Browse the shelves
114 books
The Crystal Crown
A reluctant king, some delightful originality, and a truly impressive amount of boredom.
The Shore of Women
A fascinating post-apocalyptic society where women rule technologically advanced cities and men live as wilderness barbarians. Unfortunately, the intriguing worldbuilding takes a backseat to a tedious, unconvincing romance, uneven pacing, and frustrating gender essentialism.
The Turning Place
A collection of interconnected YA science fiction stories tracing humanity's future across centuries. Uneven and occasionally underwhelming individually, the stories gradually build toward a surprisingly moving exploration of what it means to be alive. Best suited to younger readers who enjoy thoughtful sci-fi.
God Stalk
A dark, inventive fantasy with mesmerizing worldbuilding and a wonderfully strange heroine starts incredibly strong, only to squander its promise on meandering plots and a disturbing relationship involving a child murderer. I loved it until I very much didn't.
The Wood Nymph and the Cranky Saint
Daimbert returns to Yurt for another cozy fantasy adventure, but a jumble of disconnected mysteries, an irritating new wizard, and an abrupt climax leave this sequel far short of *A Bad Spell in Yurt*'s charm. Even a delightful wood nymph can't quite save it.
The Woman Who Loved Reindeer
What begins as an intriguing fantasy about a young seer raising a shapeshifting child takes an absolutely horrifying turn when their maternal relationship becomes romantic—while he's still underage. An emphatic DNF, because some things are too gross to read past.
Lethe
An ambitious, idea-dense debut with aquatic hybrids, psychic dolphins, wormholes, cyclops tribes, and a mysteriously idyllic world. The first two-thirds are gripping and full of promise, but a muddled final stretch and weak payoff keep it from fully cashing in on its fascinating setup.
Out There
What promises to be a post-apocalyptic adventure turns out to be a rather dull nature-club field trip. Thin characterization, a depressing ending, and some egregious fatphobia make this one hard to recommend. Worst of all? Not a single raccoon.
From the Legend of Biel
A beautifully written premise about alien ruins and obsession gives way to an increasingly esoteric, talky, and relentlessly boring second half. If philosophical musings on the ordinary are your thing, this may work for you, but I hit my limit and gave up.
The Children Star
On a planet with fascinating alien biology, an orphan colony becomes entangled in a struggle for the world's survival. Slonczewski delivers extraordinary science and thought-provoking ideas, but uneven pacing, shallow relationships, and a rushed final act keep this installment from reaching the heights of its predecessors.
Alien Nation: Extreme Prejudice
An unexpectedly thoughtful Alien Nation tie-in featuring a Pittsburgh-set murder mystery, creeping horror, and surprisingly nuanced explorations of racism. What could have been campy franchise fiction turns out to be a genuinely enjoyable police procedural.
Jinian Star-Eye
A promising finale to the Jinian trilogy takes a horrifying turn when its treatment of disability, eugenics, and supposedly soulless children undermines everything that came before. What begins as an imaginative fantasy adventure ends in an ethically disastrous mess.
The Changeling
A tender, bittersweet story of two childhood outsiders whose friendship makes the world a brighter place. Despite its YA audience and lack of fantasy, The Changeling offers adults a surprisingly powerful dose of nostalgia for the friendships that shaped them.
Double Mobius Sphere
A deceptively dense first-contact mystery about a child prodigy, a starship crew, and humanity's place in the universe. Packed with mathematics, science, and philosophy, it's a fascinating exploration of big questions—even if the ending offers more heart than answers.
Guilt-Edged Ivory
Theo and Ran return to Ivory for a murder mystery full of aristocratic intrigue. It's an enjoyable read, but the low stakes and focus on the whodunit leave less room for the rich relationships that made the earlier books so exceptional.
Daughter of Elysium
A richly imagined, intellectually fascinating exploration of cultures, ecology, and family. Less plot-driven than *A Door Into Ocean*, but just as rewarding for readers who love getting lost in a world and its ideas.
Dervish Daughter
Jinian's second outing loses some of the charm and cohesion of *Jinian Footseer*, especially thanks to underdeveloped companions and Peter's obnoxious pressure for sex, but once Jinian gets room to act on her own, the book finally catches fire.
Godbond
The Sea King trilogy promises a world-saving three-way, but its finale delivers meandering quests, endless emotional agony, and a conclusion that's somehow both too convenient and too vague.
