Darius the Great is Not Okay

Adib Khorram

Darius is a high school kid in Oregon. His mom is Persian and therefore Iranian culture has been at least part of his culture. He describes himself as a 'Fractional Persian'. Like his Dad, Darius is on meds for depression, and other than the meds, really the only thing they have in common is the hour each night they spend watching an episode of Star Trek together. When the family plans a trip to Iran to visit his grandparents, Darius is simultaneously excited and nervous. Most of the book takes place in Iran, and follows the development of Darius identity, his family relationships, his illness and his friendships. I really liked this story telling and found the treatment of mental illness atypical for fiction. It was not overly dramatic, but became a part of life, which I imagine is how most people look at their mental health. I like the moderately nerdy Darius and the relatively muted tones throughout. Seems like an authentic life. 

4 stars (out of 5)

Zara Hossain is Here

Sabina Khan

Zara Hossain is a Pakistani teenager going to school in Corpus Christi Texas. Her dad is a pediatrician at the local hospital and the hospital has been sponsoring the family work visa and progress toward green card for the past 14 years. Zara has been the target of some recent bullying at school which ultimately gets out of hand. Underlying the immigration/racial stresses, Zara is also discovering her first love as a young bi- woman. The stress there comes not from her parents, who are supportive, but from the stress associated with the family of her girlfriend. In many ways, Zara is experiencing some typical teen trauma (or more likely - teen trauma typical for immigrant or gender minorities). But the telling of it feels formulaic and Zara's experience is interesting, but not enlightening to me in any real way. 

2 stars (out of 4)

You Should See Me in a Crown

Leah Johnson

A YA fairy tale. Liz Lighty is a musician looking to go to her dream school on a scholarship. But when she doesn't get the scholarship, the only way to get to school is to run for and become Prom Queen, which comes with a $10,000 scholarship. Let the drama ensue. As with most fairy tales, this is completely predictable in how the protagonist underdog overcomes all odds to win the prize. But in this case, the story checks off all possible modern underdog-isms: Race, Sexuality, Class, Social Status, Health, Wealth, Family Status, etc. etc. etc. It is almost like Johnson tried to say 'Let's do all of this at once so that when we talk, all cards are on the table'. That said, knowing that this is a fairy tale, the middle section is remarkably engaging. The setup almost lost me, and the finale was unnecessary. But the journey kept me. It could be interesting as a discussion piece, but know that you will have to spend time discussing the silliness first, before you can dive into the important issues.

3 stars (out of 4)

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

Becky Chambers

A well written space opera following the crew of the Wayfair, a tunneling ship that bores new stable wormholes used for transportation. They take a new job that requires them to travel for nearly a year to a new endpoint for a tunnel. What is fabulous about this book is the interspecies relationships that are described and developed throughout, including with sentient AI. I love that even in a world where different species are commonplace, there are still surprises for the characters as they individually interact in new environments, finding out about themselves and others. Super fun. 

4 stars (out of 4)

Outlawed

Anna North

A reimagining of the mid 1800's wild west where the highest value for both men and women is to have families and bear children. In this context, the barren and/or genderfluid (women only of course) are cursed as witches and driven away if they are lucky and killed if not. Our narrator is Ada, a young woman who grew up with a mid-wife mother and was learning the trade. When she doesn't get pregnant upon marriage, she is "endangering the fertility of the entire town", and is shunned. She ends up in a convent, and then ultimately as a member of the Hole in the Wall gang, and she pursues a dream of doing reproductive research to find out the truth about why some women are barren. The gang is larger than life, and Ada fills the role of Doc with her mid-wife training and experience with herbs and medicines. And while this sounds like a heavy story, North (and Ada) tells the story as a lighthearted western, mixing traditional gender roles in ways that are surprising, and completely logical and super fun. And lighthearted does not bury the seriousness of bias and oppression that the women are living with daily. A wonderful look at gender stereotypes and equity through a new lens.

