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The Grace Lord #2
Bud by the Grace of God
What does it mean to be Human? Bud, the android, yearns to find out, as his newly discovered emotions for the surgeon Dr. Grace Lord blossom. The bond between Grace and Bud is tested to its limit, as the two experience danger, separation, loss, agony, and despair, battling an evil nemesis bent on revenge. Will they be able to save each other and, ultimately, the Nelson Mandela Medical Space Station from total annihilation?
364 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2016
15 people are currently reading
236 people want to read
About the author
S.E. Sasaki
6 books86 followersI am a physician surgical assistant by day, evening, weekend, and holiday - which means I help the surgeons with their operations around the clock, whenever they need me - and a writer the rest of the time I am awake. I am cameraman, retractor holder, second pair of hands, and Girl Friday in the OR (another nice euphemism for slave ;D). I practised as a GP for over twenty years in a small rural town in Southern Ontario, Canada after doing stints in research in Ecology and Neurophysiology. When I am not trying to catch up on my sleep or getting dragged around the countryside by my wild and crazy Alaskan Malamute, I write science fiction, fantasy, and create fantastical collages, (which can be found on my website: http://www.sesasaki.com, if you are interested). Welcome to the Madhouse is the first in a series of science fiction books based on the trials and tribulations of a medical space station.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 17, 2018
The excitement never stops! Someone is ghosting around the space station—someone smart enough to hide from the station AI. Grace, Dr. Hiro and Bud are in serious danger with no leads to follow and things are going from bad to worse! Wonderful characters; great story!
December 23, 2016
I grew up reading science fiction and it remains one of my favorite genres to read. This book takes me back to the golden age of science fiction and the stories and books I grew up in. The Nelson Mandela, a ship and an AI, are the setting for the story. I have not read the first book, so came into this series with the second book but did not feel lost. Enough of the back story was given to me that I never felt a disconnect to the story nor did I feel like vital information was missing.
The standout star of this book is Bud, the android. He has such character and is so well written that you forget he is an android at times. Grace is smart and capable, and there is an excellent dynamic between all the characters. Even the Nelson Mandela, and his two sub-personalities - Chuck Yeager and Poet, are integrated into to story and come alive with their interactions.
The action and plot is paced well. Jeffrey Nestor is a chilling villain and it makes for a story that has constant twists and changes because you can't see what the end game is, until it's happened.
I didn't want to put this down. This was such a well crafted science fiction story, with all of the elements that just work together so well.
I was given a free copy of this book.
The standout star of this book is Bud, the android. He has such character and is so well written that you forget he is an android at times. Grace is smart and capable, and there is an excellent dynamic between all the characters. Even the Nelson Mandela, and his two sub-personalities - Chuck Yeager and Poet, are integrated into to story and come alive with their interactions.
The action and plot is paced well. Jeffrey Nestor is a chilling villain and it makes for a story that has constant twists and changes because you can't see what the end game is, until it's happened.
I didn't want to put this down. This was such a well crafted science fiction story, with all of the elements that just work together so well.
I was given a free copy of this book.
July 24, 2017
Well this one is certainly different! Human / animal hybrid ‘Adaptations’ like panthers, monkeys, polar bears, and seals, giving birth to offspring on a medical space station run by an overbearing surgeon and his erstwhile assistant an android who’s in love with the other assistant Grace Lord.
The surgeon has recently resurrected himself into a new body to top it off and then there is the master criminal roaming around seeking revenge. This all seems to be played for laughs but I did feel I came in the show late as this is the second book in a series but I was able to follow along pretty well anyway though. I would recommend reading the first book before this one so you get a feel for the characters.
There are quite a few subplots and side stories going on, in fact there’s a LOT going on, and the animal ‘adaptations’ are never fully explained and just seemed bizarre to me, although all of them seem to have been in some military unit or other. Let’s see, besides the hybrids, the android who wants to be human, mind cloning, a famous video director who wants to be an android, man eating plants, artificial intelligence, sub-minds, an interesting police inspector, and on and on.
Though overall the book is quite engaging I did feel at times it tended to veer wildly from comedy to thriller, especially between the first half and the second.
In the end I found it rousingly entertaining.
The surgeon has recently resurrected himself into a new body to top it off and then there is the master criminal roaming around seeking revenge. This all seems to be played for laughs but I did feel I came in the show late as this is the second book in a series but I was able to follow along pretty well anyway though. I would recommend reading the first book before this one so you get a feel for the characters.
There are quite a few subplots and side stories going on, in fact there’s a LOT going on, and the animal ‘adaptations’ are never fully explained and just seemed bizarre to me, although all of them seem to have been in some military unit or other. Let’s see, besides the hybrids, the android who wants to be human, mind cloning, a famous video director who wants to be an android, man eating plants, artificial intelligence, sub-minds, an interesting police inspector, and on and on.
Though overall the book is quite engaging I did feel at times it tended to veer wildly from comedy to thriller, especially between the first half and the second.
In the end I found it rousingly entertaining.
December 11, 2018
I had a bit of 60s Batman TV show nostalgia with wordplay like “punishing punch” and “battering blow”! As a matter of fact, anyone who enjoys the old Burt Ward, Adam West, and Caesar Romero super hero show would get a kick out of this book. It’s Doctor House treating Doctor Moreau’s creations on Doctor Bashir’s space station. If you got all of that reference, skip the rest of this or any other review. These books are for you!
The sequel to Welcome to the Madhouse does not disappoint. We get more of the senior staff comedic exchanges, more of the adorable crush between Bud and Grace, and more the evil shrink, Doctor Nester! Plus there is an interactive movie director and a plant thing alien in the mix! All the story threads twine together and funnel toward another high stakes emergency on the medical station.
Want to know the cool thing about being a super book reviewer and talking about books every chance you get? Sasake likes what I’m doing at Science Fantasy Hub so much, I got a free review copy of this book. I was under no obligation to review, but if I like a book, I’m under my own compulsion to write one up! There are no hypnotic psycho therapists or panther mutation super soldiers forcing these hands to type, only my own need to blab books!
The sequel to Welcome to the Madhouse does not disappoint. We get more of the senior staff comedic exchanges, more of the adorable crush between Bud and Grace, and more the evil shrink, Doctor Nester! Plus there is an interactive movie director and a plant thing alien in the mix! All the story threads twine together and funnel toward another high stakes emergency on the medical station.
Want to know the cool thing about being a super book reviewer and talking about books every chance you get? Sasake likes what I’m doing at Science Fantasy Hub so much, I got a free review copy of this book. I was under no obligation to review, but if I like a book, I’m under my own compulsion to write one up! There are no hypnotic psycho therapists or panther mutation super soldiers forcing these hands to type, only my own need to blab books!
September 8, 2017
The whimsical title of this novel had me anxious. What would I find within? Would religion play a large role? What about the humanoid on the cover? And this is the sequel to “Welcome to the Madhouse”? Sounds...maddening?
No, the titles of Sasaki's novels don't trigger my “must read now” mechanism, but the story inside does. Let me state up front that this is a lightning-quick sci-fi buffet of sleek coolness. Supposedly this novel is 355 pages, but it damn sure doesn't feel like it; I zipped through it in no time, and I'm a slow reader.
The overarching story is simple: mega-genius bad guy is out for revenge. Someone – anyone! – needs to stop him, but they just can't, because, as noted, he's a mega-genius. Jeffrey Nestor has every item on the villain checklist marked in bold – probably with toxic ink – and while he may not be an innovative character, he's still somehow appealing, with his massive arrogance and seemingly infinite dastardliness.
On the opposing team, we have a vibrant cast of humans, animal-human “adaptations,” and inorganic beings. All the characters stand out – there's no overwhelming sameness. You'll grow to love Nelson Mandela (not the one you're thinking of), Dr. Al-Fadi, Bud, Grace, and the rest. The banter between Bud and the various AIs is classic. Oh, and Plant Thing! One should never forget about Plant Thing.
The story, as I've said, is mainly about stopping the bad guy, but there are numerous strong subplots. The usual sci-fi themes are there – transhumanism, the fruits and perils of technology, etc. – as well as more “down to earth” topics like maternal love and the search for acceptance. Some of these subplots tie nicely into the main plot, some of them don't, but the ones that don't quite connect smoothly are still interesting.
Sasaki's world-building is spot-on. No tedious info-dumping here. Stuff happens – then more stuff happens. You won't find yourself reading about something that happened 500 years ago because the author JUST HAS to have it in there, because it's important. (No, author, it's not.) You WILL find plenty of action and poignant character interactions.
After much internal debate, I have to deduct a star, though. Firstly, the plotting falters at some points, with characters doing stuff that is, well, out of character and illogical. Secondly, Sasaki has a perplexing habit of writing out a character's entire name many, many times. After reading the words “Jude Luis Stefansson” for the five hundredth time, I wanted to enact violence on something. Tied in with the second point, sort of, is her lack of contractions in dialogue. It makes most of the conversations seem overly formal. Thirdly, there's a good amount of repetition, with various characters bringing each other up to speed or ruminating on something that just happened. While this did keep the story straight, I still feel some of it could be trimmed. Finally, there's a literal deluge of tears in the novel. I know it's a dramatic time for all onboard, but I can handle only so much weeping.
All in all, though, you can't go wrong with this novel. It has plenty of heart, fascinating ideas, and wonderful characters. Keep an eye on S.E. Sasaki!
No, the titles of Sasaki's novels don't trigger my “must read now” mechanism, but the story inside does. Let me state up front that this is a lightning-quick sci-fi buffet of sleek coolness. Supposedly this novel is 355 pages, but it damn sure doesn't feel like it; I zipped through it in no time, and I'm a slow reader.
The overarching story is simple: mega-genius bad guy is out for revenge. Someone – anyone! – needs to stop him, but they just can't, because, as noted, he's a mega-genius. Jeffrey Nestor has every item on the villain checklist marked in bold – probably with toxic ink – and while he may not be an innovative character, he's still somehow appealing, with his massive arrogance and seemingly infinite dastardliness.
