Octavia Butler's Beginnings As A Writer

 

I've only read Kindred by Octavia Butler, which I really enjoyed a lot. I really want to read more of her works. 

The above YouTube video discusses Octavia Butler's life.

I learned a lot of new things about her life.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir is my second read of 2026! I listened to the unabridged audio version of this novel through Hoopla for a book club pick later on this month. 

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir is a long listen at 16 hours, 15 minutes, which is very nicely narrated by Moira Quick.

Normally, I don't gravitate towards reading science fiction or fantasy reads. They're usually not my thing. However, this year, I decided to join a book club, which meets monthly and Gideon the Ninth was this month's pick to read and discuss.

There are pros and cons for for me in terms of Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. 

I loved the world building and the mystery involved in this novel. The writing is good overall. The narration for the audio edition is excellent. I also enjoyed the snarkiness of the leading character, Gideon. 

I disliked the fact that it was initially difficult for me to get onto this novel for two reasons. Reason one is that there were so many characters with odd names to keep track of and they had nicknames or were called by different names throughout the novel, that trying to keep track of who was who was a chore. At the start of the audiobook edition, there is a list of characters and who they are, but this is not easy to refer like it would be in a physical book or ebook. Additionally, I found it difficult initially to figure out the storyline for this science fiction/fantasy read, which was kind of a turn off for me. It wasn't until several chapters in when the storyline FINALLY became interesting to me.

Below is the publisher's summary for Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir from Chirp's website:

The Emperor needs necromancers. The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman. Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead nonsense. Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as skillfully animated as arcane revenants. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy. Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service. Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will be become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die. Of course, some things are better left dead.

I am giving Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir is the first novel in the 'Locked Tomb' series. I will be skipping the rest of the novels in the series. It's a great read if you like great world building, mystery, fantasy or science fiction books. There just is not strong desire for me to finish this series.

Until my next post, happy reading!

The Master of the World by Jules Verne

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of The Master of the World by Jules Verne and it is well narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was the first novel by Jules Verne I'd ever read. I loved it so much that I've read it at least twice! I've also read The Mysterious Island and Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. 

I recently learned about The Master of the World by Jules Verne, which was first published in 1904 and one of Jules Verne's last works. I decided to give it a try as it sounded intriguing and it is set in the USA. 

Honestly, I was truly hoping to love The Master of the World as much as I had enjoyed reading the three previous novels I'd read by Jules Verne. However, The Master of the World was a bit formulaic in that it was too much like Verne's other novels. The only difference to me were the specific details to fit the storyline and move the plot along. 

The Master of the World also fell flat in terms of capturing and holding my interest. It wasn't that the writing or storyline were awful or anything like that for The Master of the World... It just didn't live up to Verne's other works I'd previously read.

The following is the publisher's summary for The Master of the World by Jules Verne from Chirp's website:

One of Jules Verne’s final books, The Master of the World, which was released in 1904, is a science fiction classic. The novel was written as Verne’s health was deteriorating. The Master of the World is a “dark novel,” full of dread and anxiety about the emergence of totalitarianism and tyrants, embodied by the novel’s antagonist, Robur.

I am giving The Master of the World by Jules Verne 3 stars out of 5 stars. This is my fourth read of September 2025.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Inga by Scott Medbury

 

Inga by Scott Medbury was a spur of the moment selection to listen to on my part. It is a short, science fiction novel set in the USA in the near future. Inga is decently narrated by both Adam Barr & Ashley Trumpler. The premise for Inga was intriguing enough for me to want to read it. But the execution of this novel by the writer was lackluster. I'd hoped the writing would be more engaging than it was. Inga simply needed more depth in terms of the writing to have made it more captivating. The plot twist at the end of Inga is something I didn't see coming and was the best part of the novel itself.

