Reviews and Comments

jkb

jkb@books.theunseen.city

Joined 2 years ago

Big Star Trek nerd. I love sci-fi/fantasy but I also read the classics from time to time. I'm an avid reader coming from Goodreads which I use for the Sword & Laser podcast, and because I can share via my Kindle (I know).

I'm LGBTQ+, politically independent, a pythonista, and a budding data scientist.

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Neil Gaiman, Michael Moorcock, Samuel Roukin: Elric of Melniboné : Volume 1 (AudiobookFormat, 2022, Recorded Books, Inc.) 3 stars

From World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award winner Michael Moorcock comes the first book in his …

Elric is a little meh for me.

3 stars

This was a slog to read. Maybe it's the writing, maybe it's the plot. The characters are formed and knowable but each book in the volume read differently - that is due to them being written at different times.

I do know that I read the first two books before as a teenager, and it was then that I put Elric away. I just didn't care for him. Maybe it's the way women are portrayed, maybe it is just the first book was written for a magazine. I don't know. I'll give this volume 3 stars mainly for the appendix items -meaning I found this to be two stars but gave an extra one due to the work put into the volume.

I may not return to see Elric. Who knows?

Patrick Dennis: Auntie Mame (Paperback, 1994, Ballantine Books) 5 stars

Uncle Mame was a fascinating writer

5 stars

I grew up adoring the movie with Rosalind Russell and to this day can never get enough of watching this fabulous move. So, after years of living my life to the fullest in my limited, financially, way I've picked up the book (and audiobook) with glee and began reading.

There is so much to say about the character of Auntie Mame but I can say that even though my minds-eye always saw Mrs. Russell's performance this character is even funnier than the movie made her out to be. She is wickedly fun and always in "project" mode.

The afterword is not to be missed, written by Michael Tanner - the author's son - about how the author perceived his creation. I would dare say I'm interested in reading the biography Uncle Mame about "Patrick Dennis" as he does sound like Mame is much of him as is 20% an actual …

Good book

5 stars

At first I had issues with what she was writing but then I realized it was how.she was framing her arguments.

This book has changed me. I now have a better understanding of ascientific theory and what is a scientific theory. It's amazing how much other atheist/agnostic scientists put their faith in theories that have no basis in the actual scientific research.

The author does a great job of not debating those theories nor religion or have anything against them she just argues for what does the science tell us about the universe.

Taking it from that point of view, this book has changed me.

Mary Robinette Kowal: The Relentless Moon (Paperback, 2020, Tor Books) 5 stars

It's 1963, and riots and sabotage plague the space program. The climate change caused by …

The Other Lady Astronaut

5 stars

At first I was surprised that it was Elma's voice I was reading. But in the end this writer is just wonderful and I found Nicole Wargin a wonderful character to explore.

Like Elma there are secrets to this character that I will not explore. I will say that the time period of the third book takes place at the same time of the second book. You don't need to read book 2 but there is a spoiler in this book if you hadn't read it.

All the characters were great and the Mary Robinette Kowal never shies from either the misogyny nor the racism prevalent for the time period of this book. Nothing is shocking but it's beautifully written and very much a part of 1960s.

I do hope that if Kowal continues the Lady Astronaut series she adds some LGBTQ characters.

reviewed Weapons of math destruction by Cathy O'Neil

Cathy O'Neil: Weapons of math destruction (Paperback, 2016, Allen Lane) 4 stars

A former Wall Street quant sounds an alarm on the mathematical models that pervade modern …

Suit up for Combat!

5 stars

This was an exceptional book. It's not heavy into statistics but gives the rationale for what is a WMD (Weapon of Math Destruction) and WMDs maybe a new term but we have been under the exploitation of WMDs well before we think. It's not a new phenomenon but it is one that we should be aware of.

Take a read and learn how about them so that we can all do better to combat them and use math to not only help describe the world but make it a better place to live in.

Cathy O'Neil: Weapons of math destruction (Paperback, 2016, Allen Lane) 4 stars

A former Wall Street quant sounds an alarm on the mathematical models that pervade modern …

This was an exceptional book. It's not heavy into statistics but gives the rationale for what is a WMD (Weapon of Math Destruction) and WMDs maybe a new term but we have been under the exploitation of WMDs well before we think. It's not a new phenomenon but it is one that we should be aware of.

Take a read and learn how about them so that we can all do better to combat them and use math to not only help describe the world but make it a better place to live in.

Mur Lafferty: Six wakes (2017) 4 stars

"A space adventure set on a lone ship where the clones of a murdered crew …

Fun story

3 stars

People wake up and see their dead clones floating all around them, what is not to like? I did enjoy this book. It's a murder mystery that is heavy on the characters and their back stories. It was enjoyable as the book turned into another kind of story but right at the end of it!

I feel like there was more book to be had. Maybe there is a sequel? I haven't checked it out but I will say if you like Sci-Fi, and murder mysteries this should be satisfying. There are some aspects that are telegraphed way early but in the end everything is explained to my satisfaction. But I want an ending to it.