On the opposing team, we have a vibrant cast of humans, animal-human “adaptations,” and inorganic beings. All the characters stand out – there's no overwhelming sameness. You'll grow to love Nelson Mandela (not the one you're thinking of), Dr. Al-Fadi, Bud, Grace, and the rest. The banter between Bud and the various AIs is classic. Oh, and Plant Thing! One should never forget about Plant Thing.
The story, as I've said, is mainly about stopping the bad guy, but there are numerous strong subplots. The usual sci-fi themes are there – transhumanism, the fruits and perils of technology, etc. – as well as more “down to earth” topics like maternal love and the search for acceptance. Some of these subplots tie nicely into the main plot, some of them don't, but the ones that don't quite connect smoothly are still interesting.
Sasaki's world-building is spot-on. No tedious info-dumping here. Stuff happens – then more stuff happens. You won't find yourself reading about something that happened 500 years ago because the author JUST HAS to have it in there, because it's important. (No, author, it's not.) You WILL find plenty of action and poignant character interactions.
After much internal debate, I have to deduct a star, though. Firstly, the plotting falters at some points, with characters doing stuff that is, well, out of character and illogical. Secondly, Sasaki has a perplexing habit of writing out a character's entire name many, many times. After reading the words “Jude Luis Stefansson” for the five hundredth time, I wanted to enact violence on something. Tied in with the second point, sort of, is her lack of contractions in dialogue. It makes most of the conversations seem overly formal. Thirdly, there's a good amount of repetition, with various characters bringing each other up to speed or ruminating on something that just happened. While this did keep the story straight, I still feel some of it could be trimmed. Finally, there's a literal deluge of tears in the novel. I know it's a dramatic time for all onboard, but I can handle only so much weeping.
All in all, though, you can't go wrong with this novel. It has plenty of heart, fascinating ideas, and wonderful characters. Keep an eye on S.E. Sasaki!
October 13, 2016
I was given the novel Bud, By The Grace Of God for free in exchange for an honest review. I had not met the author prior to this. She approached me because I had reviewed many other Science Fiction novels on Amazon.
Before committing to review the novel, I checked out the free Kindle preview on Amazon for S.E. Sasaki's first novel, Welcome to the Madhouse, and found it well enough written that I thought it would be worth my time to read its sequel.
I had planned to start reading Bud as soon as I had finished another book, a translation (with commentary) of a fascinating though lengthy Hindu scripture that I had been meaning to read for some thirty years. Halfway through that I took a look at Bud and liked what I read enough that I decided the rest of that other book could wait a bit longer.
What made Bud hard for me to resist was that it was a story that might have found a home in the Galaxy, Worlds of If and Analog magazines I read in my wasted youth. (Yeah, it seems strange these days that someone would name a magazine about the future Analog, but it was a different world back then).
I like classic Science Fiction, the kind of stuff that owes more to John W. Campbell than to Joseph Campbell. Forget The Hero's Journey. That's for fantasy. Real Science Fiction should be about capable (but not superhuman) people in a hopeful (but not Utopian) future solving challenging problems that could only happen in that future world, and that's what we get with this novel.
The setting is a hospital space station during a time of interplanetary war. The novel doesn't say what the war is being fought over, or with who, and it isn't important. The soldiers in this war are men and women given animal bodies like panthers, polar bears, etc. The hospital performs these adaptions and also patches the soldiers up when they are wounded.
The main characters are Doctor Grace Lord and a highly intelligent android named Bud, but there are several side stories going on with other characters, and they all come together in the end like an Arthur Hailey novel. The story is serious, but there is humor as well. Like Alan E. Nourse, S.E. Sasaki has had a long career as a physician, and that gives her story the same verisimilitude that his stories had. Unlike Alan E. Nourse, Sasaki has a sense of humor.
The character of Bud the android is well developed. He is in the tradition of mostly human androids, like Asimov's R. Daneel Olivaw. The other characters could be described as highly competent with quirks, in the best tradition of classic S.F.
While the novel is the second in a series, and refers to events in the previous installment, it stands well enough on its own. I plan to buy the first installment to see what I missed.
Before committing to review the novel, I checked out the free Kindle preview on Amazon for S.E. Sasaki's first novel, Welcome to the Madhouse, and found it well enough written that I thought it would be worth my time to read its sequel.
I had planned to start reading Bud as soon as I had finished another book, a translation (with commentary) of a fascinating though lengthy Hindu scripture that I had been meaning to read for some thirty years. Halfway through that I took a look at Bud and liked what I read enough that I decided the rest of that other book could wait a bit longer.
What made Bud hard for me to resist was that it was a story that might have found a home in the Galaxy, Worlds of If and Analog magazines I read in my wasted youth. (Yeah, it seems strange these days that someone would name a magazine about the future Analog, but it was a different world back then).
I like classic Science Fiction, the kind of stuff that owes more to John W. Campbell than to Joseph Campbell. Forget The Hero's Journey. That's for fantasy. Real Science Fiction should be about capable (but not superhuman) people in a hopeful (but not Utopian) future solving challenging problems that could only happen in that future world, and that's what we get with this novel.
The setting is a hospital space station during a time of interplanetary war. The novel doesn't say what the war is being fought over, or with who, and it isn't important. The soldiers in this war are men and women given animal bodies like panthers, polar bears, etc. The hospital performs these adaptions and also patches the soldiers up when they are wounded.
The main characters are Doctor Grace Lord and a highly intelligent android named Bud, but there are several side stories going on with other characters, and they all come together in the end like an Arthur Hailey novel. The story is serious, but there is humor as well. Like Alan E. Nourse, S.E. Sasaki has had a long career as a physician, and that gives her story the same verisimilitude that his stories had. Unlike Alan E. Nourse, Sasaki has a sense of humor.
The character of Bud the android is well developed. He is in the tradition of mostly human androids, like Asimov's R. Daneel Olivaw. The other characters could be described as highly competent with quirks, in the best tradition of classic S.F.
While the novel is the second in a series, and refers to events in the previous installment, it stands well enough on its own. I plan to buy the first installment to see what I missed.
November 15, 2017
I rather enjoyed the world-building Sasaki incorporates into the series. For a book that takes place entirely on a medical space station, the world still feels large and full. The animal adaptations, for one, I found to be an interesting concept and the descriptions were vague enough that I was able to let my imagination fill in the gaps.
The characters are well thought out and likeable, each with their own sparks of personality. I was very fond of Dr. Al-Fadi, myself, and his dark sarcasm. In order to build character, Sasaki tends to rely on dialogue rather than descriptions of how the characters move and act, much of the time. I found this interesting as some pages are completely filled with dialogue (with nothing appearing outside of speech marks).
It has, however, been some time since I’ve read hard sci-fi, which meant that some of the writing and dialogue felt a bit too dry for me at times. The book was a little slow at the start, but it does build into exciting action scenes towards the second third of the book and these are well-executed.
The slow pacing of the start is also to build character ties. I was pleased to see that every scene towards the start had a reason for being there, discovered later, whether it be to introduce a character who becomes part of the action or simply to give context to later events.
I have not read the first book, and still found the plot and characters easy to follow, so Bud by the Grace of God can definitely be read as a standalone book.
The characters are well thought out and likeable, each with their own sparks of personality. I was very fond of Dr. Al-Fadi, myself, and his dark sarcasm. In order to build character, Sasaki tends to rely on dialogue rather than descriptions of how the characters move and act, much of the time. I found this interesting as some pages are completely filled with dialogue (with nothing appearing outside of speech marks).
It has, however, been some time since I’ve read hard sci-fi, which meant that some of the writing and dialogue felt a bit too dry for me at times. The book was a little slow at the start, but it does build into exciting action scenes towards the second third of the book and these are well-executed.
The slow pacing of the start is also to build character ties. I was pleased to see that every scene towards the start had a reason for being there, discovered later, whether it be to introduce a character who becomes part of the action or simply to give context to later events.
I have not read the first book, and still found the plot and characters easy to follow, so Bud by the Grace of God can definitely be read as a standalone book.
February 3, 2018
A very different space adventure. The action takes place on a medical space station. The doctors treat human-animal hybrids that were created for war and exploration. These patients include those that are part of panthers, monkeys, polar bears, or seals. The station is run by an obnoxious surgeon director with a god complex with assistants including an almost human android and the heroine of the previous book, Grace Lord.
A fly in the already complex ointment is an evil criminal doctor who seeks death and torment on the android, Bud, and Dr. Grace Lord. This book has two competing genres, one is the humorous side that is played for laughs. I found humor on almost every page. The other is a dark and bloody violence and realistic gore. I suspect since the author is a real doctor it was easy for her to slip blood and guts into the story. I joke that the book brings to mind a mash-up of Game of Thrones and Monty Python. But, in a good way.
I enjoyed this read. I had not read the previous book in the series, but don't think I lost much by jumping into the second story cold. I would recommend this for science fiction lovers who can handle humor and gore in a fun story. I would say the book is suitable for high-school and up. Give it a try!
A fly in the already complex ointment is an evil criminal doctor who seeks death and torment on the android, Bud, and Dr. Grace Lord. This book has two competing genres, one is the humorous side that is played for laughs. I found humor on almost every page. The other is a dark and bloody violence and realistic gore. I suspect since the author is a real doctor it was easy for her to slip blood and guts into the story. I joke that the book brings to mind a mash-up of Game of Thrones and Monty Python. But, in a good way.
I enjoyed this read. I had not read the previous book in the series, but don't think I lost much by jumping into the second story cold. I would recommend this for science fiction lovers who can handle humor and gore in a fun story. I would say the book is suitable for high-school and up. Give it a try!
July 16, 2017
Bud by the Grace of God is a well-written science fiction novel that is both unique and exciting. Sasaki adds a welcome dose of humor to the characters that kept me chuckling as I swept through the pages. Her background in medicine allows her to fill in details that makes the fiction realistic in a fun way. I found myself actually rooting for an android, and hoping it would find love and a warm relationship, which makes me think deeper into the world of artificial intelligence that we are just stepping into. The combination of medicine, mystery and playful bantering combines with elements of a mysterious thriller with an underlying evil mastermind, making it a great book for a wide variety of readers. Nicely done.