Orbit 13
Twenty stories of distinctly bleak 1970s speculative fiction, ranging from post-apocalyptic nightmares to reality-bending psychological horror. Doris Piserchia and Kate Wilhelm deliver some excellent work, but the relentless gloom left me exhausted rather than hungry for more.
Jinian Footseer
A pragmatic young woman sets off through a richly imagined fantasy world, encountering strange creatures, mysterious old gods, and no shortage of adventures—with six wonderful older women offering support along the way. A captivating, meandering journey whose pleasures far outweigh its frustratingly rushed conclusion.
Jalav
A promising fantasy about a fierce tribe of warrior women begins as an intriguing reversal of traditional gender roles, then devolves into relentless rape, slavery, and abuse portrayed as romance. Unconvincing characterization and a dreadful post-apocalyptic reveal only make its dangerous rape apologism worse.
Taurus Four
A stranded space explorer encounters a primitive society descended from hippies and falls for a teenage girl. I kept reading in hopes that the protagonist's spectacular sexism was deliberate satire. Instead, the novel celebrates his misogyny and delivers one of the most appalling endings I've encountered.
Charlemagne's Champion
Roland, an outcast warrior terrified of his supernatural heritage, seeks redemption through service to Charlemagne. A deeply unlikable protagonist and sloppy prose nearly drove me away, but intriguing magical mysteries and a promising friendship kept me reading—until a disappointing conclusion vindicated my initial doubts.
A City in the North
A wealthy human explorer becomes obsessed with visiting an ancient ruin on a planet whose enigmatic native inhabitants want outsiders to stay away. In just 222 pages, Marta Randall delivers a fascinating, character-driven exploration of alien cultures, colonialism, and the limits of human understanding.
A Door Into Ocean
On an ocean-covered moon, an all-female society of gifted biologists faces a growing threat from a militaristic civilization. An extraordinary exploration of ecology, identity, culture, and nonviolent resistance, with rich characterization and a gripping second half that was almost too tense for me.
The Last of the Dragons and Some Others
A collection of century-old children's dragon stories with delightful illustrations, witty dialogue, and wonderfully ridiculous inventions. The title story is a gem, but the others are often too simplistic for my tastes—and the period racism and distrust-of-adults storytelling make for an uncomfortable read.
Extra Ellies
A nine-page science-fiction story about a society so obsessed with mortality statistics that people have practically stopped living. Julia Ecklar's imaginative worldbuilding shines, but its message about manipulating safety information hit very differently when I read it during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contrarywise
An eccentric trickster god, an expansive magical world, and a wonderfully engaging ensemble make for a promising beginning. Then an increasingly incoherent, world-ending plot introduces divine meddling, rape, and a supposedly heartwarming romance between biological twins. I loved the first third. The rest? What the fuck.
The Far Forests
Fifteen charming, gently supernatural tales of romance, mystery, death, and other peculiarities. Joan Aiken makes even her macabre stories feel cozy and inviting, creating a quietly delightful collection with surprising moments of substance.
The Duchess of Kneedeep
A runaway duchess flees across an absurd planet where seemingly every man she encounters threatens her with sexual violence or murder. Tepid jokes, shallow characters, and a twist that trivializes her entirely reasonable fears made this supposed comedy impossible to finish.
Deryni Checkmate
After the brisk, satisfying intrigue of Deryni Rising, its sequel offers little but vague political unrest, religious persecution, endless dowry discussions, and characters who seem as bored as I am. I abandoned the book at page 78.
Song of the Pearl
A teenage girl journeys through the afterlife and her past incarnations to understand her suffering. Beautiful prose cannot redeem a YA novel whose central message holds an abused child responsible for her own sexual assault—and ultimately demands that she apologize to her abuser. My most hated ForFemFan read.
Sorcerer's Legacy
A grieving widow is transported across time and space to save a prince, only to become trapped in deadly court intrigue. Competent prose can't rescue an unconvincing heroine, relentlessly contrived suspense, or an appalling ending that treats terrible sacrifices as a triumph.
The Fluger
A seemingly unstoppable alien monster terrorizes a futuristic New York City while an uncooperative alien assassin hunts it down. A gloriously pulpy, occasionally gory adventure with inconsistent writing, surprisingly thoughtful characters, and unexpected moments of genuine beauty.
