Tender is the Flesh Review

Tender is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica is an anything but tender dystopian horror examining dehumanization and the hierarchical value assigned to life. The author and translator wrote in blunt and visceral prose, allowing some of the greatest horror of the book to come from the world building more than the plot. While the narrative was slow to start and the characters are unlikable, something about the book seemed hauntingly plausible. It’s worth a read.

In a world overcome by a virus (sound familiar?) all animal meat poses a serious risk of infection to humans. Consequently cannibalism is legalized (well, that escalated quickly) and human beings known as heads are bred for the purpose of consumption. People begin supplying meat and other “animal products” in the place of chickens, cows, etc. Apparently criminals can also be sentenced to the municipal slaughterhouse.  

Some see this book and it’s graphic descriptions of human begins facing the meat and animal processing we currently apply to animals in the real world as a work of vegan literature. I personally found far more meaning in this work as a study on how readily people may be dehumanized. How many aspects of contemporary life depend on exploited or underpaid workers, poor environmental practices, etc. If many of us are so willing to explicitly or implicitly see others as being of less worth than ourselves, as evidenced by our continued compliance with systems of inequity, than is cannibalism replacing animal meat really such a stretch?  

The Man in the High Castle

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
Narrated by Jeff Cummings
Brilliance Audio

I just finished listening to Philip K. Dick’s The Man in the High Castle on Libro.fm. I first became familiar with this title through Amazon’s streaming adaptation. Having previously seen Dick’s work adapted for the screen with Blade Runner (adapted from Dick’s novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?), I knew there was a strong possibility the novel might differ from the show. While I never finished the series on Amazon, based on the first season I would assert that my guess is correct. Dick’s novel is less action packed and suspenseful than the show, preferring a more esoteric and philosophical bent. 

The Power by Naomi Alderman

Imagine the reversal of expectations of Blonde Roots meets the format of The Handmaid’s Tale meets the sci-fi dystopia of The Fireman meets elements of the spirituality of The Parable of the Sower. In The Power women suddenly develop electrifying new abilities and patriarchal structures begin to topple as social, political, and religious are redefined. What if God was Mother? What does it mean to be a woman? Would the world be a better place if women ran the place? How do the oppressed become the oppressor? These are just some of the questions explored by this novel. 

The Good:

• The book presents an original concept that draws the reader in. 
• It’s easy to become wrapped up in the world of the novel. Both the narrative and the meta narrative created by the structure of a book within a book are fascinating. 
• The characters are compelling. I especially enjoyed reading Allie’s chapters and considering the ideas posed by Alderman about the nature of faith and prophecy.
• Alderman did an EXCELLENT job narrating her own audiobook. She’s right up there with Neil Gaiman and a select group of other authors who can read their own books with all the skill of trained actors. 

The Less Good

• As fascinating of a concept as this book was, for all its 382 pages it ultimately didn’t dive deeply enough into the questions it posed for my liking. 
• The ending was...somewhat disappointing. Without getting into spoilers...while sometimes the suggestion or promise of something can be more impactful than the thing itself, other times it’s more effective to show than to tell. I think Alderman might have pulled the curtain down just a bit too soon on the book within a book (while possibly taking to long to get to the end). And perhaps a bit too late on the meta story. 
• The concluding section, reminiscent of Atwood’s final pages of The Handmaid’s Tale, seemed a bit on the nose and perhaps long. I enjoyed it, but less might have been more here.  

Overall I enjoyed this book. The plot was interesting and it was easy to become invested in the characters. Although there were some loose threads that were not fully explored, I think this is a great contribution to the field of dystopian fiction and a great exploration of gender in science fiction. 

The Electric State Review

I came across The Electric State by Simon Stalenhag through the Dystopian Book Club at LA’s The Last Bookstore. The book is a beautiful synthesis of word and image, almost if not actually an art book, featuring a beautiful and chilling story of human dependence upon technology. The plot of the book is interesting, but the real standout are Stalenhag’s incredible pictures which communicate a sophisticated world building and haunting mood. I was able to read the book in one sitting, but it’s one I’ll probably want to read again.

