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><channel><title>Sci-Fi &#8211; Rich Maloy</title> <atom:link href="http://richmaloy.com/genre/sci-fi/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><link>http://richmaloy.com</link> <description>Life, The Universe, and Everything</description> <lastBuildDate>Mon, 08 Apr 2019 04:10:40 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4</generator><image> <url>https://i0.wp.com/richmaloy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/cropped-richmaloy-vert.png?fit=32%2C32</url><title>Sci-Fi &#8211; Rich Maloy</title><link>http://richmaloy.com</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <site
xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">124687649</site> <item><title>Series: Revenger by Alastair Reynolds</title><link>http://richmaloy.com/book-review/series-revenger/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Rich]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 19 Feb 2019 04:04:01 +0000</pubDate> <guid
isPermaLink="false">http://richmaloy.com/?post_type=book-review&#038;p=2231</guid><description><![CDATA[If you're a fan of other Alastair Reynolds books and series such as the Revelation Space series, then you can appreciate his ability to create compelling characters, vast universes, and yet highly specific and detailed individual worlds. The Revenger series is all of those things, and yet completely and utterly different than any other book of his I've read. Set in a ruined solar system far in the future, humanity continually rises up from the rubble of previous ruined civilizations, spreads out within the system, and relies on the technology of past ages, most of which they can't replicate or build upon. While individuals struggle to keep themselves alive in the chaos of space, there's a deeper conspiracy underlying the story, one that is just starting to get revealed at the end of book two. As more books come out, I'll continue to add them here. In the meantime, this is my new favorite series to recommend. <div
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class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a>, <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=steampunk">Steampunk</a></span><br
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class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=revenger">Revenger</a> &#124; </span><span
class="subjects"><strong>Subjects:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?subject=series-review">Series Review</a></span><br
/></div>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you&#8217;re a fan of other Alastair Reynolds books and series such as the Revelation Space series, then you can appreciate his ability to create compelling characters, vast universes, and yet highly specific and detailed individual worlds. The Revenger series is all of those things, and yet completely and utterly different than any other book of his I&#8217;ve read.</p><p>Set in a ruined solar system far in the future, humanity continually rises up from the rubble of previous ruined civilizations, spreads out within the system, and relies on the technology of past ages, most of which they can&#8217;t replicate or build upon. While individuals struggle to keep themselves alive in the chaos of space, there&#8217;s a deeper conspiracy underlying the story, one that is just starting to get revealed at the end of book two.</p><p>As more books come out, I&#8217;ll continue to add them here. In the meantime, this is my new favorite series to recommend.</p><h3>Series Reviews</h3><ol><li><a
href="http://richmaloy.com/book-review/revenger/">Revenger</a></li><li><a
href="http://richmaloy.com/book-review/shadow-captain/">Shadow Captain</a></li></ol><div
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class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a>, <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=steampunk">Steampunk</a></span><br
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class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=revenger">Revenger</a> | </span><span
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xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2231</post-id> </item> <item><title>Shadow Captain by Alastair Reynolds</title><link>http://richmaloy.com/book-review/shadow-captain/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Rich]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 13 Feb 2019 04:59:22 +0000</pubDate> <guid
isPermaLink="false">http://richmaloy.com/?post_type=book-review&#038;p=2228</guid><description><![CDATA[Wow. This series is so good. What other author but Alastair Reynolds can create a world that blends space travel with steampunk? OK, the habitats are not strictly steampunk (i.e. powered by steam) but the descriptions make the habitations sound old-timey, gritty, and like everyone is bustling about with a cane and monocle. But I digress. Book two in the series is told from Adrana's point of view, and is just as insightful and intense. The action doesn't move quite as fast as in Revenger, but it is just as good, and the deeper conspiracy is just under the surface the whole time. I'm loving this series and can't wait for book three to come out. <div
