"Way Station" by Clifford D. Simak

We often talk about older people in terms of all the technological advances they've seen come and go, and in that respect, Enoch is an example of that but through a more alien process than aging. Enoch is also enduring a semi-forced isolation, so although he does have a bit of human contact, his life is likely more lonely than most people's. Enoch runs a way station, which is basically a pitstop for aliens on their way to different galaxies. For a variety of reasons, these aliens often don't fulfill his hunger for social contact.

Though I put this book in my Action/Adventure category, much of this book is static rather than dynamic. It takes a while to figure out the what and whys of Enoch's situation, but Mr. Simak does an excellent job to keep you in suspense with his use of multiple perspectives. This book was published in 1963, and though there were a few aspects that didn't age well this felt relatively fresh in terms of concept and execution.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Enoch Wallace is an ageless hermit, striding across his untended farm as he has done for over a century, still carrying the gun with which he had served in the Civil War. But what his neighbors must never know is that, inside his unchanging house, he meets with a host of unimaginable friends from the farthest stars.
'More than a hundred years before, an alien named Ulysses had recruited Enoch as the keeper of Earth's only galactic transfer station. Now, as Enoch studies the progress of Earth and tends the tanks where the aliens appear, the charts he made indicate his world is doomed to destruction. His alien friends can only offer help that seems worse than the dreaded disaster. Then he discovers the horror that lies across the galaxy...'

In the vaguest way possible, Way Station did remind me of the Innkeeper Chronicles just due to a similar concept. However, beneath the surface they are very different beasts books. Way Station has much more of a somber tone to it, while you can read Clean Sweep without feeling fatalistic or very sad at all. The reason I bother to mention it was someone mentioning Way Station and Clean Sweep were similar is why I picked Way Station up in the first place.

The only things that really bugged me with this novel were the ways and words used to describe a disabled female character who doesn't talk or hear. In 1963, a lot of words we consider offensive now weren't thought of as such, but it bugged me enough to knock down my rating by half a star. The character, Lucy was portrayed as a bit of a child of the Earth/pixie dreamgirl rather than a fully fleshed character, so that was also on my mind as I finished this.

Way Station is a standalone that incorporates many aspects of science fiction into an easy to digest package. As I mentioned before, it isn't the cheeriest book, but it has a lot of moments where I stopped to think about some of the modern day connotations this book has, even with its age. If you like sci-fi that makes you think and doesn't take very long to read, Way Station may be a good choice for your next book.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for an excellent, but pensive sci-fi novel.

Age Advisory: Ages 16+ for domestic and other abuse.

Page Count: 236 pages

"A Fall of Moondust" by Arthur C. Clarke

A Sci-Fi Summer Reading Challenge Pick

This book pre-dates Apollo 11, but it speculates as to what problems humans might encounter if we colonized the moon and made it into a semi-attractive tourist destination (imagine that). I think the most interesting aspects of the book are the hypotheses as to what the surface of the moon would be like. In this book's case, Mr. Clarke makes the surface covered with moondust, a mercury like substance that causes many, many issues for the people on board the tourist cruiser Selene.

The basic plot is that this tourist cruiser encounters an issue while touring a scenic area, resulting in them being buried in moondust. Because the cruiser can't communicate (it's covered in dust), and there is no way to exit the cruiser without the bus being flooded with moondust, the people inside are pretty helpless. Their only chance at survival is finding a way to communicate with the outside world, or have someone stumble upon them (which is fairly hard to imagine, given the moondust leveled out above them). Their captain conspires to keep everyone calm by spewing niceties like, "Help is on the way," (not a direct quote, but the general sentiment) when he really would rather have a mental breakdown without everyone else freaking out as well.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Time is running out for the passengers and crew of the tourist cruiser Selene, incarcerated in a sea of choking lunar dust. On the surface, her rescuers find their resources stretched to the limit by the mercilessly unpredictable conditions of a totally alien environment.'

If I cared much for the characters, this book might've been a more interesting read for me. As it is, though I read this book fairly recently, I can't recall any of the character's names. I was upset at some of the portrayals of characters (like a troublesome unwed spinster, and a doctor who was basically the token person of color for the book), because they were fairly flat and hadn't aged well. I think Mr. Clarke meant well by adding an Aboriginal Australian doctor and going off on a tangent midway through the book about how poorly they had been treated by the white settlers, but honestly, it felt forced, not like it was meant to be part of the book.

Lastly, I have something good to report- the author's writing is beautiful. There were many times I was tempted to highlight an entire page of my Kindle (3+ paragraphs) because Mr. Clarke simply has a gift with words, and his musings about space and life in general just jump out of the page, and fit in well with the book.

            My favorite quote:

Ever and again one seemed to glimpse strange shapes moving at the edge of vision, beyond the narrow range of the lights. It was pure imagination, of course; nothing moved in all this land except the shadows of the sun and earth. There could be no ghosts upon a world that had never known life.

           ~A Fall of Moondust by Arthur C. Clarke, somewhere in Chapter 3 Kindle edition.

A Fall of Moondust is a space disaster fiction that reminds you of the plight of the Titanic, but on a smaller scale. The writing was eloquent, but in contrast, the characters failed to rise to the occasion. If I had cared a mite about what happened to the characters, this book would've been absolutely gripping, but I ended up reading this more as a puzzle-solving venture, as I was uninterested in the plight of the characters. I recommend A Fall of Moondust to those who love technical elements of sci-fi, even if the characters don't necessarily interest them.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a solid vintage sci-fi with characters that simply were.

Age Advisory: Ages 14+ for mild swearing and horror-esque themes, in addition to out of date stereotypes (there were robo-secretaries that were always female, among other eyeroll worthy moments).

Page Count: 224 pages

"Tuf Voyaging" by George R.R. Martin

A Sci-Fi Summer Reading Challenge Pick

This isn't your average novel and not only because it isn't written by your average novelist- Tuf Voyaging is a series of long short stories involving the same character as the hero, told in sequential order. I'm usually not the first reader on board with seemingly endless space adventures (especially if they don't seem to have a point to them), but with Tuf's travels, there are some common themes that do give this book a sort of elegance as well as an amiable conclusion. Though these are short stories, there are recurring characters other than Tuf and his feline faculty, so there is more to this book than simple space exploration and aid to troubled planets.

If you don't like cats, most of the fun of this book will be lost on you. There are many references to the various and sometimes mysterious ways that cats influence our lives. I think many people who have experience with the feline species will know what I'm talking about- cats may be lazy, playful, friendly, or standoffish, but they also have a part of their personality that is distinctly "cat", and Mr. Martin does a great job of embellishing that trait in this adventure.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Now back in print after almost ten years, Tuf Voyaging is the story of quirky and endearing Haviland Tuf, an unlikely hero just trying to do right by the galaxy, one planet at a time.
'Haviland Tuf is an honest space-trader who likes cats. So how is it that, in competition with the worst villains the universe has to offer, he’s become the proud owner of a seedship, the last remnant of Earth’s legendary Ecological Engineering Corps? Never mind; just be thankful that the most powerful weapon in human space is in good hands—hands which now have the godlike ability to control the genetic material of thousands of outlandish creatures.
'Armed with this unique equipment, Tuf is set to tackle the problems that human settlers have created in colonizing far-flung worlds: hosts of hostile monsters, a population hooked on procreation, a dictator who unleashes plagues to get his own way . . . and in every case, the only thing that stands between the colonists and disaster is Tuf’s ingenuity—and his reputation as a man of integrity in a universe of rogues.'

I love that this novel brings the joy of the summer sci-fi movies into book form. Sure, there's not really any beautiful heroines or handsome heroes, but there is a lot of fun to be had in this book- something I wasn't quite expecting, given the author's penchant for darkness. You can find gray morality in this book, but you can also find subtle humor and dialogue that had me highlighting as if my fingers were dipped in yellow. The author's prose boasts the same witticisms that made Tyrion Lannister everyone's favorite Lannister- just directed more toward the niche audience of the cat lovers.

I have to admit one thing- Haviland Tuf is a great problem solver. Somehow, in this book, though, he seemed to be a bit too predictable with his problem solving, and I knew what changes he would bring about from the moment he's confronted with the problem. That's a good thing, because it shows Mr. Martin's characters do make a lot of sense in what actions they take, but it also means Tuf was a bit too transparent to the reader from the very beginning. Tuf is a vegetarian, a feline lover, and also incredibly logical- those traits factor into all his choices in the book. If I had been a bit more surprised by those choices, it would've been a better read for me.

A little political humor for your pre-election pleasure:

"The blame lies entirely with me, sir," Tuf said when it happened. "I failed to remember that you are by training a bureaucrat, and thus good for virtually nothing."

            ~Tuf Voyaging by George R.R. Martin, page 353 Kindle edition

Tuf Voyaging proves that every cat has a "touch of psi" (George was haunting me as I read it- likely he knew what I was reading). It deserves ludicrous amounts of praise from me, given it put a smile on my face and kept me reading even as I navigated a tough day of dealing with my various medical conundrums. At the same time, it was a tad too predictable, because Tuf was true to his character to the point of certain choices becoming inevitable. If you want a sci-fi without too much darkness and with plenty of cats, I recommend Tuf Voyaging for your reading consideration.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for an excellent sci-fi romp for the cat-savvy reader!

Age Advisory: Ages 16+ for lapses in freedoms, animal neglect/abuse, dangerous monsters who bring a touch of gore to this book, and even more dangerous sentient beings.

