Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold (2003)

This high fantasy book, second in a series, deserves all the prizes it won (Hugo, Nebula, Locus). I enjoyed the story, the characters, and the consistent but mysterious magic system. 4/5 Stars.

new goal in life

My new goal in life is to get paid 2.7 gigadollars ($2.7 billion) to get re-hired at one of my previous employers. I am very grateful to live in such an interesting time.

Barsk: The Elephants' Graveyard by Lawrence M. Schoen (2015)

I think David Brin pointed me to this book as an illustration of other authors who picked up David's idea of uplift.  Uplift is when an advanced species (patron) genetically modifies a pre-sapient species (client) to elevate the new species to full sapience. In this book, the author has an area of our galaxy filled with uplifted earth species. The magic system and themes in the book are a little inconsistent and the physics is terrible.  But the story is interesting and the writing is good.  3/5 Stars. I enjoyed it but won't read any others.

Rebel by David Weber and Richard Fox (2024)

Remember the Honor Harrington stories David Weber wrote in the early 1990's? This new series he is writing with Richard Fox is just as much fun.  The detailed space fleet engagements and sophisticated, consistent magic system is fun, and the vector math as explained enables the reader to visualize the engagements clearly.  The politics are intentionally similar to the Honor Harrington universe, with wicked Oligarchs and oppressed colonies. I am enjoying these books. 5/5 Stars.

SPQR by Mary Beard (2015)

Another birthday present that sat on my stack for 4 months. This book is the foundation of amateur and professional understanding of the early roman empire. Mary Beard uses wonderful examples and anecdotes to illuminate the complex ideas, opinions, and daily lives of the people of ancient Rome, their moires, customs, social interactions, and international relations.  The book explains in wonderful prose the evolving attitudes of the ancient people in all stations of life, from the starving slaves to the elite nobles. One must read it slowly to ponder the depth of the revelations and refer back to the maps and photos scattered throughout the book.  5/5 Stars.

Cursed Knowledge

This idea, to record things we learn that we wish we never knew, is great. The collection of cursed knowledge nuggets is similar to but narrower than the"WTF" collection in my bullet journals.  Thanks, Cory.

Task Force Hammer by Craig Alanson (2024)

I am surprised at how terrible the copy editing is.  A simple grammar checker could have mixed almost all of the errors.  The story ends in a cliffhanger, so if you don't like the "Perils of Pauline" style abrupt cliffhanger endings, wait for the next book to be published  before starting this one. Parts of some of the B stories in this one are a little boring, but Skippy and team are still fun. 4/5 Stars.

Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee (2016)

One of my kids was reading this book and I saw the Hugo + Nebula nominations on the cover, so I picked it up and read it.  It's not long. The magic system is unfortunately extremely inconsistent and despite fantastic character building and world building, good story-telling and stylish prose, I did not like it and probably won't finish the trilogy.  2/5 Stars.

The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey (2006)

Some folks at work suggested this book so I picked it up and read it.  The over-hyped rhetoric and constant aphorisms are an embarrassing distraction from the key points that are quite good.  Here is my summary:

• Trust among individuals and teams affects speed and costs.
• Five "waves" of trust: 
• self trust, 
• relationship trust, 
• organizational trust, 
• market trust, and 
• societal trust.
• Trust is based on character (integrity and intent) and competence (capabilities and results).
• There are 13 key behaviors that build trust: Talk Straight, Demonstrate Respect, Create Transparency, Right Wrongs, Show Loyalty, Deliver Results, Get Better, Confront Reality, Clarify Expectations, Practice Accountability, Listen First, Keep Commitments, Extend Trust.
• Low trust creates a "trust tax" that slows everything down and increases costs. High trust creates a "trust dividend" that speeds things up and reduces costs.
• Trust can be built quickly through consistent behavior and delivering results. It can also be restored if lost.
• Extending "smart trust" balances trusting others with good judgment about risks.
• Building trust is a key leadership competency

The book is in six parts:

• Part 1 - The First Wave: Self Trust: Covers the "4 Cores of Credibility": Integrity, Intent, Capabilities, Results
• Part 2 - The Second Wave: Relationship Trust: Explains the 13 behaviors that build trust in relationships
• Part 3 - The Third Wave: Organizational Trust: How to create trust in organizations through alignment
• Part 4 - The Fourth Wave: Market Trust: Building trust and reputation in the marketplace
• Part 5 - The Fifth Wave: Societal Trust  
• Creating value and contributing to society
• Part 6 - Inspiring Trust: How to extend "smart trust" and restore lost trust

The ideas are worthwhile but wading through the hype is painful. 4/5 Stars.

Omega Rising by Joshua Dalzelle (2013)

A colleague at work recommended this series so I picked up and read the first book.  The writing is ok and flows well. The story is a little melodramatic and shallow. The space aliens are a little too anthropomorphic.  The plot is fun.  I am finding it hard to suspend my disbelief but I am curious what happens next in the story. 3/5 Stars.