The OCtech Library Blog

Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs.

Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares. Oomza University has wronged the Meduse, and Binti's stellar travel will bring her within their deadly reach.

If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University, itself ― but first she has to make it there, alive.

Spacetrawler by Christopher Baldwin

Spacetrawler is a science-fiction comedic long-form webcomic and has been my favorite online comic for years. I'm not sure if this will make sense to anyone, but here's a brief description of the first three books by the author:

The first three books (a little under 400 pages) are about the crew of Nogg, Krep, and Gurf, representing Interplant Amity, a group that fights for the liberty of all sentient species. Eebs are easily manipulated telekinetic beings being used as slaves across the galaxy. Since Eebs are too useful, the Galactic Organizational Body (G.O.B.) refuses to outlaw their forced use. Nogg, Krep and Gurf recruit six humans, one from each continent, to claim the Human Seat at the G.O.B. to initiate a vote for Eeb liberation. It all goes downhill from there.

The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi

I'm a fan of John Scalzi's Old Man's War series, so I was excited to see this new series that takes place in a different universe. It's an interesting take on what happens when humans have found a way to travel faster than light and colonize other planets. Here's a description:

Faster than light travel becomes possible with the discovery of The Flow, an extra-dimensional field we can access at certain points in space that transport us to other worlds. 

Using The Flow, humans move away from Earth and in time forget our home world. A new empire arises, the Interdependency, based on the doctrine that no one human outpost can survive without the others.  However, The Flow is not static and begins to change course, threatening to permanently separate and doom all worlds who have relied upon the Interdepency for survival.

The Snowy Day (movie)

The Snowy Day is a movie (on Amazon)  that is based on the award-winning book of the same name by Ezra Jack Keats. The plot is relatively simple, with peter going on a magical, snowy walk to his Nana's house to bring home their Christmas Eve dinner.

It came out in 2016, and is now essential for my family to watch around the holidays. It is such a heartwarming story that is neither sappy nor heavy handed with its cheer. It has an all star cast including Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, Boyz II Men, and Regina King. This is such a wonderful story and cast of characters, I can't recommend it enough. And I promise, the whole family will enjoy it. 

Solar Quest (game)

Growing up, Solar Quest was my favorite board game. On a recent visit to my mom's house, I found my old game, introduced it to my oldest kid and he loved it as much as I did (and still do). In recent years, an updated version has been released and I couldn't be happier about it. 

Patterned after monopoly, the goal is to build monopolies within the planet systems and complete a special assignment while avoiding bankruptcy and the many perils of space travel. This more than just space monopoly though. You can knock your opponents out of the game through bankruptcy,  laser blasts or running out of fuel. SolarQuest combines strategy and luck, creating a challenging and unpredictable family game. 

Charles Bradley

Charles Bradley's latest and last album Black Velvet is Charles Bradley at his finest.  In celebration of his amazing life, Black Velvet collects ten songs recorded during the sessions from each of his previous three albums, heard here together for the very first time. A few words to describe Charles Bradley? Fiery, poignant, and soulful. Give him a listen.