Books read October

I was going to read more this month, but my Essentials project got in the way. Unlike some bloggers, I don’t count comics towards my book reading. It just feels like cheating. So only four books this month, all science fiction or fantasy.

The Restoration Game — Ken MacLeod
Ken’s latest novel is as good as always, but somewhat of a departure from his last few, more philosophical perhaps.

Brass Man — Neal Asher
Another almost indecypherable Polity novel depending for its impact on a lot of prior knowledge on the part of the reader, knowledge I don’t have. It reminds me of first getting to grips with the Marvel Universe, the same hints about earlier stories being dropped, the same characters with unexplained backstories. I like that sort of thing, you may not.

The Ship of Ishtar — A. Merritt
A classic pulp fantasy story from 1924, long before Tolkien codified our expectations of that genre. Interesting to read, but every now and again needs effort to continue.

Komarr — Lois McMaster Bujold
The first book in a campaign to make up for my deficiencies in reading science fiction and fantasy written by women. A reread of the first Miles Vorkosigan novel I’d ever read. What struck me this time was how quietly feminist this book is, something I need to write about in greater detail.