Harmony Lost received its first review today! Thank you Kari for reading and reviewing and for your kind words. 
Tag: book review
North American Lake Monsters by Nathan Ballingrud, a Review
Pros: Masterful descriptions and characterisations. Haunting language.
Possible Cons: Open-ended story telling. This book is horror (various unpleasantries occur).
Whilst floundering in Internet quicksand, I stuck a foot into North American Lake Monsters: stories by Nathan Ballingrud. I clicked on the sample thinking the book described legends of “real” monsters, curious, having never heard of monsters prowling the lakes of my home Continent. Continue reading North American Lake Monsters by Nathan Ballingrud, a Review
Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller, a Review
Pros: Intricately imagined world. Timely themes. Much wisdom.
Possible Cons: Suspension of disbelief mandatory. Many informational passages, characters and indefinite nouns.
Tell/Show Ratio – high
Graphic Index Sex – low
Graphic Index Violence – medium
World Building – excellent
Internal Veracity – medium
Science fiction novels often magnify current societal concerns. The opening quote from Samuel Delany’s Dhalgren, informs the reader that Blackfish City will involve real estate problems of epic proportions. Continue reading Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller, a Review
Grass by Sheri Tepper, a Review
(You can’t melt a frozen heart with anger)
Pros: Lovely prose. Fabulous world building. Engaging plot with mystery, peril and hope. Deep themes including population control, religious hypocrisy and societal constraints, the human-animal connection. Fine characterizations including a portrayal of a failed marriage, and an intriguing protagonist. Characters act from in response to well-depicted psychological motivations.
Possible cons: Anti-organized religion theme may trouble some readers. Third act drags and occasionally becomes preachy. Fair bit of emotional tell. Continue reading Grass by Sheri Tepper, a Review