Happy Halloween!

Futility of Defense by Bryan Cole

I’m fond of a back story.  This book does not have one.   It is part of a saga, which is fine but you’re expectations are colored by confusion.  Krell is a paladin of ReckNor, a minor deity.  He is charged with defending his home against sea devils who oddly come from the sea which seems like the area where ReckNor is in charge.

There is action, fighting, interplay where Krell seems to be fascinated with an assortment of female characters and their physical characteristics. 

I never was able to invest in the book.  

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Titanian Chronicle: Journey of Destiny by Leisl Kaberry

A pair of elves and a human raised by elves venture into the outside world.   The venture is fraught with peril and they discover they have been cosseted and sheltered.  They meet other beings and races and deal with prejudice in their travels.  

Kaberry highlights naivety and foolishness in equal measure.   Afeelin seeks his future in the mystical arts.   Wolfang wants to spread his wings and see the world.  Lenna is road kill to their ambitions.  

The book provides a compendium of mythical creatures with action and violence. 

It was an entertaining read.

 

 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Generation Ship by Michael Mammay

Mammay does a good job of showing a closed society can function.  Additionally, he shows how fragile a closed society might become under the appropriate or inappropriate influence.  I also found the concept of sentience quite interesting.  The need to define sentiency is staring us in the face.   Daily I get updates from two sources as to where AI might be going and what is it done or introduced today.   I’m not apprehensive about AI’s future, I’m optimistic!

The arrival of a generational ship at its final destination precipitates a crisis of conscience by the crew who are also the colonists.  The open spaces of a planet are daunting to a crew whose boundaries have been determined by the walls of the ship.

The behavior of major players led one to believe they thought their actions were to benefit the entire ship regardless of how diametrically opposed those actions were to other major players.

I enjoyed the book and worked diligently to avoid spoilers. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge Reissued!

Vinge is a real world, honest to goodness Computer Science professor.  His books are accurately described as hard science fiction.  This story describes a space faring group of merchants, the Qeng Ho, benefiting from the time dilation effect of interstellar travel.   They are traveling to a stellar anomaly and encounter a rival group of travelers.  Friction ensues.

The Qeng Ho see the universe through the long view.   They visit customers (populated planets) and often when they return after a century or more they see the decline or the acceleration of a civilization.   Their travel to the On/Off Star is predicated on scientific curiosity and the necessary profit motivation.  They encounter a race that has recovered from a civilization decline and are on their way back up.   Both space faring groups have different plans for the budding alien race on Arachna.   The budding race, not surprisingly, has plans of it's own.

Conflict between competitors is not unusual but the conflict here is beyond the ken of business is just business.  This is really a three way story with points of view from all three participants.   Adding flavor is the Leonardo Da Vinci of Arachna, Sherkaner Underhill.   His drive and vision have a multiplier impact on the story line.  There are highlights and low lights of viciousness and compassion for emotional counter play.

  

I highly recommend it.

Fan Based web site:  http://mindstalk.net/vinge/ /

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Halloween Book Blitz, FREE Kindle Copies Oct.3-7, 2023

Links are Active Oct.3-7,2023

Alden and the Trash Truck

Dizzy’s Diary

The Mighty Pranksters of Bright Lives Academy

A Parent’s Struggle: Helping Kids Understand Alcoholism

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned