Welcome to Litsy!

I'm always surprised I don't hear more about this book when John Scalzi is discussed. It is a fast-paced, well-crafted near future sci fi mystery utilizing Scalzi‘s signature wit and snark to explore some big ideas, ranging from human interaction with technology and ways of dealing with disability, to general issues of inequality. And if you like audiobooks, I absolutely recommend the Wil Wheaton version.

I finally had time to look through all the books on my #auldlangspine list from @julesG. I've read and loved Ne'er Duke Well and Earls' Trip, and Lock In has been on my TBR for too long. I've decided to focus on reading these 5 in January:

Lock In by John Scalzi
The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir
A Quiet Life in the Country by T E Kinsey
The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

@monalyisha

#LitsyLoveSummerSwap

I LOVED the wrapping paper. Adorable. So excited for the books and the candles smell sooooo good! Love the tropical case and the pen. Thanks so much Ashley! @BookwormAHN and I apologize for forgetting to include a note in your box. I hope you like my choices.

@Bookgoil

I enjoyed rereading this near-future sci-fi mystery with #LitsySciFiBookClub. Scalzi's books are always fun, fast-paced and humorous, but this one also includes thought-provoking exploration of how technology can be used for those who lack mobility and the associated risks of the technology.

@TheSpineView
#gottacatchemall (prompt 9. Wooloo: White cover) @Puddlejumper

Read this for #LitsySciFiBookClub #LSFBC It was a reread for me. However, I read it so long ago I had forgotten most of the story. Not is it a great story, I thought Scalzi did a good job with the ideas he presented. 4.5 ⭐️ This book was my #DoubleSpin selection for July. @TheAromaofBooks

Chris Shane is starting their new FBI job, right in the middle of a strike, the government pulling funding from the care of people locked in their own bodies after a devastating pandemic, and a suspicious suicide.

My 2nd read, & I still really enjoyed this! Pacing is great, the characters are engaging! A bit disappointing to remember this doesn‘t go as deep into explorations of larger world building complications as I would have liked. 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

I hope everyone enjoyed Lock In by John Scalzi. Here are a few questions to get our discussion started. However, feel free to talk about anything. #LitsySciFiBookClub #LSFBC

@Larkken @Deblovestoread @bnp @Johanna414 @BookmarkTavern @julesG @sebrittainclark @BookBelle84 @Readergrrl @CSeydel @Roary47 @Lizpixie @Ruthiella @PaperbackPirate @PageShifter

Really liked this one! Picture Covid, but with lots of people being kept alive in small spaces while robot bodies take their places and live their lives. A couple of FBI agents are on the case of a couple of suicides directly connected to the neural connections of the bodies. Sounds confusing? It isn‘t really when you get into the story. Very entertaining read.

#litsyscifibookclub.

Included the short story/novella Unlocked.

This was published in 2014, but gets pretty close to our lived experience of Covid-19.

Also, the crime novel part reminded me of Scalzi's The Dispatcher trilogy (btw, narrated by Zach Quinto).

I have the second book, Head On, already queued up.

#LitsySciFiBookClub

Tree dweller #GhostCat is probably not just judging me but also the distance between her current place and my lap (roughly 2 metres or over 6 foot). There's my knitting project where she'd like to sleep.

#CatsOfLitsy

#audiobook #LitsySciFiBookClub #LitsyCrafters

#LitsySciFiBookClub #ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024 I really didn‘t want to buy new books this month, but Scalzi is hard to resist so I gave in to temptation. I have no regrets. I think of Scalzi as a writer of humorous science fiction, but the subject is not humorous at all. A world wide pandemic has devastating consequences. I thought this book might have been influenced by Covid-19, but it was released in 2014. So I guess it‘s somewhat (cont)⬇️

repost for @TheSpineView

The votes are in and July's selection is Lock In by John Scalzi. I checked my small local library and they have a physical copy and an ebook. Hope everyone enjoys this one. Happy Reading!

original post:
https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2748395

#BuddyRead

The votes are in and July's selection is Lock In by John Scalzi. I checked my small local library and they have a physical copy and an ebook. Hope everyone enjoys this one. Happy Reading!

@Larkken @Deblovestoread @bnp @Johanna414 @BookmarkTavern @julesG @sebrittainclark @BookBelle84 @Readergrrl @CSeydel @Roary47

I scored myself a small bookshelf at Goodwill for 2 bucks. It's the perfect size for my vintage sci-fi and fantasy books, plus the few other mass market paperbacks I have. (It is not my favorite size.) Tagged book is one on the shelf tbr.

📚 Tagged, plus Lord of Light/Zelazny and Lord of the Rings/Tolkien
✒ Keith Laumer, Fritz Leiber
📽 Last of the Mohican, The Lost Boys
🎙 Cyndi Lauper
🎶 Livin' Thing/ELO, London Calling/The Clash, Learning to Fly/Pink Floyd

#manicmonday #letterL @CBee

#BookCoverChallenge
Day 291.
Here I will note 365 books (or as many as I will have before I get tired) that have shaped my taste in literature. No explanations, no reviews. Just the cover of the book.
I do not challenge anyone. You are all welcome to take part.

This book was a lot of fun. It is part sci-if, part mystery. There is a pandemic, but it is used for world building, i.e. this isn‘t a pandemic book. I‘ll surely read the next one.

What a great book! I love the science and the flow of this book. Not only did it feel relevant to what‘s happening in the world today, I related to the character on personal matters. I really enjoyed the mystery that they were investigating, full of twists and turns. Love Wil Wheatons narration! Would highly recommend!

John Scalzi is my now one of my favorite authors. Didn't think it would be as good as The Dispatcher but it was.

