Book Review Tuesday

The first book I finished this year is Prometheus and the Dragon by Eric Michael Craig. This book is the sequel to Stormhaven Rising. In this one, the meteor Antu is approaching and various groups are building colonies of the moon for as many people as possible. The U.S. and China have different approaches for dealing with Antu - to destroy it or deflect it. Neither works. There are threats on Earth, too, from those opposed to the colonies.

This is a fast-paced story, made even more frenetic by the frequent changes in scene. To accommodate the large cast of characters, Craig lists them all at the beginning of the story. Some stand out more than others as the action moves along. It's exciting with high tension throughout. The writing is crisp and clean.

The top 10 books I read in 2017.

These are sort of in the order I read them, although I cheated by combining some that were part of a series. At sometime during the year, my Amazon reviews (which I always write when I finish a book, and wish others would do with mine) were also posted to Goodreads, where I’m now finding what I said about each book. The ones cross-posted from the ‘zon have titles and are longer. I didn’t give all of these five stars, but none less than four.

The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith aka J.K. Rowling

My review: One of the best things I've read for our book club. I'll definitely read the rest in the series.

What sticks with me: I’ve now read the two other books in this series, and I’m still eager to read more. The characters are engaging.

On Writing by Stephen King

My review: This was highly recommended to me, so I was glad to get a copy. It didn't disappoint. Great advice combined with a fascinating partial autobiography. All readers and writers should read this one.

What sticks with me: Still one of the best books on writing I’ve ever read. And it was entertaining too.

Nomad, Sanctuary, Resistance, and Destiny by Matthew Mather

My Review: For Sanctuary: Great second book in this series about an asteroid causing devastation to Earth. For Destiny: This last in the series is as good as the previous three books. The main characters continue to have to deal with the aftermath of Nomad and the coming disaster involving Saturn and it's rings.

What sticks with me: This four-book series was a page-turner. Action-packed, too. The characters could have been developed more, and I wasn’t too thrilled with the payoff ending.

Leviathan Wakes, Caliban’s War and Abaddon’s Gate by James S. A. Corey

My Review: LW: I think I may have enjoyed it even more if I hadn't already watched the first two seasons of the TV series. CW: Even better than the first book in the series.

What sticks with me: The characters are introduced in a different order than on TV. I’m looking forward to the third season, but also to reading the rest of the books (so far).

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (Posting each of these separate)

My Review: I’m enjoying these characters more and more

What sticks with me: I love these characters. I wish BBC-A would show the BBC series based on the books. Can’t wait for the fourth one.

Caligation by Brhi Stokes

My Review: Wow, what a fascinating world Brhi Stokes has conceived. Fascinating world full of great characters. Ripley's adventures and search for the truth make for action-filled scenes. I highly recommend the story.

What sticks with me: I don’t usual like stories with vampires, etc. but this one was worth reading.

Dying to be Roman by E. M. Swift-Hook and Jane Jago

My Review: An alternative history story filled with action and romance. What a great start to an alternative history series! Dai, a Briton, and Julia, a Roman form a wonderful detective team. Their first investigation is filled with action.

What sticks with me: I wrote a Dai and Julia story for a contest E. M. and Jane ran, and it won, so I now have the Omnibus to read more of their adventures.

Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens

My Review: Fun YA mystery. The characters are enjoyable, especially the narrator, Hazel Wong.

What sticks with me: If you like British cozies or girls’ school series (or both), you’ll love the Wells and Wong stories.

The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin

My Review: Wow, just wow!

After the slow start, I became lost in this story. So well structured! Such wonderful characters. Now I can't wait to read the next book in the series. Jemisin has built a fascinating, terrible world full of mysteries. Love it.

What sticks with me: The writing, the structuring, the characterization, the world of the story.

Career in Evil by Robert Galbraith

My Review: Best in the series

This series gets better with each book. Now I can't wait for the next one. The characters of Cormoran and Robin are believable and so is their relationship

What sticks with me: See what I said about the other two in the series and then double it.

Honorable mention: Foreigner by C. J. Cherryh

Max and the Multiverse by Zachary Wheeler

Stormhaven Rising by Eric Michael Craig

Beyond Reach by Karin Slaughter

I plan to post a review every Tuesday and a piece of writing every Friday in 2018

Happy New Year every one.

More recent reviews of books by SciFi Roundtable authors:

Caligation by Brhi Stokes

Wow, what a fascinating world Brhi Stokes has conceived

Fascinating world full of great characters. Ripley's adventures and search for the truth make for action-filled scenes. I highly recommend the story.


Darkstorm (The Rhenwars Saga #1) by M.L. Spencer 

The first in a high fantasy series

This first novel in the series sets the stage for the battles to come. Spencer does a great job building the world for her series. My only issue was that I didn't know who to root for, whose story this was.


Max and the Multiverse by Zachry Wheeler

Full of action and laughs

A romp of a space adventure with hints of Douglas Adams. Great characters.


Pratima's Engines: A Short Story by S.A. Gibson

Two enchanting linked short stories

Pratima's Engines and Lakisha Decides are two delightful and exciting linked stories set in a future after a Collapse has eliminated modern technology and warfare. The Library sets and enforces worldwide laws. Seen through the eyes of two teenage girls, the first in India and the second in the Carolinas.

Here's another book review:

Daddy’s Girl by Lisa Scottoline

I always love Scottoline’s novels, the ones about a firm of female lawyers solving crimes and the suspenseful thriller novels. In this page turner with wonderful characters and great development of the main character, Scottoline combines the two. I put aside everything else I was reading to focus on what happened next. It had me clinging to the edge of my seat. We follow the development of law professor Nat Greco from someone who follows the rules, and especially the expectation of her overbearing family to a woman who can handle herself and knows her own mind. Five stars.

I'm starting to repost my Goodreads book reviews here.

Murder Most Unladylike

This is the opening of the third book in my Crystal Odyssey series, now called Beyond the Sea. What can I do so it grabs the readers more?

People, horses, and wagons crowded the vast entryway of the Stronghold. The day had arrived for the start of our next adventure. I'd looked forward to this for so long that it was almost anticlimactic to actually be embarking for home and then Fartek.

We saddled our steeds and stowed our packs, mounted and took one last look at the people and the place we were leaving behind, and then Oskar opened the entry so we could file out.

The last weeks at the Stronghold we prepared for the journey to Fartek. Katya and Mai made good progress in deciphering Madoc's books, the main object of our trek, using what we found in the fallen satellite at the bottom of Dulno Lake.

#30Authors30Days some more authors to check out:

Cindy Mannering AKA C. L. Barber
Russell Nohelty
Andrew Heath
Scott Moses
Lucinda Moebius