This book review is about 'Dungeon Crawler Carl' by Matt Dinniman, the first book in the series. The book is a LitRPG genre, following a classic DnD scenario with a former marine technician, Carl, as the protagonist. The book is mostly about the game mechanics, monsters, NPCs, locations, etc. with some subtle parallels to 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'. The book is less inventive and less funny but still very good. The review provides a brief overview of the book's plot and characters.
# Book review
The reviewer was disappointed with 'A Memory Called Empire' by Arkady Martine, despite it being a neatly built plot. The book lacked nutritional value and was uneventful. The reviewer suspected the author was a young woman, which was confirmed. The book had many Sci-Fi elements that were not explained, making it difficult to be called a 'Science' fiction. The plot could be easily transferred to any environment. The book is not really bad, but it lacked substance.
Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine is a popular English magazine that is issued every two months. It contains short stories, novellas, popular science articles, book reviews, upcoming Sci-Fi conventions, and Sci-Fi poetry. The magazine is a great way to discover new authors and stay updated on the Sci-Fi scene. This review is a part of the general book list and provides an overview of the magazine's content.
The Golden Key is the second book in the trilogy by Mikhail Kharitonov. It continues the story of Buratina and his adventures with the troop of Karabass. The book is thick and smart, full of sex and cruelty, which serve only as mood setters. The author has made the world of this book much more solid and added more questions. There are several layers of narrative, which may be traced only in footnotes, and those footnotes are an important part of this book. If you've read the first book, you definitely need to read this one too.
Schismatrix Plus by Bruce Sterling is a collection of sub-novels that cover a significant time span and follow the adventures of a common protagonist in a world where humanity is divided into two major branches. While the book has many peculiar ideas, it also has composition and exposition issues that may disappoint a demanding reader. The 'Plus' in its name refers to the inclusion of some side stories that add color to its world. Overall, it is a good adventure book that is ideal for younger readers and fans of science fiction and cyberpunk genres.
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin is a sci-fi novel that won many awards. The book is not heavy on science, but rather focuses on creating an immersive atmosphere. The protagonist is on a journey to prepare a new planet to enter an alliance of worlds. The planet is inhabited by humans who can change their gender, which is a cornerstone of their society. The book explores various gender-related twists and deviations, making it a unique and interesting read.
The Golden Key, or the wonderings of Buratina is a hard Sci-Fi book written by Mikhail Kharitonov. It is a fairy tale, written by a Soviet writer Alexey Tolstoi in 1930th. The book is set in the future, where humanity is extinct, and the only sentient creatures survived are genetic hybrids of the humans and animals or plants. The protagonist is a gene hybrid of a human and (mostly) bamboo. The book is mostly cruel and nasty, with a lot of tortures, bad language, and abuse of any kind.
The Big House by Max Kitsch is a fan fiction book in Russian based on the Soviet children's cartoon 'Tree from Prostokvashino'. The book retells the story in a dark, Lovecraftian manner with references to various sources including fairy tales and the Necronomicon. The book is recommended for those who enjoy horror, grim tales, and literature with more emphasis on references than plot. However, readers should be aware that the book becomes progressively darker towards the end.
This book review is about 'The Year's Best Science Fiction Stories' edited by Gardner Dozois. The book consists of short stories from big names in Sci-Fi, modern legends, and rising stars. The review notes that while there are no bad stories, they are not the 'best of the best'. Some of the best stories are not standalone and may spoil events in the series. The reviewer recommends picking some stories to read instead of reading the entire book.
Exhalation is a collection of short stories by Ted Chiang, a renowned sci-fi writer. The stories are engaging and meticulously built, exploring various aspects of original ideas. The central piece, 'The Lifecycle of Software Objects', is a novella about artificial intelligence, which won both Locus and Nebula awards. While it may not be the most exciting story in the collection, it is still a good piece of literature. Overall, Exhalation is a highly recommended read for those who enjoy good sci-fi stories that are not too complicated or too 'scientific'.