Reading Envy 148: Multiple Lives with Jeff Koeppen

Jeff talks about visiting the actual place where his novels took place, and Jenny discovers Jeff has an entire shelf for a subgenre he's really into. Jenny experiences some weird moments while she's reading weird short stories, and they seem related. We discuss fascinating people and historical fantasy before we're through.

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Books discussed:




The End of Days by Jenny Erpenbeck, translated by Susan Bernofsky
After the Quake: Stories by Haruki Murakami, translated by Jay Rubin
Grass by Sheri S. Tepper
The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein
Rocket Men by Robert Kurson
The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson


Other mentions:

Grassic Gibbon Centre
Sunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon
Grey Granite by Lewis Grassic Gibbon
Go Went Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Russian Doll (tv show)
The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett
Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson
Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction Bookstore
Apollo 11 (film)
Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson
Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson
The Butterfly Mosque by G. Willow Wilson
The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders
Broken Stars: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction translated by Ken Liu
Mars by Asja Bakic
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Z by Therese Anne Fowler


Related Episodes:

Episode 090 - Reading Envy Readalong: East of Eden with Ellie and Jeff
Episode 093 - Spewing Science with Jeff Koeppen
Episode 099 - Reading Envy Readalong: The Secret History
Episode 116 - Make Margaret Atwood Fiction Again with Jeff Koeppen


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Reading Envy 032: Her Smoke Rose Up Forever

Jenny sits down with Luke Burrage at the Science Fiction Book Review Podcast Pub to discuss one short story collection. This is posted outside of the regular Reading Envy schedule as a bonus episode. And in tribute to Luke's posts, here is an attempt at a book selfie. (It is harder than it looks! I only succeeded in getting my fingers to look like they are going up the cover being's nose.) There is a link to Luke's regular podcast below.

Download or listen via this link: Reading Envy 032: Her Smoke Rose Up Forever

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Featured books:



It all started with an SFF Audio Podcast Readalong that Luke, Scott, and I all participated in. Since then, Her Smoke Rose Up Forever has appeared twice on the Reading Envy Podcast - on the very first episode, where Scott discussed "The Screwfly Solution," and then again on Episode 002, because I had gone back and read the rest of the collection. Luke went back and read the rest of the stories more recently, and asked if I would discuss it with him on his podcast. I agreed and thought I'd crosspost the episode here as well. 

Sometimes, books follow you around for a while. Their words or ideas linger. You don't mind reading them again. James Tiptree, Jr (AKA Alice Sheldon) is simply one of those authors. Whether you come at her from a science fiction perspective or a feminism perspective, I think you will find something of interest. Please listen to our discussion for more on the stories in this collection.

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The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord

The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Why I read it: I enjoyed her last book, and jumped at the chance to read this before it came out through NetGalley.

I do not give out five stars lightly, but there are several reasons why I think Karen Lord's novel deserves it. This is pure science fiction, which was a surprise after reading her previous novel, Redemption in Indigo, which while enjoyable was a retold myth or fable. Since Karen Lord is one of three Caribbean authors writing in science fiction and fantasy, I have been looking forward to seeing what she would do next.

I have reamed novels set in space when they trade scientific description for unrealistic character portrayals. I would say that creating nuanced and interesting alien races is her strength. It isn't all science, as all the races have a slightly vague, mythological history. Are the Caretakers real? What is the connection between Terrans and the Sadiri?

The two main characters are Dllenahkh, who is in charge of Sadiri refugees, and Delarua, who accompanies him on a mission because of her scientific and language ability. Karen Lord was inspired by the statistics of how many more women than men were killed in the 2004 tsunami, and applies that idea to the disaster that makes the Sardiri into refugees. To further their culture, they have to go look for societies that may have ancient connections to their own, little pockets of taSadiri throughout the universe. Because of this, the author explores genetic mutation between alien races, and what remains of an original culture.

I felt the alien races were well-developed, and I liked the concepts of Sadiri communication, and the examples of people who have abused their natural abilities. There is a good balance of interpersonal conflict alongside broader issues. I feel like anyone who likes Melville's Embassytown because of the anthropological challenges but prefers their novels to be more readable, and anyone who enjoys the space novels of Ursula K. Le Guin, will connect with this novel.

Highly recommended.

View all my reviews