At the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, the giant wooden front doors swing open to reveal the company’s sprawling, multilevel temple to itself. The space, which contains a cocktail bar, a gift shop, and a bakery in addition to a café, is done up in walnut and leather, with tastefully displayed […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/05/25/the-fight-for-fair-wages-essential-jamie-k-mccallum/
Partially clad in a Baroque façade of glowing cherubs, gods, and lions, Berlin’s Humboldt Forum was conceived as a way to make a shattered city whole. The building is a reconstruction of the Stadtschloss, or City Palace, the main residence of the Hohenzollerns from 1443 to 1918, as they evolved from a family of counts […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/05/25/loot-under-the-lindens-humboldt-forum-berlin/
“Let them eat grass,” said Andrew Myrick, a trader who owned several stores on the Dakota reservations in Minnesota. He was referring to the hungry warriors desperate for the food promised them by the federal government.* It was the summer of 1862, the second year of the Civil War. The Dakota were starving, their children […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/05/25/at-odds-with-two-worlds-the-lost-wife-susanna-moore/
Michael Silverblatt’s voice has been described as “so hypnotic, so compelling, that it apparently has prevented people driving on the LA freeways from committing acts of road rage.” What those drivers are listening to, more likely than not, is Silverblatt in conversation with an author. He hosts Bookworm, a thirty-minute interview program on the Los […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/05/06/the-oracle-of-public-radio/
“It is blind acquiescence to collective madness, the twisted appeal to the common good, that propels citizens into fascism,” writes Jacqueline Rose in the May 11 issue of the Review. Her subject is Good, a 1982 play by C. P. Taylor that was staged at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London last winter. The main […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/05/06/the-superego-of-the-magazines-jacqueline-rose/
Hey sci-fi and space opera fans, Sophia Rose is here with a review of MERU by S.B. Divya. Come see what she has to say about this audiobook narrated by Deepa Samuel. Journey with a lone human determined to show we learn from our mistakes.
Meru
by S.B. Divya
Series: The Alloy Era #1
Narrator: Deepa Samuel
Length: 17 hours 43 minutes
Genres: Space Opera
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Rating: 
Narration: 4 cups Speed: 1.3x
One woman and her pilot are about to change the future of the species in an epic space opera about aspiration, compassion, and redemption by Hugo and Nebula Award finalist S. B. Divya.
For five centuries, human life has been restricted to Earth, while posthuman descendants called alloys freely explore the galaxy. But when the Earthlike planet of Meru is discovered, two unlikely companions venture forth to test the habitability of this unoccupied new world and the future of human-alloy relations.
For Jayanthi, the adopted human child of alloy parents, it’s an opportunity to rectify the ancient reputation of her species as avaricious and destructive, and to give humanity a new place in the universe. For Vaha, Jayanthi’s alloy pilot, it’s a daunting yet irresistible adventure to find success as an individual.
As the journey challenges their resolve in unexpected ways, the two form a bond that only deepens with their time alone on Meru. But how can Jayanthi succeed at freeing humanity from its past when she and Vaha have been set up to fail?
Against all odds, hope is human, too.
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In the far future of earth and space after the Alloy race came along and cleaned up after the mess humans made of things, a lone human is determined to leave her comfortable world to show that humans can learn from their mistakes. Only, someone doesn’t want the human to succeed…
I was eager to snatch up my earbuds for this new to me author, narrator, and space opera world that proved to be as complex, innovative, and imaginative as I could hope for.
Humans mucked up earth and their colonizing of Mars by wasting and wearing out the resources. A race of AI-biological constructs come along and with their advanced knowledge and abilities, fix what humans broke and put the whole race of humans that are still left under sanction and re-educate them as to a better way. Humans are only allowed to live on earth even though the Alloy have spread out through space. Most accept and enjoy being cosseted and pampered by the Alloy, but a growing group of humans want their independence to do any career they wish and travel among the stars to other planets.
