Tag: Science Fiction Page 1 of 40

Okay, after putting it off for months, I finally got around to reading the paperback I bought last year. Then a friend got me the audiobook—and I had to see if Hays was as great as everyone said. So I did both versions in a month. Which isn’t how I usually do things, but sometimes…

Dungeon Crawler Carl

by Matt Dinniman, read by Jeff Hays

DETAILS:
Series: Dungeon Crawler Carl, #1
Publisher: Ace; Audible Studios
Publication Date: December 30, 2025; January 28, 2021 
Format: Paperback, Audiobook
Length: 427 pg.; 13 hrs., 31 min.
Read Date: June 9-11, 2026; June 26-30, 2026

“Not everything will be social commentary.”

“It’s usually just stupid,” I muttered.

“It’s entertainment,” Mordecai said.

What’s Dungeon Crawler Carl About?

For the maybe 5 of you who haven’t learned this (inadvertently or purposefully), after living amongst us for decades, an alien race nearly wipes out the human race in an instant. Every human being—or physical object, plant, or animal—that was in an enclosed space was crushed when those buildings flattened. Those who survived were given the opportunity to enter a Dungeon to compete in a Hunger Games sort of reality show for several alien races to watch.

Sadly, for Carl, he only survived this because he was outside to catch his ex-girlfriend’s cat in the middle of the night. As he thought this would be a quick dash outside, he was wearing a jacket, t-shirt, boxers, and his girlfriend’s Crocs. Somehow, he didn’t realize he’d be in these clothes—and only these clothes—for (possibly) the rest of his life.

On the other hand, Carl is a veteran of the Coast Guard with plenty of experience in explosives, who worked as a marine technician in Seattle before the Dungeon.

The series is about he and that cat doing everything they can to survive the Dungeon.

Grand Champion, Breed Winner Regional, National Winner Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk

Cats are assholes. I get it. But do you know why people like cats, despite their asshole-ness? It’s because they don’t fucking talk. If they did, and they were all like you, they’d all be extinct because we’d have killed you all by now.

Ignoring my mild allergy, I’m not anti-cat. I’m just ambivalent about them. It generally comes across as a vague dislike (especially if I’m not ignoring my mild allergy). And when it comes to fictional Felis catus representation, I’m ambivalent at best.

So imagine my surprise when I’m about halfway through this book when I have to confess to my cat-loving daughter that there’s a good chance that my favorite new character of the year is a particular tortoiseshell Persian cat—”one of those fluffy, flat-faced cats that look like they need to be sitting on the lap of a Bond villain.” Okay, her surprise was bigger than mine.

Princess Donut is just so much fun—well, at least once she eats the Enhanced Pet Biscuit which turns her into a talking, sentient cat with plenty of memories of her life before the Dungeon (mostly to Carl’s consternation). She soon picks up the ability to hurl magic missiles from her eyes.

She is vain, she is mildly manipulative when it comes to Carl, her charisma score enables her to charm just about every NPC they encounter (and she does okay with the rest, too). Thanks to her history of competing in cat shows, she’s a natural when it comes to dealing with the media.

And…I don’t know…she’s got buckets of je ne sais quoi and I can’t get enough of her. I’m not sure I trust her choice in pets (she adopts a baby velicraptor-like creature toward the end of the book), but I can’t see how that won’t prove to be hilarious down the road (just seeing some fan art online assures me of that).

One Monster Description That Tells You a Lot About the Book

Part of a collective mind intent upon destroying any semblance of scientific progress in the universe, the Krakaren is the only communal brain entity in the galaxy who actually gets stupider as time moves on. Consisting of multiple, shrieking tentacles, members of the Krakaren cooperative spend their days birthing their disease-laden minions, creating and selling harmful products, attempting to debate scientific experts, and proselytizing to the weak-minded, all in an attempt to… Well, nobody knows what the hell their end goal is. Even Eris, Goddess of Chaos, doesn’t want anything to do with these crazy assholes.