December 22, 2017
Delightfully light-hearted and humorous but at the same time thought provoking.
Against a backdrop of intergalactic warfare, the action takes place on a gigantic hospital space station where hybrid animal/human warriors are brought to receive surgery. The very human 'bot named Bud plays a central role as he applies his own intelligence to himself in order to experience human emotions. Reciprocally, the kind and beautiful Dr Grace Lord becomes very attached to the robot. By contrast, a human psychopath stalks her and threatens the space station.
Lots of fun to read!
Against a backdrop of intergalactic warfare, the action takes place on a gigantic hospital space station where hybrid animal/human warriors are brought to receive surgery. The very human 'bot named Bud plays a central role as he applies his own intelligence to himself in order to experience human emotions. Reciprocally, the kind and beautiful Dr Grace Lord becomes very attached to the robot. By contrast, a human psychopath stalks her and threatens the space station.
Lots of fun to read!
March 22, 2017
I know now that I have a new favorite author. I love this series, plus I've developed a serious crush on an Android. This is a great read, and in true S.E.Sasaki style, it's a little different than most books. So many valued and original characters too. Very happy with the read.
June 11, 2018
A very funny/serious science fiction book that oddly kind of delves into the depth of whether AI or androids have feelings/can love and whether or not they can be loved in return.
Dr. Al-Fadi is a great comedic character that literally made me laugh out loud during the first and second book.
Dr. Al-Fadi is a great comedic character that literally made me laugh out loud during the first and second book.
June 15, 2022
Bud by the Grace of God is the second book in the award-winning medical science fiction thriller series The Grace Lord about a deadly virus on a medical space station, which is written by family physician, author, visual artist, and self-proclaimed, accident-prone, walking calamity S.E. Sasaki.
I am a huge fan of Babylon 5, and Star Trek, especially Deep Space Nine, so you can imagine that I was intrigued by the idea of a medical thriller set on a futuristic space station.
The action of Bud by the Grace of God is set on Conglomerate’s Premier Medical Space Station, the Nelson Mandela, and follows the hardworking, dedicated, and diligent Dr. Grace Lord as she tries to stop the station from being completely destroyed.
Things aren’t good for our good doctor because one of her closest friends was shot and she has been kidnapped by a conniving colleague. Sharon draws from her lifelong experience as a physician and taps her vivid imagination in order to create one of the most enjoyable sci-fi books that I experienced this year. The writing is excellent, funny, sharp, and entertaining.
The story is thrilling and the action moves fast, never getting boring. A homicidal ghost, a genocidal general, and a terrifying plant alien are just of few of the unforgettable characters that we will get to meet during this excellent space adventure.
The audiobook version of this extremely captivating science-fiction novel is performed by theater actor, voiceover artist, and audiobook narrator Marc Leclerc. Marc reads in a pleasant voice, he expertly handles voices and accents, regardless of whether he brings to life male, female, alien, or robot characters, his performance is top-notch and very enjoyable.
Usually, it is customary for an audiobook that has a female lead to be narrated by a woman, but have no worries, Marc Leclerc handles everything expertly and with talent enough so that you don’t feel the need for anything to be different. Although Bud by the Grace of God is the second book in a series, it feels like a standalone and can be experienced as such without any problem.
Of course, now that I discovered such a talented storyteller, I will go back and check out her first audiobook, and hopefully, we will get more of them in the future. If you like science-fiction series like Star Trek, Babylon 5, and The Orville, you’ll love Bud by the Grace of God!
I am a huge fan of Babylon 5, and Star Trek, especially Deep Space Nine, so you can imagine that I was intrigued by the idea of a medical thriller set on a futuristic space station.
The action of Bud by the Grace of God is set on Conglomerate’s Premier Medical Space Station, the Nelson Mandela, and follows the hardworking, dedicated, and diligent Dr. Grace Lord as she tries to stop the station from being completely destroyed.
Things aren’t good for our good doctor because one of her closest friends was shot and she has been kidnapped by a conniving colleague. Sharon draws from her lifelong experience as a physician and taps her vivid imagination in order to create one of the most enjoyable sci-fi books that I experienced this year. The writing is excellent, funny, sharp, and entertaining.
The story is thrilling and the action moves fast, never getting boring. A homicidal ghost, a genocidal general, and a terrifying plant alien are just of few of the unforgettable characters that we will get to meet during this excellent space adventure.
The audiobook version of this extremely captivating science-fiction novel is performed by theater actor, voiceover artist, and audiobook narrator Marc Leclerc. Marc reads in a pleasant voice, he expertly handles voices and accents, regardless of whether he brings to life male, female, alien, or robot characters, his performance is top-notch and very enjoyable.
Usually, it is customary for an audiobook that has a female lead to be narrated by a woman, but have no worries, Marc Leclerc handles everything expertly and with talent enough so that you don’t feel the need for anything to be different. Although Bud by the Grace of God is the second book in a series, it feels like a standalone and can be experienced as such without any problem.
