Barbara Hambly's James Asher books: I don't generally like books about vampire. I don't think they are depressing not glamorous. Hambly's vampires aren't glamorous at all. There is lots of messly biology and morality and Hambly doesn't shy away form it. However my favorite thing about these books is Lyida, James' wife. She's a doctor (since these books are set in the early 1900's that's remarkable) and she has agency and gets to use her talents. At the same time the books don't sugar coat the social constants of women at the time.
Nature's Economy: A History of Ecological Ideas by Donald Worster: I finally finished this. Really interesting, and also useful for my thesis. Don't nessarly agree with everthing the author writes (he was mean to some of my favorite ecologist, possibly because he doesn't understand the awesomeness of semi-natural ecosystems.) Yet he makes really good points about how society effects scientific ideas.
The Future is Japanese: Science Fiction Futures and Brand New Fantasies from and about Japan ed Masumi Washington and Nick Mamatas: I thought this didn't quite hang together thematically, but had some really excellent stories. (Also does Ken Liu write things that are not tearjerkers?)
On a Red Station, Drifting by Aliette de Bodard: I got this as part of my Hugo voting package. (The package is actually pretty cool, though I'm not sure how much of it I'm going to read. So far nominating seems like more fun than voting.) Anyways I don't have a lot to say about it, except that it is excellent. I'm happy I got a copy this way because otherwise it for a non-kindle owner it would be hard to acquire.
Nature's Economy: A History of Ecological Ideas by Donald Worster: I finally finished this. Really interesting, and also useful for my thesis. Don't nessarly agree with everthing the author writes (he was mean to some of my favorite ecologist, possibly because he doesn't understand the awesomeness of semi-natural ecosystems.) Yet he makes really good points about how society effects scientific ideas.
The Future is Japanese: Science Fiction Futures and Brand New Fantasies from and about Japan ed Masumi Washington and Nick Mamatas: I thought this didn't quite hang together thematically, but had some really excellent stories. (Also does Ken Liu write things that are not tearjerkers?)
On a Red Station, Drifting by Aliette de Bodard: I got this as part of my Hugo voting package. (The package is actually pretty cool, though I'm not sure how much of it I'm going to read. So far nominating seems like more fun than voting.) Anyways I don't have a lot to say about it, except that it is excellent. I'm happy I got a copy this way because otherwise it for a non-kindle owner it would be hard to acquire.