Page Count: 449 pages of feline fun

"Restoree" by Anne McCaffrey

A Sci-Fi Summer Reading Challenge Pick

If you're a McCaffrey lover like me, you'll probably be expecting a book that, despite its cover, will wow you with a strong heroine, a strange planet, and a variety of alien species. It won't feed into any of the old book stereotypes (i.e. sexism, racism, etc.) because McCaffrey was very ahead of her time, right?

If the above is the case with you, this is not the book you're looking for. This is one of McCaffrey's early works (1967) that shows some of the promise she would eventually live up to, but also includes some things that made me squirm while reading it. There are other books I'd recommend before this one if you're new to McCaffrey, mainly The Rowan, which continues to be my favorite.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Sara had been torn from Earth by a nameless black force and taken to Lothar where she was forced to care for a strange man, who she discovered was the Regent. She escaped in panic, and become a fugitive in a world of multiple evils....'

The above synopsis is misleading, but the gist of the story is Sara gets snatched from Earth by aliens, ends up in a mental recovery center caring for someone who she notices isn't quite as mentally handicapped as his keepers portray him to be. Eventually she finds out that Harlan, the man she's caring for, is one of the men in charge of the planet she's now on. Another thing- her appearance has changed quite drastically.

Sara's appearance changing is one of my main nitpicks with this book. Before with her "awkward" appearance, it was clear no man would ever love her. Because love is always based on appearance. Luckily, the aliens warped her into looking alien (golden skin, but overall human appearance), correcting her nose and "awkward self" so she looked just shy of inhumanly beautiful. It's like an Ugly Duckling story.

To quote the cover, this is what the book is about:

In another body on another world, Sara risked her life for a man of power and for an alien dream!

Really, what it should have said is, "Stay away Litha, stay away- you'll never like this one as much as you have Anne McCaffrey's other books," because that is the case. What I thought would be a fun read ended up being a bit of a disappointment- not because I didn't enjoy some parts, but because I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as her other works.

Restoree just didn't meet my expectations. For a sci-fi romance, it's still a good read, but I had a different idea of what it should be about (more sci-fi action, less romantic). However, if you happen to like heroines who go through Ugly Duckling transformations to meet the man of their dreams on an alien planet, I suppose this one might be for you.

Rating: 3 of 5 Stars for a good sci-fi romance that I don't really recommend.

Content: Ages 16+ for cut-away sex scenes, violence, and shallow mindedness, at points.

Page Count: 256 pages

"Adulthood Rites (Xenogenesis #2)" by Octavia E. Butler

This review is of a book that is the 2nd in the Xenogenesis Trilogy. There may be *are* spoilers for those of you who haven't read Dawn. My review for the first book in the series, Dawn, is here.

I bemoaned that the first book in this trilogy was very clearly a series starter- but now that I've read this book, it feels more like a prequel. While I never felt I could fully connect with Lilith due to her strange (but explainable) behavior, this book offers a new perspective on the aliens vs. humanity argument via her son Akin (A-keen), a human alien hybrid (called a construct in this book).

Akin brings us a somewhat neutral perspective. While he is logical enough to understand the aliens' refusal to grant humans their fertility back, he also gets to see what it is like to be a human on Earth, which isn't all that peachy. Personally, I find Ms. Butler's interpretation of humanity's reaction on the milder end of things- but then again, the aliens/Oooloi had messed with their bodies, so who knows what else may have been tweaked?

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'In this sequel to Dawn, Lilith Iyapo has given birth to what looks like a normal human boy named Akin. But Akin actually has five parents: a male and female human, a male and female Oankali, and a sexless Ooloi. The Oankali and Ooloi are part of an alien race that rescued humanity from a devastating nuclear war, but the price they exact is a high one the aliens are compelled to genetically merge their species with other races, drastically altering both in the process.
'On a rehabilitated Earth, this "new" race is emerging through human/Oankali/Ooloi mating, but there are also "pure" humans who choose to resist the aliens and the salvation they offer.These resisters are sterilized by the Ooloi so that they cannot reproduce the genetic defect that drives humanity to destroy itself, but otherwise they are left alone (unless they become violent).
'When the resisters kidnap young Akin, the Oankali choose to leave the child with his captors, for he the most "human" of the Oankali children will decide whether the resisters should be given back their fertility and freedom, even though they will only destroy themselves again.'

As you may have guessed, due to his being a construct, Akin is a bit different from your average toddler. He is basically an adult in a toddler's body, but he has the physical limits of a toddler, making it hard to escape when he's kidnapped. He is also conscious enough to the ways of the human to know they'll be freaked out by a baby who's talking in full sentences to speak as little as possible when he's with the resisters.

I could write about the themes in this book all day long: it's really a great thinking book. Racial prejudice, consent (of the sexual variation), and pretty much everything to do with what it means to be human is covered. What makes it hard to fully hash out those themes is I am a loather of review spoilers (because I choose to spoil myself on books all the time) and so I'm left shrugging my shoulders on what to share. Needless to say, the logical construct Akin finds racism most puzzling.

