I can’t….I just can’t.
This book has only the most superficial connection to either of the previous books and it might not even be in the same genre anymore. I got maybe a third of the way in and I’m bored out of my mind. No clue where this could go and I just don’t care anymore.
Robert
Hey Jared
I really enjoyed the Lost Fleet series as well but never managed to finish the last couple of the Beyond the Frontier since they hadn’t come out then and I just forgot to check back.
Title: Artificial Condition
Series: The Murderbot Diaries; Book 2
Author: Martha Wells
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: CU, Distant-Future, FTL (Wormholes), AI
Synopsis: It has a dark past – one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself “Murderbot”. But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more. Teaming up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you don’t want to know what the “A” stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue. What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks…
Recommendation: I recommend this book. Teens or older. (But the series isn’t what I liked about the first book.)
Continue reading “The Murderbot Diaries – Book 2: Artificial Condition – By Martha Wells”
Hello Robert,
So I did a dumb thing. I started reading the Lost Fleet Series. Then I couldn’t stop.
Series: The Lost Fleet
Author: Jack Campbell
Genre: Sci-Fi
Audience: Teen-adult
ROTS Setting: Future, FTL,
Synopsis: The Alliance has been fighting the Syndics for a century, and losing badly. Now its fleet is crippled and stranded in enemy territory. Their only hope is a man who has emerged from a century-long hibernation to find he has been heroically idealized beyond belief.
Captain John “Black Jack” Geary’s legendary exploits are known to every schoolchild. Revered for his heroic “last stand” in the early days of the war, he was presumed dead. But a century later, Geary miraculously returns from survival hibernation and reluctantly takes command of the Alliance fleet as it faces annihilation by the Syndics.
Appalled by the hero-worship around him, Geary is nevertheless a man who will do his duty. And he knows that bringing the stolen Syndic hypernet key safely home is the Alliance’s one chance to win the war. But to do that, Geary will have to live up to the impossibly heroic “Black Jack” legend.
Recommendation: I love this series.
Jared? Is that you? It’s just been so long I didn’t recognize you.
It’s a little weird to think that the thing that finally brings you out of hiding is a romance.
Title: Heart’s Blood
Series: Pit Dragon Chronicles; Book 2
Author: Jane Yolen
Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Audience: Teen
ROTS Setting: CU, distant future, dragons, dragon fights
Synopsis: Jakkin risks everything — freedom, dragon Heart’s Blood, even his life — to rescue beloved Akki who vanished months ago in rebel cell on former prison planet Austar IV. He must become rebel spy Three for mysterious Senator Golden and carry an explosive satchel to the dragon pits. In this game he will lose no matter how well he plays.
Recommendation: This book is not recommended.
Continue reading “Pit Dragon Chronicles – Book 2: Heart’s Blood – By Jane Yolen”
Hey Jared,
I read an abridged/short story version of this in school and had no clue there was a (slightly) bigger version out there for the longest time. Finding it has been nearly impossible but I figured it out eventually.
Title: Dragon’s Blood
Series: Pit Dragon Chronicles; Book 1
Author: Jane Yolen
Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: CU, distant future, dragons, dragon fights
Synopsis: Dragons are trained to fight to the death, and two determined teens help free them in this spellbinding saga. Training a dragon to be a fighting champion is the only way to freedom for fifteen-year-old Jakkin.
Recommendation: Highly recommended for pre- and early teens.
Continue reading “Pit Dragon Chronicles – Book 1: Dragon’s Blood – By Jane Yolen”
Hi Jared,
This was really entertaining and surprisingly deep.
Title: The Reaction
Series: Animorphs; Book 12
Author: K. A. Applegate
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: CU, Modern, Aliens
Synopsis: Rachel’s got some pretty strange stuff happening. She can’t control her morphing. One minute, she’s doing homework. The next, she’s morphing a full-grown crocodile, and — without returning to human form — she becomes an elephant. That’s when the floor gives way and Rachel finds herself looking up at what used to be the kitchen ceiling.
Recommendation: Highly recommend this series.
Continue reading “Animorphs – Book 12: The Reaction – By K. A. Applegate”
Hello Jared,
I’ve always liked this book…. and I don’t really know why. It might be the cover, or that Jake is the POV, or jaguars, or just the way it’s written.
Title: The Forgotten
Series: Animorphs; Book 11
Author: K. A. Applegate
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: CU, Modern, Aliens
Synopsis: There’s been an accident. Someone crash-landed a Yeerk Bug fighter. And the Yeerks have been trying to cover it up – quickly. But not before Tobias spots it. So the Animorphs and Ax decide to steal the ship to show the world that Earth has been invaded.
Recommendation: Highly recommend this series.
Continue reading “Animorphs – Book 11: The Forgotten – By K. A. Applegate”
Hey Jared,
It’s a decent book, but it didn’t stand-out. And as it turns out the second book just came out a couple of months ago.
Title: EXO
Series: Exo; Book 1
Author: Fonda Lee
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: YA
ROTS Setting: CU, Future, Aliens, Technology, FTL, Dystopian
Synopsis: It’s been a century of peace since Earth became a colony of an alien race with far reaches into the galaxy. Some die-hard extremists still oppose alien rule on Earth, but Donovan Reyes isn’t one of them. His dad holds the prestigious position of Prime Liaison in the collaborationist government, and Donovan’s high social standing along with his exocel (a remarkable alien technology fused to his body) guarantee him a bright future in the security forces. That is, until a routine patrol goes awry and Donovan’s abducted by the human revolutionary group Sapience, determined to end alien control. When Sapience realizes whose son Donovan is, they think they’ve found the ultimate bargaining chip . But the Prime Liaison doesn’t negotiate with terrorists, not even for his own son. Left in the hands of terrorists who have more uses for him dead than alive, the fate of Earth rests on Donovan’s survival. Because if Sapience kills him, it could spark another intergalactic war. And Earth didn’t win the last one…
Recommendation: I recommend this series. It’s nothing special, but not bad.
Check out my original review here.
I stand by everything I said before, the biggest difference was that this time it was an audiobook read by the silky tones of Wil Wheaton. My favorite part was when Mr. Wheaton got to read about himself in the book…..it’s not actually funny but it was ironic funny.
Wade/Parzival is still OP and still a jerk.
I also picked up on the political nature of some of the various elements. It’s not overly burdensome but I did notice it and one or two instances felt a bit forced or contrived.
It’s still a great book and a fun read. This was one of the first books I read and reviewed for the blog, 2 and a half years ago, and I can’t really add anything to it….. I guess I’ll need to wait longer before re-reviewing. Ok, the only reason I did it this time was because I had it on audiobook and the movie came out recently……which I still need to see and it doesn’t come out on DVD for almost two months. Basically, it was a matter of convenience.
Robert
Continue reading “Re-Review – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline”
Hey Jared,
Spiders are creepy.
Title: The Android
Series: Animorphs; Book 10
Author: K. A. Applegate
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: CU, Modern, Aliens
Synopsis: When Marco runs into his old friend Erek he doesn’t think too much of it. He’s got a couple of more important things to do. Like helping to save the world. But then Marco finds out Erek’s been hanging with some of the kids at The Sharing. And he starts to think that something just a little weird is going on.
Recommendation: Highly recommend this series.
Continue reading “Animorphs – Book 10: The Android – By K. A. Applegate”
Reading Over The Shoulder 