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class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a>, <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=steampunk">Steampunk</a></span><br
/><span
class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=revenger">Revenger</a> &#124; </span></div>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Wow. This series is so good. What other author but Alastair Reynolds can create a world that blends space travel with steampunk? OK, the habitats are not strictly steampunk (i.e. powered by steam) but the descriptions make the habitations sound old-timey, gritty, and like everyone is bustling about with a cane and monocle. But I digress.</p><p>Book two in the series is told from Adrana&#8217;s point of view, and is just as insightful and intense. The action doesn&#8217;t move quite as fast as in Revenger, but it is just as good, and the deeper conspiracy is just under the surface the whole time.</p><p>I&#8217;m loving this series and can&#8217;t wait for book three to come out.</p><h3 class="bc-heading
bc-color-basebc-spacing-smallbc-size-mediumbc-text-bold">Publisher&#8217;s Summary</h3><div
class="bc-boxbc-box-padding-nonebc-spacing-small"></p><blockquote><p><b>The gripping sequel to the Locus award-winning science-fiction adventure </b><b><i>Revenger</i></b><b> tells a story of obsession and betrayal as two sisters hunt for the greatest treasure in the universe.</b></p><p>Adrana and Fura Ness have finally been reunited, but both have changed beyond recognition. Once desperate for adventure, now, Adrana is haunted by her enslavement on the feared pirate Bosa Sennen&#8217;s ship. And rumors of Bosa Sennen&#8217;s hidden cache of treasure have ensnared her sister, Fura, into single-minded obsession.</p><p>Neither is safe; because the galaxy wants Bosa Sennen dead, and they don&#8217;t care if she&#8217;s already been killed. They&#8217;ll happily take whoever is flying her ship.</p><p><i>Shadow Captain</i> is a desperate story of cursed ships, vengeful corporations, and alien artifacts, of daring escapes and wealth beyond imagining&#8230;and of betrayal.</p></blockquote></div><div
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class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a>, <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=steampunk">Steampunk</a></span><br
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class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=revenger">Revenger</a> | </span></div>]]></content:encoded> <post-id
xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2228</post-id> </item> <item><title>The End of All Things by John Scalzi</title><link>http://richmaloy.com/book-review/the-end-of-all-things/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Rich]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 16 Jan 2019 06:25:08 +0000</pubDate> <guid
isPermaLink="false">http://richmaloy.com/?post_type=book-review&#038;p=2089</guid><description><![CDATA[Solid finish to a solid series. John Scalzi does two things very well: 1) truly alien aliens 2) humor in the midst of otherwise serious books. I like the finish here because the story is told from multiple perspectives, starting first with a "brain in a box." As each character adds to the story, moving it forward, the drama and tension builds. I was a touch disappointed in the final chapter, otherwise this would be five stars. I do recommend the series because its enjoyable, different, and filled with great, quick reads. <div
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class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a></span><br
/><span
class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=old-mans-war">Old Man's War</a> &#124; </span></div>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Solid finish to a solid series. John Scalzi does two things very well: 1) truly alien aliens 2) humor in the midst of otherwise serious books. I like the finish here because the story is told from multiple perspectives, starting first with a &#8220;brain in a box.&#8221; As each character adds to the story, moving it forward, the drama and tension builds. I was a touch disappointed in the final chapter, otherwise this would be five stars. I do recommend the series because its enjoyable, different, and filled with great, quick reads.</p><h3 class="bc-heading
bc-color-basebc-spacing-smallbc-size-mediumbc-text-bold">Publisher&#8217;s Summary</h3><div
