Hearth Space by Stephen Baxter (2025)

The novel succeeds on its fundamentals. Baxter builds an imaginative science-fiction setting with coherent physics, convincing interplanetary politics, and engaging warfare. The world-building supports the story rather than overwhelming it. The characters hold attention, and the social tensions feel relevant within the setting. The scale and concepts reward suspension of disbelief.

The weaknesses come from repetition and excess. Multiple characters repeat near-identical descriptions of the Hearth Space system, which feels contrived. Several scenes echo the same moral outrage about the enemy vessel in nearly the same language, which dulls the effect. Baxter also returns to extreme depictions of cruelty. Those moments distract from the narrative rather than deepen it, even when restrained compared to his harsher works.

The strengths dominate. The story works. The characters carry weight. The science and spectacle deliver. 4/5 stars.

Botschafter der Sterne von Bao-Shu (2021)

In Botschafter der Sterne entführt Baoshu uns wieder in die Fantasiewelt der "Trisolaris"-Trilogie von Cixin Liu. Da das Buch andernorts gute Kritiken bekommen hat, war ich optimistisch, dass dieses Spin-off die bizarren, willkürlichen Ideen der Original-Trilogie vielleicht verbessern könnte. Allerdings ist Baoshus Buch tatsächlich noch schlechter.

Die Physik in diesem Werk ist einfach nur dämlich und die Story wirkt noch planloser als beim Vorgänger. Zwar liefert der Autor ein paar interessante Details, um die Lücken im ursprünglichen Trisolaris-Konflikt zu füllen, aber diese kleinen Einblicke retten das Ganze auch nicht mehr. Der Plot, die Technik und der zentrale Konflikt sind einfach nur schwachsinnig. 1/5 Sterne.

Jerusalem: The Biography by Simon Sebag-Montefiori (2011)

Simon Sebag-Montefiore writes with a broad, colorful style that makes historical figures feel entertaining. However, in areas where I have read extensively, his omissions and reliance on some unlikely rumors erode his credibility. This selective approach taints the narrative and suggests a small lack of objectivity.

The history of Jerusalem inevitably suffers from a "phone book" style, cluttered with too many names and dates. This density makes it easy to lose the big picture and forget important details. Thankfully, the author provides a fantastic epilogue that summarizes the broad sweeping population changes, including mass genocides and large immigrations.

As the author notes in the introduction, archaeological evidence in the region changes daily, often rendering established facts obsolete. Because I am interested in the region, I find the older, incorrect understanding of history presented in this 2011 volume frustrating. These outdated interpretations, combined with the significant historical facts the author omitted are frustrating. Yet, Montefiore manages an indirect objectivity by listing who murdered whom in each major massacre. This record provides a clear account of the genocides, mostly of Jews,and identifies who was responsible for each travesty. He also notes which parties rejected peace  (guess who?) without adding his own color. Despite these frustrations and my doubts about the veracity of the character sketches, the book remains enjoyable. 3/5 stars.

The Rooster Bar by John Grisham (2017)

I enjoy John Grisham's books. The Rooster Bar has a big heart: the narrative offers multifaceted characters and satisfying story arcs. I find the balance of suspense and legal drama creates a consistently engaging conflict.

The setting provides a refreshing escape into 2015-era United States government bureaucracies. Policies and actions in this period feel less politically motivated than those in more recent fiction. I appreciate the depiction of administrative incompetence and stupidity: this realism is often missing from other legal thrillers. The story successfully explores the psychological weight of crushing student debt and hopeless economic circumstances.

The protagonists face these terrible conditions with notable grit and determination. Their resilience in the face of systemic failure is heart-warming and uplifting. This specific focus on the plucky nature of the team makes the story stand out. 5/5 Stars

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (1926)

Hemingway was required reading during my high school years in the early 1970s. My teacher described his unadorned and direct language as "mud on a brick wall": the prose conveys emotional weight through the omission of detail. I have always found his writing stark and brutal. I enjoyed For Whom the Bell Tolls, yet I did not like The Sun Also Rises as much as his other works.

