Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip is a fantasy novel about a female sorceress who faces a huge dilemma. Sybel lives alone on her mountain with only her magical beasts for company. Lord Coren brings her a baby for her to raise. Twelve years later, he came back to retrieve the boy. Raising the boy has brought Sybel into the affairs of the people who live below her mountain. Having learned what she learned, can she walk away from the people who need her most?
Summary
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Recommendation
[Insert Recommendation Here]
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip.
A fantasy novel that is like The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is The Last Unicorn.
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle is a fantasy novel about a female unicorn’s search for the rest of her kind. She faces an evil carnival owner, a creepy king in a lonely castle, and a scary red bull. Is she the last unicorn?
Another fantasy novel that is like The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is Eyes of the Dragon.
Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King is a traditional fantasy. King Roland of Delain has two sons. Prince Peter is his heir, who is the perfect prince and ready to lead. His younger son is Prince Thomas, who is too young and malleable for Flagg, the court advisor and magician. Flagg secretly assassinates the King and frames Peter for the murder. How will Peter clear his name, defeat the ancient Flagg, and claim his rightful throne?
Mad Ship by Robin Hobb is the second book in the Liveship Traders trilogy.
Introduction
Mad Ship by Robin Hobb is the second book of the Liveship Traders trilogy and book five of the Realm of the Elderlings saga. The novel follows six main plot arcs. The groups are the sailors Althea and Brashen, headed to Bingtown; the Vestrit family of Bingtown, owners of the Liveship Vivacia; the Khuprus family from The Rain Wild River; Wintrow and pirate captain Kennit on the Liveship Vivacia; Paragon, a blinded and derelict Liveship near Bingtown; and a group of sea serpents traveling north. These groups interact, leading to something special happening to the Mad Ship.
Summary – Prologue
The prologue has one point-of-view character.
Shreever is a sea serpent. She follows the prophet Maulkin, who seeks She Who Remembers. They follow a dark provider that drops food for them.
Summary–Main Plot Arcs
Mad Ship by Robin Hobb has six main plot arcs.
Kennit is a pirate captain who turns slave ships into pirate ships under his control, but then he captures the Liveship Vivacia. He is supported by his first mate Sorcor and his paramour Etta. On the Liveship Vivacia is Wintrow Haven (the son of Keffria Vestrit) who is connected to the Liveship and necessary to keep the ship running. His father is Kyle Haven, the former captain of the Liveship Vivacia.
The Vestrit family in Bingtown are Ronica Vestrit, her daughter Keffria, and her granddaughter Malta. They have drama involving Rain Wild Traders and the running of the family finances. They own the Liveship Vivacia but owe debt payments to the Khuprus family.
The Khuprus family took over the debt of the Liveship Vivacia. Jani Khuprus takes the note because her son Reyn intends to wed Malta Vestrit. Reyn is involved with the excavations of the Elderlings along the banks of the Rain Wild River. He looks to learn the secrets of the Elderlings.
The Liveship Paragon, who is a derelict on Bingtown beach. Amber wants to buy him from the Ludluck family and restore him.
Althea Vestrit and Brashen Trell have a hot and cold romance. They were sailors on the Liveship Vivacia and later The Reaper, a slaughter ship taking cargo from the barrens with a home port of Candletown. They come to Bingtown. Althea to help her mother and Brashen to help Amber and Paragon.
The sentient sea serpents search for She Who Remembers.
Recommendation
Mad Ship by Robin Hobb is a fabulous middle novel for the Liveship Traders trilogy. It is set in the same universe as the Farseer trilogy and there are a few references to those books, but no direct connections. There are many points of view characters. Each chapter has multiple points of view, though there is no head hopping.
I enjoyed the Althea and Brashen romance, Wintrow’s struggle with his past and future, and the mystery of Paragon. I like the Malta story better than in the earlier novel because of the addition of Reyn. Reyn’s story is intriguing because of how it relates to the dragons and the Elderlings. The Kennit story was interesting in his horribleness. Is he a protagonist or a villain? We learn more about him in this novel, but the rest of the story will tell. The sea serpents were easier to read in this novel because I understood more about them. I think I know how the sea serpents are related to the Liveships, so that will be important later. Overall, I loved it and will soon read Ship of Destiny, Book #3 of the Liveship Traders.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of Mad Ship by Robin Hobb
Review of Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb. Liveships are sentient and bonded to their owners. This is the story of the Liveship Vivacia and the Vestrit family.
