The Dramaturges of Yan by John Brunner; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-10-02 | Five out of five stars. Or even TEN out of five stars!This classic sci-fi from a to me little known English author is one of those that just leave you shaking your head that it is not better known.#classicsciencefiction
New bookshelf tour. Omnivorous Reader 2024-10-18 | This is my newest, bespoke bookshelf that I got made specifically to fit my paperbacks. I don't like lots of excess shelf space accumulating dust, I don't need a whole half a meter above my books - no idea why people think that is a good bookshelf look. I am very happy with them, they are filling up well and they are - largely - in alphabetical order.
The White Hart by Nancy Springer; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-10-15 | This is a hard one to review. While the author is very well known I think I am not overstating it to say that THIS book is not well known, though it was back in it's day.#fantasybooks #classicsciencefiction
Thongor of Lemuria by Lin Carter; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-10-12 | This one is a lot of fun, a specific, swords and sorcery, pulpy fun. Full of goodness if you enjoy the genera but certainly not for everyone.
Ooops, I did it again! An unplanned October book haul Omnivorous Reader 2024-10-10 | I got really interested in Bob Shaw after seeing Richard's review over on Vintage SF. If you, too, want to be inspired to go out and buy more books in the wild, check it out; youtube.com/watch?v=GjBxmm1yWUII can't seem to figure out how to include his marketplace details, which is a shame but consistent with my experience with facebook; generally one can't get it to do anything one wants.
Lord Demon by Roger Zelazny and Jane Lindskold; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-10-08 | His final work, as with so many of his standalone books it revolves around a mythology, in this case Chinese. A worthy swansong for a great master of SFF but I am still weeping over losing his immense talent.#classicsciencefiction #fantasy
The Ice Schooner by Michael Moorcock; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-10-05 | A fascinating standalone book by the legendary Michael Moorcock.The interview I mention vaguely in the video is Steve, the Outlaw Bookseller and I have not had time to watch it yet but am looking forward to it. A link is here: youtube.com/watch?v=mLU-xgjbEyIThe How To Analyse Stories videos are here: youtube.com/watch?v=HGRFj0VZbKM&list=PLhgH1o9NH60IbpbiFsuqD9CR14s7IGzT9
The Planet Savers by Marion Zimmer Bradley; book review. Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-30 | This is an Arrow Science Fiction published in 1979 and the second story, that was added to the title story was The Waterfall published in 1976.The type of book I was so spectacularly failing to remember during the video is the Ace Double, though I am not sure if this story was actually published in that way.#classicsciencefiction
He Died With A Felafel In His Hand by John Birmingham; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-28 | This is the 30th anniversary addition, proving to all of us who remember it fondly from our youth, just HOW old we have become. This addition claims to have 'incriminating footnotes' though in all honesty there is not a single page in the book that is not incriminating someone somehow.Loved it unconditionally the first time I read it, still do!Many thanks to @howlingintothevoid for gifting me a copy!Um Trigger warnings for cockroaches (welcome to QLD), and references to illegal drug use. Many, MANY references to illegal drug use, far more than cockroaches. #humor #brisbane
TimeScape by Gregory Benford; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-26 | Not for me, this one. I loved the concept and whenever we were talking tachyons I was fascinated, also didn't mind Benford's interpretation of 1998. The future he foresaw for the late 90's has not yet come to pass (quite) in 2024, but who knows - maybe the tachyon project is responsible, right? #sciencefiction
A Dream of Things That Were by Katherine Alexander; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-24 | As you can imagine, there are a lot of hits for that name, so I still no virtually nothing about the background of the author.One thing I forgot to mention in the review, is that the ending 'feels' as if it is meaning to have a sequel. There are so many indications, but I can't tell if there ever was one.Three out of five, satisfied starts.#bookreview
The Wandering Worlds by Terry Greenhough; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-22 | Yes, yes, we should not judge books by their covers. Unless they are lovely old SFF classics with great covers... so I did, and this is the review.Also on GoodReads; goodreads.com/review/show/5968753940#classicsciencefiction