Adulthood Rites is a clear improvement on Dawn, which felt largely unresolved and more like a prequel than an actual book. Although I was exceedingly impressed with the themes in the first book, Adulthood Rites took those themes and ran with them. If you like science fiction that makes you think on things while reading, without being overbearing in page count, I recommend Adulthood Rites for your next read- as long as you've read Dawn first.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for an excellent sci-fi sequel that outshone the previous book!

Content: Ages 18+ since you have to read Dawn first, which is more intense with its violence and sexual content.

Page Count: 277 pages

"Dawn (Xenogenesis #1)" by Octavia E. Butler

This is the first book I read in 2015, both because of #VintageSciFi (which entails reading a science fiction that is older than you during January) and because I've never read a book by Octavia Butler, and that was one of my goals for 2015.

My first impression of this book was that it would make a fairly simple read. I liked that it was easy to dive into: you only have a few characters to start with, and only one of those is human and therefore the one you're 'rooting for'. Lilith was a bit difficult to get to know, but I think it had something to do with the setting. You don't learn much about Lilith's former life other than her family, and because she is on board an alien vessel, she's more than a little withdrawn. As the book progresses, more of her personality emerges, but she also has some changes to her personality.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Lilith lyapo awoke from a centuries-long sleep to find herself aboard the vast spaceship of the Oankali. Creatures covered in writhing tentacles, the Oankali had saved every surviving human from a dying, ruined Earth. They healed the planet, cured cancer, increased strength, and were now ready to help Lilith lead her people back to Earth--but for a price.'

Although Dawn is science fiction, it's clearly more about civilization as we know it. Themes like what it means to be human, basic human rights, and fighting for control over your own destiny surface throughout. In a way, the author's prose reminds me of Margaret Atwood's- sparse and simple, but it can cut into you in an instant.

The aliens of this book, the Oankali, have chosen Lilith to be a metaphorical 'mother' for a new era of humanity. She is to guide and teach other humans how to survive on what's left of Earth. The only problem? The Oankali have plans that Lilith vehemently disagrees with. She has little choice in this book, but what she does choose makes me alternate between cringing and cheering. Lilith is a pretty complicated heroine.

A favorite snippet:

She did not own herself any longer. Even her flesh could be cut and stitched without her consent or knowledge.

           ~Dawn by Octavia E. Butler, page 6 Kindle edition

Dawn is unabashedly the first book in a series. You aren't left with a cliffhanger, but if I didn't have the next books in the series, I'd be fuming now. Nonetheless, what I read intrigued me greatly and I'll be continuing to follow the series, perhaps even within the next few weeks. If you have all the books in this series and enjoy science fiction with a slice of new world order-ish themes, Dawn may be the book for you.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars for a great, vintage sci-fi series starter!

Content: Ages 18+ for sexual misconduct, violence, and derogatory words.

Page Count: 248 pages

"Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #1)" by Ilona Andrews

Full Disclosure: I only read this book because it was written by Ilona Andrews. I wasn't terribly interested in the plot or the cover, but then again, when I picked up Magic Bites, I wasn't *that* into urban fantasy, either. Since I've become an Ilona Andrews fangirl, all their books are on my Amazon wishlist, and this one had a recent price plunge. Given I'm in a rather 'meh' book mood, I assumed it couldn't hurt to read something by some authors I stalk.

Although this isn't technically like Written in Red, it gave me the same impression from the start. We have a lone heroine who runs an inn for some mysterious characters (at this point, only one). When dogs in her neighborhood start getting killed off, she decides to take action, especially when the werewolf in her neighborhood won't get involved. So what's a normal human woman to do? Perhaps things aren't as they seem...

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is...different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, "normal" is a bit of a stretch for Dina.
'And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night....Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything.'

My favorite part of the book is... things aren't as they seem. I love that there's a bit of a mystery aspect to this book with regards to its paranormal content. More than that, there's plenty of snark to be had, an old sentient mansion (love that), and most importantly, a shih tzu. Why most importantly?

Tsuki and Torrie: Camping Canines

Back when Torrie was a freshly adopted beastie, we had another older dog named Tsuki, who was a shih tzu mix. I had adopted Tsuki when he was 15 (unbeknownst to my mother and I), and I was 16 at the time. It had come as a shock he was 15, and I made him promise me he would live a year. He lived to be a month shy of 18 years old. Shih tzus, for all their fluff, are tough little things- and I was glad to see that feature exhibited in Beast, the female shih tzu in Clean Sweep.

Beyond that, I just liked the way the characters interacted- Ilona Andrews is great at making me laugh and making characters come to life. Dina really doesn't want the help Sean wants to give her, but she gets it anyway. The mysterious killings kind of took a backseat to that, so in a way this book was character driven- not a bad thing, in my opinion.

