Books Read in 2021 on paapereira.xyz

Children of Dune (Dune #3) by Frank Herbert (1976)

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Children of Dune (Dune #3) by Frank Herbert (1976)

Author: Frank Herbert
First Published: April 21st 1976
Series: Dune Book 3
Score: 8/10

Goodreads

The Children of Dune are twin siblings Leto and Ghanima Atreides, whose father, the Emperor Paul Muad’Dib, disappeared in the desert wastelands of Arrakis nine years ago. Like their father, the twins possess supernormal abilities—making them valuable to their manipulative aunt Alia, who rules the Empire in the name of House Atreides.

The Long Walk by Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman (1979)

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 22:00:00 +0000

The Long Walk by Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman (1979)

Author: Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman
First Published: July 1979
Series: Stephen King Novels
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

On the first day of May, 100 teenage boys meet for a race known as “The Long Walk.” If you break the rules, you get three warnings. If you exceed your limit, what happens is absolutely terrifying.

Reaper's Gale (Malazan Book of the Fallen #7) by Steven Erikson (2007)

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Reaper’s Gale (Malazan Book of the Fallen #7) by Steven Erikson (2007)

Author: Steven Erikson
First Published: May 7th 2007
Series: Malazan Book of the Fallen Book 7
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

A truly epic fantasy series that has confirmed its author as one of the most original and exciting genre storytellers in years.

Erikson’s ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ has been recognised the world-over by writers, critics and fans alike — in a recent review of The Bonehunters, the sixth chapter in this remarkable tale, the UK’s Interzone magazine hailed it ‘a masterpiece’ and ‘the benchmark for all future works in the field’, while the hugely influential genre website, Ottawa-based SF Site, declared ‘this series has clearly established itself as the most significant work of epic fantasy since Donaldson’s Chronicles of Thomas Covenant’.

Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries by Neil deGrasse Tyson (2006)

Sat, 04 Dec 2021 22:00:00 +0000

Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries by Neil deGrasse Tyson (2006)

Author: Neil deGrasse Tyson
First Published: November 1st 2006
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

Neil deGrasse Tyson has a talent for explaining the mysteries of outer space with stunning clarity and almost childlike enthusiasm. This collection of his essays from Natural History magazine explores a myriad of cosmic topics, from astral life at the frontiers of astrobiology to the movie industry’s feeble efforts to get its images of night skies right.

Joy at Work: Organizing Your Professional Life (Magic Cleaning #3) by Marie Kondō and Scott Sonenshein (2020)

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 18:00:00 +0000

Joy at Work: Organizing Your Professional Life (Magic Cleaning #3) by Marie Kondō and Scott Sonenshein (2020)

Author: Marie Kondō and Scott Sonenshein
First Published: April 7th 2020
Series: Magic Cleaning Book 3
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

The workplace is a magnet for clutter and mess. Who hasn’t felt drained by wasteful meetings, disorganized papers, endless emails, and unnecessary tasks? These are the modern-day hazards of working, and they can slowly drain the joy from work, limit our chances of career progress, and undermine our well-being. The authors offer stories, studies, and strategies to help you eliminate clutter and make space for work that really matters. They will help you overcome the challenges of workplace mess and enjoy the productivity, success, and happiness that comes with a tidy desk and mind.

Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke (1953)

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 22:00:00 +0000

Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke (1953)

Author: Arthur C. Clarke
First Published: August 1953
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

In the near future, enormous silver spaceships appear without warning over mankind’s largest cities. They belong to the Overlords, an alien race far superior to humanity in technological development. Their purpose is to dominate Earth. Their demands, however, are surprisingly benevolent: end war, poverty, and cruelty. Their presence, rather than signaling the end of humanity, ushers in a golden age . . . or so it seems.

Misery by Stephen King (1987)

Sun, 14 Nov 2021 22:00:00 +0000

Misery by Stephen King (1987)

Author: Stephen King
First Published: June 8th 1987
Series: Stephen King Novels
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Paul Sheldon is a best-selling novelist who has finally met his number-one fan. Her name is Annie Wilkes, and she is more than a rabid reader - she is Paul’s nurse, tending his shattered body after an automobile accident. But she is also furious that the author has killed off her favorite character in his latest book. Annie becomes his captor, keeping him prisoner in her isolated house.

Forever Free (The Forever War #3) by Joe Haldeman (1999)

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 22:00:00 +0000

Forever Free (The Forever War #3) by Joe Haldeman (1999)

Author: Joe Haldeman
First Published: December 1999
Series: The Forever War Book 3
Score: 10/10

Goodreads

Veterans of the intergalactic Forever War must brave an alien universe to escape mind-control slavery in this thrilling far-future sci-fi adventure.

On virtually every list of the greatest military science fiction adventures ever written, Joe Haldeman’s Hugo and Nebula Award–winning classic, The Forever War, is ranked at the very top. In Forever Free, the Science Fiction Writers of America Grand Master and author of the acclaimed Worlds series returns to that same volatile universe where human space marines once engaged the alien Taurans in never-ending battle.

Morning Star (Red Rising Saga #3) by Pierce Brown (2016)

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 22:00:00 +0000

Morning Star (Red Rising Saga #3) by Pierce Brown (2016)

Author: Pierce Brown
First Published: February 9th 2016
Series: Red Rising Saga Book 3
Score: 10/10

Goodreads

Red Rising thrilled readers and announced the presence of a talented new author. Golden Son changed the game and took the story of Darrow to the next level. Now comes the exhilarating conclusion to the Red Rising Trilogy: Morning Star.

Darrow would have lived in peace, but his enemies brought him war. The Gold overlords demanded his obedience, hanged his wife, and enslaved his people. But Darrow is determined to fight back. Risking everything to transform himself and breach Gold society, Darrow has battled to survive the cutthroat rivalries that breed Society’s mightiest warriors, climbed the ranks, and waited patiently to unleash the revolution that will tear the hierarchy apart from within.

Mars: Our Future on the Red Planet by Leonard David (2016)

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 22:00:00 +0000

Mars: Our Future on the Red Planet by Leonard David (2016)

Author: Leonard David
First Published: October 15th 2016
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

An inspiring exploration of the establishment of humans on Mars tying into the National Geographic television documentary series Mars. The next frontier in space exploration is Mars, the Red Planet and human habitation of Mars isn’t much farther off. In October 2015, NASA declared Mars an achievable goal; that same season, Ridley Scott and Matt Damons The Martian drew crowds into theaters, grossing over $200 million. Now the National Geographic Channel fast forwards years ahead with Mars, a six-part series documenting and dramatizing the next twenty-five years as humans land on and learn to live on Mars. Following on the visionary success of Buzz Aldrins Mission to Mars and the visual glory of Marc Kaufmans Mars Up Close, this companion book to the Nat Geo series shows the science behind the mission and the challenges awaiting those brave individuals.The book combines science, technology, photography, art, and storytelling, offering what only National Geographic can create. Clear scientific explanations, gorgeous photography from outer space and the planet itself, and dramatic scenes from the television series featuring exquisitely constructed sets made to replicate Mars, make the Mars experience real and provide amazing visuals to savor and return to again and again.

Biography of Resistance: The Epic Battle Between People and Pathogens by Muhammad H. Zaman (2020)

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Biography of Resistance: The Epic Battle Between People and Pathogens by Muhammad H. Zaman (2020)

Author: Muhammad H. Zaman
First Published: April 21st 2020
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

Award-winning Boston University educator and researcher Muhammad H. Zaman provides a chilling look at the rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, explaining how we got here and what we must do to address this growing global health crisis.

In September 2016, a woman in Nevada became the first known case in the U.S. of a person who died of an infection resistant to every antibiotic available. Her death is the worst nightmare of infectious disease doctors and public health professionals. While bacteria live within us and are essential for our health, some strains can kill us. As bacteria continue to mutate, becoming increasingly resistant to known antibiotics, we are likely to face a public health crisis of unimaginable proportions. “It will be like the great plague of the middle ages, the influenza pandemic of 1918, the AIDS crisis of the 1990s, and the Ebola epidemic of 2014 all combined into a single threat,” Muhammad H. Zaman warns.

Dune Messiah (Dune #2) by Frank Herbert (1969)

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Dune Messiah (Dune #2) by Frank Herbert (1969)

Author: Frank Herbert
First Published: 1969
Series: Dune Book 2
Score: 8/10

Goodreads

Dune Messiah continues the story of Paul Atreides, better known—and feared—as the man christened Muad’Dib. As Emperor of the known universe, he possesses more power than a single man was ever meant to wield. Worshipped as a religious icon by the fanatical Fremen, Paul faces the enmity of the political houses he displaced when he assumed the throne—and a conspiracy conducted within his own sphere of influence.

Thinner by Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman (1984)

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Thinner by Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman (1984)

Author: Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman
First Published: November 19th 1984
Series: Stephen King Novels
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Billy Halleck commits vehicular homicide when his lack of attention to driving results in the death of an old lady on the street. Overweight Halleck is a lawyer with connections, though, and gets off with a slap on the wrist. After his trial, a gypsy curses him with a single word, “Thinner.” Halleck begins to lose weight uncontrollably and must pursue the band of gypsies who are responsible for his dwindling condition.

The Bonehunters (Malazan Book of the Fallen #6) by Steven Erikson (2006)

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 20:00:00 +0100

The Bonehunters (Malazan Book of the Fallen #6) by Steven Erikson (2006)

Author: Steven Erikson
First Published: April 4th 2006
Series: Malazan Book of the Fallen Book 6
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

The Seven Cities Rebellion has been crushed. Sha’ik is dead. One last rebel force remains, holed up in the city of Y’Ghatan and under the fanatical command of Leoman of the Flails. The prospect of laying siege to this ancient fortress makes the battle-weary Malaz 14th Army uneasy. For it was here that the Empire’s greatest champion Dassem Ultor was slain and a tide of Malazan blood spilled. A place of foreboding, its smell is of death. But elsewhere, agents of a far greater conflict have made their opening moves. The Crippled God has been granted a place in the pantheon, a schism threatens and sides must be chosen. Whatever each god decides, the ground-rules have changed, irrevocably, terrifyingly and the first blood spilled will be in the mortal world. A world in which a host of characters, familiar and new, including Heboric Ghost Hands, the possessed Apsalar, Cutter, once a thief now a killer, the warrior Karsa Orlong and the two ancient wanderers Icarium and Mappo, each searching for such a fate as they might fashion with their own hands, guided by their own will. If only the gods would leave them alone. But now that knives have been unsheathed, the gods are disinclined to be kind. There shall be war, war in the heavens.And the prize? Nothing less than existence itself…

Murder by Other Means (The Dispatcher #2) by John Scalzi (2020)

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Murder by Other Means (The Dispatcher #2) by John Scalzi (2020)

Author: John Scalzi
First Published: September 10th 2020
Series: The Dispatcher Book 2
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

In the world of the Dispatchers, a natural or accidental death is an endpoint; a murder pushes the do-over button and 99.99% of the time the victim comes back to life. Tony Valdez is a Dispatcher who’s been taking shadier and shadier gigs in financial tough times, and after witnessing a crime gone wrong, he finds people around him permanently dying in a way that implicates him. He has to solve the mystery of these deaths to save the lives of others–and keep himself out of trouble with the law.

Rising Sun by Michael Crichton (1992)

Sat, 09 Oct 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Rising Sun by Michael Crichton (1992)

Author: Michael Crichton
First Published: January 27th 1992
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

A riveting thriller of corporate intrigue and cutthroat competition between American and Japanese business interests.

On the forty-fifth floor of the Nakamoto tower in downtown Los Angeles - the new American headquarters of the immense Japanese conglomerate - a grand opening celebration is in full swing.

On the forty-sixth floor, in an empty conference room, the corpse of a beautiful young woman is discovered.

Thicker Than Water by Tyler Shultz (2020)

Sat, 25 Sep 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Thicker Than Water by Tyler Shultz (2020)

Author: Tyler Shultz
First Published: August 4th 2020
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

From the hero whistleblower of the infamous Theranos scam, Thicker than Water is a look at never-before-revealed details behind closed doors at the company, revealing a cautionary tale of corporate bullying, gaslighting, ego, and wealth run amok in Silicon Valley.

Tyler Shultz had been in the workforce for less than a year when he emailed Elizabeth Holmes, his employer and the CEO and founder of Theranos, with concerns that the company’s lab practices were faulty, ignored quality control, and were potentially dangerous to patients. The COO fired back with a dismissive and insulting email, to which Tyler replied: “Consider this my two weeks’ notice.”

The Queen of the Damned (The Vampire Chronicles #3) by Anne Rice (1988)

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 21:00:00 +0100

The Queen of the Damned (The Vampire Chronicles #3) by Anne Rice (1988)

Author: Anne Rice
First Published: 1988
Series: The Vampire Chronicles Book 3
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

In 1976, a uniquely seductive world of vampires was unveiled in the now-classic Interview with the Vampire . . . in 1985, a wild and voluptous voice spoke to us, telling the story of The Vampire Lestat. In The Queen of the Damned, Anne Rice continues her extraordinary “Vampire Chronicles” in a feat of mesmeric storytelling, a chillingly hypnotic entertainment in which the oldest and most powerful forces of the night are unleashed on an unsuspecting world.

Night Shift by Stephen King (1978)

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Night Shift by Stephen King (1978)

Author: Stephen King
First Published: February 1978
Series: Stephen King Novels
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Never trust your heart to the New York Times bestselling master of suspense, Stephen King. Especially with an anthology that features the classic stories “Children of the Corn,” “The Lawnmower Man,” “Graveyard Shift,” “The Mangler,” and “Sometimes They Come Back”-which were all made into hit horror films.

From the depths of darkness, where hideous rats defend their empire, to dizzying heights, where a beautiful girl hangs by a hair above a hellish fate, this chilling collection of twenty short stories will plunge readers into the subterranean labyrinth of the most spine-tingling, eerie imagination of our time.

Forever Peace (The Forever War #2) by Joe Haldeman (1997)

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Forever Peace (The Forever War #2) by Joe Haldeman (1997)

Author: Joe Haldeman
First Published: October 1997
Series: The Forever War Book 2
Score: 10/10

Goodreads

T2043 A.D.: The Ngumi War rages. A burned-out soldier and his scientist lover discover a secret that could put the universe back to square one. And it is not terrifying. It is tempting…

Golden Son (Red Rising Saga #2) by Pierce Brown (2015)

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Golden Son (Red Rising Saga #2) by Pierce Brown (2015)

Author: Pierce Brown
First Published: January 6th 2015
Series: Red Rising Saga Book 2
Score: 10/10

Goodreads

Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom.

As a Red, Darrow grew up working the mines deep beneath the surface of Mars, enduring backbreaking labor while dreaming of the better future he was building for his descendants. But the Society he faithfully served was built on lies. Darrow’s kind have been betrayed and denied by their elitist masters, the Golds—and their only path to liberation is revolution. And so Darrow sacrifices himself in the name of the greater good for which Eo, his true love and inspiration, laid down her own life. He becomes a Gold, infiltrating their privileged realm so that he can destroy it from within.

Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries #6) by Martha Wells (2021)

Sun, 29 Aug 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries #6) by Martha Wells (2021)

Author: Martha Wells
First Published: April 27th 2021
Series: The Murderbot Diaries Book 6
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

No, I didn’t kill the dead human. If I had, I wouldn’t dump the body in the station mall.

When Murderbot discovers a dead body on Preservation Station, it knows it is going to have to assist station security to determine who the body is (was), how they were killed (that should be relatively straightforward, at least), and why (because apparently that matters to a lot of people—who knew?)

How to Build Meaningful Relationships through Conversations by Carol Ann Lloyd (2020)

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 21:00:00 +0100

How to Build Meaningful Relationships through Conversations by Carol Ann Lloyd (2020)

Author: Carol Ann Lloyd
First Published: February 18th 2020
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

We have conversations every day, but how many of those can be considered effective? The right conversation can help establish strong relationships, solve problems, create new opportunities, and build communities. The right conversation can change everything.

But how does one prepare to have a conversation in an effective way?

Dune (Dune #1) by Frank Herbert (1965)

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Dune (Dune #1) by Frank Herbert (1965)

Author: Frank Herbert
First Published: June 1965
Series: Dune Book 1
Score: 10/10

Goodreads

Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, heir to a noble family tasked with ruling an inhospitable world where the only thing of value is the “spice” melange, a drug capable of extending life and enhancing consciousness. Coveted across the known universe, melange is a prize worth killing for….

The Real Sherlock by Lucinda Hawksley (2019)

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 21:00:00 +0100

The Real Sherlock by Lucinda Hawksley (2019)

Author: Lucinda Hawksley
First Published: May 23rd 2019
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

Sherlock Holmes is the most portrayed fictional character of all time, and he has been reimagined by actors, playwrights and directors over centuries - but who is the creator behind the detective?

Conan Doyle’s own life was often stranger than fiction, and his most famous characters’ stories and personalities bear more than a passing resemblance to his own life and his closest friends.

Green World (Undying Mercenaries #15) by B.V. Larson (2021)

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Green World (Undying Mercenaries #15) by B.V. Larson (2021)

Author: B.V. Larson
First Published: August 3rd 2021
Series: Undying Mercenaries Book 15
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Rebels build a secret base on Green World. Their plan is to attack Earth and retake all the planets the Humans have conquered.

Hegemony starships gather to strike the Rebels first, but where is their base? As the fleets search, Earth warships trespass into Skay space igniting a fresh border conflict between rival Galactics.

Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park #1) by Michael Crichton (1990)

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park #1) by Michael Crichton (1990)

Author: Michael Crichton
First Published: November 7th 1990
Series: Jurassic Park Book 1
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now humankind’s most thrilling fantasies have come true. Creatures extinct for eons roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery, and all the world can visit them—for a price.

Until something goes wrong. . . .

Midnight Tides (Malazan Book of the Fallen #5) by Steven Erikson (2004)

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 20:00:00 +0100

Midnight Tides (Malazan Book of the Fallen #5) by Steven Erikson (2004)

Author: Steven Erikson
First Published: March 1st 2004
Series: Malazan Book of the Fallen Book 5
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

After decades of warfare, the five tribes of the Tiste Edur are united under the implacable rule of the Warlock King of the Hiroth. But the price of peace is a pact with a hidden power whose motives may be deadly. To the south, the expansionist kingdom of Lether has devoured all lesser neighbors - except the Tiste Edur.

The Space Race by Colin Brake, Patrick Chapman, Richard Hollingham, Richard Kurti, Sue Nelson, Helen Quigley and Andrew Mark Sewell (2019)

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 21:00:00 +0100

The Space Race by Colin Brake, Patrick Chapman, Richard Hollingham, Richard Kurti, Sue Nelson, Helen Quigley and Andrew Mark Sewell (2019)

Author: Colin Brake, Patrick Chapman, Richard Hollingham, Richard Kurti, Sue Nelson, Helen Quigley, Andrew Mark Sewell
First Published: July 12th 2019
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

The 1960s space race captured our imaginations and our dreams. Today’s efforts to revitalize and expand space travel is being driven not just by government agencies such as NASA, but also by visionaries such as Richard Branson (Virgin Galactic), Elon Musk (SpaceX), and Jeff Bezos (Blue Origin).

The Messengers by Lindsay Joelle (2020)

Sat, 24 Jul 2021 21:00:00 +0100

The Messengers by Lindsay Joelle (2020)

Author: Lindsay Joelle
First Published: March 5th 2020
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

A mysterious plague ushers in an intergalactic war that ravages the galaxy for decades. A soldier and a pilot are tasked to deliver a package. A messenger and a refugee decide to work together on a dying alien planet. A love letter is lost that could be the key to a new future. A dark comedy about the messages we carry in our bones.

Forward: Stories of Tomorrow by Blake Crouch, Veronica Roth, N.K. Jemisin, Amor Towles, Paul Tremblay and Andy Weir (2019)

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Forward: Stories of Tomorrow by Blake Crouch, Veronica Roth, N.K. Jemisin, Amor Towles, Paul Tremblay and Andy Weir (2019)

Authors: Blake Crouch, Veronica Roth, N.K. Jemisin, Amor Towles, Paul Tremblay and Andy Weir
First Published: September 17th 2019
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

For some, it’s the end of the world. For others, it’s just the beginning. With brilliant imagination, today’s most visionary writers point to the future in a collection curated by bestselling author Blake Crouch. These stories range from darkly comic to deeply chilling, but they all look forward. Featuring stories by Andy Weir, Amor Towles, Veronica Roth, N. K. Jemisin, Paul Tremblay, and Blake Crouch; with narration by Evan Rachel Wood, David Harbour, Jason Isaacs, Rosa Salazar, Steven Strait, and Janina Gavankar.

The Forever War (The Forever War #1) by Joe Haldeman (1974)

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 20:30:00 +0100

The Forever War (The Forever War #1) by Joe Haldeman (1974)

Author: Joe Haldeman
First Published: December 1974
Series: The Forever War Book 1
Score: 10/10

Goodreads

The Earth’s leaders have drawn a line in the interstellar sand—despite the fact that the fierce alien enemy that they would oppose is inscrutable, unconquerable, and very far away. A reluctant conscript drafted into an elite Military unit, Private William Mandella has been propelled through space and time to fight in the distant thousand-year conflict; to perform his duties without rancor and even rise up through military ranks. Pvt. Mandella is willing to do whatever it takes to survive the ordeal and return home. But “home” may be even more terrifying than battle, because, thanks to the time dilation caused by space travel, Mandella is aging months while the Earth he left behind is aging centuries.

Red Rising (Red Rising Saga #1) by Pierce Brown (2014)

Sat, 10 Jul 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Red Rising (Red Rising Saga #1) by Pierce Brown (2014)

Author: Pierce Brown
First Published: January 28th 2014
Series: Red Rising Saga Book 1
Score: 10/10

Goodreads

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations.

Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.

Sphere by Michael Crichton (1987)

Sat, 03 Jul 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Sphere by Michael Crichton (1987)

Author: Michael Crichton
First Published: May 12th 1987
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

From the author of Jurassic Park, Timeline, and Congo comes a psychological thriller about a group of scientists who investigate a spaceship discovered on the ocean floor.

In the middle of the South Pacific, a thousand feet below the surface, a huge vessel is unearthed. Rushed to the scene is a team of American scientists who descend together into the depths to investigate the astonishing discovery. What they find defies their imaginations and mocks their attempts at logical explanation. It is a spaceship, but apparently it is undamaged by its fall from the sky. And, most startling, it appears to be at least three hundred years old, containing a terrifying and destructive force that must be controlled at all costs.

Kings of the Wyld (The Band #1) by Nicholas Eames (2017)

Sun, 27 Jun 2021 15:30:00 +0100

Kings of the Wyld (The Band #1) by Nicholas Eames (2017)

Author: Nicholas Eames
First Published: February 21st 2017
Series: The Band Book 1
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best – the meanest, dirtiest, most feared crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld.

Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk - or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay’s door with a plea for help. His daughter Rose is trapped in a city besieged by an enemy one hundred thousand strong and hungry for blood. Rescuing Rose is the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for.

Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World by Michael Pollan (2020)

Sat, 19 Jun 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World by Michael Pollan (2020)

Author: Michael Pollan
First Published: January 30th 2020
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

Pollan takes us on a journey through the history of the drug, which was first discovered in a small part of East Africa and within a century became an addiction affecting most of the human species. Caffeine, it turns out, has changed the course of human history - won and lost wars, changed politics, dominated economies. What’s more, the author shows that the Industrial Revolution would have been impossible without it. The science of how the drug has evolved to addict us is no less fascinating.

The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King (1987)

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 21:00:00 +0100

The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King (1987)

Author: Stephen King
First Published: February 2nd 1987
Series: Stephen King Novels
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

A kingdom is in turmoil after old King Roland dies and his worthy successor, Prince Peter, is imprisoned by the evil Flagg and his pawn, young Prince Thomas. But Flagg’s evil plot is not perfect, for he knows naught of Thomas’s terrible secret - or Prince Peter’s daring plan to escape to claim what is rightfully his. A tale of archetypal heroes and sweeping adventures, of dragons and princes and evil wizards, here is epic fantasy as only Stephen King could envision it. Stephen King has taken the classic fairy tale and transformed it into a masterpiece of fiction for the ages.

House of Chains (Malazan Book of the Fallen #4) by Steven Erikson (2002)

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 21:00:00 +0100

House of Chains (Malazan Book of the Fallen #4) by Steven Erikson (2002)

Author: Steven Erikson
First Published: December 2002
Series: Malazan Book of the Fallen Book 4
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

In Northern Genabackis, a raiding party of savage tribal warriors descends from the mountains into the southern flatlands. Their intention is to wreak havoc amongst the despised lowlanders, but for the one named Karsa Orlong it marks the beginning of what will prove to be an extraordinary destiny.

Alone with the Stars by David R. Gillham (2020)

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 18:00:00 +0100

Alone with the Stars by David R. Gillham (2020)

Author: David R. Gillham
First Published: January 30th 2020
Score: 4/10

Goodreads

In the summer of 1937, Amelia Earhart is the most famous woman in the world - a record-breaking pilot, a best-selling author, and a modern woman shattering the glass ceiling in the early days of aviation.

And then she vanishes.

In Tampa, Florida, 15-year-old Lizzie Friedlander spends her afternoons glued to her father’s radio, tapping into the enormity of a world she longs to travel. Lizzie can hardly believe her ears when she picks up a radio signal from a faraway source that sets her heart racing: “Amelia Earhart calling SOS!”

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021)

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 16:00:00 +0100

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021)

Author: Andy Weir
First Published: May 4th 2021
Score: 8/10

Goodreads

Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission - and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.

Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

Congo by Michael Crichton (1980)

Sun, 23 May 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Congo by Michael Crichton (1980)

Author: Michael Crichton
First Published: 1980
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

From the bestselling author of Jurassic Park, Timeline, and Sphere comes a gripping thriller about the shocking demise of eight American geologists in the darkest region of the Congo.

Deep in the African rain forest, near the ruins of the Lost City of Zinj, a field expedition is brutally killed. At the Houston-based Earth Resources Technology Services, Inc., a horrified supervisor watches a gruesome video transmission of that ill-fated group and sees a haunting, grainy, man-like blur moving amongst the bodies. In San Francisco, an extraordinary gorilla named Amy, who has a 620-sign vocabulary, may hold the secret to that fierce carnage. Immediately, a new expedition is sent to the Congo with Amy in tow, descending into a secret, forbidden world where the only escape may be through the grisliest death.

Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries #5) by Martha Wells (2020)

Tue, 18 May 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries #5) by Martha Wells (2020)

Author: Martha Wells
First Published: May 5th 2020
Series: The Murderbot Diaries Book 5
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you’re a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction? Congratulations, you’re Murderbot.

Alien Resurrection by A.C. Crispin (1997)

Sun, 16 May 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Alien Resurrection by A.C. Crispin (1997)

Author: A.C. Crispin
First Published: January 1st 1997
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

At the farthest reaches of the solar system, aboard orbiting space station Auriga, the unthinkable has happened. Ripley awakes. Her last memory is of her own fiery death on the prison colony Fiorina 361. And yet she is alive. Her questions grow as she notices her body stronger and fiercer than she ever remembers. And she confronts the most terrifying threat of all–that she is not alone in her salvation from death’s grasp. To combat the incalculable alien menace, she teams up with a renegade band of space smugglers.

Memories of Ice (Malazan Book of the Fallen #3) by Steven Erikson (2001)

Mon, 10 May 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Memories of Ice (Malazan Book of the Fallen #3) by Steven Erikson (2001)

Author: Steven Erikson
First Published: December 6th 2001
Series: Malazan Book of the Fallen Book 3
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

The ravaged continent of Genabackis is a terrifying new empire, the Pannion Domin, that devours all. An uneasy allliance resists: Onearm’s army, Whiskeyjack’s Bridgeburners and former enemies - forces of Warlord Caladan Brood, Anomander Rake and his Tiste Andii mages, and the Rhivi people of the plains. And the Crippled God intends revenge.

Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton (1976)

Thu, 06 May 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton (1976)

Author: Michael Crichton
First Published: March 12th 1976
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

The year is A.D. 922. A refined Arab courtier, representative of the powerful Caliph of Bagdad, encounters a party of Viking warriors who are journeying to the barbaric North. He is appalled by their Viking customs – the wanton sexuality of their pale, angular women, their disregard for cleanliness , their cold-blooded human sacrifices. But it is not until they reach the depths of the Northland that the courtier learns the horrifying and inescapable truth: He has been enlisted by these savage, inscrutable warriors to help combat a terror that plagues them – a monstrosity that emerges under cover of night to slaughter the Vikings and devour their flesh . . .

The Science of Sci-Fi: From Warp Speed to Interstellar Travel by Erin Macdonald (2019)

Sat, 01 May 2021 21:00:00 +0100

The Science of Sci-Fi: From Warp Speed to Interstellar Travel by Erin Macdonald (2019)

Author: Erin Macdonald
First Published: November 19th 2019
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

Science fiction allows listeners to go places they can only dream of seeing—other worlds, distant stars, entirely different galaxies. While not every story is concerned with the hard science behind space travel and other futuristic ventures, fiction can give listeners an amazing insight into what people could be capable of and what people dream of doing.

Malcolm and Me by Ishmael Reed (2020)

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 17:00:00 +0100

Malcolm and Me by Ishmael Reed (2020)

Author: Ishmael Reed
First Published: January 30th 2020
Score: 3/10

Goodreads

In 1960, Ishmael Reed, then an aspiring young writer, interviewed Malcolm X for a local radio station in Buffalo, New York. The encounter cost Reed his job and changed his life. In Malcolm and Me, Reed, acclaimed author of such classic novels as Mumbo Jumbo and winner of a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, reveals a side of Malcolm X the public has never seen before, while exploring how the civil rights firebrand influenced his own views on working, living, speaking out, and left a mark on generations of artists and activists.

The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton (1975)

Sat, 24 Apr 2021 21:00:00 +0100

The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton (1975)

Author: Michael Crichton
First Published: May 12th 1975
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

Lavish wealth and appalling poverty live side by side in Victorian London – and Edward Pierce easily navigates both worlds. Rich, handsome, and ingenious, he charms the city’s most prominent citizens even as he plots the crime of his century, the daring theft of a fortune in gold. But even Pierce could not predict the consequences of an extraordinary robbery that targets the pride of England’s industrial era: the mighty steam locomotive.

Different Seasons by Stephen King (1982)

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 21:00:00 +0100

Different Seasons by Stephen King (1982)

Author: Stephen King
First Published: August 27th 1982
Series: Stephen King Novels
Score: 8/10

Goodreads

A “hypnotic” (The New York Times Book Review) collection of four novellas from Stephen King bound together by the changing of seasons, each taking on the theme of a journey with strikingly different tones and characters. “The wondrous readability of his work, as well as the instant sense of communication with his characters, are what make Stephen King the consummate storyteller that he is,” hailed the Houston Chronicle about Different Seasons.

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin (1920)

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 21:00:00 +0100

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin (1920)

Author: Yevgeny Zamyatin
First Published: 1920
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

D-503 is the Builder of the Integral, the United State’s first spaceship. A life of calculations and equations in the United State leaves little room for emotional expression outside of the pink slips that give one private time with another Number. The façade however starts to crack when I-330, a mysterious she-Number with a penchant for the Ancients, enters the picture.

The Terminal Man by Michael Crichton (1972)

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 22:00:00 +0000

The Terminal Man by Michael Crichton (1972)

Author: Michael Crichton
First Published: March 1st 1972
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

Harry Benson is prone to violent, uncontrollable seizures and is under police guard after attacking two people.

Dr. Roger McPherson, head of the prestigious Neuropsychiatric Research Unit at University Hospital in Los Angeles, is convinced he can cure Benson through a procedure called Stage Three. During this highly specialized experimental surgery, electrodes will be place in the patient’s brain, sending monitored, soothing pulses to its pleasure canyons.

The Slow Regard of Silent Things (The Kingkiller Chronicle Book 2.5) by Patrick Rothfuss (2014)

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 22:00:00 +0000

The Slow Regard of Silent Things (The Kingkiller Chronicle Book 2.5) by Patrick Rothfuss (2014)

Author: Patrick Rothfuss
First Published: October 28th 2014
Series: The Kingkiller Chronicle Book 2.5
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

Deep below the University, there is a dark place. Few people know of it: a broken web of ancient passageways and abandoned rooms. A young woman lives there, tucked among the sprawling tunnels of the Underthing, snug in the heart of this forgotten place.

Bruce Lee: A Life by Matthew Polly (2018)

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 22:00:00 +0000

Bruce Lee: A Life by Matthew Polly (2018)

Author: Matthew Polly
First Published: January 1st 2018
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

The first authoritative biography—featuring dozens of rarely seen photographs—of film legend Bruce Lee, who made martial arts a global phenomenon, bridged the divide between Eastern and Western cultures, and smashed long-held stereotypes of Asians and Asian-Americans.

Forty-five years after Bruce Lee’s sudden death at age thirty-two, journalist and bestselling author Matthew Polly has written the definitive account of Lee’s life. It’s also one of the only accounts; incredibly, there has never been an authoritative biography of Lee. Following a decade of research that included conducting more than one hundred interviews with Lee’s family, friends, business associates, and even the actress in whose bed Lee died, Polly has constructed a complex, humane portrait of the icon.

The Andromeda Strain (Andromeda #1) by Michael Crichton (1969)

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 22:00:00 +0000

The Andromeda Strain (Andromeda #1) by Michael Crichton (1969)

Author: Michael Crichton
First Published: September 1st 1969
Series: Andromeda Book 1
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

From the author of Jurassic Park, Timeline, and Sphere comes a captivating thriller about a deadly extraterrestrial microorganism, which threatens to annihilate human life.

Five prominent biophysicists have warned the United States government that sterilization procedures for returning space probes may be inadequate to guarantee uncontaminated re-entry to the atmosphere. Two years later, a probe satellite falls to the earth and lands in a desolate region of northeastern Arizona. Nearby, in the town of Piedmont, bodies lie heaped and flung across the ground, faces locked in frozen surprise. What could cause such shock and fear? The terror has begun, and there is no telling where it will end.

Deadhouse Gates (Malazan Book of the Fallen #2) by Steven Erikson (2000)

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 22:00:00 +0000

Deadhouse Gates (Malazan Book of the Fallen #2) by Steven Erikson (2000)

Author: Steven Erikson
First Published: September 2000
Series: Malazan Book of the Fallen Book 2
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

In the vast dominion of Seven Cities, in the Holy Desert Raraku, the seer Sha’ik and her followers prepare for the long-prophesied uprising known as the Whirlwind. Unprecedented in size and savagery, this maelstrom of fanaticism and bloodlust will embroil the Malazan Empire in one of the bloodiest conflicts it has ever known, shaping destinies and giving birth to legends.

Alien 3 by Alan Dean Foster (1992)

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 22:00:00 +0000

Alien 3 by Alan Dean Foster (1992)

Author: Alan Dean Foster
First Published: June 1st 1992
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

Here, even the wind screams. Abandoned hulks of machinery rust in the colorless landscape. Dark, oily seas beat against a jagged black shore. And the remnants of a reentry space vehicle crash into the rough waves. In it sleeps Ripley, a woman who has battled the enemy twice. It killed her whole crew the first time. The second time, it slaughtered a spaceload of death-dealing Marines. Now on this prison planet that houses only a horde of defiant, captive men, she will have to fight the ultimate alien horror one more time.

