Category Archives: science fiction

Warcross

Posted on August 20, 2023 by smellincoffee

Emika Chen is a young woman, desperately in debt because a past criminal record makes it impossible for her to obtain the kinds of work that she’s developed skills for. What’s she’s good at coding and hacking, and these days … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Farming for xp and fields

Posted on June 16, 2023 by smellincoffee

More short rounds today, bringing together a lite SF title and a collection of Wendell Berry’s farming essays. First up is Craig Anderson’s Level Up, a title in the relatively new field of ‘litrpg’ in which video game elements are … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews, science fiction, Society and Culture | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Upgrade

Posted on November 28, 2022 by smellincoffee

Upgrade© 2022 Blake Crouch352 pages Growing up, Logan Ramsey idolized his brilliant mother, a cutting edge bioengineer. Then a tool of her device that worked perfectly in proving trials killed over two hundred thousand people by accidentally inducing a global … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

The Every

Posted on November 9, 2022 by smellincoffee

The Every© 2021 Dave Eggers608 pages Nearly ten years ago, Dave Eggers published The Circle,   about the rise of an uber-corporation whose products had transformed not only the digital world, but were beginning to shape society as well.  Think … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Dark Matter

Posted on September 20, 2022 by smellincoffee

Dark Matter© 2016 Blake Crouch352 pages Jason Desseys is a first-rate physicist, one who could have earned his place in the history books alongside Feynman,  Planck, and Hawking.  He chose instead to focus on an unexpected role as a father, … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Recursion

Posted on September 19, 2022 by smellincoffee

Recursion© 2019 Blake Crouch324 pages Imagine a sudden headache, a nosebleed, and the instantaneous arrival of a lifetime’s worth of memories that are yours — and yet, not. Imagine remembering being married to someone for decades, having children with them, … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , | 3 Comments

The Kaiju Preservation Society

Posted on August 9, 2022 by smellincoffee

The Kaiju Preservation Society© 2021 John Scalzi268 pages I don’t know what a kaiju is, but John Scalzi’s name is on the cover so, I’m sold. At least, that’s…what I thought. Turns out John Scalzi isn’t always at his John … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The Apollo Murders

Posted on July 15, 2022 by smellincoffee

The Apollo Murders(c) 2021 Chris Hadfield 480 pages It’s 1973, and the Apollo program is nearly at its end. One more mission is planned — but it won’t be the mission executed. Instead, the all-military crew of Apollo 18 will … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

The Ghost Brigades

Posted on June 25, 2022 by smellincoffee

The Ghost Brigades(c) 2006 John Scalzi384 pages John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War introduced readers to a harsh future, in which humanity competes for space in a crowded galaxy, fighting tooth and nail against a variety of alien baddies. Out of … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Optimal

Posted on May 23, 2022 by smellincoffee

Optimal© 2020 J.M. Berger355 pages Jack has known nothing but the System his entire life.  He rises when it tells him to, he dresses in the outfit its algorithms choose for him, he follows prompts to a selected diner and … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments