Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Space Fiction, Not Science Fiction

Alien Dimensions #22 by Neil A. Hogan, Editor

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When I write for an anthology, I frequently receive a contributor’s copy. I enjoy reading the stories by other writers, and Alien Dimensions #22 is no exception. In “The Voiceless City” by Elana Gomel, a spaceship commanded by an AI selects a crew for a first contact mission. The unusual crew is composed of a half-dozen experts, but all of them have issues: antisocial disorder, linguistic delay, autism, and similar neurological and psychological challenges. When the ship returns from its mission, the AI and several […]

Remember when Avasarala asked Jules Pierre-Mao if he needed to go to the potty? What a great moment in literature.

Caliban's War (The Expanse, #2) by James S.A. Corey

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30 Books in 30 Days, Vol. 2 Book 16/30 Again, liked this one more on the second read. Once again, my previous review is gobbledygook. This review isn’t going to be anything special because I’m forcing myself to write it. I’m starting my re-read of book three tomorrow and I don’t want there to be any emotional cross-contamination. (Especially since I have a good feeling I’ll be five starring #3 on re-read.) Like the first book, I enjoyed myself with this one a lot more […]

“This is too strange to be a coincidence. It’s all connected somehow”

Under Fortunate Stars by Ren Hutchings

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I picked this up because of the gorgeous cover, and I’m glad I did! It’s a really good, extremely satisfying time travel space opera. “This is too strange to be a coincidence. It’s all connected somehow,” she said. “The engine problem, the Rift, that distress call… it’s all linked. And we need to figure out how if we want to get out of here.” The Gallion, a corporate science ship, and its skeleton crew has been pressed into service to ferry a Felen ambassador to […]

From 3.5 stars to 5 stars on re-read. Congratulations to me on hypothesizing correctly.

Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, #1) by James S.A. Corey

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I have lost all objectivity in regards to this series. I knew I would like this better on re-read, but I didn’t anticipate just how differently I’d feel. I’m bumping this up a full star from 3.5 to 4.5, and rounding up past that to five stars, because as previously mentioned: objectivity, gone. Haha look at my first review below. I have very different things to say now! The weird thing is, I can remember being the person who wrote that review below, but I […]

With Friends Like These…

The Z Team by Chris DeSantis

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This book is my first ARC (Advanced Reader’s Copy) sent to me by the author. Knowing I’m a big space opera fan, Chris sent me a copy of his first book in a series. Captain Dash Anderton runs a cargo ship treading on the slim line between lawfulness and not. His crew, split into ops (the worker bees) and command (the captain, pilot, medtech, and loyal robot) is constantly at odds with one another and dealing with a ship gone too long without repairs or […]

Space opera binge – “Nothing touched by empire remains itself”

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie

Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie

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              ** Some spoilers for the plot of Ancillary Justice in the review of later books in the series ** Space opera can definitely be big, loud and dumb and that can be fun and exciting.  But I love my space opera to be populated by complex, conflicted people (and other beings) living in intricate worlds with a deep culture and history.  Add beautiful writing, and big questions about identity and ethics, and I am in heaven. So I […]



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