turrean's reviews
2298 reviews

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu

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challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No
I found the premise of the book inexplicable at first, but that feeling quickly faded as the details of the “struggle session” unfold right in the first chapter. There are some not-so-subtle parallels between the effects of Trisolaris’s anti-science campaign against Earth and the Cultural Revolution’s effects on China’s own society  that make me curious about Liu Cixin’s reputation and what Chinese schoolchildren learn about their own history. Any student of human history, however broad or narrow, can see that people have always been good at manufacturing  Chaotic Eras even in our “paradise” of a stable climate, through religion, politics, climate change, deforestation, and pollution.

I loved the parallels between Ye Wenjie and the Listener on Trisolaris who sends the warning (right down to the echo of “slender fingers.”) The use of Three-Body, the video game, as a mix of recruiting tool, an identity theft scam,  and a crowdsourcing campaign was just brilliant. 

The scientific explanations were wasted on me, as I lack the understanding to see where the “science” ends and the “fiction” begins. Interactions among humans felt a little distant, but I don’t know how much of that was due to the translation and how much is the author’s storytelling. 
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Paladin's Strength by T. Kingfisher

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adventurous funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A pattern of unrequited longing, a satisfying romance, a horrifying villain, lots of witty banter. Check, check, check, and check: this is by Kingfisher. 
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The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

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emotional mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A very enjoyable audio recording 
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Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper

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funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Entertaining and better written than many other witchy rom-coms I’ve read, and I’m a fan of the genre. I have my usual questions about the way the world’s magical framework holds together (what do Chicago witches use for power, and why can’t Emmy tap into it?
Why did every single Harlow Arbiter make the decision to keep their skills secret, if it was a royal pain, upheld an unfair caste system, and was not required by the rules of magic?
) but on the whole, the author was consistent.
Gareth was a loathsome overindulged peacock, but not a villain. I would have liked to see a more substantial threat to overcome than just some financial opportunism and sexist behavior.
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The Little Homo Sapiens Scientist by S.L. Huang

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Bittersweet and strange. 
The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis

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lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Kind of like having to read the script of a madcap adventure flick instead of watching the movie. Funny dialog,  but repetitive. I started to skim at the halfway point.
Personally, started to lose interest after the main character goes about a day without peeing, eating, or drinking.
The Wonder Engine by T. Kingfisher

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adventurous emotional funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Excellent characters in a fascinating universe. Strongly reminiscent of Bujold’s Chalion books.
The presence of a character weak enough to bargain with a demon but yet noble enough to offer his own death as a battle tactic was extremely annoying.
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Swordheart by T. Kingfisher

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adventurous funny slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Excellent characters, clever banter, sweet romance, and a jaw-droppingly, absurdly, unbelievably stupid move on the part of the protagonist that leads to the denouement. 
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Clockwork Boys by T. Kingfisher

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adventurous funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

On to the sequel! 
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Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
Currently holding at about 30% of the audio. Great delivery but need to take a break from the breakneck speed of the pop culture references and jokes. I might need to read this one in print; I kept missing things.