Audiobook – Page 70 – Carol's Notebook

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu

June 20, 2019June 21, 2021 by Carol4 Comments

The Three-Body Problem is hard science fiction, in that there's a lot of science involved. I don't know where I originally heard about it, probably some "best of sci-fi translations" list, but it's won a fair number of awards and is thoroughly enjoyable. It's also hard to talk about without giving away spoilers. But should I worry about that when the blurb itself, not the one above but the official blurb, gives it away too? Do you like spoilers? Do you hate them? They don't bother me and I honestly sometimes search for them, but I know not everyone feels that way. The story starts off during China's Cultural Revolution. Ye Wenjie's father is killed by the Red Guard and she is eventually shipped off to a remote mountaintop where a government-sponsored group is secretly exploring the possibility of electronic communication with aliens. Flash forward to the present. Wang Miao, a nanotechnology researcher, has begun seeing a countdown clock...

The Consuming Fire by John Scalzi

June 11, 2019June 18, 2019 by Carol2 Comments

I loved The Consuming Fire! It's the middle book in a trilogy and do read #1 first. Galactic travel through the Flow is breaking down and human civilization is in grave danger. The Emperox of the Interdependency is convinced, but she’s surrounded by a lot of wealthy, powerful people who are actively conspiring against her. Grayland II is a tough lady. She's convinced her empire is in danger -and it totally is. She's doing everything she can to figure out how to save as many people as possible, but as always there are others who are in denial or simply trying to spin things so they come out on top. There's politics and adventure and even a sweet romance that doesn't take away from the story as a whole. The Interdependency is full of strong women, royalty, religious women, heads of merchant families, assassins, and everyday women whose common sense and unrestrained-ness make them just as valuable. I like that for the...

A Taste of Murder by Helen Marchmont

June 7, 2019June 7, 2019 by Carol4 Comments

“A Taste of Murder” is the third in the Bunburry series. I guess it could stand alone, but I’d suggest reading the first two. They're short anyway, around 100 pages, so it’s not a huge commitment, and that way you’ll be introduced to the town and Alfie and have more background going on this one. Alfie is settling into village life. He has friends and a favorite restaurant, even though his friend, Oscar, is still trying to lure him back to London with food and Oscar Wilde quotes. And of course we have another murder in quiet little Bunburry. Just after Alfie's friend, Betty, learns that a local farmer is no longer treating his cows humanely, the farmer ends up dead. The incompetent and mean sheriff of course jumps to the conclusion that the killer must have been Betty and Alfie's ready to jump to her defense. I always wish the Bunburry books were a little longer. I really like the characters and the charming town....

The Overnight Kidnapper by Andrea Camilleri

May 30, 2019May 30, 2019 by Carol2 Comments

The Montalbano series is not one I read/listen to in order. When I'm between books and one is available at the library I pick it up, which is how I ended up listening to The Overnight Kidnapper. It's pretty typical for the series. We have some random, brief kidnappings that Montalbano is looking into, along with an arson, but, in true mystery book style, it's all connected and much more serious than it seems at first, when it turns into a murder investigation. Montalbano is his usual self, amusing and charming in his own way. I think the narrator does a good job with him. We've got the usual sidekicks and I love the way his housekeeper/cook, Adelina, deals with a break-in without losing track of her pasta. I guess I just like the feel of these books, the characters, the setting, the food. The actual mystery in this one was fine, if a little odd. Who kidnaps a woman for just an...

Accessory to War by Neil deGrasse Tyson and Avis Lang

May 28, 2019May 24, 2019 by Carol4 Comments

My non-fiction reading really has little rhyme or reason to it. I pick up books that grab my attention or that I've seen other people love. I have to admit I don't really have a huge interest in space exploration or military history, but Neil deGrasse Tyson is a big name and I've seen a show or two on tv and at a planetarium that he's hosted, which is why I picked up Accessory to War. At times Accessory to War is just fascinating. For me, that was mostly when it was discussing the history of astrophysics and how its beginnings affected armies and explorers and merchants. I also found the parts about how current countries approach space interesting. It's well-written. It doesn't talk down to those of us who don't know much, but it also wasn't over my head. It was conversational and easy to follow. Unfortunately, there were other parts that were dry and boring. Lists of treaties...

Look to the Lady by Margery Allingham

May 3, 2019May 3, 2019 by Carol7 Comments

After listening to the first Albert Campion mystery I wasn't sure how I felt about the series. Look to the Lady is definitely a funner book. Campion is our main character now, and while he's still an odd duck, he clearly knows a lot about what is going on and has quite a few influential friends. The chalice is a priceless, ancient relic and a rich collector wants it. This collector is a member of a group that has its own methods and rules, and Campion is quite familiar with their system. Campion is becoming an interesting character. He is not quite a detective, more like a clever, innocuous man for hire. His plan this time is to figure out who the collector's agent is and basically make sure that person ends up dead. I listened to this one right after the first, so comparisons are inevitable. Allingham took more care of the secondary characters this time around. They were more fully...