Choice Books

Ender's Game

2013-08-28T14:08:00.004+01:00

I can see why Ender's Games won so many awards and is seen as a sci-fi classic. It is a great story, well written, that does as good sci-fi should do - keep the reading but asking questions. On purpose, I had not read any reviews of the book so I missed an spoilers (I won't be including any here I hope).

Story revolves around Ender a six-year old boy selected to be trained as the military saviour of the human race, the goal being to training him (if possible) to be lead the space fleet to victory against the enemy. What is done to him is arguably cruel but does the end justify the means? Is it right to take away his childhold? I will confess I didn't predict the ending but that might just be me.

If you haven't read, don't be put off by the techno-war; it is more about human issues than war. I enjoyed it; so I have brought the next in the series.

Doctor Who: Harvest of Time

2013-08-12T20:17:00.001+01:00

Another great read from Alastair Reynolds. The third Doctor and the Master have to collaborate (some of the time) to defeat an invasion of bodysnatching aliens. The imagery in the book is great, you get a good sense of the locations, characters (especially the Doctor and the Master) and the aliens Sild.

The combination of Alastair Reynolds and Doctor Who is a great combination; the pace is fast and the book is quite hard to put down.

Other reviews

Tidhar's Central Station

2013-07-21T18:43:00.000+01:00

This is a collection of three short stories that appear in Interzone by Lavie Tidhar all set in Central Station and revolves around a book-worm/seller with a vivid imagination and a sort of vampire who sucks memories out of be people.

'Strigoi' (Interzone 242) is concerned with the arrival and the 'vampire' and how she came to be one.
'The Book Seller' (Interzone 244) is concerned with the book seller and his relationship with the 'vampire'.

'The Core' (Interzone 246) explains partially some of the questions raised in the first two stories about why the 'vampire' was allowed into the city.

I hope there will be more of these stories.

Overtime

2013-06-30T15:58:00.001+01:00

This is one of the best short stories I have read in a while. It has all the horror and humour of a Charles Stross Laundry series story (have a go if you haven't read one of these), which it is. A Christmas story with Lovecraft overtones and a nice antidote to more sugary Christmas stories. Events take place with the hero Bob Howard on duty in a British Government supernatural organisation over Christmas; with a creepy take on the nature of Father Christmas.

Good, tongue-in-cheek fun, that is well written, at a good price.

After the Coup

2013-06-30T15:46:00.002+01:00

If you like John Scalzi's 'Old Man's War' books or 'The Human Division' I think your will like this. It is a short story, (I read it on the Kindle for 38p in the UK at the time of writing). It concerns the things some of the characters have to do, to gain success on a diplomatic missions. In this case one of the character's has to fight (and lose) as a form of 'champion' for humanity a representative of the alien race. The story is imaginative, and like good short stories is great for a quick satisfying read.

For more reviews on this book:

A Tall Tail

2013-06-30T15:33:00.001+01:00

This story by Charles Stross is a great read. It is put across as factual, and throws in some real and possible unreal chemicals in to the story about space craft propulsion systems and possible unhand things US and Russians (in this story) did to get ahead in the space race. The story revolves around a group of rocket scientists at a party discussing the weird propulsion system they worked on, or pretended to work on to trick their opponents with misinformation.

If you looking for a good, tongue-in-check read this is worth a look, especially at 35p (in the UK) on the Kindle.

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Poor Man's Fight

2013-06-15T15:40:00.001+01:00

I bought this book, in large part, because of the price (under £2.00 on the kindle), thinking if it not that good I have lost out too much. Well it is on this blog, so I am more than happy I took the chance.

