valoise | Entries tagged with book reviews

Memory's Legion by James S. A. Corey
It's been a long time since I finished reading and watching The Expanse, but somehow I had never read this collection of short stories and novellas. It was fantastic. I'd forgotten how much I love there writing.

Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett
I thought I'd read all the Discworld books, but missed this one. I consumed it as a full cast audiobook and it was wonderful.

Service Model and
Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky
He's an author I've heard a lot about but never read. Both these are on the Hugo Awards finalist list. I liked them both, but think Service Model worked best for me.

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
Another book on the Hugo list, but I was already planning to read it. I do like her fantasy and this was really great.

The Next Chapter: Writing in Retirement by Julie A. Gorges
I got a review copy of this and found it a bit mixed. She has some really great discussion of traditional vs. self publishing, including very detailed information on pursuing self publishing successfully. But some sections of the book seem to be just lists of inspirational quips with variable usefulness.

A Year in Public Life by Mrs. C. S. [Dorothy] Peel
During World War 1 Peel was appointed to the British Ministry of Food to view conditions around the country, give speeches to encourage voluntary food economy, and work in the development of Public Kitchens (places where working class people could get nutritional hot meals.) Her observations on the class conflicts regarding access to food and account of sexism at the time made her feel surprisingly modern. This wasn't an analysis to the British food economy measures but an anecdote filled record of that year in her life. Really good read.

I want to start with one of the best books I've read in quite awhile, Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor. Without spoilers, at its heart this is a book about stories: the stories we tell ourselves, the stories we tell others, and the stories others tell about others.

Doctor Who and the Talons of Weng-Chiang and The Horror of Fang Rock by Terrance Dicks
Talons is an okay adaptation, but The Horror of Fang Rock was an excellent retelling of one my favorite 4th Doctor stories.

The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke
I picked this up in the New Books section at the library. She's a writer I keep meaning to read and this illustrated short story was really nice.

A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher
Great book, kind of a gothic horror with a touch of humor centered around a trio of smart, interesting women.

The-Eat-Less-Meat Cookbook by Dorothy Peel
In my ongoing research on food and WWI I cam across this really good British cookbook. This 1918 revised edition reflects the situation in a country that had been at war for four years already.

Dining with the Doctor: The Unauthorized Whovian Cookbook by Chris-Rachel Oseland
She uses humor and love of DW to provide one recipe for each episode in the first 6 seasons of the modern series.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
I was familiar with the plot, it appears as a trope in numerous tv/movie works: ten people are invited to a remote location and are murdered one by one. I had never actually read the 1939 novel until now. It holds up pretty well.

What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher
I stumbled on this at the library while looking for something else. Instead of her usual fairy tale adaptions, this novella leans into folk horror. When I finished I found there was a preceding book with this lead character that focused in mycology and body horror. I won't be reading that one.

Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars by Terrance Dicks
Really strong adaptation. Dicks adds an opening and a closing scene that really solidifies the story.

Hotel Keepers, Head Waiters and Housekeepers Guide by Tunis G. Campbell
The second cookbook written by a black American writer, this was published in 1949 as a guide to running a first class restaurant. Campbell was a fascinating man and he became a key figure in post-Civil War Georgia.

Snuff by Terry Pratchett
Back in the Spring of 2020 I decided to start reading the Discworld books, starting with a box of assorted titles bought on eBay. Snuff was the first book I read with Sam Vimes and the Watch and solidified him as one of my favorite characters. Now that I'd finished all the books in the series I thought I'd read Snuff. I definitely got more our of the book this time, now that I had more context.

Lost Ark Dreaming by Suyi Davies Okungbowa
I'd seen this recced a lot this year and, since my Hugo nomination ballot was short on novellas, I gave it a shot. I really, really liked it. A fantastic blend of climate fiction and the supernatural set in post-apocalyptic residential tower built in the Atlantic off the coast of Lagos, Nigeria.

War Cook Book by Mary Sweeny and Linda Purnell
A World War I cookbook, with many of the recipes tested in the University of Kentucky Home Economics Department test kitchens.

My book consumption in 2024 was pretty high with 76 books read and 47 books purchased. I've using my local library a lot and also digging through my book stash for unread stuff. In December I read the following.

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger
I'd seen a lot of good reviews for this, but it didn't really work for me. The main character seemed to bounce from calamity to calamity with very little agency.

The Future was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982 by Chris Nashawaty
An interesting look at how SFF and IP franchises came to dominate how movies are greenlit and made.

Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion by Terrance Dicks
I've always liked the 3rd Doctor era and this is a wonderful adaption of his first story, Spearhead from Space. I really like the way Dicks had the Doctor acknowledge Liz Shaw's academic and intellectual credentials in a way that the show did not.

Doctor Who and the Day of the Daleks by Terrance Dicks
An okay adaptation of an okay Pertwee story.

The Father Christmas Letters by J.R.R. Tolkien
This was my holiday read this year, a wonderful collection of the illustrated letters Tolkien sent to his kids. My son said this book inspired him to send illustrated Santa Claus letters to his girls when they were little.

The Luckiest Guy Alive by John Cooper Clarke
I consumed this as an audio book read by Clarke. Liked it a lot.

Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora edited by Sheree T. Thomas
Fantastic anthology. Most of the stories were written for this book and several of the authors were new to me. As a fan of the history of sf, I was especially eager to read the stories from 1880s to 1930s.

Doctor Who and the Dalek Invasion of Earth by Terrance Dicks
A solid novelization of the story. It does seem like Dicks fleshes out the growing relationship between David and Susan a bit, which helps with the ending.

Fission #4: An Anthology of Stories from the British Science Fiction Society edited by Eugen Bacon and Gene Rowe
I picked this up, mainly because Eugen Bacon edited, and it is a solid anthology with many authors who were new to me. I love international anthologies for just this reason - finding new writers. They were from a wide range of Commonwealth nations, kind of like Eugen Bacon herself who was born in Tanzania, lived in the UK, and currently lives in Australia.

Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowmen by Terrance Dicks
Before the recent animation of the episodes, Dicks' novel was the only way to fully access this story.

Ghostdrift by Suzanne Palmer
The fourth book (and conclusion of) Palmer's Finder Chronicles series. She gives Fergus an ending with hope for his future.

We Solve Murders Richard Osman
Osman takes a break from the Thursday Murder Club with a new odd ball collection of amateur detectives.

Doctor Who and the Wheel in Space by Terrance Dicks
I definitely think this holds together much better than the broadcast story. One notable thing about The Wheel in Space (broadcast in 1968) is the inclusion of three women in leadership or scientific roles on the space station.

Unbecoming a Lady: The Forgotten Sluts and Shrews Who Shaped America by Therese Oneill is a great biography of women who lived life by their own rules.

The Scavenger Door by Suzanne Palmer is the third book in her Finder Chronicles. Fergus Ferguson continues to be an enjoyable character and Palmer's writing pushes the story along at a page-turning pace, even if the plot does seem to revolve around an increasingly improbable bunch of situations.

A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost Stories by Terry Pratchett are short stories that were written under a couple of pen names and published in newspapers where he was working. Pre-Discworld, but showing glimpses of the humor the humor that he would display more fully in his novels.

Navola by Paolo Bacigalupi was a bit of a disappointment. I've loved his sf novels and YA works, but this bloated novel (over 500 pages) was so stuffed full of tedious detail that I found myself skimming the boring bits to places where the plot actually moved along. In a fantasy setting with an Italian renaissance flavor, these seemed to be more political intrigue than actual fantastical elements.

The Globemakers: The Curious Story of an Ancient Craft by Peter Bellerby satisfied my lifelong fascination with maps. Bellerby's narrative takes the reader on his error-strewn quest to learn how to make quality handmade gloves. The book is loaded with photos of him and his staff at work in the studio.

I did a lot of reading this month, aided in part by a long train trip with plenty of time to read.

Soul Music by Terry Pratchett Okay, but kind of felt like a rehash of plot/character ideas from Mort and Moving Pictures.

Recipes from the World of Tolkein by Robert Tuesley Anderson Anderson's take on what the peoples of Middle Earth would eat. His take on the vegetarian foods Tom Bombadil and Beorn was the most convincing.

The History of Danbury by James Bailey So boring. Glad to put it behind me.

Finder by Suzanne Palmer Although I'd read and enjoyed her short fiction for years I had no idea she had a series of novels that started in 2019. This was a real page turner set in a settlement in the far reaches of the solar system.

The Light Fantastic by Alfred Bester Curious about his short fiction I picked up this collection. All competent, a few outstanding. Only one DNF - a horror novella from 1943.

