Tanitha's Cosmic Musings

As I have read more than a few books and novellas this month, I thought of dividing the books read in 2 parts. This is because I do not want my posts to be too long.

The second installment of the Thursday Murder Club is as good, if not better in some ways than the first one. We learn a bit more about Elizabeth and Ibrahim, especially. I did laugh a lot with Joyce and her instagram username. I am waiting for the next one to come out as a paperback, before buing it. Also because I have indulged myself more than a bit in books lately.

Well, I subscribed myself to the Orbit Books UK newsletter, and they give you a 10% discount on their UK store for the first order. So, I bought a few books. Then bought a couple more on kindle as well.

And I read these two novellas in 3 days; I absolutely adored Monk and Robot, and hope Becky Chambers writes more novellas, or even novels about the adventures of those 2.

Robots gained sentience and left the world of humans; humans almost destroyed the natural world and themselves but recovered and have created a different type of society, one based on mutual understanding, and compassion. Technology is present, but technology is there to help, and everything they use is biodegradable, recycled, and all power comes from renewable sources.

Sibling Dex is a monk (a very different definition of monk) of Allaele or the god of small comforts. He decides to change his vocation and become a tea monk; a monk that serves tea, listens to people’s troubles and woes and helps them come to terms with their problems, even helping them find solutions. Just listening sometimes is enough; a nice fragrant cup of tea to relax is even better!

However, Dex finds himself wanting something different, something he does not even understand; and on a whim, he decides to visit a site left over from ages past. That is where he meets the first robot to contact humans in ages, Mosscap. Mosscap has been sent to see “what humans need”; and asks the question to Dex.

What do you need? What do humans need? are the questions that Mosscap asks Dex. Is that such a complicated question? Is this a question that we, as humanity, need to pose and ask ourselves? And not just ourselves, but the people around us. Understanding, compassion, acceptance.

Next day, I changed to a horror novella, “Nothign But Blackened Teeth” by Cassandra Khaw. This is a haunted house story done right! In 93 pages, Khaw manages to fully realize her characters, and give us a good scare.

This is a great little read if you like horror; I will not say anything more, as I would prefer my readers to read the books.

Last but not least, I started yet another series of books. I started The Laundry files by Charles Stross, which is a Lovecraftian parody of spy movies, with lots of science and tech references. I have the second one lined up.

Bob Howard is a computer expert who works for the Laundry, a secret British government agency. They are like the MI5 or MI6 only they deal with magic and the mayhem caused by magic and interdimensional creatures bent on destroying our world for various reasons.

I will say that there are places where the book becomes a bit technical; you do not need to understand the technobabble to follow the plot. The merging of magic and maths or mathemagic as it is called, is an integral part of the world of the Laundry files. As a nerd and a geek, I enjoyed the technobabble, and knew most of the scientists’ names referred in the book.

I enjoyed the book; the novella at the end was even better, for reasons I will not go to, lest I spoil the fun for other people.

Up to now, this month, I have enjoyed my reading. Next on my list, is “Legends and Lattes” by Travis Baldree, and “The Jennifer Morgue (The Laundry Files 2)” by Charles Stross.