I’m currently rebuilding the website as the old one got totally messed up when i was playing around with things (no idea what happened).
So i thought that while it was a total clusterfuck mess of SQL, i would take the opportunity to give it a whole new life and everything.
So if you go clicking on things you might find that very strange things happen. Don’t moan, i know a lot of things are broken, i’m working on it, it takes time.
I’ve got tons of old posts and pages from three websites that i’m working through and will be gradually posting all the stuff i want to keep on here while fixing all the broken things as i go through, one post, one page, at a time.
On top of doing all that, i will, of course, be continuing to add more new content and my latest posts will always appear directly below.
Or, if you prefer, you can also follow me on Twitter and Pinterest where i put a link to all new posts.
Enjoy
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory — Martha Wells
Following on from Exit Strategy, a very short short-story about Murderbot and Dr. Mensah getting back to Preservation after the kidnapping.
Next up is Network Effect.
Martha’s Page
#scifi #marthawells
Exit Strategy — Martha Wells
And the train that calls itself Murderbot just keeps on a rolling. Murderbot is relentless: brilliant fun all the way through. Murderbot is definitely one of the best AI’s i’ve ever encountered — up there with Joseph R. Lallo’s Ma.
And it’s non-stopping straight into-ing Home for more Murderbot shenanigans.
Martha’s Page
#scifi #marthawells
All Systems Red — Martha Wells
Before you begin this, do read Compulsory to get a quick introduction to our main protagonist, Murderbot.
All Systems Red finds Murderbot hired out to a planetary survey team who really don’t seem to be needing much looking after, after all, there’s no dangerous fauna or flora on this planet and all the members of the survey team are all nice and friendly. So Murderbot spends most of his time downloading and watching all its favourite TV shows, that is until suddenly things start going very wrong and life threatening to the survey team he is supposed to be protecting.
On top of this, the survey team also find out that Murderbot has hacked its control unit and is, and never has been, under their control.
While only 1352 Kindle loc points long, this novella really packs it in and is just lots of that non-stop story telling from the get-go. There’s a reason this book has so many accolades:
Winner: 2018 Hugo Award for Best Novella
Winner: 2018 Nebula Award for Best Novella
Winner: 2018 Alex Award
Winner: 2018 Locus Award
One of the Verge’s Best Books of 2017
A New York Times and USA Today Bestseller
Super good and now it’s straight into Artificial Condition, for more Murderbot adventures.
Martha’s Page
#scifi #marthawells
Compulsory — Martha Wells
The prequel to the Murderbot Diaries.
“As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure.”
Yes, it’s only a short story, but it’s a great introduction to the series and our main protagonist, the Murderbot. It’s certainly got me instantly wanting to dive into the rest of the series, so it’s certainly done it’s job as a prequel.
So now there’s nothing left to do but get reading the actual first book in the series, All Systems Red.
Published in Wired, where you can read it for free.
Martha’s Page
#scifi #marthawells
A Hazardous Engagement — Gaie Sebold
I read Gaie’s first two books, Babylon Steel and Dangerous Gifts, quite a while ago now and thoroughly enjoyed them, so it was good to come back and enjoy some more of Gaie’s writing.
Other than the lack of brothels and sex (can’t have everything we like), this book is certainly just as enjoyable, well written, with great characters, and certainly a must read for anyone who has enjoyed Gaie’s earlier books.
Gaie’s Page
#fantasy #gaiesebold
A Master of Djinn — P. Djèlí Clark
The fourth book in the Dead Djinn Universe and carrying straight on from where The Haunting of Tram Car 015 left off, with all our favourite characters involved, this really is some great writing.
This trilogy has been my first taste of Djèlí’s writing and i’m very impressed. His imagination is excellent and his ability to put that imagination into words for all us avid readers is simply marvellous. I’m certainly going to be reading more of his work in the future: i’m hooked.