Clean Sweep is an absolutely flipping adorable urban fantasy read. I finished it with a smile on my face- more than I can say for most of my reads, which sometimes leave me with mixed feelings. However, it was on the short side, and being a lover of longer books, I had wanted a little extra- a little extra I'll have to get whenever I get my hands on Sweep in Peace, the next book in the series. So if you like urban fantasy and don't mind some sci-fi crossover, I recommend you look no further than Clean Sweep.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for a read that brightened my day!

Content: Ages 16+ for violence.

Page Count: 235 pages

"Kutath (The Faded Sun #3)" by C.J. Cherryh

This is the third (and final) book in The Faded Sun Trilogy, and there may be are spoilers in the review for those of you who haven't read the first two books. For a spoiler free review, check out my take on Kesrith, the first book of the trilogy.

Having finally arrived on Kutath during the course of Shon'jir, Sten Duncan's 'coming of mri' has been accomplished, but getting a planet-full of mri used to a human who two mri have accepted as one of them? That takes some time to achieve, and that's how this book begins, along with that pesky armada of human/regul allies arriving to disturb the peace.

Although some people may have been perturbed by the last book's inclusion of vacant (yet habitable) planets leading to Kutath, I really didn't think it was that sinister. I realize in this sci-fi universe, things might not work under the same rules as our universe, but there are planets capable of life that simply have no lifeforms adrift in our universe. Finding several in a row in a universe capable of intergalactic travel might be eerie, but the way that it was emphasized in this book was a bit out of hand, in my opinion.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'When the Mri, a proud and noble race of warriors serving as mercenaries in exchange for a planet to call home, confront the human enemies of their employers, they encounter a method of warfare alien to their system of honor. No match for the Mri one to one, despite their similar physiology, the humans fight without honor, driving the Mri to extinction with superior numbers and firepower. Both the humans and the regul - former employers of the Mri whose trade disputes with humans sparked the war in which the Mri were slaughtered - see them as nothing more than professional warriors, the most dangerous killers in the galaxy. They take no prisoners, they have no fear of death, they keep the company of dangerous beasts. And yet there is a deep and powerful truth at the heart of Mri culture, hidden even to the warriors, who are the hand of contact with the outside world. True secrets of Mri culture have never been known to the outside, until one human being makes direct, personal contact. To understand their ways, he will have to become more Mri than human....'

We learn some interesting factoids about Reguls in this book. From previous books, I've learned Regul elders are the only valuable Reguls- if they are Regul young, and remain sexless (yep, that's a thing) they can be killed/neglected with almost entire impunity. Regul young are almost like drones of the beehive, as they still are capable of movement, so they do the physical work, while the Regul elders are almost completely reliant on their 'sleds' (think space age Hoverounds). When some unfortunate circumstances transpire in this book, some of the Regul young are spurred into their puberty/sexual maturation, which led me to this Goodreads update. Luckily for the Regul, they can choose their biological sex as they go through their maturation process, although they pretty much are only capable of 'breeding' for a short time after they hit puberty.

My relationship with Melein has been slightly ambivalent due to having no chapters written from her perspective, but with Kutath, it seems my impressions of her have improved. She seemed so soulless in the last book, but you get to see more of why she keeps that facade in this book, when tough decisions come knocking. I think of the mri, I obviously prefer Niun, as he shows the most emotion, but Melein comes a close second due to her queen-bee-ness in this book.

Kutath is as excellent as I thought it would be, but I had hoped for a bit more. Nonetheless, this series has proven itself to be an engaging science fiction expedition for those of us fascinated with alien species and diplomacy. If you find yourself craving something like epic fantasy, but set in space, look no further than The Faded Sun Trilogy.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for an excellent conclusion to an excellent sci-fi trilogy!

Content: Ages 16+ for violence, non-graphic Regul breeding, and questionable use of explosives.

Page Count: 256 pages

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy #1)" by Douglas Adams

The beginning of this book didn't impress me near as much as the second half- and I have my childhood experience of watching the movie to blame for it. Sometimes watching the movie does ruin the book, and for me, it did greatly affect my perception of the first half of the book, so naturally I didn't have the best first impressions. The movie version made little to no sense to me, having watched it when I was roughly 13 years old with little grasp of satire- you have to have a slightly peculiar sense of humor to realize some of the more subtle moments in this book.

Beyond that, I have become less tolerant over the years of the basic absence of female characters in some (usually older) sci-fi/fantasy books. So when the book has basically one 'main' female character, and you're used to reading books teeming with female characters, as it is your preference... let's say you miss all those badass ladies. If you don't mind books with mostly male characters, you likely won't even notice, so consider this my pet peeve.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.
'Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide ("A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have") and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox--the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod's girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years.'