Of course, now that I discovered such a talented storyteller, I will go back and check out her first audiobook, and hopefully, we will get more of them in the future. If you like science-fiction series like Star Trek, Babylon 5, and The Orville, you’ll love Bud by the Grace of God!
July 13, 2022
The Surprise of the Summer
4.5 out of 5 stars
I know that I’m starting this at book two in the series – but the thing that jumped out at me, in a good way, was that Sasaki just jumps right into it. There wasn’t a ton of lead-up and not a lot of descriptions – they just dove right in, and I really appreciate that. I don’t like when someone drones on and on about things that don’t make the story any better, and they did not do that with Bud by the Grace of God.
Sasaki’s writing style really played well into the audio format of this one. I think that they were able to write a good story that translated into an even better audiobook. This was one of those books I sat down expecting to take some time to get into and especially take longer to start to love the main characters, but quite the opposite happened. I sat down, and within 5 minutes, I was absolutely riveted to my seat to figure out what would happen next. Now, I can’t speak to those who read the first book in this series but starting at book two and being able to still fall for the main characters is a feat, in my opinion.
Overall, I think that Bud by the Grace of God was a story that surprised me almost every way. And each of those was a good surprise. Sasaki had a world created that was fascinating and one that I want to read more about. Each character within had their own arc, and I could tell that Sasaki was trying to have each one stand out for their own reasons.
Add this to the excellent narration by Marc Leclerc, and Bud by the Grace of God was probably the surprise book of my summer so far. It ticked every box for the science fiction story I was looking for, along with the surprises around every corner aspect.
4.5 out of 5 stars
I know that I’m starting this at book two in the series – but the thing that jumped out at me, in a good way, was that Sasaki just jumps right into it. There wasn’t a ton of lead-up and not a lot of descriptions – they just dove right in, and I really appreciate that. I don’t like when someone drones on and on about things that don’t make the story any better, and they did not do that with Bud by the Grace of God.
Sasaki’s writing style really played well into the audio format of this one. I think that they were able to write a good story that translated into an even better audiobook. This was one of those books I sat down expecting to take some time to get into and especially take longer to start to love the main characters, but quite the opposite happened. I sat down, and within 5 minutes, I was absolutely riveted to my seat to figure out what would happen next. Now, I can’t speak to those who read the first book in this series but starting at book two and being able to still fall for the main characters is a feat, in my opinion.
Overall, I think that Bud by the Grace of God was a story that surprised me almost every way. And each of those was a good surprise. Sasaki had a world created that was fascinating and one that I want to read more about. Each character within had their own arc, and I could tell that Sasaki was trying to have each one stand out for their own reasons.
Add this to the excellent narration by Marc Leclerc, and Bud by the Grace of God was probably the surprise book of my summer so far. It ticked every box for the science fiction story I was looking for, along with the surprises around every corner aspect.
July 8, 2019
All of my favorite things!
Welcome aboard the Nelson Mandela. This surgical spaceship accommodates wounded soldiers who have been physically modified with animal characteristics.
Among a well-sized cast, a few noteworthy surgeons who are Dr. Al-Fadi, crotchety chief of surgery with a heart of gold and my personal favorite, Grace Lord, dedicated and talented surgeon who has a highly developed sense of what is right, and AI, Bud, A superior being whose childlike innocence seems to this reader to be Christlike at times.
This is the second book by Sasaki I have read, and much like Amazing Grace, Bud, by the Grace of God, did not disappoint!
This read is a compilation of all of my favorite stuff. It is funny, and well written, with interesting social and moral observations. It has a love interest and a smidge of artfully described gore.
I’m hooked!
Welcome aboard the Nelson Mandela. This surgical spaceship accommodates wounded soldiers who have been physically modified with animal characteristics.
Among a well-sized cast, a few noteworthy surgeons who are Dr. Al-Fadi, crotchety chief of surgery with a heart of gold and my personal favorite, Grace Lord, dedicated and talented surgeon who has a highly developed sense of what is right, and AI, Bud, A superior being whose childlike innocence seems to this reader to be Christlike at times.
This is the second book by Sasaki I have read, and much like Amazing Grace, Bud, by the Grace of God, did not disappoint!
This read is a compilation of all of my favorite stuff. It is funny, and well written, with interesting social and moral observations. It has a love interest and a smidge of artfully described gore.
I’m hooked!
February 11, 2022
I read this book for the first time 5 years ago. I love the characters but hate all the evil and death that overshadow the humor and humanity. However, Bud by the Grace easily passes the "read again" test by enthralling me as much the second and third read as the first.
July 23, 2017
Where to start?
If you liked Ed Greenwood’s work, if you loved the tales of Elminster, Manshoon, the magefire and all that, stop reading this review now, and ignore my rating. We do not like the same things, and it’s all right. You will likely love Bud, by the Grace of God for its pace, omnipresent humor, ever coming back villain and convenient plot twists.
Now, if, like me you groan when you read about things mentioned above, then perhaps you should read that review.
