Genre (and Genre-Adjacent) Stuff I've Read Lately

Braking Day -- Adam Oyebanji -- 2022
A young midshipman prepares for the fast approaching day when a small fleet of generation starships will begin braking in preparation for arrival at their destination world after a 132-year journey. He's from the crew class, not the officer class, a rare (potential) climber in a socially stratified world.

I was excited to read this one, as I enjoy the Generation Ship sub-genre. Unfortunately, it's written somewhere between Juvenile and Young Adult. With no real adult themes or any nuanced examination of the social system, it reads more as High School in Outer Space. Still, it was enjoyable enough, try it if the theme / setting appeals to you ... or if you're a young adult. And, blessedly, contains no SJW bushwa!

Black Sun Rising -- C. S. Friedman -- 1991
First volume of a fantasy/horror (with a bit of SF) trilogy. Set 1000 years after humans settle a planet where the local 'fae' can be channeled to create magic; but, unfortunately, bad fae feed on human fears to create ravening monsters.

An unlikely team of mis-matched heroes (including a recently evolved native race that the humans attempted to wipe out) set out on a journey to defeat an evil power. A well written, non-cliched fantasy quest, and the story completes in this volume. There are two more novels in the series, but I don't know if I really want to go through 1200+ more pages when there's so much stuff I'd like to read. But recommended, pick it up if you run across it.

King Jesus -- Robert Graves -- 1956
Good historical novel of the life of Jesus. Graves presents Jesus' life as consistent with the biblical account, but any divine occurrences are presented as propaganda exploited by the competing entities driving the political, ethnic and religious conflicts among the Jews during the period of the Roman conquest (although, in the novel, Lazarus did seem to rise from the dead.) Jesus, through his mother, is a direct descendant of King David, and is the secret son of Herod's son and heir. Thereby, true king of Israel, therefore marking him a lightning rod for the powers of that time. And since it's Graves, there's plenty on pagan practices and beliefs, which he presents as the roots of much of Judaism.

Rescued this decrepit early-60's paperback copy from Wonder Books in Hagerstown MD. Has the greatest cover blurb ever: "... A work of fundamental perversity ..." -- Time Magazine

Flight -- Chris Kraft -- 2002
The US space program of the 1960's is one of my favorite areas of study. I've read many personal memoirs of people intimately involved in the effort. Gosh knows, there've been plenty published. This particular title is an essential volume, perhaps better than Gene Kranz's, my previous favorite. Kraft was an accomplished aeronautical engineer at NACA before becoming the original NASA manned spaceflight director. He surely knows the details, and unlike other accounts, was intimately and passionately involved in fighting NASA bureaucrats, quack doctors, and crank scientists. He didn't win every battle (for example, post-lunar quarantine), but if one person could be cited as making the most crucial contribution to the success of the Apollo program, it would be him.

As much as I've read on this era, I'm still learning things I never knew! Kraft reveals why Gordon Cooper's capsule electronics all shorted out by the end of his flight. Pretty sure you'll never guess the reason why.

A Lit Fuse -- Nat Segaloff -- 2017
A biography of Harlan Ellison; or, rather, a compendium of his voluminous total bullshit accounts of his life. Ellison seemed to have considered his public persona as just another of his fictional creations; this volume only throws a partial light on the actual reality of his life. Whenever the author queries people allegedly involved in the many (highly dubious) tales Harlan has told, the response is always "I don't remember that." He was given significant access, and ended up a personal friend of Ellison. Like all biographers, the author falls in love with his subject and doesn't really seem to have cared to verify many of Harlan's unsubstantiated adventures. Too bad, as Ellison was a fine, highly accomplished writer whose real life story would have been a whole lot more interesting.

Dune -- Frank Herbert -- 1965
Re-read, again. Lost count of how many times, first time about 50 years gone. I'm past the point of discovering new stuff, but still a very enjoyable read. A true classic, read it if you haven't yet -- it still holds up superbly well.

Icehenge -- Kim Stanley Robinson -- 1984
Re-read. A great novel. Fabulous writing by, in 1984, a new writer. Somewhat of a sequel/alternate history to his as yet unwritten Mars Trilogy, it's set in a time long after a violent conflict between the collectivist government of Earth and a rebellion of the individualist Martians. Longevity treatments have left many of the principals still alive, although the weight of centuries of memory have them struggling to remember what actually happened, and doubting that they can ever really know. Can history ever be more than a fiction?

A main theme of the novel is how conventional wisdom in science is manipulated by Government, particularly by what/who they choose to fund. Very relevant today, I'd say.

Son of the Black Sword -- Larry Correia -- 2015
First of a multi-volume Fantasy series. A magically augmented warrior with a magical sword, serving a society with a highly structured caste system, has his world view shaken during a series of adventures. Correia is a good storyteller, but not an outstanding wordsmith. This novel doesn't have the humor that provides much of the charm in his Monster Hunter books, and there's nothing making it stand out among the vast field of multi-volume fantasy series. Don't think I'll continue reading the series.