Fiction
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Another fun Sanderson read. He’s very adept at crafting magic systems and mixing them with his environment. Warbreaker follows the adventures of sisters Vivenna and Siri as they’re hurtled into a new culture and attempt to prevent war on their own people. Along the way, they learn about the magic from BioChroma, and a world of gods.
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
I loved this deep future sci-fi. Chambers does a fantastic job imagining and documenting the different cultures of multiple intelligent species and the awkward difficulties of intermingling. This adventure follows Rosemary as she joins the crew of the Wayfarer, an aging interplanetary ship that tunnels wormholes. Great characters and a compelling story line. The first in a series.
Shades of Grey and Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde
I first read Shades of Grey around 10 years ago; well before I started writing these blog posts. I don’t remember who recommended it to me (if you’re reading this, remind me!), but it contained a dystopian world full of mysteries and unanswered questions. As the years went by, it felt destined to be yet another great sci-fi/fantasy series that would remain incomplete. Well, fast forward to 2024, and much to my surprise, a sequel is released! Red Side Story picks up from the moment where Shades of Grey leaves off.
Just like its predecessor, Red Side Story has great writing and an imaginative world where residents live in a caste system based on their limited color perception. There’s a few characters that fall flat for me, but there are several that are really interesting.
Apparently, there is a 3rd book planned in a few years.
Non-fiction
Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software by Charles Petzold
I don’t remember how this book got on my radar, but I really enjoyed about the first third of this book. It covered the history of communication and how certain “codes” work like Braille, Morse Code, and even QR codes. Then it got into the meat of the content: logic gates, telegraphs, and basic circuitry, which was excellent. As the book progressed into more complex circuitry, I personally found it more difficult to follow as a casual reader.
Build, Baby, Build: The Science and Ethics of Housing Regulation by Bryan Caplan
Economist Bryan Caplan teams up illustrator Ady Branzei in this graphic novel to make the case for more housing. As someone who has been in the pro-housing movement for years, I didn’t find anything too surprising in this book. But, it was still an enjoyable read, and I appreciated the effort to give perspectives from different political and philosophical view points. I think this is a great book for those how are curious about our housing shortage, and interested in the pro-housing movement.
A City on Mars by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith
A really in depth look at the challenges that need to be tackled in order to build a sustainable city on Mars. The book covers everything from pregnancy to political challenges, mixed with trademark Weinersmith (author and cartoonist of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal) humor. Somewhat surprisingly, the book is actually pretty pessimistic, about settling Mars in the near term. But, it’s clear from their exhaustive research, that that appears to be the only sensible conclusion. It’s a fantastic, educational, and hilarious read!
Going Infinite by Michael Lewis
This book chronicles Sam Bankman-Fried’s life, then the creation and fall of FTX, the cryptocurrency company he founded. Lewis is an outstanding writer; his work is typically so accessible and fun to read, and this is no exception. Going Infinite supplies a compelling glimpse into SBF’s mind and thought process, and what ultimately went wrong at FTX. I think I preferred Lewis’ other works like Moneyball or the Big Short, but this is still a great read.
Ask Iwata
This is a collection from various “Iwata Asks” interviews done by the late Nintendo CEO, Satoru Iwata. It’s pretty interesting to read his account about his ascent from talented programmer and gamer to talented CEO. The book also includes some glowing accounts from other Nintendo luminaries like Shigeru Miyamoto and Shigesato Itoi. It’s not a particularly long book, but it was a fun read to end the year.