fiction

The Chaos Agent by Mark Greaney

Agent of Chaos could be ripped from contemporary headlines as it explores the very real potential consequences of AI integrated into weapons technology. Due to my own philosophical assumptions, most of the concerns in our current moment over AGI/Skynet seem goofy and unrealistic to me, and so certain plot elements in this book didn’t connect…

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The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

I started The Casual Vacancy with eyes wide open to the fact that this was no Harry Potter novel–and yet, even though I wasn’t offended by the much more adult tone (and content!) that Rowling establishes right out of the gate, I was a little surprised by it. No matter how prepared you are, it’s…

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Peace Like A River by Leif Enger

Reuben Land grew up believing in miracles. He is eleven, living in rural Minnesota in the 1960s with his father and two siblings, when his older brother Davey shoots and kills two neighborhood bullies breaking into the house at night. The day before his trial verdict, Davey escapes, and his family drives out in search…

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The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby

This is one of the best middle grade children’s books I’ve read in a long time. It’s charming, the characters are genuine and realistic, the prose is poetic and creatively descriptive, and the plotting is tight without seeming unlikely. The story takes place in a steampunk version of New York City (although it’s never named…

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