Book review
Project Hail Mary
Andy Weir sends an isolated scientist into a space engineering puzzle with Earth’s future at stake. An enjoyable adventure driven by technical problem-solving, dry humour and unexpected friendship.
Fiction
What can an imagined world show us?
Science fiction, fantasy, and stories that leave a question behind.
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Book review
Invisible Planets
Ken Liu edits and translates thirteen Chinese science-fiction stories with very different styles and ideas. Notes on a few favourites, with the caveat that the anthology’s range will not suit every reader equally.
Book review
Saturday
McEwan follows Henry Perowne through one Saturday, weaving events and memories. I admired the storytelling and saved two lines on possession, belonging and half-asleep awareness.
Book review
My Purple Scented Novel
Ian McEwan’s short story concerns a man who steals the life of a fellow novelist. A brief, positive reading note rather than an extended analysis.
Book review
Ilium
Dan Simmons combines the Trojan War and Greek mythology with science fiction across Mars, Earth and the Jovian system. An overlong novel for my taste, with unfamiliar allusions affecting the reading experience.
Book review
Broken Stars
Ken Liu collects Chinese science-fiction stories with a wide range of concepts and historical references. Some stories worked better for me than others; notes on inventive examples and a preference for fiction driven by ideas.
Book review
Network Effect
Martha Wells’s fifth Murderbot Diaries instalment expands the series into a longer novel. Less engaging than earlier entries, though my divided attention may have shaped that response.
Book review
Wall of Storms
Ken Liu’s second Dandelion Dynasty novel continues Kuni Garu’s story in a world of strategy and political conflict. Notes on the characters’ strengths and flaws, with connections to the hero’s journey.
Book review
The Hidden Girl and Other Stories
A brief recommendation of Ken Liu’s story collection, highlighting its emphasis on science fiction, its movement into fantasy and the characters and stories that made it memorable.
Book review
All These Worlds
A positive reading note on the conclusion to the original Bobiverse trilogy. An enjoyable return to earlier storylines and their resolution, with further stories in the same universe to look forward to.
Book review
The Grace of Kings
Ken Liu’s epic fantasy earns a recommendation for its intricate story, characters and conflicts involving love, politics, warfare and betrayal. The narrative treats cooperation as difficult and offers several perspectives on events.
Book review
The Redemption of Time
A positive response to Baoshu’s continuation of the Three-Body series. An enjoyable return of earlier details and closing of storylines, while readers differ on the telling.
Essay
Futuristic Novels
A reflection on The Martian, Ready Player One, and I, Robot as ways to imagine different futures. Floris connects the stories with human ingenuity, artificial intelligence, and the possibility of shaping what comes next.