class="bc-boxbc-box-padding-nonebc-spacing-small"></p><blockquote><p>Hugo Award-winning author John Scalzi returns to his best-selling Old Man&#8217;s War universe with <i>The End of All Things</i>, the direct sequel to 2013&#8217;s <i>The Human Division</i>.</p><p>Humans expanded into space&#8230;only to find a universe populated with multiple alien species bent on their destruction. Thus was the Colonial Union formed, to help protect us from a hostile universe. The Colonial Union used the Earth and its excess population for colonists and soldiers. It was a good arrangement&#8230;for the Colonial Union. Then the Earth said: no more.</p><p>Now the Colonial Union is living on borrowed time &#8211; a couple of decades at most before the ranks of the Colonial Defense Forces are depleted and the struggling human colonies are vulnerable to the alien species who have been waiting for the first sign of weakness to drive humanity to ruin. And there&#8217;s another problem: a group, lurking in the darkness of space, playing human and alien against each other &#8211; and against their own kind &#8211; for their own unknown reasons.</p><p>In this collapsing universe, CDF Lieutenant Harry Wilson and the Colonial Union diplomats he works with race against the clock to discover who is behind attacks on the Union and on alien races, to seek peace with a suspicious, angry Earth, and to keep humanity&#8217;s union intact&#8230;or else risk oblivion and extinction &#8211; and the end of all things.</p></blockquote></div><div
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class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a></span><br
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class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=old-mans-war">Old Man's War</a> | </span></div>]]></content:encoded> <post-id
xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2089</post-id> </item> <item><title>Artemis by Andy Weir</title><link>http://richmaloy.com/book-review/artemis/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Rich]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 02 Jan 2019 06:01:09 +0000</pubDate> <guid
isPermaLink="false">http://richmaloy.com/?post_type=book-review&#038;p=2015</guid><description><![CDATA[Andy Weir is best known for The Martian—which was also a decent movie—and seemingly writing hard sci-fi, a sub-genre that tries to adhere to the laws of physics as closely as possible. As I started Artemis, I thought I was in for another Martian, but it turned out to be completely different, and I'm glad of that. It's a hard sci-fi caper—a term the protagonist uses in the book, and is quite fitting for the whole thing—that stands on its own as an excellent book. If you haven't read either, ask yourself, would you rather be stranded on Mars "science-ing the shit out of [things]" or would you rather partake in a caper on the Moon settlement, Artemis. I'd choose Artemis.<div
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class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=hard-sci-fi">Hard Sci-Fi</a>, <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a></span><br
/></div>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Andy Weir is best known for The Martian—which was also a decent movie—and seemingly writing hard sci-fi, a sub-genre that tries to adhere to the laws of physics as closely as possible. As I started Artemis, I thought I was in for another Martian, but it turned out to be completely different, and I&#8217;m glad of that. It&#8217;s a hard sci-fi caper—a term the protagonist uses in the book, and is quite fitting for the whole thing—that stands on its own as an excellent book. If you haven&#8217;t read either, ask yourself, would you rather be stranded on Mars &#8220;science-ing the shit out of [things]&#8221; or would you rather partake in a caper on the Moon settlement, Artemis. I&#8217;d choose Artemis.</p><h3 class="bc-heading
bc-color-basebc-spacing-smallbc-size-mediumbc-text-bold">Publisher&#8217;s Summary</h3><div
class="bc-boxbc-box-padding-nonebc-spacing-small"></p><blockquote><p>The best-selling author of <i>The Martian</i> returns with an irresistible new near-future thriller &#8211; a heist story set on the moon.</p><p>Jazz Bashara is a criminal. Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you&#8217;re not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you&#8217;ve got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent.</p><p>Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward too lucrative to turn down. But pulling off the impossible is just the start of her problems, as she learns that she&#8217;s stepped square into a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself &#8211; and that now her only chance at survival lies in a gambit even riskier than the first.</p><p>Bringing to life Weir&#8217;s brash, whip-smart protagonist is actress Rosario Dawson (Marvel&#8217;s <i>The Defenders</i>, <i>Sin City</i>, <i>Death Proof</i>). With the breathless immediacy of one realizing they&#8217;re one cracked helmet visor away from oblivion, Dawson deftly captures Jazz&#8217;s first-person perspective – all while delivering sarcastic Weir-ian one-liners and cracking wise in the face of death. And with a cast of diverse characters from all walks of life calling Artemis home, Dawson tonally somersaults to voice Kenyan prime ministers, Ukrainian scientists, and Saudi welders. It&#8217;s a performance that transports listeners right alongside Jazz, matching her step for step on every lunar inch of her pulse-pounding journey.</p></blockquote></div><div
