Sunday Post – 14th February, 2021 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.

We had the two older grandchildren staying over on Tuesday and Wednesday, while my daughter had a minor op. As ever, it was a treat to spend time with them – though there were some discussions about online lessons and the fact they still needed doing… We took them back on Wednesday evening, while Rebecca continued to recover. Fortunately, everything went smoothly for her.

It’s been a bitterly cold week with a vicious easterly scything through rather than around me as I step outside the door. So I’ve stayed indoors – I hate the cold and most of the week the temperature has been below freezing. At least it hasn’t been snowing here, thank goodness…

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The photos this week are part of my beautiful spring flower bouquet from Himself – lovely sprays of scented narcissi – and then the hope of better days as the daffs in the garden have begun to emerge…

Last week I read:

SHORT STORY Lucky Thirteen – the Frontline series by Marko Kloos
Rookie pilot Halley’s first drop ship command. A short story in the Terms of Enlistment universe.
Although I enjoy reading short stories, these days I prefer longer fiction – but Himself strongly recommended this one. And since he’s got impeccable taste (after all, he fell in love with me…) this was a real treat.

AUDIOBOOK Troy – Book 3 of Stephen Fry’s Great Mythology by Stephen Fry
The story of Troy speaks to all of us – the kidnapping of Helen, a queen celebrated for her beauty, sees the Greeks launch a thousand ships against the city of Troy, to which they will lay siege for ten whole years. It is a terrible war with casualties on all sides as well as strained relations between allies, whose consequences become tragedies.

In Troy you will find heroism and hatred, love and loss, revenge and regret, desire and despair. It is these human passions, written bloodily in the sands of a distant shore, that still speak to us today.
I’ve loved this series – and listening to this latest retelling, narrated by Fry himself and largely based upon Homer’s Illiad, was a real treat. Though Fry’s not wrong about it being a terrible war…

Out of Nowhere – Book 1 of The Immortal Vagabond Healer series by Patrick LeClerc
Healer Sean Danet is immortal—a fact he has cloaked for centuries, behind army lines and now a paramedic’s uniform. Having forgotten most of his distant past, he has finally found peace—and love. But there are some things you cannot escape, however much distance you put behind you.

When Sean heals the wrong man, he uncovers a lethal enemy who holds all the cards. And this time he can’t run. It’s time to stand and fight, for himself, for his friends, for the woman he loves. It’s time, finally, for Sean to face his past—and choose a future.
This fantasy was such an enjoyable ride. I particularly liked the fact that Sean is a paramedic and I’ll definitely be getting the second book in this intriguing and different adventure. Review to follow.

The Library of the Dead – Book 1 of Edinburgh Nights by T.L. Huchu
When a child goes missing in Edinburgh’s darkest streets, young Ropa investigates. She’ll need to call on Zimbabwean magic as well as her Scottish pragmatism to hunt down clues. But as shadows lengthen, will the hunter become the hunted?

Ropa dropped out of school to become a ghostalker. Now she speaks to Edinburgh’s dead, carrying messages to the living. A girl’s gotta earn a living, and it seems harmless enough. Until, that is, the dead whisper that someone’s bewitching children–leaving them husks, empty of joy and life. It’s on Ropa’s patch, so she feels honor-bound to investigate. But what she learns will change her world.
This was another fantasy adventure with an engaging and different protagonist – this time a tough, streetwise teen living in a post-apocalyptic Edinburgh who can talk to ghosts finds herself trying to help a dead mother find her missing child. Review to follow.

Frozen Stiff Drink – Book 6 of the Braxton Campus Mysteries by James J. Cudney
A winter blizzard barrels toward Wharton County with a vengeance. Madam Zenya predicted the raging storm would change the course of Kellan’s life, but the famed seer never could’ve prepared him for all the collateral damage.

Nana D disappears after visiting a patient at Willow Trees, leaving behind a trail of confusion. When the patient turns up dead, and second body is discovered beneath the snowbanks, Kellan must face his worst fears. What tragedy has befallen his beloved grandmother?
I’ve been following this enjoyable contemporary cosy murder mystery series. And once again, hapless Kellan trips over another body in upsetting circumstances. This time, not even the weather is behaving itself. Cudney is very good at producing an endless supply of plausible suspects and I stayed up way later than I should to discover what happened next. Review to follow.