This is a fast paced book, mixing politics, a tiny bit of social commentary but mostly a good sci-fi action book. The story revolves around Tanner who joins his system's Navy largely to repay the debts for education. The book starts with him not doing as well as he should have on standardised tests; leading to greater debt, joining the Navy and becoming a hero fighting pirates. There is a lot more to this book than that one sentence summary, it could have gone down all the standard plot-lines of all in the military are deep good-at-heart, who are just being tough for positive reasons; instead the crew maybe heroic but are flawed. There are twists in the book, and politicians doing what ever it takes and making some morally questionable deals.

I enjoyed this book. A good read at a very good price.

The Lives of Tao

2013-06-07T22:56:00.003+01:00

Two competing factions of an alien race, using Humans as hosts to get off this planet, but with different philosophies [though not always that easy to tell the difference]. Now imagine you are an over-weight software engineer, getting in your car and one of these aliens merges with you and over a relative short time turns you into a secret agent in their war. This is the beginning of this book by Wesley Chu.

A good sci-fi book where the concept of what would happen in aliens were behind the leading figures in history is re-explored. Basically anything we think of us humans developing that is significant, is actually developed through these aliens. Now, throw in martial arts action, deception, politics, and blood-feuds what you end up with is an interesting and more importantly enjoyable read.

The Stars Do Not Lie

2013-06-02T16:45:00.000+01:00

The Stars Do Not Lie by Joseph E Lake published as a novella in Asimov's Science Fiction October/November 2012. What is especially nice, is the story is available at http://www.asimovs.com/pdfs/Stories/The_Stars_Do_Not_Lie.pdf.

A Scientist makes a discovery which when he tries to announce it, he gets removed from the stage quickly and becomes the focus of a lot of initially unwanted attention. The story mixes politics, religion and science policy to make a interesting story. It has a steam-punk feel to it, with airships, pomp, and presentations to Royal Society type organisations.

Confession time, at first I didn't think the story was going to work for me, I was wrong.The basic story is not a new one, but the way it is written and the spin taken is good. It is not hard to see why this a Nebula Prize nominee, it is enjoyable without insulting the readers intelligence.

The Mongolian Book of the Dead

2013-06-01T10:54:00.001+01:00

The Mongolian Book of the Dead by Alan Steele published as a novella in Asimov's Science Fiction October/November 2012.

A US citizen gets caught up in the turmoil of a fictional invasion of Mongolia by China, by initially be rescued by a band of Mongolians. Why was he rescued gradually becomes clear as the story develops. The story revolves around the fact that he had a near death experience when he was young, a shaman, soul and Ghengis Khan's army. Work that one out.

As a reader you are lead through the story at the right pace, with the Mongolian language and landscape being integral to the story. It is an interesting, enjoyable, fantasy/sci-fi story, that I didn't predict the conclusion. Well worth a read

vN: The First Machine Dynasty

2013-05-26T18:54:00.003+01:00

This is an interesting book by Madeline Ashby in many ways; in part in that the main players are not human, even though it is essentially a human world, but robots and often 'female' robot. The vN in the title is von Neumann machines, they self replicate (even if they 'male' robots), and takes a look at the dark side of having robot built with the inability to harm humans. I know Asimov got there first, but he didn't go as far as the thinking in this book, the robots are forced in many ways to be in love with humans and some of the degrading possibilities that could lead to for sentient creatures.

Also explored is what happens if the inability to harm or even to watch humans being harmed is removed do you necessarily get psychotic robots (in one case yes). The flipside of all this is also looked at from the human who prefer vNs to their own species - in places in some very creepy ways.

As a reader you are lead through some thought provoking ideas, in a fast-paced way.

Bedlam

2013-05-18T16:00:00.000+01:00

Christopher Brookmyre does it again with another great comic read.

The main character is a medical technologist who volunteers to have his head scanned and comes around in a game he used to play as a teenager and the adventures follows from there. In the game world (or is it real) he becomes Bedlam.

It has a mixture of comic and philosophy (don't get put off by that) asking the question if you were brain was scanned and is essentially a copy of you -
Is it right for someone else to use it anyway they want?
Who owns it?
Would you be able to tell the difference between being in a simulation or the real-world?
Is the real-world a simulation anyway? Not original but still interesting. See the relate bit below for more information.