Below is the publisher's summary for Inga by Scott Medbury from Chirp's website:

The thug ran his hand down the warm curve of her thigh, and it wasn’t until an impossibly strong hand gripped his arm that he realized the girl, was no girl at all. Still, if not for bad timing he might have left the room alive…

Things aren’t always as they seem. The girl in the box is unbelievably beautiful and while Ivan Petrovic knows she’s a Synthetic, he experiences cognitive dissonance trying to reconcile her appearance and what she actually is. That turns out to be a real problem when his cruel boss, Molenski, now the proud owner of the most advanced human form robot on the planet, leaves them alone together.

The more Ivan gets to know Inga, the less machine-like she seems. There are so many questions. Just who did Molenski have the stunning robot modelled upon and what did he plan to do with her? Surely, she wasn’t just to be a sexbot? Ivan has to know, but fears the answers will be terrifying.

Within hours of his boss’ special delivery things get very ugly, very fast and Ivan will be caught right in the middle of the murder and mayhem.

I am giving Inga by Scott Medbury a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of All Systems Red by Martha Wells, which is narrated by Kevin R. Free. I wasn't a fan of Kevin R. Free's narration of this work, so probably won't seek out other books he has narrated.

Listening time for All Systems Red by Martha Wells is 3 hours, 17 minutes making it a very quick read for me!!

All Systems Red by Martha Wells is short, science fiction novella that's been on my reading wishlist since 2018 or 2019. I was thrilled to have finally listened to All Systems Red recently as I was intrigued by the storyline.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells has a lot of positive reviews and seems to be really well received by many readers. All Systems Red also won both the 2018 Nebula Award for Best Novella and the 2018 Nebula Award for Best Novella. So with its intriguing storyline, the fact that it had won two major literary awards and had been nominated for other literary awards, and is well liked by readers, I wanted to read All Systems Red. 

What I loved about All Systems Red is that it is told through the perspective of a cyborg who has been able to override its original programming and is essentially autonomous. However, its creators do not know this and the cyborg (who calls itself, Murderbot) still works as a SecUnit, a security unit, that has been designed to to protect humans on research missions. I enjoyed reading how human like Murderbot seems to be in many ways, especially after more time spent interacting with other human beings. Murderbot actually loves watching soap operas, which I found humorous. I also loved the world building for All Systems Red as well as the character interactions and how the humans respond to the cyborg once they find out it is autonomous.

However, with all the hype and accolades surrounding, All Systems Red, I was hoping to love it as much as other readers did. But, alas, I didn't love it like I hoped I would. This doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy reading All Systems Red. I did like it, but just didn't love it.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells is also the first book in a series. I do not intend to continue reading the series.

Below is the publisher's summary for All Systems Red by Martha Wells, which I found on Chirp's website:

All Systems Red is the first tense science fiction adventure novella in Martha Wells’ series The Murderbot Diaries. For fans of Westworld and Ex Machina. All Systems Red by Martha Wells begins The Murderbot Diaries, a new science fiction action and adventure series that tackles questions of the ethics of sentient robotics. It appeals to fans of Westworld, Ex Machina, Ann Leckie’s Imperial Raadch series, or Iain M. Banks’ Culture novels. The main character is a deadly security droid that has bucked its restrictive programming and is balanced between contemplative self-discovery and an idle instinct to kill all humans. In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid - a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is. But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.

I am giving All Systems Red by Martha Wells a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

The Star by H. G. Wells

 

The Star by H. G. Wells is a science fiction, short story roughly 34 minutes in length. I enjoyed the narration for this short as well as the storyline and writing overall. Essentially, the plot involves a star that passes by Earth and causes catastrophic climate disruptions.

I am giving The Star by H. G. Wells a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

The Treasure in the Forest by HG Wells

 

I stumbled upon the audio version of The Treasure in the Forest by H. G. Wells on YouTube. So, I decided to listen to this short story after listening to the previous H. G. Wells short story last week.

I enjoyed listening to The Treasure in the Forest by H. G. Wells. It's a short, fun listen and also well narrated. It's a combination horror/adventure read, imo. Since this is a short story, I will resist giving a summary, so that I don't spoil the plot.

I am giving The Treasure in the Forest by H. G. Wells a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars. 

