A. A. Baldwin

Two fantastic female protagonists

Revisado: 03-09-24

I enjoy the complex interplay between the two main characters, a crime investigator and an academic researcher. The world building is nuanced and expertly embedded throughout the narrative. The narrator did a fantastic job. I’m looking forward to the sequel coming out soon.

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Plot twists galore!

Revisado: 06-23-23

This book is full of pot twists. You never know what’s gonna happen next. I love it. This is my favorite series of this genre.

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Fascinating Followup

Revisado: 02-05-22

This series is riveting so far. I never know what is coming next but everything intertwines perfectly. Also the narrator is fantastic.

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Fantastic science fiction and alternate history

Revisado: 02-13-21

I admit I was disappointed at first the the protagonist wasn’t the same as the first two books in the series but it ducked me in and kept me interested from beginning to end! Fantastic!

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Wonderful story of twists and turns

Revisado: 10-25-20

This is a wonderfully written story with many twists and turns. It provides examples of unconditional love as well as seriously bad behavior, sometimes in the same character. The setting is Australia and the writing and narration are very Australian and lovely.

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Interwoven stories of war and the results of war

Revisado: 01-15-18

I've read some very good books lately but this one was completely gripping. I did not want to stop. It jumps between World War I and post World War II, tying together the lives of several people in post-war Europe including an aging former spy, a pregnant young college student, and an ex-con with a love for automobiles. And that's just for starters. Almost everyone has lost someone in one or both of the wars and almost everyone is dealing with loss and grief. That doesn't sound exciting, but it is.

The story line switches back and forth from WWI to present day 1947 effortlessly, weaving the stories that bring together this unlikely trio trying to right wrongs and uncover secrets, or keep them covered, as may be. Every character has flaws but also has wonderful strengths in time of need.

A beautiful story of retribution and redemption, of death and life. I think anyone who reads this will enjoy it very much.

The narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, is very good.

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Good but, too many repeated segments.

Revisado: 03-31-17

Great book! Good performance by Stephen Hoye. There has been at least 10 segments where blocks of 30 seconds of reading were repeated. Please edit these out!

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Many themes that are applicable to today's world

Revisado: 03-01-17

So, this is one of those sci-fi books everyone should read. It's the second I've read in the Hainish Cycle but they aren't really a series just seemingly,ever so loosely, very loosely connected, at least for the two I've read so far. But they are both fantastic reads (the other I have read is The Dispossessed which is equally good but totally different.

The Left Hand of Darkness is a story of first contact, not in the traditional science fiction "first aliens to show up on earth" sort of way, but with the first humans making contact with another very distance planet and its peoples sort of way.

The planet alone is so different from what we are used to and the people are so very different in the way they think and live (not really different much physically or in the sorts of jobs they do and what not).

While reading this book, you'll be thinking on deep questions, some of which might be very timely these days, including,
- What is gender?
- What is patriotism?
- What is cold?
- What is monarchy?

The subject of refugees comes up a few times and it made me think even more about the current refugee situation we have here on earth. The subject of patriotism is mentioned several times and requires the reader to reflect on what this really is and how it shapes us.

This book was published before my fifth birthday and I am now over fifty, yet the themes feel like they fit right into many of society's current conundrums. Of course, some themes are clearly universal.

Have I mentioned that it is beautifully written? I actually listened to this as an audiobook from Audible and the narrator, George Guildall, is excellent.

If you have any interest at all in the human condition, in the interaction between people, and in deeper intertwined themes of diplomacy, refugees, patriotism, and brotherhood, then you should read this book. If you are breathing, then you should read this book or listen to the audiobook.

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Awesome female protagonist in space mission! YES!

Revisado: 03-15-16

This book was strange and fun and creative and enjoyable. So, it starts with the typical NASA needs an astronaut with some special language skills so they go looking and find one and then it becomes all about the mission, and how this language expert fits in and her job, more of less, on the mission, which is very important.

Because it's a space mission, the number of characters is pretty small because How many people can you pack into a space capsule or rocket or whatever thing you are sending them in? Really? So keeping up with them isn't very hard.

Without including anything to tip off the main points, let me just say that the language skills the expert needs to develop are pretty cool and unique and the beings they encounter are also very different. The premise is plausible, as well, which is pretty cool.

This was a very enjoyable book. I listened to it on Audible, and the narrator, Susanna Burney, is very good. I think this book would be even better read rather than listened to, though, because I think I would like to SEE the way the unfamiliar works are spelled and so forth, so I plan to read (again) it in a few months.

The sequel to this novel was published this week, so that is going on the Spring break reading list!

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Fantastic opening to a series

Revisado: 01-21-16

In the last couple of months I have read all of Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga. I am not sure what I expected in this totally different book/series (fantasy not sci-fi, to begin with, otherwise I had no idea) but it is awesome. The main character is multi-faceted and interesting and the story is told from his sometimes troubled and confused viewpoint, which changes over time as he learns more about what is really going on.

Once again, I am enthralled by Bujold's creativity and her gift with the written word. The fantasy and magic elements are really cool but not overly bizarre. Accordingly, the fictional world's religion is quite unique and interesting, as well. This story includes plenty of heroes and villains, good and evil, endeavors successful and unsuccessful, and events ordinary and extraordinary. It has vengeance, love, hate, hope, and despair, not necessarily in equal portions.

I listened to the audiobook via Audible. The narrator, Lloyd James, does a fantastic job.

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