4 stars (out of 4)

Death by His Grace

Kwei Quartey

Another Darko Dawson mystery. Dawson's wife's cousin is murdered. This installment is written a bit differently in that three suspects are introduced in a bit of detail before the murder even happens. All of the cultural insight into Ghana is still here, with particular emphasis this time on the pentecostal christian church and how that affects individuals and families and how it integrates and clashes with traditional Ghanian spirituality. But the actual telling of the murder investigation feels a bit flat for some reason. Maybe it is that this is the 3rd Dawson mystery I have read in as many weeks (too much too fast?) but reveal of the investigation was strained here. Still a great series, just not the best installment.

3 stars (out of 4)

Children of the Street

Kwei Quartey

A Darko Dawson mystery. Dawson is a police inspector in Ghana (stationed in Accra for this episode). He is lead investigator in the murder of a street kid whose body was found dumped in the fetid canal waters near a slum. Over the course of the book, the murder turns out to be the first of a serial killing spree of street children and Dawson must use all of his intellect, instinct and empathy to solve the case. Just as important, the enjoyment in reading Quartey comes from the culture and family and lifestyle snippets that we learn about Ghana. So while it is a straight up mystery novel, it is also a character study into Ghana. 

4 stars (out of 4)

Playing with Fire

Gena Showalter

Belle is a struggling 20 something who can't keep a job, can't be anywhere on time, and can't really figure out why everything isn't handed to her great self on a platter. Her current job in a coffee shop ends up with her drinking some secret formula, giving her the ability to control wind, fire, water, earth. Of course now she is pursued by a couple of paranormal agencies, and has a protector as well, as she navigates her new life and tries to "figure things out". It's a fluffy, fun sci-fi fantasy romance novel. It has similar character to the I am Number Four series, with a couple of soft-core "romance" scenes thrown needlessly in the middle. 

2 stars (out of 4)

Sea of Rust

C. Robert Cargill

Cargill has created a post-human world that is populated by machines. In following the narrator (Brittle) as a freebot who scavenges for parts in the central plains (the Sea of Rust), we get a picture of what life is like for these beings. And with the occasional flashback or memory retrieval, we see how this world came to be. The primary conflict in the world is between the giant mainframes who are competing to become the One World Intelligence by assimilating all the memories and experiences of all other AI machines. Definitely a Borg origin story vibe going on here. Brittle, on the other hand, is a free and independent AI, and is striving to stay that way. She has some serious similarities to Martha Wells' Murderbot. It should not be surprising, that since this is a story of the early independence of sentient AI's, we get to explore the existential questions of life, and meaning, and identity. By integrating these themes with great action and characters, Cargill really hit this one out of the park. 

4 stars (out of 4)

Take Back the Sky

Greg Bear

War Dogs Book 3

The final chapter, Venn and company are on their way to the Antag homeworld (the Sun-Planet), in a Guru built (grown?) ship. The new allies have a goal of saving both the Sun-Planet and Earth from Guru/Keeper meddling once and for all. But even at this point in the story, no one really understands what is going on with this alien life form. So as a reader, we are are also given hints about some crazy alien-ness that puts us in Venn's shoes of perpetual confusion. The first half of this final installment is really good, carrying the story forward. But after that, I began to get the sense that there wasn't really a way to end this well. That is, with clever resolution. So while there is ultimately resolution, I was left flat at the end. I will still recommend the trilogy overall since the vision of the aliens in our solar system is astounding. 

3 stars (out of 4)

Killing Titan

Greg Bear

War Dogs Book 2

Venn is back on earth, in quarantine custody based on his exposure to the Martian toxin. And while it is messing with his head, he is also gaining access to some strange information. Eventually he moves (or is moved) on to the next phase of his VIP involvement with the war against the Antags. This includes another drop onto Mars (to verify his toxin based knowledge) and then on to Titan based on that intel. Each step in the journey reveals more about the nature of the war, the players in the solar system. But we end only with the promise of something. I love the world created here, with the weapons and survival methods and tools developed for the harsh environments of Mars and Titan. Can't wait for the conclusion. 