One human has the unique upbringing of being the child of Alloy parents who have chosen to live on earth and study humans- a career and living choice not understood or favored by most of their race. The human, Jayanthi, dreams of working in the human-closed career of genetics and traveling to and exploring the newly opened planet of Meru that has similar environmental conditions as earth.
Intrigue abounds with some Alloy and humans backing Jayanthi’s mission and others opposing it. Jayanthi and her sentient ship pilot partner are not aware of the danger when they set out on an already complicated mission.
Meru was fascinating from the very beginning with an introduction to a backdrop and setting that truly felt like it could be the future and an advanced Alloy race that were jarringly alien in thought and action. I love when an author can make their sci-fi world unsettle me and draw me in like this. It took a while to get moving with the pace as there was time needed to paint enough in for listeners to get the picture.
The book is told from alternating narrator viewpoints. Jayanthi, the precocious human with a deliberate genetic anomaly causing the sickle cell trait, and Vaha, a sentient ship Alloy construct with her own need to prove her worth with the mission. Some will find it an odd romantic relationship since these two are totally different in form and race, but this is sci-fi so I could definitely get on board with this working partners, to friends, to lovers and especially since it wasn’t the big focus of the book.
I make it sound exciting and intriguing and it does get there, but this is a gentler space opera, thoughtful, and careful rather than fast blasting action. My interest would wax and wane and there were times I waited for something to happen. There are some moments, when oh boy does the tension ratchet up, too. It is hard science in ways with the genetics study and tech as well as AI-Biological constructs, but it is also a deft handling of people who are both foreign and familiar to us.
Meru wrapped up the main story arc and felt complete while also setting up for more.
Deepa Samuel had a soft almost hypnotic voice. I enjoyed how she made Vaha and other Alloy have alien voices through alternating the rhythm and emphasis of words while making Jayanthi and other humans have distinct voices that helped fill in my imagination about them and the scenes in the book.
All in all, Meru was a stellar sci-fi that left me vested in the series and wanting the next book. Hard sci-fi and space opera fans should definitely consider Meru.
Amazon * | Audible
*kindleunlimited
S.B. Divya (she/any) is a lover of science, math, fiction, and the Oxford comma. She is the Hugo and Nebula nominated author of Meru (2023), Machinehood, Runtime, and Contingency Plans For the Apocalypse and Other Possible Situations. Her short stories have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, and she was the co-editor of Escape Pod, the weekly science fiction podcast, from 2017-2022. Divya holds degrees in Computational Neuroscience and Signal Processing, and she worked for twenty years as an electrical engineer before becoming an author. Born in Pondicherry, India, Divya now resides in Southern California. She enjoys subverting expectations and breaking stereotypes whenever she can.
A storyteller at heart, Deepa Samuel enjoys travel, ethnic cuisine, and delving into other cultures. At home, when she’s not parked in her cozy chair with a cup of Earl Grey (naturally, with real sugar and milk) and a good book, Deepa is content spending time with her family and friends. What better way to spend time with people than to create memories over personal stories. Whether it’s catching up at the latest new Mediterranean restaurant, or cooking up a feast at home with loved ones, laughter (and, perhaps a glass of wine) are simply all she really needs.
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Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2023/05/meru-by-s-b-divya.html
Who really adopts who when a family brings home a new dog? According to the author, Erin L. Neal, it is, in fact, the dog that adopts the family. In the nonfiction children’s book Wild Thing and The Bagel, Erin shares her family’s story about adopting two amazing dogs.
Wild Thing is an energetic chocolate lab that instantly falls in love with his family, especially Brady. They were best friends and loved playing together. However, one day it was time for Brady to go off to school. Wild Thing tried to keep busy protecting Dad while he worked, but he was lonely. So Mom and Dad brought home a new dog that had rescued them. This sweet dog was named The Bagel because she was a basset hound and beagle mix. It took a while, but soon both dogs adjusted to having the other around and learned to play together. They learned to share the family they both love and became best friends.