(was this essentially me reaching to find an excuse to post that quotation? Yes. But also…it really does give you the flavor of the prose, humor, and strangeness of the monsters)

A Quick Word about the Narration

Jeff Hays is on his way to being my favorite audiobook narrator. He’s got stiff competition, but after two books, he’s got a shot at knocking people like Lorelei King, Gildart Jackson, Luke Daniels, and Ray Porter off the podium.

His choice to base Carl’s voice off of Patrick Warburton (and his performance of it) was inspired. His portrayal of Princess Donut is dynamite. And the way he does every other character is great.

If this is how polished he is with the first book—I can only imagine he’ll be fantastic once he gets some experience with Dinniman’s characters and style.

So, what did I think about Dungeon Crawler Carl?

If we get to the point where we don’t help each other anymore, that’s when we stop being human.

I really do think that it’s possible to dig deep with a lot of this book, to sink your teeth into it and see that Dinniman is accomplishing a lot and has a lot to say.

It’s also entirely possible to shutdown all your critical faculties and just have a blast with this book.

Both are totally appropriate ways to enjoy this (well, that’s true of just about every book—but it feels truer here).

I’m going to try to dig deeper when I get to future installments. But for now, I’ll just note that this is more than just jokes and killing things and leave it at that.

Dinniman draws on a bunch of video games, Douglas Adams, The Hunger Games, The Running Man, Ready Player One to create this world—and that would be enough, but when you add in his particular brand of humor and heart…I tell you what, that’s just great stuff.

If you, like me, have held off from this for whatever reason you have. Reconsider it. This is one of the most entertaining books I’ve read in ages, and I’m counting down the days until they finally release book two in paperback (and/or I decide to pay for the hardcovers).

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

Just A Couple of Thoughts about Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

By HCNewton

On July 7, 2026

In Science Fiction

Artificial Condition

by Martha Wells

DETAILS:
Series: The Muderbot Diaries, #2
Publisher: Tordotcom
Publication Date: May 08, 2018
Format: Hardcover
Length: 158 pg.
Read Date: June 19, 2026

What’s Artificial Condition About?

For the first time in its existence, Murderbot is free to go where it wants (although it needs to be careful about where, so it’s not mistaken for a rogue unit), do what it wants, all for itself.

Somewhat surprisingly—at least that’s how I reacted for half-a-second and then it made total sense—it wants to go back to the mining colony where it killed so many humans to try to understand what happened. And how it relates to the hacking of its governor module.

Along the way, it befriends a transport vessel, and hires on to protect some scientists who are trying to take on a mega-corporation.

So, what did I think about Artificial Condition ?

Okay, so why did I sleep on this for so long? Yes, I should’ve just bought and read the entire series (available at the time) back in 2023 when I read All Systems Red. But I didn’t. Then I bought this one back in February 2025—and still didn’t read it until June.

I promise you, there has been much in the way of self-berating since I started reading this.

The novella is so short, that to give it my usual treatment seems like too much. So let me just cut to the chase:

Not only does Murderbot make a new friend (although the road to friendship was bumpy) with the transport ship it dubbed, ART. But there’s a connection made with another ‘bot, too. There’s a growing network of connections of beings with similar intelligence and interests (especially in episodic media) for our friend, and I’m enjoying it as much as I wonder where Wells is taking us with that notion.

The humans Murderbot tries to help this time aren’t quite at the same level as the PreservationAux crew when it comes to taking care of themselves—or at paying attention Murderbot. But it was good to see it try with others, even as what it learns about itself by interaction with them is a little sad.

On the other hand, watching Muderbot deal with humans who are trying to take advantage of his new group…well, that’s another kind of satisfying.

As much as I enjoyed the first of The Murderbot Diaries, this one really set the hook in . The character development was fantastic—as is watching its increasing self-awareness, and…well all the intangible stuff doing on with the former SecUnit. The narrative voice alone is worth coming back for—but there are a multitude of reasons to do so.

If you—like me—continue to sleep on this series. Quit it. You won’t be sorry.

Quick-Take Catchups: The Leftovers from April

By HCNewton

On June 29, 2026

In Audiobook, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Non-Fiction, Science Fiction

Once again, I’m a few weeks behind on this, but that “To Write About” stack is still calling. Time for me to do a few more of these—emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore

by Emily Krempholtz, Emma Ladji (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: November 18, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 11 hrs.
Read Date: March 31-April 2, 2026

A nice little story about a supervillain (however coerced into it she might have been) trying to go straight and live a quiet life. Naturally, it doesn’t go that well, people learn who she is/was and…things get dicey. It’s a very cozy little story with just a hint of danger. This is primarily a Romance with a streak of Fantasy. Not totally my cup of tea, but a very pleasant book.

Guns of Brixton

by Paul D. Brazill

DETAILS:
Publisher: Fahrenheit Press
Publication Date: November 15, 2025
Format: Paperback
Length: 181 pg.
Read Date: April 15, 2026

This is a dark noir full of insane comedy and violence. Peopled by characters you love reading about and never want to meet the likes of in real life. The various plotlines and character arcs overlap and weave together in a way that is really impressive–and is very typical for this kind of read. Just kick back and enjoy it.

It’s fast and furious read that will make you want more from Brazill. I have to leave it for a catch-up post like this, where I’m forced to be vague, I’d end up telling you too much about it in a full-length post.

My only complaint is that as an American with little (read: no) understanding of FIFA history, I had to hit up a friendly-neighborhood search engine to understand the ending. I’d be clearer there, but I don’t want to ruin anything. It’s worth getting to that point and then learning what it meant–the delayed gratification is still gratifying.

Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy

by Mary Roach

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: September 16, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobooks
Length: 8 hrs., 37 min.
Read Date: April 13-16, 2026

Overall, a really good look at the frontiers of human transplant technology—and other ways to replace broken/sick/malfunctioning human parts. Oh, and hair. There was a lot about hair replacement and the various technologies there.

As is typical for a book by Roach, there’s a lot of good information here. A couple of chapters that don’t seem worth it. Some jokes were winners. Some jokes didn’t seem worth the effort.

Frog and Toad Are Doing Their Best [A Parody]

by Jennie Egerdie, Ellie Hajdu (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Running Press Adult
Publication Date: October 5, 2021
Format: Hardcover
Length: 96 pg.
Read Date: April 17, 2026

As I recall, I always thought that the Frog and Toad were pleasant enough, but needed something more to be something I’d read when there wasn’t anything else handy. Things were similar with my kids and the books. This is a little better—only because it’s updated and vaguely amusing to see the pair in 2020s mode.

The art is as perfect as it could be, like it was by the original artists.

It’s not a must-read, but it’s a quick shot of pleasure.

Worse than a Lie

by Ben Crump

DETAILS:
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: February 17, 2026
Format: Hardcover
Length: 368 pgs.
Read Date: April 16-17, 2026

I had huge hopes for this one, expecting that I’d read the series to follow. That is not going to happen. The dialogue is atrocious. The plot was…fine, but executed messily, yet predictably. The bad guys are as evil as evil can be—no subtlety to it at all. Actually, that was one of my notes about the book as a whole—there’s nothing subtle about it. The solution and the aftermath were practically a fairy tale. I really can’t think of anything positive to say. The promising premise deserved a whole lot better.

This Book Made Me Think of You

by Libby Page, Zadeiah Campbell-Davies (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: February 3, 2026
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 10 hrs., 26 min.
Read Date: April 16-20, 2026

Oh, golly, this book was so heartwarming and sweet. It’s also a great look at grief and the way it lingers in the lives of those affected by death. Primarily it’s a sweet book about a (dead) husband’s love expressed through his wife’s passion for reading. Each month, a book is waiting for her at a local bookstore.

Oh, yeah—this is also a tribute to local bookstores and what they can mean for a community.

Grief, books, love, and bookstores. What more could you want?

A Memory Called Empire

by Arkady Martine

DETAILS:
Series: Teixcalaan, #1
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: February 25, 2020
Format: Paperback
Length: 480 pg.
Read Date: April 20-24, 2026

Oh, there were just so many great ideas packed into this volume. Several layers of political machinations—with two cultures that are new to the reader. A mind-blowing technology that raises all sorts of questions about identity, memory, and life. A character death that makes me mad months later. And a looming threat that’s so far in the background that few characters realize it’s a thing.

I did enjoy it, I’m just not sure how much —but I’m so glad that I read it. I need to find time for book two.

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from any of them, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

The Photonic Effect by Mike Chen: Chen’s Most Out-of-This-World Novel Yet

By HCNewton

On June 24, 2026

In Fiction, Mike Chen, Science Fiction

The Photonic Effect

by Mike Chen

DETAILS:
Publisher: S&S/Saga Press
Publication Date: April 21, 2026
Format: Paperback
Length: 431 pg.
Read Date: May 19-23, 2026

What’s The Photonic Effect About?

The Horizon is a science/exploratory vessel that was stuck out in deep space for a decade. Many adventures were had, new crew members were added, challenges faced. Think the U.S.S. Voyager. When they come home, they find that The Cluster (think Federation) has broken into Civil War. Members of the crew by family, origin planet, or perspective belong on both sides of the conflict.

But peace pretty much reigns on the ship (while strained) while they’re able to focus on their mission–an experimental drive. But their fleet commanders are dragging the Horizon into the conflict–and things start going wrong there.

On every level–levels that her captain, Demora Kim, probably wasn’t aware of. While Kim tries to keep her crew together, keep her command, and keep Horizon from having to fire a shot–some important allies the ship made while being stranded send a distress call.

If Kim can’t find a way to help–the destruction that follows could be devastating to their ally, the Horizon, and both sides of The Cluster’s War.

An Atypical Chen Novel

I’ve said this before—and Chen has talked about it frequently. Basically, Chen’s novels are only technically genre tomes. You have a love story, a story about fatherhood, relationships between siblings, family, etc.—and then he injects some SF or other genre elements into them.

This is straight-SF. Chen lets his geek run free here. Yes, there’s a lot of heart, he has a lot to say about romantic love, found family, loyalty, duty, and whatnot.

And it’s utterly fascinating—Chen puts us right in the middle of a saga. It almost feels like this should be book two or three of a series, and the reader has to play catch up with the history of the ship and its crew. The previous books* would be action-packed and full of great concepts. Getting thrown in like this was a great setup—we have to focus on this aftermath-type of story.

* I feel like I need to stress that these don’t exist. They’re purely theoretical previous books.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

Chen’s been an auto-pick-up for me for years. And I’ve never seen a reason to depart from that.
I kept on with this because this world, the characters, and the story were just so fascinating—there was no reason to walk away. I started here to list 2-3 things in particular that drove me on, but I couldn’t just pick a couple. I needed to know everything Chen wanted to tell me about this ship and crew. Period.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

One of the—if not the—most prominent things I picked up is trust. The need for trust, how people react when someone breaks that trust, and how hard it is to re-establish it. But for those who can rebuild—or have the grace to keep it—how great a safety it is. And, sadly, the damage that can be done when the wrong people are trusted.

In this book, that goes beyond humanity to other races, too.

There’s also a great deal to say about loyalty–and combating loyalties. The Horizon‘s crew has a great deal of loyalty to each other (tested by some trust issues), but they also have loyalties to their families, loved ones, planets, their government, and so on.

Loyalty and trust are both tested and broken on several levels for every character, and the question is–what do you (and the rest of your crew) do in the face of a common challenge when those don’t remain?

So, what did I think about The Photonic Effect?

I don’t think this is Chen’s best work. But I did enjoy watching him cut loose on a Space Opera.

I loved, loved, loved the way that we’re dropped into this thing mid-story–or mid-arc–and had to catch up. Getting to figure out what’s going on while guessing/assuming details of what came before was an extra layer of enjoyment.

