Dragons & Jetpacks: Books of the Month, December 2016

Dragons & Jetpacks is a science fiction and fantasy bookgroup, based on Goodreads. The group is open to all, all that is required is a Goodreads account. We read two books a month, one fantasy and one sci-fi – the second week of each month is when members make suggestions, and the third is used for voting. We’re always happy to meet fellow fans of the genres, so you’re more than welcome to join the group!

Goodreads

The Left Hand of Darkness tells the story of a lone human emissary to Winter, an alien world whose inhabitants can choose -and change – their gender. His goal is to facilitate Winter’s inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely dissimilar culture that he encounters.

Goodreads

Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. Yet Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live.

When Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he’s willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.

Have you read either of this month’s picks? What did you think?

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Weekly Roundup #8

I’m sorry that this is a day late, I was working until late yesterday so just didn’t get round to posting! 

 

My ‘Weekly Roundup’ is where I share the books I have received in the past week, whether bought, gifted, borrowed etc. 

 

 

Bought

• The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin – After reading some reviews of Ursula K. Le Guin’s sci-fi work, I decided to give some a try, and found this one for 50p in a charity shop. It’s a pretty well loved copy!
• The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie –  this series has been on my ‘to read’ list for a while, and I found the entire trilogy for 50p each. The only thing that bugs me is that the second book is a different edition, and size, to the other two. But when I paid £1.50 for the set I can’t really complain!
• The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King – Since reading Kelly’s review of Salem’s Lot, and realising that the only Stephen King books that I’ve read are The Shining and Carrie, I thought maybe I should try some more of his stuff. I spotted this one in the charity shop – I didn’t realise he’d written any fantasy.
• Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs – My interest in this series peaked during the Cheltenham Literature Festival, which I worked at for the first two weeks of October. I was drawn to Kathy Reichs’ books, and also got to see her do a signing. I was looking out for the series and managed to find the first book in the first charity shop I checked, for £1!
• Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson – a sci-fi classic, winner of a Nebula award, and I’ve heard a lot of good things about it. And only 50p.

And this is why I love charity shops. I spent a grand total of £4 on seven books!

 

What have you received this week? Have you read any of these?