Reviews and Comments

Another lovely entry in Becky Chambers's Wayfarer series. This serves as an ethnography of sorts of the Exodans, descendants of Earth dwellers who made large ships their permanent homes, describing their lives through a set of interconnected lives and stories. It's light sci fi, but the universe Chambers has constructed is optimistic and compelling, and the stories ring true both there and here.

Another light, fun, heartwarming adventure of the Thursday Murder Club. Osman is skilled at both telling a straightforward procedural mystery, as well as developing and exploring characters to care about. As with the first two books, it's the bittersweet celebration of old age that really sets this apart.

A sweet book, and a quick and light read. A celebration of reading culture, as well as a portrayal of the culture of Japanese relationships. Not exciting, but pleasant and enjoyable.

Only two chapters in but so far this book is fantastic.

An overview of how we study the physical world that is serious in intent but informal in style. These are transcriptions of a series of lectures given by the famous physicist, and while these talks were written to be experienced rather than read, Feynman's skill and command as a speaker are evident in the presentation of ideas and the conversational feel. Feynman communicates the scientific process with clarity and humility, regularly centering the idea that we don't really know why things are the way they are, just that they are. For all the contempt he seems to have for philosophers, Feynman has a pretty good handle on the philosophy of science himself.

An enjoyable book. Part memoir, part writing guide, but more a profile of one person's particular creative genius than a "How To". It's least effective when trying to inspire the novelist-to-be ("Work at it four hours a day, and it shouldn't feel like work if you're passionate about it" isn't actually advice about how to be good at something) but there's lots of great wisdom from a master, and as a book it practices what it preaches. The first book I've ever read by Stephen King, and I'll read more.

Short, sweet, funny meditation on life, loss, and friendship. Nana the cat is skillfully brought to life by the author and makes for a fun and unique narrator, and is unmistakably a cat. Touching in the way that leaves you with a sad, satisfied smile.

Incredible, true story of six men floating halfway across the Pacific on a primitive raft simply to prove it could be done. An inspiring tale of courage, adventure, camaraderie, and science, and a testament to the human spirit that unites us across cultures and timelines. The book is a hopeful reminder of a world where people are driven by curiosity, ingenuity, and the humble search for the truth.

More about physics than I expected (maybe more about tensors than I expected), and a bit slow-starting, but a worthwhile history of science book that recounts the fascinating and controversial history of an idea we take for granted. The end of the book comes up short in the way many general audience science books do — I just don't know how it could be possible to explain the tensor calculus of relativity in a few chapters, at least to me, anyway — but overall a satisfying and enlightening read.

Fun, engaging story built around magic, empire, friendship, and vengeance. A familiar quest, but with enough twists and turns and different takes to keep returning to. Easy, comfortable writing that immerses you in an expansive world with complex characters and lots of compelling scenes and powerful moments, but with occasional moments that seem out of place as well. Clearly Book One of a series to come, but a good and satisfying story in its own right, and I'll definitely read the next one.

Light, fun, humorous murder mystery with unique and compelling characters. Its charm is enhanced by its British-ness for this American reader, but it's the poignant handling of aging and end-of-life living that make it something extraordinary.

Two chapters in and still not quite sure. A bit meandering, and a bit more physics than I tend to want, but I just reached the first big idea and hope there are more to come.

Solid band-of-misfits adventure with good fantasy elements, interesting characters, and compelling world-building. But it's always a little disappointing getting to the end of a book and discovering it's just the first half of a story.

A well-paced and surprisingly emotional and affecting story that touches on serious themes (like classism, refugees, person-hood, belonging) but not in a heavy-handed way. Fun and well-written, and a solid example of sci fi working both as a good story and as contemporary commentary.

An unusual, well-executed narrative structure creates a mysterious and foreboding story. Short and suspenseful and worth reading.