Tag Archives: Books

Steven Erikson – The Crippled God (2011) Review

Posted on June 27, 2022 by Jeroen Admiraal

9/10 After 1.5 years of reading and 3.3 million words, The Crippled God (2011) ends the Malazan Book of the Fallen. Erikson writes this finale in his own subversive, Eriksonian way, in which he uses the tropes of epic fantasy, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Contingency and Convergence: Toward a Cosmic Biology of Body and Mind (2020), by Russell Powell

Posted on June 20, 2022 by Jeroen Admiraal

Behind the abstract title and the stuffy academic cover of this book lies a world of deep thought and wonder. Written by one person, Rachell Powell (formerly Russell as it still says on the cover), a book like this is … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Non-fiction | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

William Gibson – Burning Chrome (1986) Review

Posted on June 15, 2022 by Jeroen Admiraal

9/10 This short story collection showcases William Gibson’s first work before he won all the awards with Neuromancer (1984). And from the very first start of his career he shows himself to be a tremendously talented writer.  Fellow SF writer … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Science fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 21 Comments

Michael Moorcock – Elric of Melniboné: The Elric Saga, Vol. 1 (review)

Posted on May 30, 2022 by Jeroen Admiraal

Comprising: Elric of Melniboné (1972) The Fortress of the Pearl (1989) The Sailor on the Seas of Fate (1976) The Weird of the White Wolf (1977) 7.5/10  – A rather exhaustive, rambly review: Michael Moorcock’s Elric stories are recognised as … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Thomas Pynchon – The Crying of Lot 49 (1965) Review

Posted on May 20, 2022 by Jeroen Admiraal

DNF at 40%. I made some notes. This is my first Pynchon – but it is not Pynchon’s first Pynchon, that happens to be the novel V. (1963) but The Crying was his second. It is only 140 pages long … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Mainstream | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Michael Swanwick – The Iron Dragon’s Mother (2019) Review

Posted on May 18, 2022 by Jeroen Admiraal

9/10 Swanwick produced us another sparkling, prickly novel. Finalist for the 2020 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, but nobody read it. Professional acclaim from peer authors isn’t the problem for Swanwick and he has an impressive list of awards … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Philip K. Dick – Dr. Bloodmoney (1965) Review

Posted on May 11, 2022 by Jeroen Admiraal

7.5/10 Dr. Bloodmoney, Or How We Got Along After the Bomb is the full title of this novel. (Although the full title of my edition seems to be Dr Bloodmoney One of the Most Original Practitioners Writing Any Kind Of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Science fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Steven Erikson – Dust of Dreams (2009) Review

Posted on May 5, 2022 by Jeroen Admiraal

7.5/10 I was so blown away by Toll the Hounds (2008) that it is hard to grasp that there is still more storytelling to follow. But Toll the Hounds was only the penultimate chapter of this giant tale. Yes yes, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Robert Sheckley – Untouched by Human Hands (1954) Review

Posted on April 16, 2022 by Jeroen Admiraal

8/10 Robert Sheckley was one of the giants of science fiction in the 1950s and 60s and wrote about 400 short stories and a bunch of books, but nobody remembers him now. A shame, because his work is very entertaining … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Science fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

William Gibson – Neuromancer (1984) review

Posted on April 4, 2022 by Jeroen Admiraal

8.5/10 William Gibson’s Neuromancer (1984) is nowadays known as the novel that started or invented cyberpunk. That’s only partially true. Gibson started using the word ‘cyberspace’ in Neuromancer, but the subgenre of cyberpunk has roots that go back much farther, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Science fiction | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments