The Internet Con is the clearest expression of Doctorow's ongoing discussions around the ways monopolies have created significant harm to the Internet and how to fix it. The explanations of both the problems and solutions are accessible, and the book was a breeze to read.
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Speculative fiction and comics enthusiast.
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2023 Reading Goal
Success! Apollo has read 24 of 24 books.
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Apollo finished reading Excellent Advice for Living by Kevin Kelly
Apollo reviewed The Internet Con by Cory Doctorow
Apollo finished reading The Internet Con by Cory Doctorow

The Internet Con by Cory Doctorow
When the tech platforms promised a future of "connection," they were lying. They said their "walled gardens" would keep us …
Apollo reviewed Dungeons and Dragons : Dungeon Academy by Tim Probert
A fun adventure and gateway to D&D
3 stars
A while back my daughter and I found a copy of Dungeon Academy: Tourney of Terror, the second book in the Dungeon Academy series, in a little library by a local playground. She insisted on bringing it home. Some of the first books I read to her were the 123s of D&D and ABCs of D&D. She also loves a D&D pop-up book, D&D miniatures, and monsters of every type. She's been on the path for embracing D&D from the start. I loved D&D most of my life and have tried to pass that on.
I got this first volume in the series this week and have given it a read. The story is charming, subverting some typical D&D tropes and presenting a fun adventure and some lessons with a light touch. It's exactly the kind of book I would have been head over heels for when I was 9 …
A while back my daughter and I found a copy of Dungeon Academy: Tourney of Terror, the second book in the Dungeon Academy series, in a little library by a local playground. She insisted on bringing it home. Some of the first books I read to her were the 123s of D&D and ABCs of D&D. She also loves a D&D pop-up book, D&D miniatures, and monsters of every type. She's been on the path for embracing D&D from the start. I loved D&D most of my life and have tried to pass that on.
I got this first volume in the series this week and have given it a read. The story is charming, subverting some typical D&D tropes and presenting a fun adventure and some lessons with a light touch. It's exactly the kind of book I would have been head over heels for when I was 9 or 10 but I suspect it can be a good fit for reading to someone younger.
I'll probably read the book to her before long and I hope she'll enjoy reading it herself when she is ready.
Apollo finished reading Dungeons and Dragons : Dungeon Academy by Tim Probert
Apollo finished reading Spice and Wolf, volume 2 by Isuna Hasekura
Apollo reviewed Spice and Wolf, volume 2 by Isuna Hasekura
Apollo reviewed Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow
A Different Kind of Thriller
4 stars
This is a kinetic thriller dealing with cryptocurrency, organized crime, and homelessness. I'm not typically drawn to thrillers without some splash of speculative fiction mixed in heavily, but Doctorow has created something special here that will bring me back for the next two novels in this series.
Apollo finished reading Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow

Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow
Martin Hench is 67 years old, single, and successful in a career stretching back to the beginnings of Silicon Valley. …
A Great Adaptation
3 stars
I started listening to The Adventure Zone podcast while this story was being played, so reading this comic was revisiting characters, story and tone I'm very familiar with. This adaptation of the first story arc of the podcast is exceptionally well done. Breaking the fourth wall with the DM was a good fit for including the dynamics of an actual play with a fun fantasy story that packs in goofs, heart and surprises.
Apollo finished reading The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins by Clint McElroy

The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins by Clint McElroy, Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, and 2 others
Apollo reviewed 100 Places to See after You Die by Ken Jennings
Apollo finished reading 100 Places to See after You Die by Ken Jennings
Apollo reviewed Dragons of Deceit by Margaret Weis
A Cracking Second Half
3 stars
This was my first Dragonlance book since I was a kid, and diving into a novel many books into the series is probably not ideal; there were probably countless characters and references I missed. The first half of the book felt a bit slow, and I was on the verge of getting bored by the typical fantasy trappings. The second half kicked into gear and I enjoyed experiencing the Kender Tas and the time travel introduced in that second half. I'm not sure if I would want to go back and read the older novels, but I might give the next book a read.