The immersion into the lives of inter-war expatriates was enjoyable -- I love "slice of life" immersion. I also enjoyed learning about the French, Spanish (Mediterranean) people's  attitudes toward racing, sports, and outdoor hobbies.  The deep descriptions of bullfighting and the culture surrounding it provided fascinating and delicious flavor. However, I did not find the alcoholic characters to be appealing in any way. This lack of connection to the protagonists left me unengaged with the narrative. 3/5 Stars

A treasury of Yiddish Stories by Irving Howe and Eliezer Greenberg (1954)

This collection has an interminable introduction I should have skipped. I found some of the stories to be good and others to be confusing.  They are all well-crafted. 3/5 Stars.

Gimpel the Fool by Isaac Bashevis Singer (1953)

I found an extended translation with commentary of this interesting short story online.  The story is a fascinating journey through the ethical dilemma of scapegoat treatment.  The townspeople project all of their insecurities and moral failures onto Gimpel to maintain a sense of collective superiority. They identify Gimpel as a fool to validate their own cleverness and moral superiority. Gimpel is the container for the town's malice. This dynamic mirrors the historical (and current) demonization of the Jews: the majority creates a false narrative (big lies) and punishes the minority for existing.  Gimpel decides to accept his role as a fool.  He understands the deception.  Gimpel decides it is better to be "a fool" than to be cruel. By refusing to defend his ego, he prevents the malice of the town from turning violent. Gimpel is the only character who maintains a coherent moral arc. The town and people have a fragmented reality of lies and shifting loyalties. Gimpel remains committed to truth. Gimpel bears the injustice and remains uncorrupted by the lies. 4/5 Stars.

A Quantum Murder by Peter F Hamilton (1997)

The second book in this Mandel series continues the adventures of the characters established in book one. The story frames a murder mystery within the same setting. I enjoyed the prose despite the silly paranormal elements.

The narrative introduces more, new occult tropes. Hamilton employs pseudo-science to justify the  supernatural phenomena. The explanation for the magic is weakened by the pseudo-scientific logic.

I am normally not great at solving mysteries, but I identified the culprit early. I deduced the motive and the method by a process of elimination.

The science fiction background remains intriguing. I hope these elements dominate the third book. 3/5 Stars.

Briefe in die chinesische Vergangenheit von Herbert Rosendorfer (1986)

Ich schätze die Prosa und den markanten Stil Herbert Rosendorfers. Er nutzt das Briefformat, um die antike Kultur der Song- und Liao-Dynastie zu betrachten: Er stellt diese Werte dem Bayern der 1980er Jahre gegenüber. Er zeigt diese Unterschiede auf, anstatt sie bloß zu beschreiben. Ich schätze das Eintauchen in die Bräuche und Alltagsgeschichten historischer Figuren.

Rosendorfer vermeidet grausame Details aus dem Leben chinesischer Bauern. Er konzentriert sich nur auf kulturelle Einstellungen und Erzählungen aus dem Lebensalltag. Er stilisiert deutsche Themen der 1980er Jahre: Diese Probleme umfassen Waldsterben und Umweltverschmutzung. Diese Umweltdebatten sind veraltet. Die historische Perspektive bleibt jedoch für jüngere Leser interessant. Der Kontrast zwischen dem modernen industriellen Chaos und der Bürokratie am Song-Hof ist bemerkenswert. Die Außenseiter-Perspektive wirkt zeitweise künstlich, stellt meine Glaubwürdigkeit jedoch nie auf die Probe. Ich empfehle dieses Werk Lesern, die Rosendorfers populärwissenschaftliche Geschichtsbücher mögen. 5/5 Sterne

Accidental Astronaut by J N Chaney & Rick Partlow (2025)

I did not enjoy this one. The science collapses under a modicum of scrutiny: the narrative features giant insects that cannot support their own mass. The biological premise of haploid insects is impossible. Ridiculous magical magnets and primitive steampunk humans strain any suspension of disbelief.

Space combat ignores physics and celestial mechanics.  I found only the main characters interesting but they lack credibility and depth. The antagonists are poorly written. The "universal translator bugs" are magical and not scientific.

The story feels contrived because of a ridiculous plot. I do not recommend this book. 1/5 Stars