There are two primary characters–the Captain and Chief Engineer (I think that’s his title, or maybe I’m just assigning that to him. He’s a Scott/LaForge/Lamarr-type character). I would read a multi-part series with these two–or with either of them. Watching them navigate their way through the twisty plot and strange events is more than enough for me.

I was on the edge of my seat throughout the book, while filling in the backstory all the while; the cast of characters was outstanding, with many competing motivations throughout (all of them believable); the universe this was set in could be the framework for a huge series, and it was nice to be introduced to. It missed the je ne sais quoi to make me rave about–but I can’t imagine someone picking it up and not coming away satisfied.

Opening Lines: All Systems Red by Martha Wells

By HCNewton

On June 15, 2026

In Fiction, News/Misc., Opening Lines, Quotations

We all know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover (yet, publishing companies spend big bucks on cover design/art and we all do judge them that way). But, the opening sentence(s)/paragraph(s) are fair game. So, when I stumble on a good opening (or remember one and pull it off the shelves), I like to throw it up here (especially if I’m out of time to come up with a post that involves writing on my part).

from All Systems Red by Martha Wells:

I could have become a mass murderer after i hacked my governor module, but then realized access the combined feed of entertainment channels carried on company satellites. it had been well over 35,000 hours or so since then, with still not much murdering, probably, don’t know, little under movies, serials, books, plays, and music consumed. as heartless killing machine, was terrible failure. .

Opening Lines Logo

Cover Reveal: Stranded by Nicholas W Fuller

By HCNewton

On June 5, 2026

In Fiction, Science Fiction

I’m very pleased today to welcome the Cover Reveal for Nicholas W Fuller’s Stranded to The Irresponsible Reader today. This one is a doozy.

Before we see the cover, let’s learn a little bit about the book and author, shall we? It’ll just take a moment, and then we can all take a peak at the cover.

About the Book:

Quick Stats / Facts

Title: Stranded
Series Title: Sanguine Stars
Author: Nicholas W Fuller
Cover Art & Typography: Jeff Brown
Genre: Sci-fi, Sci-Fantasy, Action Adventure
Pitch: If you put the vibes and setting of Firefly in a room with Words of Power by Shami Stovall, add a touch of Dungeon Crawler Carl humor, and put some baby making music on… In nine months, you’d have Stranded.

FAQs

There’s already 30+ chapters available on Patreon.
The first four chapters you can read FOR FREE.
Stranded will be complete on Patreon in just a few months!
I’m planning a cool, limited print run before the end of the year. 😉
The events of Stranded happen after Shattered: A Sanguine Stars Novella, BUT, Stranded makes a better entry point and Shattered is best as a book 1.5 in the planned trilogy.

Blurb

Poey Targe is stranded.

His skug-sucking captors dragged his ass all the way across the galaxy to who-the-hell-knows-where instead of just killing him when they forced him to watch his home planet’s destruction.

Fortunately, even on this mud ball in the middle of nowhere there’s a bit of civilization; enough that there’s a bar where a man can get drunk. That’s all that Poey cares about—losing everything you ever loved will do that to a man.

But, while he’s out killing monsters to keep the bar safe and earn his next drink, Poey starts to hear a voice in his head… has he cracked? Or could this be the key to untold power as the voice claims? Perhaps the procedure he endured before his home was blown to bits wasn’t a failure. If the voice is telling the truth, he might not only have a way to survive, but grow in power. Just as he starts to ask the only other person on the colony rumored to hear voices, he overhears a mayday – one that carries a codeword he made back home…

Poey’s new mission is to rescue whoever put out that mayday and he’ll stop at nothing to get there.

Sanguine Stars is a fast-paced, Sci-Fantasy story featuring found family and a unique progression system with many mysteries to unravel..

and now…

The Cover

cover for Stranded by Nicholas W Fuller

Kudos to Cover Artist Jeff Brown for this eye-grabber. I’ve seen so many covers credited to Jeff Brown in the last few weeks, I can’t help but wonder who isn’t using his art. I sure would be if I had a book coming out.

Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

51% by Matt Witten: The SF-ish Mystery I Wish I Could Get Everyone to Read

By HCNewton

On May 15, 2026

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Science Fiction

51%

by Matt Witten

DETAILS:
Publisher: Level Best Books
Publication Date: April 28, 2026
Format: eARC
Length: 370 pg.
Read Date: May 4-5, 2026

What’s 51% About?

NYPD, Inc. detective Juke O’Keefe is assigned the case of a woman who was the victim of a murder and left in the street. He wants to find the killer. His partner, a crime marketing consultant, Haylee Navarro, isn’t so sure it’s the right case to take. If for no other reason, she doesn’t think they’ll be able to get much money for the investigation, and given the state of the victim, there are probably not many people who will care that much about finding the killer. Particularly when they find a chip embedded in her, signifying that she’s 51% owned by the syndicates.

If almost every word in that paragraph seems wrong, that just means you’re paying attention. Also, welcome to the dystopia depicted in this book.

Juke’s investigation (because Haylee’s just not that convincing compared to the uncompromising standards he holds himself to) brings the pair into contact with the upper echelons of NYC’s economy, to the poorest corners, working against an AI, and even across the path of a resistance movement on the verge of a significant move.

The Worldbuilding

It’s just exquisite. You could easily just read this for the worldbuilding alone, paying no attention to the plot or characters (outside of how both reveal the world). I remember early cyberpunk being defined as being fifteen minutes in the future—assuming I remember that correctly, Witten has set this novel 7 minutes into the future.

Gen Delta’s sensibilities rule (informally) societal mores, almost(?) everything that is government-provided for us has been privatized, and corporate syndicates “own” percentages of people indebted to them. If you need medical care, go to college, etc. you need to take out a loan which represents a certain percentage of you. If you’re a police officer wanting to investigate a crime, you essentially need to crowd-fund the money necessary for forensics and the investigation. So each detective is partnered not with another detective, but a PR agent who will shoot and promote videos about your case to capture the attention and emotions of viewers to raise that money.

Witten does a great job of explaining this process better than I just did in a non-infodump way.

From the slang to the tech to the finances and beyond—this world feels real, lived in, like a nigh-inevitiable future we’re heading toward.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

When Witten sent me the description, I was hooked. Particularly in his hands—I just didn’t see how it couldn’t be good.

I kept reading because the execution lived up to the premise—the worldbuilding was great, and the story was just as good. You read just a little bit of this, and you’re going to need to keep going.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

I’m not sure that I have a good answer to this. There’s a lot of ugliness in the book—both corporately and individually. But the one thing that came up time and time again is people realizing how they’ve messed up (in big and small ways), and resolving to try to make a difference to make things better for others. Some do this in little ways—just feeding neighborhood cats. Others put their future at risk to protect an innocent person from wrongful arrest. Things like that. There’s just enough of that to keep you from utter despair as you walk through this world.

Or maybe the message is that Canada is the place to go in North America—as it has been for decades.

So, what did I think about 51%?

At its core, 51% is a murder mystery—yes, there’s a lot of futurism noise, political and social commentary, and the rest. But Juke’s hunt for a killer, the red herrings, the leads that don’t work out, and the race against other factors to make sure the right person is arrested—that’s the focus. And, as Jacked and Killer Story have capably demonstrated that Witten knows his way around a crime thriller.

I think the characters—even those on the side of the syndicates that own people—are well-written and complex (although there are some that are little more than stereotypes, but they’re well executed representatives of the type, so it’s hard to complain about them). There are no wholly straightforward motives; everyone has some shading about them.

The reveal of the murderer was well done, and the way the storylines are resolved is very satisfying.

I had a real blast with this one. I really relished the experience of being in the world and watching Juke’s crusade and Haylee getting pulled along in his wake (but also really not doing that). 51% is the kind of book that makes me wish I had a bigger audience so I could tell more people about it. Go read this thing, you’ll be glad you did.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author in exchange for this post, which contains my honest opinion—which worked out well for both of us, I think.

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite: A Cozy Murder Mystery in Spaaaaaaaaace.