The Green Millenium by Fritz Leiber; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-20 | A really fun re-read of a classic SFF by an excellent author.The two videos by other booktubers I mention have links below and I thoroughly recommend watching them both. Sorry I don't know how to do those cute little link buttons I have seen other people use!Vintage SF debate youtube.com/watch?v=JFxtnkbU1FYand liminal spaces youtube.com/watch?v=LRa2MMsQwT4#classicsciencefiction
Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delaney; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-18 | Behind that slightly tired and faded cover lurked an unexpectedly brilliant book. The plot, characters, narrative all took my breath away with how contemporary they were. The society was cyberpunk before cyberpunk was even a thing, with body modifications the norm. This novel overall felt really contemporary in general with themes of language, coding and human symbology making the substance of the plot line rather than hard science.#classicsciencefiction
Servo by David Goodwin; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-16 | This is a very funny book, quintessentially Australian humour. The author has based it on the six years he spent working mostly graveyard shifts in an outer Melbourne suburb servo.Very well written, do recommend.#nonfiction
The Big Four by Agatha Christie; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-14 | First published in 1927 - so almost a hundred years old, this is a pretty fun little read for people who like Christie's writing.#bookreview
The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-12 | This is an old classic from 1897, by an author who was prolific in many genres including a few very well known early sci-fi. There are a lot of pros and cons to this book, I did not love it, I do respect it though, and it will keep me thinking for a long time.#classicsciencefiction #theinvisibleman
Involution Ocean by Bruce Sterling; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-10 | This is a delightful adventure style science fiction yarn. John Newhouse is forced to ship out on a whaling ship on the planet of Nullaqua, not for cash but to get the drug that he tells us he is addicted to. Nullaqua is, indeed Null Aqua, so the sea is a sea of dust...Cute concept, you do need a high level of suspension of disbelief, but it is worth it if you can, to read this rather charming story.#sciencefiction
Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Wilhelm, Kate; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-08 | A great classic sci-fi from 1976 which won a whole host of awards in 1977. Includes themes of cloning, individual vs collective good and a cracking good post-apocalyptic world building.#classicsciencefiction #postapocalypticadventure #awardwinning
The Grain Kings by Keith Roberts; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-06 | Warning; oncoming rant.#classicsciencefiction
The Grey Prince by Jack Vance; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-04 | I really enjoyed it, it is Vance I enjoy everything he writes so any book by him is kind of automatically five starts. This one had a wider medley of characters than some.#classicsciencefiction
Is three books a book haul? Omnivorous Reader 2024-09-02 | I am not sure that three books count as a book haul, I kind of hope not because I planned to get my to-read shelf below 200 before hauling more books.Still these are the three, very exciting, signed books I came back from holiday with, so sharing my excitement.This is the webpage of the NZ author whose new book I got steffanieholmes.comAnd Andre Norton, of course, needs no introduction.
The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-08-31 | An interesting autobiographical book gifted to me by Sue.
The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi ;book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-08-29 | This was a fantastic book ten out of five stars. Megadons... that is the word I couldn't remember; there are megadons doing heavy lifting.Did I mention it is incredibly fast paced and complex? Never a dull moment, always giving more but never leaving the reader behind?There are multiple POV's and what I forgot to mention is that they are all just as good as each other! That is unique, there is almost always among multiple POV's ones you like better, not here though.Also I feel like this book was warning about possible futures as well as highlighting current trends and I love that it didn't rub your nose in it like many books would. This one respected your intelligence and your ability to understand the meaning without it being spelled out for you.It is a single book with a beginning and and end!!! Hurrah, that skill has not yet died out!!!!!!!!!!!#sciencefiction
Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-08-27 | This is a fun, 'cozy' little supernatural/mystery/thriller. I have read quite a lot from this author and I have read this book before, but was delighted to recently find it in a 2nd hand shop so I could reread it.The slight fed-up air I have in this video is due to the fact it was my third attempt to record and my enthusiasm was wearing thin.