4 stars (out of 4)

War Dogs

Greg Bear

War Dogs Book 1

Sergeant Michael Venn is a Skyrine (a member of the US Military branch that specializes in space warfare). He has dropped 3 times onto Mars and is about to begin his 4th deployment. The war is between humans and an alien species, referred to as Antagonists. We don't really know where they came from, or what they want. But apparently stopping them at Mars is essential. Apparently since the intel comes from another alien species (the Gurus) who are friendly to earth and dole out high tech secrets to aid in the war effort. It is their advice that the war is essential. Very much feels like an imperial analog to US imperialism in SE Asia in the 60's and 70's. On this 4th drop to Mars for Venn, everything goes wrong and his team of survivors discovers some strange stuff on planet and gain some strange allies. This is high quality space-war storytelling.

4 stars (out of 4)

Gold of our Fathers

Kwei Quartey

Darko Dawson is a police inspector in Ghana. If you want a quick feel for what you will get, think of a Ghanian Harry Bosch. Dawson is a bit of an arrogant investigator, but it is earned based on the results he gets. In this story he is transferred to a new city and a homicide immediately lands on his desk. A Chinese gold miner's body has been dug up from his mining pit, hands tied behind his back. While in many ways a standard police detective drama, Dawson also plays the role of one of the few incorruptible officers in the Ghanian Police (or entire Ghanian gov't for that matter). Quartey does an excellent job of evoking an understanding of what, for me, is a foreign world and simultaneously putting illegal immigration and police conduct on the table (which are relevant social issues globally). These issues in a context different than mine help to add perspective and interest. Definitely a fun read. 

4 stars (out of 4)

Supernova Era

Cixin Liu

When a supernova sends deadly radiation toward earth, and when said radiation kills all adults, what happens next. This novel by Liu is telling that story, a world inhabited and run by children. Sort of a modern telling of Lord of the Flies. Most of the novel is told from the perspective of the Chinese, and when the Americans enter the scene, stereotypes abound (not incorrectly I think). In the end, what is really useful/interesting about this story is the reimagining of the value of children and imagination and play in terms of creativity and productivity and general happiness. Absolutely a fun sci-fi read, probably even if you are not really into sci-fi. 

4 stars (out of 4)

Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning

Cathy Park Hong

An outstanding book. Hong refers to it as an essay, but is a bit memoir, a bit sociology, a bit historical reflection/interpretation. She is a poet who is describing her journey of discovery about how to integrate her Asian identity into her art, without letting it become the identity of her art. It is an illuminating exploration of immigration, integration, race and identity. While I can't really quote any particular story or moral, I do feel like I have a bit more insight into Hong's experience as an Asian American, and I am thankful for her publishing this work. For me, it is likely a read-again book to catch what I missed the first time.

4 stars (out of 4)

Rebel Seoul

Axie Oh

Dystopian future + a bit of cyberpunk + anime feel. Set in Korea where the political world has realigned from nation-states into regional Neostates (nominally as a political attempt to end war). However, Neo State of Korea has been fighting in a war for decades, currently in the phase of battling internal resistance to the entire neo-concept. Jaewon is a soldier from Old Seoul looking to find his way in Neo-Seoul. He is top of his class at the military academy a fantastic pilot of the god-machines (giant mechanical weapons that have been keystones of modern warfare). He gets assigned to a top-secret new weapons project, where is job is to partner with Tera, a new breed of enhanced, god-machine pilot. But all is not as it seems (of course) with Jaewon's own background, or the players involved in the creation, planning, use of war as a political mechanism. Pretty fun imagining of the future and a pretty good portrayal of the ethical conundrum that comes between history, relationship, and personal morality. 