I attended the Confluence Pittsburgh 2026 Conference from July 24 to 26, 2026. The conference was held at 1160 Thorn Run Road, Coraopolis, PA, at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel. I also attended the conference in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. COVID-19 changed the conference to a virtual event called C’monfluence in 2020, which I attended online. The Parsec organization of Pittsburgh runs this literary science fiction, fantasy, and horror conference. The events included panels, author readings, interviews, writing workshops, and filk concerts. I attended the opening ceremonies, five panels, the Guest of Honor interview, an improv comedy show, and a concert.
They held the Confluence SF Conference Pittsburgh at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport.
Confluence SF Conference Pittsburgh 2026 Program Guide Cover
Picture of my badge from Confluence SF Conference Pittsburgh 2026
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Summary
Friday,July 24th at 6 PM
Possible New Earths: Habitable Zones in Star Systems, a lecture by Dr. Melanie Good.
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They held the lecture in Commonwealth West with 27 attendees.
Friday,July 24th at 7 PM
Opening Ceremonies
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They held the ceremonies in Ballroom 1 with 46 attendees.
Friday,July 24th at 8 PM
Book to Movie: Movies Based on SF Books with Barbara Doran, Stephen Fisher, Alan Irvine, and Electra Hammond.
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They held the panel in Commonwealth East with 21 attendees.
Saturday,July 25th at 12 PM
Fantasy before Tolkien and Horror before Lovecraft with Darrell Schweitzer, Stephen Fisher, Eric Leif Davin, and Lawrence C. Connolly.
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They held the panel in the Commonwealth West Room with 23 attendees.
Saturday,July 25th at 1 PM
It was 50 years ago today: The Science Fiction of 1976 with Rich Horton, Charles Oberndorf, and Marie Vibbert.
[Insert Summary Here]
They held the panel in the Commonwealth West Room with 30 attendees.
Saturday,July 25th at 3 PM
Writing Guest of Honor interview of Andy Duncan by Marie Vibbert.
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They held the interview in Ballroom 1 with 48 attendees.
Saturday,July 25th at 4 PM
Writers to Remember: John Varley and Other Major Writers Who No Longer Get the Attention They Deserve with Charles Oberndorf, Mark Painter, Albert Wendland, and Rich Horton.
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They held the panel in the Commonwealth East Room with 15 attendees.
Saturday,July 25th at 7 PM
Featured Saturday evening entertainment with the Select Start Comedy Group.
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They held the show in Ballroom 1 with 28 attendees.
Saturday,July 25th at 8 PM
Musical Guest Quicksave
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They held the show in Ballroom 1 with 48 attendees.
Recommendation – Conclusion
I’m glad I attended the Confluence SF Conference Pittsburgh 2026. My star of the con was Marie Vibbert. Marie Vibbert conducted a great Guest of Honor interview and was memorable in the 50 years ago panel I attended that she was on. Based on the information she explained in the opening ceremonies, she was the editor of the 2026 Triangulation anthology, which she presented. She also ran the writing workshops at the con. I attended the opening ceremonies, five panels, the Guest of Honor interview, an improv comedy show, and a concert. It was a full weekend. I also attended the conference in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. I hope to attend Confluence in 2027.
Links
Confluence Pittsburgh 2025 Conference Recap from July 25 to 27, 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel. I also attended Confluence in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. I attended the opening ceremonies, five panels, two readings, and a concert.
Confluence Pittsburgh 2024 Conference Recap from July 26 to 28, 2024, at the Sheraton Hotel. I also attended Confluence in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023. I attended 2 panels, 1 reading, and a concert.
Recap of the Confluence SF Conference in Pittsburgh on July 30, 2022, at the Sheraton. I also attended Confluence in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. I attended 3 panels, two readings, an improv comedy show, a concert, and the guest of honor presentation
Recap of the Confluence SF Conference Pittsburgh, held virtually from 10-02-20 to 10-04-20. I attended the opening ceremony, five panels, three readings, one presentation, the guest of honor presentation, and the conference breakdown.
Recap for the Confluence SF Conference Pittsburgh on July 27 & 28, 20, at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel. I also attended Confluence in ‘16, ‘17, and ‘18. I attended five panels, two fiction writing workshops, and the guest of honor presentation
They held the Confluence Conference from July 27, 2018, to July 29, 2018, at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel. I attended two lectures, two panels, one fiction writing seminar, one author reading, and the guest of honor presentation.
