Recently Read - book reviews from The Incomparable: Recent Episodes
The Incomparable
Antony recommends a crime novel that’s already won multiple awards, and which he considers one of the most accomplished debuts he’s read. Antony Johnston.
Erika continues enjoying her reread of the Fallen Blade series. And Blade Reforged is a good jumping-on point! Erika Ensign.
Sometimes entertaining escapism means three short, bloody books about vampires. Erika Ensign.
A beautifully written, complicated queer romance … plus politics … plus a fire elemental. Erika Ensign.
Who would want to jockey against a sea of debutantes to win a marriage to a Duke when there’s a library full of books to be read and plenty of good tea to drink? Erika Ensign.
A post-myth Robin Hood tale that is at turns sad, dark, frightening, and eventually hopeful. With fae and dragons! Erika Ensign.
It’s a book in which nothing much happens, just a bunch of aliens sitting around waiting for the sky to clear. And yet Becky Chambers works her magic on it, and makes it memorable and moving. What a magic trick. Jason Snell.
In anticipation of the upcoming Apple TV+ show, Antony recommends a spy series quite unlike any other. Antony Johnston.
Erika revisits an old favourite and discovers it’s even better the second time! Erika Ensign.
Erika enjoyed a regency-style fantasy novel about war! Who woulda thunk it? Erika Ensign.
This book is (partially) set in Edmonton, which is exciting for Erika. It’s about monsters and friendship and what monsters can do to friendship. Erika Ensign.
A compelling book on a difficult subject, telling the stories of people who lived behind the Berlin Wall and lived in fear of the Stasi. Antony Johnston.
Do you like meta-fictional meditations on the nature of storytelling and Italy? Has Scott got the book for you! Scott McNulty.
Scott hasn’t left his apartment in 4 months, so he decided to read a book about fictional people who had it even worse. Scott McNulty.
Charles Yu has been working in television for awhile, and it isn’t hard to see that (obvious) influence on this novel. Scott McNulty.
Scott finally finished a book by Robert Caro (no, not that one). Scott McNulty.
Need a book to restore your readerly habits? This one worked for Scott! Scott McNulty.
People from an alternate timeline live as refugees in our New York City. It’s full of grief, sadness, frustration, and coincidences. Jason Snell.
Nathan reviews Ben H. Winters’s Underground Airlines, a gripping thriller set in an alternate history that feels too close to our own. Nathan Alderman.
Antony discusses SIX STORIES by Matt Wesolowski, a book tailor-made for podcast listeners. Antony Johnston.
Re-reading the Travis McGee adventure novels of the 60’s and 70’s in the twenty-first century.
The sequel to “Children of Time” does the original one better by adding new planets, new species, and maybe even aliens?
Antony discusses the infamously-not-dead Genesis road manager’s story, finally told in a delightful book.
Erika needed some dragons. She got them. She also got a war. So, swings and roundabouts.
Quinn talks about school closings, civil responsibility, and Eve Ewing’s sociology book “Ghosts in the Schoolyard.”
One million people have read and recommended Educated, but Quinn is here to be number one million and one.
Do you love post-apocalyptic fiction, but for your soul’s sake you need to keep it light? Has Erika got a book for you!
The sequel to Magic, Madness, and Mischief delivers more of what Erika loved about the first book.
Like “Uprooted” before it, “Spinning Silver” is a more modern remix of classic fairy tale and fantasy scenarios. Royal weddings! Ice kings! Just don’t mention Rumpelstiltskin.
Scott doesn’t remember why he had a copy of this book, but finally got around to reading it and enjoyed it!
Quinn got recommended a book by the Chicago Public Library, and now trusts the library completely.
Erika read this middle-grade fantasy both recently and not-so-recently. Turns out re-reading it is just as delightful as the first time through.
Erika went in search of a novel worthy to add to her Hugo nomination list — and she found one!
Monty’s a few years late, but he just got to the second book in Patrick Rothfuss’s Kingkiller Chronicles.
Merry Christmas, readers! For your holiday pleasure, Erika brings you a wacky-yet-dark Christmas mashup. It’s a shortie, so you can read it while your wine is mulling or your chestnuts are roasting.
In which Erika loves “twisted history” and Tansy. Not necessarily in that order. But maybe.
The third book in Becky Chambers’ “Wayfarers” universe — but there’s no need to read either of the other two before diving into this one.
The third book in the “Arcadia Project” series is great, but start with “Borderline” if you haven’t read any of them—and if you’ve read the first two, be sure to bone up before diving in to book three.
A rollicking time-travel adventure featuring an 1870s lawman and a 21st century game developer, lost in time—and on the run from historical danger as well as deadly time police. It’s fun!
If we made flesh and blood versions of fictional characters, would they be “real” people? Antony enjoys some late-night misanthropic philosophy with Al Ewing’s 2013 novel “The Fictional Man.”
“The Ends of the World: Volcanic Apocalypses, Lethal Oceans, and Our Quest to Understand Earth’s Past Mass Extinctions” puts the history of Earth and our role in it in perspective. Too much perspective, probably.
Tina Valentina may not be Lois Lane, but without Lois and Vicki and April and Cat and Trish and so many more, there’d be no Tina. And without Tina, there’d be no Friday. And without Friday, we wouldn’t have this delightful superhero comedy romp. Disclaimer: Erika podcasts with Tansy on Verity!
You probably wouldn’t want to vacation in Summerland, but is “Summerland” worth reading? Find out what Scott thinks.
Antony gives his thoughts on an Incomparable favourite, The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers.
An alt-history space race with commentary on the science and technology successes and cultural failings of the mid-20th century.
Scott is stressed out, so he decided to read about a depressing possible future. What could go wrong?
After seeing the Netflix trailer for the movie that is being made from this book, Kathy was intrigued by such a mouthful of a title and had to read it. Would she recommend it? Listen and find out!
It won the Hugo and Nebula awards for best novella, and Scott McNulty also recommended it. Jason finally read “All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries)”, only to find that the titular Murderbot is not at all what he expected. And do you want to pay novel price for a novella?
Antony discusses his re-read of the classic cyberpunk novel “When Gravity Fails” by George Alec Effinger.
Recording from England, Jason discusses “The Prodigal Tongue: The Love-Hate Relationship Between American and British English” by Lynne Murphy.
Scott read a book, and now he wants to talk about it! That book? “Revenant Gun” by Yoon Ha Lee. What does he have to say about it? Listen to the podcast and find out.