Ready Player One envelopes the reader in a warm and comfy haze of 1980’s nostalgia, complete with pop culture references through a detailed exploration of early generation home gaming consoles, TV shows, movies and fashion. Ready Player One is a nerd boy (or girls) dream. Even readers who don't 'get' all the nerdy references will still get a sense of time and place, and how these 80's relics play a huge part in the overall story and Wade's race to be top of the leader-board.
2. The Force by Don Winslow (crime)
Denny as a character is flawed and exceptionally well written; author Don Winslow goes to great lengths to give Denny a story that's deep and tragic - from his formative police years through to his failed marriage, to the unmistakable bond he shares with his fellow officers - there's a richness to his story which makes The Force all the more better.
3. Spoils of War by Adrian Tchaikovsky (fantasy)
Short stories set predominately in the Commonweal during the Empire's occupation in the 12 year war containing a vast array of characters, some new, some favorites, some obscure yet all equally engaging and fun to read. As vast as the characters in this series are, so are their stories. Author Adrian Tchaikovsky writes diverse stories that take his characters on many interesting journeys distinct in their own right but complementary to the series proper.
4. Phasma by Delilah S. Dawson (sci-fi)
This book breathes new life into Phasma, a character who had little more than a bit part on The Force Awakens. This is both a good and a bad thing. Now that Phasma has become a bonafide character in the Star Wars cannon, what role she is set to play in The Last Jedi is very important; given the momentum generated in this book to build her up as a ruthless career soldier with high ambitions and the Marvel comic (of which I’ve not read) it’s obvious there are plans to break the ‘Stormtrooper as cannon fodder’ typecast and have her develop into an important figure in the First Order along with Kylo Ren, Snoke and Armitage Hux.
5. October is the Coldest Month by Christoffer Carlsson (crime)
October is the Coldest Month is a quick read that will resonate with the reader long after the last page is turned. Vega is a character I just want to read more of, along with backstory snippets of past conflict over land and the illegal making of moonshine, these's a whole lot more to this book that begs for a second volume.
6. Darktown by Thomas Mullen (crime)
If you're looking for a historical crime fiction book packed full of interesting characters, a great plot, and thought provoking sub themes, look no further than Darktown by Thomas Mullen , the first book in what I hope turns out to be a long running series set in Atlanta during the early days of desegregation in the police force.
7. The Dry by Jane Harper (crime)
he Dry is a highly entertaining crime thriller set in rural Victoria, Australia where the harsh landscape isn't the only thing threatening to burn amid the heat and horrors of Kiewarra. Protagonist Aaron Falk is a Melbourne based police officer returned to his hometown for the funeral of a childhood friend. What looks to be an open and shut case soon turns speculative when the suicide/homicide investigation yields questionable results, namely mismatched bullets and lack of motive.
8. The Nowhere Man by Greg Hurwitz (thriller)
The Nowhere Man sees Evan kidnapped and held at a mysterious location. His captures are a mix of eccentric and professional killers, led by Dex – a mute brimming with menace and murderous intent, and Rene Cassaroy – a wealthy and somewhat deranged eccentric whose life goal is the pursuit of eternal youth. So, how did Evan end up in this predicament? He bought a katana off the internet, the purchase tracked by Rene as part of a broader scheme to kidnap the wealthy and sell them back their lives at great cost. In Evan, Rene got more than he had bargained for.
9. Dogs of War by Adrian Tchaikovsky (sci-fi)
Dogs of War was not the book I was expecting to read - in a good way. I've long been a fan of Adrian Tchaikovsky, his Shadows of the Apt epic fantasy series is great and I really enjoyed his fantasy/adventure novel Spiderlight. In Dogs of War, Tchaikovsky turns his talents towards sci-fi with genetically engineered bioforms - animals enhanced by weaponised technology and given the smarts to communicate with humans on near like-for-like levels.
10. Artemis by Andy Weir (sci-fi)
Set on the Moon, the frontier-like city of Artemis is home to a few thousand people. The city has reached its peak capacity and there is no potential for growth given infrastructure and commodities are in short supply/demand - tourist trade aside. When an opportunity too good to be true arises which could make Jazz a millionaire still thinks about it...for a nanosecond before signing up. The drawback? The get-rich-quick-scheme involves the sabotage of company Sanchez Aluminium - who happen to play a part in supplying Artemis with oxygen.
What could possibly go wrong?
A lot.
What could possibly go wrong?
A lot.
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