Until my next post, happy reading!!

The Strange Orchid by H. G. Wells

 

I absolutely love orchids! So, when I stumbled upon the audio version of The Strange Orchid by H. G. Wells on YouTube, I happily decided to listen to this short story... After all, how could I resist listening to a short story about an orchid?!

I enjoyed listening to The Strange Orchid by H. G. Wells. It's a short, fun listen and also well narrated. It's a combination horror/science fiction read, imo. Since this is a short story, I will resist giving a summary so I don't spoil the plot.

I am giving The Strange Orchid by H. G. Wells a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars. Until my next post, happy reading!!

Happy National Science Fiction Day!!

 

Do you have a favorite science fiction novel?

The Rowan by Anne McCaffrey

 

I've heard Anne McCaffrey's name mentioned over the past several decades. But I had never read any of her novels until this year when I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of The Rowan, which was published in 1990 and narrated by Jean Reed Bahle. The Rowan is a science fiction/romance novel and is the first novel in 'The Tower and the Hive' Series.

I was partly inspired to read a novel by Anne McCaffrey because she became the first woman to win a Hugo Award and also the first woman to win a Nebula Award. I figured that if she had won both of these prestigious literary awards, then she must be an excellent writer.  So why not give one of Ms. McCaffrey's novels a try? 

It wasn't until Chirp Audiobooks had a sale for The Rowan by Anne McCaffrey, that I downloaded and listened to this audiobook. It's plot sounded somewhat intriguing and the book seems to be well liked overall by readers.

Ugh, The Rowan's plot is bland, flat, and boring! It is such a one dimensional read. I don't understand it's appeal. Most of the character's were over the top dramatic in their interactions and it seemed like they were (almost) constantly bickering amongst each other when it came to the primes... And the romance between Jeff and the Rowan wasn't much of a romance, in my opinion.

The audio production for The Rowan was lacking. I don't know if it was originally recorded in the 1990s or when exactly, but the sound production is bad. Plus, the sound effect used to make it sound like the characters were communicating telepathically was annoying.

I didn't like The Rowan and I will not be continuing with the series. I doubt I'll be reading another novel by Anne McCaffrey either.

Below is the publisher's summary for The Rowan by Anne McCaffrey found on Chirp's website:

Told in the timeless style of Anne McCaffrey, The Rowan is the first installment in a wonderful trilogy. This is sci-fi at its best: a contemporary love story as well as an engrossing view of our world in the future.

The kinetically gifted, trained in mind/machine gestalt, are the most valued citizens of the Nine Star League. Using mental powers alone, these few Prime Talents transport ships, cargo and people between Earth’s Moon, Mars’ Demos and Jupiter’s Callisto.

An orphaned young girl, simply called The Rowan, is discovered to have superior telepathic potential and is trained to become Prime Talent on Callisto. After years of self-sacrificing dedication to her position, The Rowan intercepts an urgent mental call from Jeff Raven, a young Prime Talent on distant Deneb. She convinces the other Primes to merge their powers with hers to help fight off an attack by invading aliens. Her growing relationship with Jeff gives her the courage to break her status-imposed isolation, and choose the more rewarding world of love and family.

I am giving The Rowan by Anne McCaffrey a rating of 1 star out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!!

Murder by Other Means (The Dispatcher, #2) by John Scalzi

 

In 2016, I listened to and reviewed The Dispatcher by John Scalzi and narrated by Zachary Quinto. It was my first experience with anything written by John Scalzi. I really liked The Dispatcher a lot. So when I discovered that a follow up book titled, Murder by Other Means (The Dispatcher, #2) by John Scalzi, had been written and it was also narrated by Zachary Quinto, I decided to give it a listen.

Zachary Quinto is an excellent narrator... However, the plot, characters, and storyline for Murder by Other Means, just didn't do it for me.

I had high hopes for Murder by Other Means since I enjoyed The Dispatcher so much. But as I've already mentioned, I simply felt let down by this one.

