The Mercy of Gods, by James S. A. Corey

I enjoyed this book from start to finish, mostly because I think the craftsmanship of the authors shines through. It is not part of or related to the Expanse novels--the science McGuffin that allows FTL expansion in this universe is something called "asymmetrical space". Much closer to ideas in other SF series where one species that got a head start is dominating all others. And humanity beats them. This is disclosed in the chapter headings, so there are no spoilers possible--humanity wins. The story is in how, and even that gets a lot of disclosure (many hints about a single human that directs humanity in service to the big baddies the Carryx, but who eventually subverts and defeats them). So how does the story hold our interest?

The secret sauce is in the details of the relationships of the characters, and what they go through. Some reviewers compare this group unfavorably to the Expanse characters, but 1) That's setting the bar insanely high, and 2) Give them a little time to grow! The novel is deliberately paced. It's planned as a trilogy but I'm already seeing one "filler" story in between 1 and 2 so there could be a lot of content here. It's very enjoyable reading if you're an Expanse fan and willing to not compare this to the Expanse too closely.

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Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings, by Christopher Moore

Well, I wanted a funny book and I got one. Lots of places to laugh out loud, sometimes really crudely. Most of the characters have varying degrees of dry in their sense of humor, but Kona the faux Hawaiian was great slapstick. The whale researcher obsessiveness seemed very real, the part that grounded the book and supported the speculation. For me the plot fell apart as the book went further--we kept getting new revelations about what was going on, but it simply felt less relevant. The book held my interest and I had a good time, but if people weren't telling me that there are much better Christopher Moore books I would not be able to make time for another one.

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Someone You Can Build a Nest In, by John Wiswell

I really like what I've read of John Wiswell so looked forward to this one. And it was intriguing enough to read all the way to the end. But I gotta agree with the reviewers who found Shesheshen's therapizing and take on humanity both unreal in a way that's hard to handle (I mean it's fiction, it's not supposed to be real) and in some ways patronizing. You could sort of imagine how Shesheshen would acquire a take on humanity by way of ingestion, and what she does with ingested parts. But since she only seems to eat bad people (at least during the events of the book) I would think she'd have a pretty evil orientation if she's literally absorbing their attitudes. And she is basically good. Unlike her mother that somehow got more instruction and knowledge about how to be a monster (Shesheshen often laments her lack of ethnology on how to be a monster, as though in other circumstances she could have done better). Homily and Shesheshen make a very human pair, in the end. Now I know what cozy horror is.

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I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons, by Peter S. Beagle

This is a fun little book. Peter Beagle is an accomplished storyteller at this point, and this story absolutely delivers. The characters follow familiar growth arcs to become more fully themselves. I agree with others that this is a YA-accessible story, definitely beneficial for a young reader. Maybe not enough depth to blow away a seasoned speculative fiction reader like me. At the end Robert's denial of his true interest and destiny gets a bit wearing. The description of how dragons take up residence in a home makes me think of highly intelligent cats. The royal castle in the story has become a kitty house, something that happens regularly to elderly people living alone. And the process to remove those cats gets sad in just the way described in the book.

Overall a pleasant read though.

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The Long Earth, by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter

Like many I think this book is stronger in concept than in execution. The Long Earth is a cool idea--that alternate versions of Earth are available to us with a thought, perhaps guided by a machine powered by a potato. The scope of the book is huge, potentially infinite, which is something I am drawn to. But Terry Pratchett is known for his humor, and this collaboration with Stephen Baxter takes all that away. The idea dominates the book. The main character, Joshua, is close to a cipher in terms of personality. Lapsang the artificial intelligence has something more going on, and I am aligned with his desire to explore all the way to the end of the Long Earth. Sally and Helen offer possibilities but are also pretty stiff. In the end, I blame the collaboration. The strengths of both authors are watered down.

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Service Model, by Adrian Tchaikovsky

This is a very serviceable (ha ha) stand-alone novel. Tchaikovsky is very good at main characters, and this is no exception, but it might take some effort to see that. Charles the robot valet is designed to derive satisfaction from ticking off his assigned tasks, and is "conscious" of this. I put it in quotes because it's hard to say that Charles thinks of himself as conscious (see how hard this is? How does a robot that explicitly denies that it has consciousness and free will demonstrate it?). This tension becomes a core of the book as Charles has to leave his manor job and become Uncharles, in search of employment. The plot is a pretty standard robot rebellion with hero's journey, but that tension between Uncharles's developing consciousness and explicit denial that this is happening makes it interesting. Tchaikovsky is an ambitious writer and wants to take on big questions. He is also a prolific writer, and these two drives sometimes interfere with each other. Service Model is a really interesting read and wrestles with the biggest question of all, but in the end he needed to finish the book and get on to the next project.

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How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, by Django Wexler

In my mind this is better than a 2 but not quite a 3. Lots of problems. I think the content warning was clear enough, and if it isn't you figure that out within a page or two. Grisly Groundhog Day. I was able to get past the problems enough to read the whole thing, and even enjoy parts of it mildly. The importance of friendship and thinking outside the box are always good for a plot.

But like pretty much every other reviewer I find that Wexler doesn't come close to bringing off a female character. All the sexual references pretty much come off as porn. A book full of this is cloying and leaves a bad taste.

We have a character who's lived over 200 lives, each multiple years, so she's been at this a long time. And hasn't really reflected on what kind of time loop she's caught in. And claims to have forgotten much of her previous life, but remembers enough to drop every current cultural reference the author knows.

The plot so far is just too shallow to justify the over-the-top grossness of the character. I could have used my time better.

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One Man's Treasure, by Sarah Pinsker

I think One Man's Treasure has a great premise, maybe could use more development to give the conclusion a heavier hit. Sarah Pinsker is an amazing author and other work I have read by her sets the bar really high. The discarding of magical items as a premise is great, and using that process to dispose of a body is great too. A novel could have a lot of twists and turns before getting to the reveal. A fun story to think about.

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The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, by Shannon Chakraboty

The title describes this book quite well. And the first pages of the book describe Amina al-Sirafi very well. The book is a straight up adventure read with a female protagonist. She is a giant and strong, but also revels in her appreciation of men and sex. The book comes in halves--some people like the first half, some the second more. In the first half she and her adventures are more on a human scale. Then she undergoes a magical transformation and from there her character and the action are more bombastic. I liked the transition, for me it refreshed the book at the halfway point. In the end I give it 4 stars rather than 5--it left me entertained but not moved. If you want entertainment with a strong female protagonist this is your story.

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