That said, I wish I'd read this book back in my irreverent teen years (15-18), as I would've loved this one likely more than I do now. The humor (and/or sarcasm) is right on target, as seen in this snippet from Chapter 15:

In those days spirits were brave, the stakes were high, men were real men, women were real women, and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri.

         ~The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, Chapter 15

If that's not your sort of humor, you may want to consider skipping this one. Naturally there are funnier bits, but those have longer set-ups as well as the eminent possibility of spoilers. The characters, although mostly male *sighs*, are the key to making this book what it is. Specifically, I found Marvin the Paranoid Android my favorite of the bunch, but maybe that's because I like dark humor.

If you don't own The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy yet, don't panic. You should be able to pick up a copy before you begin your universal travels begin, or, to play it safe, right after you read this review, just in case Earth is set for demolition or something absurdly strange like that. I recommend this to those who enjoy light science fiction laced with quirky humor, as long as the absence of female characters doesn't deter you.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for an excellent classic sci-fi that has more than a few laugh out loud moments!

Content: Ages 14+ for brief panicking, crimes against sperm whales, and general violence/mayhem.

Page Count: 216 pages of galactic adventures

Fair Warning: If you own a Kindle or other ereader, this book will make you zealously covet a "Don't Panic" ereader cover.

"The Martian" by Andy Weir

I was, perhaps, a little too excited for this one. I admit, reading all those positive reviews floating about the blogosphere, as a book blogger, you can't help but get more than a bit amped up to read something just about everyone is buzzing about. Because of the Snowflake and Spidersilk Bingo Card, I decided to add this as an audiobook as well, despite having the ebook version handy already.

The beginning was probably the most impressive (and immersive) part of the book for me. You get to know Mark, his situation (which doesn't look very hopeful), but you also realize how resilient he is, despite being pretty much doomed. My favorite parts to listen to were the 'meanwhile, back on Earth' bits, as the narrator did a splendid job with the voices/inflections.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—& even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—& a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?'

The parts I enjoyed most were Mark's attitude and snark, which kept me reading, even if I found him a bit too sunny for a man about to starve to death. The plot, while enthralling at points, often lost me when Mark went off the wayside with his engineering ingenuity, something I'll expound upon below. The 'back on Earth' chapters became my favorite as the book drew on, mostly because as much as Mark was an awesome protagonist, without interaction between characters, I find myself a bit bored with things.

The big issue with me is that I grew up with a father who was just about as zany as Mark when it came to everyday solutions. If something was wrong with one of our cars, he'd rather jury-rig it than go and buy a part, leading to my mom having to hotwire our van for the past several years we lived with him. So when Mark went all MacGyver, I knew what would happen, even though I couldn't grasp the science behind it. And when the cycle he got into repeated itself, all I wanted to do was this:

I did find some issues with some of the plot points/food (since I'm rather OCD about food), especially with some spoilers, which I will hide for those of you who haven't read this yet (Highlight to view): the youngest astronaut, Johanssen, is supposed to eat her crewmates if their plan to rescue Mark goes awry. The problem? They would commit suicide using pills. I'm not sure which pills they were planning to take, but even on the off chance the pills won't spoil Johanssen's meals (eww), plain old strangulation would be a better bet. Sure, that's macabre of me to even think about, but I just found it odd that detail wasn't more ironed out, since this has since been 'traditionally' published. Also, Mark eventually mentions eating 'raw potatoes'. Unless you want to be ill- NEVER eat raw potatoes. It was never mentioned that he got ill from eating them, which I find a little difficult to believe, given a little Googling leads me to suspect raw potatoes are a serious no-go.

The Martian is a fun book to read, but needed some extra polish when it comes to my other obsession, food. I loved the concept, but part of me grew tired with the incessant- "well this happened, here's this semi-probable solution I'll complete to fix it", due in part to my patriarch driving me up a wall with his own jury-rig-itis. I recommend it to those interested in space, but I'll remind you to do yourself a favor and don't jury-rig. It just ain't worth it.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars for a great space odyssey with a little too much ingenuity.

Content: Ages 16+ for swearing (including f-bombs) and the occasional sexual reference.

Page Count: 369 pages

"Shon'jir (The Faded Sun #2)" by C.J. Cherryh

This review is of a book that is the second in the Faded Sun Trilogy. There may be *ARE* spoilers for those of you who haven't read Kesrith. My review for the first book in the series, Kesrith, is here.

In the first book, the mri were a dying race. In this book, they're pretty much extinct. Although Niun and Melein are of the opposite sex, they're also related and of the wrong castes. Hope is pretty sparse for their survival, but Sten Duncan, their resident savior, is still fighting the good fight. Even though they're doomed.

Even C-3PO concurs

The Regul didn't win, but it's pretty clear the chances the mri will 'win' now are nonexistent. Between being outnumbered, the human governor's taste for an alliance, and Sten's demotion, not much is in the mri's favor. Even their sacred artifact, the silver egg-looking object, is in the hands of the humans. The dusei, however, continue to roam free, although they're no longer getting free meals at the mri compound.