Below is the publisher's summary of Murder by Other Means (The Dispatcher, #2) by John Scalzi from Amazon:

Welcome to the new world, in which murder is all but a thing of the past. Because when someone kills you, 999 times out of 1,000, you instantly come back to life. In this world, there are dispatchers - licensed killers who step in when you’re at risk of a natural or unintentional death. They kill you - so you can live.

Tony Valdez is used to working his job as a dispatcher within the rules of the law and the state. But times are tough, and more and more Tony finds himself riding the line between what’s legal and what will pay his bills. After one of these shady gigs and after being a witness to a crime gone horribly wrong, Tony discovers that people around him are dying, for reasons that make no sense...and which just may implicate him.

Tony is running out of time: to solve the mystery of these deaths, to keep others from dying, and to keep himself from being a victim of what looks like murder, by other means.

I am giving Murder by Other Means (The Dispatcher, #2) by John Scalzi a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

I read the advance reader's copy of Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan, which is the first novel in the 'Something Dark and Holy' trilogy. This is a young adult novel that falls into the dark fantasy genre.

I received my copy of Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan for FREE through the Goodreads Giveaway program. 

Below is my honest, unbiased review of Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan.

I had HIGH HOPES for Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan based on the fact that the likes of well known authors such as, Robin LaFevers, Stephanie Garber, and Rosamund Hodge, gave glowing remarks for this novel. Additionally, the storyline sounded excellent and engaging. So with that in mind, how could I resist reading Wicked Saints?

Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan started out engaging enough and looked like a promising read. I enjoyed the premise of this novel, but the execution wasn't great. The characters and plot fell flat, especially towards the end of Wicked Saints. Not much dimension either for the characters or the plot. 

Occasionally, the storyline wasn't very clear... And at times, I felt like the storyline was repetitious. Like how many times can the main character, Nadya, express distrust for Malachiasz, among other things? After a while, I didn't care about the plot, the story, or the characters and simply wanted to finish reading Wicked Saints. Ugh!! 

Needless to say, I will not read any of the other novels in the 'Something Dark and Holy' trilogy by Emily A. Duncan.

Below is the publisher's summary for Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan from Amazon:

A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings.

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy.

I am giving Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan a rating of 1 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Night of the Ghoul (Urban Ghoul #1) by Graeme Ing

 

Earlier this month, I read the ebook edition of Night of the Ghoul (Urban Ghoul #1) by Graeme Ing. Graeme Ing is a new to me author and I enjoy discovering new to me authors and/or genres that look promising to me.

I was able to download Night of the Ghoul (Urban Ghoul #1) by Graeme Ing for FREE to my iPad from Amazon. 

Below is my honest, unbiased review for Night of the Ghoul (Urban Ghoul #1) by Graeme Ing.

Night of the Ghoul (Urban Ghoul #1) by Graeme Ing is fast paced and action packed from start to finish!! This novella (124 pages) has an interesting storyline filled with plot twists that keeps readers interested throughout. I also loved that there wasn't a cliffhanger ending to this novella.

I think the writing overall was decent for Night of the Ghoul. I wish that more of the backstory pertaining to the characters and the world in which they live in had been flushed out in a bit more detail than they were.

Rachel, the main character, is definitely not a shrinking violet. She is not someone to mess with in the slightest... I guess she may be best described as 'a badass'.

Plenty of blood and gore within the pages of Night of the Ghoul (Urban Ghoul #1) by Graeme Ing. Also, quite a few sex scenes too if you're into that sort of thing.

I'm glad I explored a new to me author. But in all honesty, I doubt I'll continue reading the 'Urban Ghoul' series. It wasn't my cup of tea.

Below is a summary for Night of the Ghoul (Urban Ghoul #1) by Graeme Ing from the author's website:

Killing is easy; relationships not so much

Welcome to 2050. I’m Rachel, and there’s a monster inside me that makes me a perfect assassin. Like everyone else, I’m indentured to a Family. I do their dirty work.

