Currently Reading
Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AIby Yuval Noah Harari
Publisher review: From the author of Sapiens comes the groundbreaking story of how information networks have made, and unmade, our world. For the last 100,000 years, we Sapiens have accumulated enormous power. But despite allour discoveries, inventions, and conquests, we now find ourselves in an existential crisis. The world is on the verge of ecological collapse. Misinformation abounds. And we are rushing headlong into the age of AI—a new information network that threatens to annihilate us. For all that we have accomplished, why are we so self-destructive? Nexus looks through the long lens of human history to consider how the flow of information has shaped us, and our world. Taking us from the Stone Age, through the canonization of the Bible, early modern witch-hunts, Stalinism, Nazism, and the resurgence of populism today, Yuval Noah Harari asks us to consider the complex relationship between information and truth, bureaucracy and mythology, wisdom and power. He explores how different societies and political systems throughout history have wielded information to achieve their goals, for good and ill. And he addresses the urgent choices we face as non-human intelligence threatens our very existence. Information is not the raw material of truth; neither is it a mere weapon. Nexus explores the hopeful middle ground between these extremes, and in doing so, rediscovers our shared humanity.
Started: Jan 04 2025
Currently Reading
Catch-22by Joseph Heller (2004)
Publisher review: Fifty years after its original publication, Catch-22 remains a cornerstone of American literature and one of the funniest—and most celebrated—books of all time. In recent years it has been named to “best novels” lists by Time, Newsweek, the Modern Library, and the London Observer. Set in Italy during World War II, this is the story of the incomparable, malingering bombardier, Yossarian, a hero who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. But his real problem is not the enemy—it is his own army, which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. Yet if Yossarian makes any attempt to excuse himself from the perilous missions he’s assigned, he’ll be in violation of Catch-22, a hilariously sinister bureaucratic rule: a man is considered insane if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but if he makes a formal request to be removed from duty, he is proven sane and therefore ineligible to be relieved. This fiftieth-anniversary edition commemorates Joseph Heller’s masterpiece with a new introduction by Christopher Buckley; a wealth of critical essays and reviews by Norman Mailer, Alfred Kazin, Anthony Burgess, and others; rare papers and photos from Joseph Heller’s personal archive; and much more. Here, at last, is the definitive edition of a classic of world literature.
Started: Nov 29 2024
The Originalby Brandon Sanderson (2020)
My review:
I have previously read and loved stories by Mary Robinette Kowal, and I was quite eager to read this latest collaboration of her with Sanderson.
In the near future, humans choose life - for a price. Injectable nanite technology is the lifeblood that flows through every individual wishing to experience the world through the lens of their own theme. While death from mortal wounds is still possible, life is made easier in a socially liberated society where automation and income equality allow passion pursuits to flourish over traditional work. Renewal stations are provided to every law-abiding citizen for weekly check-ins, which issue life-sustaining repairs in exchange for personal privacy. But what becomes of those who check out, of those who dare to resist immortality and risk being edited under the gaze of an identity-extracting government surveillance system? When Holly Winseed wakes up in a hospital room, her memory compromised and a new identity imposed on her, a team of government agents wastes no time stating their objective. With intent to infiltrate and defeat the terrorist group ICON, the agents tell Holly that she is now a Provisional Replica and has one week to hunt down and kill her Original for the murder of her husband, Jonathan. If she succeeds, she’ll assume her Original’s place in society. If she fails, her life will end. Holly’s progress is monitored by an assigned contact that feeds her information as she confronts the blank, robotic world around her, discovering that others view life through the theme of their own choosing. With her newly implanted combat and deduction skills, Holly fends off both attacks by terrorists and doubts about her own trustworthiness as clues lead her to her Original - and to the truth about Jonathan.
It's an extremely entertaining story, even if [spoilers removed]. Still, this was quite a lot of fun.
