weird physics. I almost don't want to give a synopsis, as I think this is a book best experienced with as little foreknowledge as posible, so I'll just say it's the best book of its sub-genre I've read in awhile, and the infinite possibilities contained within managed to keep me intrigued and surprised throughout. While a few elements of the book were a bit predictable, Crouch's character development and other innovative choices really make Dark Matter something unique. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Road by Cormac McCarthy is sometimes thought of as one of the classics of the dystopian and post-apocalyptic genres, and it's easy to see why. While listening to The Road, read by Tom Stechschulte, I could see the melancholy blend of destruction, isolation, and hope - which echoes tone, mood, and conventions of earlier films and books - and the influence it has undoubtedly had on later works. McCarthy's writing is seemingly simple, yet also literary and complex. I somewhat regret listening to this book instead of reading it visually, as I feel like I lost a lot of the plot and details by choosing the audio version for this particular title, despite the excellent narration. I may well return to this story of a father and son, traversing the road in post-apocalyptic America, in its print form. I can, however, safely say that while the plot didn't move quickly enough nor was the writing at a sufficiently “popular level” for me to retain this audiobook without intense concentration, the parts I did hear and remember were often moving, infuriating, and/or thought-provoking. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
They Drown Our Daughters by Katrina Monroe (audiobook read by Mara Wilson) is a haunting story of generational trauma, of mothers and daughters, told through the lens of supernatural horror. This novel weaves together multiple timelines in joined together by both location and blood, and does so more successfully than some other works that utilize the alternating timeline structure. Overall I found the story of Meredith and her daughter, Alice, and mother, Judith, in their town of Cape Disappointment (what a name, and it's a real place) to be anything but. Monroe did an excellent job of establishing setting in vivid detail and crafting lots of fascinating characters across different eras. I found some parts of the plot to be a bit muddy and the pacing too slow in some sections, but nevertheless this was an extremely enjoyable read. This is not, in my opinion, the kind of horror that will give readers nightmares, but rather a more literary and reflective book that manages to be both chilling and poignant. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Roadkill is another great book by Dennis E Taylor read by Ray Porter. In some ways this book is reminiscent of Taylor's Outland, but with elements of space sci-fi. Overall I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable book and I look forward to hopefully listening to many more Taylor and Porter collaborations in the future. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Song for a New Day is a really awesome dystopian novel by Sarah Pinsker. Told by two protagonists, this is the story of a world warped by twin epidemics of violence and disease (not to mention massive corporate control) and how despite all manner of adversity music continues on. In some of ways this was tough to listen to. Despite being written prior to COVID, A Song for a New Day proved remarkably prescient in some respects, while also proving strikingly fictional in others. The central conflict between the musicians and their society's version of stay at home orders made me feel both intrigued and uncomfortable. Having lived through a real-world pandemic, these sections hit differently than I think they would have if I had read the book in 2019 when it was first released. I think I would have been very judgmental of Luce's attitudes two years ago, so it was a fascinating experience to empathize with her as a character in this novel. I enjoyed the thought-provoking narrative and conflicted feelings I experienced as I navigate the post-vaccine COVID reality the world finds itself in today. I really enjoyed the characters throughout the book, and the audiobook narrators Dylan Moore and Nicol Zanzarella were fantastic! The final third or so of the plot felt a bit weaker and less developed than the first 2/3rds. It seemed to wrap up too easily and too cleanly. Additionally, I felt like the violence described in the beginning of the book was totally overshadowed by the pox as the book went on, and I also wondered why Pinsker decided to include it. Despite these criticisms, I really liked this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Infidel is a great limited series combining compelling art with excellent writing to tell a different kind of haunted house story: a harrowing story about racism and discrimination today. The book is filled with complex characters, no two-dimensional villains or stereotypes, and utilizes multiple styles of art to tell a compelling narrative. I will say that a few parts of the plot seemed a bit vague and the last two chapters felt rushed, this story might have benefitted from a longer run, but overall I found it to be enjoyable, even while thought-provoking. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fool Moon by Jim Butcher is the second book in the Dresden Files. Wizard Harry Dresden returns investigating strange murders and finds himself in a truly hairy situation. Overall I liked this book better than the previous one. I found the plot more compelling and some of the characters have begun to grow on me. I still find Dresden himself to be somewhat unlikable. While the popularity of this series still surprises me, I am enjoying it enough that I plan to continue. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I read The Giver as a possible candidate for an educational production. It is an adaptation of Lois Lowery's novel adapted by Eric Coble. I read the source material as a kid and then recently re-read it with my book club. It's a great dystopian book and I think Coble did a remarkable job adapting it for the stage. The play is filled with technical challenges that offer lots of opportunities for creative theatre magic, and resounds with thought-provoking imagery that inspires the audience to consider choice, collective responsibility, individuality, and memory. I don't know if I'm going to direct this show yet, but it's one I'm definitely going to keep in mind. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Broken Room by Peter Clines is a weird and thrilling tale combining the sci-fi horror Clines' readers have come to love and expect with a different sort of story. Hector, a spy, is sitting in a bar when he's approached by a little girl who's on the run with a fantastical story. The pair embark on a cross-country adventure with things getting progressively stranger at every turn. The Broken Room is reminiscent of King's The Institute as well as Cline's own Threshold Universe series and Paradox Bound. While I was left wanting to know more about some of the characters and elements of the world, overall I found the journey the two protagonists traveled to be highly compelling. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Storm Front is the first book of the Dresden Files, an urban fantasy series following the adventures of Harry Dresden, wizard for hire. The book is good, combining an interesting plot with appropriate introductions to the world of the series. I will say that I sometimes found Dresden to be a tad bit unlikable, but overall this was a decent read. To me, it doesn't live up to the hype, and falls short of some other urban fantasy books I've enjoyed, but I'm willing to give this series another chance with the sequel. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Man, Fuck This House by Brian Asman is a fun horror comedy book inverting typical haunted house tropes in an examination of both the genre and family dynamics. It would be easy enough to describe this fun romp as a “popcorn read” about a family that moves into a haunted house, but blended with humor are genuine moments of shock and horror that invite the reader to confront the violence and warped nature of our world. Asman has composed a book that is delightfully conversationally easy to read, while still capable of surprising the reader. The story relies a bit on “fairytale logic” but is nevertheless a compelling story. And what a title! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oxford Bookworms Library: Stage 5: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K Dick is a great dystopian sci-fi book with bizarre mystical overtones exploring life, empathy, and morality. Rick Deckard is a bounty hunter who “retires” escaped androids that have fled to Earth from human colonies on Mars. This book, like Dick's other works, gets pretty weird, but it's also thrilling and thought provoking. Ideas about who, and what, merits empathy resonate throughout this strange book. Overall I found it an enjoyable listen, even if I didn't completely understand everything. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
