Book Thoughts - Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory

Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory 
published 2011
422 pages

Synopsis -

In 1968, after the first zombie outbreak, Wanda Mayhall and her three young daughters discover the body of a teenage mother during a snowstorm. Wrapped in the woman’s arms is a baby, stone-cold, not breathing, and without a pulse. But then his eyes open and look up at Wanda — and he begins to move.

The family hides the child — whom they name Stony — rather than turn him over to authorities that would destroy him. Against all scientific reason, the undead boy begins to grow. For years his adoptive mother and sisters manage to keep his existence a secret — until one terrifying night when Stony is forced to run and he learns that he is not the only living dead boy left in the world.

My thoughts -

This was, for me, quite a unique take on the zombie fiction genre. While it had a healthy dose of the blood & terror I expected, it also had a lighthearted sense of humor about itself that was really quite refreshing. Interesting musings on identity and discrimination and a setting in rural Iowa gave the book depth and value for me. I was pleasantly surprised by this novel, and I would definitely read more by this author.

Finished - 1/22/17
Source - my shelves
MPAA rating - R, because zombies
My rating - 4/5

Book Thoughts - Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
published 2015
96 pages

Synopsis -

Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs.

Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares. Oomza University has wronged the Meduse, and Binti's stellar travel will bring her within their deadly reach.

If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University, itself - but first she has to make it there, alive.

My thoughts -

This was a really interesting novella. I've tried to read Nnedi Okorafor's novels previously, and for whatever reason couldn't maintain interest long enough to make it past the first few chapters. This story, however, really hooked me in from the very beginning, and I finished the entire thing in a single afternoon.

I thought Binti's world was extremely well fleshed out for such a short work - I feel like I understand politics and beliefs that are often lost in must longer works of speculative fiction. I thought Binti as a character was fascinating, and the dilemmas she faced and worked through felt true and honest. I found the resolution to the story a bit abrupt, but am willing to give that a bit of leeway since this was a novella - obviously, the author didn't have much time for long, drawn-out scenes of hashing out problems.

I was uncertain of this author, but this story has made me a fan. I will definitely give her novels a try, and I can't wait for the next installment in Binti's world!


Finished - 6/29/16
Source - audiobook from South Side library
MPAA rating - PG-13 for some intense scences
My rating - 4/5

Book Thoughts - Star Wars: Lost Stars by Claudia Gray

Star Wars: Lost Stars by Claudia Gray
published 2015
audiobook

Synopsis -

The reign of the Galactic Empire has reached the Outer Rim of Jelucan, where aristocratic Thane Kyrell and rural villager Ciena Ree bond over their love of flying. Enrolling at the Imperial Academy is nothing less than a dream come true for both of them. But Thane sours on the dream when he sees firsthand the horrific tactics the Empire uses to maintain its ironclad rule.

Bitter and disillusioned, he joins the fledging Rebellion--putting Ciena in an unbearable position between her loyalty to the Empire and her love for the man she's known since childhood.

Now on opposite sides of the war, will these friends turned foes ever find a way to be together, or will duty tear them--and the galaxy--apart?

My thoughts -

I can say with certainty that a year ago I never would have considered reading this book. But Disney is definitely upping the game of the Star Wars franchise, and after enjoying The Force Awakens so much that I saw in theaters twice (!), when I noticed my husband had used an Audible credit for this book I decided to give it a try.

Friends, this was a LOT of fun. I don't think you necessarily have to be particularly well-versed in Star Wars lore to enjoy it - the characters stand completely on their own, and while there are references to people and events from previous movies, this book has its own timeline and major events that are contained within the novel. This is just a very enjoyable sci-fi space opera, with two main characters I could root for throughout.

Thane and Ciena are wonderfully charismatic, and while it's clear from the start what trajectory their relationship will take, the author does a superb job of placing just enough road blocks in their way to keep the ride enjoyable. I so appreciated that neither character was dependent or subordinate to the other - each had their own clearly defined set of beliefs and values, and neither was willing to sacrifice them for each other. 