All in all, a wonderful blend of steampunk, fantasy and folklore all thrown into an alternative history in Cairo with lots of shenanigans mixed will in. And it’s great to have main protagonists who are strong women, from different religions, who also happen to be in a same sex relationship.
P. Djèlí Clark’s Page
#fantasy #steampunk #lgbtq #pdjeliclark
The Haunting of Tram Car 015 — P. Djèlí Clark
The third book in the Dead Djinn Universe, and is very similar to A Dead Djinn in Cairo, although with mostly different characters and a lot more pages to enjoy.
Once again, wonderfully written, keeps on a moving, interesting characters, great descriptions.
The only thing left to do is to read A Master of Djinn, which is a rather good length novel that i’m so looking forward to devouring.
P. Djèlí Clark’s Page
#fantasy #steampunk #pdjeliclark
The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington — P. Djèlí Clark
In the anthology, The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Vol 13.
Nine short chapters, each one a comment on each one of Washington’s false teeth that were taken from the mouths of dead slaves, with a nice touch of Djèlí style fantasy added to each.
I wonder how many people actually know that Washington was an avid enslaver of other human beings and owned over 577 slaves during his lifetime? These things should be told as they should never, ever, be forgotten and Washington’s name should always be associated with the evil he truly embodied in his actions and attitudes towards other human beings throughout his life.
P. Djèlí Clark’s Page
#fantasy #pdjeliclark
A Dead Djinn in Cairo — P. Djèlí Clark
The first book in the Dead Djinn Universe, and what a good start it was. While it’s only a short story, 36 pages, it’s a very good short story and is packed with great hints as to what the rest of the series is going to be like in this alternative fantasy/steampunk Cairo.
The title gives the beginning away in that a Dead Djinn is found in Cairo by its lover. A special investigator from the “Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities” is brought in with a police inspector to investigate and then it’s just non stop until the end.
Then once you’re at the end of this i can’t imagine that any reader wouldn’t want to dive straight into The Angel of Khan el-Khalili, which is the next book in the series.
Great writing, great characters and just plain good stuff for those who like their fantasy mixed up with steampunk elements.
P. Djèlí Clark’s Page
#fantasy #steampunk #pdjeliclark
Ring Shout — P. Djèlí Clark
A reimagining of a most sickening and horrific history in that supernatural, fantastical, Djèlí style.
This book really made me feel deeply for people who have been — and still are being — treated in such barbaric ways simply for the colour of their skin. Racism cannot ever be allowed to succeed.
What struck me in this book is the end, where Maryse is sent back out their to cut down the next outbreak of racism. It reminded me of the United Kingdom, we stood up and beat down the National Front and the BNP and other vile racist groups back in the 20th century, and here we are in the 21st century with more of these sick and twisted fuckheads sprouting ever more groups to spread their hatred. But, as Djèlí says in the writing of this book, we cannot meet hatred with hatred, if we lower ourselves to their level we become exactly what they want us to be. We are better than that, we are better than them.
Djèlí’s writing is superb throughout and it’s hardly any wonder that it received the following accolades:
A 2021 Nebula Award Winner
A 2021 Locus Award Winner
A New York Times Editor’s Choice Pick!
A Booklist Editor’s Choice Pick!
A 2021 Hugo Award Finalist
A 2021 World Fantasy Award Finalist
A 2021 Ignyte Award Finalist
A 2021 Shirley Jackson Award Finalist
A 2021 AAMBC Literary Award Finalist
A 2021 British Fantasy Award Finalist
A 2021 Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy Award Nominee
A 2020 SIBA Award Finalist
A Goodreads Choice Award Finalist
Named a Best of 2020 Pick for NPR | Library Journal | Book Riot | LitReactor | Bustle | Polygon | Washington Post
And now i only have one of Djèlí’s books left to read, and that is If the Martians Have Magic from 2021.
P. Djèlí Clark’s Page
#fantasy #pdjeliclark
Fiction
. . .me thinks it’s a good time to re-read Asimov.
Nonfiction
Nonfiction