Around the world in 80 days by Jules Vern; Book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-08-25 | This is a Penguin Classics edition with a translation I really enjoyed by Michael Gencross and an introduction by Brian Aldiss.An excellent old classic that was... Not quite what I expected as I thought I knew the story but really didn't.#classicliterature
Criminal The Deluxe Edition Vol 1 by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips Omnivorous Reader 2024-08-23 | Criminal The Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1 by Ed Brubaker (Writer), Sean Phillips (artist). It is a compendium of several comics that were published in the early 2000's as creator-owned series and the stories, as I understand it, were designed as 'meditations' on crime stories from the classic type crime genera. They do an excellent job in volume 1 of combining fascinating, interconnected, stories with art work that is really perfect for the stories.
14 August 2024 Omnivorous Reader 2024-08-18 | Spiral into Horror by Junji Ito Izomaki ; a graphic novel review
Dream Library Omnivorous Reader 2024-08-17 | A wonky video of the library of my dreams: the Baroque masterpiece that is the library of St. Gallen monastery in Switzerland.
New Bookshelf my purpose built bookshelf Omnivorous Reader 2024-08-16 | A blank wall no longer, my new bookshelf has been installed and shellac applied.
A Life on our Planet by David Attenborough; audiobook review Omnivorous Reader 2024-08-14 | A wonderful and sad story of Sir David Attenborough's amazing life and experiences. Wonderful because it is great to hear about his 94 years of working on the most amazing documentaries that have shaped several generations. But sad because so much of what he saw and experienced is gone.#savetheplanet #savetheocean
Simon Rack Backflash by Laurence James; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-08-11 | This was a very sun little space adventure from the 1970's by a UK author. Very undemanding and enjoyable.#classicsciencefiction
Vacuum Flowers by Michael Swanwick; book review. Omnivorous Reader 2024-08-08 | This is a great book, surprisingly little is being said about it online. An early 'cyberpunk' from 1987 is the most anyone has to say. I never realised for years it was meant to be cyberpunk, to be honest, I just saw it as a marvellous sci-fi book. Which it is.The video of John choosing his next reading list is here ; youtube.com/watch?v=wl--PA7TlIQ&ab_channel=SciFiScavenger#sciencefiction
Ardor On Aros by andrew j offutt; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-08-05 | Notice how the authors name is all ower case? That is, apparently, how he wanted it to be in some of the early books, so I have respected his wishes.This is a five star, re-read, of a cracking GREAT SFF adventure on another planet that is definitely not Barsoom. This book has been variously described as 'a love letter to the Edgar Rice Burroughs style of adventure and as a hilarious dig at some of the writing of that era. In my opinion, both views are entirely valid.
The video about the empty wall. Seriously! Omnivorous Reader 2024-08-02 | Mostly about an empty wall at least. This empty wall is in my library and I have emptied it in preparation for the bespoke bookshelf that I hope will be going in soon.#bookshelf #bookshelforganization
The Day Before Tomorrow by Gerard Klein; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-07-31 | This is a rather niche little novel that I was kind of excited to find. A really old DAW first printing with spectacular cover art by Josh Kirby. It is also the first translation of any of Klein's work into English - Translation done by P. J Sokolowski. In addition to being pretty prolific, in 1972 Klein was apparently regarded as " ...the most talented post-war science fiction author in France today". This book certainly has a unique style, probably a combination of the French writing, the era in which it was written and the translation itself.
