Michael Schmitt

Less brutal and overwhelming than the first book in this Captive's War series. Moves along quickly thanks to multiple plot lines that complement each other nicely. I wish it had played around more with the conflict between pulls towards acceptance vs resistance. More of the mysteries in this universe, especially the enemy, are unraveled in a way I almost hated but wound up just wanting the next entry right away.

Read on Serial Reader. Just about what I expect from an Agatha Christie: cozy, fairly danger-free mystery with some interesting characters and a bonus classic steamship trip. I don't know if the mystery was all that great but fun enough to follow along and not think about too deeply. The destination being Africa unfortunately means when the narrative has some needless racism (when it isn't just plainly ignoring Africans) and tops it off with some tired period gender roles towards the end.

Early cyberpunk with so much nearly spot-on Internet setup -- and elements later seen in anything from Blade Runner to The Matrix -- it's really easy to forget it's from 1980. The narrative was dream-like to me a lot of the time; the reader is really tossed into unfamiliar experiences and expected to figure it out. I enjoy that, though I'm not sure I ever found my footing. Treatment of women is distractingly regressive as well. The world is jammed with interesting elements though and sports a striking combination of grime & gold.

Read on Serial Reader. Quick little vampire tale from a quarter century before Dracula, so unfortunately leans on characteristics & plot points that have since been made cliche. That said, some genuinely disturbing nighttime hauntings and behavior so oddly detached at times it feels surreal (ex: almost no reaction from any of an assembled party when someone randomly chases another away with an ax).

Buehlman's "Between Two Fires" was amazing & I had been meaning to try more from him in a while. But I wasn't expecting a K.J. Parker-style fantasy adventure! Meaning, a perhaps-shady smart-ass narrator (complete with a heart of gold) surrounded by skilled, deadly, interesting characters (usually competent women), an intriguing world, and a quest that grows/complicates as you progress through the story. The goblins and fate of horses in this world are particularly striking. I'll be continuing this series for sure.

Read on Serial Reader. I really enjoy M.R. James-type spooky stories and these felt pretty similar, though much heavier on creating an almost suffocating presence than on any concrete Entity. Quick stories all exploring how the alluring, powerful, and dangerous bits of the past can reach out to the present.

Blew through this quick in a weekend. Can see why it's so popular! Always enjoy a story that's primarily kind people solving big problems. Plus the plot speeds along nicely so neither the fantastical elements or more hard sci-fi-ish points outstay their welcome.

Book club read. Like reading a dream: from the basic concept to the actual events described to the writing style, it's surreal through and through. Felt convincing in each day's voice describing a life they're thoroughly familiar with but is so alien to those that came before and after.

Anything new from Parker is an instant read for me. This one's plot got a little twisty for me at times -- and the protagonist, to be fair, who had a little bit of the "Indiana Jones might as well not have even participated" thing going on -- but I just can't get enough of Parker's smartass lovable wretches. Next one please.

An extremely fun, if over-the-top violent, D&D-style "gang of lovable misfits" adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed the alternative universe, everything-turned-upside-down version of medieval Europe: it skips a lot of the world construction other fantasies (especially journey ones) might need to do, while still keeping a feeling of magic and mystery. What's not to love? If there's another coming I'll read it.

Book club read. I just couldn't get into this one for petty reasons. The characters irritated me, chapters felt repetitive or pointless. Enjoyed the second half quite a bit more.

I felt my reading skill sharpen trying to get through this dense novella. The distinctive voice of the narrator and stream-of-consciousness style -- combined with surreal and Weird happenings -- means you really have to digest each word to keep up. Eerie and haunting. I loved it.

This was a trip. Starts off goofy like other 19th/early 20th century scifi "let's blast ourselves to the moon" adventures then suddenly we're dying, we're marrying off, we're starting new societies of strange moon children and Dune-like religious cults. Originally intended to read the whole trilogy but after finishing the first volume decided to take a break from all THAT. Whew.

