Bones of the Past - Drew Hayes (Audiobook)

Tantor Audio, 2021, 35.8 hours

Read by: Amy Landon 

Listened to: February-March, 2025

 

Villain's Code, book 2

 

Really a lot of fun, and, compared to the first book, more of the story that I wanted to hear, not skipping over as much of the interesting behind-the-scenes small stories for the big set pieces.  The audiobook reader has settled in, and is better than in the first book as well.

 

Rating: 4+

Babel-17 - Samuel R. Delaney

Bantam,1982, 193 pages

Original copyright 1969

ISBN: 0-553-20156-5

Read: February 2025, age 46

 

Some classic 70's sci-fi that was deeper than I was expecting, and was better characterized than most.  Interesting ideas, as well, though I'm not sold on the 'superpowers from learning a language' main hook.

 

Rating: 3+

The Apocalypse Troll - David Weber

Baen, 1999, 312 pages

ISBN: 0-671-31832-2 

Read: February 2025, age 46

This was a bit more lore-heavy than a book this short has any right to be, with a fair amount of info-dumping and direct commentary on political trends c. 2000.  The main characters were reminiscent of Heinlein's self-inserts, down to the 'grumpy old man' and 'hot young redhead'.  They were complete Mary-Sues.  The rest were cardboard cut-outs.  The setup was generally fun, and the prose was fine.  Overall, simple, fun and predictable, but not particularly good, which was pretty much what I was expecting.  

 

Rating: 3

Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones

Collins, 2000, 302 pages

Original copyright 1986 

ISBN: 0-00-675523-2

Read: February 2025, age 46

 

This is a book for which I am definitely not the target audience.  It's middle grade fiction, and quite good.  It started extremely strong, and then kind of tapered off toward the end, I felt, but was quite readable as a middle-ager, rather than a middle-grader. Fun.  Probably better for the kids, but quick and easy.

Rating: 3+

Three to Get Deadly - Janet Evanovich

St. Martin's, 1998, 321 pages

Original copyright 1997

ISBN: 0-312-96609-1

Read: January 2025, age 46

 

Stephanie Plum #3

 

Fun, but forgettable.  A nice little palate-cleanser. 

 

Rating: 3+

Into Africa - Martin Dugard

Bantam, 2004, 410 pages

Original copyright 2003

ISBN: 978-0-553-41447-7

Read: January 2025, age 46

 

This book is basically the lead-up to the 'Dr. Livingstone, I presume' line - the story of D. David Livingstone, and Henry Morton Stanley's exploration of central Africa.  It was super-interesting at the start, but got a little long and repetitive as things played out.  I'm glad I read it.

 

Rating: 4-

Monster Hunter: Siege - Larry Correia

Baen, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-4814-8255-4

Read: February 2025, age 46

 

Monster Hunter International, book 6

 

Fun, violent, generally pretty good for a shoot-em-up thriller.  I prefer this one, having Owen as the POV character, as opposed to the last two.

 

Rating: 4