This was exciting and action packed, but the author didn't resort to a cookie-cutter happy ending for any of her characters, which was a refreshing change from many YA novels in this vein. I would happily read a series of books about these characters - I'd love to see where their paths take them.

The audiobook narration was good, but the producers did use a LOT of sound effects and music, which I am not particularly a fan of - just read me the book, thankyouverymuch. But that's a small quibble in an otherwise very enjoyable experience.

If sci-fi is your thing, check this one out. If you are a Star Wars fan, DEFINITELY check this out. This has made me extremely interested in reading more of the novels in the Star Wars universe, and that is certainly not something I would have said before starting. 

Finished - 2/13/16

Source - my own audible library #RMODB

MPAA rating - PG-13 for some violence, adult situations

My rating - 4/5

Book Thoughts - Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
first published 1992
578 pages

Synopsis -


For Kivrin, preparing an on-site study of one of the deadliest eras in humanity's history was as simple as receiving inoculations against the diseases of the fourteenth century and inventing an alibi for a woman traveling alone. For her instructors in the twenty-first century, it meant painstaking calculations and careful monitoring of the rendezvous location where Kivrin would be received.

But a crisis strangely linking past and future strands Kivrin in a bygone age as her fellows try desperately to rescue her. In a time of superstition and fear, Kivrin--barely of age herself--finds she has become an unlikely angel of hope during one of history's darkest hours.

My thoughts -

Am I the only person around here who has a list of books somewhere - likely floating around in your head - called, "Books I AM Going To Read Someday Because I've Heard They Are Great", but that you almost never actually get around to reading? It's funny how each time I manage to read one of the books from that list, it winds up being, in fact, GREAT! Why don't I just read them all right now? One of the great mysteries of the universe.

Doomsday Book was on that list. I think it hit my radar when Raych talked about it, and then I saw someone else talking about it, and I filed it away on that Books I AM Going To Read....list, and here i am finally getting around to reading it. And WHOOOOO, boy it was good.

Doomsday Book wasn't the kind of good where each sentence is beautifully constructed, and the words flow together, and you just love the way the author has mastered her craft. Not really at all, in fact. Willis' writing is fine, but that's not why you read this book. You read this book because of the story that grabs you by your neck hairs and doesn't let go. I think what made Kivrin's story so gripping for me is that this stuff actually happened - clearly, not the time travel aspects. But once Kivrin was in the 14th century, all that horror was real. Real people lived through it. Real people were completely helpless in the face of it. It was terrifying, and it wasn't made up. I found this review on Goodreads, and I think it perfectly sums up my feelings (apologies for the language) -

"Connie Willis shows us that we do not need to look to the future for an apocalyptic setting suitable for exorcising whatever demons haunt us, testing whatever faith we may or may not have, revealing the height of humanity's capacity for compassion or the depth of its misery. We had the mid-14th Century for that.

These ain't Jesuits on a distant planet, or a man and a boy wandering down a road.

This shit really happened, people."


The juxtaposition of Kivrin's troubles in the Middle Ages and the Present-Day epidemic was also striking, because it showed a clear picture of the ways in which humanity has not, in fact, changed that much in a couple of thousand years. People were just as ignorant and cruel and apathetic in the present as we like to accuse those who lived in the Middle Ages of being, and frankly we know better and should be doing better. It was a stark, pointed reality check in the midst of an increasingly dark story.

I thought this book was great. I do agree that it dragged a bit toward the end, but I was so terrified for Kivrin that I couldn't stop reading. If sci-fi is your thing, I would definitely recommend this one. I cannot wait to read more by this author!

Finished - 11/15/15
MPAA rating - PG-13 for realistic portrayals of death and some pretty scary stuff
My rating - 4/5

Book Thoughts- Lock In by John Scalzi

Lock In by John Scalzi
published 8/26/14
320 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

Fifteen years from now, a new virus sweeps the globe. 95% of those afflicted experience nothing worse than fever and headaches. Four percent suffer acute meningitis, creating the largest medical crisis in history. And one percent find themselves “locked in”—fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus.

