Tag Archive for: Science Fiction

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The Passengers

The PassengersTitle: The Passengers
Author: John Marrs
Series: Dark Future #2
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Format: Audio
Pages: 337
Length: 11h 40m
Narrator: Clare Corbett, Roy McMillan, Tom Bateman, Shaheen Khan, Kristin Atherton, Patience Tomlinson
Reason Read: Book Club
Rating:

My Thoughts

I liked the premise of THE PASSENGERS and I thought the story was very compelling. It definitely kept me reading to the end despite the fact that I hated most of the characters and found parts of the story hard to get through because of the content. *coughSofiacough* I think THE PASSENGERS is plausible except for Clare’s ability to clothe and move her large, dead husband from their bed to the trunk of their car while she was 7 months pregnant. I also think the story portrays an interesting view of Cancel Culture, social media, online anonymity, mob mentality, bipartisan politics, and the future of A.I.

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The Sound of Stars

The Sound of StarsTitle: The Sound of Stars
Author: Alechia Dow
Series: Starry-Eyed Universe #1
Genre: Dystopian, LGBTQ+, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 426
Reason Read: Black History Month
Rating:

My Thoughts

It took me a little bit to get into THE SOUND OF STARS. Once I did, though, I couldn’t put it down. One of my favorite things about the story was its message of inclusivity. There were so many LGBTQ+ characters, including Ellie. Dow didn’t shove a pro-LGBTQ+ agenda in your face or anything; she just had characters that identified in different ways and the other characters were accepting and considerate of them and their pronouns.

I also loved how Dow used the invasion of Earth by the Ilori as a way to talk about racism, prejudice, police brutality, and other current hot topics. It added to the story by giving it more depth, strengthened Ellie and M0Rr1S’ connection, and made the story more memorable.

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The Hollow City

The Hollow CityTitle: The Hollow City
Author: Dan Wells
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction
Format: Kindle
Pages: 336
Reason Read: Book Club
Rating:

My Thoughts

I liked the first two thirds of THE HOLLOW CITY a lot. I couldn’t put the book down. It was such an interesting premise and, just like Michael, I wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t. But I’m not sure I liked where the book went in the last third. It got a little too sci-fi-y for my taste. I like sci-fi normally but this seemed like it came out of nowhere.

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A Wrinkle In Time

A Wrinkle In TimeTitle: A Wrinkle in Time
Author: Madeleine L'Engle
Series: Time Quintet #1
Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Science Fiction
Format: Kindle
Pages: 245
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

My Thoughts

I knew A WRINKLE IN TIME was fantasy and I knew it had to do with darkness and light, but I don’t know what I was expecting because this wasn’t it. I enjoyed the fantasy and science aspect of the story. In fact, that’s probably what I liked most about the story. Well, that and Charles Wallace, the 5-year-old brother of the main character, Meg. I enjoyed reading about wrinkling / tessering. And, I loved the mix of fantasy / science with religion. I thought that was rather unique.

What I didn’t like is Meg. She was so annoying and I had a hard time connecting with her in any way. I also didn’t like how short the book is. Without the introduction, afterword, acknowledgements, etc., the story is only 203 pages. I know it’s meant for children, but I feel like the story could’ve been fleshed out so much more. I also felt like the characters, other than the main three, were very one-dimensional. I have so many unanswered questions that I feel could’ve been answered with a longer book. Who was the Happy Medium? Why was she important? Why couldn’t Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which help Meg, Calvin, and Charles Wallace on Camazotz? Why did they just give them vague gifts and not tell them what to do or where to go?

Overall, I liked the story and I might continue the series at some point, but I don’t feel like the book lived up to the hype. Honestly, I probably would’ve liked the story better if I had read it when I was younger.

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Ready Player One

Ready Player OneTitle: Ready Player One
Author: Ernest Cline
Series: Ready Player One #1
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Format: Kindle
Pages: 374
Reason Read: Book Club
Rating:

My Thoughts

Even though READY PLAYER ONE was only a so-so read for me, I’m glad I read it. I adored reading about all the 80s nostalgia. I felt like I was reliving my childhood. I’d agree with the characters when they talked about “our” favorites and then I’d get mad at them when they dissed one of mine. My biggest pet peeve with the story / writing was all the info dumps. Whenever Wade got hold of a new technology, I felt like Cline couldn’t help himself. He just went on and on about the technology he created and it was a little much.