Capped off a year of reading with the queen. I haven't read too many of her shorter works. This was, not surprisingly, a delightful quick read including some early versions of Earthsea and Hainish.

My winter break read. Enjoyed learning more about the protagonists on their journey and the vision of Hell as a self-imposed jail was fascinating. Dreadful that the afterlife might be filled with the worst folks from your daily life. A fun take on the "magical school" trope.

Drawn in by the description and a recommendation from The Flop House for the movie. Adored this, read it in just over a day. The collision of styles, the mystery, the feeling of historical accuracy, the delicious hints at something far stranger going on. I read the forward only after finishing which I would recommend (too many spoilers). It included bits of the author's cut last chapter which is bonkers and only added to my love of this book. Love it love it.

Really enjoyed Martine's Teixcalaanli series. This feels like a departure but still great. A locked room mystery turned up to 11 with moments of genuie horror and disorientation.

Saw this recommended as Alaskan / Pacific Northwest-native Lord of the Rings which snagged me. Pretty accurate, in all the good ways, though feels like a disservice to the archetypes this novel is playing with. Fun, funny, fast moving, exciting epic fantasy. Fair warning you'll want to read whatever comes next right away and it does not yet exist - a wonderful frustration.

I love love Martha Wells. Even though "Witch King" wasn't my favorite I did enjoy spending time with the characters and I think I can say the same here. Story feels underwhelming but unsure why. Possibly because I want to learn more about these characters and it feels so little is revealed page to page. I'll read the next one.

Heard this series recommended on The Incomperable primarily because a payoff in like, book #12, is spectacular. And hey, I'm an idiot, so I'll start a huge book series just to be blown away 12 books later. Sherlock Holmes with a few twists, what more can you want. Will pick up the next one soon.

Book club read. Nice October vibes. Thought it'd play more into Frankenstein themes but don't think that comparison is fair. Dives more into grief, found families, intolerance; but oddly still feels like a light adventure read.

Overall liked this. Its movement from academy tale to war tale kept me guessing. Bold characters that defied expectations as well. But a twist towards the end felt completely unexpected in a bad way: overly gross in a way that left a bad taste. And which in turn led to further actions that left me feeling cold about the whole thing, hoping for it to end. Don't think I'll continue the series.

Big fan of Parker's style and his Sixteen Ways and Saevus Corax (the ending of which killed me, ugh) series. More of the same here! Using themes of history like toys in a playground, all wrapped in humor and danger. Quick delightful read.

Book club read. I'll be thinking about this one a while. Delves into themes of motherhood/marriage, being trapped in those roles vs desiring/needing those roles, trying to define ourselves vs what a perceived society expects, mid-life turning points both biological and psychological, self-imposed limits, depression, self-discovery and a ton more. Plus a lot admittedly not for me and/or over my head. Enjoyed in spite of finding nearly every character absolutely insufferable.

Space opera adventure that, while felt a little sluggish for me at times, legitimately had me wondering which way of life depicted would come out on top for our narrator. Like a lot of excellent sci-fi, the setting may be futuristic but the big ideas feel universal: who are we outside of our past, what defines our sense of self, how much of ourselves should we give to our peers and community.

Picked this up after enjoying Moonbound by Sloan so much. Reading this in 2025 was hard though as so much of it revolved around Google, big tech engineers, and their power to churn through all of human knowledge in a heartbeat. We've seen what these corporations will do with such power -- much of which is presaged by this book -- but the relatively bright-eyed 2010s-era depiction of these companies overshadowed the fun and humanity-focused themes of this book for me.

Book club read. Lighthearted exploration of the effects of infinite choice. I really liked the straightforward core of magic in this: take reality, add one weird warp, then press play to see what happens. That leads to plenty of setups that escalate into enjoyably tense/cringe-worthy situations, plus a lot to chew on.

Downright enjoyable sci-fi journey. Devoured this one quickly as it's a delightful read and I found myself picking up as much as I could to find out what comes next. Wonderful exploration of humanity's automations caught in loops with some really memorable set pieces and characters.