Food Gifts: 150 Irresistible Recipes for Crafting Personalized Presents by Elle Simone Scot It wasn't the recipes that I liked here, but her great ideas for putting together food gifts. I've got three people on my Christmas list who I normally send food gifts from Harry & David, but I'm going to do something more personal this year.

The Bullet That Missed and The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
The last two books in the Thursday Murder Club series. I love the complex plot/character development that drives these books forward.

Diving the Deep by Suzanne Palmer Set under the ice in on Enceladus, water moon of Saturn, I liked this continuation of the Finder series.

Every Living Thing by James Herriot A great end of the comforting vet series.

Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett
Another Discworld book this time poking fun at the Hollywood film industry. It was fun, but not one I'll keep.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
I only knew Osman from his appearances on British talk and game shows, so I was curious what he would be like as a writer. The title club are a group of retirees at a luxury community who each some unique skills to solve murders. The pacing and characterizations all pulled me in.

The Lord God Made Them All by James Herriorr
The only one of the All Creatures Great and Small series that I'd read before. Still enjoyable. Only one book left to go.

The Lengthening War: The Great War Diary of Mabel Goode by Michael Goode
In my ongoing research into food and WWI I was interested in this diary by a middle-aged, middle-class woman in England. Although she rarely touched on food shortages, it was an interesting look at how civilians in Britain viewed the war, from initial patriotic enthusiasm to the gradual realization of just how horrible the war really was.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
Another Thursday Murder Club book, still enjoyable.

Abeni's Song by P. Djèlí Clark
I've really liked Clark's novels and short stories, this is his first YA book. Magic and evil in an African setting, this is really good. I've passed it on to my granddaughters.

My list for April includes a wide variety of sources. Vintage cookbooks, a biographies, a graphic novel, and several works on this year's Hugo finalist list.

The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older
An enjoyable sf mystery novel. The character development/romance was nice, but certain aspects of the world-building didn't totally work for me.

Rose/House by Arkady Martine
A sf murder mystery where a police detective tries to untangle the truth about a dead body among the illusions generated by an abandoned AI-protected house. Very, very good.

David Whitaker In an Exciting Adventure With Television by Simon Guerrier
At Gallifrey One last February I went to a talk by Guerrier on the history of British television leading up to 1963 and the beginning of Doctor Who. That kind of well-documented historical research is totally my thing. Only one dealer in the dealers room had this book and I snagged the last one. A really detailed look at Whitaker's life and his forgotten importance to DW.

The Witches of World War II by Paul Cornell, Valerie Burzo (art), and Jordie Bellaire (color artist)
A great alternate universe in which British witches are employed in covert ops during the war. I initially bought it thinking my oldest granddaughter might like it, but she might not have the context regarding the war and leading 20th century occult figures to really get it.

Home Canning and Drying of Fruits and Vegetables by National War Garden Commission
One of my current research interests is in how American households approached the food restrictions during the First World War. This guide was interesting. It embraces those new to food preservation without being condescending. Very well illustrated. The section on drying was great and included some vegetables I'd never considered dehydrating before. Might try out some of these this summer.

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
A fantastic sf novel with alternate universes that touches on so many themes: cults & authoritarian societies, family, compassion & empathy, xenophobia, etc. But mainly its a novel about characters who grow and discover their own strengths and weaknesses. This went to the top of my Hugo ballot.

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
Another wonderful twist on a classic fairy tale. This time she turns the tables on Snow White.

Mammoths at the Gate by Nigh Vo
The fourth book in The Singing Hills Cycle, this one focused on character, grief and community, commenting on how history should not be amended for the comfort of the living.

A Chef on Ice: Living and Working as a Chef in Antarctica by Sebastian JM Kuhn
I received a copy as part of LibraryThing's monthly Early Reviewer giveaway, it's an interesting story about creatively feeding people in extreme conditions.

During March I only read six books, concentrating instead on catching up on short fiction.

Vets May Fly by James Herriott
Vets in a Spin by James Herriott
In these two books he covers his military service in World War II, interspersed with animal stories from before the war.

Doctor Who: The Only Good Dalek by Justin Richards and Mike Collins
Although this graphic novel came out in 2010, this Tenth Doctor comic was new to me. The Doctor and Amy are come across a research station trying to find a way to use captured Dalek technology to win the war. With elements from the First Doctor's stories Mission to the Unknown and Dalek Invasion of Earth, I liked this one a lot.

