Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


“I think about the future a lot.”

Kimmie66 by Aaron Alexovich

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A while ago, I deaccessioned a lot of my comics/graphic novels, and now years later am reaccessioning the ones that I realized I really do want. Kimmie66 is one of those. I am a lifelong fan of Aaron Alexovich’s other series, Serenity Rose, and this is in somewhat of the same vein tonally. Kimmie66 is set in a near future where there are immersive VR worlds (“lairs”) that people spend large amounts of their lives in. Telly is 14 and her lair is Elysium, a […]

“I hope you are finding your own words out there in my sky.”

The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei

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Asuka was the last person chosen to join the crew for humanity’s last hope, eighty elite graduates of a competitive program who will give birth to a generation of children in deep space and one day reach a distant but livable planet. But when a bomb kills three of the crew, investigating it falls to Asuka. I’m trying to get more into science fiction lately, and between the creative world-building and the high-stakes mystery, this book was certainly a good addition to the roster. In […]

Filled my Earth Day square! (Double bingo)

The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older

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CBR16 Bingo: Earth Day (while this novella is set off-Earth, a lot of the plot involves conservation efforts to try to reintroduce healthy biodiversity on Earth) Mossa is investigating the mysterious disappearance, most likely a suicide, on one of the human colonies on Jupiter. Mossa discovers that the missing man worked at the colony’s university, where conveniently for her and her further investigation, Mossa’s ex-girlfriend is a scholar working with others to try to recreate the ecosystems of Earth before it collapsed. Pleiti is surprised […]

More danger, calamity and heroism in space (Bingo)

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

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CBR16 Sweet Books: Binge CBR16 Bingo: Celestial (set in space. I’m sure the characters observe lots of stars on their epic journeys through space) Spoiler warning: this is the third and final book in the Illuminae Files. A lot of stuff happened in the previous two novels, and it will be impossible to review this book without referring to some significant plot points. Additionally, I don’t see how this book would be a satisfying reading experience taken out of context. So if you aren’t up […]

Murderbot is not OK but the reason why is [redacted]

System Collapse by Martha Wells

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CBR16 Bingo: Rage (The Murderbot Diaries are all the rage all over the bookish internet, in addition, there’s a lot of rage-inducing behaviour from the evil corporation in the book) Spoiler warning! This is book 7 in the series, and absolutely not the place to start reading. This book will not make as much sense if it’s your first encounter with Murderbot. You should have read at least All Systems Red, Artificial Condition and the previous novel, Network Effect to have the requisite backstory for […]

So much promise, yet so bland

The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older

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Bingo 24: Celestial The Mimicking of Known Successes takes place at some point in the future when humanity has left Earth (maybe hopes to go back) and largely now lives on Jupiter. By virtue of setting, discussed in some detail, this is a cosmic setting with some cosmic questions about the future of planet Earth and humanity and other species. This novella is marketed as a sapphic romance (there’s a little), a murder investigation (also a little), gaslamp (kinda), and maybe a few other things […]



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