Happy New Year! I’ll skip the cliché well-wishes for the New Year and dive right into things.
I hinted last month that my reading lists are going to look a little different from here on out insofar as they will be more concise. Not only that, but I will be omitting my “reviews” and saving those for their own dedicated post. Why? Well, simply put, I felt that my reviews were becoming a hassle to write each month, and it was taking away from both the quality and the examination that each book requires. The authors and the readers of my blog deserve better! That’s all to say: 1-2 books per month will receive separate reviews. Thus, each month’s reading list serves as a reading journal inasmuch as I will only cover the synopsis and my star ratings for each. Let’s get started.
Against A Dark Background by Iain M. Banks
This one actually had a full review already! Check it out here. “In a decaying and isolated star system, former military pilot Lady Sharrow finds herself hunted by a religious cult that believes extinguishing her family line is the key to their messiah’s arrival. To survive the assassination warrant, she reunites her estranged combat squadron to locate the last “Lazy Gun,” a mysterious, ancient weapon of mass destruction that serves as her only leverage.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
A classic! Not much needs to be said here. I was shocked at how short this book was compared to the trilogy of movies we’ve gotten. I think it’s a great read and full of adventure! There are a ton of differences in this book compared to the movies (which needed a lot of filler material to make it to a trilogy). If you want to get into reading the LOTR series, this is the starting point. “Swept away from his comfortable life by the wizard Gandalf, the unassuming hobbit Bilbo Baggins joins a company of dwarves on a perilous quest to reclaim their stolen mountain kingdom from the dragon Smaug. Along the journey, Bilbo discovers hidden courage and a mysterious magic ring, ultimately playing a pivotal role in the recovery of the Lonely Mountain and the defeat of the dragon.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov
Asimov is one of the most prolific writers in the sci-fi world. At the time of his death, I think he had over 400 books published. This one was my first read by this author and is a standalone compared to his Robot series as well as the Foundation series. This book was published in 1955, and it was fascinating to see how a writer’s mind navigated their musings of what a futuristic world will look like. I am new to this era of sci-fi, and I am LOVING it (thus far.) “Andrew Harlan serves as a Technician for Eternity, an organization that exists outside of time to surgically alter history and protect humanity from disasters. However, when he falls in love with a woman destined to be erased by a scheduled change, Harlan discovers that Eternity’s safety measures are actually stifling human evolution, leading him to sabotage the organization to restore the timeline’s true potential.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
If you can’t tell by now, I am on an Asimov kick, and I have started my long, long journey leading up to his world-acclaimed Foundation series. Reading this book really pissed me off about the I, Robot movie with Will Smith. The film is nothing like the source material; the producers simply stripped a few names from Asimov’s work and plastered the title on the project to make a generic action flick seem like a thoughtful sci-fi adaptation. This is all to say: read the book and skip the movie. If you have already seen the movie, don’t fret; nothing will be spoiled for this wonderful book. I found equal parts humor and world-building. (Like the spaceship randomly taking off with the people inside and simply taking them on an adventure.) “Framed as an interview with the legendary robopsychologist Dr. Susan Calvin, this collection of interconnected stories traces the evolution of artificial intelligence from simple, mute nursemaids to world-governing supercomputers. Rather than an action-packed rebellion, the book treats robots as complex engineering challenges, using the Three Laws of Robotics to create intricate logic puzzles that explore the ethical boundaries between man and machine.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks
I took the advice of most people and actually read this Culture novel first. Although this is technically the second book in the Culture series, most suggest reading it first because Consider Phlebas (the true first book in the series) can be a rough ride for some. Oddly enough, at the time of typing this, I am reading Consider Phlebas, and I love it! Regardless, readers will be fine to heed the advice of others and read this one first. “Jernau Morat Gurgeh, a bored master game player from the utopian Culture, is coerced into traveling to the brutal Empire of Azad to compete in a complex tournament that determines the civilization’s political hierarchy. As he advances through the high-stakes game, Gurgeh discovers he is the centerpiece of a covert strategy to destabilize the oppressive regime from within, proving that the game is a mirror of the society itself.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov
In my second taste of the greater Robot series, we are thrust into a “whodunit” murder story. Reading 50’s science fiction with robots was a treat. A note about these books: they are dialogue-heavy but quick reads! “In a future Earth where humanity lives in massive, enclosed megacities, Detective Elijah Baley is reluctantly partnered with an advanced robot, R. Daneel Olivaw, to solve the politically charged murder of a Spacer ambassador. As the unlikely duo navigates the tensions between Earth and the Spacer worlds, Baley must overcome his deep-seated prejudice against machines to uncover a conspiracy that threatens the fragile peace.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov
“Detective Elijah Baley is summoned to the isolationist planet Solaria to investigate the murder of a Spacer, a crime seemingly impossible due to the inhabitants’ extreme societal taboos against physical contact. Reunited with the robot R. Daneel Olivaw, Baley must battle his agoraphobia while navigating a world of humans who live in total seclusion to uncover a conspiracy that threatens the stability of the galaxy.” I greatly enjoyed this installment of the Robot series. If it’s not clear by now, I am getting through these novels so that I can focus my attention on the Foundation series! I greatly enjoy the vulnerability of the MC inasmuch as I share a fascination and terror with the incomprehensible scale of space. I mean, this stuff is truly wild once you get into it. This is also another quick read and enjoyable! ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks
Oh man, where to begin? This book gets so many mixed thoughts and reviews. If you have been around the Culture series for any extent of time, you know that CP is considered one of the “not-so loved” titles in the Culture universe. Many think that this is Banks’ weakest book in the series, so much so that it is recommended to read this one second even though it was published first. I am here to tell you: I LOVED this book. I took the advice of others and ended up reading this one second, but I think there is far too much fearmongering around this book. It is action-packed and full of fun space-opera-type passages. The world-building is top-notch. I am going to review this book separately. I do agree with many that the book goes on and on towards the end in scenes that could easily have wrapped up in half the time. Alas, what author isn’t guilty of this from time to time? (Looking at you, Stephen King.) “Caught in the middle of a galactic war between the utopian Culture and the religiously fanatical Idiran Empire, a shape-shifting mercenary named Horza is hired to recover a stranded, super-intelligent AI. His mission turns into a perilous race against time, forcing him to navigate treacherous alliances and deadly obstacles to reach a forbidden planet before the Culture can reclaim its lost Mind.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Robots of Dawn by Isaac Asimov
Another ‘whodunit’ novel! Seriously, these books go by quick! Robots of Dawn is the longest one in the series so far. “Summoned to the Spacer world of Aurora, Earth detective Elijah Baley must investigate the “roboticide” of a human-like robot, a politically sensitive case that holds the key to humanity’s future in the galaxy. Reunited with his robot partner R. Daneel Olivaw, Baley navigates a web of intrigue and romance to solve the impossible crime before his career—and Earth’s hopes—are destroyed.” I was excited for this one because it’s the first time that we see our main character leave the comforts of Earth. I did not know that there was quite a lot of dialogue and some material that felt like it was filler. Either way, this is yet another classic Asimov masterpiece. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks
My journey into the Culture series continues! This book destroyed me insofar as the plot twists and graphic imagery pulled me into each page. It was a book that couldn’t be put down and took me just a few days to finish. The ending is a MAJOR twist that will leave readers stunned and hungry for more. “Hired by the Culture’s Special Circumstances division, mercenary Cheradenine Zakalwe is tasked with tipping the balance of planetary conflicts, using his military genius to shape civilizations. As the narrative weaves between his current missions and his reversed personal history, a horrifying secret from his youth is revealed, exposing the true cost of his existence as a living weapon.” The book jumps back and forth between two narratives. At first, this can feel intimidating; fret not, for Banks is a master and will blend everything together in due time. That’s all to say: give the plot and timelines a chance! My notes simply say “dark book…emotional.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
That’s a wrap! Please let me know what you think of this new format… so far, for me at least, I have enjoyed typing these thoughts out. See you next year!
