Dealosaurus Rex

Masculinity under the microscope

Revisado: 08-06-18

This was a funny, intelligent, science fictional look at the plight of the rural dude in a modern, progressive culture.

Romie Futch is his own worst enemy, despite the ex wife, evil corporation, sleazy frienemy and genetically-engineered pig monster contending for that role. Even after he signs up for a mysterious medical experiment that gives him super intelligence, he can't manage to get out of his own way in his pursuit of happiness and success.

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This book redefined world building!

Revisado: 09-08-17

If you could sum up Too Like the Lightning in three words, what would they be?

Academic. Historical. Futurism. (and Masterpiece!)

What was one of the most memorable moments of Too Like the Lightning?

I'm not going to say, but trust: you get rewarded for hearing this story out.

What about Jefferson Mays’s performance did you like?

Mays is the best narrator and helps unpack Palmer's complicated story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Every aside to the reader from the narrator either made me laugh, or was perfectly timed to explain something that was intentionally vague. Mycroft Canner is maybe the most memorable narrator/character there is.

Any additional comments?

The layers packed into Too Like the Lightning make it an experience to savor more than once. My second listen was like reading an entirely different book.

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Here comes CRISPR

Revisado: 09-08-17

Would you listen to Change Agent again? Why?

I don't generally listen to books more than once, but I'd love to listen to Change Agent again in 10 years, just to see how its CRISPR predictions fared. The events of the book were obviously extreme, but some of the more down to earth predictions are definitely based on the promise of the current science.

What did you like best about this story?

Lots of twists and turns. Based in real science. The U.S. is marginalized by following its current trajectory away from science.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

"It's like Face Off, but for reals!" (Starring John Travolta and Nick Cage, obviously)

Any additional comments?

Another fantastic book by Suarez! I have really enjoyed all of them!

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A Cool New Scalzi Universe

Revisado: 04-15-17

I'm a huge fan of the Old Man's War series, so I was psyched for this. It's a great opener for the new series, The Interdependency. You've got your benevolent new space emperor, the villainous house trying to steal the empire, the nerdy scientist, and the badass space captain with the ridiculous potty mouth. Will Wheaton is a decent narrator, but his tone grinds on me sometimes. He had two settings: sardonic and incredulous. It seems to fit the tone of the writing, but sometimes I wonder...

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Pure Frustration

Revisado: 11-17-16

Struggled to finish, indeed! Started out like a a tech story written by someone unfamiliar with tech. All the characters were unlikable and irredeemably terrible to each other all the time. Devolved into make-em-up fantasy before too long.

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High solid! My first Butler book.

Revisado: 03-29-16

This was a great story. It reminded me of another recent read: The Book of Strange New Things. Hard to believe it predates it by nearly 30 years! I'll definitely finish the trilogy.

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This series won me over.

Revisado: 02-21-16

A fitting end to the series. it felt great to get back into this world.

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Unfolding complexity with great narration!

Revisado: 09-15-15

Botanicaust is a pretty cool post apocalyptic story that does a good job introducing more complexity into the fabric what seemed to be a simple plant-people vs. cannibals life. We discover this through the experiences of the main character, Tula, a member of a protectorate of people whose defining characteristic is their green, genetically modified skin capable of photosynthesis. Tula's job is to convert non-green skinned people over so that they no longer have to resort to cannibalism for sustenance.

Turns out the world is not so black and white when one of the prospective converts doesn't share the cannibals cultural traits and rather than allow him to be euthanized, she helps him escape and has to end up running away with him.

We find out soon enough that not only is Tula green, she's also pretty sexy too, and her saliva is a potent narcotic.

What unfolds after this is more of a warning against dogma and those that abuse the power of belief.

The narrator, Meghan Kelly, does a wonderful job capturing the characters in this exciting story and I can't wait to listen to more of her work!

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Science, Politics and Heart

Revisado: 08-06-15

Where does Aurora rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I always enjoy Kim Stanley Robinson's work, and Aurora is no exception. It is an instant favorite of mine.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Aurora?

In the narration of the book, there is moment when the narration is handed off to an unusual character: the ship's AI computer. Normally, this would be impossible, but the AI was coached by a human mentor to decide what to include in a narrative. This was a brilliant device.

Which scene was your favorite?

One of my favorite things in the world is when Robinson describes alien environments. Listening to the description of the biomes and the titular Aurora planet were my favorite scenes.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It was surprisingly tragic. Generally, discovering new worlds is an uplifting process in science fiction. Things don't play out the way we fantasize they will. This was a takeaway from this book.

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