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simply a book drunkard

July 7, 2020

In the time of the Coronavirus, Marie Brennan’s fascinating DRIFTWOOD shares a lesson worth remembering

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Roughly one month from publication (but available for pre-order from your favorite bookseller or direct from Tachyon), interest in Marie Brennan’s DRIFTWOOD ramps up.

At NERDS OF A FEATHER, FLOCK TOGETHER, Paul Weimer praises the book.

And what brings worlds there in the first place to that doom isn’t the point, and as we learn in the stories, the slow destruction isn’t the point, either. The point is what the people of these worlds do with the time that they have. In the time of the Coronavirus, that’s a lesson worth remembering.

In a self-interview, Stephen Theaker on his THEAKER’S QUARTERLY FICTION reveals his thoughts on the novel.

What are you reading? – Reading Glasses Facebook group

DRIFTWOOD by Marie Brennan, about a place where what seem to be the ghosts of dead planets cluster before disappearing forever. Very good.

SIMPLY A BOOK DRUNKARD also thought highly of the work.

It took me a few chapters to get into this, the lack of main plot line confusing me. But then I was absolutely hooked on this fascinating setting with its diversity in people. It is a shorter read, one I easily got through in a few hours. It is so worth it though, because it is interesting and unique.

I really hope more books will be set in this world. I had a great time with it and highly recommend picking this one up.

THERE’S ALWAYS ROOM FOR ONE MORE deems the forthcoming book as squee-worthy.

August squeeing keeps right on going with Driftwood, introducing a new post-apocalyptic universe – ‘where worlds go to die’ – from Marie Brennan.

A REFUGE FROM LIFE includes DRIFTWOOD among Most Anticipated Books of the 2nd Half of 2020.

April 12, 2018

Peter Watts’ fascinating THE FREEZE-FRAME REVOLUTION is a work of great talent

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Though not due out until June, reviews for Peter Watts’ beautiful THE FREEZE-FRAME REVOLUTION have started to appear.

Andreea Marin at INFINITE TEXT praises the book.

Peter Watts’s THE FREEZE-FRAME REVOLUTION is an addition to a longer series including The Island (2009) for which Watts received the Hugo Award for best novelette in 2010, Hotshot (2014), and Giants (2014).THE FREEZE-FRAME REVOLUTION will be published in June of 2018 by Tachyon Publications. These works are certainly part of what would be categorized as “hard sci-fi” for Watts does not spoon-feed his readers, nor spends too much time explaining. He drops his characters in some unusual circumstances, and tries to convey ideas about technology, life, the universe, and the limitations of humanity. It is simultaneously focused on macro scale settings and ideas and on micro details with few characters in a rather condensed space of 185 pages. Given these limitations I think Watts was very successful.

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I really liked the ways in which Watts presents some ‘dilemmas’ or concerns for the characters which resemble our daily struggles with online personas, and simulated experiences, particularly with the ability to “plug in.” I do have a tendency to read into social criticisms as hidden between the lines of every work, but in all seriousness Watts wrote a book here that is really fun and sprinkled with philosophical questions.

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It’s hard to omit these dark philosophical moments from the overall suspense and tension—particularly since the main mission itself: creating a wormhole gate network, has lost meaning for the people involved. I enjoyed very much the dark aspects of this novella. The ways in which Watts has this meaninglessness looming over every one little action of the characters, and the atmospheric tension he creates with the ship, and the crypt, coffin-like places the majority of crew members lie in made this work worthwhile and rewarding.

It’s a work of great talent, and I hope that soon all of his connected works, or “Sunflower Cycle” will be published in a single volume together. Peter Watts has created a sci-fi work of art where every word is refined, and has a purpose. I highly recommend this work to lovers of science fiction.

SIMPLY A BOOK DRUNKARD enjoys the work.

When I read the synopsis of this book though it immediatly struck me as a fascinating plot. And it was! It was a fascinating story filled with great ideas. How to successfully run a resistance against an AI while being asleep for thousands of years at the time? Well, via sheet music and D&D manuals of course! I loved this. And there are so many more great ideas inside this novella. Take for example Kaden, who is referred to as ‘se’ and ‘hir’.

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Overall, this is a fascinating, short novel which I highly recommend for people who are into hard scifi, or people who like a bit of a challenge.

THE LITTLE RED REVIEWER teases her forthcoming review.

THE FREEZE-FRAME REVOLUTION comes out in June, and I meant to just read the first chapter or two to get a taste of it, and two days later I was done and wanted to read it again. Review is already in the works, but I figure I better wait till just a little closer to June before posting. Short version of the review? this book is very, very good. Way too much crammed into too few pages, and it works beautifully. because, you know, Peter Watts.

For more info on THE FREEZE-FRAME REVOLUTION, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Elizabeth Story