Reviews and Comments

Max Pearl

pearlbear@bookwyrm.social

Joined 1 year, 6 months ago

Science Fiction reader and writer.

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Ink and Bone (2015) 5 stars

Really great worldbuilding, intersting plots and characters

5 stars

This is a great book - I really enjoyed the plot, and her character development is good. The premise - that all books (and thus all knowledge) is controlled by one organization is interesting. She explores the ramifications of this premise quite well. Anyway, fun read, worth getting into, happy to keep going in this series.

Evicted (EBook, 2017, Broadway Books) 5 stars

WINNER OF THE 2017 PULITZER PRIZE GENERAL NON-FICTION

From Harvard sociologist and MacArthur “Genius” Matthew …

Review of 'Evicted' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This is one of the most depressing books I've read recently (and I've read a lot of depressing non-fiction.) But it's an important read - I really recommend it.

He follows a number of people in Milwaukee, WI to look at how poverty makes housing uncertain, and how evictions make things so much worse. He follows tenants as well as landlords. You get a peek into how they live their daily lives.

It is so clear how the incentives, both for tenants and landlords, are such that people are continually stuck in a cycle of sub-standard housing, evictions, and homelessness. And the timing and setting doesn't even address the issues that arise when housing is as expensive it is in some coastal cities. There are simple solutions to this problem - solutions we know are unlikely to be politically possible in this country.

Anyway, it's a really well written, engaging, …

The Man in the High Castle (1974, Berkley) 4 stars

The Man in the High Castle is an alternate history novel by American writer Philip …

Review of 'The Man in the High Castle' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I read this book because I'd seen a couple of episodes of the TV series. Honestly, as usual, the book is better. They took a lot of liberties with the series (only way to stretch a relatively short book that long,) and the characters are sometimes quite different.

This is classic Phillip K. Dick. Dystopian alternative future. It's very conceptual, rather than character-driven, although a couple of the characters are better developed than the rest. Worth a read, for sure.

Underground airlines (2016) 5 stars

"It is the present-day, and the world is as we know it: smartphones, social networking …

Review of 'Underground airlines' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I'm not usually much of a fan of alt-history - it just isn't the kind of science fiction I enjoy most. But this was absolutely an exception to this rule. First, I think it probably is an interesting mix between literary fiction and alt-history - there are definitely literary elements to it. The character development of the main character in particular is stunningly well done.

He's complex, and layered, and all of that comes so clear as the story unfolds. There are a lot of surprises, and it's definitely a page turner.

It's also a fascinating look at what could have been, and, frankly, it's not so far-fetched. It has a way of highlighting our current difficulties with race, and region, and culture.

I would recommend this book absolutely for alt-history fans, and I would recommend this book to just about anyone who thinks about the history and culture of …