The Hero and the Crown
Aerin, the ostracized daughter of Damar's king, must forge a place for herself in a world that doubts her worth. An intimate, fiercely feminist coming-of-age fantasy about persistence, compassion, and finding strength without losing yourself—and a book that helped shape who I became.
The Blue Sword
Harry Crewe, a young woman displaced to a remote desert frontier, finds herself drawn into the magical world of the Hillfolk. A languid, traditional chosen-one fantasy whose unremarkable plot is more than redeemed by the quiet strength, dignity, and wonderfully nuanced characterization of its heroine.
The Devil You Say
Aubrey Arbuthnot returns for another absurd supernatural adventure in 1920s England. The plot is more ambitious and the humor more outrageous than Strong Spirits, but an increasingly obnoxious protagonist and some unexpectedly cruel stereotypes diminish the fun.
Dancer of the Sixth
A military intelligence agent discovers someone has stolen her former identity and must go undercover as herself to investigate. A terrific premise buried beneath bloated prose, tedious exposition, and a mystery that loses its tension almost immediately.
Soul-Singer of Tyrnos
A young Singer follows the gods' guidance across Tyrnos, using the magic of song to heal suffering and expose corruption. A compact, traditional fantasy quest with likable characters, unusual magic, and just enough adventure to scratch that fantasy itch.
Watchstar
A solitary young woman in a telepathic society must protect an outsider while preparing for a dangerous coming-of-age ordeal. A thoughtfully written exploration of consciousness, morality, and cultural contact—though its philosophical interests didn't entirely align with mine.
The Adversary
The final volume of The Saga of Pliocene Exile delivers an overstuffed conclusion in which murderous abusers edge toward redemption, ever-expanding psychic powers dissolve the stakes, and crucial information is withheld simply to keep the reader turning pages. Includes a complete spoiler-filled recap for anyone who'd rather skip the 470-page ordeal.
The Nature of Witches
An American scientist in Sweden begins to wonder whether his estranged wife is a witch. Surprisingly perceptive prose and vivid characterization give way to appalling misogyny, sexual violence, and an ending that rewards an utterly reprehensible protagonist.
The Strange Likeness
A 1929 girls' boarding-school story about two look-alikes offers a glimpse into the ambitions of young women nearly a century ago. But reading a copy rescued from my grandmother's bookshelf made this unremarkable little novel an unexpectedly moving experience.
Strong Spirits
When a charmingly useless young aristocrat's father dies, his ghost refuses to leave him alone. A wonderfully absurd little supernatural comedy set in 1920s England, with dry humor, lovable characters, and just enough detail to make its 151 pages feel like a complete world.
Regenesis
Four loosely connected novellas follow a misanthropic ecological scientist working to preserve animal life across the galaxy. Rich in real science, surprising emotion, and occasional delightful weirdness, Regenesis left me wishing there were more.
Bone Dance
A post-apocalyptic, low-tech cyberpunk noir that mixes psychological mystery, mysticism, and questions of identity. Ambitious and occasionally beautiful, but its competing storylines and uneven development made finishing it a frustrating slog.
Deryni Rising
A young prince, his Deryni magician mentor, and a vengeful sorceress collide in an elaborate struggle for the throne. A classic historical fantasy with impossibly dramatic characters, convenient magic, and an unexpectedly comforting old-fashioned charm.
Mindbond
Kor and Dannoc spend an exhausting amount of time discussing their magical bond, their feelings, and their feelings about each other's feelings. The plot barely registers, but the increasingly suggestive love triangle kept me reading for entirely undignified reasons.
Alien Blues
A futuristic police procedural featuring serial killers, a sinister conspiracy, and wonderfully peculiar stingray-like aliens. The Elaki are delightful, but muddled plotting, stilted prose, and gratuitous sexualized violence ruin an otherwise promising premise.
Daughter of Night
Lilith's prehistoric world collides with an alien civilization facing cosmic annihilation. An intriguing retelling of ancient mythology gets lost in metaphysical exposition, though its Soviet author's remarkable history adds another dimension to the story.
The Light in Exile
An agrarian colony, a mysterious agent, and an ancient alien race consumed by loss. A beautifully crafted, character-driven science fiction novel that balances cosmic stakes with intimate, believable lives—despite some languid pacing.
