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A great new sci-fi novel for Iain M. Banks fans, a masterpiece French crime epic, and a great new jangly power-pop album

A great new sci-fi novel for Iain M. Banks fans, a masterpiece French crime epic, and a great new jangly power-pop album

Roundup 01/19/2024

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Max Read
Jan 19, 2025
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A great new sci-fi novel for Iain M. Banks fans, a masterpiece French crime epic, and a great new jangly power-pop album
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Greetings from Read Max HQ, and welcome to our weekly roundup column, in which I pick out some worthwhile and often overlooked books, articles, movies, and music to recommend to paying subscribers. For this week’s round-up, I’ve got:

  • An excellent new sci-fi novel about space travel and alien intelligence for fans of Iain M. Banks, Martha Wells, and Charles Stross;

  • a phenomenal crime epic set in French prison, now available on Netflix; and

  • a terrific new album in the vein of Hüsker Dü and Big Star.

If any of that sounds interesting--and if you want to support Read Max in its continuing mission of explaining the future to relatively normal people--please subscribe below. Subscribers get access to these weekly emails and to the comprehensive Read Max Master Lists of Good Movies to Watch and Good Books to Read--as well as preferred pricing on merchandise like the Read Max “EMAIL SUPPLY” caps. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you.

I love to hear from readers who want to recommend a cool book or movie (or whatever!) to me, or from readers who are looking for specific kinds of recommendations. Just leave a comment or drop me a line at maxread@gmail.com.

Finally, please note that I may receive a small commission if you purchase books via links in this email.

Now, the roundup.

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