What is there to like about Bud by the Grace of God? Humor. The author infuses some good sense of humor in several characters and those elicit some smiles as you read their interactions.
Unconventional characters are also a plus. We’re not following soldiers or classic heroes around.
As anyone reading fantasy or sci-fi (except for very hard sci-fi) knows, suspension of disbelief is required to immerge in the world presented by the author. Up until around 25% of the novel, everything seemed spot on for a good story. In fact, I thought I’d rate the book four stars until that point.
Beyond the novel’s 25% mark, I found that everything unraveled, and fast.
Reaction of the staff in the face of crisis baffled me not on a single occasion, at every turn. A surgeon’s attitude toward a quarantine case left me incredulous; another surgeon’s random decision to go and try to solve everything on his own without involving the authorities (when he’s supposed to be a genius) was just the same. Decisions not to fire when faced with certain death, hesitation to fire from a professional because there are tears in the killer’s eyes, etc. The list could go on. In short, everyone started to behave in an increasingly erratic manner for what I could only identify as the needs of the story rather than logic.
In some cases, I have no issue with the world being shallow. If the story happens within a contained environment and isn’t affected by the larger world (or very little), it has no impact on the story being told. When external elements keep being pushed in and we have no idea where they come from, no idea why they’re coming, it becomes a problem for me. Beyond that fateful 25%, is where world building became an issue for me. I won’t go into further specifics to avoid spoilers, but to me it seemed as if characters living in that world should have known things for facts, but they were as surprised as I was as they learned things. (That’s vague, but there’s a reveal on someone, which to me made no sense, especially in a connected world where a station is managed by an AI).
Another major issue that developped is that Bud is a hand of God. Not only is he perfect at everything he does, but he has abilities that make him unmatchable. Some of those abilities had me raise my eyebrows a few times (movement speed amongst others left me baffled regarding the “science” allowing this without the breaking of the wall of sound deafening anyone around, not to mention how can he turn corners at that speed...).
The charm of having unconventional characters made out from a small group of surgeons wore thin fast. There is a single relevant character which is not a medic, and all those who are do it all in this fiction. They’re better than soldiers at gunning down people, they’re better than investigators at finding hiding psychos, they’re better than computer scientists at recoding AIs, they're even better heads of security than the people trained to do it. Those characters had good personalities, felt alive until the point where they manage everything without a hiccup, except for the above mentioned leaps of logic.
I found the secondary villain to be much more interesting than the main one. At least he had a semblance of moral quandary whereas the main villain seemed one-note to me. I can't go further without spoiling anything so I'll leave it at that.
In short, avoid if you have problems with:
• People (protagonists or antagonists) who could end the story, but choose not to for reasons unknown
• A character so powerful he could single-handedly solve all problems
You could enjoy if you like:
• A lot of humor
• Unconventional character roles
• Fast pace
• Classic, mustache twirling villain
So, despite interesting humor and unconventional characters, a monochromatic villain, shallow world-building, erratic character behavior and a hand of God bring Bud, by the Grace of God down to two (2) stars on the goodreads rating. It was ok.
If you liked Ed Greenwood’s work, if you loved the tales of Elminster, Manshoon, the magefire and all that, stop reading this review now, and ignore my rating. We do not like the same things, and it’s all right. You will likely love Bud, by the Grace of God for its pace, omnipresent humor, ever coming back villain and convenient plot twists.
Now, if, like me you groan when you read about things mentioned above, then perhaps you should read that review.
What is there to like about Bud by the Grace of God? Humor. The author infuses some good sense of humor in several characters and those elicit some smiles as you read their interactions.
Unconventional characters are also a plus. We’re not following soldiers or classic heroes around.
As anyone reading fantasy or sci-fi (except for very hard sci-fi) knows, suspension of disbelief is required to immerge in the world presented by the author. Up until around 25% of the novel, everything seemed spot on for a good story. In fact, I thought I’d rate the book four stars until that point.
Beyond the novel’s 25% mark, I found that everything unraveled, and fast.
Reaction of the staff in the face of crisis baffled me not on a single occasion, at every turn. A surgeon’s attitude toward a quarantine case left me incredulous; another surgeon’s random decision to go and try to solve everything on his own without involving the authorities (when he’s supposed to be a genius) was just the same. Decisions not to fire when faced with certain death, hesitation to fire from a professional because there are tears in the killer’s eyes, etc. The list could go on. In short, everyone started to behave in an increasingly erratic manner for what I could only identify as the needs of the story rather than logic.
In some cases, I have no issue with the world being shallow. If the story happens within a contained environment and isn’t affected by the larger world (or very little), it has no impact on the story being told. When external elements keep being pushed in and we have no idea where they come from, no idea why they’re coming, it becomes a problem for me. Beyond that fateful 25%, is where world building became an issue for me. I won’t go into further specifics to avoid spoilers, but to me it seemed as if characters living in that world should have known things for facts, but they were as surprised as I was as they learned things. (That’s vague, but there’s a reveal on someone, which to me made no sense, especially in a connected world where a station is managed by an AI).