They held the Confluence Conference from August 4 to August 6, 2017, at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel. I attended seven panels, one writing workshop, one author reading, and the guest of honor presentation.
Recap of the Confluence SF Conference on July 30 and July 31, 2016, at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel. I attended 15 panels and the U.S.S. Improvise improv sketch comedy routine.
I attended the Confluence Conference, held near Pittsburgh, PA, from July 24, 2026, to July 26, 2026. They held the conference at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel in Coraopolis, PA.
Writing Progress from July 2026.
I wrote five blog posts for my website, garydavidgillen.com. Including my writing progress report for July 2026, linked below.
In July 2026, I presented the revised Chapter 4 of my expanded short story, titled Chemithurgy, to the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop via Zoom.
I wrote short stories in January, February, and March. Last year I completed the novelette version of Chemithurgy. I plan to expand the story to novella length in 2026 and 2027.
I made five posts on my Goodreads account in July 2026.
Events from July 2026.
I attended the Confluence Conference, held near Pittsburgh, PA, from July 24, 2026, to July 26, 2026. They held the conference at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel in Coraopolis, PA. I took part in the Confluence conference in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 (they canceled 2021 because of COVID), 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
In August 2026, I plan to write four blog posts for garydavidgillen.com. Including my Writing Progress Report for August 2026.
I plan to work on Chapter 5 of the revised and expanded story, Chemithurgy, for the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop via Zoom in August 2026.
In August 2026, I plan to make five posts on my Goodreads account.
In the past, I sent the stories Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, and Grognard to magazines.
The seven flash fiction stories I sent out in 2020 and 2021 were Space-Dog Confession, Sleeping Sickness, Caliburnus, Popular Mechanics Re-brewed, Wormhole Generator, Runs with Scissors, and Principled Rogue.
Magazine submissions for 2021 were 4 unique stories sent 4 times, with 0 accepted, 0 pending, and 4 rejections. I had no submissions for 2022, 2023, 2024, or 2025.
I plan to send short stories in 2026.
Planned Events for August 2026.
ConFusion in Novi, Michigan, from January 31, 2027, to January 24, 2027, is the next conference I plan to attend. The conference is at the Novi Sheraton. The Ann Arbor Science Fiction Association sponsors ConFusion.
Radiant Star by Ann Leckie, Book #6 of the Imperial Radch series.
Introduction
Radiant Star by Ann Leckie is the sixth book in the Imperial Radch series, but features characters that were not in any of the previous novels. This novel has ten important POV characters. They live in a city beneath the ice. The most important religious object in the city is the Temporal Location of the Radiant Star. The Radchaai take over the city and install a governor. Will the Radiant Star ever arrive and save the city’s people from their oppressors?
Summary
Radiant Star by Ann Leckie is set on the sunless planet of Aaa. The people live underground under a sheet of ice. Their biggest city is Ooioiaa. Tunnels lead to the Temporal Location of the Radiant Star. Three factions serve the religious needs of the people: the Chath, Athphsid, and the Ylec. The Ylec faction has died out, but the Radchaai, who have taken over the planet, represent a third group. The three remaining groups vie for power.
Radiant Star by Ann Leckie has ten important POV characters.
Consoror Zaved is the mother of Jonr. She sold him as a servant. After training, he will go to another planet as a servant.
Jonr grew up, and Zaved told him his fate. He ran away to train as a savant. After they caught him, they accidentally placed him in suspended animation for 30 years. The Radchaai wake him up and want him to perform an important task for them.
Hierarch Biven retires as the leader of the Chath faction. His successor brings change to the faction. He realizes the Radchaai will eventually take over all the factions but doesn’t think he can change it.
Hierarch Niranhin is the new leader of the Chath faction. He is favorable to the Radchaai. Not everyone in his faction agrees with his viewpoint.
Savant Keemat has visions. He decides who can become a saint. He doesn’t like the changes that Hierarch Niranhin instituted. Keemat wanted to be a hierarch, but he feels they passed him over.
Summary Continued
Radchaai Governor Charak Svo was sent by the Radchaai to rule Aaa. The spaceship, Justice of Albis, supports the governor, but no supplies are coming from the Radchaai. This puts pressure on the food supply. The governor’s goal is to absorb the people of Aaa into the Radchaai, but 30 years after the conquest, there is a lot of work remaining to do.
