Enthusiastically Ambiverted Hopepunk
I read…a lot. Here’s where I ramble about books and printed media.
📚 14/2021: The Folded World by Jeff Mariotte ⭐️⭐️ #startrek #tos
Mostly a trek through a haunted house, with weird vistas and spooky monsters or villains jumping out. Some odd characterizations that seemed a bit off. Not horrible, but not a standout, either.
📚 13/2021: The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #PKDickAward nominee 6/6
Very much enjoyed this one. From chasing cryptids to speculative evolution, with parallel worlds and spacefaring trilobites, and a good dose of humor and good old British stiff-upper-lip.
📚 12/2021: The Book of Koli by M.R. Carey ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #PKDickAward nominee 5/6
What started as fairly standard post-apocalyptic setting (small pseudo-medieval communities relying on poorly understood surviving tech) went in more interesting directions than I expected.
A few weeks ago, I spoke to a student reporter from UW about Norwescon, reading habits, and how my own reading habits have changed as I aged and as the pandemic hit. While the conversation was a lot longer than the one quote that made it in, at least I wasn’t cut completely, and got a mention of Norwescon in front of UW students — so mission accomplished, I say!
Science fiction, dystopia’s similar but more optimistic counterpart, is also seeing an increase in popularity during the pandemic, much to the excitement of seasoned fans everywhere.
Every year, Seattle hosts the Pacific Northwest’s regional science fiction and fantasy convention Norwescon. Michael Hanscom, longtime convention attendee, volunteer, and secretary of this year’s virtual event, has been turning to the familiar, curiosity-driven world of “Star Trek” since the beginning of quarantine in order to cope with reality.
“This is not always quality sci-fi; this is absolutely escapism,” Hanscom said, gesturing to his bookshelves filled with “Star Trek” paraphernalia during our Zoom interview. “I think 80% of my reading last year was ‘Star Trek’ novels because I couldn’t concentrate on anything more weighty than that. With everything going on and being locked down at home, I needed that escapism. I needed to get away.”
📚 11/2011: Dance on Saturday by Elwin Cotman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #PKDickAward nominee 4/6
A really strong collection of short stories and one novella. I really enjoyed the way these slipped between the real and the fantastic, and between mundanity and surreal horror and humor.
📚 10/2021: Road Out of Winter by Alison Stine ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #PKDickAward nominee 3/6
Another apocalyptic trudge through wastelands (Appalachia during the long winter of an ecological collapse), finding other travelers, & trying to avoid predatory groups. Well written; not my thing.
📚 9/2021: Failed State by Christopher Brown ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #PKDickAward nominee 2/6
Not quite as “we came far too close to this” as its predecessor, so a bit easier to get through. Has some interesting ideas for a post-ecological-collapse approach to legal liability.
📚 9/2021: Rule of Capture by Christopher Brown ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It is not easy to read near-future dystopian SF set in an America waiting for the outcome of a contested election after the fascist incumbent loses but the Texas Gov. invalidates the electoral votes and it goes to SCOTUS.
The world’s most misunderstood novel: “The Great Gatsby is synonymous with parties, glitz and glamour – but this is just one of many misunderstandings about the book that began from its first publication.”
📚 7/2021: Bone Silence by Alastair Reynolds ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #PKDickAward nominee 1/6
A satisfying end to the Revenger trilogy. Not all questions answered, but those most central to the main adventure are. If the “high seas adventure in space” conceit works for you, it’s a good series.
