I have a broad range of interests which is reflected in my reading. I generally read Sci-fi and Fantasy for relaxation, with some historical fiction.
This link opens in a pop-up window
On the planet Winter, there is no gender. The Gethenians can become male or female …
I've been looking forward to this book for some time. I decided to read the Hainish series in the order they were published.
The first ever collection of Iain Banks’s short fiction, this volume includes the acclaimed novella, …
I wasn't aware this was a book of short stories when I began reading. I was reading it for the title story but did thoroughly enjoy the other stories as well. The State of the Art story (approximately half of the book) was a interesting addition to the Culture series being set on 1970's Earth. Seeing the Culture's view of earth and our messy contradictions helps position their understanding of reality and morality.
I enjoyed this book from cover to cover. The six stories are diverse but each are close and personal. Dealing with changing world and society is the main connecting theme with characters looking into the future while reflecting on the past, near and distant.
I enjoyed all of the stories but particularly 'A Merger in Corn Country' by Danielle Arostegui, about an old farmer learning to change with the world and work together with new people and new ideas. 'Coriander' by Ana Sun, was also very good as the protagonist seeks to reconnect with their culture and family history.
They call him father, liberator, warlord, Reaper. But he feels a boy as he falls …
Definitely darker than the original trilogy. I didn't seem to enjoy it quite as much as previous books but I'm not 100% why (entirely possible it was to do with real life issues rather than the book). It has an air of what happens after the happy ending, which is interesting.
They call him father, liberator, warlord, Reaper. But he feels a boy as he falls …
Looking forward to this book. I had a break after reading the first trilogy and ready to get back into the world. I'm a few chapters in and can see tensions building between groups already.
Anarchism is the boldest of revolutionary social movements to emerge from the struggle against capitalism, it aims for a world …
Hubert Vernon Rudolph Clayton Irving Wilson Alva Anton Jeff Harley Timothy Curtis Cleveland Cecil Ollie Edmund Eli Wiley Marvin Ellis …
The Earth colony of Landin has been stranded on Werel for ten years. But ten of Werel's years are over …
How do we manage to transition to a more sustainable world without the collapse of …
This is a detailed book that starts with the huge benefits society has gained from the rise of capitalism while highlighting the obvious downsides. The author then moves on to explain that everything Capitalism has accomplished is based entirely on harnessing new and cheaper forms of energy, staring with wood, through charcoal, coal and oil. This pulse of energy that built capitalism is coming to an end with fossil fuels ultimately running out and how we are unable to afford to continue there use in the face of climate change. A comprehensive argument is made that renewable energy will not and cannot replace the cheap energy we are now reliant on and how capitalism cannot survive the impending drop in available energy due to it's need for growth. Unlike similar books, a small section at the end proposes a way forward to a sustainable future.
I found the book compelling …
This is a detailed book that starts with the huge benefits society has gained from the rise of capitalism while highlighting the obvious downsides. The author then moves on to explain that everything Capitalism has accomplished is based entirely on harnessing new and cheaper forms of energy, staring with wood, through charcoal, coal and oil. This pulse of energy that built capitalism is coming to an end with fossil fuels ultimately running out and how we are unable to afford to continue there use in the face of climate change. A comprehensive argument is made that renewable energy will not and cannot replace the cheap energy we are now reliant on and how capitalism cannot survive the impending drop in available energy due to it's need for growth. Unlike similar books, a small section at the end proposes a way forward to a sustainable future.
I found the book compelling while not entirely agreeing with all points. However the general concept is well argued.
Earth-scientist Rocannon has been leading an ethnological survey on a remote world populated by three native races: the cavern-dwelling Gdemiar, …
A sobering read highlighting the predicament we find ourselves in. Every aspect of modernity is built upon cheap reliable energy, predominantly oil. Like it or not this is coming to an end. Even without efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, oil reserves will come to and end or at least become uneconomic (from an energy perspective) to extract.
The first half of the book gives an excellent explanation of the benefits of oil and how and why it directly lead to huge jumps in technology and globalisation. It then explains why there are (almost) no alternatives to fill the gap it will leave when we stop using it. It then explains in detail the affects on climate, and finally how we need to redesign society to account for a future without abundant cheap energy.
"Red Rising thrilled readers and announced the presence of a talented new author. Golden Son changed the game and took …
In the tradition of Octavia Butler, radical self-help, society-help, and planet-help to shape the futures …
I enjoyed many of the ideas and concepts in this book. That said, I didn't find it an easy read. I found much of it disjointed and difficult to focus on the core points. I did enjoy the extensive use of examples from nature to illustrate points, although some don't stand up to too much scrutiny. My key takeaway was the analogy or natural systems... A bee can't be a bee without flowers, trees, fungi and birds... Successful movements also need to strengthen connections between diverse people and communities, even/especially those who we may disagree with.
