Er, not really? I thought they read more like steampunk Sherlock Holmes. And yes, they’re definitely worth adding to the reading list.
Infinity’s Shore by David Brin
This is book 2 of the second Uplift Trilogy. Unlike the first trilogy the second one is a continuing story. It is in the same universe as the first trilogy, but all the action takes place on the same world, whereas in the first trilogy each book involved a different world and different characters. This book is full of action for the most part, as the characters have pretty much been set. A good book, and I will be going straight into the third book, Heavens Reach.
As an aside, I have noticed references both direct and indirect to Clarke, Heinlein and Asimov, that I remember.
I’m obviously biased, but it’s super great. Unsouled mostly establishes where the bottom is, intros two important characters, and sets you on your way. Really fun characters are steadily added afterward, and about halfway through book three the pedal goes down, and it never really lets up from there on out. And Will is very good about paying off what he sets up.
There are probably at least 5 more books to go. But Will is a fast and methodical writer.
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik is very good. Starts off a bit cramped with a reverse-angle Rumpelstiltskin retelling from the Jewish money-lender point of view, but then opens up to a much large scale. Set in a version of Russia subject to domination by cruel winter-aligned fairies and ruled over by a demon-Tsar.
He has been cranking these out pretty quick. I’m impressed. Can’t wait till they’re done. This could end up as one of the top-10 series I’ve read.
It is a good book indeed.
Right now I am reading the Winternight Trilogy #2, which is in a similar setting, though maybe a century or two earlier. (Pre-imperial Russia, so just a Grand Prince instead of Tsar.)
I really enjoyed Spinning Silver, but kind of thought the ending totally undermined its themes.
Lots of social commentary, interesting advances in technology, major sociological upheaval, eventual glimmers of hope. I could have done without some of the explicit sex scenes, and it’s kinda hard to believe how well the “tech-enabled commune” walkaway culture ends up working, but those are fairly minor issues. Overall, a fine read and one I recommend if you’re into the near-future struggling-through-dystopia genre.
I read that! I enjoyed it, although it does skip around quite a bit, almost seems like it is at least three different books smooshed together.
This is publishing schedule for Cradle books; 2 books per year
March 1, 2019 - Cradle 6, Underlord ( complete )
June 1, 2019 - Elder Empire delayed
August 1, 2019 - Cradle 7, Uncrowned
December 1, 2019 - Elder Empire delayed
March 1, 2020 - Cradle 8, Bloodfallen
June 1, 2020 - Traveler’s Blade Trilogy 1, Daughters of the Wind
August 1, 2020 - Elder Empire delayed
September 1, 2020 - Cradle 9, Northstrider
December 1, 2020 - Elder Empire delayed
March 1, 2021 - Cradle 10, Nethergate
June 1, 2021 - New Series: I Reincarnated into an Online Game as a Healer
September 1, 2021 - Elder Empire delayed
December 1, 2021 - Cradle 11, Mazerunner
March 1, 2022 - Cradle 12, Breakingdawn
September 1, 2022 - Traveler’s Blade Trilogy 2, All The Travelers Die
December 1, 2022 - Cradle 13, Slipperylip
February 1, 2036 - Earth invaded by slug-people.
September 1, 2079 - Elder Empire completed
I guess the slug people will be just the motivation he needs to finished Elder Empire.
I tried Elder Empire but had a hard time getting into it.
I liked Travellers Gate and love the Cradle series.
Anyone else having trouble with the Elder Empire series? Should I give it another go?
The current books have completed narrations now. Not sure what the projected release dates for them will be, since it is in Audible Studios’ hands now, but I really, really liked them. Obviously a totally different vibe than his other work but I thought they were great. I came in from the Sea/Calder side to start. Pirates, Ninjas & Cthulu? Yes please.
Did you like the concept and characters in Enterprise, the Star Trek first-starship series? Here’s some more of it, just with all the names changed. Like most Trek-style stories, you’ll have a lot of disbelief to suspend…it’s more space opera than science fiction. But it’s a fine example of the genre, so you’ll likely enjoy it if that’s your thing. I did.
This is the story novel behind the Magic set Throne of Eldraine. Magic story novels used to be amusingly terrible, but the story folks have gotten serious in the last few years. This one is really good, assuming you like fairy-tale-style fantasy. It’s not going to win any gritty-realism awards, but as a coming-of-age/quest story in a fairy tale world, it’s really good. Bonus if you play the game also, of course, but even without that connection I think people will enjoy this if they like the genre.
This has been on my backlog for a while, finally got around to it. Enjoyed it very much, will probably track down the others in the series at some point. Wells does a great job of rounding out the android protagonist’s internal struggles while still keeping the external conflict humming.
I thought the second one was even better than the first.
Ah well, in that case, maybe I’ll go straight ahead to the next one. Turns out the library has the eBook available, so I don’t even have to get off the couch!
Edit: Yep, second one was great too. Will pick up the other 2 from the library when available. And it looks like a 5th is in the works for next year!
Out of order? That’s madness!