Book Review: Doctor Who: How to Be a Time Lord by Craig Donaghy

Book #4 of 2018:

Doctor Who: How to Be a Time Lord by Craig Donaghy

This Doctor Who children’s book was a bit of a disappointment. It’s presented as a manual prepared by the Eleventh Doctor for his successor regeneration(s), but in practice is more of a mini-encyclopedia of various elements from across the show’s history. Supplemental material like this can often, well, supplement a show like Doctor Who, but this book is entirely made up of things already presented by the show itself and here just regurgitated and sporadically leavened by the Doctor’s manic tone. I’m sure some younger fans might still enjoy it, but there’s really nothing in this book that you wouldn’t learn just by watching the show.

★★☆☆☆

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Book Review: Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

Book #3 of 2018:

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

There’s a bit of a disconnect between the beginning and end of this novel, but they’re both appealing in their own right. The first half tells a love story in the characters’ war-torn home country (which is never specified by name but appears to be somewhere in the Middle East), tracking their growing intimacy against the rising tension of violent extremism. The second half then sends the two lovers teleporting through a series of strange doors that have suddenly appeared around the world, presenting a magical realist take on the refugee experience as borders begin to dissolve and people seek out new homes away from war.

A lot is left unsaid, but I found the story very moving, especially as author Mohsin Hamid explores the ways in which people and relationships can gradually change over time, essentially making migrants of us all as we unavoidably leave our pasts behind. I would have liked greater cohesion between the two plots of civil war and swivel door, but I can easily see why this book made so many best-of-2017 lists.

★★★★☆

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Book Review: The Return of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Book #2 of 2018:

The Return of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan #2)

This pulp sequel doesn’t quite hit the ludicrous thrills of its classic predecessor, which makes it harder for a modern reader to look past all of the 1900s racism and sexism. It’s worth reading if you want to see the happy ending for Tarzan and Jane that was missing from the first book — or if for some reason you’ve been dying to see Tarzan pitted against a Russian spy in Paris high society — but hardly essential.

★★☆☆☆

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Book Review: The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

Book 1 of 2018:

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (The Queen’s Thief #1)

This tale of a skilled thief released from prison to rob for the monarch was somewhat predictable, but still very fun and strongly reminiscent of other stories that I’ve enjoyed. (The religious aspect feels straight out of Tortall, and I can definitely see the influence of The Thief on later fantasy books like The False Prince and The Emperor’s Soul.) Some of the character dynamics felt a bit odd — like someone going from the narrator’s would-be murderer to a friend without any real explanation — but it was overall solid. I’ve heard the sequel is even better, so I’ll definitely be checking that out.

★★★☆☆

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TV Review: Game of Thrones, season 5

TV #49 of 2017:

Game of Thrones, season 5

This is where the wheels really start to come off Game of Thrones. It’s still better than season 7 in terms of character logic and a lack of plot armor, but this is the point where the writers were past the current ending of the books for almost every storyline – and it shows. There’s a new freedom that lets the series give us unexpected developments, which is neat, but it also leads to some clumsy moments that presumably George R.R. Martin will either deliver more smoothly or eschew entirely. Thrones is still worth watching at this point – and from what I recall, the following season is somewhat better than this one – but it’s not quite the powerhouse it was before.

★★★☆☆

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Movie Review: The Judge (2014)

Movie #26 of 2017:

The Judge (2014)

The cast is good (especially if you’ve been dying to see Marvel’s Iron Man and Kingpin as brothers), and they act their hearts out, but the writing completely fails to live up to their performances. My dad has seen this movie a few times and was really excited to watch it with us, but it was pretty bad. I’m keeping most of my criticism to myself to spare his feelings — both here and out-loud — but it’s got a 42% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes for a reason.

★★☆☆☆

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Book Review: Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

Book #265 of 2017:

Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft (The Books of Babel #1)

There are some definite rough spots in this steampunk Tower of Babel story, but I like how its protagonist steadily grows from a fussy schoolteacher into someone braver and more capable over the course of the novel. The Tower itself is also a fascinating collection of various hedonisms, lending a certain Dantean sensibility to the story as our hero climbs its various levels in search of his lost wife. I wanted more worldbuilding and a less contrived setup for the initial plot, but by the time this book reached its climax, I was pretty invested in Senlin’s journey. I’ll definitely be reading on to see where it goes from here.

(Big thank you to Orbit for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!)

★★★☆☆

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Book Review: Doctor Who: The Legends of Ashildr by James Goss, David Llewellyn, Jenny T. Colgan, and Justin Richards

Book #264 of 2017:

Doctor Who: The Legends of Ashildr by James Goss, David Llewellyn, Jenny T. Colgan, and Justin Richards

Four generally unrelated short stories about the immortal Doctor Who character memorably played by Maisie Williams in 2015, all set between her first two appearances there (The Girl Who Died and The Woman Who Lived). It’s a solid but not particularly revelatory collection, with the strongest entry being Jenny T. Colgan’s story about the heroine facing a plague outbreak alongside her mortal children. Overall a nice quick read for anyone wanting to see more of this character.

★★★☆☆

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Book Review: New Boy by Tracy Chevalier

Book #263 of 2017:

New Boy by Tracy Chevalier

Othello is my favorite Shakespeare play, and I love the idea of retelling its story in a 1970s schoolyard. The new setting leaps off the page, as the son of a Ghanaian diplomat newly posted to Washington, D.C. joins an otherwise all-white sixth grade class and falls in love with the girl assigned to show him around. Unfortunately, the plot maneuvers required for the story to hit some of the major beats of the play can feel rather contorted at times, and the characters’ actions often — although not always — strain credulity for children of their age. (Certain Shakespeare references within the story are also too cute by half, raising distracting questions of whether adults like Mr. Brabant would be aware of Othello the play.)

The saving grace of the novel comes from it preserving the original story’s trenchant critique of racism both external and internalized, but as a whole I don’t really think it lives up to its potential.

★★★☆☆

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Book Review: Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

Book #262 of 2017:

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (Binti #1)

There are not enough black heroines in science fiction, and Binti is a welcome addition to their ranks. I especially liked how her people’s cultural traditions played an integral role in this character’s journey, and how she ended up as something of an alien ambassador straight out of an Octavia E. Butler story. I did have some issues with the length and pacing of the novella, however, which seems like it would have been stronger as a full novel. (If nothing else, more insight into the aliens’ logic and a show of consequences for their actions would have been nice.) Still, this was a quick enough read with a refreshing enough protagonist that I think I’ll seek out the two sequel novellas too.

★★★☆☆

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