Audiobook Platforms - Audible

     It feels strange to be writing a review of Audible, the Amazon company that is the largest audiobook marketplace on the internet. Reviewing Audible almost feels redundant, if you’re into audiobooks you probably already know them and if you’re not into audiobooks you probably don’t care. Still, there’s merit in outlining what Audible is and the value of being a subscriber for those who are new to listening to audiobooks, or for those who are currently in another platform and considering jumping ship.
     Audible was founded in 1995 by Don Katz with a vision to create a service to provide audiobooks as downloadable files. In 2000 Audible rolled out its first subscription model, and in 2008 became an Amazon company. Today Audible boasts a catalog of over 450,000 titles, it’s own production arm, and ACX- a market place for authors to collaborate with narrators and producers to bring their books to the platform.
     Audible offers two paid membership levels, Gold (1 credit per month/$14.95 or 12 credits per year billed annually for $149.50) and Platinum (2 credits per month/$22.95 or 24 credits per year billed annually for $229.50. Credits may be redeemed for any audiobook in Audible’s catalog, and once purchased the book becomes a permanent part of the member’s library and can be listened to via Audible apps or website, or via iTunes. All Audible memberships also include two complimentary Audible Original titles each month, which members may select off a short curated list. Members receive discounts off the list price when paying for audiobooks rather than redeeming credits. From time to time Audible also offers members opportunities to purchase additional credits at a discounted rate. Audible members can also listen to Audio Stories (basically podcasts and other content) for free. Audible also offers a special subscription package called Audible Escape- which offers unlimited listening to thousands of romantic stories for an additional fee, or as a stand alone package.
     I’ve been a member of Audible (and a Prime member) for years, and I’ve enjoyed listening to dozens of stories during my commutes, travels, walks, and other listening times. I listen to audiobooks with a regularity approaching how other people listen to music, so my Audible membership has been one of my most treasured subscriptions. I’ve listened to George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War series, Neil Gaimon’s American Gods, and several outstanding Audible Originals that aren’t available on other platforms like Dennis E. Taylor’s Bobiverse series, Craig Alanson’s Expeditionary Force series, and Peter Clines’ 14. The huge selection of audiobook titles on Audible is one of the biggest advantages of the membership service. This is made even better by the flexible membership options Audible offers (1 or 2 credits per month, or buy your credits in a lump sum annually), and options to buy additional credits at discounted rates. Back when I was commuting 30+ minutes to work each way for my first job, and additional time to my rehearsals and performances, I found myself wishing Audible offered a 3 credit per month option. Even though they don’t, the Platinum plan is better aligned with my use than the offerings of competitors like Libro.fm. Audible also offers members the privilege of returning an audiobook if you start listening and decide you’re not into it.
     Audible books also includes a feature called whispersync that tracks your progress between select Audible and Amazon Kindle and lets you start in one where you left off in the other. Audible titles can also be easily played on Alexa devices.
     With that said, it’s not all roses. Audible’s files are not DRM-free and as such can only be played using certain devices/applications. My anxiety periodically wonders what might happen if someday Amazon decides to stop offering the service, or if their agreements with a publisher ends or changes. There’s a certain peace of mind that comes from being able to download digital content onto your hard drive, and Audible simply doesn’t offer that. Additionally, Audible credits are kind of slippery little things. They expire if they are unused one year after being added to your account, and if you cancel your Audible membership then you forfeit any unused credits on your account. I’ve never really let credits accrue and sit around enough time to expire, but apparently enough other people have that there was a lawsuit against Amazon which resulted in the current policy (the former policy was even more restrictive on how many unused credits you could carry on your account). TLDR: use your credits, and if you’re only an occasional listener you might consider an alternative platform like Libro.fm where credits never expire, or you could contact Audible customer service and see if you can persuade them to let you sign up for their old Silver plan which offered one credit every other month.
     Some people also have ethical issues supporting Amazon because they are a very large corporation with an extremely rich CEO and many underpaid employees. If this describes your feelings you might be interested in Libro.fm as they parter with local independent bookstores. With that said, just know that no other service offers the same selection and value as Audible, and Audible has also done many things to partner with communities and provide opportunities to artists to get their stories out there.
     Overall, despite some shortcomings, Audible is my favorite audiobook platform and the audiobook service to which I subscribe. I’ve had years of enjoyment listening to stories on Audible. I hope to continue to enjoy Audible for many years to come, and would highly recommend Audible membership.

Your local library - there’s an app for that!