Just Do It by Donald R. Katz (1994)

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:00:00 +0000

Just Do It by Donald R. Katz (1994)

Author: Donald R. Katz
First Published: 1994
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

The most powerful force in sports is not a football or baseball team. It is a shoe company. Nike is radically changing the way sports, business and popular culture interact.

Donald Katz is an award-winning author with a genius for getting inside places other journalists can’t, and for writing nonfiction with the sweep and drama of a great novel. In his acclaimed bestseller, The Big Store, Katz gained unprecedented access to Sears, America’s retail giant of the past. Now, in Just Do It, Katz has penetrated the company of the future, a dream machine that seeks nothing less than to define culture through the power of sports.

Everybody Lies by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz (2017)

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 22:00:00 +0000

Everybody Lies by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz (2017)

Author: Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
First Published: May 9th 2017
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Blending the informed analysis of The Signal and the Noise with the instructive iconoclasm of Think Like a Freak, a fascinating, illuminating, and witty look at what the vast amounts of information now instantly available to us reveals about ourselves and our world—provided we ask the right questions.

By the end of an average day in the early twenty-first century, human beings searching the internet will amass eight trillion gigabytes of data. This staggering amount of information—unprecedented in history—can tell us a great deal about who we are—the fears, desires, and behaviors that drive us, and the conscious and unconscious decisions we make. From the profound to the mundane, we can gain astonishing knowledge about the human psyche that less than twenty years ago, seemed unfathomable.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Adventures of Tom and Huck #1) by Mark Twain (1876)

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 22:00:00 +0000

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Adventures of Tom and Huck #1) by Mark Twain (1876)

Author: Mark Twain
First Published: 1876
Series: Adventures of Tom and Huck Book 1
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

With The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, not even Twain could have known that when he introduced readers to the inhabitants of the fictional town of St. Petersburg, Missouri, he would also be introducing two characters - one a clever and mischievous scamp, and the other a carefree, innocent ragamuffin - whose stories would ultimately shape the course of American literature. But whereas its sequel and companion piece, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, would harken an end to childhood, the story of Tom Sawyer is one that depicts the excitement and adventure of boyhood along the Mississippi.

Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen #1) by Steven Erikson (1999)

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 22:00:00 +0000

Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen #1) by Steven Erikson (1999)

Author: Steven Erikson
First Published: April 1999
Series: Malazan Book of the Fallen Book 1
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations with the formidable Anomander Rake and his Tiste Andii, ancient and implacable sorcerers. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen’s rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins.

Exit Strategy (The Murderbot Diaries #4) by Martha Wells (2018)

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 22:00:00 +0000

Exit Strategy (The Murderbot Diaries #4) by Martha Wells (2018)

Author: Martha Wells
First Published: October 2nd 2018
Series: The Murderbot Diaries Book 4
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

Murderbot wasn’t programmed to care. So, its decision to help the only human who ever showed it respect must be a system glitch, right?

Having traveled the width of the galaxy to unearth details of its own murderous transgressions, as well as those of the GrayCris Corporation, Murderbot is heading home to help Dr. Mensah—its former owner (protector? friend?)—submit evidence that could prevent GrayCris from destroying more colonists in its never-ending quest for profit.

Awkward by Ty Tashiro (2017)

Sun, 17 Jan 2021 18:00:00 +0000

Awkward by Ty Tashiro (2017)

Author: Ty Tashiro
First Published: April 25th 2017
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

In the vein of Quiet and The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth comes this illuminating look at what it means to be awkward—and how the same traits that make us socially anxious and cause embarrassing faux pas also provide the seeds for extraordinary success.

As humans, we all need to belong. While modern social life can make even the best of us feel gawky, for roughly one in five of us, navigating its challenges is consistently overwhelming—an ongoing maze without an exit. Often unable to grasp social cues or master the skills and grace necessary for smooth interaction, we feel out of sync with those around us. Though individuals may recognize their awkward disposition, they rarely understand why they are like this—which makes it hard for them to know how to adjust their behavior.

Cut and Run: A Light-Hearted Dark Comedy by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker (2020)

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 22:00:00 +0000

Cut and Run: A Light-Hearted Dark Comedy by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker (2020)

Author: Ben Acker and Ben Blacker
First Published: November 17th 2020
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

Samantha Dugan and Abe Lally are best friends. They steal kidneys. They have their reasons.

Samantha is a professional seductress and con artist with a heart of gold. If she talked about her work, she’d tell you she only pilfers organs for medical research and that she only takes one kidney, and she only steals those kidneys from dishonest people. It’s hell on her social life.

Rogue Protocol (The Murderbot Diaries #3) by Martha Wells (2018)

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 19:55:00 +0000

Rogue Protocol (The Murderbot Diaries #3) by Martha Wells (2018)

Author: Martha Wells
First Published: August 7th 2018
Series: The Murderbot Diaries Book 3
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

Who knew being a heartless killing machine would present so many moral dilemmas?

Sci-fi’s favorite antisocial A.I. is back on a mission. The case against the too-big-to-fail GrayCris Corporation is floundering, and more importantly, authorities are beginning to ask more questions about where Dr. Mensah’s SecUnit is.