Love a book that plays around in the world of King Arthur and this one doesn't disappoint. What happens to the people and nation King Arthur leaves behind? Were the heroes really what we thought? What would Arthur want and should that matter? Great characters and adventures here.

Book club read. Not for me; found it cruel, gross, shallow.

Phew, a journey to get through this one. I could quibble with the length and whether everything here is necessary, but overall earns its reputation as a thrilling, engaging story.

A lovely conclusion to this series. You know it's a good series when you're disappointed you reached the end. I will read anything and everything Katherine Addison writes.

Oh my goodness this book. The shifting genres, the crazy twists (an influencer from the stars!), the charming narrator, the courageous beavers! I loved everything about this and was sad to finish it. Read this!

Book club read. Easy fun read thanks to adventure after adventure. Great characters including the protagonist with some downright bittersweet conversations about motherhood in the midst of swash-buckling pirate adventure. Will definitely read the next in the series and "The City of Brass" is on my TBR list.

Pretty good cozy modern mystery that unlike other popular titles IS actually cozy. A few twists balanced by a few slower bits but overall enjoyable. Watson as a ghost is both a fun and tragic idea.

Sped through this one quickly. Lovely dynamic between the protagonists. I enjoy books/series where characters truly grow and age, including in their begrudging respect and love for each other. These stories tick all those boxes. I'll likely return to this series.

Read The Goblin Emperor if you haven't, I beg you. This is the latest work in that world and -- much like Leckie's Imperial Radch -- it's just an environment that I love to be in. Such interesting characters, a fascinating world, exciting adventures/mysteries, and warm relationships. As the name implies there's a lot of sadness here as well, but Addison has such a talent for building up connections between characters slowly and paying them off in heartwarming, loving ways. Even at its saddest this feels like a warm hug. I read it in two days.

Where Bad Cree was creepy and heartwarming, this is creepy and brutal. A relentless adversary and narrative style that keeps you off-kilter really add to the unsettling experience of reading this book. I read the ebook and at one point reached a break thinking "my goodness what a punch of an ending" only to realize I was just 50% through. Just an overall excellent horror read. Warning: do not get attached to the dogs.

Bookclub read that we have not yet discussed, so I'm hoping that chat will help clarify my thoughts and feelings about this work. But as it stands, a book that just made me feel dimwitted for missing the magic that others felt.

A cozy mystery with woodland animals. What more do you need? My 11 year-old, Redwall-obsessed self would be quite pleased with me.

Bookclub read. Wasn't really for me. I got my hopes up waiting to hear the events of Dracula from the narrator's perspective, or an interesting twist on them, and was let down.

Again Leckie weaves a heart-warming sci-fi tale around truly alien -- and this time downright disturbing -- characters. One of the best sci-fi writers who can deliver jaw dropping moments without epic space battles.

Loved the Expanse. This first entry in their new series is different but not wildly so: still very readable, fast-moving, but more brutal in ways (it is an apocalypse-type story afterall) with real trauma the characters spend most of the book dealing with in different ways. Looking forward to the next entry.

Book club read. Both genuinely creepy and heartwarming. Once the book grabs you, you'll finish in an afternoon to unravel the mystery. Surprisingly made one my favorite classic horror stories (to name it would be a spoiler) seem downright shoddy by comparison.

Re-reading as a refresher before starting Translation State. As delightful as I remember! Leckie's Imperial Radch universe is so fascinating -- at once truly alien but with characters that make it feel downright cozy. Simply one of my favorite authors.

Book club read. Quick tense thriller in a sci-fi near-future setting. The less you know going in the better.

Fast-moving conclusion to an engaging Pre-Columbian American-inspired fantasy trilogy. Honestly didn't know how this was going to be wrapped up & was not disappointed!

Dahm is a genius and I adore everything he does. I fondly recall following his updates on this work during the pandemic. Worth the wait! A surreal & dizzying experience. Highly recommend reading in one sitting.