My posts last week:

Covet the Covers featuring Nevil Shute

Castellan the Black and His Wise Draconic Sayings

Review of Last Dragon Standing – Book 5 of the Heartstriker’s series by Rachel Aaron

Friday Face-off featuring Shardik – Book 2 of the Beklan Empire series by Richard Adams

January 2021 Roundup – Reading, Writing and Blogging…

Can’t-Wait Wednesday featuring The Galaxy and the Ground Within – Book 4 of the Wayfarer series by Becky Chambers

Tuesday Treasures – 26

Review of AUDIOBOOK Machine – Book 2 of the White Space series by Elizabeth Bear

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of The Expert System’s Champion – Book 2 of the Expert Systems series by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Sunday Post – 7th January 2021

Interesting/outstanding blogs and articles that have caught my attention during the last week, in no particular order:

10 of the Best Poems about Calm and Relaxation https://interestingliterature.com/2021/02/poems-about-calm-and-relaxation/ It’s been a long week with bitter winds and sub-zero temperatures. Perhaps some of these poems will provide some measure of comfort during the dark days of winter…

Mermaid and Siren Book Recommendations https://aquapages.wordpress.com/2020/04/21/mermaid-siren-book-recommendations/ If you also like books featuring mermaids, you might find Eline’s suggestions useful…

#LessonsLearned from #JohnLeCarre: Always #Write a #Setting of Quality https://jeanleesworld.com/2021/02/01/lessonslearned-from-johnlecarre-always-write-a-setting-of-quality/ Jean’s articles are always worth reading for their sheer entertainment value, even if you aren’t all that fussed about writing. If you are, then they are a solid treat…

Gong Hei Fatt Choi! Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Year of the Ox! #CNY #CNYbooks #ChineseNewYear #LunarNewYear #YearoftheOx https://hookedonbookz.com/2021/02/12/gong-hei-fatt-choy-gong-xi-fa-cai-happy-year-of-the-ox-cny-cnybooks-chinesenewyear-lunarnewyear-yearoftheox/ Jee wouldn’t normally be writing about the Chinese New Year, as he usually travels to Malaysia with his family to celebrate. This year, it’s different…

Desert Reflected~ https://cindyknoke.com/2021/02/06/desert-reflected/ These stunning pics warmed me up just by looking at them. Perhaps they’ll do the same for you…

Thank you for visiting, reading, liking and/or commenting on my blog. I hope you had a peaceful, healthy week – and do take care. x

Sunday Post – 7th February, 2021 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.

It was another quiet week. That said, it’s whipped by at dizzying speed. I’ve been mostly writing and reading. On Wednesday evening our Writing Group got together and we had an excellent Zoom meeting. I read the opening of Trouble With Dwarves and received some really helpful advice about tweaking the balance between setting the scene, establishing Castellan’s character and diving into the story – which is always a tricky issue at the beginning of a sequel. I’ve been chatting to Mhairi online, again, which is a lifeline – though we were both a bit shattered when we realised that we haven’t now seen each other for a whole year… In fact the only person I have spoken to face to face this week, other than Himself, was the nice man who came to deliver our monthly COVID test. I’m still trying to work out whether it’s a good or bad thing that it doesn’t bother me all that much. And the reason why I’ve been a bit late getting my Sunday Post out – and why I haven’t been about much on other people’s blogs is because today I completed the first draft of Trouble With Dwarves. Yippee😊.

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The photos this week were taken a couple of weeks ago when Frank came to stay and we walked along the beach together.

Last week I read:

Reaper of Souls – Book 2 of the Kingdom of Souls series by Rena Barron
After so many years yearning for the gift of magic, Arrah has the one thing she’s always wanted—at a terrible price. Now the last surviving witchdoctor, she’s been left to pick up the shattered pieces of a family that betrayed her, a kingdom in shambles, and long-buried secrets about who she is.

Desperate not to repeat her mother’s mistakes, Arrah must return to the tribal lands to search for help from the remnants of her parents’ people. But the Demon King’s shadow looms closer than she thinks. And as Arrah struggles to unravel her connection to him, defeating him begins to seem more and more impossible—if it’s something she can bring herself to do at all.
This African-inspired epic fantasy has picked up this compelling story and taken it forward. As ever, Arrah leaps off the page as she grapples with the truly terrible magic she has been lumbered with. Gripping and action-packed. Review to follow.

The Prince of Secrets – Book 2 of the Stariel series by A.J. Lancaster
Well-bred women should not be seen kissing their butlers. Even when the butler in question is secretly a fae prince.

