Masters of the Vortex by E.E. "Doc" Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is both a mix of the classic Lensman space-opera stuff and a better side-story that gets rid of the super-standard superman stage 4 Lensman to lets us reboot it with a singular, highly-specialized super-man who can nuke wild self-sustaining nukes.

Of course, this man levels up in power through the novel, learning that he is so much more capable of being a hero than just a nuke nuker, to gaining a crew that reminded me a TON of TOS Star Trek it's not funny, to mental gymnastics that put most power-creep stories to shame.

That is to say--it's classic space opera. :)

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Sour Cherry by Natalia Theodoridou
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one is an interesting bag. I think I wanted to have a harder-hitting horror retelling of bluebeard, one that straddles the line between extravagance and the delicious reveal, but while this does have some pretty great emotion and resonance -- look at what you made me do -- it eventually rubbed me in rather the wrong way.

Not horribly so, mind you, but in an ugly, disturbed way that isn't gleeful the way good horror can often be.

My real problem?

The erasure of innocence. Not the obvious opening of a door erasure, either, but the complicity and romanticism of JOINING in the horror, of ignoring the tragedy, of being one with it.

Maybe that's the real horror? The acceptance, the reveling in the rot?

Well, it's even worse when you read this novel not as a romantic and evil tale of discovery, but as a tale of complicity with the rot.

I think I disliked it precisely because I couldn't agree with the premise. Either I fight or die... not embrace.

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The Radiant Dark by Alexandra Oliva
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Okay. So. I suppose I'm just not the right audience for this SF. If, indeed, we can call it SF.

I mean, sure, there is the whole, ostensible first-contact scenario starting back in the 70's and we follow the slow communication cycle for the next 50 years, but I need to be honest. This is pretty much just a family drama novel. Mothers and daughters. Generational abuse, mental health, family stuff.

It's another general fiction novel with a handful of SF trappings. And let me be clear: the first third of the novel is just about a new mom with post-partum depression hating her life and missed chances and latching onto the big announcements while she grows bitter and destroys her relationships.

Yay.

Later on, it feels like a very drawn-out and worse version of Sagan's Contact. But longer. With less happening. But what I can I say? I LOVE my SF. If it wasn't quite pitched for the SF market, I probably would be less critical of it. But this is SF-lite-lite.

But what about the writing? Is it good? I'd say it's fine for the market it's aiming for. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me.

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The Primal Hunter 13 by Zogarth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This universe's System-wide event has begun! Time to kill the planet killers and go planet hopping in (some) style!

Great battles, great new worlds, lots of power-ups (and one insanely stupid one), and several tragedies.

All told, I loved this book. It was great fun and a huge step forward in plot and action and even a bit of character development--but mostly great action. :)

My only complaint? I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE. GAaaaaaahhhHHHH!

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The Primal Hunter 12 by Zogarth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Out of the megadungeon at last. Or rather, after 2/3rds of this novel.

FORTUNATELY, it was still fun and the finale was pretty epic in several ways. A good fight, sure, but the aftermath? Epic.

And then, the rest was getting caught up with everyone else. And a few new people. Demons. A wyvern. Smart races. :)

Loving it all.

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The Primal Hunter 11 by Zogarth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I won't say this was a bad installment in the Primal Hunter series, it DOES rely rather heavily still on the mega-dungeon, and especially 4 of the 5 challenge dungeons, each of which last a very long time. (The whole dungeon lasting 50 years)

There ARE some really great parts, however, and while I might quibble about the overall arc, which is nothing more than a big data-gathering simulation in its heart, I really need to point out that my quibble is ONLY a relative downgrade to the rest of the books, and not an overall quality ding. The whole thing belongs in its own category.

That being said, I laughed my ass off in the (redacted) portion of the dungeon. And other various bullying of gods. Each scene like that was of Unique quality on creation.

I particularly liked the end of the zero-level challenges and the crafting dungeon as a whole.

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The Primal Hunter 10 by Zogarth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mega-dungeon time. Or rather, endless-dungeon time for C grades.

I have to admit that I didn't enjoy this QUITE as much as the previous books, but there's plenty to love about it. Cheesing levels? Awesome. Hard-fought custom levels created by gods? Awesome.

Learning to truly work together as a real team after many time-compressed years of effort, especially for loners, iconoclasts, prideful monsters, and idiots? Epic.

Whatever I'd deduct for weak plot and cheese in a novel is made up for nicely in true progression of interpersonal growth and skill-enhancement.

Very enjoyable.

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