Alternative world (or secondary world) fantasy gets all the attention these days as the quintessential owner of the steepest learning curves, but those expositionary slopes are molehills compared to the mountainous terrain to be conquered in the hardest of science fiction that the genre has to offer, like Garfinkle's All of an Instant.
Lloyd’s Best Books of 2022
Everyone and anyone who does book reviews probably does a similar post around this time, but given my...eclectic reading list, I doubt I need fear redundancy.
Meditations Review
These are not commandments, nor diktats, nor rules for living a stoic life; they present rather as Aurelius' thoughts as he goes through life and seeks to live stoicism.
The Inklings Review
Instead, Inklings is a biography of CS Lewis and Charles Williams, with an emphasis on their respective roles in the Inklings group, especially Lewis, who was arguably the group’s heart.
The Inca Review
I would call Kevin Lane's The Inca a broad overview that is ideal for dipping your toe into the sea of information we have on the Incan Empire.
Kaogong Ji Review
I came across a reference to the Kaogong Ji, also called The Book of Artificers, in a news article associated with the journal Science, and found an online translation of the ancient document therein referenced. It was fascinating.
The Last Raven Review
This was a good book. I have my gripes with it, but the headline is that this is a good book which I enjoyed more than I expected to enjoy it.
Democracy in America Review
Democracy in America, Tocqueville’s nineteenth century commentary inspired by his travels in America and written for his primarily French audience in an attempt to salvage that nation’s struggles with revolution and democracy, is one of those classic works that is referenced over and over in everything from newspaper editorials, to historical essays, to modern, scholarly books.
The King of Elfland’s Daughter Review
Why not simply name the book after her, if she is such an important character, or maybe name it ‘Elfland’s Princess’ or something similar? After reading it, I think you’ll understand why a more direct title is unsuitable for this fairy tale: the titular king of Elfland’s daughter is not so much the protagonist of the story as the catalyst.
The Island of Doctor Moreau Review
If the fantasy genre has its roots in fairy tales and mythology, science fiction birthed from the horror genre in a kind of mutated mitosis. That relationship is on prominent display in HG Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau.
IGC Publishing 