Wyn knows falling for Hetta Valstar is a bad idea. She’s not only human but the new magically bonded ruler of Stariel Estate. If their relationship gets out, it’ll cause a scandal that could ruin their attempts to sort out the estate’s crumbling finances. And it doesn’t help that Stariel has decided it doesn’t like him.

But more than jealous sentient estates and Hetta’s good name are at stake. Wyn’s past is coming back to bite him. Ten years ago, he broke an oath and shattered the power of his home court, and the fae have been hunting him ever since. Now they’ve found his hiding place, they won’t rest until he’s dead or the debt is repaid–and they don’t play nicely.
I couldn’t resist jumping back into this delightful series – and once again it swept me along, ending far too soon. I want moooorrreeee!!! Review to follow.

Lines of Departure – Book 2 of the Frontlines series by Marko Kloos
Humanity is on the ropes, and after years of fighting a two-front war with losing odds, so is North American Defense Corps officer Andrew Grayson. He dreams of dropping out of the service one day, alongside his pilot girlfriend, but as warfare consumes entire planets and conditions on Earth deteriorate, he wonders if there will be anywhere left for them to go.

After surviving a disastrous space-borne assault, Grayson is reassigned to a ship bound for a distant colony—and packed with malcontents and troublemakers. His most dangerous battle has just begun.
Himself has been gently nagging me to continue this military sci fi adventure, after I’d read and thoroughly enjoyed the first book way, way back in 2018. So I finally picked up the second instalment and immediately got pulled into this gripping adventure. Review to follow.

My posts last week:

Castellan the Black and His Wise Draconic Sayings

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Cruel as the Grave – Book 22 of the Bill Slider mysteries by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Friday Face-off featuring A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of The Night Parade of 100 Demons – a Legend of the Five Worlds novel by Marie Brennan

Can’t-Wait Wednesday featuring Reaper of Souls – Book 2 of the Kingdom of Souls series by Rena Barron

Tuesday Treasures – 25

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of Guilt at the Garage – Book 20 of the Fethering Mysteries series by Simon Brett

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of The Monster MASH – Book 1 of the Monster M*A*S*H series by Angie Fox

Sunday Post – 31st January 2021

Thank you for visiting, reading, liking and/or commenting on my blog. I’m very sorry for not having got around to visit as many people this week – but I’ve been working hard on the book. I hope you had a peaceful, healthy week – and do take care. x

12 Science Fiction Reads I’m Looking Forward to in 2021 #Brainfluffbookblog #12SciFiReadsfor2021 #SciFiMonth2020

Whatever else it’s been, 2020 has been a marvellous year for science fiction reads, particularly space opera. So what am I looking forward to reading in 2021? I’ve determined to become more disciplined and complete series that I’ve started, thoroughly enjoyed – and then dropped again because the new shiny drew me away… This is the final post that I’m linking to #Sci Fi Month 2020.
So in no particular order:

Bear Head – Book 2 of the Dogs of War series by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Anyone who has been on this site for a while knows I’m a huge fan of his writing – and I was delighted to learn that this sequel to the thought-provoking novella Dogs of War – see my review – is due out in early January 2021.

The Expert System’s Champion – Book 2 of The Expert System series by Adrian Tchaikovsky
The Expert System’s Brother is one of those books that hasn’t left me alone since I read it – see my review. So I was so excited to learn that we have now the opportunity to follow what happened next to poor old Handry after his previous adventures.

Scardown – Book 2 of the Wetwired series by Elizabeth Bear
I was blown away by Ancestral Night – see my review – and am thoroughly enjoying Machine, so got hold of Hammered – see my review – for more Elizabeth Bear goodness. And I want to continue with this series, seeing as I had such fun with the first book.

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A Desolation Called Peace – Book 2 of the Teixcalaan series by Arkady Martine
After the acclaimed A Memory Called Empire – see my review – I’m sure I won’t be the only desperate to get my hands on this sequel. And the good news is that we won’t have all that long to wait…

Endgame – Book 6 of the Sirantha Jax series by Ann Aguirre
I started this series far too long ago and have loved the progression of Jax. So one of my Christmas presents from me to me, will be a copy of this one, seeing how much I enjoyed Grimspace, Killbox and Aftermath – review to follow.

The Fall of Koli – Book 3 of the Rampart trilogy by M.R. Carey
This post-apocalyptic adventure featuring poor old Koli in a savage Britain, where even the trees have gone feral, has gripped me even more than The Girl With All the Gifts or The Boy on the Bridge – see my reviews of The Book of Koli and The Trials of Koli. So I need to discover what happens next!