I bought this because the concept sounded interesting. And now we are living during our own pandemic. It's all just kind of surreal sometimes. #tbrpile

It's a bit eerie reading this—published in 2014 and set in the “near future“ about “a new, highly contagious virus“—during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Lock In is billed as science fiction and mystery. It's markedly different in tone from Scalzi's other books (i.e. no humor/silliness—generally what I seek when I turn to Scalzi). The mystery is not at all challenging. [Mystery has long been my favorite genre, so this is mildly disappointing.] ⬇

#SciFiSeptember @klou
#Upgrade

The main character in this near future Sci-Fi story is trapped in a body that can't move due to a disease. Dubbed as "Lock In" these victims upgrade, if you will, to an avatar in order to function.

This is a middle of the road sci-fi novel that starts off a little confusing. It gets easier to understand after the first few chapters but lags in places and never fully takes off in my opinion. There‘s are better options out there. Overall rating: 3.74 stars

1. John Scalzi is just the best!
2. Nope. Almost never.
3. Yesssss. Especially for breakfast.
4. 8(ish)
5. Thanks for all the well wishes earlier! We are all pretty good today. Had a really chill/relaxed day at home, watching some Harry Potter movies. 🙂 Just what we needed!
#friyayintro

I finished this reread yesterday to refresh for the sequel. It was just as good as the first time through. Scalzi pulls off a cool mix of scifi worldbuilding and procedural mystery.

A compulsively readable cyberpunk FBI thriller. I loved how he pushed the tech to the edge and beyond it but also made it seem relevant (the debate about “freeing” Hadens felt very similar to debates about cochlear implants, etc). The world-building is also effortlessly diverse. Onto the next book!

An original Science Fiction murder mystery.

Listemed to this a tiny bit more today while cross-stitching. It's a good thing I've read it before, with how long I'm taking to listen to it.

Here's Breakfast enjoying some quality stitching/reading time with me today! #BunniesofLitsy

This was such a great read! Complex, but perfectly presented

Books bought after seeing them listed here on Litsy. Thanks I guess. #resistancewasfutile #seewhatididthere

I LOVED this book. The world that Scalzi creates and the characters that live in it are compulsively readable. This is one of those books I was itching to get back to while I was out in the real world adulting. This was my first Scalzi and I will be returning most definitely. I also loved the cast of non-binary and disabled characters. This cishet man gets it right. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#blackfriday and #cybermonday really cut into my finances 😂 Now I just wait for all these to be delivered! #bookmail is the best though!

Listening to this as a refresher before reading the sequel. It's fun -- I always read Chris as male, so I got Amber Benson's narration to see if it changed my mind. Not sure yet, but she does a pretty good job anyway at least!

Pictured, my new hobby.

You‘ll need a key to get out.. which 🔑?
#NewHogwartsAdventure #keys

Loved it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The story was very original and it was plausible. I was drawn in from the start. The MC was relatable and his personality fit the story. The plot was well executed and fast paced. Will Wheaton did the narration. I like the tone of his speaking voice and he always brings the characters to life. 4.5 ⭐ for him.

#24B4Monday @TheReadingMermaid

I made it by the skin of my teeth. Finished All the Light We Cannot See and read Lock In. Also started two others. It was a productive weekend!

Scalzi used the word 'said' a lot in the beginning but once I was invested in the story, I stopped noticing it. I didn't like it as much as his other books I read so far, but it's a solid story. I wonder if I would have enjoyed Will Wheatons narration more 🤔

I made it to chapter four, and couldn't stand the thought of hearing the word 'said' even one more time.

Finished my book sleeve while listening to the tagged book. It has been ages since I have sewn anything, and this turned out too wide for most books 😅
#audiosewing #booksleeve

The Audible sci-fi and fantasy sale is bad for my wallet! 😱
I also purchased the tagged book.
#audiblesale

And done! First day of #24in48 finished. Time in: 13 hours. Phew!

Took an award committee audiobook break while we drove down to the arena to see Evanescence and Lindsey Stirling! Now back to Lock In until they come on. Going strong with about 9 hours! #24in48

Time for a quick reread before diving into the sequel! #24in48

I just realized I never posted a review for this. This was great! It was a mystery thriller type of book just as mush as it was a sci-fi novel (maybe more). Normally I don‘t care too much about mystery novels but this was an exception to that rule. Can‘t wait to get my hands on Head On.

This took me so long because I ended up switching between the two of these every chapter, which was a really interesting experience. 😆

This was so much fun! New and plausible technology, politics, thrilling chase scenes, and a casual diversity that I absolutely loved.

I ended up liking Amber more, because I feel she did better with the other characters. But both were fun to listen to. And I've already bought the sequel! 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

One of my favourite books! My go to on days when I just want to read something familiar. The near future world that Scalzi created is so realistic that I almost believe that it‘s real. They way he works around this new truth, reading about Chris just seems like Haden‘s is a normal part of life. Love it.

Can I just say that first off, it feels weird to be reading this small of a book. I‘ve been reading these monstrous tomes lately, so this 336 peg mass market paperback just feels weird in my hands. So light and delicate. In actual book news, I really like this book so far. The world is very interesting, there‘s a fun little mystery unfolding, and the genderless MC is an interesting touch. Also—love that cover!

Severe back pain means this is my view a lot right now. Thank goodness for books (especially thrillers)!

A light and breezy futuristic romp with some mad murder mystery solving skills. An enjoyable read.

I'd say it's a pretty perfect Friday. Sitting under a kitty, reading "Lock In", and really enjoying it. ?
(I find myself wondering how I'd design my liminal space. There would definitely be cats.)