Book Review Archives - Page 3 of 17

Science Fiction Worth Reading: Exile at the Well of Souls by Jack L. Chalker Book Review

Jack L. Chalker’s wild imagination keeps Well World spinning in book two.

I just finished reading Exile at the Well of Souls, the second book in Jack L. Chalker’s Well World series, and it was another brilliantly imaginative adventure. While a few characters from the first book—Vardia and Ortega —make appearances, this story isn’t a continuation of book one. There’s a mention of Nathan Brazil, but the plot centers on Mavra Chang, who’s hired to put a damper on Antor Trelig’s plans. Their actions lead them to Well World where a war breaks out because of their arrival.

As with Midnight at the Well of Souls, the writing is engaging, the pacing is excellent, and the world-building is incredible. Chalker’s imagination is on full display, and the characters are fascinating, each with their own quirks and depth.

That said, I have to admit that the reasoning behind the war didn’t fully click for me. The logic and motivation were thin and could have used more development. But honestly, it’s a minor flaw in a story that is otherwise so entertaining and inventive that it’s easy to forgive.

I’m eager to see what happens next, especially with Mavra Chang and the Zinders. So I’ll be hunting down book three soon. Chalker’s Well World is a delight to explore, and I’m thrilled to continue the journey.

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Book Review: Take a Look at the Five and Dime by Connie Willis

Connie Willis delivers a charming, cozy holiday story with Take a Look at the Five and Dime. Technically, it’s a light sci-fi tale where the flashbulb memory experiment adds a subtle speculative twist. But the real heart of the story is in the characters and their relationships.

Grandma Elving steals the show with her obsessive retelling of a Christmas she spent working at Woolworths. Her family finds it exasperating, but Lassiter, the new boyfriend of Ori’s kind-of-maybe-step-sister, suspects there’s more beneath the surface, perhaps a hidden trauma linked to the memory. This thread of mystery, combined with family quirks and a touch of romance, makes the story warm, funny, and endearingly relatable.

I especially enjoyed how Willis captures the small tensions, joys, and eccentricities of a big family during the holidays. The pacing is gentle, the tone light, and the story is the perfect length to read in one cozy sitting. While the sci-fi is minimal, it doesn’t feel out of place; it just adds a little extra flavor to an otherwise human-centered, festive story.

Take a Look at the Five and Dime is an ideal holiday read if you want something heartwarming, charming, and lightly mysterious. It’s the kind of story that makes you smile at family antics while appreciating the small threads that hold people together, and it’s perfect with a cup of cocoa by the fire.

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Sci-Fi Worth Reading: Extinction by Douglas Preston Book Review

Book Review, Science Fiction Books / M Pax / November 21, 2025

Not Jurassic Park, But Just as Wild.

Extinction lands squarely in Douglas Preston’s wheelhouse: fast-paced, addictive, and crackling with suspense. It grabbed me from chapter one, and I HAD to keep reading and keep reading. The entire plot is one of my favorites with the revival of extinct animals and mysterious deaths. What is eating the people?

The characters kept saying, “This is not Jurassic Park,” and I’ll admit, I was kind of hoping it would be. The setup flirts with that familiar science-run-amok vibe, but Extinction takes a different and unexpected path. While it didn’t deliver exactly what I thought it might, it still paid off with a twist I didn’t see coming. And that’s part of what Preston does best. He lures the reader in with familiar ground, then shifts the landscape.

Relic is one of my all-time favorite reads, and Extinction definitely echoes that in flavor. It blends science, mystery, and tension with that creeping unease Preston builds so well. There’s always something just out of reach, just out of sight, and the more the characters try to uncover it, the higher the stakes become.

The suspense is top-notch, the science fascinating, and the pace relentless. Preston knows how to keep readers hooked.

If you enjoy thrillers that blend cutting-edge science with high-stakes mystery and sharp turns, Extinction is up your alley. Are you a Preston fan?

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Fantasy Worth Reading: Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells

Book Review, Fantasy, Science Fiction Books / M Pax / November 7, 2025

**Book Review: The Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells**

As a devoted fan of Murderbot, I decided to try another of Martha Wells’ books, and I’m glad I did. Wheel of the Infinite shows off Wells’ gift for crafting immersive, layered worlds. I slipped easily into this one, as if I was there, watching the scenes unfold.

The main character, Maskelle, is a force. She’s cranky, complex, and definitely not your typical chosen one. I loved that this wasn’t a predictable fantasy arc. The story swerved in ways I didn’t expect, keeping things fresh.

Wells shifts effortlessly between action and quiet reflection, just like in Murderbot. And while this world is vastly different from her sci-fi work, it shares that same richness of character and depth. The mix of unique magic, religious ritual, and political tension had me turning pages fast.

A great standalone for fans of complex heroines, unexpected twists, and worldbuilding with real depth.

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Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor

Book Review, Science Fiction Books / M Pax / October 24, 2025

Nnedi Okorafor writes beautifully complex stories that don’t always seem complex at first, but as the story unfolds, she layers in issue after issue, challenge after challenge, until you’re swimming in questions about identity, autonomy, authorship, and what it means to truly be yourself.

Death of the Author is no different. The story mirrors itself in fascinating ways. Zelu’s life and the robot’s story are deeply entwined, and by the end, there’s this intriguing metafictional twist: the robot speaks about its main character, Zelu. It raises the question: Did the robot write the Zelu parts? Did Zelu write the robot parts? Or did they both co-create this narrative? It’s meta and kind of mind-bending in a good way.

Zelu is a deeply flawed human who maybe is learning to accept herself. She challenges societal norms, both in her Nigerian community and in broader American culture. The robot, too, is challenging its own world and expectations. Both stories force the reader to confront big questions about identity, voice, and control.

If you’ve liked Okorafor’s other stories, this one will feel familiar in the best way. It’s thoughtful, subtle, layered, and rewarding.

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Midnight at the Well of Souls by Jack L. Chalker

Book Review, Science Fiction Books / M Pax / September 19, 2025

Sci-Fi Worth Reading!

My husband gifted me this book for Valentine’s Day, saying my stories always remind him of Chalker. So he made sure I read some Chalker.

This story is a wild ride from start to finish. Imaginative, creative, and well put together, Well of Souls is interesting, fun, and a page-turner. The stuff Chalker comes up with sometimes is mind-blowing. It’s also well plotted and had me emotionally invested in many of the characters.

I don’t think there was such a thing as a boring scene or chapter in this novel. There were twists and turns everywhere. Definitely my kind of story.

I liked this book so much, I ordered book 2 in the series. And a signed copy! I’m excited.

Plus, I find myself thinking of Chalker when writing. If a scene is boring or too predictable, I pause and wonder, What would Jack L. Chalker do?

If you don’t like the same old, run-of-the-mill story, read Chalker.

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