RANKING the 19 SCI FI books I read in August 2024

I enjoyed my time with this book I'd say it's barely science fiction and only due to the tweaks made to certain events it was nonetheless an engaging read if you can track down a copy of ascent and if you're interested in the Space Race era then I recommend this as a quick read I give Ascent a solid 7even out of 10 a planetary pleasure.

having read and enjoyed the Eden Trilogy I was already impressed with becket's World building and he didn't disappoint in that department the strangeness of the Delta and its effects on the people there particularly the visiting westerners and the mysteries of the Zone were all more than enough to keep me interested.

I really enjoyed myself reading this it's by some distance the most enjoyable book I've read of Kem mcclouds and I'm looking forward to reading the following books in the light speed Trilogy it's great fun I give beyond the hallowed Sky 8 out of 10.

this was my first Jack vence book and I was impressed with his writing and I will definitely be back for more I give Big Planet 7 out of 10 a planetary pleasure.

I enjoy windom's writing and chalky was no exception Chucky has some ya overtones but Winden ratchets up the tension as the story progresses and with an adult narrator it never feels like a children's story for me Chucky isn't top tier Winden but it is pretty good it's a satisfying quick read I give Chucky a solid 7 out of 10.

it moves along pretty swiftly and the two plot threads converge in a satisfying conclusion by the end of the book I had a bit more empathy for art and I was cheering him on I wasn't blown away but it was interesting enough for me to read more of his books.

if you're up for a beautiful piece of writing and meditation on the connections between all life the possibilities that the universe may offer then this might hit the spot for you I loved it I give in Ascension nine out of 10 it's a galactic gem.

Hogan's writing is tight it's all business and he packs a lot into a shortage book the story is complete in itself in inherit the stars and it resolves in a satisfying way but does leave plenty to be explained and explored in the following books I give inherit the Stars 7 and a half out of 10.

there's some great characters in Lake of Darkness I particularly liked a 300y old scientist who is outrageously dismissive and pompous to all and Sury and I thought that the audio book narrator did a good job giving her a suitably insufferable voice I enjoyed Lake of dark I think it's my favorite of Adam Roberts books that I've read so far I give Lake of Darkness n out of 10 is a galactic gem.

I found the language used in the book The Pro style I guess a bit distracting this book has its fans many of them in fact but sadly I'm not one of them I was mainly pleased to finish the damn thing and even that wasn't certain at one point I came pretty close to a dnf.

I smirked from time to time I smiled a bit but it wasn't a minute and even a little Arch or knowing at times I liked the wonk character and there were some interesting elements in the book but overall this was more a chaikovsky Miss for me rather than a hit.

there are several plot threads around six if I remember correctly which was a lot to keep straight in your head and I didn't always manage it possibly he could have ditched one or two without too much detriment to the story there is a lot to like in surface detail surface detail is probably not my favorite culture novel but I was happy to pay a repeat visit I give surface detail 7 out of 10 making it a planetary pleasure.

I have a deep love for this book it was one that I read a lot as a teenager Windam in his rather understated way does a great job painting This Strange World with its rules and observations its dogma and its unrelenting harshness I find the characters highly engaging and the story moves along at a good Pace.

I love this book I think Bill is a great protagonist okay he has more than the average amount of experience with Triffids but he's otherwise a pretty ordinary guy I like Josie as the female lead they make a great pair and Windam does a great job painting the picture of London becoming first dangerous and then deserted.

I enjoyed the dispossessed very much it's not a book that you can sail through it does require some focus and attention but not so much that it becomes a chore to read I enjoyed Lin's Pro style immediately feeling like I was in good hands Lin does a great job with country not one but two worlds into existence I will be back soon for more Lin I give the dispossessed 8 out of 10 it's a Stella Splendor.

the padding is a bit visible over half of hammer of God is biography of one or two of the lead characters and it's interesting for a little while but overdone I was ready to get on with the plot when we finally get to what should be the exciting bit dealing with a comet and diverting its path to avoid you know the end of the world it's a damp squib.

the mercy of gods felt very much like a first book of three much of the plot served to tea up the following books and dare I say it the mercy of gods is better science fiction than the expanse there was plenty to like I give the mercy of gods s out of 10 a planetary pleasure and I will definitely be back for the following books.

being a short book under 200 Pages made of five separate parts there isn't really a lot to get your teeth into I did enjoy the vision that Windam had of man's expansion out into the solar system and I like the fact that he rather briskly wiped out the northern hemisphere in a nuclear War leaving Brazil and Australia to become the resident superpowers.

I really like Diana the female scientist the protagonist The Joint discoverer of the lyen with the anti-aging properties and I liked her slowburn relationship with Francis sax over the owner of the research institute once again Winden ratchets up the tension as the book progresses and with things getting violent and uncontrolled towards the end the pace is good the book moves right along.