Starting this today on audio. It will definitely be a different kind of military sci-fi from the last two Phule's Company books 🤣🤣
#ClassicLSFBC

59/150 This is the 2nd adventure of the band of misfits and losers known as Phule's Company, although they have become a more cohesive team. Upper command still wants to punish Captain Jester, so he and his team are sent to protect a space station casino from an organized crime takeover. This book isn't laugh out loud funny, but it will make the reader smile at the antics and misadventures of Phule's Company. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

58/150 I would say this is my favorite volume of the Bounty Hunters series so far. The dual storylines come together as Valance leads Imperial forces to Bestine, unaware that his fellow bounty hunters, lead by T'Onga, are also there working for Crimson Dawn. Lots of actions, surprises, betrayals (by the Empire of course) and sad losses. Also, the artwork was very consistent for a change, no big divergence in styles. 4.25/5

72/100 was a good score, it might be higher but there was a couple of movies, like Love Story, that I'm not sure if I actually saw or just heard about.
Favorites:
1. Star Wars (duh!)
2. Superman (still the best Superman movie of all time!)
3. Animal House

#ThreeListThursday @dabbe

Working through most of this readathon, so I'll keep my goals simple.
Start Phule's Paradise
Finish The Whole Art of Detection
Read Star Wars: Bounty Hunters Vol. 6
Good luck to everyone joining in.
#20in4 @Andrew65

57/150 This was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting something much broader, something slapstick. Instead it was a classic underdog story. Captain Jester, as punishment, is put in charge of a company of "misfits and losers" who are the dregs of the Legionnaires. There's plenty of humor in the story, but lots of heart too as Jester builds his team's confidence to make them a real fighting force again. I'm ready to read book 2, Phule's Paradise.

I'm really unhappy I had to DNF this book. I found the subject very interesting, underwater archeology and shipwrecks, but the narrator made it nearly impossible to enjoy. His odd speech pattern sounded very mechanical, like an AI program reading, no tone or inflections. I'm going to seek a printed copy because the writing was interesting and well detailed.

56/150 Of the various Marvel Star Wars titles, I enjoy this one the most. The Bounty Hunters are a mixed bunch of characters, with varying degrees of honor and trustworthiness, from the heroic T'Onga and Valiance to utter scum like Dengar. The artwork varies too much at times, from crude cartoony style to a much more detailed, realistic look. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
56th book finished for #Readaway2024 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65

Originally, I planned to let voting go until the end of the month, but since this is the overwhelming favorite, three times the votes for Deus Irae, I will go ahead and announce that June's selection for #ClassicLSFBC is The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. A copy should be available at most libraries or used book stores. If you have premium subscriptions to Audible or Spotify, it's available on both formats for free.

55/150 If you can get around all the talk of lures (types, materials used, ways of trying them) and fly fishing, there's a nice little mystery here. The who becomes obvious before the end, it's the how and why that is the big reveal. I liked the characters, the flirty banter between the female sheriff and the painter/part-time PI without it ever getting really romantic. This is the first of a series, I might have to check out the rest. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'm done. I read this six years ago, and panned it. I tried to reread it with a fresh attitude, but I still think it's an over hyped mediocre piece of cyberpunk, so I'm bailing at 40%
#ClassicLSFBC #hailthebail

We only had two books nominated for #ClassicLSFBC June reading selection. The Forever War by Joe Haldeman and Deus Irae by Philip K. Dick & Roger Zelazny. Voting starts now until the end of the month. I'm throwing my vote for Deus Irae, but either book would make for interesting reading.
#ClassicLSFBC @Bookwomble @Ruthiella @TheSpineView @BookmarkTavern @wanderinglynn @Readergrrl @Johanna414 @Lizpixie @BookBelle84 @Larkken @julesG

Only 31/100 albums make my list. Most of that comes from the 60's, 70's and 80s, I'm not even sure who some of the later groups and artists were. I would have added a couple more Bowie albums and Night at the Opera by Queen on the list also.
Thank you for the tag @dabbe #ThreeListThursday

54/150 I've always been a big comic book fan, from my first Superman comic when I was 6 years old until now some 54 years later. If you're interested in comics, especially American one, then you'll find this very informative and detailed. I like that the author doesn't just cover DC and Marvel, but he gives equal attention to independent comics, underground comics, newspaper & magazine comic strips, manga, and the new development
⬇️⬇️

53/150 In the aftermath of the War of the Bounty Hunters crossover event, Valance is presumed dead, but he's actually been captured by Vader and forced to once again work for the Empire. The other bounty hunters are on the run from the Crimson Dawn, a criminal syndicate trying to take over the Underworld. The dual storylines work out well, but most of the action is with the bounty hunter as they run and gun, trying to stay ⬇️⬇️

52/150 Taking place after The Empire Strikes Back, the carbonite encased body of Han Solo is stolen from Boba Fett by the criminal syndicate Crimson Dawn. Jabba assumes that Fett has double crossed him, so he puts a huge bounty on Boba Fett's, leading to an all out war among the bounty hunters. Part of the massive crossover with all of Marvel's Star Wars titles, it does lose some context read without the other parts of the story. ⬇️

My friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, while possessed of one of the most vigorous minds of our generation, and while capable of displaying tremendous feats of physical activity when the situation required it, could nevertheless remain in his armchair perfectly motionless longer than any human being I have ever encountered.

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

51/150 While Neuromancer is the better known Gibson book, I found this to be the superior read. Short stories that carry a punch, views of a world full of technological wonders, but Gibson prefers to explore the dark underbelly of that shiny future, what people will give up or become to survive. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
51st book finished for #Readaway2024 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65

1. Fire of Unknown Origin - Blue Oyster Cult (1981)
2. Out of the Blue - Electric Light Orchestra (1977)
3. Super Trouper - ABBA (1980)

Any one of these I could listen to over and over again.
#TLT @dabbe

It's time for nominations for June's #ClassicLSFBC selection. Hopefully, everyone was able to get a copy of May's selection, Snow Crash, and is enjoying it. Nominations will begin today and go on until the 23rd.
I'll start the nominations with my choice, Deus Irae, written by two legends, Philp K. Dick & Roger Zelazny.
@Bookwomble @Ruthiella @TheSpineView @BookmarkTavern @wanderinglynn @Readergrrl @Johanna414 @Lizpixie

For me, it's a tie between Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes and Afternoon Delight by the Starland Vocal Band. Both songs make me want to switch the dial immediately!! Also, Escape is probably the most unrealistic song about infidelity ever written. #tuesdaytunes @TieDyeDude

50/150 To be honest, I don't get the hype surrounding this book. Yes I found the story interesting, and I'm giving it a pick, a low pick, but I don't think it's anything especially ground breaking. I can't imagine I'd make it past the first episode of the TV series. I'll be interested to see what the other members of #LitsySciFiBookClub think, if I'm in the minority on this. 3.25/5. @TheSpineView

Listening to the audiobook of The Three Body Problem for #LitsySciFiBookClub, reading Snow Crash for #ClassicLSFBC and reading Burning Chrome just for myself. 😂
#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

49/150 I haven't seen the TV series yet, so I thought I'd read the graphic novel first. Charles and Edwin are detectives, but also ghosts, which helps in their work as most people don't notice them. They get a case involving missing children, zombie corpses and an immortal madman. It's pretty obvious who the bad guy is, but it's still a fun story. 3 ⭐⭐⭐💫
49th book finished for #Readaway2024 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65

I put the shotgun in an Adidas bag and padded it out with four pairs of tennis socks, not my style at all, but that was what I was aiming for: If they think you're crude, go technical; if they think you're technical, go crude.

From "Johnny Mnemonic"
#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

48/150 I wasn't sure what to make of this at first, but Agnes and her elderly cohorts in crime detection quickly grew on me. The mystery is well done, plenty of misdirection and red herrings to keep the reader guessing until the end. I didn't guess who the killer was, even though it seemed obviously with the reveal. The story drags a little in the middle, but the rousing conclusion makes up for it. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This will be an ultra-rare double reread for me. According to Litsy, I read and panned Snow Crash 6 years ago, but I'm reading it again for #ClassicLSFBC. I don't remember much about it except it was chaotic. I originally read Burning Chrome around '88-'89, so it's been long enough for it to feel new again.

#unpopularopinion A lot of people seemed to enjoy this book, but I'm bailing after 75 pages, past my usual 50 page make or break point. I don't like any of the characters and it's just not keeping my attention.
#hailtothebail

47/150 I'm not sure if giving this 5 🌟 is enough praise for this amazing, exciting, thought provoking, and emotional story. Dead Wake is my favorite Larson book, but this is a close second. Drawing from both the Confederate and Union sides, Larson weaves a thrilling drama of the battle of Fort Sumter, which lead to the American Civil War. Unrealistically, neither side thought it would lead to war, and if it did, it would be short ⬇️⬇️

I ended up with a score of 134/187. I used to be a big movie goer, at least once or twice a week. Then Covid came along, theaters shut down and I got out of the habit. Since 2020 I've seen two movies in the theater (the last Fantastic Beasts movie and Indiana Jones & The Dial of Destiny).
#TLT @dabbe

1. Tagged. It was such a total mindf**k, but I loved it!!
2. Technically it came out on April 30th, but I just started Erik Larson's The Demon of Unrest. I happy to report that its excellent, one of his best books IMHO.
#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView
Wanna play? @audraelizabeth @Buechersuechtling @ReadingIsMyHobby @Onceuponatime @TheBookDream @Daisey @Bookishlie @Sharpeipup @Cuilin @ReadingFeedsTheSoul @Lucy_Anywhere

46/150 I don't read a lot of cozy mysteries, but when I do, I like the ones with a little magic thrown in. I don't want to throw in any spoilers, other than to say the story involves witches, a magic candy store and cursed candy. I appreciate that the romance elements are kept to a minimum, even though there's obvious attraction between the two lead characters. I'm not sure if I'm invested enough to continue the series, but ⬇️

45/150 This was an interesting moment in American history, when the Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev visited the United States, toured the country, was welcomed by Hollywood stars and generally treated like a ally. The book is a bit repetitive, Khrushchev acts the buffoon, then loses his temper and throws a tantrum, apologizes and then it starts again at the next location visited. 3 ⭐⭐⭐💫

I have Saturday and Sunday off before I start a new job that I'm very excited about (salary position, great benefits), so I can get a headstart on this readathon.
Goals:
Finish Cutthroat Cupcakes
Finish K Blows Top
Start Devolution
Start The Demon of Unrest (which I preordered on Audible)
Read several stories out of The Book of Swords
Read as many hours as possible.
Good luck to everyone joining in.
#AwesomeApril @Andrew65

I didn't profile my guests.