Mix this with corporate greed and politics; adventure; retro-gaming and great comic writing, you have a book that is worth reading.

Related
Links to the work mentioned in the book can be found at:

In Analog magazine: http://www.analogsf.com/2013_07-08/altview.shtml

S. Wolfram (2002) A New Kind of Science, Wolfram Inc.

Nexus

2013-05-04T19:51:00.000+01:00

There seems to be interest in books about 'transhumans' at the moment, no least of which are two books called Amped are just two examples. Nexus is the best so far of the current bunch (and I liked the others).

A group of post-grads add an operating system to an illegal drug, Nexus 3, creating Nexus 5 which enables users to share thoughts, control each others bodies and share experiences. Government agencies are out to ruthless surpress the drug; stopping people becoming more than human. The main character gets arrested with his friends and is 'turned' by the agency to be bait for bigger fish. It doesn't work out the way the agency hopes!

Though it is fair guess which way the author goes on the idea of whether people should have the opportunity to become 'more than human' or sharing experiences, the book is not clear cut. There is an great ongoing discussion of several issues

Is it right to stop the use of these drugs?
What happens to normal people if some people become enhanced?
What would happen if a small group has the enhancement and others don't? would it be better if no one had it?
How would it be abused?
Is it right to stop everyone having the opportunity to be enhanced because some may abuse it?
How much responsibility to the developers of the enhancement have for the abuse?
Is it ok for government agencies to use these enhancement on their own agents, to prevent others gain the abilities? In effect turning some of the agents into the 'monsters' they are trying to prevent!

I found this a fast paced, intelligent book and not least a great read. Please post with any comments if you have read this book.

Ghost Brigades

2013-04-27T09:21:00.000+01:00

Ghost Brigades

John Scalzi

A scientist who has turned traitor escapes by killing a clone of himself, but leaves a copy of consciousness behind. To understand what happened the consciousness get put into a modified soldier clone of the ‘Ghost Brigade’, but doesn’t take initially. The story revolves around the nobody is completely sure whether to trust the clone, especially when bits of the memory start coming back. Is this clone going to be becomes a traitor? Is he going to become the scientist or he is a person in his own right? What happens if the a super-enhanced soldier has the mind of a traitorous scientist? So you could say it - whether it is nature or nurture.

Mostly this book sets the background for one of the most interesting groups from the book “Old Man’s War” – The Ghost Brigade. A force of special forces soldiers who are cloned from people who are dead, and who are born, as adults, knowing they are soldiers and their destiny is to protect humanity.

If you enjoyed Old Man’s War this is also forms it’s sequel and is well worth reading.

Angelmaker

2013-04-20T12:38:00.000+01:00

Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway is another one of those book it is hard to pigeon-hole, so I won't. The writing is well constructed, descriptive and the book is 'hard to put down'.

The story revolves around a man, Joe Spork, who initially desires a quite life repairing clockwork devices, and not following in the footsteps of his late gangster father. Everything changes when

he is tricked into starting an old doomsday device by an octagarian ex-spy;
becomes public enemy number one;
chased by a group of monks with a charasmatic leader who wants to become God;
clockwork bees;
finally becoming what he didn't think he wanted to be initially.

Read this book, the pace is fast. I wouldn't describe it as only a comic novel, but there is a definite warped sense of humor evident in the writing.

