What book(s) are you currently reading or listening? October 29
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this post was submitted on 29 Oct 2024
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Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky
I've been on a bit of a Tchaikovsky binge lately. I read Children of Time years ago and enjoyed it, but for whatever reason, didn't read anything else by him then. I had a copy of Made Things knocking around though, and I finally read it a few weeks ago and was so impressed I started reading him in earnest. This is the... let's see... seventh book of his I've read lately.
He sort of reminds me of Michael Crichton. He's not a particularly notable prose stylist - his writing is entirely competent and sufficient, but not in any way really remarkable. But he tells very imaginative stories very well, so he's a satisfying read.
This one is a sort of political thriller wrapped around a mystery that plays out a bit like a science fiction update of a Lovecraftian eldritch abomination story, leavened a bit with Emily St. John Mandel style misfit spaceship crew slice of life. I'm enjoying it.
I bought shards of the earth but I'm currently reading wheel of time again! Hopefully I like it!
I have his Shadow of the Apt series, though haven't started it yet. Your comparison with Michael Crichton is making me want to start it soon.
I haven't read those yet, but I intend to. And I expect that, like every one I've read yet, they'll be solid 7 or 8 out of 10 books.
That's the thing that reminded me of Crichton. He has that same ability to start with some fascinating idea and run with it and deliver a solid, well-told and satisfying story, then move on to some completely different fascinating idea and run with it and deliver another solid, well-told and satisfying story. He's not locked into any specific genre or any specific approach to telling a story - just whatever works for that idea, that's what he does, and it just works.
Service Model was excellent.