Yaddith Times

we welcome them first
as aliens ourselves here
sisters from the stars


-- Ann K. Schwader

https://www.internationalwomensday.com/

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This sequel to The Handmaid's Tale actually felt much more optimistic than its predecessor, with more world-building and more insight into the lives of women other than Handmaids. The addition of one Canadian viewpoint on Gilead helped me realize that all of the former US had not become this horrific theocracy . . . and, as per usual in near-future SF, California & Texas were once again their own countries.

As an over-40 reader, I particularly appreciated the Testament of one of the series' villains: the infamous Aunt Lydia. She quickly became one of my favorite characters, allowing a glimpse into the secret (but uniquely powerful) world of Gilead's Aunts. Saying more than that about her, however, would mean committing Spoiler. This book is way too much sheer fun -- as well as creepily insightful -- for me to risk doing that.

I enjoyed this one on Audible, an experience I would recommend. The performances are all first-rate, with cameos from Margaret Atwood herself.



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The Power by Naomi Alderman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This was an effective & unsettling listening experience, at least partly because the book did not deliver what I was expecting. And that's probably a good thing.

I'd heard The Power described as a feminist dystopian novel, sometimes compared to The Handmaid's Tale. For me, at least, this wasn't accurate. Rather than being centered on the USA, or triggered by abusive religion, this is a global dystopia triggered by a truly science-fictional concept. (I suspect everyone reading this knows the concept, but no spoilers from me.)

The book offers multiple sympathetic viewpoints from diverse characters: an emotionally scarred African-American girl "savior," a politically driven American mother with a troubled daughter, an ambitious male Nigerian journalist, a vengeful young woman from a British criminal clan. Within the novel's framing story (again, no spoilers here), the setting is disturbingly modern, complete with Eastern European chaos and social media trolls. When the author's SF concept changes just one thing, the world begins to fall apart with alarming rapidity.

In the end, this may be less a feminist dystopia than a human dystopia, more about humans & power than humans & gender. It's a thrilling listen (or read), but I can't say the ending gave me a lot of hope or warm fuzzies. Recommended for those ready to accept a solid dose of SF plus a touch of dark fantasy in a thought-provoking novel.




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Exit Strategy by Martha Wells

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Murderbot Diaries as a whole are as much about an AI evolving towards humanity as they are about solid space opera. This concluding volume is no exception, though Wells kicks the geek factor up a notch. Murderbot's hacking skills have always played a part in the narrative -- beginning with its origin story! -- but they really come to the fore in Exit Strategy. Not being particularly versed in these things myself, I got a little confused from time to time. Murderbot's final set-piece fight, however, showcases these skills in a way any SF fan is likely to cheer.

As usual, Murderbot's own snarky-yet-sympathetic voice carries the plot. And a good thing, too, because I found that plot more than slightly convoluted. The time between releases of these novellas seems just long enough to let the reader lose track of significant details, though Wells is good at weaving in reminders. That said, don't even attempt to start this series anywhere but at #1.

This final volume (or is it?) of The Murderbot Diaries brings the series' plot arc to a satisfying conclusion, though an open-ended one. And, as ever, this installment seems pricey for its length. I'd definitely recommend checking your local library's collection first.




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Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Murderbot Diaries continue to hold my interest, improving with every installment. The plot of this third offering, though still action-oriented, focuses as much on Murderbot's relationships with humans (and another bot, who seems to be a sort of pet) as it does on Murderbot's own still-murderous combat skills.

This shift from full-out SF action ( All Systems Red) to action plus interpersonal focus didn't slow down Wells' dialogue in the least, either. Murderbot remains snarky and wryly observant of the humans around it, despite its own adventures & travels as a rogue SecUnit. One of its most poignant comments came near the end:

I hate caring about stuff. But apparently once you start, you can't just stop.

I'm having the same problem with this series, so I was glad to see that my local library has The Murderbot Diaries #4 on order. With any luck, I'll be the second person to dig into it this fall.








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All Systems Red by Martha Wells

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A right-sized, straight-up SF mystery tale -- from the POV of a self-aware security android. This last bit makes all the difference. Murderbot (its own name for itself, due to a nasty piece of backstory) seems more aware of its own motivations -- and the motivations of others -- than any of the humans or augmented humans in this story.

I found Murderbot's quirky, brutally honest voice the most compelling thing about this visit to an Evil Corporate Future. The rest of the SF trappings are done well enough, but (for me) only this unique POV made the adventure stand out. I really liked Murderbot, which is why I'm sad about the Kindle pricing of future entries in the Murderbot Diaries. Novel prices for novella-length works, no matter how Nebula-winning, are pretty much a nonstarter for me

Fortunately, my local library has the next volume on order.





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The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I was expecting more horror and less philosophy from this one, but was actually fascinated to see how deep into the human condition Wells goes while telling his suspenseful tale. The Island of Dr. Moreau covers a lot of ground in a very economical number of pages, and quite a few of its observations age well. The anti-vivisection argument is over (it may have been aided by this novel), but the question of how Law is made and who gets to make it -- for whose benefit -- is still with us.

On the science fiction side of things, this is a very early "uplift" story, dealing with the unexpected consequences of forcing humanity on animals by brutal means. And, like Mary Shelley's over-ambitious protagonist, Moreau doesn't know when to quit.

One caution to modern readers: this novel was first published in 1896. Keep that in mind, and you'll have more sympathy for its protagonist (or at least I did).



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Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is the first time I've listened to Shards of Honor rather than reading it, and it may have made the experience even better. (Or at least easier to fit into a busy summer!)

Shards is the opening volume of Bujold's Vorkosigan saga. Without spoiling any of the plot for first-time readers, suffice it to say that it offers a remarkable, character-driven space opera read, with a central (but never intrusive) romance between two actual grown-ups. It also has some of the loveliest ending lines of any SF novel around.

Lois McMaster Bujold just won a Best Series Hugo Award for these books. It was richly deserved.






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Tor.Com http://www.tor.com/ is celebrating Space Opera Week (yes!). Author Judith Tarr has contributed an article of particular interest to those of us intrigued by women's literature:


"From Dark to Dark: Yes, Women Have Always Written Space Opera"


http://tinyurl.com/mfhyeus


This one's worth every minute of reading time, but be warned. It is loaded with useful, fascinating, & time-eating links on female writers of space opera, gender inequalities in the field, & even the Smurfette Principle (of which I was totally ignorant until today).



http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheSmurfettePrinciple

Issue #22 of Eye to the Telescope, the SFPA's online journal of speculative poetry, has gone live!

In keeping with the season, this is the "Ghosts" issue. Edited by Shannon Connor Winward, it offers 27 spectral poems ranging from Gothic horror to folktale to spooky SF. There's a range of forms as well, though this issue runs pretty heavily toward free verse.

And, yes, Yours Truly does have something here: the terza rima sonnet "New World Haunting."