For more reviews:

Top five books of 2012

2013-04-11T12:56:00.000+01:00

1. The Hundred-Year-Old Man who Climbed Out of The Window and Disappeared
Jonas Jonasson
This book has a great twist in that the character you think is going to be this harmless very old man who is going to need to be protection is anything but. The way the book switches from the past to the present really works well and reveals the main character Allan Karlsson has been behind the scenes of many of the great events of the twentieth century (without really trying - Forrest Gump bit), as well as being probably one of the brightest people ever (speaks several languages, nuclear physics is not a problem, international diplomacy, etc) not bad for someone with only three years of formal education - this guy makes James Bond look incompetent. The switching between the past and present also does help develop the story.
2. Robopocalypse
Daniel H Wilson
A slightly chilling book (which I should have guessed with a quote by Stephen King) about a war between robots and humans. Ok, this is not an original idea but this book does not claim it is, in fact there are plenty of historic quotes to show this idea has been around a long time.

3.Ready Player One
Ernest Cline
This is an excellent book it has been described as "Enchanting, Willy Wonka meets the the Matrix" (USA Today) but if you were a teenager in the 80s and Geeky this book will probably please you with all the references to 80s computers, films, TV programmes and games. The character Wade Watts is a star, if this is Ernest Cline's first book then I look forward to seeing what follows!

4. The Departure
Neal Asher
If you like Polity Series I think you will like this. New heroes including the rapidly developing post-human Saul and his Mars stranded sister are interesting. The title for the Trilogy - Owner is clever (I won't spoil where it comes from). The second book in the series Zero Point was released late 2012.

5. Three Unbroken
Chris Roberson

A war on Mars (or in his case Fire Star) seen through the eyes of three people in different services but the same side, set in an alternative history where China or Celestial Empire became the dominate world power but is at war with an Aztec-styled Mexican-like nation. I know this didn't come out in 2012 but this when I read it.

These are mine - what would yours be?

Ghosts of Manhattan

2013-04-04T12:40:00.001+01:00

Batman meets steampunk with slight touch of Lovecraft, set in 1920s Prohibition New York Ghosts of Manhattan by George Mann has all of these features. Coal-powered cars travel the street; a Cold War between America and the British Empire; and Roman Coins in mint condition appearing at crime scenes - you have an interesting book.

The Ghost is a vigilante hero, whose alter-ego is playboy haunted by 'things' he saw during war including something that he can't explain - so there is the Batman/The Shadow link. People are dying and crimes being committed by a gang headed by The Roman. Who the Roman is? Why is he called the Roman? What are these people dying? These questions are explained with a touch of creatures from another dimension throw in for good measure.

This is a good fun book, that I kept thinking would make an great graphic novel; like a lot of steampunk the images are strong. Well paced action and story, that keeps the readers interest.

For more reviews of this book:

Tears in the Rain by Rosa Montero

2013-04-01T16:05:00.003+01:00

How can any sci-fi fan resist reading a book with such an obvious reference to Bladerunner! The links with Bladerunner / Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep are clear but not important - there are a couple quotes from the film and some discussion how the 'Reps' in this are different to those in the film (the comparisons are all made to the film not the book). This is NOT a Bladerunner rip-off though, after a while I was able to ignore the comparison and read this book as a good book in it's own right - the two are different with some similarities.

Bruna Husky, a ex-combat replicant who is now a private detective gets drawn into (and targeted we later find within) a conspiracy against Earth and Techno-humans (replicants):

by a neighbour trying to kill her in her apartment who then kills herself;
finding out there have more of these cases;
then the whole thing going political and Husky being accused of many things but including the murder of human-separatist leader.

Don't this put you off, what you actually have is a story with several levels:

A detective story around a series of murders and the politics;
A near-future story about aliens, humans and artificial humans; their conflicts and biases;
About someone not just 'finding themselves' but actually creating what they want to be; who they do or don't want to be with;
Last but not least, an enjoyable read.

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Doughnut - Tom Holt

2013-03-28T20:06:00.003+00:00

Another great book from Tom Holt, also a little different to the others of his I have read, which revolved around magic being used commercially. In this book quantum physics, multiple universities, time travel, god-complex, big-bang and siblings - a heady mix.