Mysteries of People and Places
A nostalgic return to the sensational mysteries I devoured as a kid, from the Bermuda Triangle to the Tunguska explosion. Not exactly speculative fiction—or particularly reliable history—but a surprisingly enjoyable exploration of modern mythology.
A Bad Spell in Yurt
A freshly graduated wizard takes a job in the charming kingdom of Yurt, only to discover something sinister threatening its king. A delightful, cozy fantasy mystery with lovable characters, just enough intrigue, and a whole lot of heart.
Silk Roads and Shadows
A Byzantine princess sets out on a perilous journey to China to steal silkworms and save her empire. A promising historical fantasy adventure, but frantic pacing, disorienting transitions, and careless prose made me abandon it after fifty pages.
An Exchange of Hostages
A compassionate surgeon is forced to train as a state-sanctioned torturer in a dystopian future. Brilliant psychological characterization initially had me hooked, but an abrupt turn toward sexual sadism made this a book I couldn't continue.
The Armies of Daylight
I stuck with Barbara Hambly's Darwath trilogy out of love for the author, only to find an ending that made three books of struggle feel pointless. Flat protagonists, frustrating plotting, and one of the most unsatisfying finales I've ever read.
Joshua, Son of None
A scientist secretly preserves John F. Kennedy's DNA with the intention of cloning him. Intriguing, ambitious, and beautifully written—but its dense mixture of Norse mythology, metaphor, and scientific detail demanded more concentration than I was prepared to give.
Call of Madness
In a kingdom that executes its mages, a reckless princess discovers she has forbidden magical powers. An intriguing premise and thrilling final act are undermined by inconsistent characterization, questionable decisions, and a frustrating protagonist.
Far Edge of Darkness
A group of modern-day strangers find themselves enslaved in ancient Rome, caught in a dangerous time-travel conspiracy. A well-written, suspenseful action novel that's solidly enjoyable, even if its central mystery proves more compelling than its resolution.
The Dimensioneers
A teenage girl and her mutant lion leap between dimensions, pursued by hostile aliens. Unfortunately, fourteen pages of clumsy prose and bewildering action were more than enough to convince me to abandon the adventure.
The Panorama Egg
A panorama egg contains an entire fantasy world, and an infuriating protagonist gets to explore it. Baffling, uneven, and often unpleasant—but one magnificent, mysterious sorceress makes the whole thing unforgettable.
The Prince of Whales
A singing whale, predatory orca music managers, nautical puns, and a quest to save the ocean. An utterly ridiculous children's fantasy that's goofy in all the right ways—and surprisingly entertaining for adults.
King's Dragon
An intricately constructed medieval fantasy with a promising prologue, but its painstaking worldbuilding and a young woman's brutal loss of agency couldn't sustain my interest. After two attempts, I still couldn't finish it.
Tempus
I expected adventures worthy of my dog Niko. Instead, I found purple prose, endless flashbacks, uncomfortable philosophical arguments, and a Thieves’ World collection written for fans who already know the characters.
House of Illusion
A young librarian visits her eccentric aunt's mysterious estate, hoping for adventure. An intriguing opening, a charming mechanic, and some genuinely terrible plotting make for a deeply disappointing Gothic mystery.
Suffer a Witch to Die
A wonderfully obscure 1960s Gothic thriller about a widow transported into the body of her Puritan doppelgänger during the Salem witch trials. Eerie, inventive, and just a little too short for its own good.
The Drastic Dragon of Draco, Texas
A Wild West fantasy promising dragons and cozy eccentricity turns into a tedious account of kidnapping, captivity, and everyday life, complete with unfortunate Native American stereotypes. I wanted more dragon and less everything else.
An Alien Light
A fascinating, deeply human science fiction novel about violence, relationships, and the contradictions of human nature. Its unusual premise and richly developed characters made it one of my favorite ForFemFan discoveries.
The Walls of Air
Rudy and Ingold undertake a perilous journey while Gil and Minalde investigate an ancient keep. Intriguing mysteries and stronger characterization can't quite overcome frustrating plot contrivances, questionable decisions, and a truly baffling approach to food storage.
Two-Bit Heroes
Theodora returns to Ivory, gets engaged to Ran, and finds herself tangled up with a band of outlaws. A slow start and a messy ending can't spoil the delight of spending more time with Doris Egan's wonderfully human characters.
