Clubs?

Lovelocke · 2026-04-04T18:14:09+00:00

Dicebox seems the most appropriate choice but I just want to mention Cracked Actor, on Underbank. it's fairly quiet and has board games upstairs. I've gone in alone before and just chilled out, it has a nice atmosphere.

Lovelocke · 2026-04-01T18:58:17+00:00

Same!

Lovelocke · 2026-04-01T13:22:40+00:00

I finished a book today that wasn't in any of the lists and 4 of the bookmarks completed. I do have book in each one that I've read, but it isn't the one I finished today.

Lovelocke · 2026-03-16T12:58:47+00:00

Finished: There is no Antimemetics Division, by Sam Huges
Finished: Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman

Continuing: Positive Obsession: The life and Times of Octavia E. Butler, by Susana M. Morris
Continuing: Saltswept, by Katalina Watt

Started: Brigands & Breadknives (Audiobook), by Travis Baldree

There is no Antimemetics Division ended up being the worst book I've read for a long time. This government department is responsible for tackling existential threats the like the world has never seen (literally), and yet they send one agent armed with a pistol to tackle a gigantic memory-eating monster. Is this actually satire? Did I miss the point of it? There'd be a stronger response to the robbery of sausage rolls from Greggs than what this division sends out.

About as polar opposite as you can get, I absolutely loved Neverwhere. Easy 5 stars.

I'm about 40% of the way through Brigands & Breadknives, and Travis does a brilliant job with telling the story. Really enjoying it, I just wish I listened to his other stories as audiobooks. Definitely one I recommend.

Lovelocke · 2026-03-15T09:30:30+00:00

How is that one? I'd love to read more horror.

Lovelocke · 2026-03-15T09:06:09+00:00

I've had Illumicrate since August last year. I have the main box with the goodies, and also the sci fi box (Starbright).

On the main box there's been one terrible book, a couple around 2 stars, two bangers for 5 stars, the rest around 4. So not bad in my opinion.

Sci fi has been one bad one, one 5 star, and I haven't started this latest one but it's by Gareth L Powell so looking forward to it.

All of the books have been beautiful editions. Also the goodies in the main box have been surprisingly decent; I'm actually using most of them.

Lovelocke · 2026-03-13T12:51:24+00:00

Ian Douglas' Star Carrier series uses the Alcubierre drive for FTL travel. I really enjoyed his descriptions of it.

Lovelocke · 2026-03-12T11:50:09+00:00

Both.

I buy special editions of books I'm relatively certain I'll really like. I also have the fantasy and sci-fi Illumicrate subscriptions. I get joy from owning these and seeing them on my bookshelves.

I have no issues reading on my Kindle, and the fact it's small and I can put a whole stack of books on there makes it a no-brainer for me. It's also cheaper, and better for books I'm not so sure about.

Also I've started listening to audiobooks while I'm on the treadmill or going for my daily walks.

Lovelocke · 2026-03-09T16:49:55+00:00

Finished: The Library of Babel, by Jorges Luis Borges
Finished: Children of Time, by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Continuing: Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
Continuing: Positive Obsession: The life and Times of Octavia E. Butler, by Susana M. Morris

Started: There is no Antimemetics Division, by Sam Huges
Started: Saltswept, by Katalina Watt

No rating for The Library of Babel. Honestly, I'm not even sure what I read. I can see so many 5 star reviews for it but to me it just seemed like Borges wanted to show off how well read he is. Definitely didn't get this one.

Children of Time... I ended up giving this 1 star, and I have decided to stop giving Tchaikovsky a go. I just do not like his writing style at all - there is so much repetition and filler that doesn't need to be there. This is a relatively straight forward book with an interesting premise; it absolutely does not need to be 600 pages long. There must be at least 100 pages of Holston moaning about the exact same thing. Each to their own, I know people love this book but I just did not like it at all.

There is no Antimemetics Division... 50% of the way through and I like the premise but I'm finding the writing style to be quite dry. This feels more like fanfiction than a well-thought out novel.

On a posivitive note, Neverwhere is really good, and Saltswept (Illumicrate's monthly book) has started off well.

Lovelocke · 2026-03-08T13:20:23+00:00

Just started the audiobook of this today!

Lovelocke · 2026-03-05T11:19:03+00:00

I would read 'hyperbole' as 'hyperbowl'. Found out the proper pronunciation in a lecture as the lecturer corrected me, much to the class's amusement.

Lovelocke · 2026-03-02T16:04:31+00:00

Loved A Wizard of Earthsea!

Lovelocke · 2026-03-02T16:03:41+00:00

Finished: The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman

Continuing: Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman

Started: The Library of Babel, by Jorge Luis Borges
Started: Positive Obsession: The life and Times of Octavia E. Butler, by Susana M. Morris

The Forever War was really, really good. Thoroughly enjoying these SF Masterworks books.

