John Scalzi @scalzi@mastodon.social does a great job with comedy. "Starter Villain" books.mxhdr.net/book/70144/s/starter-villain was lots of fun. Hopefully this will be too.
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Mark Crocker wants to read When the Moon hits your Eye by John Scalzi
Mark Crocker reviewed Picks and Shovels by Cory Doctorow
Second favorite Martin Hench Novel
3 stars
Not as action packed as "Red Team Blues" books.mxhdr.net/book/57183 , but definitely better than "The Bezzle" books.mxhdr.net/book/84803 , "Picks and Shovels" rounds out the "Martin Hench" series, nicely wrapping up his back story with plenty of nostalgia and more harrowing examples of financial, and other, malfeasance.
The story does kind of drag on the buildup to the climax, which is kind of the opposite of what I normally expect in a climax, but at least it didn't tire me out with a long litany of indignities like "The Bezzle". Also in standard Cory Doctorow fashion, nothing is ever pat, so don't expect too much of a cheap vicarious righteous indignation high. Cory don't play that game. Realism has a price 😉
Mark Crocker rated Red Team Blues: 4 stars

Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow
Martin Hench is 67 years old, single, and successful in a career stretching back to the beginnings of Silicon Valley. …
Mark Crocker finished reading Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow
Mark Crocker finished reading Picks and Shovels by Cory Doctorow
More of a slog than I expected. I set it aside at 90% to start "Do You Dream of Terra-Two?" books.mxhdr.net/book/32858 and later start to reread "Permutation City" books.mxhdr.net/book/3735 before resuming and finishing.

Falko rated This Is How You Lose the Time War: 5 stars

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone
Two time-traveling agents from warring futures, working their way through the past, begin to exchange letters—and fall in love in …
Mark Crocker started reading Permutation City by Greg Egan
Mark Crocker started reading Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh
Most imaginative over the top, and wildly fun
5 stars
This is one or the most imaginative stories I've ever read in a genre known for imagination. It's also over the top and a wild ride. There's nothing formulaic here and it will keep you guessing.
As a big fan of hard science fiction, this doesn't explain any of the time travel, or technology, which is somewhat disappointing.
On the other hand it has a very different style and a frantic energy. I'm not a fan of romance, but it has a sincerity that makes me really root for them.
Mark Crocker finished reading This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
Mark Crocker reviewed Tear Tracks by Malka Older
A different take on first contact
4 stars
A nice, short, first contact story with interesting characters who are different because it's the future, discovering just how different aliens can be.
Mark Crocker finished reading Tear Tracks by Malka Older
Mark Crocker reviewed Unexploded Remnants by Elaine Gallagher
A little fun, short read, kind of naive
2 stars
A little different than my typical read. Not hard since fiction. I'm not sure if it's a little naive, or thinking outside the box, but serious suspension of disbelief is required.
Mark Crocker finished reading Unexploded Remnants by Elaine Gallagher

Unexploded Remnants by Elaine Gallagher
Alice is the last human. Street-smart and bad-ass. After discovering what appears to be an A.I. personality in an antique …