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href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=hard-sci-fi">Hard Sci-Fi</a>, <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a></span><br
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xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2015</post-id> </item> <item><title>The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks</title><link>http://richmaloy.com/book-review/the-algebraist/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Rich]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 01 Dec 2018 04:22:23 +0000</pubDate> <guid
isPermaLink="false">http://richmaloy.com/?post_type=book-review&#038;p=2030</guid><description><![CDATA[The Algebraist had been heartily recommended to me by a friend, and heartily recommended against by another. Naturally, I had to pick it up. My take: it's not at the top of my reco list, but it's not in my hall of shame. I enjoyed it, found it somewhat thought-provoking, and thought the plot twists were interesting. My opinion might be biased to the negative because I had just (finally) finished Iain M. Banks' Matter, book 8 of the Culture series, and hated it. It's fair to say I was a bit put off by Banks' style in The Algebraist after forcing myself to finish Matter. Even with that negative bias,I still enjoyed this one. It's a very large stand-alone novel that takes a bit too long to develop for my liking—at least for a novel that really only follows one character in depth. I don't mind a long read, but I want to dig deep on multiple characters like Peter F. Hamilton does. For this length, I wanted more than just one main character. <div
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class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a></span><br
/></div>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Algebraist had been heartily recommended to me by a friend, and heartily recommended <em>against</em> by another. Naturally, I had to pick it up. My take: it&#8217;s not at the top of my reco list, but it&#8217;s not in my hall of shame. I enjoyed it, found it somewhat thought-provoking, and thought the plot twists were interesting. My opinion might be biased to the negative because I had just (finally) finished Iain M. Banks&#8217; Matter, book 8 of the Culture series, and hated it. It&#8217;s fair to say I was a bit put off by Banks&#8217; style in The Algebraist after forcing myself to finish Matter. Even with that negative bias,</p><p>I still enjoyed this one. It&#8217;s a very large stand-alone novel that takes a bit too long to develop for my liking—at least for a novel that really only follows one character in depth. I don&#8217;t mind a long read, but I want to dig deep on multiple characters like Peter F. Hamilton does. For this length, I wanted more than just one main character.</p><h3 class="bc-heading bc-color-base bc-spacing-small bc-size-medium bc-text-bold">Publisher&#8217;s Summary</h3><div
class="bc-box bc-box-padding-none bc-spacing-small"><blockquote><p>For short-lived &#8216;quick&#8217; races like humans, space is dominated by the complicated, grandiose Mercatoria, whose rule is both military and religious. To the Dwellers who may live billions of years, the galaxy consists of their gas-giant planets &#8211; the rest is debris.</p><p>Our human hero, Fassin Taak, is a Slow Seer privileged to work with the Dwellers of the gas-giant Nasqueron in his home system Ulubis. His work consists of rummaging for data in their vast, disorganised memories and libraries. Unfortunately, without knowing it, he&#8217;s come close to an ancient secret of unimaginable importance&#8230;.</p></blockquote></div><div
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xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2030</post-id> </item> <item><title>Series Review: Machineries of Empire by Yoon Ha Lee</title><link>http://richmaloy.com/book-review/series-review-machineries-of-empire/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Rich]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 01 Aug 2018 03:59:06 +0000</pubDate> <guid