Someone’s pet geneticist toyed with my sister, and now she’s not human either. When I find them, they’re going to make her right, and then I’m going to tear them apart. Tania’s the only real family I have. Killing whoever gets in my way is the easy part; enlisting my ex-lover’s help — not so much. I don’t have time to dredge up those old emotions.

Night of the Ghoul is the first in a series of four and a mashup of Urban Fantasy, Dystopian, and Cyberpunk.

Warning: This book contains adult language, explicit sexual content, and some depictive scenes of intense blood and gore.

I am giving Night of the Ghoul (Urban Ghoul #1) by Graeme Ing a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Splintered (Splintered #1) by A.G. Howard

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Splintered (Splintered #1) by A.G. Howard and narrated by Rebecca Gibel. Splintered (Splintered #1) is the first novel in the 'Splintered' trilogy and it falls into the young adult genre with dystopian, paranormal romance, and science fiction/fantasy elements mixed in for good measure.

Listening time for Splintered (Splintered #1) by A.G. Howard is 12 hours, 41 minutes.

Splintered (Splintered #1) by A.G. Howard is a fun read!! I enjoyed the storyline, characters, the author's writing style and creativity quite a bit. If you love the novel, Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, and/or reading a unique, creative retelling of a classic novel/tale, then Splintered (Splintered #1) by A.G. Howard may be just the novel for you.

Additionally, I was really impressed with Rebecca Gibel's narration skills for Splintered (Splintered #1) by A.G. Howard and now have a new favorite narrator to add to my list of favorite audiobook narrators.

Below is the plot summary for Splintered (Splintered #1) by A.G. Howard from Audible:

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of Underland, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers - precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

I am giving Splintered (Splintered #1) by A.G. Howard 4 stars out of 5 stars. I look forward to listening to the two remaining novels in this trilogy.

Until my next post, happy reading!

The Myth of the Self-Made Man by Rubén Reyes

 

The Myth of the Self-Made Man by Rubén Reyes is a short story I listened to in audio format, which I downloaded for FREE from Audible and is approximately 51 minutes in length. 

Below is my honest, unbiased review of The Myth of the Self-Made Man by Rubén Reyes.

I enjoyed listening to The Myth of the Self-Made Man by Rubén Reyes. This short story is well narrated by Inés del Castillo, Eric Yves Garcia, and Christian Barillas. I liked that The Myth of the Self-Made Man combines the genres of science fiction with some elements of mystery. I also found The Myth of the Self-Made Man to be a fascinating read as I wanted to know the truth about Felipe's life and the other cyborgs.

Below is the summary for The Myth of the Self-Made Man by Rubén Reyes from Audible:

From a stunning new Latino voice, Myth of the Self-Made Man is a wildly inventive story - part sci-fi, with echoes of Get Out - that plunges us into a brave new American landscape.

More than a hundred years into the future, as the US approaches its 400th anniversary, Tomas, a young graduate student, searches for the real identity of one of the cyborgs that maintained American homes. He has been haunted for years by an audio clip of a cyborg named Felipe and is intent on writing Felipe’s biography. In the clip, Felipe can only recite that he was made in America, but Tomas must find out: Where was the Self-made Man really from?

In the National Archives, Tomas uncovers a trove of articles, depositions, and interviews about many other cyborgs, boys from El Salvador and Guatemala kidnapped, detained, and reengineered at a monolithic New England company.

As we follow Tomas’ determined investigation into these lives, their voices echo through our own past, present, and future with unsettling clarity.

I am giving The Myth of the Self-Made Man by Rubén Reyes a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next, post happy reading!

City of Illusions by Ursula K. Le Guin

 

I enjoyed listening to the unabridged audio version of City of Illusions by Ursula K. Le Guin and narrated by Stefan Rudnicki.

City of Illusions is the first novel I've ever read by Ursula K. Le Guin!! It was first published in 1967 and is the third novel in Le Guin's 'Hainish Cycle' series. Initially, I didn't know City of Illusions was part of a series when I downloaded it to my iPad from Audible. I simply chose this novel because I'd been wanting to read a novel by Ursula K. Le Guin for quite a while and also because the plot sounded alluring.