One per cent doesn't seem like a lot. But in the United States, that's 1.7 million people “locked in”...including the President's wife and daughter.

Spurred by grief and the sheer magnitude of the suffering, America undertakes a massive scientific initiative. Nothing can restore the ability to control their own bodies to the locked in. But then two new technologies emerge. One is a virtual-reality environment, “The Agora,” in which the locked-in can interact with other humans, both locked-in and not. The other is the discovery that a few rare individuals have brains that are receptive to being controlled by others, meaning that from time to time, those who are locked in can “ride” these people and use their bodies as if they were their own.

This skill is quickly regulated, licensed, bonded, and controlled. Nothing can go wrong. Certainly nobody would be tempted to misuse it, for murder, for political power, or worse....

My thoughts -


Well. I know I've said before I'm a bit of a John Scalzi fangirl - I've pretty much loved everything of his I've read, I follow his blog, I think he's a smart guy AND an entertaining writer. So I'm pretty well predisposed to like this book.

That said, this was NOT my favorite of his work. I found his idea quite interesting - the subject of Lock In Syndrome is close to my heart, as my uncle has been suffering from ALS for 30 years, and has been locked in for at least half that time. I thought that creating a world in which this was almost the norm - where society has had to develop to accommodate people suffering from this syndrome - was a fascinating idea. As usual, his world building is fantastic, and his main characters nuanced and realistic.

So why did this one not hit a home run? The ending. I felt like there was so much forward momentum, and then the novel just ended. It felt rushed and abrupt, like there were chapters missing from the final pages. I can see this being the two-hour premier of a new series, where the point is to get people hooked on the characters and not necessarily care about the way the episode ends. I can only hope there are more books coming, because this felt really unsatisfying.

There is one thing Scalzi does in the novel that is REALLY cool - and I can't talk about it, because if you haven't read it I want you to go in without knowing like I did. I figured out what was going on about 1/3 of the way in, and it was a cool experience watching it play out until the end. My husband and I both had the same experience with it - and I want to know who else has read this book so I can talk to you about it!!

Anyway, not my favorite Scalzi, but let's be honest - even not my favorite Scalzi is more entertaining than a lot of other stuff. I wouldn't start here if you are new to the author, but it's worth reading for the ideas and cool thought-experiement stuff he has going on.

Finished - 9/21/14
Source - Audible.com
MPAA rating - R for language and violence
My rating - 3/4

This counts as my first book toward

LOTS of peril involved in this one!

Book Thoughts - Children of God by Mary Doria Russell

Children of God by Mary Doria Russell
published 1999
464 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

The only member of the original mission to the planet Rakhat to return to Earth, Father Emilio Sandoz has barely begun to recover from his ordeal when the Society of Jesus calls upon him for help in preparing for another mission to Alpha Centauri. Despite his objections and fear, he cannot escape his past or the future.

Old friends, new discoveries and difficult questions await Emilio as he struggles for inner peace and understanding in a moral universe whose boundaries now extend beyond the solar system and whose future lies with children born in a faraway place.

My thoughts -

I think it's safe to say that Mary Doria Russell doesn't write "easy" books. There are no easy scenes, no easy characters, no easy answers. Russell writes about struggle - the struggle to find a place; the struggle to find hope from despair; the struggle of faith amidst betrayal. I have not found her novels easy to read, but I have found them to be highly rewarding, and utterly unforgettable.

While Emilio Sandoz would ostensibly be the hero of the novel - it is, after all, his story readers of The Sparrow  want more of - he is not necessarily the MAIN character. Russell gives equal time to the others on Sandoz' mission, to Kitheri and Supaari on Rakhat, and on Sofia, the other survivor of the first mission. All Russell's characters- human and alien alike - come to feel like friends, flaws and all, as the reader follows them on their journey to find the answers they seek.

Russell's background as a biological anthropologist is a backbone of this novel - she is clearly interested in the the impact of one society on another, and the devastating consequences that can occur when societies collide. Her worldbuilding is intricate and complex, and the customs and political machinations within each society are an integral part of the story. This complexity was actually my only minor quibble with the novel - sometimes I felt like I was getting bogged down in detail, when all I really wanted to know was what the characters were going to do next.

