Review: Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

Title: Artificial Condition

Series: Murderbot Diaries #2

Author: Martha Wells
Source/Format: Tor ebook club; ebook
More Details: Science Fiction
Publisher/Publication Date: Tor.com; May 8, 2018

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

It has a dark past – one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself “Murderbot”. But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more. Teaming up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you don’t want to know what the “A” stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue. What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks…

**This review may contain mild spoilers for All Systems Red.**

It’s been a while since I last read any stories from the Murderbot Diaries, and recently I was in the mood for it. After the end of All System’s Red, I was curious to see where our favorite media obsessed SecUnit would go after its split-second and pivotal decision to go off on its own. Artificial Condition is the direct continuation, and the story starts a short time after the end of All Systems Red. I had a lot of fun reading this book. It was a fantastic sequel in so many ways, primarily for the main character. It was on a mission, a personal one, to discover the truth behind the incident that caused its memory to be purged. I enjoyed the way Wells handled the mystery aspects of the story. The lessons learned by the SecUnit were tough, and it highlighted the intricacies that often take place in complicated occurrences. It also showed that answers might not bring closure and may in fact present more questions. Along the way, it met some new characters. One of them, ART, is by far one of my favorites yet. The scenes with ART were filled with snarky sarcasm and plenty of commentary about media, which made the “Research Transport vessel” all that more endearing of a character. I hope to see it again in later stories. Artificial Condition is, so far, one of my favorite stories from this series, and I hope to read Rogue Protocol soon. 

Review: The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark

Title: The Haunting of Tram Car 015

Series: n/a

Author: P. Djèlí Clark
Source/Format: Tor ebook club (freebie); eBook
More Details: Science Fiction; Fantasy; Alternative History
Publisher/Publication Date: Tor.com; February 19, 2019

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 returns to the alternate Cairo of Clark's short fiction, where humans live and work alongside otherworldly beings; the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities handles the issues that can arise between the magical and the mundane. Senior Agent Hamed al-Nasr shows his new partner Agent Onsi the ropes of investigation when they are called to subdue a dangerous, possessed tram car. What starts off as a simple matter of exorcism, however, becomes more complicated as the origins of the demon inside are revealed.

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 has been on my TBR list for way too long. I’ve been into ghost stories lately, and it seemed like there was no better time to finally read it than now. I enjoyed a lot about The Haunting of Tram Car 015. Clark painted a story with a setting that was rich with vivid detail and history. From the beginning, it was easy to picture every scene as it was happening—such was the degree to which the descriptions brought the story to life—and it really set the tone of the story. I enjoyed all of the historical details, as well as how the advances of technology and the emergence of more fantastical elements was evident throughout this alternative version of Cairo. The actual ghost end of the story presented a bit of a mystery to the characters, and I enjoyed reading about the process they undertook to identify just what was haunting Tram Car 015. Overall, I’m glad I can finally take this one off my TBR list. 

Music Monday (139): Tierra Whack, Meghan Trainor, Earth Wind and Fire

Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: Tierra Whack recently released a couple of new songs. One of my favorites is Peppers And Onions.

Andrea: It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. So this week I'm listening to Holidays by Meghan Trainor featuring Earth, Wind And Fire. Have a great week all! 

What are you listening to this week?

The Friday 56 (190) & Book Beginnings: The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 returns to the alternate Cairo of Clark's short fiction, where humans live and work alongside otherworldly beings; the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities handles the issues that can arise between the magical and the mundane. Senior Agent Hamed al-Nasr shows his new partner Agent Onsi the ropes of investigation when they are called to subdue a dangerous, possessed tram car. What starts off as a simple matter of exorcism, however, becomes more complicated as the origins of the demon inside are revealed.

Beginning: "The office of Superintendent of Tram Safety & Maintenance at Ramses Station had all the décor befitting someone who had been elevated--or likely pushed along the lines of patronage--into such a vaulted position." 

56: "Madaam Mariam remained quiet for a while. She turned to stare at a painting above her work desk, one of the few spaces not taken up by dolls."

Comments: I finally read The Haunting of Tram Car 015, and I really enjoyed this story. What are you reading this week?

ARC Review: The Bright and Breaking Sea by Chloe Neill

Title: The Bright and Breaking Sea
Series: Captain Kit Brightling #1
Author: Chloe Neill
Source/Format: Netgalley; eARC
More Details: Fantasy; Historical
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley; November 17, 2020

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Chloe Neill brings her trademark wit and wild sense of adventure to a stunning seafaring fantasy starring a dauntless heroine in a world of magic and treachery. 

Kit Brightling, rescued as a foundling and raised in a home for talented girls, has worked hard to rise through the ranks of the Isles' Crown Command and become one of the few female captains in Queen Charlotte's fleet. Her ship is small, but she's fast--in part because of Kit's magical affinity to the sea. But the waters become perilous when the queen sends Kit on a special mission with a partner she never asked for. Rian Grant, Viscount Queenscliffe, may be a veteran of the Continental war, but Kit doesn't know him or his motives--and she's dealt with one too many members of the Beau Monde. But Kit has her orders, and the queen has commanded they journey to a dangerous pirate quay and rescue a spy who's been gathering intelligence on the exiled emperor of Gallia. Kit can lead her ship and clever crew on her own, but with the fate of queen and country at stake, Kit and Rian must learn to trust each other, or else the Isles will fall....

The Bright and Breaking Sea was a promising beginning to a new series by Chloe Neill. It was a high-stakes, action-packed adventure of a novel, and it’s one of the best books I’ve read this year—and it’s one of my top-favorite sea-faring books of all time. From the first page, I was drawn into the story by the characters and world building. There was plenty of action, something of a mystery, a dash of romance, and plenty of time spent aboard the Diana with Captain Kit Brightling.

The prologue set up the stakes of the story with the introduction of the main characters, and who is, for much of the story, the big antagonist among the villains. Gerard’s shadow seemed to loom as large in the text as did the war, which ultimately saw him into exile. The threat of the post-war peace being on the brink of ending—and the evolving role of magic—set the stakes sky-high. It was a great introduction to the story, and an even better way to introduce the characters, world, and the way the magic functioned.

The magic system in The Bright and Breaking Sea was quite interesting. Its function was incredibly limited, and its benefits often didn’t outweigh the risks. So Kit, who was Aligned to the sea, was somewhat of an anomaly at the start of the story. She used magic to aid her ship by increasing its speed, but that was about it. I did like how the views and uses of magic differed greatly depending on the character, and how the gradual shifts throughout the course of the novel changed those perspectives.

Kit Brightling was a capable character. She was competent and confident in her skills as an Aligned and as the captain of the Diana. Some of the standout moments in the story were when Kit was thinking on her feet while engaging in combat. I also liked her family. Hetta was a wonderful character, and the same could be said for Kit’s sisters. Rian Grant was another complex character. Even though he was a viscount, he was also a soldier and had his own share of secrets. As for the other characters, I also liked them. I particularly enjoyed Queen Charlotte’s characterization.

The Bright and Breaking Sea was an exciting story. I had a lot of fun reading it. Plus the implications of the ending were something of a cliffhanger, and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.   

About the author.....

Chloe Neill is the New York Times bestselling author of the Heirs of Chicagoland, Chicagoland Vampires Novels, Devil's Isle Novels, and Dark Elite novels. Chloe was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest. When she's not writing, she bakes, works, and scours the Internet for good recipes and great graphic design. Chloe also maintains her sanity by spending time with her boys--her husband and their dogs, Baxter and Scout.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Berkley) via Netgalley for this review, thank you!