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Network Effect – Book 5 of the Murderbot series by Martha Wells
I loved All Systems Red – see my review – but given that the novellas aren’t all that long and I read quite fast, I simply couldn’t justify the expense of following the rest of the novella series. The first novel, however, is a different proposition and I’m really looking forward to tucking into this one next year.

By Other Means – Book 5 of the Hayden War Cycle by Evan Currie
I’ve loved following super-soldier Sorilla Aida on her adventures in On Silver Wings, Valkyrie Rising, Valkyrie Burning and The Valhalla Call. But, again, this is a series that has simply taken too long to catch up. So I’ll be tucking into this one sometime in January or February.

Driving the Deep – Book 2 of the Finder series by Suzanne Palmer
I loved listening to Finder earlier this year – see my review. So I have decided to treat myself to the audio version of this one, so I have another space opera action adventure to keep me company while cleaning the house.

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Lines of Departure – Book 2 of the Frontlines series by Marko Kloos
I loved the first book, Terms of Enlistment – see my review – and fully intended to tuck into the second book , which I have on my TBR, much sooner. As it is, better late than never. So this is another offering I intend to read in the early part of 2021…

Defending the Galaxy – Book 3 of the Sentinels of the Galaxy series by Maria V. Snyder
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the upbeat, bouncy vibe of young Ara has she faces off the creepy alien shadows and a nasty crime synicate in Navigating the Stars and Chasing the Shadows – review to follow. So I’m keen to see how this all plays out in the final book of the series.

Fleet of Knives – Book 2 of the Embers of War series by Gareth L. Powell
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, Embers of War – see my mini-review. The sentient ship Trouble Dog rather stole the show for me and I’m only too happy to read more about his ongoing adventures.

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And there you have it – 12 science fiction reads I have lined up to get me through the miserable months of January, February and March, in amongst my fantasy and crime reads. Are there any books here that you are intending to also read? Or others you would like to recommend? I’ve loved taking part in #Sci Fi Month 2020 – it’s been a joy to browse through the master schedule and make a note of books I want to get hold of. But I am trying very hard to be adult about this – and work on completing more series that I have already started. Wish me luck!

Sunday Post – 2nd December, 2018 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books and blogs they have written.

I’ve been AWOL for a while, mostly because I’ve been battling with my health. It’s boring and depressing dealing with it, but I certainly don’t feel inclined to share the misery around – hence my absence. Hopefully, I’m on the road to recovery – fingers crossed.

On a much happier note, I’ve been loving Sci Fi Month and used my lolling around in bed to catch up on a number of entertaining, enjoyable science fiction adventures which took me as far away from my everyday life as I could possibly get. Yippee! Thank you to Lisa and her trusty team for running this event and Rina for dreaming the whole thing up in the first place – I’m here to tell you that during a very grotty month otherwise, it’s been a lifesaver.

Last week I read:
The Expert System’s Brother by Adrian Tchaikovsky
After an unfortunate accident, Handry is forced to wander a world he doesn’t understand, searching for meaning. He soon discovers that the life he thought he knew is far stranger than he could even possibly imagine. Can an unlikely saviour provide the answers to the questions he barely comprehends?
This novella is a cracking read – Tchaikovsky doesn’t disappoint in this dystopian colony adventure. While the story didn’t deliver lots of surprises, I have found myself thinking a lot about the issues he raises – and isn’t that the mark of a good read?

 

Terms of Enlistment – Book 1 of the Frontlines series by Marko Kloos
The year is 2108, and the North American Commonwealth is bursting at the seams. For welfare rats like Andrew Grayson, there are only two ways out of the crime-ridden and filthy welfare tenements, where you’re restricted to two thousand calories of badly flavored soy every day. You can hope to win the lottery and draw a ticket on a colony ship settling off-world, or you can join the service. With the colony lottery a pipe dream, Andrew chooses to enlist in the armed forces for a shot at real food, a retirement bonus, and maybe a ticket off Earth. But as he starts a career of supposed privilege, he soon learns that the good food and decent health care come at a steep price…and that the settled galaxy holds far greater dangers than military bureaucrats or the gangs that rule the slums.
This is a really gripping read with one of the best battle scenes I’ve ever read. I’ll definitely be getting hold of the next book in this series. No wonder I keep encountering this author in the best-selling rankings… PLUS I also read Lucky Thirteen – a short story set in the same world, also very highly recommended.