isPermaLink="false">http://richmaloy.com/?post_type=book-review&#038;p=2266</guid><description><![CDATA[When I set out to catalog my library, I couldn't wait to write this series' review. This series is unlike anything you've ever read. It's 100% sci-fi but the technology almost seems magical in its military applications, yet is described mathematically. The effect is a rich world, deeply imagined, and well executed. The story arc is intensely character-driven, and developed from the beginning with the end in mind—in other words, it all ties in neatly throughout the book. But yet, it's not laid out directly on a straight path from past to present to future. The plot twists and turns, the timelines shift, and the perspective changes. The series is deeply engaging. Be warned, it's not entry-level sci-fi. For that, I recommend 2001 Space Odyssey, Ender's Game, or Ready Player One.  This series is for the sci-fi nerd looking for something that pushes the boundaries, breaks the norm, and yet is still interesting and engrossing.<div
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class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a></span><br
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class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=machineries-of-empire">Machineries of Empire</a> &#124; </span><span
class="subjects"><strong>Subjects:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?subject=richs-recos">Rich's Reco's</a>, <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?subject=series-review">Series Review</a></span><br
/></div>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When I set out to catalog my library, I couldn&#8217;t wait to write this series&#8217; review. This series is unlike anything you&#8217;ve ever read. It&#8217;s 100% sci-fi but the technology almost seems magical in its military applications, yet is described mathematically. The effect is a rich world, deeply imagined, and well executed.</p><p>The story arc is intensely character-driven, and developed from the beginning with the end in mind—in other words, it all ties in neatly throughout the book. But yet, it&#8217;s not laid out directly on a straight path from past to present to future. The plot twists and turns, the timelines shift, and the perspective changes. The series is deeply engaging.</p><p>Be warned, it&#8217;s not entry-level sci-fi. For that, I recommend 2001 Space Odyssey, Ender&#8217;s Game, or Ready Player One.  This series is for the sci-fi nerd looking for something that pushes the boundaries, breaks the norm, and yet is still interesting and engrossing.</p><h3>Series Reviews:</h3><ul><li><a
href="http://richmaloy.com/book-review/ninefox-gambit/">Ninefox Gambit</a></li><li><a
href="http://richmaloy.com/book-review/raven-stratagem/">Raven Strategem</a></li><li><a
href="http://richmaloy.com/book-review/revenant-gun/">Revenant Gun</a></li></ul><div
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class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a></span><br
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class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=machineries-of-empire">Machineries of Empire</a> | </span><span
class="subjects"><strong>Subjects:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?subject=richs-recos">Rich's Reco's</a>, <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?subject=series-review">Series Review</a></span><br
/></div>]]></content:encoded> <post-id
xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2266</post-id> </item> <item><title>Revenant Gun by Yoon Ha Lee</title><link>http://richmaloy.com/book-review/revenant-gun/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Rich]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 22 Jul 2018 03:46:45 +0000</pubDate> <guid
isPermaLink="false">http://richmaloy.com/?post_type=book-review&#038;p=2263</guid><description><![CDATA[Go deeper into the Machineries of Empire saga to uncover Jedao's real goals and how he plans to achieve them. Or is it really Jedao? I love the conclusion to this series. All the crazy technology, the fractured memories, and the hidden agendas come into play in the final book. After finishing the series, I immediately started listening to it again. Like the second book, it's a character-driven plot with lots of twists that you're trying to figure out along the way. I won't say any more... enjoy it for yourself!<div
class="post-meta"><span
class="rating"><a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?rating=five-stars/"><div
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class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a></span><br
/><span
class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=machineries-of-empire">Machineries of Empire</a> &#124; </span></div>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Go deeper into the Machineries of Empire saga to uncover Jedao&#8217;s real goals and how he plans to achieve them. Or is it really Jedao? I love the conclusion to this series. All the crazy technology, the fractured memories, and the hidden agendas come into play in the final book. After finishing the series, I immediately started listening to it again. Like the second book, it&#8217;s a character-driven plot with lots of twists that you&#8217;re trying to figure out along the way. I won&#8217;t say any more&#8230; enjoy it for yourself!</p><h3 class="bc-heading