Another major issue that developped is that Bud is a hand of God. Not only is he perfect at everything he does, but he has abilities that make him unmatchable. Some of those abilities had me raise my eyebrows a few times (movement speed amongst others left me baffled regarding the “science” allowing this without the breaking of the wall of sound deafening anyone around, not to mention how can he turn corners at that speed...).
The charm of having unconventional characters made out from a small group of surgeons wore thin fast. There is a single relevant character which is not a medic, and all those who are do it all in this fiction. They’re better than soldiers at gunning down people, they’re better than investigators at finding hiding psychos, they’re better than computer scientists at recoding AIs, they're even better heads of security than the people trained to do it. Those characters had good personalities, felt alive until the point where they manage everything without a hiccup, except for the above mentioned leaps of logic.
I found the secondary villain to be much more interesting than the main one. At least he had a semblance of moral quandary whereas the main villain seemed one-note to me. I can't go further without spoiling anything so I'll leave it at that.
In short, avoid if you have problems with:
• People (protagonists or antagonists) who could end the story, but choose not to for reasons unknown
• A character so powerful he could single-handedly solve all problems
You could enjoy if you like:
• A lot of humor
• Unconventional character roles
• Fast pace
• Classic, mustache twirling villain
So, despite interesting humor and unconventional characters, a monochromatic villain, shallow world-building, erratic character behavior and a hand of God bring Bud, by the Grace of God down to two (2) stars on the goodreads rating. It was ok.
March 11, 2020
The second book in S.E. Sasaki’s Grace Lord series continues to raise the bar for tension, drama, and action. The nefarious Dr. Jeffrey Nestor is back to get his revenge on Dr. Grace Lord and the android, Bud, for their interference from the previous book. As Nestor begins plotting his revenge, more drama takes shape on the medical space station, Nelson Mandela. Jude Luis Stefnsson, a famous director has arrived on the station with plans to make use of the memory imprinting technology developed by Dr. Octavia Weisman. A mysterious, wounded panther adaptation soldier may be more dangerous than first believed. And an egotistical visiting surgeon may expose the station to an even greater threat than Jeffrey Nestor. In the hectic world of medicine and saving lives, things on the station begin to spiral out of control as Nestor’s plans put the entire station in danger in his drive to get his revenge.
Sasaki has again found the mark with this book. The drama and tension in the book are slowly built up to a fevered pitch as multiple story threads are introduced and then woven together to the climactic conclusion. At the same time, Sasaki provides moments of levity, humor, and romance that not only provide necessary pauses in the action, but add depth to the characters. Reading the book was like watching an episode of ER mixed with Star Trek, the medical drama blending seamlessly with sci-fi action. But don’t let the exciting action and drama distract you. Sasaki has a deeper message within the story about what it means to be human, even when you are an android. The actions and motivations of Bud are neatly contrasted by those of Dr. Nestor. In addition, the sub-plot exploring Jude and his actions provide a similar, though slightly divergent, look at what it means to be human as we age and grow. I really enjoyed how these story arcs paralleled each other throughout the novel.
Bud by the Grace of God is a fun, fast-paced medical sci-fi thriller. S.E. Sasaki has created interesting characters that you want to know more about, and a story that keeps you turning the pages. I highly recommend this book for anybody who’s a fan of television medical dramas and has any interest in sci-fi.
Sasaki has again found the mark with this book. The drama and tension in the book are slowly built up to a fevered pitch as multiple story threads are introduced and then woven together to the climactic conclusion. At the same time, Sasaki provides moments of levity, humor, and romance that not only provide necessary pauses in the action, but add depth to the characters. Reading the book was like watching an episode of ER mixed with Star Trek, the medical drama blending seamlessly with sci-fi action. But don’t let the exciting action and drama distract you. Sasaki has a deeper message within the story about what it means to be human, even when you are an android. The actions and motivations of Bud are neatly contrasted by those of Dr. Nestor. In addition, the sub-plot exploring Jude and his actions provide a similar, though slightly divergent, look at what it means to be human as we age and grow. I really enjoyed how these story arcs paralleled each other throughout the novel.
Bud by the Grace of God is a fun, fast-paced medical sci-fi thriller. S.E. Sasaki has created interesting characters that you want to know more about, and a story that keeps you turning the pages. I highly recommend this book for anybody who’s a fan of television medical dramas and has any interest in sci-fi.
July 31, 2019
A great series, and well worth reading. The space station faces a number of dangers, there is a nasty bad guy, and blossoming romance. All these subplots are woven with great skill throughout the book, making for a fast paced read.
This series features a thoughtfully developed world where the author can explore the ramifications of extreme medical developments, a universal war, high pressure life, artificial intelligence and so much more. So many interesting things to ponder in these books.
This series features a thoughtfully developed world where the author can explore the ramifications of extreme medical developments, a universal war, high pressure life, artificial intelligence and so much more. So many interesting things to ponder in these books.
October 12, 2018
I loved this second book in the Grace Lord series. (Who doesn't have a crush on Bud?- but how is that even possible?) S.E. Sasaki has hit another one out of the park with this compelling medical/sci-fi lightning bolt. Hooray!
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