By HCNewton

On April 3, 2026

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Science Fiction

Murder by Memory

by Olivia Waite

DETAILS:
Series: Dorothy Gentleman, #1
Publisher: Tordotcom
Publication Date: March 18, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Length: 100 pg.
Read Date: March 26, 2026

What’s Murder by Memory About?

Dorothy Gentleman is a ship’s detective on a ship called Fairweather on a centuries-long voyage. After one of her lives ended, Dorothy asked not to be put into a new body, but for her data/personality to stay “on the shelf” for a bit. But she finds herself awakened in someone else’s body.

A security protocol revived her and put her in the nearest body in order to investigate a murder.

Dorothy sets out on a series of conversations/interviews over several cups of tea, to not only find out who the murderer was (that was actually pretty easy), but why the murder happened (that’s the tricky bit in this case).

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I grabbed this from the library because I saw something about the sequel, Nobody’s Baby, and that sounded great. But I have developed an allergy to reading series out of order.

I kept at it because of the narrator’s voice, I was curious about the world, and it moved so fast that I really didn’t have a chance to think about dropping it (I wouldn’t have, I should stress, but I didn’t have the time).

What does this book tell us about humanity?

There’s a good deal to question about if who a person is can be reduced to software that can be uploaded and downloaded. This book isn’t the place for that—but I can’t help thinking of other books that made me ask the same question. This is sort of the sanitized version of Altered Carbon in that way—you just have to accept it unquestionably, or the book doesn’t work.

There’s a lot about grief, loss, inevitability of aging, and what betrayal and (a twisted version?) of love can drive a person to, here as well. But again, it feels like trying to dig deeper than this novella invites you to in order to ask this. It really just seems like it wants you to kick back and enjoy the ride uncritically. Just to have some fun.

And that’s 100% okay. It’s even welcome. It just makes finding something to write about difficult, you know?

So, what did I think about Murder by Memory?

The balance between worldbuilding, character, and the mystery seems off. Worldbuilding and explaining that world takes an inordinate amount of space. However…that’s not true; it’s key for this particular mystery to have the worldbuilding (the tech, the social structure, and behavior of the ship) explained.

I do think that the characters get swallowed up a bit in everything, and could be better fleshed out. The mystery itself was…fine, but your investment in the investigation hinges on learning about the ship and the technology behind the transfer of consciousness from one body to another.

That was enough for me—and enough for me to suggest that you give this a shot—but I hope for better in the next book.

GUEST REVIEW: Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne from The Firsty Duelist

By HCNewton

On March 30, 2026

In Science Fiction, The Hybrid Helix

For years now, I’ve linked to posts by The Firsty Duelist–typically from his mother’s Witty and Sarcastic Book Club in Saturday Miscellany posts. Since he started his blog, he’s taught me more about manga than anyone that isn’t my kid. And now, I get the pleasure of co-hosting this review of JCM Berne’s great debut. Enjoy, and give ol’ Firsty a follow.

Cover of Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne
I got this image from jcmberne.com

This book follows Rohan, a man with half-alien parentage which gives him tremendous and spectacular Powers, who is working as a Tow Chief on the space station Wistful, bringing in ships by flying through space under his own Hybrid Power. However, he wasn’t always a Tow Chief, and he didn’t always use his Powers peacefully… When this past starts catching up to him in the midst of a scientific investigation into a nearby wormhole which recently displayed major signs of activity, will he manage to ride it through, or will he have to revert to his old self in order to save those he cares about? Only time will tell…

To put it simply, I loved this book! The pace kept things moving even during more subdued scenes, the dialogue was great and showcased the characters’ personalities really well, and the worldbuilding was super interesting as well. The idea of beings with one parent from a certain alien race having special Powers granted to them by their heritage that their full-blooded parents don’t exhibit is fascinating, and the additional details explained about how this system works later in the book made for some spectacular revelations.