Wizenbeak
I needed a comforting fantasy after a particularly brutal book. Instead, I found two pages of awkward prose, baffling word choices, and enough editorial grievances to produce an entire line-by-line critique. Also: ratsters.
Chrysalis of Death
A fossil collector unearths prehistoric caterpillars that unleash a horrifying epidemic on a tiny desert town. Competently written, genuinely suspenseful pulp horror whose relentless cruelty and hopelessness left me furious.
Phoenix Fire
A light urban fantasy involving Chinese mythology, an ancient demon, and a rather underused phoenix. It has all the charm, questionable plotting, and nostalgic familiarity of a 1990s PG-13 action movie.
The Garden of the Shaped
Immortal scientists create three races and gradually forget why they made them. A fascinating exploration of creation, privilege, and prejudice loses its momentum when philosophical mysteries give way to a less compelling race war.
Dreamrider
A promising dream-world premise, a giant otter, and some of the most painfully stilted prose and dialogue I've encountered. I abandoned this one after eleven pages, with absolutely no regrets.
Islands
In a world of immortals, Tia Hamley is the one woman who will grow old and die. A beautifully written, deeply human exploration of mortality, identity, and connection, somewhat undermined by its metaphysical ending.
The Joy Wagon
I deliberately broke the rules of ForFemFan because the robot on the cover looked like Claptrap. What I got was a presidential campaign full of depressingly familiar politics, racism, sexism, and a robot considerably less charming than advertised.
The Time of the Dark
A medieval historian, a drifter, and a magnificent old wizard find themselves fighting to survive an apocalypse in another world. An unexpectedly thin plot and unconvincingly resilient protagonists disappoint, but Ingold nearly saves the whole thing.
The Witchstone
Three villains pursue a magical stone, and an intriguing exploration of damaged people gives way to a disappointing quest and an unconvincing redemption. Wonderful beginnings, frustrating execution, and yet another case of Bad Back Copy.
The Witches
Twenty-eight pages into this literary tale of witchcraft, I surrendered to its relentlessly philosophical narrator. Not necessarily a bad book, but one whose storytelling style is spectacularly incompatible with mine.
Missing Man
A kindhearted telepath with learning disabilities joins a futuristic rescue squad. George is wonderful, the premise is fascinating, and the increasingly disconnected plots turn a promising collection of ideas into a frustrating mess.
Daughters of Earth
Three vintage science-fiction stories, one painfully misogynistic and two extraordinary. An intimate multigenerational history of women exploring space and a telepathic encounter between a stranded child and an alien mother make this collection well worth reading.
The Serpent
A sheltered goddess-princess is thrust into a brutal world where women's sexuality is both a liability and a source of power. Beautiful, devastating, unexpectedly funny, and one of the most thought-provoking novels I've read.
The Fountains of Mirlacca
A kindhearted outcast, a fascinating guild of exorcists, and a richly imagined little fantasy world. Unfortunately, rushed pacing and some spectacularly misleading back-cover copy undermine an otherwise promising story.
Eldrie the Healer
A bastard princess who mistakes being perpetually furious for being strong, a companion whose personality changes by the page, and fifty pages of characterization so frustrating I gave up.
The Gate of Ivory
A pragmatic young woman stranded on a magical planet finds friendship, intrigue, and a wonderfully unconventional family. Clever, funny, deeply human, and an absolute delight from beginning to end.
The Nonborn King
The third Saga of Pliocene Exile novel abandons much of what made the series wonderful: compelling characters, immersive storytelling, and emotional depth. What's left is war, betrayal, and people I desperately want to see die.
Madbond
An amnesiac hunter, a carnivorous horse, six intertwined tribes, and a bromance that goes from zero to eternal devotion. A slow start gives way to fascinating mythology and excellent storytelling.
The Trees of Zharka
A world in perpetual penance, 79 sacred trees, and a young priest questioning everything he's been taught. A surprisingly nuanced, thoughtful, and optimistic little science-fiction novel.
Lords of the Triple Moons
Andre Norton recommends it, the cover promises glorious pulp, and the prose is lovely. Unfortunately, every interesting event seems to happen between chapters. I gave up on page 34.
