Was ich gerade lese

A history of ressources trading, starting in the 20th century, sort of. And it's important to read, for these freedealing traders have accumulated much money and power. It seems as if billionaires only pop into existence when there is something new, which means information assymmetry as well as almost no regulation (think railway barons, internet tech, and here, natural resource exploitation).

Basically, this is neocolonialism and money rules the world in one.

I liked it alot, even though there are vampires on board (which seems anathema to all scifi readers). Yet this particular type of story is about humans trying to settle in the galaxy, so of course they take all their human fears with them, which means vampires, werewolfes etc. Which, in this case, and this case only, fits.

Been there recently, and found this book there, which tells of a british guy going to Seychelles to catch turtles first, sharks later as the captain of a small boat. Gave me some new insights to geology, biology and history of Seychelles as well as a few very interesting anecdotes, like the one with Ping Pong, the dead Chinese who started a gold rush on African Bar etc.

... been there recently (on Seychelles) and found this book in a shop there. Of course it's written in the view of those times, meaning it would benefit from a more critical view on colonial structures and themes the author cannot shake. But one can clearly see them now, right on the first pages. But anyway, it offers a glimpse on Seychelles not possible to have by going there these days.

(comment on Beyond the reefs and Shark for sale)

... and I like it alot, though it will not become a milestone of scifi. It's solid, fun and interesting, though. Also, apart from most other military scifi, it has a female protagonist and was written by a female author, Elizabeth Moon. And that alone makes it different.