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ju

ju@lire.boitam.eu

Joined 2 years, 11 months ago

Some SF, fantasy, and obscure LGBT, mixed with travel, photography theory and women authors, in French and English.

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ju's books

To Read

Currently Reading (View all 22)

2024 Reading Goal

38% complete! ju has read 20 of 52 books.

Sofia Samatar: A Stranger in Olondria (EBook, 2013, Small Beer Press) 4 stars

Jevick, the pepper merchant's son, has been raised on stories of Olondria, a distant land …

A wonderful novel

5 stars

This is an ode to books, the power and poetry of words and stories, and it's gorgeously written, without pretention, in a way that takes the reader seriously and transports them instantly into the maze of the author's imagination. The world created isn't a typical western-middle-age fantasy world, it's strongly influenced by south asia, and north and east africa. If you're longing for something poetic and vivid, it's a rewarding read.

reviewed The Warden by Daniel M. Ford (The Warden, #1)

Daniel M. Ford: The Warden (2023, Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom) 3 stars

There was a plan.

She had the money, the connections, even the brains. It was …

A fun light read

4 stars

It feels like the author took his dream RPG and wrote it as a novel. There's magic, and of course, dwarfs and half-elves, wizards who need to sleep to recuperate all their capabilities, small side-quests leading to the big one, an engaging heroin and queer flavours added here and there. All in all, not revolutionary, but entertaining.

Céline Minard: Le dernier monde (French language, 2009) 4 stars

Cosmonaute, Jaume Roiq Stevens accomplit diverses missions dans une station spatiale en orbite autour de …

Un roman inclassable

4 stars

Un roman en forme de WTF frénétique, improbable, brillant, traversé d'un humour subtil, sans doute moins accessible que les autres romans de l'autrice.

Alex White: A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe (Paperback, 2018, Orbit) 3 stars

Furious and fun, the first book in this bold, new science fiction adventure series follows …

A weird mix of space opera and magic

3 stars

I wasn't sure what to expect, but the mix of classic space opera and magic was weird. There were fun moments, some action and a few relatable characters, but the worldbuilding was lacking (when you can't say for sure if a place is a planet or a city at the end of a book, maybe something is missing). Some characters were flat, and it also felt like there were discrepancies, notably with the vilain(s), their goal and motivation.

J. S. Dewes: The Last Watch (Paperback, 2021, Tor Books) 4 stars

The Divide.

It’s the edge of the universe.

Now it’s collapsing—and taking everyone and everything …

Not a bad space opera, but...

4 stars

There are a few interesting elements in this classic premise of "a bunch of different people are stuck at the edge of the universe and must save it", and while the worldbuilding and powers at play aren't bad at all, there's just something missing. It isn't badly written either (although writers need to ban the words groaning/grunting forever), but again, it isn't very special. Not sure I'll dig in the second volume.

reviewed Paname Underground by Johann Zarca

Johann Zarca: Paname Underground (Paperback, Français language, Goutte d'Or) 3 stars

Où s’arrête le réel, où commence la fiction ? Zarca raconte les coulisses du guide …

Virée underground qui reste en surface

3 stars

Je voulais lire un livre qui parle de Paris mais pas de St Germain des Prés et effectivement... Il y a le côté authentique de l'auteur, son maniement de l'argot et le goût de l'expérience vécue. Mais le trash fait aussi un peu épate-bourgeois.