Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

 I saw the author of Chain-Gang All Stars on Seth Meyers not too long ago, and he did a pretty good job of making his book seem interesting. And I did enjoy it, I'll give it an A-. Maybe some of the sub plots didn't amount to much, and the ending was rather abrupt, but overall I think it effectively conveyed what it was trying to say. I can imagine this being turned into a tremendous movie someday, fingers crossed.

Star Wars: The High Republic - Defy the Storm by Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland

 

Yet another High Republic book... I'm caught up now for about a week or so until the next. This one was okay, just so many characters though... B

Redshirts by John Scalzi

For a fun little read, Redshirts by John Scalzi is a perfectly fine book. It held my interest for the most part (the extended codas were a bit much though), and had some funny moments. The concept was good but stretched a bit thin after a while. I don't see how this won the Hugo award. It must have been a slow year in sci-fi. B+

Holly by Stephen King

 

Another Stephen King novel crossed off... This one was good, maybe because the villians are actually an elderly couple without any supernatural connection. They just kidnap people to eat them for the health benefits. Yep, that's what this book is about. B.

Star Wars: The High Republic: Escape from Valo by Daniel José Older and Alyssa Wong

 These High Republic books just keep coming out! This one was okay, especially for it being aimed at a younger audience. I'll likely soon forget the details though - B

Sci-Fi book # 44 Contact by Carl Sagan

 Well this is it! I've finished the sci-fi book list I've been slowly making my way through for over the last decade. 

I enjoyed Contact. The idea is a really good one and I usually like first contact stories. The only quibble is that none of the secondary characters are very interesting and the story gets a bit side tracked at times. Still I'd recommend it. A-

Sci-Fi Book # 51 - Tunnel in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein

 Man, I was disappointed when I thought I was almost done with this list and this book sneaked back on. Yeah it is book # 51 but I figured since the Foundation trilogy takes up a spot as well as each of those books individually that I should go all the way to 51. Well, I think I'm done with Heinlein now for good. I just don't get by people think he's so great. Anyway, this one was his sci-fi take on The Lord of the Flies. Overall it wasn't bad but reading about a bunch of teenagers discussing government types when they get stuck on a planet is kind of ehhh. B-