Radchaai Commander Nialt supports the governor by working with the factions at the Temporal Location.
Serque Tais’ family business is tunnel digging. Hierarch Niranhin wants him to enlarge the Chath faction’s quarters. He wants to see the star and become a saint.
Serque Iono is Tais’s son. He should inherit the family business after Tais becomes a saint, but Tais doesn’t think he can run it well, so he has another plan.
Shtel is Iono’s wife. She craves power and prestige when Iono inherits the family business. She hired a jurist to ensure Iono will inherit the business.
Recommendation
Radiant Star by Ann Leckie is an interesting standalone novel in the Radchaai series. I enjoyed the world-building, Jonr’s character arc, and Savant Keemat’s dilemma. It was difficult for me to read the novel with so many characters and places with unpronounceable names. Charak and Chath always confused me. The Serque story did not thrill me. Johr was the only character that I felt sympathetic toward, though I suppose that was the purpose. The writing was superb, and I’m glad I read the novel.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of Radiant Star by Ann Leckie
In Translation State by Ann Leckie, three characters will interact later in the story. Enea’s Granmaman dies, and that changes her life forever. Reet feels different from everyone else and must understand his nature to fulfill his destiny. They raised Qven for a purpose that he doesn’t know. What will happen when these three characters meet?
In Provenance by Ann Leckie, Ingray frees a prisoner to obtain information about a priceless artifact. She needs the artifact to earn prestige in her clan. Ingray’s family adopted her, but did not favor her. If she doesn’t earn the prestige she needs, she faces expulsion from her clan.
In Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie, Breq risks losing the Athoek system to the Lord of the Radch’s rival. Will Breq navigate this complicated diplomatic situation?
In Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie, Breq is on a mission for the Lord of the Radch in the Athoek system. Breq must discover why Athoek colonists are disappearing. Breq risks losing the system to the Lord’s rival to solve the mystery. This is a link to my review.
In Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, Breq plans her revenge on the Lord of the Radch. Her plans are in jeopardy when Breq befriends the disgraced former Captain Seivarden Vendaai. Will Breq carry out her goals, or will the powerful Lord defeat her? This is a link to my review.
Translation State by Ann Leckie, Book #5 of the Imperial Radch series.
Introduction
Translation State by Ann Leckie is the fifth book in the Imperial Radch series, but features characters that were not in any of the previous novels. This novel has three characters who will interact later in the story. Enea’s Granmaman dies, and that changes her life forever. Reet feels different from everyone else and must understand his nature to fulfill his destiny. They raised Qven for a purpose that he doesn’t know. What will happen when these three characters meet?
Summary
Enea lives in the Saeniss Polity.
Reet lives in Rurusk Station.
Qven lives in the Teaching Center at an unknown place.
Recommendation
[Insert Recommendation Here]
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of Translation State by Ann Leckie
In Ann Leckie’s Provenance, Ingray frees a prisoner to obtain information about a priceless artifact. She needs the artifact to earn prestige in her clan. Ingray’s family adopted her but did not favor her. If she doesn’t earn the prestige she needs, she faces expulsion from her clan.
In Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie, Breq risks losing the Athoek system to the Lord of the Radch’s rival. Will Breq navigate this complicated diplomatic situation?
In Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie, Breq is on a mission for the Lord of the Radch in the Athoek system. Breq must discover why Athoek colonists are disappearing. Breq risks losing the system to the Lord’s rival to solve the mystery. This is a link to my review.
In Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, Breq plans her revenge on the Lord of the Radch. Her plans are in jeopardy when Breq befriends the disgraced former Captain Seivarden Vendaai. Will Breq carry out her goals, or will the powerful Lord defeat her? This is a link to my review.
Platform Decay by Martha Wells, Murderbot Diaries Book 8.
Introduction
Platform Decay by Martha Wells is a short novel in the Murderbot Diaries series. The author set this story after the previous story, System Collapse. The protagonist of the series is a SecUnit (Security Unit), a part-organic and part-mechanical cyborg, or as it calls itself, a Murderbot. In the series, Murderbot is a Security Consultant to Dr. Mensah on Preservation Station. This story is about Murderbot’s rescue mission for part of Dr. Mensah’s extended family. Can Murderbot save its loved ones from an evil corporation?