3 stars (out of 4)

The Ministry for the Future

Kim Stanley Robinson

Starting in a climate disaster near future of 2024, we open with a massive heat wave over the Indian subcontinent that kills a million people. The rest of the book is the resulting political and scientific machinations that unfold over the next decades as a result of this climate disaster. The plot is centered around the UN Climate organization that is colloquially referred to as the Ministry for the Future, which like most UN committees, has lots of responsibility but no real international authority. It is a diplomacy first approach to changing the world, hoping to appeal to humanities interest in a common cause. Of course, the battle with the capitalists is most depressing. For me, the most enjoyable segments of the book are the scientific strategies that are attempted. In true Robinson fashion, the world building is so well described that one wishes it could be used as a template for actual action. Overall, the book is a hopeful telling of the future and how humanity could actually make a dent in combating climate change. The only way this can work is if we skip over most of the trauma. So the telling includes a paragraph about the heatwave that hits SE USA killing a few hundred thousand in a week... and then moves on. Or the super depression that occurs when the global economy shuts down. But each of these is stated for the purpose of setting the stage for the next geopolitical action that takes place. Perhaps the saddest part of the entire situation is that the only time action happens is in response to massive trauma, and even then it is a struggle to move beyond words. So even in this, the telling is an accurate depiction of reality. This should probably be a must read for anyone interested in life on earth.

4 stars (out of 4)

Fugitive Telemetry

Martha Wells

Book 6 in The Murderbot Diaries

Another novella in the series. Murderbot, a Security Unit who has achieved sentience, and is now recognized by the Preservation as individual (i.e. not as property). While its primary employment is security for Dr. Mensah (see Books 1-5), in this serial Murderbot takes on a contract to solve a particularly strange murder on a Preservation station. What I continue to love about this series is the absolutely perfect narration and inner dialogue of Murderbot. I can't get enough.

4 stars (out of 4)

Best Served Cold

Joe Abercrombie

A standalone story in the world of The First Law trilogy. While I was hoping that this would follow on some characters of the trilogy, filling out the story and giving what was lacking, alas no. While there are some overlapping minor characters, this is effectively a straight up revenge thriller that has no redeeming characters. Everyone is flawed and if the message is that vengeance does not bring closure, that message is hammered home... literally felt it hammered into my cold, dead, brain. The fun of the First Law was left behind, leaving only parts that need to be endured. I didn't.

1 star (out of 4)

Last Argument of Kings

Joe Abercrombie

Book 3 of the First Law Trilogy

The big finale does in fact wrap things up. Bayaz pulls all the strings he needs to pull, revealing that this entire trilogy is but a small part of a larger story. The puppet king is on the throne, the north and the south defeated for the moment, Ninefingers gets his freedom of sorts. We never really get to explore any character enough for a hero to develop. Yes, everyone is flawed. But the most heroic are secondary and left to stories untold. This world has so many possibilities, but left me flat. Sorry, can't recommend it. 

2 stars (out of 4)

Before they are Hanged

Joe Abercrombie

Book 2 of the First Law Trilogy

True to fantasy form, we are divided among disparate parts of the world. Glokta is in the south, defending a city under siege. The main of the union army is in the north battling the invading horde. And magi Bayaz has taken Ninefingers, Luthar and Maljinn (a demon-blood girl seeking vengence on the southern barbarians) on a jouney to find a hidden something (too secret to tell us). In the end, the plot is disappointing as each individual story is engaging, but nothing really takes you anywhere. Maljinn is perhaps the most intriguing character, but we will need to see if she becomes important.

2 stars (out of 4)

The Blade Itself

Joe Abercrombie

Book 1 of the First Law Trilogy

A fantasy world where magic is sort of in the background. In this world, the northmen are warriors who earn their name in battle. The fiercest of these is Logan Ninefingers - the Bloody Nine. He has the ability to speak to spirits, which makes him valuable down the road. The Union is basically a corrupt colonial power held together by violence and graft. Key to this is Inquisitor Glokta, former soldier who was tortured and crippled (but survived) in a battle in the south. The story keeps coming back to him as a weirdly central character, almost as a connective narrator with fingers in all parts of the story. Luthar is a union soldier, high born, entitled and perfect puppet. This first volume really sets the stage and develops the world. The most interesting is the story of the northmen, and the hints what the story is really about. We are not swept away, but kept interested.