bc-color-basebc-spacing-smallbc-size-mediumbc-text-bold">Publisher&#8217;s Summary</h3><div
class="bc-boxbc-box-padding-nonebc-spacing-small"></p><blockquote><p>When Shuos Jedao wakes up for the first time, several things go wrong. His few memories tell him that he&#8217;s a 17-year-old cadet &#8211; but his body belongs to a man decades older. Hexarch Nirai Kujen orders Jedao to reconquer the fractured hexarchate on his behalf, even though Jedao has no memory of ever being a soldier, let alone a general. Surely a knack for video games doesn&#8217;t qualify you to take charge of an army?</p><p>Soon Jedao learns the situation is even worse. The Kel soldiers under his command may be compelled to obey him, but they hate him thanks to a massacre he can&#8217;t remember committing. Kujen&#8217;s friendliness can&#8217;t hide the fact that he&#8217;s a tyrant. And what&#8217;s worse, Jedao and Kujen are being hunted by an enemy who knows more about Jedao and his crimes than he does himself&#8230;.</p></blockquote></div><div
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class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a></span><br
/><span
class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=machineries-of-empire">Machineries of Empire</a> | </span></div>]]></content:encoded> <post-id
xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2263</post-id> </item> <item><title>Revenger by Alastair Reynolds</title><link>http://richmaloy.com/book-review/revenger/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Rich]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 11 Jul 2018 02:33:52 +0000</pubDate> <guid
isPermaLink="false">http://richmaloy.com/?post_type=book-review&#038;p=2178</guid><description><![CDATA[When I picked this up, I was expecting something along the lines of Reynolds' other books such as House of Suns (one of my all-time favorites) and the Revelation Space series. What I got was so completely different, I nearly gave up on it early on. After I finished it the first time, my initial rating was only 4 stars. But after some distance from it, I kept thinking about how my expectation got in the way of what is an absolutely fantastic novel. I gave it a second listen and was thoroughly entertained. Reynolds does an amazing job of both building the universe and moving the action along. And it's a wild combination of steampunk (on the habitations), space travel (intra-solar system only), and far-out sci-fi (from previous generations long since dead). The main character is a young girl and her character development is one of the best parts of the book. <div
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class="rating"><a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?rating=five-stars/"><div
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class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a>, <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=steampunk">Steampunk</a></span><br
/><span
class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=revenger">Revenger</a> &#124; </span><span
class="subjects"><strong>Subjects:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?subject=richs-recos">Rich's Reco's</a></span><br
/></div>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When I picked this up, I was expecting something along the lines of Reynolds&#8217; other books such as House of Suns (one of my all-time favorites) and the Revelation Space series. What I got was so completely different, I nearly gave up on it early on. After I finished it the first time, my initial rating was only 4 stars. But after some distance from it, I kept thinking about how my expectation got in the way of what is an absolutely fantastic novel. I gave it a second listen and was thoroughly entertained.</p><p>Reynolds does an amazing job of both building the universe and moving the action along. And it&#8217;s a wild combination of steampunk (on the habitations), space travel (intra-solar system only), and far-out sci-fi (from previous generations long since dead). The main character is a young girl and her character development is one of the best parts of the book.</p><h3 class="bc-heading
bc-color-basebc-spacing-smallbc-size-mediumbc-text-bold">Publisher&#8217;s Summary</h3><div
