They've been working on the water mains in our street (for two months, blocking it so there's only one way in) and today there's no water all day from 9-5. So after Pilates later this morning, I'm spending the rest of the day at the Brydone Hotel because lunch, comfy seats, cakes and hot drinks, and loos. It will be a pain having to wear a mask ( Read more... )

I really enjoyed the Ancillary series and recently reread the first two before reading the third, enjoying them just as much the second time through.

I liked Provenance a lot too, but for one small thing (see under 'Bad').

Good: the characters, the different human societies, the alien Geck, the writing, the way Ingray slowly learned what she was ( Read more... )

This sounded good so I went on the waiting list for it at a the library. I picked it up yesterday.

SO DISAPPOINTED.

Crap style. Seriously bad writer. Short sentences. Choppy and disconnected. Many with no verbs. Present tense is OK for good writers. But not bad ones.

Did this guy have an editor? I ask myself.

Can't cope. Giving up.

Also posted ( Read more... )

Since someone has this book on their reading list, I thought I'd finally get round to expressing my opinion of it before I take it to the SPCA charity shop ( Read more... )

This is a slightly incomplete list as I know I read more swap books from the local second-hand bookshop but I can't remember them all. I've bolded my top three. The first is there because although I hated the murder aspect the description of the artist character is just brilliant; the other two are highly recommended although they're very different ( Read more... )

From nwhyte via communicator, the 'best' SF and fantasy novels of the 20th and 21st centuries from the Locus poll. Bold means I've read it, italic means I didn't finish it, and struck out means I didn't like it.

( The list )

Remember the Itty-Bitty-Kitty Committee kitten who got adopted by Vorkosigan fans and renamed Miles (along with sister Cordelia)? There's a picture of him curled up beside the book Young Miles in this Itty-Bitty-Kitty Committee postAnd I think I've either broken a toe or sprained it badly. OUCHIES! I did it at work when I slipped on some water in ( Read more... )

I wrote pitifully little in 2011 but I read about 80 books. I can only list 69 of them here because almost all came from the library and my on-line reading history isn't complete (for the first time ever): several just say "no information available". I have no idea what's missing. The Patrick O'Brian books I own, the entire collection bought second ( Read more... )

I went to the doctor yesterday and now have antibiotics; I already feel a bit better. I hope I'm a lot better tomorrow at work. I don't think huge bouts of coughing give a good impression ( Read more... )

For those who wanted to know: this was a great book: a fun, quick read full of fannish geekiness, black humour, lots of Trek, and with a hero called Jim Pike. I've been feeling down this week and it made me laugh a lot. I'd recommend it to anyone (especially Star Trek fans) who doesn't have a deep attachment to Houston. ;-)

Also posted on ( Read more... )