With the first month of 2014 done, I’m reasonably satisfied in what and how much I’ve read. Eight books, five science fiction, one fantasy, two non-fiction. Could be better, could be worse. Five female writers, three male; I’m still trying to keep a rough gender equality in what I read.
Key out of Time –Andre Norton
Another novel in the series that started with Time Traders finds Ross and friends stranded in the prehistory of an alien planet. More decent young adult adventure science fiction.
Rocannon’s World — Ursula K. LeGuin
An early LeGuin science fiction novel, not nearly as good or interesting as the novels she made her reputation with, but still of interest for fans.
Women in Medieval Europe 1200-1500 — Jennifer Ward
A thorough introduction to the roles women could and did play in the late middle ages.
Soviet Operational and Tactical Combat in Manchuria, 1945 — David Glantz
An examination of the Soviet campaign against the Japanese late in World War II, in which they basically crushed the Japanese forces in Manchuria in barely a week.
Pushing Ice — Alastair Reynolds
When Janus, one of Saturn’s moons, turns out not to be and leaves it orbit, only the Rockhopper is in place to follow it. Just another gritty Reynolds hard science fiction bravoura.
The Killing Moon — N. K. Jemisin
First in a duology (so far) of fantasy novels inspired by certain aspects of Egyptian history and mythology.
Zoe’s Tale — John Scalzi
The fourth in Scalzi’s Old Man’s War series, a retelling of the third one, now told through the eyes of the seventeen year old daughter of that novel’s protagonists.
Ascension — Jacqueline Koyanagi
Alana Quick is a starship engineer in a galactic wide depression when nobody needs starship engineers anymore. She stows away on the Tangled Axon and falls in love with its captain, Tev, — “blond hair, boots and confidence”.
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