Cast in Courtlight by Michelle Sagara

Cast in Courtlight by Michelle Sagara

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Not your usual police procedural. This is a Young Adult Fantasy with a Mystery plot.

I was a little trepidacious when I read Sagara's  own comment that the book had intended to focus on the Barrani court but had ended up investigating the relationship between Kaylin and Severn. "Ack! Another YA romance!" Fortunately, it didn't really turn out that way. It didn't turn out that way to such an extent that I can't figure out why the author felt she had to mention it...

While I'm not thrilled by Sagara's writing, I am thrilled by the story. I love the mix of fantasy and mystery. Given that they're two of the three main genres that I read, it's a natural fit for me. I enjoy the views of the different races, and their politics (of which we see much, despite Kaylin's professed dislike of politics), and hope to see more of the other races as the series continues.

Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan

Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A marvelous first novel. This review said "If  Michael Connelly had put Detective Bosch in space (and cyberspace) he may have ended up with something like Altered Carbon (if he is lucky)", which was a significant selling feature for me, and it lived up to its billing.

Be warned, it's not just a detective novel – it's pretty good high-tech science fiction.

On top of an excellent mystery, great action, and fascinating characters, Morgan takes a thoughtful and thought-provoking look at both interstellar empire and the nature of "self".