I've heard great things about Ursula K. Le Guin's writing and novels in general, which is why I chose to read one of her novels. However, I do not read a lot of science fiction or fantasy novels. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from a novel published 54 years ago and also from a genre I normally do not read. Long story short, I was blown away by City of Illusions by the time I was finished listening to it yesterday afternoon. City of Illusions is an excellent read! Other than a few minor issues, I enjoyed reading this novel from start to finish. Additionally, I didn't feel like I missed anything by not reading the first two novels in the 'Hainish Cycle' series before reading City of Illusions. The characters, plot development, storyline, and writing were all well done. 

City of Illusions contained a bit of mystery within it. The main character, Falk, is an adult at the start of the novel, but his memory has been erased and he is like an infant in that he knows nothing (not even language) and has no memory at all except for a few mental images that he can't make sense of. Falk literally starts life  all over again. As Falk gains knowledge, he wants to learn where he came from and why his memory was erased. Hence, the journey of self discovery begins and what an interesting journey to discover the truth it is. I look forward to reading more novels by Ursula K. Le Guin.

Listening time for City of Illusions by Ursula K. Le Guin is 7 hours, 22 minutes... And Stefan Rudnicki is an excellent narrator by the way!

Below is the plot summary for City of Illusions by Ursula K. Le Guin from Audible:

He is a full-grown man, alone in dense forest, with no trail to show where he has come from and no memory to tell who or what he is. His eyes are not the eyes of a human. The forest people take him in and raise him almost as a child, teaching him to speak, training him in forest lore, giving him all the knowledge they have. But they could not solve the riddle of his past, and at last he has to set out on a perilous quest to find his true self - and a universe of danger.

I am giving City of Illusions by Ursula K. Le Guin a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Kindred by Octavia E. Butler and narrated by Kim Staunton. Kim Staunton is a good narrator and I enjoyed her narration of Kindred. 

Listening time for Kindred by Octavia E. Butler is 10 hours, 55 minutes.

I've heard Octavia E. Butler's name for years in the literary world, however, Kindred is the first novel I've read by the author. Kindred is a work of fiction that falls into many genres as it falls into the science fiction genre, historical fiction genre, and time travel fiction as well. 

Kindred is definitely a heavy hitting read. In fact, it's pretty graphic at times due to the violence and brutality bestowed upon African American slaves of the antebellum south. I definitely agree with the following statement from the plot summary below that reads, "author Octavia E. Butler skillfully juxtaposes the serious issues of slavery, human rights, and racial prejudice" in her novel. 

Additionally, Octavia E. Butler's writing is superb and engrossing. As a reader, I was sucked into the storyline immediately and couldn't wait to see what happened to the main character, Dana Franklin, and her husband, Kevin. I was intrigued as to how the time travel worked, what would happen to Dana each time she traveled back and forth through time, and how things would eventually work out for all those involved. Kindred is an amazing novel and explores relevant themes.

The following YouTube video explores the major themes of Kindred by Octavia E. Butler.

Below is the plot summary for Kindred by Octavia E. Butler from Audible:

The first science-fiction written by a black woman, Kindred has become a cornerstone of African-American literature. This combination of slave memoir, fantasy, and historical fiction is a novel of rich literary complexity.

Having just celebrated her 26th birthday in 1976 California, Dana, an African-American woman, is suddenly and inexplicably wrenched through time into antebellum Maryland. After saving a drowning white boy there, she finds herself staring into the barrel of a shotgun and is transported back to the present just in time to save her life.

During numerous such time-defying episodes with the same young man, she realizes the challenge she's been given: to protect this young slaveholder until he can father her own great-grandmother.

Author Octavia E. Butler skillfully juxtaposes the serious issues of slavery, human rights, and racial prejudice with an exciting science-fiction, romance, and historical adventure. Kim Staunton's narrative talent magically transforms the listener's earphones into an audio time machine.