The Plot:
As the last two mri cling to life in the care of humans, Sten Duncan attempts to save them from a life as test subjects. The Regul continue their machinations against him, as they try to convince the humans to rid the world of mri completely. Will Sten be able to free the mri, or will their problems be solved another way?

It isn't often that I don't empathize with a female character, but in Melein's case... it's obvious I don't care for her. Maybe in time, the reason why she alienates everyone and makes crappy decisions will be revealed, but I refuse to believe it's just because she's the she'pan and is intensely 'mri-stubborn'. I think the fact that we rarely get a look at the world through her perspective is only part of the problem, not all of it, but maybe I'm wrong.

Sten Duncan is pretty much the main character in this book. You might get a glimpse or two through Niun's perspective, as well as through the other political bigwigs (both human and Regul), but Sten is your mainstay for this book. Through the course of the book, Sten's loyalties evolve: he doesn't sit back and watch as the Regul try to reestablish their power- he fights it. And as the Regul believe everyone who happens to be younger are disposable, Sten may have an actual fight coming his way.

Shon'jir is clearly a buildup for a grand finale- and although my review doesn't reveal it, a lot happens in this book. The restive Regul (who, coincidentally, remind me of Jabba the Hutt) may have big brains, but I'm hoping the humans will wise up to what's really happening in this book. If you've read Kesrith, I would highly recommend continuing the journey with Shon'jir, as Kesrith's ending may have left you wanting.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for a sci-fi sequel that doesn't disappoint!

Content: Ages 16+ for violence, a fight for species survival, and political un-niceties.

Page Count: 253 pages

"Kesrith (The Faded Sun #1)" by C.J. Cherryh

First off, this book has a different take on the usual alien-colonizes-Earth bit, turning it around a little so that the humans are trying to colonize an alien planet, Kesrith, which belongs to the Regul and the mri, who are essentially the Regul's mercenary army. The problem with that is the mri have been decimated by the humans, who the mri think fight without honor. It becomes more apparent as the book goes on that the enemies of the mri may not be who they seem.

The mri are one of the more interesting humanoid alien species I've come across in my sci-fi adventures, mostly because of their caste system which favors females, in a way. The warriors, or kel, must keep covered in black cloth, veiling even their faces- and the kel can be male or female. The kel also aren't supposed to think for themselves, only do what they're told, when they're told to do it. This leads to some interesting situations, as the Regul aren't really concerned with what's best for the mri, despite using them rather ruthlessly.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'This is the story of three people: Sten Duncan, a soldier of humanity; Niun, last warrior of the mri, humanity's enemies; and Melein, priestess-queen of the final fallen mri stronghold. It is the story of two mighty species fighting for a galaxy, humanity driving out from Earth, and the enigmatic regul struggling to hold their stars with mri mercenaries. It is a story of diplomacy and warfare, of conspiracy and betrayal, and of three flesh-and-blood people who found themselves thrown together in a life-and-death alliance.'

What I loved best about this book is obviously the intensive worldbuilding, because it seems like that and alien politics take up half the book. Not much goes on for the first parts, other than getting to know the characters and the world around them. I must say I'm partial to the addition of the dusei, which are bear-like creatures that kind of remind me of a mountain lion-bear cross. Although I don't feel the artist does them justice on the cover, just imagine that critter but much deadlier-looking. They are natives of Kesrith, but have chosen to allow the mri to keep them as almost spiritually relevant animals.

I didn't feel like some points of the book were necessary, other than to convince you the Regul may actually have some brains to their blob-like bodies. I can't recall if it was just one chapter from the Regul perspective, but if it was just one, it was one chapter too many: everything you already knew through Niun and Sten's point-of-view chapters was reiterated through the Regul's eyes. There were also parts where Niun was completely at sea within his own thoughts, even though as a warrior, he isn't supposed to do such things. When you read this book, you know it is a start to a series due to all that worldbuilding and other introductory periods.

Kesrith may take place many galaxies away from us, but I did find myself lost in its environs and politics. Yes, there were points I wondered when the book would pick up, but when the dramatic crescendo of the story hit me, I was completely swept away. If you enjoy books set in a galaxy, preferably one far, far away, I would recommend Kesrith for your next read.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for an excellent science fiction novel that builds slowly.

Content: Ages 16+ for violence and the heartbreak of coming of age.

Page Count: 252 pages

"Crystal Singer (Crystal Singer #1)" by Anne McCaffrey

This is one of my favorite book covers

This was originally published in Roger Elwood's Continuum Series (a sci-fi anthology in 1975) and was later converted to book format (1982).