Summary
Murderbot and its friend, SecUnit Three infiltrate the cargo bay on a planetary torus. Three creates a distraction so Murderbot can go to the rendezvous for a rescue mission. At the rendezvous are Mensah’s partner Farai, Mensah’s mother Naja, and Mensah’s daughter Sofi. They meet Supervisor Leonide who offers to help secure their escape if they do something important for her.
Murderbot must go through trials and tribulations to conduct the mission. Supervisor Leonide’s condition complicates the mission. They must battle the hostile corporate people from the Barris-Estranza Corporation.
Murderbot had a mental health module installed that is based on what they use to help augmented humans. The health module checks Murderbot’s mental state, and it has snarky comments on the observations. Murderbot also checks treat assessments as it goes. The threat assessments help it remember its goals.
Recommendation
Platform Decay by Martha Wells continues the story begun in System Collapse. Reading System Collapse first would help the reader to understand the relationships between the characters at the beginning of this story but it isn’t necessary to follow the plot of this novel since it is a straightforward rescue mission. The story comes to a satisfactory conclusion, but Murderbot will no doubt be challenged by Barris-Estranza again in the next episode of the Murderbot Diaries.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page for Platform Decay by Martha Wells.
System Collapse by Martha Wells is the seventh story in the Murderbot Diaries series. This story starts with the Preservation group investigating a planet. Part of Murderbot’s memories are redacted. Murderbot must find out why its memories are compromised to save the humans living on the planet.
Book Review of Fugitive Telemetry, the sixth book in the Murderbot series by Martha Wells. It is another great story. This time, Murderbot must solve a murder at the Preservation Station. This complicated case takes Murderbot’s special talents to solve.
Book Review of Network Effect by Martha Wells, Book 5 of The Murderbot Diaries, a novel. The series protagonist is a SecUnit (Security Unit), a cyborg, or as it calls itself, Murderbot. Murderbot must solve a complex mystery or risk the deaths of its human clients.
Book Review of The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells, a series of four novellas. SecUnit calls herself Murderbot. She feels a sense of companionship toward her human employers. What lengths will she go to protect them?
In June 2026, I presented the revised Chapter 3 of my expanded short story named Chemithurgy to the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop on a Zoom call.
I wrote short stories in January, February, and March. Last year I completed the novelette version of Chemithurgy. I plan to expand the story to novella length in 2026 and 2027.
I made five posts on my Goodreads account in June 2026.
Events from June 2026.
I did not attend an event in June 2026.
Writing Goals for July 2026.
In July 2026, I plan to write five blog posts for garydavidgillen.com, including my Writing Progress Report for July 2026.
I plan to work on Chapter 4 of the revised and expanded story, Chemithurgy, for the Advanced Fiction Writing Workshop via Zoom in July 2026.
In July 2026, I plan to make five posts on my Goodreads account.
In the past, I sent the stories Four Humors, Space Station Sunyata, and Grognard to magazines.
The seven Flash Fiction Stories I sent out in 2020 and 2021 were Space-Dog Confession, Sleeping Sickness, Caliburnus, Popular Mechanics Re-brewed, Wormhole Generator, Runs with Scissors, and Principled Rogue.
Magazine submissions for 2021 were 4 unique stories sent 4 times, with 0 accepted, 0 pending, and 4 rejections. I had no submissions for 2022, 2023, 2024, or 2025.
I plan to send short stories in 2026.
Planned Events for July 2026.
The next conference I plan to attend is the Confluence Conference, held near Pittsburgh, PA, from July 24, 2026, to July 26, 2026. They will have the conference at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel in Coraopolis, PA. I attended the Confluence conference in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, (2021 was cancelled due to COVID), 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
System Collapse by Martha Wells, Murderbot Diaries Book 7.
Introduction
System Collapse by Martha Wells is a short novel in the Murderbot Diaries Series. The author set this story right after the novel, Network Effect. The protagonist of the diaries is a SecUnit (Security Unit), a part-organic and part-mechanical cyborg, or as it calls itself,, a Murderbot. In the series, Murderbot is a Security Consultant to Dr. Mensah on Preservation Station. This story starts with the Preservation group investigating a planet. Part of Murderbot’s memories are redacted. Murderbot must discover why its memories are compromised to save the humans living on the planet.
Summary
In System Collapse by Martha Wells, Murderbot reviews the files on what had happened to it in the last 48 hours. Murderbot goes down to the planet to rescue Iris and Tarik from ART’s group from a hostile ag-bot. Mesah, Seth, Martyn, ART, and Murderbot decided to send Murderbot to the surface because of [redacted]. Someone redacted Murderbot’s memories, and that is a problem.