Doctor Who: The Dalek Project by Justin Richards and Mike Collins
This 10th Doctor story has echoes of Victory of the Daleks, but set this time in WWI. Archeologists working on a WWI battlefield uncover unusual metal artifacts that the Doctor immediately recognizes as Dalek. The bulk of the story takes place decades earlier with a British arms manufacturer and the eventual revelation that Daleks are working both sides, British and German, to their own advantage.

The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett
I don't know how I never read the first Discworld book until now. Really enjoyable, but now I feel like I need to reread The Light Fantastic, the book that followed this one.

Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi
I've loved Talabi's short fiction for several years so I was excited to read his first novel. Shigidi, a minor god in an Orisha spirit company, is hired to steal back a Nigerial spirit object from a British museum aided by his succubus partner Nneoma. My only disappointment is that I didn't read this soon enough to add it to my nominations for the 2024 Hugo awards.

February was a weird month. Traveling to Los Angeles for Gallifrey One and to rural Arkansas for a family funeral shaped the mental energy and time I had for books but I managed to read seven, with no sf and one fantasy. That's an odd pattern for me.

The Great Danbury State Fair by Andrea Zimmerman
I moved to Connecticut a couple of years ago and since I'm working as a volunteer archivist at the Danbury Museum, I thought I'd better start reading up on the history of the area.

James Herriot's Favorite Dog Stories
A cozy audiobook, filled mostly with stories I'd already read or seen in the series.

The Manner of Making Coffee, Tea, and Chocolate by Sylvestre Dufour (1671, translated to English in 1685)
In an ongoing research project (looking for the earliest cookie recipes using chocolate) I stumbled onto this classic. Pulling from a wide range of sources, Dufour concentrates on these plants as medicinal beverages from the four humours POV. But he also includes snippets from travel reports of Europeans visiting Asia and Mexico.

The Defector by Chris Hadfield
I really liked Hadfield's previous book, The Apollo Murders, which drew on his experience in international space mission. This time he focuses on international espionage in the world of test pilots and cutting edge aviation, drawing on another aspect of his professional life. Really liked this.

Vet in Harness by James Herriot
Another great collection of stories focusing on the year just prior to the UK being plunged into WWII.

Hercule Poirot: The Complete Short Stories by Agatha Christie
While generally enjoyable, I've decided that Christie is at her best in longer fiction.

Montrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett
A delightful poke at the ridiculousness of war in general, and more specifically at the stupidity of men in support of war.

I've been tracking books that I've read since 2004, but rarely posting here about them. Thought I might keep lists and, perhaps, concise reviews here on a monthly basis. Only six books in January.

The Lost Cause by Cory Doctorow
This takes place in a near future California beset by wide-scale climate catastrophes. Possibly one of my favorite things about it was the way it veered from violent conflict a solution.

Solarpunk Creatures
The best thing about this anthology was the international set of authors and editors that brought a truly international set of stories.

Erasmus by Michael Palin
I was familiar with the final voyage of the ships HMS Erasmus and HMS Terror, but Palin provides a deeper dive into the ships and their crews, fleshing out the story with historical research and his own travels to the places visited by these ships during their trips to Antarctica and the last doomed trip to the Arctic. I listened to this as an audiobook.

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
A pleasure to read with humor and great worldbuilding.

Doctor Who: Shada by Douglas Adams and Gareth Roberts
I got this for Christmas and plowed through it right away. Roberts does a good job of maintaining Adams quirkiness, bringing life to one my favorite incomplete DW stories.

Jame's Herriott's Animal Stories
Consumed this as an audiobook while in the car. Nice to visit some of the great stories from the books and tv series.

Michael Palin's Diaries: Travelling to Work, 1988-1998
The last in a series of Palin's published diaries, this time at a point in his career when he was moving away from acting and into more and more travel series. Enjoyed it a lot.

Since 2004 I've kept a reading journal split between a list of books purchased and reviews of books that I've read and I've decided to start posting very brief reviews here as well. October 2023 seemed like a good place to start. I've been immersed in a lot more short fiction than usual this month, but I did finish these books.

Old American Kitchenware, 1725-1925
I research and blog on food history topics and picked up this book at a library book sale last summer. It's hard to understand many very old recipes without first understanding the equipment and kitchens that were used at that time. This is an interesting, well-illustrated addition to my culinary history library.

Starter Villain by John Scalzi
This was a quick, breezy read and a lot of fun. The most enjoyable book I've read from Scalzi in years.

Making it So: A Memoir by Patrick Stewart
Loved this book, especially the first half that covers his working class life and work in theater.