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

Almost all of my Spotify is 80s songs, so it's hard to pick 3 favorites, so I just choose the ones that popped into my head first:
1. Don't Answer Me - The Alan Parsons Project
2. Rock This Town - Stray Cats
3. Turning Japanese - The Vapors

Thanks for the tag @Lizpixie
#ThreeListThursday @dabbe

44/150 Multiple deaths and resurrections shouldn't be this amusing, but this book is genuinely funny. Mickey is a great character, who's developed a unique view on life as an expendable, the person who does the dangerous, life ending jobs, knowing he'll be brought back in a new cloned body. Witty and often laugh out loud funny 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
44th book finished for #Readaway2024 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65

43/150 I finished this last night, but I wanted to think about it before posting. Can you describe a book as gentle? If so, then this book is gentle, and so optimistic about humanity and our future in a Galactic community (I see the Star Trek similarities). Enoch is an amazing character, giving up so much, to be the lonely, maybe outcast, keeper of his station. He gives up so much, because he wants so much for mankind. 5 🌟 read #ClassicLSFBC

Through the Dragoncon in Atlanta, and other cons, I've had the pleasure of meeting Kevin J. Anderson, Jim Butcher, Delilah S. Dawson, Keith R.A. DeCandido, John Jackson Miller, Robert J. Sawyer, S.M. Stirling and Timothy Zahn.
I'd like to meet Neil Gaiman and John Scalzi. Also, Erik Larson, Sam Kean and Mary Beard (3 of my favorite non-fiction writers).
#sundayfunday @BookmarkTavern

My goal is to finish both of these by Sunday night. I'm about 1/2 through Mickey 7 and I have about 100 pages left on Way Station. Easy Peasy.
#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

Sorry I'm a couple of days late with the mid-month check-in. Hopefully, everyone was able to get a copy of Way Station, and is either enjoying it now (like myself) or has already finished it. Remember May's reading selection is Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. It's a little more contemporary than the last two books, but it is a classic in the cyberpunk sub-genre of SF.
@Bookwomble @Ruthiella @TheSpineView @BookmarkTavern @wanderinglynn @Readergrrl

Friday was turning out to be a crappy day, but when I got home I had #bookmail, and that made everything alright (at least until tomorrow).
#nevertoomanybooks #neverenoughshelves

One day in 1963, I stopped in a drugstore on my way home from high school (at that point in time, spinner racks full of mass market paperbacks in drugstores were one of the few places in our town where books were available; there was no actual bookstore), and spotted on the rack an anthology called The Unknown, edited by D.R. Bensen.

From the Introduction by Gardner Dozois
#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

1. Maureen O'hara (The Quiet Man is one of my favorite movies of all time, and McClintock is great too!)
2. Sigourney Weaver (Aliens, Ghostbusters, Galaxy Quest, Working Girl, Dave and many more)
3. Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada, Oppenheimer, Mary Poppins, she was even good in Jungle Cruise!!)
#ThreeListThursday @dabbe

42/150 At first, I didn't see how the various character vignettes were going to come together as a story, but as things progressed, the pasts of the staff of the Grand Abeona Hotel and their guests began to intertwine and create a rich tapestry. The ending left me wanting more of these characters, so I hope the author plans to write more books in this universe 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
42nd book finished for #Readaway2024 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65

41/150 When I was reading The Andromeda Strain, it felt like the script to a documentary, very straight forward and just the facts. This felt more like a found footage film, pieces put together after the fact, some speculation on what actually happened. It's still an interesting sequel to the original, although the ending was a bit farfetched. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
41st book finished for #Readaway2024 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65

When it all began again, Paulo Arana would have been bored.

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

40/150 Basic Alien story: isolated colony/research station ✅ colonial marines ✅ evil corporate bureaucrats ✅ and a friggin horde of xenomorphs ✅✅. While this didn't break any new ground story wise, it was still a lot of fun, with plenty of action, gruesome deaths and narrow escapes. 3.75/5
40th book finished for #Readaway2024 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65

Hard to even narrow down to 10, but here goes:
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
The Dark Crystal (1983)
Ghostbusters (1984)
Ladyhawke (1985)
Fright Night (1985)
Highlander (1986)
Aliens (1986)
The Secret of My Success (1987)
Good Morning, Vietnam (1988)

@dabbe #TLT #ThreeListThursday

I have NEVER DNFed a Star Wars book, but after 25%, I could tell this wasn't something I wanted to continue. On to better things.