Tag Archives: science fiction

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 →

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Cloud Judgement

Posted on May 20, 2022 by smellincoffee

Cloud Judgement© 2022 Kat Wheeler193 pages Cam Caldwell was a conscientious saleswoman whose interest in a product defect inadvertently threw her into the middle of a murder mystery.  The culmination of that drama in There is no Cloud cost Cam … Continue reading →

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The Warehouse

Posted on September 5, 2021 by smellincoffee

Paxton used to be a man with a promising idea, one that was flourishing in the market — but then The Cloud said “Lower your prices”. The Cloud wasn’t the voice of God, floating in the heavens — but it … Continue reading →

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Attack Surface

Posted on August 14, 2021 by smellincoffee

Attack Surface© 2020 Cory Doctorow385 pages When the Bay Bridge blew up, Masha wanted to catch the guys that did it. That desire for justice and revenge brought her to employment with the Department of Homeland Security, and still later … Continue reading →

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There Is No Cloud

Posted on August 12, 2021 by smellincoffee

There Is No Cloud© 2021 Kat Wheeler189 pages Okay, Google,  I’d like to set up a Routine. When I am murdered alone in my office, please call the police, unlock the door, and turn off the coffee pot.   Matt Rodriguez … Continue reading →

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Broadcast

Posted on August 9, 2021 by smellincoffee

Broadcast© 2017 Liam Brown288 pages Most people, if approached by a corporation and asked for permission to plant a microchip in their brainstem, would say “Nope” and back away from the crazy man. But David Callow isn’t most people: he’s … Continue reading →

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Forward

Posted on May 27, 2021 by smellincoffee

While poking around on Amazon for new releases by Weir, Scalzi, and Doctorow, I encountered the Forward collection, a series of short stories by various authors (most new to me) on near-future SF. They are very short stories, the two … Continue reading →

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Ready Player Two: Spoiler Free

Posted on November 26, 2020 by smellincoffee

Ready Player Two© Ernest Cline384 pages Ready Player One remains one of my favorite novels, ever; for me it is the Starburst jellybean of books, a perfect sweet spot between geekery and pop culture. I couldn’t wait to get my … Continue reading →

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Firefly: Generations

Posted on November 10, 2020 by smellincoffee

Firefly: Generations© 2020 Tim Lebbon384 pages A map won in a card game, given importance by River’s intuition, Kaylee’s recognition of an old name, and the fact that several people tried to murder Mal to take the map back, leads … Continue reading →

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Drowning in books

Posted on November 3, 2020 by smellincoffee

This is something of a catch-up post. I’ve been slowly reading The Dictator’s Handbook, an impressively cynical analysis of political science, and had hoped to finish it by Election Day so I could post an amusingly-timed review. Between the hurricane … Continue reading →

Posted in General, history, science fiction | Tagged , , | 7 Comments