I read the title as “Nobody Walks from the Library.” Which indeed sounded intriguing.
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This is an interesting history…
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This is the best science fiction novel I have read this century. I think it’s even better than The Martian. The science is handled really well – except for two elements that are IMO impossible. But that’s OK; you get to have a few in an SF novel this good.
I haven’t seen the movie based on The Martian, but I will look for any movie coming out of this one.
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I am eagerly awaiting this:
It’s billed as “a YA Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale,” and those who’ve gotten advanced copies have been raving about how incredibly good it is… for months now. I first heard of it last year, when the author’s photo crossed my Twitter timeline:
“I’m in a cow suit because I made a promise to my friends 7 years ago that if I actually get published, this is what I’ll take my author photo in.”
I immediately followed her, of course. And I’ve never regretted it, because she’s fierce and funny, and writes fascinating posts on Chinese history (including epic threads about how the Mulan films do and don’t get their facts straight) and her adorable cats. And now, the wait is almost over… >does gimme gimme gimme that book dance<
I also picked up this book recently, because I had a coupon:
The excerpt looked interesting, but I haven’t sat down to read it yet. I’m hoping mentioning it here will give me the motivation to dive in.
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I’ve read this only once prior (I know, correct?), and I’m really getting into the way the UPN worked, and also amusedly reminded of how plain ol’ ignorant/stupid the British gov’t was.
And did folks native to Pacific shores ever have naval battles with catamarans/other native ships? And does anyone else hope we don’t ever go back to mercantilism?
Ah, world craziness in any age!
I’ve been looking forward to this one. I’ve yet to hear a bad thing about it
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And I’m eagerly awaiting someday seeing the ‘gimme gimme gimme that book’ dance!
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…and now I’ve finally read it-- no, devoured it-- in one sitting.
And it’s in-freaking-credible!
Believe all the hype; it’s well-earned. I’d only meant to read a few chapters, but I couldn’t stop once I’d started. Wu Zetian is an amazing heroine, a lance of indomitable will and fiery rage, and she’s aimed straight at the heart of the patriarchy responsible for sacrificing young women’s lives to bolster male mecha pilots in their war against the mysterious Hundans. But revenge is a far more complicated process than Zetian anticipated, and betrayal is a constant threat…
While the novel takes inspiration from ancient Chinese history, the themes are very relevant to modern-day issues, especially corrupt systems of power, the cultural pressure to indoctrinate and perpetuate those systems, misogyny and gender roles, capitalism, even (big spoiler) colonialism… yet it isn’t preachy, because we experience it along with Zetian.
The pacing is brisk, and the main characters are fairly well-developed (I especially like how Shimin’s backstory is slowly revealed, piece by piece.) I’ll admit, I’d figured out two of the story’s biggest twists before they happened, but they played out well enough to work. (Plus I’m a long-time sci-fi reader.) IMHO, the story could have used a bit more nuance and detail, especially heading toward the climax… but mainly I just want MORE! (Yes, there is a cliffhanger. 
)
Note: I’m going to copy trigger warnings from one of the Goodreads reviews-- the book has gore, murder, torture, mentions of rape, threats of rape, misogyny, femicide, suicide ideation, abuse, and alcohol addiction.
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I’m on an Anthony Horowitz kick. I wasn’t aware that in addition to creating TV shows (e.g., Foyle’s War) but is a prolific writer of about 40 books. He’s written a number of mysteries, including two books in a series: Magpie Murders (2016) and Moonflower Murders (2020). Also two Sherlock Holmes books, The House of Silk (2011) and Moriarty (2014). I’ve finished the first three books, and am now reading the fourth.
All great.
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The Pirate lived in a deserted chicken house in the yard of a deserted house on Tortilla Flat. He would have thought it presumptuous to live in the house itself. The dogs lived around and on top of him, and the Pirate liked this, for his dogs kept him warm on the coldest nights. If his feet were cold, he had only to put them against the belly of Señor Alec Thompson. The chicken house was so low that the Pirate had to crawl in on his hands and knees.
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Currently reading this, and it’s fun and pretty insightful…
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Have you read this:
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I have not! I’ll add it to my ever growing list of stuff to get and eventually read… Really my to read pile is basically most of the books on my bedroom shelves…
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Paul Fussell has another entertaining book called Class–middle class, upper class, etc.
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This hasn’t come out yet
I just finished reading Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck. It tells various stories about an ever-growing group of unemployed men living in a small house in the eponymous neighborhood of Monterey, California. Through these stories we learn about the men’s distinct personalities and the broader neighborhood. It’s definitely a prototype of Cannery Row.
The men do not live within the general confines of American capitalism. They have no regular employment and enjoy cheep whine by the gallon. Being taken to, and escaping from, jail is a regular occurrence.
At first they come across as annoying. It seems like a novel devoted to the comic relief characters in a John Ford movie. But as the stories build on themselves, you begin to understand their moral philosophy. It also becomes surprisingly spiritual.
It also touched upon the spiritual relationship between people and dogs.
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The movie…not so much…? But it has John Garfield in it!
I have’t seem that. I have a feeling, based on the casting, that it diverges from the source material.
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If you need some good feminist short stories, in some case with a speculative fiction twist, I can recommend this book…
I’m about halfway through. Great stuff.
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