Anne McCaffrey's specialty has always been the strong heroines she seemingly effortlessly created. I'm always ready to read her books due to that, as well as the interesting sci-fi stories she always seemed to come up with. She also provides more than one love interest for the heroine, though in this case we never end up with a fully blown love triangle.

A Crystal Singer is someone who harvests (and cuts) crystals that are used for instantaneous communication in this story. They must be musically inclined to be able to cut the crystal without ruining it, and be willing to stay in the same career for the rest of their lives.

The Plot:
After ten years perfecting her voice, Killashandra Ree's dreams of being a top-rank singer are thwarted by her teacher, Maestro Valdi and a panel of vocal experts. Unable to handle the disgrace of taking a second tier job, she goes to the spaceport of her planet to travel some other place. She meets Carrik, a man of seemingly endless wealth, when both of them hear a crystal in a shuttle failing. Killashandra then vacations with him, finding out he's a Crystal Singer just as his health begins to wane, and decides she wants to become one herself. But when someone joins the Crystal Singers, they rarely, if ever, leave the planet...

When I first read this book, I really liked the heroine, but during the reread for this review her personality seemed a bit overbearing. That said, I've met many people like Killashandra Ree, so her persona isn't unrealistic, it's simply arrogant (and naive and slightly annoying). But by the end of the book, she was in my good graces again due to her bravery.

What sets this book apart from many other sci-fi novels is it's musicality. A significant aspect of this book is that the heroine has perfect pitch, and that is a requirement to be a Crystal Singer because it helps the Singer cut the crystals. More often, the qualities wanted in a main character of a book are more mundane, like being physically strong, or more supernatural, like telepathy, but in this book it's best if you have good pipes.

Crystal Singer introduces us to a world reliant on crystals for their technology, differing vastly from our reliance on manufacturing technology, in that the crystals must be mined and are naturally occurring. While it does provide a unique world concept, it often lacks a sense of urgency (and/or a save the world plot) that many other sci-fi novels embrace. If you're looking for an interesting sci-fi coming of age story, this may be your book.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars for a great science fiction adventure.

Content: Mentions of sex and mild violence, Ages 16+

Page Count: 311 pages in my edition

"The Rowan (The Tower and the Hive)" By Anne McCaffrey

This is by far my favorite Anne McCaffrey book I have had the pleasure of reading. I haven't read as many as I like, but when I find them at yard sales and thrift shops, they're an auto-buy.

The Plot:
The Rowan is the main protagonist in this novel, a toddler made orphan by carelessness of the Rowan company, who were mining the planet and decided not to evacuate the camp after ten days of monsoon-like weather, resulting in a mudslide that killed everyone in the area, save the Rowan, who was saved by the ovoid hopper she was ensconced in. The Rowan had telepathic Talent, and began broadcasting her distress to all who could receive it, distracting Primes (who transport many supplies between planets, via telekinesis) from their work. Eventually they locate her, intending to send her to Earth to be raised, however, many high-level Talents (mainly Primes) experience severe distress at being sent away to other planets, and the Rowan refuses to be transported. It is agreed she'll be raised on Altair, her home planet, and she is sent to live with a caretaker until she is "settled". For her adjustment, she is given a pukha, a toy that responds to the emotions of its ward with sensory receptors in its fur, which she christens "Purza".

It takes nine more years before they declare her adjusted enough to begin her training as a Prime. By that time, the Rowan is twelve, and oddly enough, begins to converse with Purza, even though it's just a toy, and they make it into a sort of nanny cam to track her adjustment. Two years later, the Rowan goes on vacation and strikes up a rivalry with her caretaker's niece, culminating in the destruction of Purza, and her childhood. Fortuitously, her father-figure Gerolaman, has acquired a barquecat, a futuristic tamed version of a bobcat, though they are discerning in who they choose as their owner. The barquecat soon accepts the Rowan, and she names him Rascal.

The Rowan begins her training in earnest, and is involved in training classes that will likely determine her "team" if she ever gets a Prime Tower of her own.

The main conflict in this book comes in the last hundred pages, and given that my hardcover copy is only 235 pages, I won't elaborate further on the plot. What I can tell you is this: the Rowan is one of my favorite heroines in sci-fi. She is powerful in her Talent and personality and it comes across through her actions and words, while most heroines are rather flat, and the author has to describe their personalities.

As ever, Anne's world-building is unique and multi-dimensional, though there is some info-dumping in the first chapters of the book. It's very clear she was and is the Queen of Sci-fi and Fantasy, and deservedly so. She tipped the balance so that girls like me could grow up reading about strong women in the genres, instead of their male counterparts (which, I have to point out, still manage to dominate the main publishers). It is worth noting that she passed away three years ago, and she continued to write until she died, an admirable feat.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars for a romantic space opera

Content: Sex, but not explicit; I read this as a teen and came away unscarred.

Page Count: 336 pages

R.I.P. Anne McCaffrey! Your words still resonate today.