Christopher

Fantasy Slice of Life

Revisado: 09-16-24

It's a book about high fantasy, about a hero using cleverness and heart to overcome a powerful magic user who's wrought evil upon the world.

It's also a book about a convalescence in a seaside town, a summer romance and lasting friendships. About bookshops and bakeries and picnics.

Ten out of ten. No notes. It's hard for me to imagine there's anyone who isn't an audience for this book in some way.

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Trek Noir

Revisado: 06-02-22

...I did not know I needed this subgenre until I listened to this novel. There's a lot here, for fans of New Trek and Old. A brilliant story with colorful characters given voice by the incomparable Robert Petkoff. I really hope we see more of the characters and new plots introduced in this book.

I'd say more specifics but you don't want me spoiling anything from this experience.

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A solid and engaging hard sci-fi story

Revisado: 07-27-21

I'll preface by saying that I'm a fan of Ellis from her video essays which is what brought me to her book, but Axiom's End absolutely stands on its own merits.

I'll also say that mileage may vary about what one person considers "hard" sci-fi versus another person's standards but I consider this story relatively hard sci-fi since it is written from the perspective of a contemporary human's perspective, and comprises an (I think) plausible portrayal of how both individual persons and human society at large would react to extraterrestrial interaction.

As a matter of technique, the story is very well crafted. The reader's understanding of the various characters in the story expand naturally as the main character interacts with them. The main character is also a balance of sympathetic, realistic and flawed in ways which are informed by her previous life experiences. Best of all, at no point does any character end up carrying an "idiot ball" to move things forward -- while characters make choices I wouldn't agree with, at no point does any character act in a way that didn't make sense.

The narrative starts in fairly mundane details of the main character's life but I do see why that was important in building the narrative from that into the extraordinary events that eventually proceed. And other stories that start that way have lost my interest in the past; I admittedly tend to be the sort of audience that craves overtly fantastic elements (80% of my library is Star Trek and Star Wars novels) but Axiom's End held my interest long enough through a combination of social commentary and writing that is simply enjoyable that I remained strongly engaged right up into the inciting incident.

To the themes in the piece, it's a great blend of modern issues, as well as contextualization of what happens when vastly different societies meet, and whether that naturally leads to colonizing attitudes. In many respects the story stands as a philosophical argument about the hazards of two entirely different sentient species trying to interact with each other even when actors on both sides are actively seeking to minimize overall harm.

Beyond the purely intellectual exercise that the novel comprises, and being very cautious to avoid spoilers, the story also navigates emotional connections in ways that are engrossing without resorting to spectacle or exploitative presentation. I maybe came for the rhetorical exploration of serious questions, but I definitely also stayed for the personal story.

In short, I strongly recommend this book. It's topical, tightly written and multilayered without being convoluted, preachy or pretentious.

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A classic of American children's literature

Revisado: 05-29-21

I read this book in college and I was eager to hear it performed as an audio book. The audio sample from this choice impressed me the most and I was not disappointed. I wish Baum got more credit as a fantasy writer, his stories are deliberately whimsical but carry a maturity that any book, for child or adult alike, should aspire to.

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Solid, enjoyable book for Voyager fans

Revisado: 04-28-21

Overall, I very much enjoyed the book. McCormick has an authentic way of writing for Trek characters, and hearing it voiced by Mulgrew made for quite an experience. My only critique is that I'm unclear how this fits into the Trek novelverse, if it does at all. Still, as a standalone book, it is quite amazing.

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Perfect example of Original Series Trek done right

Revisado: 02-20-21

I can't recommend this novel enough. It does everything a good Trek story needs to do... offer just enough action and tension without compromising on thought provoking content. considering how recent elections have played out in the US, this book is topical too -- prescient, even, since much of may have been written before or during the recent election. As usual, it is voice narrated by the incomparable Robert Petkoff as well. A real treat for any long-time Trek fan!

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Brilliant Story of Melancholy, Hope and Intrigue

Revisado: 01-06-20

In short, this book is everything a long-standing fan of Star Trek could hope for.

Featuring characters that have long been fan favorites, this novel is a masterful depiction of a post-war Cardassia that bears a deliberate resemblance to what Berlin managed to evolve into after the Iron Curtain fell. The book manages to bring it's characters to intersect each other without contrivance and it's a real joy to see how major characters with opposing philosophies both chafe each other and come to terms.

The main storyline is tight and emininetly credible while leaving the reader in suspense. The title and concept are executed brilliantly -- every character is guilty of something, with the exception perhaps of Pulaski (though arguably she's guilty by carelessness with her gaffes).

But where this novel really shines is the rich tapestry of a backdrop. The descriptions of post-war Cardassia are thorough and make the world real to the audience, but don't drag on. Often, details of the city and its people are worked seemlessly into the story's natural progression.

I can't recommend this title enough, especially with Robert Petkoff doing a masterful reading, as he invariably does.

I'd like to close by saying that this story isn't simply an enjoyable work of fiction to me. It's an aspirational vision of where a post-militarized society can go, once bombs stop dropping, and I'd like to think I'll live long enough to see a world very much like that, for real.

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Star Trek prequel done right!

Revisado: 06-12-19

This book is simply amazing. It actually covers a range of inter-related stories that, together, tell us Kirk's early history as a starship captain before taking command of the Enterprise as we see in the first TV series. The author clearly did thorough research (besides being a fan) and as usual, the narrator's performance is superb. The story manages to have fan service but isn't overrun by it, doesn't have to bend over backwards to incorporate it. In short, it's one of the best books of this line.

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Solid post-DS9 story

Revisado: 12-03-18

Very enjoyable story. The first part feels a bit slow and, because it jumps between different times, can be confusing if you're not paying attention. Some of the dialog seems weird too, but the story has many clever twists and the themes of the two main plot lines tie to each other well.

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Love Letter to Classic Trek

Revisado: 10-09-18

This is an excellent book if you're pining for original Star Trek (in every sense of the word). Like a good Star Trek episode, it speaks to modern issues and forwards a believable optimism. All of the characters are written in a well rounded and eminently believable way. If you miss Star Trek... this book is for you.

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