They were on the planet investigating what happened to the colonists who lived there. Iris had activated the ag-bot, and Murderbot came to save them. Murderbot saves them but discovers a new threat. A Barris-Estranza explorer ship has landed and is seeking to take over the planet for the corporation’s needs.
What is Murderbot going to do about its missing memories and the intentions of Barris-Estranza corporation?
Recommendation
System Collapse by Martha Wells continues the story begun in Network Effect. They published Fugitive Telemetry after Network Effect but it is set before that novel. Reading Network Effect first would help the reader to understand the relationships between the characters at the beginning of this story. The story has a satisfactory conclusion, but it’s clear that Murderbot will be challenged by Barris-Estranza again in the next episode of the Murderbot Dairies.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page for System Collapse by Martha Wells.
Book Review of Fugitive Telemetry, the sixth book in the Murderbot series by Martha Wells. It is another great story. This time Murderbot must solve a murder at the Preservation Station. This complicated case takes Murderbot’s special talents to solve.
Book Review of Network Effect by Martha Wells, Book 5 of The Murderbot Diaries, a novel. The diaries protagonist is a SecUnit (Security Unit), a cyborg, or as it calls itself Murderbot. Murderbot must solve a complex mystery or risk the deaths of its human clients.
Book Review of Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells, a series of four novellas. SecUnit calls herself Murderbot. She has feelings of companionship for her human employers. What lengths will she go for to protect them?
The Player of Games by Iain M Banks, Book #2 of The Culture series.
Introduction
In The Player of Games by Iain M Banks, Gurgeh is a Master of Games who gets the chance to play the ultimate game of skill. Jernau Morat Gurgeh is a citizen of the Culture. The Culture provides for all their citizens’ needs. Superior AI minds rule the citizens. Gurgeh could remain in his chosen click, but he has the need to do something risky and intriguing. Will Gurgeh be tempted to go on an adventure or will he contimue as he has been?
Summary
Gurgeh is an accomplished game player. He specializes in any kind of board game but is an expert on most other games. At the beginning of the story, he is playing an outdoor wargame with his friend Yay. Gurgeh has been down lately because he has no challenges and Yay thought the war game might cheer him up. It doesn’t.
In the Culture, the citizens have no comfort wants. Gurgeh is a part time lecturer at the university, and he writes papers about his game philosophy. Citizens change their sexes and partners often. Gurgeh had always wanted a relationship with Yay, but the time was never right.
Drones are AI units who are sentient beings and do as they please. Chamlis is an old drone who is good friends with Yay and Gurgeh. Chamlis recognizes Gurgeh’s restlessness at not having a gaming challenge. The drone suggests that Gurgeh takes a job from Contact. Contact is a civilian foreign intelligence service responsible for watching other civilizations and looking for ways to expand the influence of the Culture onto other civilizations. Gurgeh tells Chamlis to have Contact get in touch with him.
Loash, a drone from Contact, comes to see Gurgeh. It tells him of an intriguing opportunity to use his gaming skills to help Contact. Gurgeh thinks about it. The drone Mawhrin-Skel is important in his decision making.
Recommendation
The Player of Games by Iain M Banks is a great book. I think the promise of Consider Phlebas, book one of the Culture series, was realized in this novel. The story is intentionally slow because describing game play is not dynamic story telling. What impressed me the most was to feel the change in Gurgeh throughout the book. He starts the story as an unlikeable narcissist. He wanted an adventure that challenged himself, but his journey changed him deeply and I felt that. I have read the Use of Weapons, the third book in the series, and it’s even better than this one. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the novels in the series.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of The Player of Games by Iain M Banks.
In Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks, Horza is caught in the middle of a war. The Culture is a human-dominated group fighting the Idirans. Horza is from a human-derived group, the Changelings. The Changelings and the Idirans are allies. The Culture and the Idirans both want a fugitive advanced computer mind capable of tipping the balance of the war. Will Horza find the mind before the others and save his people?
In Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks, Cheradinine Zakalwe is an operative of the Culture’s Special Circumstances group. The Culture is a human-dominated alliance that tries to advance its position in the galaxy. Diziet Sma is Zakalwe’s handler who sends him on dangerous missions. Will Zakalwe accept a final impossible mission from her, or will he quit The Culture forever?
