Reading/Watching/Playing

[a_cubed]

Reading:
I read the first two books of Rachel Caine's Revivalist series (Working Stiff, Two Weeks Notice) which seemed like fun takes on the Zombie sub-genre. She's a smooth read (I previously enjoyed her Weather Warden series). The zombies in this are techno-babble created (nanotech) and in the first two books are quite well done without the overkill on "eat brains" type. Unfortunately, at the end of the second book she introduces a new type and promptly makes the viewpoint character a super nanite zombie. Combined with a HUGE plot discontinuity from the end of book 2 to the beginning of book 3 (the books of course were written some time apart as these things are, but the action flows with no effective break and yet the situation at the end of the second book isn't where they start properly in the third book). This combination put me off the series so I dropped it.


Next, I picked up The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley. Wonderful stuff. Referencing Starship Troopers, The Forever War, Old Man's War, Slaughterhouse 5, and the current problem with propaganda, misinformation and corporate control of society, this is a worthy addition to the "must-read" SF books critiquing war. Particularly poignant reading while Russia commits war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine.


Watching:
Continuing Agents of SHIELD with $DAUGHTER. Now in the middle of season 5. Watching Star Trek Picard as it comes out. Watched the first two eps of Halo, and enjoyed that. Started binging the third (probably final) season of "A Discovery of Witches" which came out earlier in the year but I missed it coming out.


Playing:
Little Nightmares. Finished Six's Story and am in the middle of The Kid's Story. Nice escape-room non-combat game. Occasionally frustrating game play knowing what to do but unable to do it (catching the gnome in the coal cellar, twice!) but very atmospheric and fun mix of sneaking, sometimes chase sequences, and 3-d platform and ladder puzzles (usually without a deadline, but sometimes with one).

Comments

[vivdunstan]

It’s definitely the final season of the Witches series. They’ve just filmed the original trilogy of books, and aren’t making any more. Deborah Harkness hasn’t sold the rights to the quasi sequel/prequel Time’s Convert. I have watched this! Though separately from Martin, who is halfway through season 3. I read the trilogy of books before.

[a_cubed]

I figured it would be the final series, since the adaptations of the first two were pretty faithful to the books (which I read after watching the first season). I didn't bother with the spin-off since that seemed to be much more a core romance novel than the mix of romance/urban fantasy/political thriller of the main trilogy. I don't mind a significant romance element in my reading, but I'm not really interested in it as the nearly sole focus.

[vivdunstan]

Times Convert is less of a romance novel IMHO than the trilogy. It does have a different feel, but it’s primarily a historical tale of American history around the War of Independence seen through Marcus’s eyes. Phoebe’s conversion portion isn’t romance. The Diana/Matthew interludes come closest, but they’re more about their ongoing lives, including with the twins.

The trilogy is the most “romance” book I’ve read. Very unusual reading for me. But I was intrigued by the historical fiction / book history / fantasy crossover. Otherwise I wouldn’t have gone near it.

[vivdunstan]

Times Convert has 3 different strands running throughout. I know some people have read them separately, even using colour coding to identify the chapters! Marcus’s story through time is the main one. Phoebe’s conversion (which Marcus is almost entirely missing from), is next. Then the slimmest portion are interludes with Diana, Matthew and the twins.

I found the American history section interesting, but not so easy to relate to as eg the 16th century period I was more familiar with. I definitely learned stuff.