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Air date: June 18, 2023
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The Long Way to A Small, Angry Planet
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JESSICA
Hi, this is Jessica Russell. I’m the Assistant Director of Collections Services at Sno-Isle Libraries and welcome to Book Buzz.
Today we will prepare you for a murderous curriculum and then take you to a small angry planet. Get ready for a little bit of science fiction and some mystery and intrigue. First, we are going to Oak Harbor with Information Assistant Marie as she walks us through a guide to homicide. Yes, you heard that right. Over to you, Marie.
MARIE
Murder Your Employer: The McMaster’s Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes is perfect for fans of dark humor and classic mysteries. This wonderfully written novel had me laughing out loud from the start.
It’s told from the perspective of disgruntled employees and a McMaster’s Conservatory insider. At The McMaster’s Conservatory for the Applied Arts, students learn how to commit the perfect murder, but only for those employers truly deserving of such an end.
Cliff Iverson believes he has the perfect candidate in his morally corrupt former boss. He failed miserably in his first attempt, but Cliff aims to get it right the second time around. Of course, practice makes perfect, so while honing his own skills at the Conservatory, Cliff must also guard against attempts on his life from instructors and fellow attendees. The clever wordplay, just right suspense, and cinematic style made this a delightfully satisfying read.
The audiobook version of Murder Your Employer: The McMaster’s Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes is narrated to perfection by Simon Vance and Neil Patrick Harris.
JESSICA
Thanks, Marie. This page turner sounds like the perfect summer read.
Next, we’re going to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy with our Collection Services Librarian Lorraine.
LORRAINE
Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, the debut novel of Becky Chambers, is a good read for space opera fans or people looking for stories about fitting in and the struggles and joys of found family.
This novel is set in a world at the intersection of Star Trek The Next Generation and Joss Whedon’s Firefly. It is a completely fresh look at standard science-fiction tropes with an emphasis on the basic goodness of people.
It is the story of Rosemary Harper who takes a post on a small spaceship with the goal of escaping her past. Life aboard the aging, patched up Wayfarer is usually chaotic and crazy, but it gets extremely dangerous when the crew accepts the job of a lifetime on the other side of the galaxy.
They confront unexpected mishaps and adventures on this journey, which forces them to strengthen their bonds. Rosemary must learn how to rely on the diverse and motley members of her crew, which teaches her about love, and trust, and having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe.
If you devoured this book as I did, Chambers has written several sequels that are each as good as the first.
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers is worth adding to your to-be-read pile.
JESSICA
Thanks, Lorraine.
That sounds like a delightful way to explore another universe and a great fit for folks who haven’t read much, or any, science fiction.
Join us next time when we’ll explore more great reading recommendations, interesting books you can find at your favorite local bookstore or at your local library.
Until then, I’m Jessica Russell from Sno-Isle Libraries. Thanks for joining us for Book Buzz on K-S-E-R.
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