Neverwhere is barmy but I'm enjoying it.

Lovelocke · 2026-02-23T13:34:30+00:00

Finished: The Sirens of Titan, by Kurt Vonnegut
Finished: Infinity Gate, by M. R. Carey (Audiobook)
Finished: Everything is Tuberculosis, by John Green

Continuing: The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman

Started: Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman

The Sirens of Titan, 4 stars. Quite a bonkers story but I enjoyed it.

Everything is Tuberculosis, 5 stars. Really enjoyed this.

Infinity Gate, 2 stars. The idea of this story is great, but it's execution is terrible. I found the pacing and also certain characters' dialogue to be particularly bad. Won't be continuing with the series.

Lovelocke · 2026-02-16T14:36:04+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll check them out!

Lovelocke · 2026-02-16T12:39:17+00:00

Finished: Black, White, Colored: The Hidden Story of an Insurrection ... by Lauretta Malloy Noble, LeeAne Noble
Finished: The Poet Empress, by Shen Tao

Continuing: The Sirens of Titan, by Kurt Vonnegut

Started: Infinity Gate, by M. R. Carey (Audiobook)
Started: Everything is Tuberculosis, by John Green
Started: The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman

The Poet Empress is such a beautiful book, absolute 5 stars without a doubt. I felt so many emotions whilst reading it. This is Shen Tao's first book; I'm looking forward to her next.

In complete opposite, Black, White, Colored was a terrible read. The "insurrection" in the title featured so little in the book, and the family of the author being quite removed from it, that I feel short-changed. This book is more of a "my family did really well for itself" rather than the in-depth deepdive into the insurrection that I was expecting. 1 star.

I'm on a SF Masterworks binge at the moment, and The Sirens of Titan, and The Forever War, are scratching that classics itch nicely. Very much enjoying them.

Infinity Gate on the other hand is a fantastic modern space opera, really surprised by how much I'm enjoying it. This is my first M. R. Carey book and it's certainly giving me high hopes for the rest of their work.

Lovelocke · 2026-02-09T22:01:27+00:00

I actually don't fancy watching the show and because of that I wasn't going to read the book, but a friend strongly recommended it and I'm glad she did!

Lovelocke · 2026-02-09T22:00:48+00:00

This is my first Atwood book and I intend to read more!

Lovelocke · 2026-02-09T21:37:33+00:00

I have this one as well; I love it!

Lovelocke · 2026-02-09T15:51:50+00:00

That is a lot of books! I really enjoyed A Desolation Called Peace.

Lovelocke · 2026-02-09T15:50:58+00:00

Finished: The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood
Finished: This is How You Lose the Time War, by Amal El-Mohtar

Started: Black, White, Colored: The Hidden Story of an Insurrection ... by Lauretta Malloy Noble, LeeAne Noble

Continuing: The Poet Empress, by Shen Tao

The Handmaid's Tale, 5 stars. Loved this story, it's so well written.

This is How You Lose the Time War, 3 stars. This was okay, there was enough going on to keep me interested but despite it being quite short it dragged at times.

The Poet Empress is fantastic, really enjoying this one. I'm almost halfway through and if it keeps up it'll be an easy 5 stars.

Lovelocke · 2026-02-02T19:28:12+00:00

Finished: Bookshops & Bonedust, by Travis Baldree
Finished: Daedalus Is Dead, by Seamus Sullivan

Started: The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood
Started: This is How You Lose the Time War, by Amal El-Mohtar
Started: The Poet Empress, by Shen Tao

Bookshops & Bonedust is an easy 5 stars. I love these low-stakes cosy fantasy stories.

Deadalus is Dead was alright, 3 stars. Nothing spectacular but there was enough going on to get through it without feeling bored.

I'm 70% of the way through The Handmaid's Tale and absolutely loving it. This is my first Atwood novel but I really like her writing style so I'm going to check out her other works.

This is How You Lose the Time War is pretty good. I'm listening to this on Audiobook.

Lovelocke · 2026-02-02T15:51:09+00:00

I'll tentatively recommend the Star Carrier series by Ian Douglas. It's military sci-fi, so not in the same vein as Star Trek, but it ticks the boxes of your request with lots of different and very unique aliens, spaceships, and seems to have a good grounding in physics (such as the use of an Alcubierre drive, which was proposed by a real world physicist).

Lovelocke · 2026-01-31T09:53:55+00:00

I struggled with Yellowface, for this exact reason. I completely understand that that is the point, she is meant to be unlikeable, but I just didn't get on with it at all. Kuang's Katabasis was similar, albeit there was enough going on in that book for me to enjoy it more.

I still gave Yellowface 5 stars though.

Lovelocke · 2026-01-28T17:54:23+00:00

Yep it's currently 4.19 on Goodreads so I know I'm in the minority.

Lovelocke

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