 

The High Ground – Book 1 of the Imperials series by Melinda M. Snodgrass
Emperor’s daughter Mercedes is the first woman ever admitted to the High Ground, the elite training academy of the Solar League’s Star Command, and she must graduate if she is to have any hope of taking the throne. Her classmate Tracy has more modest goals — to rise to the rank of captain, and win fame and honor. But a civil war is coming and the political machinations of those who yearn for power threaten the young cadets. In a time of intrigue and alien invasion, they will be tested as they never thought possible.
I’m always a sucker for college/school-based adventures and I found this one highly readable and engrossing. The contrast between the two main characters gives a real sense of the social structure, with one out of her depth because she is suddenly confronted with the possibility of being the next ruler. While the other has been taken out of his low-class background and is enduring the misery of being a scholarship student.

 

Murder in the Dark – Book 6 of the Ishmael Jones series by Simon R. Green
Ishmael Jones and his partner Penny have been despatched to assist a group of scientists who are investigating a mysterious black hole which has appeared on a Somerset hillside. Could it really be a doorway to another dimension, an opening into another world? When one of the scientists disappears into the hole — with fatal consequences — Ishmael must prove whether it was an accident — or murder. But with no clues, no witnesses and no apparent motive, he has little to go on. Is there an alien predator at large, or is an all-too-human killer responsible? Only one thing is certain: if Ishmael does not uncover the truth in time, more deaths will follow…
Despite the grim look of the covers, I promise you that this isn’t horror on any level. It’s a paranormal, murder mystery series with its tongue firmly in its cheek. I really enjoy the snarky humour and sheer outrageous implausibility of the murders and this one cheered me up no end while I was just beginning to recover from my boring illness.

My posts last week:

#Sci Fi Month Review of Star Nomad – Book 1 of the Fallen Empire series by Lindsey Buroker

#Sci Fi Month Review of The Scent of Metal – Book 1 of the Space Argonauts series by Sabrina Chase

#Sci Fi Month Review of Into the Dark – Book 1 of the Alexis Carew series by J.A. Sutherland

#Sci Fi Month Review of Terms of Enlistment – Book 1 of the Frontlines series by Marko Kloos

#Sci Fi Month – The Ones That Got Away

Apologies for not having any interesting items to pass on – I simply haven’t been sufficiently present to retweet and comment on other folks’ blogs. In the meantime, many thanks for taking the time to comment, like and visit my blog – have a great week.

Review of Ebook Terms of Enlistment – Book 1 of the Frontlines series by Marko Kloos #Brainfluffbookreview #TermsofEnlistmentbookreview

Marko Kloos is one of the authors that Himself has mentioned more than once, so when I asked for more science fiction reads for Sci Fi Month, he suggested I read this series.

The year is 2108, and the North American Commonwealth is bursting at the seams. For welfare rats like Andrew Grayson, there are only two ways out of the crime-ridden and filthy welfare tenements, where you’re restricted to two thousand calories of badly flavored soy every day. You can hope to win the lottery and draw a ticket on a colony ship settling off-world, or you can join the service. With the colony lottery a pipe dream, Andrew chooses to enlist in the armed forces for a shot at real food, a retirement bonus, and maybe a ticket off Earth. But as he starts a career of supposed privilege, he soon learns that the good food and decent health care come at a steep price…and that the settled galaxy holds far greater dangers than military bureaucrats or the gangs that rule the slums.

I really enjoyed this one. Kloos is clearly a talented and experienced author, who gives us a sympathetic, slightly taciturn protagonist with something of an edge, especially when things were going wrong and that edge turns into dark humour. Grayson tucks into boot camp and prepares to tough it out – not that he finds it too much of a struggle, given the dire conditions in the tenement where he grew up. I’m a sucker for school/learning environments, given what a pressure cooker they can be and was perfectly willing for the whole thing to last a lot longer than it did. When the story moved on and Grayson progresses from being a trainee to becoming a newbie, I enjoyed it. The action is engrossing and feels authentic, with the detailed worldbuilding.

And then came a pivotal moment in the narrative when it all hits the fan and the story takes a left turn into something completely different. I couldn’t put it down. My heart was beating and my palms sweated as I read one of the best battle scenes I’ve encountered during a sortie that goes terribly wrong…

As I came to the conclusion of the scene, I looked at the book, surprised we weren’t closer to the end of the book – surely this was the climactic showpiece to this slice of the story? No – what Kloos then does is change the pacing again and take the story off into another direction. Grayson is then given a different set of challenges that give us further insights into his character, before finishing this excellent start to the series. I’m looking forward to getting my teeth into the next book.

Highly recommended for fans of military science fiction adventures.
10/10