The Fates Divide

Book 26 of 2018 is The Fates Divide by Veronica Roth.

This series excites and confuses me. She's so strong and still vulnerable. Her love is kind and confused. Same ol', same ol'. The thing is that you want more and that is where the parents come in. The dysfunctional family.

There are enough characters to keep me excited and not too many to Wheel of Time me.

I looked forward to every new chapter. The second book is better than the first.

4 journeys out of 5.

Should I read this? Only for people who can deal with the depths of human suffering and self journey.
What did I learn? I'm still searching for my place.

Artemis

Book 25 of 2018 is Artemis by Andy Weir.

I loved The Martian so much,. I laughed, I cried and I scienced. Despite and in honour of the poo jokes, I read this book.

It took me a few months to get through it, while reading other books. It was enjoyable the whole time.

The female protagonist is immature but relatable. Mars is alien but relatable. The whole book is challenging but relatable.

It is not The Martian but it's great. Just great.

I gave my copy of this book to a bartender who served the bar I sat at while reading this. Hope he likes it.

4 domes out of 5.

Should I read this? Yeah, she's a cool character who I'd hang out with.
What did I learn? Humans will survive in all situations. We just do.

The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.

Book 23 of 2018 is The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. by Neal Stephenson.

Since Allison made me read Snow Crash, I have been craving every single thing he writes. It's always a loooong book with a great idea that I think I can't possibly finish but it ends up being a ravenous consumption of fiction.

The female lead is respectable, relatable and remarkable.

When science fiction, time travel and historical fiction mixes, you have a winner. At least when Stephenson writes it.

5 Neanderthals out of 5.

Should I read this? Yes. Yes. Yes!
What did I learn? History is much more interesting when you have context, any context.

The Fountains of Paradise

Book 10 of 2018 is The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke.

Continuing my quest to read classic literature after a couple of years of reading things published in the last year, I had to go for the space elevator book. I know the ideas behind it and the basic story but I had never actually read the book. Now I have.

Clarke is a good writer. It is easy reading and the ideas are original and brilliant. This was done in two sittings because it was so hard to put down.

An absolute classic.

5 more metres out of 5.

Should I read this? Yeah, everyone should. It's just that easy.
What did I learn? There are ideas that will dominate our future that we have not even thought of yet.

Golden Son

Book 76 is Golden Son which is book 2 of The Red Rising series by Pierce Brown.

This series continues to challenge what I think is right and what is reality. I'd like to think I'd handle things better but I'm not sure if Darrow does what we all would: A mix of right and what must be done.

Still one of the best series to come true in the last few years. Coloured people, politics and entitlement all mixed in modern relevance.

4 betrayals out of 5.

Should I read this? If you want some philosophically challenging science fiction.
What did I learn? I would never be a revolutionary.

The Handmaid's Tale

Book 26 of 2016 is The Handmaid's Tale by Margret. Atwood

There is not a more apt book that I woman could read while living in the centre of the maelstrom that is the United States of America with Trump as President Elect. There is a level of uncertainty described by Offred in the start of the book as society breaks down that feels a like what people are talking about here and now. Finishing this book in the week Trump was elected surrounded by gasps of shock and a realisation that we missed seeing this coming is perfectly terrifying.

This great piece on the relevance of this book in this time is worth the read and consequent analysis.

Atwood is one of the best writers I have read ever. She managed to tell the entire story without explaining the intricacies. You can work out what is going on and how everyone feels without it being listed out for you. Simply brilliant.

Five red dresses out of five.

Should I read this? Yes. Especially now that Trump is in power.
What did I learn? Great writing on society is always relevant.

Winter

Book 25 of 2016 is the fifth in the Lunar Chronicles, Winter by Marissa Meyer.

This is the end of the series and it was a thoroughly enjoyable. If you want the princesses to save the day then this is your series.

Four rebels out of five.

Should I read this? Yes. It is quite enjoyable and exciting!
What did I learn? The world is changing and women are now running it.

Winter

Book 25 of 2016 is the fifth in the Lunar Chronicles, Winter by Marissa Meyer.

This is the end of the series and it was a thoroughly enjoyable. If you want the princesses to save the day then this is your series.

Four rebels out of five.

Should I read this? Yes. It is quite enjoyable and exciting!
What did I learn? The world is changing and women are now running it.

Departure

Book 8 of 2016 is Departure by A, G, Riddle.

Again, I wasn't expecting too much and this could be because my random choices of science fiction are based on the blurb on the back of the book and that is never written well.

Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised by the way this book was told in the male and female voice and that the twists really were not predictable.

There are many complex relationships in this book and a bunch of likable and drownable characters in this book, which leaves you feeling like you really cared what happened in the end.

The final couple of chapters kept me engaged right up until the last page.

This i an original tale and one I am already recommending to friends and colleagues.

4 flights to Heathrow of 5.

Should I read this? This is only for sci-fi fans.

What did I learn? The good of the many outweighs the good of the one. Haha, no, Spock taught me that.

A Princess of Mars

Book 67 of 2015 is A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

The first book in the John Carter series is much better than the movie. Considering it was written in the early 1900s, this is a very good book. Much better than War of the Worlds in writing, that I often rant about with much dislike and was written in a similar era.

Written in the first person from Carter's point of view, the read was easy and not as predictable as I was expecting.

The world created will draw me back at some stage but not soon.

3 giant leaps forward for mankind out of 5.

Should I read this? Only if you like sci-fi. If not, do not bother starting here.
What did I learn? Tom Cruise does no justice to anything and anyone. Don't watch the John Cater movie.

The Atlantis Gene

Book 62 of 2015 is The Atlantis Gene by A.G. Riddle.

This was one of those free Amazon Kindle Unlimited books and it was worth joining up just for this.

This is one of those cool science fiction books that are set in the now but with a little bit of quasi science. That does mean that people with actual science degrees who aren't as chill as me may take offence and maybe find the religious Nazi angle a little challenging but I enjoyed it.

Yes, it is an airport book which means you can consume it during a long-haul flight with little mental effort and they sure do have their place.

3 easy reads out of 5.

Should I read this? Yes, if you enjoy Indiana Jones type adventure.
What did I learn? Science can be twisted for entertainment and still be fun.

Spin

Book 41 of 2015 is Spin by Robert Charles Wilson.

The movie Interstellar has done for science fiction books what Hunger Games did for teenage post-apocalyptic fiction. Everyone is writing variations of it. Like The Fold, Spin is another sci-fi tale with temporal challenges.

This book is too slow and not for any good reason. The character development is sloppy and I felt most sad when an alien die than a human.

3.5 million billion years of 5.

Should I read this? No. There are better books in this genre.
What did I learn? We all fall and we all land somewhere.

Ready Player One

Book 38 of 2015 is Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

This is another book that I was pushed to read before the movie comes out and like The Martian, I love it! I am not even a fan of reading science fiction novels so this leaves me readjusting my view of the world.

The retro pop culture references are so amazingly brilliant and fun that I enjoyed every single subtle and smashing tribute paid to the joy of my childhood.

This is a much better version of Ender's Game, which I also liked. Read this instead.

5 avatars out of 5.

Should I read this? Yes. YES. Yeah.
What did I learn? I didn't miss out in my childhood and I look back fondly on these memories.