I started reading this novel wanting to know what happened next to Emilio Sandoz after the devastating events of The Sparrow. I got those answers, but not necessarily in the way I expected them. Russell's second novel was thought-provoking and surprising, but certainly not disappointing. I think, for the right reader, this will be a reading experience you will never forget.

Finished - 11/28/13
Source - my shelves
MPAA rating - R for violence, adult situations
My rating - 8/10

Book Thoughts - The Road by Cormac McCarthy

The Road by Cormac McCarthy
published 2006
audiobook read by Rupert Degas - published 2008

Synopsis from publisher -

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food — and each other.


My thoughts -

My first official read for RIP and it left me weeping. Perhaps I should just quit while I'm ahead??

I was even prepared for it. I've seen the movie, so I knew what a gut-wrenching story this was. I knew it was bleak and grey, and I know it most certainly was not a happily-ever-after story. But I was not prepared for the absolute beauty of Cormac McCarthy's words, and how that would make the tragedy of the story so much more real.

“The soft black talc blew through the streets like squid ink uncoiling along a sea floor and the cold crept down and the dark came early and the scavengers passing down the steep canyons with their torches trod silky holes in the drifted ash that closed behind them silently as eyes.”

More than anything, I think this book is a love story about a father and a son. It's about choosing to go on when there is nothing you want more than to give up. It's about protecting what you love the most no matter what, and then giving what you love the strength to go on. It is spare and harsh and absolutely stunning.

“All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes. So, he whispered to the sleeping boy. I have you.”


Rupert Degas was the perfect narrator for this book. His voice carried the emotional weight of the story but never let it overtake him. I was absolutely mesmerized by every word. I realized that I somehow managed to find an abridged version of the book - normally that would upset me, but now I'm just excited that I have the chance to read it again and see if I can pick out the differences.

The Road won the Pulitzer Prize in 2007, and I can't imagine a novel deserving it more. For me, this book is perfection.



Finished - 9/21/13

Source - audiobook from South Side library

MPAA rating - R for violence, language, despair

My rating - 10/10

This novel is 1 of 4 for the RIP challenge.

Book Thoughts - The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
published 1997
448 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

The Sparrow, an astonishing literary debut, takes you on a journey to a distant planet and to the center of the human soul. It is the story of a charismatic Jesuit priest and linguist, Emilio Sandoz, who leads a twenty-first-century scientific mission to a newly discovered extraterrestrial culture. Sandoz and his companions are prepared to endure isolation, hardship and death, but nothing can prepare them for the civilization they encounter, or for the tragic misunderstanding that brings the mission to a catastrophic end. Once considered a living saint, Sandoz returns alone to Earth physically and spiritually maimed, the mission's sole survivor — only to be accused of heinous crimes and blamed for the mission's failure.

My thoughts -

Have you ever read a book that took your breath away? Have you ever fallen in love with a character who broke your heart? Have you ever had to put a novel down, because reading even one more word would be too much? If so, you know how I feel about The Sparrow.

From the beginning, I was gripped by the story. Russell's characters are so rich and complex, so utterly complete in their humanity, that I couldn't imagine what could have gone so horribly wrong. It's not a spoiler to say that their story does not end well - the reader is given this information almost immediately. But that does not lessen the anticipation, the unease, as Russell slowly unravels the threads of Emilio's story. It does not keep the reader from hoping for the best for these characters you have grown to love, and to feel the devastation when the end inevitably arrives.

There is so much to digest in the reading of this novel. The idea of family, both the family one is born with and the family one creates. The reality of the difficulties of truly understanding a culture that is foreign to our own. The human desire to understand the evil that is done in the world. The search for God, and the conflict between what we as humans want God to be, and what God truly is. Russell does not give easy answers - in fact, often there are no answers at all. But the journey is so authentic and real that it couldn't be any other way.

