#SciFi Worth Reading: To be Taught, if Fortunate #BookReview

Book Review, Science Fiction Books, Space Opera / /

What’s out there? To be Taught, if Fortunate by Becky Chambers explores four worlds. Exploring other worlds is one of my favorite parts of science fiction, and this story certainly delivered.

The worlds are experienced by the four crew members of a ship launched at the turn of the 22nd century. Ariadne O’Neill is physically and mentally transformed with the exploration of each planet.

Wanting to know what would be found next, I eagerly kept returning to this book. Very well written, it was easy to immerse myself in the story and see the worlds as Ariadne did. How she and the others reacted to their novel experiences seemed real. It was emotional and enjoyable to travel the galaxy with Ariadne and her three crewmates. I highly recommend this book.

 

At the turn of the twenty-second century, scientists make a breakthrough in human spaceflight. Through a revolutionary method known as somaforming, astronauts can survive in hostile environments off Earth using synthetic biological supplementations. They can produce antifreeze in subzero temperatures, absorb radiation and convert it for food, and conveniently adjust to the pull of different gravitational forces. With the fragility of the body no longer a limiting factor, human beings are at last able to journey to neighboring exoplanets long known to harbor life.

A team of these explorers, Ariadne O’Neill and her three crewmates, are hard at work in a planetary system fifteen light-years from Sol, on a mission to ecologically survey four habitable worlds. But as Ariadne shifts through both form and time, the culture back on Earth has also been transformed. Faced with the possibility of returning to a planet that has forgotten those who have left, Ariadne begins to chronicle the story of the wonders and dangers of her mission, in the hope that someone back home might still be listening.

 

 

 

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#Paranormal Investigation: An Awesome Experience

Oregon, Weird and Wonderful / /

 

hunting ghosts

Recently, I went on a ghost hunt at a cemetery near the Haystack Reservoir on Powell Butte (near Madras, Oregon).

 

For the most part, it was peaceful and serene, not scary at all, not even the howls of the nearby coyotes.

 

We strolled around the graves, stopping periodically to ask questions, letting our recorders pick up possible answers. Then we split up into smaller groups. That’s when things became more interesting. Husband Unit, Brian and I went to the back corner by this tree.

 

If everyone stood still, it was quiet enough to hear the Earth hum. Our planet does make a sound, a constant, soothing buzz.

Then I heard a thump like someone knocking on a gravestone, and very soft pings as if someone tread on tiptoes on the dirt road, disturbing only the smallest of pebbles. I also thought I saw a light move toward me on the ground. But was it? I could easily pass it off as my eyes playing tricks on me. Brian heard a growl. Husband Unit claimed something tugged softly on his shirt.

Ooo! Real ghost adventures.

ghost investigation

The one gal is a medium and says she was scratched. She did have scratch marks on her shoulder.

At any rate, it was a fun night, and I’ll definitely go out with the crew again.

This is the most interesting photo I captured. Several think it’s two ghosts standing by the graves. I think it’s just the tree. It certainly does look like people standing there, though. What do you think?

ghost

Here’s a photo of the same tree taken a week later by the same camera (sans me – I was home working). The crew repeated their visit to debunk the above photo.

 

 

Finding any evidence is exciting. I wonder, are those who left us in a different dimension? Is that why we have such difficulty communicating? If they exist at a higher dimension than we do, we would only catch snippets and not see the whole picture.

Anyway, it fascinates me. Have you ever gone on a ghost hunt?

 

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It’s October. You Need Monsters. Get them for only #99cents #Fantasy

Science Fiction Books / /

To celebrate the wonderful month of October, The Rifters Box Set is on sale all month for only 99 cents!

Rifters box set sale

RIFTERS BOX SET

 

A monstrous secret hides in the backwoods of a remote western town—a portal connecting our world to forty-two other universes. The visitors—most would call them terrifying—often have devastating effects. Their destruction hasn’t been intentional… until lately. The usual band of protectors, The Rifters, defend us with daring and weapons built from coils, gears, and crystals, which is no longer enough. Earth’s survival depends on an outlaw from 1888 and a librarian with a knack for ghosts.

The Rifters Box Collection includes: The Rifters, The Initiate, and The Reader.

 

 

 

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#SciFi Worth Reading: The Outside #BookReview

Book Review, Science Fiction Books, Space Opera / /

What is real? The Outside by Ada Hoffman explores this question in a story that is often beautiful and haunting.

The main character is a scientist and not very good with gods. Yasira Shien invents a new type of reactor, andshe has a bad feeling about turning it on; feelings in tune with ‘Outside’.

Outside enters her life, and in order to fight the heretic invasion, she must work with the gods. The person manifesting the Outside is Yasira’s mentor from grad school.  Yasira may be the only one who can find and stop her mentor from unraveling reality.

The story isn’t scary, but I found the way it was written often haunting. There was an ache and a need underlying the story, and I kept reading to find out more about Yasira’s universe and outside. The characters and plot were easy to fall into, and there was much to discover and learn. The characters were often in conflict, and yet each had endearing qualities. I wondered if they could all succeed, so kept turning the pages. Returning to the world Hoffman created each day was such a treat.

The setting was fantastic and the descriptions of ‘Outside’ were marvelous. I would definitely ready more by this author. I highly recommend this book.

 

Humanity’s super-intelligent AI Gods brutally punish breaches in reality, as one young scientist discovers, in this intense and brilliant space opera.

Autistic scientist Yasira Shien has developed a radical new energy drive that could change the future of humanity. But when she activates it, reality warps, destroying the space station and everyone aboard. The AI Gods who rule the galaxy declare her work heretical, and Yasira is abducted by their agents. Instead of simply executing her, they offer mercy – if she’ll help them hunt down a bigger target: her own mysterious, vanished mentor. With her homeworld’s fate in the balance, Yasira must choose who to trust: the gods and their ruthless post-human angels, or the rebel scientist whose unorthodox mathematics could turn her world inside out. 

 

 

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