Libby is an app from OverDrive that allows you to search and borrow digital materials (ebooks and audiobooks) from your public library using your library card information. This is amazing! Users can check out materials and place holds according to library policies. I’m really enjoying using this service to gain access to more audiobooks and ebooks, for FREE! Unfortunately libraries have limited copies of digital resources available to borrow, just like physical resources. So this app might not be a suitable replacement for a paid subscription to a service like Audible, Libro.fm, Kindle Unlimited, etc. if you like to have immediate access to hot new releases, popular titles, or enjoy owning books to read/listen to anytime you wish without needing to check them out pending availability. Still, the app is user friendly and a fantastic resource for readers. If you don’t have a library card I would encourage you to get one (LA friends check out the Los Angeles Public Library, LA County Libraries, and any suburbs that you live near- most SoCal libraries will issue free library cards to California residents or county residents regardless of specific city.) The Libby app will also let you add multiple libraries, so if you have library cards at more than one library you can easily add all your library cards and toggle between institutions. This makes searching and borrowing from more than one library catalog a breeze, and is much easier than trying to navigate (often cumbersome) websites to check availability of materials. The Libby app can be downloaded for free from the App Store. Do it.

Https://www.meet.libbyapp.com

Audiobook Platforms: Libro.fm review

AUDIOBOOK SUBSCRIPTION REVIEW: Libro.fm

If I have any friends who are audiobook fans, I'm trying out a new service called Libro.fm

They're a lot like Amazon’s Audible, but Libro.fm distinguishes themselves by partnering with local independent bookstores and shares audiobook sales with a local independent book store of your choice. Additionally they offer DRM-free downloadable files you can play on any device, and they offer your first month for free OR if you use the promo code SWITCH they'll give you three credits for the price of one month for your first month. Also, CREDITS NEVER EXPIRE. They also have excellent customer service, and were able to respond to an email inquiry about the availability of a title in less than 12 hours (and if the email signature can be believed, the reply came from the CEO).

Unfortunately the answer to my inquiry was that they can’t get that title until a year after publication due to an exclusive licensing deal with Audible. Sadly, Libro.fm’s catalog is smaller than Audible's and, of course, Libro.fm does not offer seamless integration with Alexa or Kindle. They also only seem to only offer one type of subscription plan (1 credit per month), whereas Audible offers options for 1 or 2 credits per month (and apparently some folks are still on an older bimonthly "Silver" plan), or the ability to subscribe on an annual basis. Libro.fm's website and app isn't exactly as user friendly as Audible either. I find it annoying that if I want to purchase an audiobook without using a credit (because they have some great sale prices!), I have to manually enter my payment information instead of it offering to use the same payment method my membership was charged to. I also think it's harder to dig up their recommendations and sales. On that note, strangely they don't have user reviews on their website for their audiobooks. (Though to be fair they do allow returns if you but an audiobook and decide you’re not into it.) Their app does not support in-app purchases, which I count as a weakness because Audible now does if you're paying with a membership credit (at least on iOS you can’t make a cash purchase using the app on either service).

There are also other perks of being an Audible member that Libro.fm simply does not match. Audible benefits include: 2 complimentary Audible originals per month (from a short list of selected titles) in addition to your credits, the ability to buy 3 additional credits at a discounted rate after exhausting subscription credits, and Audio Shows.

I love the independent book store connection for Libro.fm (I’m currently supporting Vroman’s in Pasadena), and I also love that I can own DRM-free (or cage-free as they lovingly refer to it) audiobook files I can download and use on any device. I’m a longtime Audible member, and I’ve wondered more than once what might happen to my audiobook library if Amazon ended up having disagreements with a publisher, or dare I suggest some day decides to stop offering or supporting Audible? Maybe there are answers in the fine print, and maybe these fears are baseless, but there’s a certain peace of mind that DRM-files offer. At the same time, being a long time Audible member means I have a lot of books in my audiobook library, and I’ve had an excellent experience with them over the years.

I haven't cancelled my Audible subscription, and honestly I'm not planning to. There's too many authors/titles that Libro.fm lacks for me to seriously consider jumping ship, despite their merits (DRM-free files, supporting local bookstores, and credits that never expire). Also, the idea of having my audiobook library substantially split between multiple apps sounds like a headache. I came across Libro.fm because they're the service used by an online book club I joined, but I don't think I'll be keeping up a paid subscription apart from that. BUT for people who value DRM-free files, support local indy book stores, or just want to take advantage of getting three audiobooks for $15 (code SWITCH), it's a pretty cool service to consider. And if you mostly read NYT bestsellers, then you might not even notice the smaller selection.

If anyone's interested in taking advantage of the three for the price of one credit offer (code SWITCH) or the first month free, here's my referral link (and then I'll get a free credit too): https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm128483