Gifts of Blood
A collection of strange, beautifully imagined stories about healing vampires on the Russian steppes, plus an alien invasion and a musical spider. Rich in mythology and prose, if sometimes light on plot.
The Golden Torc
Book two of the Saga of Pliocene Exile broadens the cast, speeds up the storytelling, and leans harder into science-fantasy. Not quite as immersive as The Many-Colored Land, but still compelling—and Sugoll is worth the price of admission.
Dragon's Pawn
A computer programmer named Noble King gets whisked into a fantasy quest. Clumsy prose, casual sexism, an abandoned cat, and an unfortunately attractive fennec fox put an end to my reading.
The Seventh Gate
The breathtaking conclusion to Seven Citadels left me sobbing at one in the morning. A remarkable story of complicated friendships, physical beauty, and the painful, wonderful realities of being human.
The Many-Colored Land
A one-way ticket six million years into Earth's past, a cast of misfits, and the delicious terror of the unknown. A sprawling science-fantasy epic that initially blew me away.
Sword-Dancer
A chauvinist sword-for-hire and a formidable swordswoman make for a surprisingly funny, feminist adventure—until terrible decisions and a rushed final act derail everything.
Children of the Wind
The second Seven Citadels adventure deepens its wonderfully human characters, explores faith and philosophy without preaching, and introduces an argumentative companion and a delightful cat.
The Guardsman
An imperial guard torn between loyalty and rebellion sounds promising. Unfortunately, 75 pages of lazy sexism, muscular lionmen, and painfully elaborate mirror descriptions were more than enough.
Demon Drums
God-killing, magical drums, witches, shapeshifters, and flying dolphins. A fascinating island fantasy with far more ideas than its 240 pages can possibly accommodate.
Nightpool
A wronged prince, singing dragons, ancient evil, and an entire tribe of impossibly charming talking otters. Delightful animal characters can't quite save an increasingly chaotic plot.
Pandora's Genes
A post-apocalyptic world of warrior-nun scientists, empathetic foxcats, genetic disasters, and frighteningly believable religious fanaticism. A surprisingly compelling adventure despite some uncomfortable themes.
The Wave and the Flame
Gorgeous cover. Epic premise. Forty pages of tedious meteorology, catty scientists, and prose so overwrought that a mischievous dwarf finally drove me to give up.
Tea with the Black Dragon
A supposedly fantastical romance-thriller whose dragons barely dragon, characters barely investigate, and technical jargon never seems to end. At least Mayland Long is likable.
The Wicked Enchantment
An eleven-year-old girl, three eccentric aunts, a magnificent collection of animals, and a rebellion involving Easter eggs. Delightfully feminist middle-grade fantasy that deserves to be a classic.
Those Who Hunt the Night
A Victorian vampire murder mystery with exceptional characterization, rich historical detail, and a conclusion that doesn't quite live up to the journey.
Chance and Other Gestures of the Hand of Fate
A wildly varied collection of stories, poems, and a novella—thoughtful, beautifully written, sometimes dark, and occasionally interrupted by a monstrous dick monster.
Star Gate
Parallel dimensions, evil doubles, existential headaches, and a battle-llama. Delightful old-school science fiction with some forgettable characters.
Found
A childhood favorite that holds up beautifully, with evocative prose, unexpected friendships, and a surprising amount of emotional depth.
Killer Pine
A miniature secret agent investigates a dying Canadian forest in a surprisingly beautiful novel that turns insects, ordinary landscapes, and even mutant termites into sources of wonder.
The Incorporated Knight
The Incorporated Knight is … a book? A gentle, meandering comedy of errors starring an entirely unflappable knight whose adventures are absurd, occasionally clever, and surprisingly difficult to categorize.
Prince of the Godborn
An unassuming little YA fantasy novel that delivers wonderfully authentic sibling relationships, fascinating theological questions, and characters I'd happily read about going grocery shopping.
Psion
A street-hardened telepath with an attitude problem, a narrative that summarizes its own best moments, and enough ellipses to finally make me put the book down.
War for the Oaks
It’s good—it’s dazzlingly good—but it’s also quite simple. War for the Oaks is lyrical, methodical, and shines with an exquisite attention to detail.
The Wizard's Shadow
The Wizard’s Shadow is, both at its best and at its core, a story about a fantastical, medieval odd-couple. Except they have to share a lot more than living quarters.