I am giving Kindred by Octavia E. Butler a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

The Evolution of Science Fiction

Love science fiction? Check out this video about the evolution of the science fiction genre.

Dawn Patrol: (Undead Ultra Prequel) by Camille Picott

I am not usually into zombie apocalypse short stories. BUT I decided to go ahead and read Dawn Patrol: (Undead Ultra Prequel) by Camille Picott, which is a zombie apocalypse short story approximately 56 pages in length.

I was pleasantly surprised by Dawn Patrol: (Undead Ultra Prequel) by Camille Picott! The writing is good. The storyline is good. I also liked the characters as well. Overall I had a good experience reading Dawn Patrol: (Undead Ultra Prequel) by Camille Picott. I'm not sure I'll read the rest of the series, but I would recommend this short story.

I was able to download Dawn Patrol: (Undead Ultra Prequel) by Camille Picott to my Kindle for FREE from Amazon. I've shared my honest, unbiased review of this Dawn Patrol: (Undead Ultra Prequel) by Camille Picott here in my post.

The following is a plot summary for Dawn Patrol: (Undead Ultra Prequel) by Camille Picott from Amazon:

What if running from the undead is the only way to avoid becoming one of them?

It was just another training day for Niles. Getting ready for a one-hundred-mile footrace takes dedication.

Twenty-five miles into his run and Niles is faced with the unthinkable.

A campground overrun. People dead. Corpses reanimated, eating the living.

With his skills and training, Niles could outrun the zombies. But when he stops to help two hunters, he needs to slow his pace and teach them to run.

Can endurance running be taught on the go? Will they make it out alive?

I am giving Dawn Patrol: (Undead Ultra Prequel) by Camille Picott a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Dark Arsenal by Cynthia Sax

Dark Arsenal by Cynthia Sax is the fourth novella/short story I've read in the Cyborg Sizzle Series by Cynthia Sax. Dark Arsenal by Cynthia Sax is approximately 68 pages and is the 13th read Cyborg Sizzle Series.

I was able to download Dark Arsenal by Cynthia Sax to my Kindle for FREE from Amazon. Below is my honest, unbiased review of Dark Arsenal by Cynthia Sax.

I must say that I really liked reading Jumping Barrel, Being Green, and Knowing Zip by Cynthia Sax despite each one being predictable, formulaic, and easy breezy reads. But hey, sometimes lowbrow reads are needed!

Dark Arsenal by Cynthia Sax is another predictable, formulaic, and easy breezy read. It pretty much follows the same formula as the three previous Cyborg Sizzle Series books I read and was as expected in that way. 

However, as much as I've liked the Cyborg Sizzle Series thus far, Dark Arsenal by Cynthia Sax was lacking/annoying to me... I felt somethings were said repeatedly between the two main characters. Like how many time can you say the same thing but in a slightly different without it becoming annoying??

Yes, there's also a lot of Insta-Love/Insta-Lust too in Dark Arsenal by Cynthia Sax, which I didn't mind as there was also action and a storyline as well. The dialogue between the main characters is a bit cheesy, but also part of the charm perhaps?

Below is the plot summary for Dark Arsenal by Cynthia Sax from Amazon:

A cyborg warrior and a Rebel female’s first mission together might be their last.

Arsenal considers himself to be a disposable cyborg. He drifts from assignment to assignment, forming no connections to anything or anyone. When the cyborg council requires a warrior for a high-risk mission, Arsenal volunteers. He believes no one will miss him if he dies.

He doesn’t realize he’s one female’s fantasy.

The moment Vicuska glimpses Arsenal’s image, she knows he’s the male she wants to spend her last moments in the universe caressing. The Rebel female craves the cyborg’s grim-lipped kisses, desires the touch of his hands, hears his deep voice in her dreams.

Their mission will end in explosions and death. That is certain if they fail or if they succeed. Whether or not they’ll find love during their dangerous assignment is the unknown.

All in all, I thought Dark Arsenal by Cynthia Sax was just okay and am giving it a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!