M.A. Kropp: Writer, Blogger, GeekGirl. My Life. My Words. My Way.
One of the trending discussions that cropped up among the genre social media feeds during the past month revolved around the idea of canon. Specifically, the perceived loss of reverence for what the complaining folks considered the classics of science fiction literature. They complain that "these kids today" have no idea what great scifi is … Continue reading Canon? Or Cannon?
My rating: 3 of 5 starsShe was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.Those three sentences have become a sort of battle cry for women who are standing up in the face of outdated and demeaning attitudes from some segments of society. In this collection of flash fiction, a number of the most … Continue reading Nevertheless, She Persisted: Flash Fiction Project by Various Authors
My rating: 4 of 5 starsThis is the third in the Custard Protocol series by Gail Carriger. The series follows the crew of the dirigible The Spotted Custard as they travel the globe, investigating, uncovering, and aiding supernatural events and beings. Oh, and there are hats, proper gowns, and tea time, of course. In this … Continue reading Friday Review: Competence (Custard Protocol #3) by Gail Carriger
My rating: 3 of 5 starsTen-year-old Kya Clark is left alone in a rundown shack in the backwoods marsh of North Carolina as every member of her family gradually leaves her on her own. Her mother and siblings were driven away one by one by their PTSD-suffering abusive drunken husband and father. The father ignores … Continue reading Friday Review: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
My rating: 3 of 5 stars Read by Simon VanceI read the book many long years ago, and remember liking it then. When the chance came to listen to the audio, I thought it would be a nice "re-read" of this little book. In it, Hoff presents an explanation of the principles of Taoism through … Continue reading Friday Review: The Tao of Pooh (Audiobook) by Benjamin Hoff
My rating: 3 of 5 starsIn this first of four novellas, we are introduced to Murderbot (its own name for itself) a part-organic, part-android Security Unit. The unit managed to hack its own governor unit and become autonomous, although no one knows about that. It has a shady past involving the killing of 57 people … Continue reading Friday Review: All Systems Red (Murderbot Diaries 1) by Martha Wells
My rating: 3 of 5 starsThese short pieces were written as add-on stories in the larger Shannara world. As such, none really add a whole lot to the bigger picture, but do give us a bit of a spotlight on events not essential to the novels. They are:Allanon's Quest:This one is set before the events … Continue reading Friday Review: The Paladins of Shannara (Three Short Stories) by Terry Brooks
My rating: 4 of 5 starsLt. Cotton is a thirty year veteran of the Bangor Maine Police Department. He is also the one in charge of their Facebook (or Book of Faces, as he calls it) page. That's where I first found him and his writing. Well, at first it was the (marginally famous) Bangor … Continue reading Friday Review: The Detective in the Dooryard: Reflections of a Maine Cop by Timothy A. Cotton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars This alternate history story starts when a meteorite strikes the ocean off the southern coast of the United States and immediately causes wide-scale destruction of much of the eastern part of the country, including Washington, DC. The aftereffects of the meteor will cause global climate change on a disastrous … Continue reading Friday Review: The Calculating Stars (Lady Astronaut #1) by Mary Robinette Kowal
Flashes: A Collection of Very Short Fiction, my next project, is currently scheduled to be released in January. It will be a set of 24 short pieces, 12 sci-fi and 12 fantasy. There may be a bonus story, as well, but no promises on that one. I am not convinced on the title as yet, … Continue reading Monday Musings: Upcoming- Short Fiction