Highway of Eternity by Clifford D. Simak; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-07-29 | After a brief foray into classic Crime/Mystery here I am again with my long term favourite genera Classic Sic-fi. A really good book, and I believe the last book, from an excellent author.#classicsciencefiction
Because of the Cats by Nicolas Freeling; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-07-27 | This lovely old Penguin mystery-crime has obviously suffered badly from being read a lot. A re-read that I never seem to tire of although, it was not quite as I remembered. It is a 'Scandinavian Noir' from before that was a thing and it is really interesting to anyone who enjoys reading novels from long ago.3/5 stars#mysterycrimenovel
A Bullet In The Ballet by Caryl Brahms & S.J. Simon; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-07-25 | This was a really fun little crime/Mystery in an old penguin 'livery'. First published in 1937, the reading experience might feel unusual to people who read predominantly modern books and the humour may be difficult to follow at times (it was for me).I did really have a lot of fun with it however and would recommend.I was inspired by this channel in my recent book buying expedition and mention it in the video: youtube.com/@JulesBurt
Spindles End by Robin McKinley; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-07-23 | This is a very nice retelling of The Sleeping Beauty story. Very much a fantasy novel loosely based around the original and published in 2000 (I think) it. I found the magic kingdom charming, the writing excellent and the characters very satisfying.#fantasynovel #fairytales
Volkhavaar by Tanith Lee; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-07-21 | Great book, beautifully written. A really good stand alone story from Tanith's early writing days. As I forgot to say in the video, the ending, which I do not spoil, is great and completely non-traditional.
Inverted World by Christopher Priest; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-07-19 | This was an excellent sci-fi with spectacular writing by one of the UK's great writers. Been ages since I read one by Priest and it does not disappoint in any way! No spoilers.#speculativefiction #classicsciencefiction #bookreview
The Last Days of the Dinosaurs by Riley Black; audiobook review Omnivorous Reader 2024-07-17 | The full title, which I could not fit on the youtube title is; The Last Days of the Dinosaurs:An Asteroid, Extinction, and the Beginning of Our World.I listened to in in audiobook format, and I *think* the narrator was Kay Eluvian.A really excellent popular fiction book!#dinosaurs #nonfictionaudiobook
A Sea of Space story collection edited by William F. Nolan; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-07-15 | A collection of short stories by Nola - a prolific American sci-fi author - mostly for the 1950's. There are some pretty obscure authors in here overall I wanted to love it more than I actually loved it ; 2/3 *#classicsciencefiction
This is my recent book haul, compiled from stops along my road trip! Omnivorous Reader 2024-07-13 | So I can't resist visiting those small town book shops and op-shops when I am on a long road trip. My recent trip up the Australian East coast and back is an example. You often find unusual things and I am very happy with a couple of my finds.As well as some excellent sci-fi that I have been looking for for a while, I came across some Penguin books - and @JulesBurt has made me re-think the way I take Penguin for granted.Hope you enjoy the video.
Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-07-11 | This was an audiobook, marvellously narrated by Joe Jameson. The third in the Broken Empire, a excellent concluding novel and I thought the ending brilliant.#epicfantasybooks
the future i - SCI-FI short stories collection; book review of the final stories Omnivorous Reader 2024-07-09 | This video is for stories 6 - 19, the first five are here; youtu.be/2qohW9FHNjMIt was only after I had read the final story and was looking at the afterword by Malzberg that I realised the theme for this collection was the 'i' . All the protagonists tell their tales in the first person.
the future i - SCI-FI short stories collection; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-07-07 | This collection was edited and introduced by Isaac Asimov, Martin Harry Greenberg and Joseph D. Olander.Great collection, this review is for the first five stories, the rest are to follow.
The Gabble and other stories by Neal Asher; book review Omnivorous Reader 2024-07-06 | This was the short story collection I read while I was doing the road trip from Gold Coast to Cairns Queensland. Sorry about the echo.
Reading Plans for roadtrip Omnivorous Reader 2024-06-28 | It is about 2000Km from the NSW border to Cairns, where I plan to get on a dive boat. Of course, a few books will accompany me; a few short story collections for the journey, a couple of marine themes books for the boat and I forgot to mention in the video, an audiobook or two for the driving.
