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The Player of Games audiobook cover

Player of Games, The by Iain M. Banks

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Two books into the series, and I am absolutely loving this universe. As a mystery-thriller-drama, The Player of Games is a completely different book from the action-adventure of Consider Phlebasbut—but still thoroughly enjoyable. Banks expands the universe further with this novel, and thinks through what a post-scarcity society would be like in the far-far future. I’ve often thought about how the post-scarcity is a socio-economic state to strive for as humankind. Anyway, that thought process is my own, and not what the book is about. It’s a great read and I recommend continuing with the series.


Genre: Sci-Fi
Series: Culture |
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Consider Phlebas audiobook cover

Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks

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This was my first Culture series book, and is so far is still my favorite. It’s a far-reaching novel with a protagonist you really want to root for, even if you don’t fully understand his motivations. He’s always in awful situations, jumping from frying pan to fryer again and again, but always has something up his sleeve to barely escape by his teeth—pun intended if you’ve read it. As I get more into the Culture series, I appreciate this book more and more. It’s an incredible adventure set in the middle of a vast universe. 


Genre: Sci-Fi
Series: Culture | Subjects: Rich’s Reco’s
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The Forever War audiobook cover

The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

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The beauty of this book is thinking through the implications of long distance space travel. There’s neither hyperlight speed nor wormholes to make the trips from one solar system to the next fly by in a whirl of stars. It’s long-haul travel for the humans and other combatants. Thinking through how this affects the protagonist, his family, and his love is just as interesting as the different worlds he travels to and the aliens he fights. It’s a classic sci-fi for a reason, and apparently a series—which I just now saw. I’ll have to finish it as I thoroughly enjoyed this one.


Genre: Sci-Fi
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Pathfinder series book covers

Series: Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card

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Though Orson Scott Card’s big hit, Ender’s Game, has a child main character, and is one of my all-time favorite books because Ender’s character is so compelling, you’d think that would be a specialty for Card. He’s certainly written a lot of books with child protagonists, including more in the Enderverse. However, the child main characters in this series fell flat for me. I didn’t event continue on after the second book. I also thought the fantasy/sci-fi crossover was interesting, but still, I didn’t carry on after the first book. We’ll see, maybe I’ll get back and finish it. This is not a flat-out “don’t read” it’s just a three-star series that will neither waste your time nor change your life. 


Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Series: Pathfinder |
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The January Dancer audiobook cover

January Dancer, The by Michael Flynn

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I tried twice to get more than an hour or so into this book, and failed both times. I should have heeded the reviews. A book has to be pretty terrible to get below 4 stars on Audible. I’m not going to waste any more time on this review—skip it.


Genre: Sci-Fi, Space Opera
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