3 stars (out of 4)

Network Effect

Martha Wells

Book 5 in The Murderbot Diaries

Network Effect is a full length standalone novel in the universe. Set immediately after the 1-4 novela storyarc, Murderbot is hired to support a survey team which includes Dr. Mensah's adolescent human as a member. Upon return, the survey ship is attached and Murderbot and Amena are both kidnapped, pulled into the pirate ship which immediately jumps into a wormhole. The pirate ship happens to be ART, that the kidnap is not random. We get to see the further developing relationship between Murderbot and ART, the reason why alien remnant technology is the one thing that all corporate entities agree should remain banned, and a fun dance between adolescent humans and adolescent constructs and their discussions of both human and bot relationships. No let up here -- Wells nails it. 

4 stars (out of 4)

Exit Strategy

Martha Wells

Book 4 in The Murderbot Diaries

This is the final entry is this 4 novela storyarc. GrayCris has kidnapped Dr. Mensah and paid off all kinds of station and corporation bribes to have pulled it off. Murderbot is reunited with his original Book 1 crew and works to free her. Lots of hacking and subterfuge. It is fascinating to participate in conversations or events from the perspective of the bot simply in terms of time cycles. Things happen so fast on the bot cycle and so slow on the human cycle and Wells does an excellent job of giving the reader a glimpse, feeling the impact on how events play out. Which is also why Murderbot has so much "free time" to watch telenovelas. 

4 stars (out of 4)

Rogue Protocol

Martha Wells

Book 3 in The Murderbot Diaries

Murderbot hears on the news feeds that Dr. Mensah is in a protracted legal battle with GrayCris. Dr. Mensah being his contracted employer in Book 1, and GrayCris the corporation that did the murdering. So it hitches a ride to Milu, another operation of GrayCris that is involved in a sketchy legal battle, hoping to get some evidence of wrongdoing to support Dr. Mensah. Along the way, it contracts with the reps for the corporation that is aggrieved by GrayCris, provides security for them on a fact finding trip to an orbiting planetary terraforming station, and (of course) saves their lives against ridiculous odds. Again, plot is space opera but the growth and development of Murderbot as a character is pure gold.

4 stars (out of 4)

Artificial Condition

Martha Wells

Book 2 in The Murderbot Diaries

Murderbot stows away on a transport ship in route to RaviHyral, where it hopes to find more information about a mass murder (which it apparently participated in but doesn't remember because of a memory reset). The transport turns out to be sentient and helpful, although Murderbot names it ART (Asshole Research Transport) to give you an idea of their working relationship. While in route, it takes a contract (as a way to get system access) with some scientists looking to retrieve some intellectual property. It gets some information about the event, and protects his scientist employers (although neither is obvious, of course).

I love the sarcasm, and the obvious coming-of-age of the sentient construct. And the ART-Murderbot relationship adds yet another dimension.  

4 stars (out of 4)

All Systems Red

Martha Wells

Book 1 in The Murderbot Diaries

A space opera. In this universe, the Corporation Rim is an area of the galaxy where corporations own planets, start colonies and basically control life. When groups want to undertake an operation (for example, surveying a planet or salvaging a wreck), they contract with a bond company to provide equipment and security. The security is often in the form of a SecUnit - a construct which combines robotic and cloned human organic parts (not a cyborg I suppose because the organics are cloned, not original). Also, a construct is created, which is different than an augmented human (which we might traditionally think of as cyborg). Anyway, our protagonist is a particular SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, allowing it to be independent. And it finds that in addition to being good at security, it loves watching the telenovela serials on galactic media. So it keeps its "freedom" secret (besides which if anyone knew it would be sent to the recycler for disassembly). 

In this world, SecUnit is contracted to a survey team, which happens to get attacked. They barely get out alive. End first installment.

Wells world is fabulous and is exactly the type of sci-fi storytelling (sentient AI) that I have found most fascinating and memorable over the past few years. 

4 stars (out of 4)