35. Network Effect by Martha Wells

After a side route down classical literature, I jumped back into the Murderbot Diaries. My plan was to read them straight through, but then I got the publishing curve ball that Network Effect takes place chronologically between Fugitive Telemetry and System Collapse (which are both together in The Murderbot Diaries vol 3!).  So I had to scramble to find Network Effect, which I'd been planning to buy  later.  It wasn't available at any of the independent or chain bookstores in Montreal.  On a whim, I thought I'd check out the new genre bookstore that I had passed on St-Laurent when it was being renovated.  I was quite unsure of the concept yet hopeful.  Well it turned out that it was open and while no used books was definitely a real nerd genre bookstore, in both languages!  And not only did they have multiple copies of Network Effect but the guy at the counter had read and loved them all and we had a nice nerdy back and forth.  Beings, I present to you Joie de Livres.  Go and consume there.

I am happy to say that Network Effect continues all the great elements of the previous Murderbot books:  awesome sci-fi physical and computer action, hilarious techno-neurodivergent yet overly-emotional and sensitive Murderbot commentary on stupid humans (I love the "privacy blah blah blah" line), super cool space setting with evil corporations and mellow hippy planets thwarting them.  And all this goodness in full novel length!

This time, Murderbot is out with a scientific team from Preservation (including Amena, Dr. Mensah's adolescent daughter) when they get raided by a tougher yet weirdly more primitive transport ship that turns out to be ART, Murderbot's old transport bot/secretly super powerful research AI friend that has somehow been deleted and taken over by these weirdly grey humanoids.  Murderbot gets most of the crew off and seemingly saved except for Amena and the two of them get sucked into a wormhole that leads to an abandoned colony planet and a fun mystery.  This narrative has two main themes that keep you turning the pages:  Murderbot needing to save both him and ART's crew while dealing with a corporate that wants to claim the colony and figuring out the mystery of who these gray people are and how could they have taken over ART with some weird mold.

The climax is really cool as we get not only another SecUnit involved, but also a copy of Murderbot in software form only and the three of them work together with ART.  It's complex and fun and also allows Murderbot to get all in huff constantly because he can't deal with his emotions.  I'm turning into one of those fans who will be demanding more when I finish the last book.

34. The Odyssey by Homer (translation and forward by Daniel Mendelsohn)

Years, actually decades ago now, I drove solo from New York City to Golden, B.C.  in a 1993 Nissan pick-up.  I would have made record time if not for the shit birds at Canada Customs who blocked me at the border on a threat (I didn't have proof of insurance in Canada for the truck so the RCMP would pull me over as soon as I crossed the border; a total fucking lie by a power-tripping junior border guard in training but forced me to spend the night and get a fax of the paperwork).  A friend lent me the books on tape (on cassette) of the complete Odyssey for the trip.  I'm ashamed to say that I can't remember who did the reading nor the translation, though pretty sure it was the Lattimore.  I was a bit skeptical but the friend assured me it would be entertaining.  He was totally right, it kept me cruising for two of the three days on the road and had me screaming and pumping my fist in the air at the climax when Odysseus finally lets that second arrow fly.

So I was quite excited when I heard about this new translation, to the point where I once again went against my own rule and bought a new book while my on-deck shelf is full (been doing this a lot this year).  My plan was to take it on our summer trip to Vancouver, both to have as a beach read but also to get in on that Hot Guys Reading Instagram trend. I carried and read it ostentatiously on the plane to absolutely zero effect or reaction.  None on the beach either.  Hey, I tried!

My experience was similar actually reading it.  The Odyssey is a narrative the keeps moving forward. It twists and turns at times and has stylistic repetitions and phrases that tend to keep the modern reader from fully falling into the story.  Despite that, you get caught up in it and it becomes very easy to read.  The primary emotional driver is much more the suitors storyline then Odysseus' actual journey (all the cool parts are actually told in flashback).  Those guys are the worst and the epic draws out there shittiness to the breaking point before you finally get the relief of revenge.  This really is the ur-text of revenge that dominates so much of masculine fiction.  Bad guys threaten my family/home but I can't get to them yet...  There are several side narratives that bolster your emotional connection:  Telemakos learning to stand up for himself, Odysseus' super-loyal swineherd, the faithful older maid who reveals the betraying slut maids (this one is quite rough, actually).  It really is an expertly crafted story that weaves all these elements together into an immensely rich and satisfying tapestry almost equal to something Athena would have crafted (of course, not equal to Athena's level, which is that of a God).

Strongly recommended.  I really do not have the knowledge of Greek mythology nor ancient Greek to comment on the translation but it worked for me!