Review: All Systems Red

Posted 7 May, 2018 by Lianne in Books / 0 Comments

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1)
By: Martha Wells
Format/Source: eBook; from Tor.com book club

In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.

But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.

On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.

But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.

I’ve been hearing a lot about this novella for the last few months even as I was pretty busy with schoolwork and whatnot. Tor.com’s book club thankfully featured this book for the month of April so I got a copy of the book that way 🙂 The length was perfect to start off with post-school so here we are 🙂

Review: Chapterhouse: Dune

Posted 25 January, 2018 by Lianne in Books / 0 Comments

Chapterhouse: Dune (Dune #6)
By: Frank Herbert
Format/Source: Mass market paperback; my purchase

The desert planet Arrakis, called Dune, has been destroyed. Now, the Bene Gesserit, heirs to Dune’s power, have colonized a green world — and are turning it into a desert, mile by scorched mile. Here is the last book Frank Herbert wrote before his death. A stunning climax to the epic Dune legend that will live on forever…

And here we are, at the last of the original Dune novels. It’s been quite a journey, finally getting around to reading the rest of the volumes in the original series. Took me a while to finish this last volume as I was busy with school and work at the time (was reading this during my commute and during my breaks).

Review: Heretics of Dune

Posted 27 November, 2017 by Lianne in Books / 0 Comments

Heretics of Dune (Dune #5)
By: Frank Herbert
Format/Source: Mass market paperback; my purchase

In this, the fifth and most spectacular Dune book of all, the planet Arrakis–now called Rakis–is becoming desert again. The Lost Ones are returning home from the far reaches of space. The great sandworms are dying. And the children of Dune’s children awaken from empire as from a dream, wielding the new power of a heresy called love…

Of course, I’ve been meaning to finish the series as I mentioned in my last review of the Dune books, but given things that had been going on offline and my schedule, I didn’t think I would’ve been able to get close to finishing most of the books in time for Sci-Fi Month. But! I managed to squeeze in the fifth Dune book, so here we are, surprise review that was not originally scheduled for this month’s events. Yay! 😛

Review: God Emperor of Dune

Posted 24 November, 2017 by Lianne in Books / 0 Comments

God Emperor of Dune (Dune #4)
By: Frank Herbert
Format/Source: Mass market paperback; my purchase

Centuries have passed on Dune, and the planet is green with life. Leto, the son of Dune’s savior, is still alive but far from human, and the fate of all humanity hangs on his awesome sacrifice…

So, fun fact: I read the first three books and then I stopped. I had started reading this fourth book but the massive time jump coupled with the end of the school year, I just never got around to picking up this book again…until now, that is 😛 Spoilers if you don’t know what the story is about or have not read the first three books to date (or seen the SyFy miniseries)!

Review: Children of Dune

Posted 23 November, 2017 by Lianne in Books / 0 Comments

Children of Dune (Dune #3)
By: Frank Herbert
Format/Source: Paperback; my purchase

The desert planet of Arrakis has begun to grow green and lush. The life-giving spice is abundant. The nine-year-old royal twins, possesing their father’s supernatural powers, are being groomed as Messiahs.

But there are those who think the Imperium does not need messiahs…

Just to re-iterate from yesterday, like Dune (review), I had read this book in high school and greatly enjoyed it. In an effort to finally finish reading the series–and having picked up The Great Dune Trilogy published by Gollanz–I decided to re-read the book again 🙂 The first books had left quite the impression in my mind that despite going into this third volume having some memory of what transpired, I was nonetheless looking forward to revisiting this book again.