class="bc-boxbc-box-padding-nonebc-spacing-small"></p><blockquote><p><b>A superb science fiction adventure set in the rubble of a ruined universe, this is a deep space heist story of kidnap, betrayal, alien artifacts, and revenge.</b></p><p>The galaxy has seen great empires rise and fall. Planets have shattered and been remade. Among the ruins of alien civilizations, building our own from the rubble, humanity still thrives.</p><p>And there are vast fortunes to be made, if you know where to find them&#8230;.</p><p>Captain Rackamore and his crew do. It&#8217;s their business to find the tiny, enigmatic worlds that have been hidden away, booby-trapped, surrounded by layers of protection &#8211; and to crack them open for the ancient relics and barely remembered technologies inside. But while they ply their risky trade with integrity, not everyone is so scrupulous.</p><p>Adrana and Fura Ness are the newest members of Rackamore&#8217;s crew, signed on to save their family from bankruptcy. Only Rackamore has enemies, and there might be more waiting for them in space than adventure and fortune: the fabled and feared Bosa Sennen in particular.</p><p><i>Revenger</i> is a science fiction adventure story set in the rubble of our solar system in the dark, distant future &#8211; a tale of space pirates, buried treasure, and phantom weapons, of unspeakable hazards and single-minded heroism&#8230;and of vengeance.</p></blockquote></div><div
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class="rating"><a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?rating=five-stars/"><div
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class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a>, <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=steampunk">Steampunk</a></span><br
/><span
class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=revenger">Revenger</a> | </span><span
class="subjects"><strong>Subjects:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?subject=richs-recos">Rich's Reco's</a></span><br
/></div>]]></content:encoded> <post-id
xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2178</post-id> </item> <item><title>Raven Stratagem by Yoon Ha Lee</title><link>http://richmaloy.com/book-review/raven-stratagem/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Rich]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 29 Jun 2017 03:23:37 +0000</pubDate> <guid
isPermaLink="false">http://richmaloy.com/?post_type=book-review&#038;p=2259</guid><description><![CDATA[Book two of Machineries of Empire is every bit as intriguing as book one, but this novel is even more focused on the characters than the first. The mathematics of the battles plays less of a role, and instead Lee focuses on building the universe, delving deeper into key characters in the hexarchate, and creating more of a space opera than a space military battle novel. With far more interpersonal intrigue, the characters come alive, and the plot still has great twists making for a great read. It's definitely worth continuing on with the series.<div
class="post-meta"><span
class="rating"><a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?rating=five-stars/"><div
class="genericon genericon-star"></div><div
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class="post-data"><span
class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a></span><br
/><span
class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=machineries-of-empire">Machineries of Empire</a> &#124; </span></div>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Book two of Machineries of Empire is every bit as intriguing as book one, but this novel is even more focused on the characters than the first. The mathematics of the battles plays less of a role, and instead Lee focuses on building the universe, delving deeper into key characters in the hexarchate, and creating more of a space opera than a space military battle novel. With far more interpersonal intrigue, the characters come alive, and the plot still has great twists making for a great read. It&#8217;s definitely worth continuing on with the series.</p><h3 class="bc-heading
bc-color-basebc-spacing-smallbc-size-mediumbc-text-bold">Publisher&#8217;s Summary</h3><div
class="bc-boxbc-box-padding-nonebc-spacing-small"></p><blockquote><p>Captain Kel Cheris is possessed by a long-dead traitor general. Together they must face the rivalries of the hexarchate and a potentially devastating invasion.</p><p>When the hexarchate&#8217;s gifted young captain, Kel Cheris, summoned the ghost of the long-dead General Shuos Jedao to help her put down a rebellion, she didn&#8217;t reckon on his breaking free of centuries of imprisonment &#8211; and possessing her. Even worse, the enemy Hafn are invading, and Jedao takes over General Kel Khiruev&#8217;s fleet, which was tasked with stopping them.</p><p>Only one of Khiruev&#8217;s subordinates, Lieutenant Colonel Kel Brezan, seems to be able to resist the influence of the brilliant but psychotic Jedao. Jedao claims to be interested in defending the hexarchate, but can Khiruev or Brezan trust him? For that matter, will the hexarchate&#8217;s masters wipe out the entire fleet to destroy the rogue general?</p></blockquote></div><div
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class="rating"><a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?rating=five-stars/"><div
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class="post-data"><span
class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a></span><br