To put it in more detail, this book is a shining example of the kind of sci-fi (or storytelling pace in general) that I like. From what I can tell a lot of sci-fi is a bit slower, or more of a downer, or tries to go more for weirdness than anything else, and this book doesn’t do any of that, which I appreciate. It reads almost like a comic book, which is a comparison definitely helped by Rohan’s quippyness and the fact that he basically has superpowers. And on the topic of those Powers, that was one thing that really stood out to me with this book as well! The idea that not only do some people in this world have the ability to use their own inherent energy to Push and Pull on things around them, as well as an increased healing factor and above-average strength, is cool enough, but the added wrinkle of it being dependent on heritage, and said heritage often using their Powered offspring for intergalactic conquest and warfare, was super interesting to me.

Additionally, this book does a great job not only expanding on the details that are actively relevant to the plot, but also the details of the universe at large. It really felt like the Empire was a massive looming presence, even though they weren’t directly involved in the story. And the ramifications of recent events, especially the ramifications of Rohan’s involvement in said events, also came into play in great ways, further deepening the overall plot. The story pretty much takes place entirely on Wistful and in the surrounding space, but it feels like a much grander scale due to the way the far-reaching parts of the universe play into things.

Meanwhile, the characters were all great as well! Rohan was likeable while still having his own issues to work out, making him a good protagonist trying to do his best despite his flawed past, but for me the supporting cast is even better. The Security Chief Wei Li’s deadpan sense of humor (or maybe just plain deadpan seriousness?) was fantastic to read and always seemed to catch Rohan off-guard, and the scientific research vessel Insatiable was also a highlight for me, with their extremely energetic personality and difficulty with keeping secrets.

Actually, the idea that a spaceship (or space station, for that matter) could be sentient was something that I wasn’t expecting when going into this book, and it surprised me a bit at first, but I feel it makes the story even more unique, and also adds more weight to things like firefights, with multiple ships taking damage or being destroyed. Depending on the scale and origin of the ships involved, destroying them is the same as taking a life, even without taking into account the lives of the crew members, and that additional wrinkle was very interesting. Plus, like I said earlier, the ship Insatiable was really fun to read, and Wistful definitely has a few secrets which I hope will be explored later in the series…

Another thing this book did well was making the different alien species feel, well, alien! There’s a certain alien race in this book that are basically talking space bears, and the way they’re written makes them feel just different enough to feel like aliens, while still having customs and mannerisms that a normal human can understand. I can’t say much more without spoiling some of the latter half of the book, but I really like how the “Ursans”, as they are called, played into things in particular, and some of the offhand descriptions of their rituals and such that I felt did a great job conveying what sort of society they have.

Overall, I can’t say enough about this book! If you want a fast-paced sci-fi story with an unforgettable world, great characters, and a fantastic balance of intense action, a bit of drama, and some good humor as well, then I highly recommend this book.

But, that’s about it for this post! I hope you enjoyed reading what I had to say, and may you have a fantastic day, night, or whenever it is you’re reading this!

-Bye!
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

Opening Lines: Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

By HCNewton

On March 27, 2026

In Fiction, News/Misc., Opening Lines, Quotations

from Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite:

Near the topmost deck, in a small lift with glass walls and flickering buttons, I, Dorothy Gentleman, ship’s detective, opened a pair of eyes and licked a pair of lips and awoke in a body that wasn’t mine.

It was the nails that first tipped me off. Blank bodies were just that: blank. My nails ought to have been the same color as the skin beneath—in my case, somewhere in a range of pinks, tending to florid.

Not silver, and not shaped.

This body was already inhabited.

My skin—someone’s skin—broke out in gooseflesh. Of course every human body was a horrifying collection of juices and tissues, acids and effluvia poured into a bag with a bunch of long rocks, a shambling accident of biology that made its own mysterious and often frustrating decisions without reference to the mind. They were disgusting miracles, every one. It was always a bit unsettling to wake up in a fresh form, until habit made a home of it.

But someone else’s home, and my self inside it! A nightmare. Imagine going to the washroom to be sick and having someone else’s sick come out.

I came very close to making this more than a metaphor. It took many deep, deliberate breaths for the squeamish feeling to subside.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

Opening Lines Logo