42/2024 – ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Favorites this month were “Artistic Encounters of a Monumental Nature” by S.B. Divya, “Himalia” by Carrie Vaughn, and “Off Track” by Luc Diamant.
Personal
The stuff about me and my life. The “diary” side of blogging.
(Last) Summer Vacation Photos
It took longer than planned (as many projects often do), but I finally completed processing my photos from our vacation last summer.
If you’d like to spend a little time browsing through someone else’s vacation photos, there are four albums up on my Flickr account:
Part one: From Seattle to New York City by cross-country Amtrak.
Part two: Two days in New York City.
Part three: New York City to London by transatlantic cruise on the Queen Mary II.
Part four: Four days in London, and then flying home.
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
41/2024 – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Backman is incredibly good at being simultaneously heartfelt and serious and hilariously silly. This story of several people caught in a hostage situation after a bank robbery goes awry is really touching and often had me laughing out loud (something that has been common with all of Backman’s books that I’ve read). Definitely recommended. (And see? I do occasionally read something that isn’t sci-fi!)
Elusive Salvation by Dayton Ward
40/2024 – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A fun standalone-but-sequel-of-sorts to Ward’s earlier From History’s Shadow, with time travel, Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln, and lots of fun nods to Trek timeline shenanigans, both canon and literary, including Greg Cox’s Rise and Fall of Khan Noonian Singh books. Kirk just can’t keep away from the 20th century….
Little Audio Upgrade
Just replaced my computer’s old Logitech Z323 2.1 (stereo plus subwoofer) computer speaker setup with a small stereo amp and two small bookshelf speakers, and even just half an hour in, with hours to go before the amp and speakers are really performing at their best, it’s already a noticeably better sound. Fuller and more well-rounded, and as a bonus, not having a subwoofer sitting on the floor of my office means I won’t bother my wife downstairs nearly as much. Well worth it!
The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
39/2024 – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1996 Hugo Best Novel
As good as every other time I’ve read it, and I think it’s still my favorite of Stephenson’s novels. “Modern Victorians with ubiquitous nanotechnology create a fancy children’s book” might not sound like that fascinating of a concept, but it definitely is. In addition to the oft-mentioned things about Stephenson’s writing that always work for me but don’t work at all for others — the snark, digressions, and sidetracks — it’s his ability to convey highly technical concepts in understandable form, which is highlighted here in some of the stories that the Primer tells, that has always been a big part of the appeal of this book for me.
The Latter Fire by James Swallow
38/2024 – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
While following up on a relatively newly encountered alien race, the Enterprise finds itself dealing with a much larger issue than expected. A somewhat predictable primary antagonist, but balanced with a very interesting major threat to all parties.
Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village by Maureen Johnson and Jay Cooper
37/2024 – ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A very amusing travel guide for those exploring the English countryside. Of particular interest if you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, either the literary type with punny titles, or the BBC Midsommer Murders type.
Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
36/2024 – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1995 Hugo Best Novel
Complex in both story and character, this becomes an excellent exploration of the differing personalities of the Vorkosigan brothers in the midst of military adventure and political maneuvering. As with the rest of the series, it’s Bujold’s ability to craft realistically flawed characters, some in very serious ways, while still making them relatable, believable, and often quite funny, that really makes these stand out. Though most of the books in the series are written to be readable on their own, this is one where I’d definitely recommend reading earlier books first.
Uncanny Magazine Issue 58 edited by Lynne M. Thomas, Michael Damian Thomas, and Monte Lin
35/2024 – ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Favorites this month were “Happily Ever After Comes Round” by Sarah Rees Brennan, “Loneliness Universe” by Eugenia Triantafyllou, “Markets of the Otherworld” by Rati Mehrotra, and “Hands Like Gold and Starlight” by K.S. Walker.
