Month: June 2022

Science of the Magical: From the Holy Grail to Love Potions to Superpowers by Matt Kaplan

Science of the Magical: From the Holy Grail to Love Potions to Superpowers by Matt Kaplan

“Does knowing how something magical works make it into something other than magic?” pg 7

In Science of the Magical, science correspondent Matt Kaplan examines phenomena from prophecy to immortality and more, seeking the science behind the magic. The result is a compelling look at life and humanity’s beliefs around such things.

“Our ancestors had a magical worldview. … For the Viking berserkers, no biochemistry was behind their rage; Odin was casting a spell. For pilgrims visiting the oracle at Delhi, no ethylene vapors were creeping up the fault below the temple; the spirit of Apollo was coming to force the priestess to speak with his voice.” pg 212

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You would think these activities would lose their magical feeling under Kaplan’s microscope, but the opposite is true. I felt more wonder learning the studies about Buddhist monks who can sit wrapped in wet sheets and not freeze or the symbiotic relationship between ravens and wolves, which was immortalized in the stories about Odin.

“… Dr. Stahler suspects that because wolf kills are considerably larger than those made by coyotes, the birds have more food to feed on. The ravens seem to have the ability to differentiate between the animals and selectively follow only wolves.” pg 102

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Though I knew some of what Kaplan reports in these pages, other ideas were totally new to me. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy non-fiction.

Thanks for reading!

How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It (The Siege #2) by K.J. Parker

How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It (The Siege #2) by K.J. Parker

“… what the people want is something that looks at first sight like real life, but which actually turns out to be a fairy tale with virtue triumphant, evil utterly vanquished, a positive, uplifting message, a gutsy, kick-ass female lead and, if at all possible, unicorns.” pg 11, ebook

K.J. Parker (pen name for Tom Holt) gives readers all of that in this book – sorry, minus the unicorns.

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The city has been under siege for decades. Readers are given the history of all that in the last book.

In this entry in the series, it is all about surviving and keeping hope alive against unbelievable odds. The enemy outside the gates outnumbers the survivors in the city by thousands. What hope can be had?

Enter Notker, a professional actor who, among other things, excels at mimicking city leaders.

“Accordingly, the death of Lysimachus – if true – was a devastating blow to me personally, purely because imitating him accounted for something like forty per cent of my income. Sure, you can still imitate people after they’re dead, but there just isn’t the same demand.” pg 24, ebook

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When Notker gets pulled into government, he shows an unexpected talent for keeping the city’s hopes alive. It is a delight finding out how he does all of it, so I won’t spoil it for you.

You don’t have to have read the first book in the series to appreciate this one. (I read the first months ago and didn’t really remember much of it.) But I imagine if you read them back to back, you’ll find some hidden gems tying the two books together.

“If you stopped to think about it you’d never do it, so don’t stop and think.” pg 98, ebook

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The most interesting character in the book is a tie between Notker and Hodda (the female lead, so to speak). Both develop as the story goes along in predictable and unpredictable ways. I loved every twist as the characters fought for their survival.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It is a cross between historical fiction and something that feels like a Shakespearean play. Highly recommended.

Old Man’s War (Old Man’s War, #1) by John Scalzi

Old Man’s War (Old Man’s War, #1) by John Scalzi

In Old Man’s War, humanity has gone to the stars, and it’s a jungle out there. For the people on Earth, life and death continues as it always has. Out in space, it’s a whole different story…

I really enjoyed this book. After recently reading and being disappointed by John Scalzi’s The Kaiju Preservation Society, a friend recommended I give this series a try.

It is a fast-moving, action-packed book full of fascinating aliens and small (sometimes large) windows into the human condition.

I read it in two days – that’s how good it is.

A couple times, I felt like the narration was bogged down by scientific jargon. But for the most part, I loved it.

Highly recommended for science fiction readers.

WebMage (Webmage #1, Ravirn #1) by Kelly McCullough

WebMage (Webmage #1, Ravirn #1) by Kelly McCullough

“I’m a thoroughly modern sorcerer, a code-warrior, a programmer. I’m not a classical magician. I hate the old ways. They’re painful, inefficient, and hideously dangerous.” pg 81, ebook

Ravirn uses magic like programmers use code- it’s a unique magic system and author Kelly McCullough should be very proud for coming up with it. I loved that part of the story.

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The wizard’s minions act like computer programs and execute directives given to them. They’re curious creatures, full of attitude and spunk. The closest comparison that immediately pops into my mind is Harry Dresden’s skull- Bob.

But unlike Dresden, Ravirn’s magic is coded and can be bugged. So when one of the Fates comes to him with an idea of how to change reality through a particularly nasty computer program, his adventure truly begins.

“Life with you is always interesting. I don’t know what I’d do for entertainment without the chaos that follows in your wake.” pg 196, ebook

This story is action from the beginning. One event after another spins our hero in circles. I could have used a few breaks from the action myself, but readers who crave that sort of thing may really like this one.

I keep going back to the Dresden Files as a comparison for this story and I think it’s apt. We have a love interest, minions (as I mentioned), magic and a dry sense of humor that seeps out of the story. Recommended for fans of those books as well as general fantasy readers.

Thanks for reading!