"Myriad" by Joshua David Bellin

I always find stories involving time travel an enjoyable challenge. It is always interesting to see how the author handles the potential for paradoxes, as characters travel back and potentially change the course of history. Myriad doesn’t disappoint in this regard, with the rules and consequences of time travel slowly revealed as the plot progresses.

This is a plot driven book, and the action keeps up at a good pace, while the central mystery of who is pulling the strings remains a compelling thread throughout the story.

The title character, Myriad, is likeable enough, but I didn’t find the characterisation particularly deep or moving - which is a shame, given the importance of the relationship with her brother and mother.

And, while this is a book about time travel, I found some of the rules and consequences of time travel inadequately explored or explained - and this was a shame, as the book has an interesting perspective on some of the rules and consequences of time travel that I hadn’t previously come across.

While these issues prevented me from giving a higher rating, they did not stop Myriad from being an enjoyable read, and the final reveal and conclusion I found satisfying.

Thank you #NetGalley and Angry Robot for the free review copy of #Myriad in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

NetGalley Review

"When the Dust Settles: Stories of Love, Loss and Hope from an Expert in Disaster" by Lucy Easthope

This book is absolutely compelling, and I finished it within 24 hours. Lucy Easthope writes with such warmth and humanity, while tackling death and loss in high profile disasters that I was already familiar with. The importance of expertise such that Lucy has in disaster recovery is so clearly communicated - and is something I hadn't previously considered. I suppose it's unsurprising that I hadn't considered this before, given the uphill struggle that Lucy describes in the book time and time again, as she tries to put processes and procedures in place in government, and other official contexts, that will ease the lives of victims friends, families and communities for years to come. It is heartbreaking towards the end of the book to see that some of the progress that Lucy made earlier in her career has been eroded by cuts from successive governments - but Lucy's warmth and hope shine through, throughout the book. Thoroughly recommended.

My rating: ★★★★★

"Shy" by Max Porter

Max Porter's books defy easy description. This book is beatiful. It is poetic. It is an evocative word picture, painted with strokes that are sometimes broad and sometimes detailed. It moves effortlessly from general to specific, from abstract to concrete and precise. The richly detailed world of the disturbed boy, Shy, emerges from the page, and slowly coalesces into something real and unforgettable. It is moving and deeply poignant.

As with Max Porter's other work, it really needs to be read in a single sitting. And the unconventional style means that this book probably isn't for everyone. But I loved it.

My rating: ★★★★★

"Red Team Blues" (Martin Hench #1) by Cory Doctorow

Red Team Blues is a plot-driven detective story told in Cory Doctorow’s distinctive style of high tech internet sub-culture.

The main character of Marty Hench is engaging, and the plot clips along at a good pace, with a good supporting cast of characters. I genuinely wanted to know how everything turned out, and cared about the fate of Hench and his friends.

Doctorow manages to keep the writing accessible and engaging, while also talking about some quite complex technology (in this case cryptocurrency and blockchain). This is done in a way that effectively illustrates how immersed the characters are in this high tech world, without spoon feeding the reader with explanations and exposition that might get in the way of that momentum of the plot - there is just enough explanation to support the narrative and the important aspects of the plot.

While the plot does carry you along, I couldn’t help feeling there was a lack of depth in both the main arc of the plot, and some of the characters. For me, many of the supporting characters were a little too similar, and their personalities not explored or differentiated enough. This didn’t spoil what was a fun and engaging read, but did prevent me from giving a higher rating.

Thank you #NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the free review copy of #RedTeamBlues in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

NetGalley Review

"A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman

A Man Called Ove is about loss and powerlessness. It is told through the eyes of a man who has the characteristics of an outsider, but is also at the heart of a small closely knit community revolving around the street where he lives.

Ove is superficially not a likeable man - and this makes it difficult to initially engage with him as a character. Some of the early chapters came across as a caricature of a grumpy old man - although this was probably the point (I was reminded of the children’s book character Mr Gum).

But soon the experiences and situations that have shaped his life, and how those mesh with his uniquely precise and determined personality, start to add colour and sympathy, and I slowly came to care more deeply about Ove throughout the story.

One of the messages of the book seems to be that we may all know someone who appears grumpy and intransigent, but that looking beneath the surface might reveal someone with love and integrity. And this was well achieved.

I’m not sure that I fully understood the love that Ove’s wife undoubtedly had for him. Nor did I find the cat especially believable. But these are minor points, and didn’t undermine my enjoyment of what was a very warm and engaging read.

My rating: ★★★★☆