"For he could not feel God or approach God as a friend or speak to God with the easy familiarity of the devout or praise God with poetry. And yet, as he had grown older, the path he had started down almost in ignorance had begun to seem clearer to him. It became more apparent to him that he was truly called to walk this strange and difficult, this unnatural and unutterable path to God, which required not poetry or piety but simple endurance and patience. No one could know what this meant to him."

I've heard for several years that this novel was beloved by many - now I've joined their ranks. I had high expectations, and they were exceeded. I cannot recommend this novel highly enough. It will be one that I read again and again.

Finished - 8/31/13
Source - my kindle
MPAA rating - R - this is a tough, adult novel
My rating - 10/10


I read this novel for The Estella Project - and I completed the project! Yay for me!!

Book Thoughts - The Human Division by John Scalzi

The Human Division by John Scalzi
published online January-April, 2013
published in print 5/14/13
432 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

Following the events of The Last Colony, John Scalzi tells the story of the fight to maintain the unity of the human race.

The people of Earth now know that the human Colonial Union has kept them ignorant of the dangerous universe around them. For generations the CU had defended humanity against hostile aliens, deliberately keeping Earth an ignorant backwater and a source of military recruits. Now the CU's secrets are known to all. Other alien races have come on the scene and formed a new alliance — an alliance against the Colonial Union. And they've invited the people of Earth to join them. For a shaken and betrayed Earth, the choice isn't obvious or easy.

Against such possibilities, managing the survival of the Colonial Union won't be easy, either. It will take diplomatic finesse, political cunning… and a brilliant “B Team,” centered on the resourceful Lieutenant Harry Wilson, that can be deployed to deal with the unpredictable and unexpected things the universe throws at you when you're struggling to preserve the unity of the human race.

Being published online from January to April 2013 as a three-month digital serial, The Human Division will appear as a full-length novel of the Old Man's War universe, plus — for the first time in print — the first tale of Lieutenant Harry Wilson, and a coda that wasn't part of the digital serialization.

My thoughts -

I should preface this review by saying that I am a fan of John Scalzi. I enjoy and respect his writing across the board, both fiction and nonfiction, in both formal published work and informally on his blog. If this post becomes a bit gush-y, just keep that in mind.

I've been eagerly anticipating Scalzi's return to his Old Man's War Universe, and was especially intrigued when I learned of the unique method he'd chosen for publishing this story. I decided to wait and read The Human Division as a complete work, and so the anticipation was (if possible) even greater. Then my awesome sis got me an AUTOGRAPHED copy, and my excitement was complete.

I'm happy to report the story lived up to my high expectations. Science fiction often doesn't click with my reading sensibilities for some reason, but Scalzi always manages to find a way to draw me in. It's partly his sense of humor - he thinks up such bizarrely hilarious situations, and then somehow makes them seem plausible (like having a carnivorous plant "eat" a dog, who then had to have its heart stopped and re-started).  But mostly it's his fantastic characters. Harry Wilson is sarcastic and bizarrely brilliant; Hart Schmidt is earnest and idealistic; Ambassador Abumwe is prickly and tough, but by the end of the novel you have to admit she's one of your favorites. Scalzi develops relationships so perfectly, and it's his relationships that make his novels so rich and rewarding.

The Human Division ends with many of its questions unanswered - presumably to be picked up in season 2, which has been confirmed. (Yay!) It might seem odd referring to a book as a "season", but in many ways that is very much what the experience of this novel was. Each "episode" felt completely contained in itself, and occasionally it seemed unclear how a certain chapter would fit into the greater whole. But by the end, the loose threads draw together, and the "season" feels complete. I mentioned that I chose to wait and read the book as a whole - while I certainly enjoyed the experience, I think for the next season I will read each episode as it is released. It's unique and exciting to have an author willing to experiment like this, and I'm looking forward to seeing where the story takes us next.

I think Scalzi's Old Man's War series is a great way to dip into sci-fi if you aren't sure of the genre - his work is engaging and highly entertaining, and I think almost everyone will find something to enjoy. I highly recommend this fantastic series.

Finished - 7/7/13
Source - my shelves via my sister - thank you!
MPAA rating - R for violence and adult situations
My rating - 8/10