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Over a year since my last book roundup, so here we go. For new readers you can see previous posts like this by following the books tag, I usually just do the one a year.
Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie - Book 3 of the Ancillary series, excellent overall space opera type stuff. Doesn't reach the genius of the first book, but I think is an improvement over the 2nd as the action picks back up. I don't want to say too much as it would be easy to spoil the first book which is just such an awesome revenge story.
Space Bitch by Grig Larson - More space opera, about a pilot kidnapped by a crazy person and the ensuing shenanigans. I didn't like this one all that much mostly because none of the characters are very sympathetic, but there is some interesting world building and good action sequences.
Flesh & Spirit and Breath & Bone by Carol Berg - Two book high fantasy series featuring magic cartography, this may have been up my alley. Not really new ground here, but very well written with interesting characters and I loved the magic in it. Both worth reading, first book being largely set-up for even better second book.
People of the Talisman and Secret of Sinharat by Leigh Brackett - An old Ace double, two pulp adventure stories taking place on Mars that read kind of like John Carter fanfic with Carter given better woman characters to spar with.
The Census-Taker by China Mieville - I'm a big Mieville fan, but found this largely forgettable, story from a young boys POV as he tries to escape family trauma.
The Last Days of New Paris by China Mieville - This is more what I expect from Mieville, though it is a truly bizarre story, even for him. About surrealists in Paris fighting Nazis with weaponized art. Not especially coherent, but I give it points for creativity, recommended only if you really like the bizarre.
The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed - Non-Fiction history covering the family of Sally Hemings, including her parents, siblings, and kids. Very exhaustive, perhaps excessively so, as there where times I'd say ok, I've gotten your point, let's move on. But still well written, not at all dry, and the research is excellent. Highly recommended if your at all interested in the revolutionary period, especially from an African-American perspective. Also convinced that the answer to anything concerning Sally Hemings is "it's complicated."
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu - Science-fiction story from China that won a well deserved Hugo. An interesting first contact type situration where the aliens aren't met in person, but communication is established and things go terribly wrong. Partially set during the Cultural Revolution in China which plays a big role in how things unfold. I also enjoy SF with really alien aliens and this delivers.
The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi - Even more space opera, I seem to be on a kick. This one about the fall of civilization, but only a few people realize it. Meanwhile there is all the political intriguing that you'd expect for a galatic empire. Definitely a good read, looking forward to the sequels.
River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay - Alt history set in a fictionalized version of medieval China, interesting to get a slice of history from a period I don't know a whole lot about. Mostly political intrigue, though I did find the pace kind of slow.
Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay - Alt history of a fictionalized version of Venice during it's heydey. I liked this one better than the above, faster pace, more action, more plot lines up in the air, just more going one. Might be Kay's best so far of his alt history type books.
The Necessary Beggar by Susan Palwick - Sci-fi take on the problems of immigrants as a litterally alien family ends up in a refugee camp. Uncompleted, but I might come back to it, story just was not grabbing me.
Walkaway by Cory Doctorow - Also uncompleted, Libertarian wankery.
The Great Quake by Henry Fountain - Non-fiction about the Alaska earthquake of 1964 that is an absolutely great read, both about the earthquake itself and the geology mystery of understanding it and its role in confirming that plate tectonics is a thing. Highly recemmended for anyone with even a passing interest in Geology.
The Alaska Cruise Companion by Rachel Cartwright - Read this for our Alaska cruise and it is as advertised, a nice guidebook for the places you'll visit. Valued it particularly for the advice on where to watch for critters.
Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire - A novella about twin chidren travelling to a hostile fantasy world and taking very different paths, reads like a fairy tale, reminding me a bit like Coraline.
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown - Non-fiction history of the American West, focusing on the conflict between the Native Americans of the Great Plains and the U.S. from a Native American perspective. This is a famous book and deservedly so, it is one of those books that probably should be required reading as the horrors visited upon the Native Americans should be common knowledge. The writing is excellent, but it can be a difficult read because of how depressing it is, still I think it is better to know than to be in denial.
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik - I haven't started this one yet, but it's up next and will probably be my last book for the year. Fantasy based on Eastern European folklore. I quite liked the first book of this series, Uprooted, and am looking forward to this one.
Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie - Book 3 of the Ancillary series, excellent overall space opera type stuff. Doesn't reach the genius of the first book, but I think is an improvement over the 2nd as the action picks back up. I don't want to say too much as it would be easy to spoil the first book which is just such an awesome revenge story.
Space Bitch by Grig Larson - More space opera, about a pilot kidnapped by a crazy person and the ensuing shenanigans. I didn't like this one all that much mostly because none of the characters are very sympathetic, but there is some interesting world building and good action sequences.
Flesh & Spirit and Breath & Bone by Carol Berg - Two book high fantasy series featuring magic cartography, this may have been up my alley. Not really new ground here, but very well written with interesting characters and I loved the magic in it. Both worth reading, first book being largely set-up for even better second book.
People of the Talisman and Secret of Sinharat by Leigh Brackett - An old Ace double, two pulp adventure stories taking place on Mars that read kind of like John Carter fanfic with Carter given better woman characters to spar with.
The Census-Taker by China Mieville - I'm a big Mieville fan, but found this largely forgettable, story from a young boys POV as he tries to escape family trauma.
The Last Days of New Paris by China Mieville - This is more what I expect from Mieville, though it is a truly bizarre story, even for him. About surrealists in Paris fighting Nazis with weaponized art. Not especially coherent, but I give it points for creativity, recommended only if you really like the bizarre.
The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed - Non-Fiction history covering the family of Sally Hemings, including her parents, siblings, and kids. Very exhaustive, perhaps excessively so, as there where times I'd say ok, I've gotten your point, let's move on. But still well written, not at all dry, and the research is excellent. Highly recommended if your at all interested in the revolutionary period, especially from an African-American perspective. Also convinced that the answer to anything concerning Sally Hemings is "it's complicated."
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu - Science-fiction story from China that won a well deserved Hugo. An interesting first contact type situration where the aliens aren't met in person, but communication is established and things go terribly wrong. Partially set during the Cultural Revolution in China which plays a big role in how things unfold. I also enjoy SF with really alien aliens and this delivers.
The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi - Even more space opera, I seem to be on a kick. This one about the fall of civilization, but only a few people realize it. Meanwhile there is all the political intriguing that you'd expect for a galatic empire. Definitely a good read, looking forward to the sequels.
River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay - Alt history set in a fictionalized version of medieval China, interesting to get a slice of history from a period I don't know a whole lot about. Mostly political intrigue, though I did find the pace kind of slow.
Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay - Alt history of a fictionalized version of Venice during it's heydey. I liked this one better than the above, faster pace, more action, more plot lines up in the air, just more going one. Might be Kay's best so far of his alt history type books.
The Necessary Beggar by Susan Palwick - Sci-fi take on the problems of immigrants as a litterally alien family ends up in a refugee camp. Uncompleted, but I might come back to it, story just was not grabbing me.
Walkaway by Cory Doctorow - Also uncompleted, Libertarian wankery.
The Great Quake by Henry Fountain - Non-fiction about the Alaska earthquake of 1964 that is an absolutely great read, both about the earthquake itself and the geology mystery of understanding it and its role in confirming that plate tectonics is a thing. Highly recemmended for anyone with even a passing interest in Geology.
The Alaska Cruise Companion by Rachel Cartwright - Read this for our Alaska cruise and it is as advertised, a nice guidebook for the places you'll visit. Valued it particularly for the advice on where to watch for critters.
Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire - A novella about twin chidren travelling to a hostile fantasy world and taking very different paths, reads like a fairy tale, reminding me a bit like Coraline.
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown - Non-fiction history of the American West, focusing on the conflict between the Native Americans of the Great Plains and the U.S. from a Native American perspective. This is a famous book and deservedly so, it is one of those books that probably should be required reading as the horrors visited upon the Native Americans should be common knowledge. The writing is excellent, but it can be a difficult read because of how depressing it is, still I think it is better to know than to be in denial.
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik - I haven't started this one yet, but it's up next and will probably be my last book for the year. Fantasy based on Eastern European folklore. I quite liked the first book of this series, Uprooted, and am looking forward to this one.