/><span
class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=machineries-of-empire">Machineries of Empire</a> | </span></div>]]></content:encoded> <post-id
xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2259</post-id> </item> <item><title>Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee</title><link>http://richmaloy.com/book-review/ninefox-gambit/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Rich]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 01 Aug 2016 02:11:09 +0000</pubDate> <guid
isPermaLink="false">http://richmaloy.com/?post_type=book-review&#038;p=2252</guid><description><![CDATA[You've never read anything like the books in this series. Though distinctly sci-fi with most of the action taking place on space ships and space stations, the technology seems more magical than sci-fi. Imagine a world where the effectiveness of offensive weapons and defensive shields are based on two things: 1. the religious observances the population 2. the formations of military units. The "mathematical" interaction of the two determines what effect each formation has on offense or defense. It's wild.But like any great story, the real power is in the characters. The main characters are compelling and complex. The plot moves forward, revealing more backstory with each turn. It moves fast and kept me engaged from the very beginning.Due to its unique "technology" system, Ninefox Gambit and the rest of the series are not entry-level sci-fi. I don't recommend it to people who are looking to get a taste for sci-fi, but I do heartily recommend it to fellow sci-fi nerds looking for something new.<div
class="post-meta"><span
class="rating"><a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?rating=five-stars/"><div
class="genericon genericon-star"></div><div
class="genericon genericon-star"></div><div
class="genericon genericon-star"></div><div
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class="post-data"><span
class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a></span><br
/><span
class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=machineries-of-empire">Machineries of Empire</a> &#124; </span></div>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You&#8217;ve never read anything like the books in this series. Though distinctly sci-fi with most of the action taking place on space ships and space stations, the technology seems more magical than sci-fi. Imagine a world where the effectiveness of offensive weapons and defensive shields are based on two things: 1. the religious observances the population 2. the formations of military units. The &#8220;mathematical&#8221; interaction of the two determines what effect each formation has on offense or defense. It&#8217;s wild.</p><p>But like any great story, the real power is in the characters. The main characters are compelling and complex. The plot moves forward, revealing more backstory with each turn. It moves fast and kept me engaged from the very beginning.</p><p>Due to its unique &#8220;technology&#8221; system, Ninefox Gambit and the rest of the series are not entry-level sci-fi. I don&#8217;t recommend it to people who are looking to get a taste for sci-fi, but I do heartily recommend it to fellow sci-fi nerds looking for something new.</p><h2>Publisher&#8217;s Summary</h2><blockquote><p>The first installment of the trilogy, Ninefox Gambit centers on disgraced captain Kel Cheris, who must recapture the formidable Fortress of Scattered Needles in order to redeem herself in front of the Hexarchate.</p><p>To win an impossible war, Captain Kel Cheris must awaken an ancient weapon and a despised traitor general.</p><p>Captain Kel Cheris of the Hexarchate is disgraced for using unconventional methods in a battle against heretics. Kel Command gives her the opportunity to redeem herself by retaking the Fortress of Scattered Needles, a star fortress that has recently been captured by heretics. Cheris&#8217; career isn&#8217;t the only thing at stake. If the fortress falls, the Hexarchate itself might be next. Cheris&#8217; best hope is to ally with the undead tactician Shuos Jedao. The good news is that Jedao has never lost a battle, and he may be the only one who can figure out how to successfully besiege the fortress. The bad news is that Jedao went mad in his first life and massacred two armies, one of them his own. As the siege wears on, Cheris must decide how far she can trust Jedao &#8211; because she might be his next victim.</p></blockquote><div
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class="post-data"><span
class="genre"><strong>Genre:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?genre=sci-fi">Sci-Fi</a></span><br
/><span
class="series"><strong>Series:</strong> <a
href="http://richmaloy.com/?series=machineries-of-empire">Machineries of Empire</a> | </span></div>]]></content:encoded> <post-id
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