(★★★★)
Started: Jan 04 2025 Finished: Jan 05 2025
The Road Virus Heads Northby Stephen King (2006)
My review:
Stephen King has written quite a lot, including some remarkable books and some less great ones. His work can be relatively diverse for a genre author, and I did not know what to expect. The plot was relatively "standard" as horror goes: a horror author who is traveling home after a writer conference. On his way home he stops at a yard sale, where he buys a creepy painting which was painted by a metal-head neighbor just before he committed suicide. He does not know at the time, but he will get more than he has bargained for.
It's an entertaining ok story, but if you are new to King do not start here, he has written much more interesting stories.
(★★)
Started: Jan 04 2025 Finished: Jan 04 2025
Uncanny Magazine Issue 61: November/December 2024by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2024)
My review:
This review is for The Geckomancer’s Lament by Lauren Beukes (Goodreads keeps merging it with the magazine where it first appeared), that I read in January 2025.
I have never read anything by this author, so I did not know what to expect. It was quite remarkable. On the surface it is a funny romp of a story, with a lot of funny moments, but with a lot of depth at the same time, with a reflection on colonialism and other-ness. I strongly recommend listening to the interview with the author available on the podcast version of the magazine.
This is the story of TrkTkTskTkTrkTs, a gecko necromancer that is traveling with Oberon, Nokwazi, and Disebo (all magical creatures) to get back for different reasons to the Conquistas.... I will not say more to avoid spoilers!
This review is for Woodmask by Adrian Tchaikovsky (goodreads keeps merging it with the magazine where it first appeared), that I read in December 2024.
This is the story of Leskia, one among the poorest of the poor in the occupied city of Ilmar. Her life is tough, her mum is dead and her dad has a gambling addiction. She barely survives begging, and the few coins she sometimes manage to get are soon in the pockets of the thugs, the poor that prey on other poor to survive. One day, desperate, she set foot into the Grove, that was always there even before Ilmar was built. The Grove, where everyone is afraid to go...
(★★★)
Number of times I read it: 2
Started (last time): Jan 04 2025 Finished (last time): Jan 04 2025
Fantasy Magazine, Issue 96, October 2023by Christie Yant (2023)
My review:
This review is for Once Upon a Time at The Oakmont by P.A. Cornell (Goodreads keeps merging it with the magazine it first appeared in). I have never read anything by this author, and I did not know what to expect... I was quite positively surprised!
The story is set in New York, in Manhattan. Over there there is a special building that lives out of time and called The Oakmont. In there people from different historical periods live across the aisle from each other... but they must follow very strict rules. The main character is Sarah, living in our time, and slowly falling for Roger, living during world war II.
A great read, and I cannot wait to read more by this author!
(★★★★)
Started: Jan 03 2025 Finished: Jan 03 2025
The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos, #1)by Samantha Shannon
My review:
I had never read anything by this author before, so I did not know what to expect. I heard a lot of good things about it, so I decided to give it a try. It turned out to be one of the best books I have read in decades: it's impossible to put down, fast-paced and fun, well-written, characters are memorable, diverse, intriguing, and very complex. I really cannot wait to read the prequel next!
The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction – but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic. Across the dark sea, Tané has trained to be a dragonrider since she was a child, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel. And Niclays, an embittered alchemist, who seeks the key to eternal life while in exhile. Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.
This is really a good book, that I strongly recommend to everyone.
(★★★★★)
Started: Oct 27 2024 Finished: Jan 02 2025
Uncanny Magazine, Issue 53, July/August 2023by Daniel H. Wilson (2023)
My review:
This review is for
The Music of the Siphorophenes by C. L. Polk. I had previously read and deeply loved
Even Though I Knew the End, and I was looking forward reading more by this author. I was not disappointed. This is the story of a space tour guide, with a hunch to find Siphorophenes, magical looking creatures floating in space on the pirate infested edges of the solar system. One day a famous pop singer try to convince them to risk it to meet these incredible sentient species... and get more than she bargained for.
(★★★★)
Started: Jan 02 2025
Finished: Jan 02 2025