José Saramago's “Blindness” is a harrowing exploration of humanity stripped bare. The novel’s premise—a sudden, inexplicable wave of blindness—is a chilling backdrop for a descent into a Hobbesian world of survival and savagery.
All tagged scifi
Beautyland – Marie-Helene Bertino
My enjoyment of the novel fully hinged on Adina being a true alien. When Bertino made me question this fact, everything that preceded the reveal felt tawdry. While others seem to enjoy this, it ruined an already mediocre story for me.
Starter Villain – John Scalzi
Expectation: A straight-forward espionage thriller about a man inheriting his uncle’s dirty deeds.
Reality: An outlandish, action-packed sci-fi comedy that won me over with talking animals and some solid social commentary.
The Wishing Pool and Other Stories – Tananarive Due
Expectation: Stories to chill-the-bones from a noted voice in the Black horror genre.
Reality: Interesting scenarios and characters are largely overshadowed by ancillary details and incomplete endings.
Replay – Ken Grimwood
Expectation: An exploration of second chances and following your passion.
Reality: A completely underrated, highly influential novel that introduces a wealth of ideas about regret and happiness.
Kindred – Octavia E. Butler
Expectation: A science fiction/horror classic with historical elements.
Reality: A no holds barred exploration of the horrors of slavery through the lens of 20th century sensibility. It was devastating and utterly engrossing.
Upgrade – Blake Crouch
Expectation: A science fiction bro-fest with predictable and outlandish plots.
Reality: More political and emotional than anticipated, it reminded me of a 1980s action film — over-the-top and ridiculous but a ton of fun.
Sharks in the Time of Saviors – Kawai Strong Washburn
Expectation: A quasi-scifi family drama about carrying the weight of your family’s hopes and dreams.
Reality: A strong first half was ruined by a mid-point plot twist that rendered the rest of the novel far less interesting.
Sea of Tranquility – Emily St. John Mandel
Expectation: Highbrow science fiction.
Reality: Science fiction almost takes a backseat to this moving examination of relationships and fate.
Comfort Me With Apples – Catherynne M. Valente
Expectation: A modern retelling of “The Stepford Wives” for the #MeToo era.
Reality: Definitely not what I expected but, in the best, most WTF ways.
To Paradise – Hanya Yanagihara
Expectation: A richly drawn character study that brings the tears.
Reality: The epitome of a character-driven story that lacks the emotional heft of Yanagihara’s “A Little Life” but is still an exceptional work of fiction.
Several People Are Typing – Calvin Kasulke
Expectation: A quirky workplace comedy.
Reality: A funny, thought-provoking satire that nailed corporate/creative agency absurdities. It also had an understated M/M love story.
Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir
Expectation: A science fiction snooze-fest.
Reality: A surprisingly funny and touching story about second chances and building community.
Just After Sunset – Stephen King
Expectation: A scattershot collection of stories from King’s uneven period of the mid-aughts.
Reality: A completely passable and often entertaining collection that bring forward some classic, and previously unpublished stories, and set the groundwork for some of his later works.
Klara and the Sun – Kazuo Ishiguro
Expectation: A heartfelt story about forming connection.
Reality: A solid first half is squandered by several convoluted plot twists that put Klara in the backseat.
Nothing to See Here – Kevin Wilson
Expectation: A kooky, scifi comedy with political themes and “After School Special” lessons on tolerance and second chances.
Reality: Funnier than expected with a fair amount of heart, it’s mostly feel-good plot starts to fall apart near the end.
The Midnight Library – Matt Haig
Expectation: A science-fiction version of “It’s A Wonderful Life.”
Reality: A deeply emotional, highly philosophical and ultimately feel good “what if” story.
Ready Player Two – Ernest Cline
Expectation: Another trip down memory lane with hefty doses of geek culture.
Reality: Enjoyable and more accessible – from a pop culture perspective – but missing the energy that propelled the first novel.
Devolution – Max Brooks
A gory allegory about our reliance on technology and ecological dominance.