Wild Thing and The Bagel is a wonderful picture book highlighting some crucial situations families face when adopting an animal. From the seemingly never-ending energy, training them to be good citizens, and dealing with separation anxiety, many things must be considered. Adding a new animal to the family can cause jealousy, and there will be a period of adjustment. This book teaches children about these phases and explains how it is normal. This is a great children’s book to read to kids when families want to get a new pet to help the whole family know what to expect.
Pages: 41 | ASIN : B0BP514VVK
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/05/wild-thing-and-the-bagel/
Larry Lockridge’s The Woman in Green is a captivating and satirical narrative that takes readers on a thrilling journey through academia, history, and science. This tightly-written novel is a true masterpiece that seamlessly weaves together various elements such as genetic re-engineering, deciphering ancient codes and scrolls, and the search for the sacred figurine of the Woman in Green.
The story centers around Sam Coverdale, a wealthy and benevolent man who gathers a group of six individuals at the New Harmony Institute for a massive experiment. Among them are Mary and Percy Schiller, who bear striking similarities to famous literary figures, revolutionary journalist George Gordon, and his daughter Allegra, a TV and communications expert who adores her pet tortoise, Stretch. Together, they embark on a multitude of endeavors while navigating love and lust amidst discussions on history and philosophy.
Lockridge’s novel is a short, quick, and stimulating read that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The narrative is packed with events happening one after another, and the details added are nothing short of astounding. With references to forgotten poet Keats, the dementia vaccine, and the lost plays of Sophocles, readers are sure to pause and re-read said details to fully absorb their implications. The story’s narrator is grumpy and cynical and orders readers of 2050 to look up 2000’s terms in the glossary. This postmodern feel is wonderfully juxtaposed with references to cultural phenomena such as Walt Whitman, postmodernists, and camcorders. This combination leaves the reader feeling as though they are both in the present and the past, making for a truly unique reading experience.
The Woman in Green is part of The Enigma Quartet but can be read as a standalone work. The characters are incredibly human and ridiculous in the vein of Tom Sharpe. The writing style is a mix of ribald and sensitive, reminiscent of Terry Pratchett and Evelyn Waugh. The literary references are spot-on, and the proper use of Latin shows painstaking research or acute familiarity with the language. The illustrations included in the novel are reminiscent of later publications of Enid Blyton, with a childlike quality that adds to the book’s charm.
Overall, The Woman in Green by Larry Lockridge is an engaging read that leaves readers oscillating between a utopian and dystopian setting. This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a well-written, thought-provoking novel.
Pages: 249 | ASIN : B0BQZ65VGY
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/05/the-woman-in-green/
Tales from Brook Meadow: The Tale of the Fallen Eggs follows a group of forest animals who all work together to rescue four missing eggs. What was the inspiration for your story?
The inspiration came from visits to Brook Meadow with my children, teaching them about the wildlife and mother nature. They were just fairy tales on paper for around 13/14 years until a good friend of mine suggested I pursue my authoring. A quick jiggle of words to bring them into the modern day, a call from Little Steps Publishing and ‘Tales From Brook Meadow’ was born.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Caroline Hazell?
I met Caroline by chance at a community gathering. I originally asked here to design something for a business card. I was taken aback by the end result. I asked if she might be interested in illustrating a book. I explained what I was after in terms of illustrations and as it turns out, watercolour is her speciality, Foxes are a big favorite of her’s and it was an ambition of hers to illustrate a book.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
The most important points were for the characters in the book to look exactly as they would in real life for easy recognition for the children, hoping to draw them into nature. The other important point was to have the children learn valuable lessons from the story. I believe that good morals create a firm foundation for children as the grow.
Can you tell us what the second book will be about and when it will be available for fans to purchase?
The second book in the series, ‘The Tale of the Summer Fair’ is out now. The animals of Brook Meadow get into some mischief, but all ends well.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Instagram
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/06/they-were-just-fairy-tales/
If you read one book this week
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