The main character blows up a particle accelerator (but is it his fault) leading to at the very least Switzerland being considerably flatter, becoming unemployable, and giving a new meaning to 'climbing into the bottle' which in this case leads to alternative realities and meetings with both his not-so dead brother and mentor.

If you looking for a good comic 'fantasy' or sci-fi book this one is worth a look.

I confess to getting sucked in by the free chapter at the end of the book for 'The Accidental Sorcerer' and ended up buying the book.

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Old Man's War - John Scalzi

2013-03-23T21:52:00.000+00:00

Read this book, it is one of the most enjoyable Sci-Fi books I have read for a while. I have been reading the Scalzi's Human Division series books and they are good, but this is better.

The concept of 75 year old's enlisting (after starting the process 10 years before) to become soliders in an off-world force (Colonial Defence Force), giving up all their rights and breaking all contact with anyone left on Earth is not something you read everyday. The book is logical in terms of how a pensioner on Earth can become a superhuman soldier, the method is not really a surprise but that is an advantage.

Action is fast paced, with the effects of being a soldier consider and then moves on. John Perry is the central character, who we see going from enlistment, meeting new friends, physically becoming the superhuman solider, training, fighting a number of aliens and becoming a veteran - all in a very short period of time. Along the way we see him make and lose friends.

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Turing's Cathedral - George Dyson

2013-03-16T21:28:00.000+00:00

Concerned with the role played by Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study in the 'computing revolution', the players are introduced and their role in the developing computing is pieced together gradually. The main focus is on John Von Neumann and his role in a variety of computational fields, effect on the Institute, his life and the consideration of what coud have been if he hadn't died at a relative young age. If you are looking a lot of background on Alan Turing, this is not the book for you, Turing himself has a chapter. If though you are looking for the importance of Turing's work, then this book is for you, this is one of the major themes running through the book.

For me there was a little too much background and family history of some of the main players, including a chapter on the site of the institute itself.

There are some surprises (for me), the main one being the importance of Klara Von Neumann the second wife of John Von Neumann, as one of the first programmers/pioneers of the early computers.

This is a good book about the history and importance of computing, with some thoughts and even chapters on the concept of the Digital Universe and it's implications. If you are interesting in the history of computation this is book you will want to read.

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We Only Need The Heads - John Scalzi

2013-03-07T22:56:00.000+00:00

The strangely titled book (the reason is quite clear half way through this book/chapter) is the third in the Human Division series. The heroes from the first book B-Team are back and in difficulty. This book, unlike the previous two, leaves you with a cliffhanger, the team split over two related locations.

These books do need to be read in sequence, but I not sure I want to keep reading them installments, would it be worth waiting for the whole collection as one book? I am unsure. What it has done though, is lead me to by other John Scalzi books.

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Walk the Plank - John Scalzi

2013-03-04T14:32:00.002+00:00

This is the second in the thirteen part Human Division series on the Kindle.

The book is delivered as a dialogue on a 'Wild-cat' planet and is a very short (but worthwhile) story that is a quick read. It concerns hard decisions that have to be made for the good of the colony.

How it relates to the first book is not clear but I am curious to fine out (see Human Division 3 book below).

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American Sniper - Chris Kyle

2013-03-04T09:52:00.001+00:00

This is an autobiography of a SEAL sniper during the second Iraq War, and like others books written by soldiers it is actually more readable strangely (for example Apache by Ed Macy) than similar biographies written by reporters (even if they were embedded).

One of the really good features in this book is the inserts from his wife giving a really good extra dimension to the book.

This is a fast paced book, that leads the reader through the narrative effectively.

The author you respect. His cowboy nature is raised every so often, and problems with Head Shed (senior officers) is well documented in the book.

It is a fast paced, good read, the level of graphic detail is low (which would be have been a problem), written from a first person perspective and too a certain extent a 'warts and all' account. It appears to have been written with an American audience in mind, though the Polish army comes out in the book in a very positive light. The inserts from his wife are an excellent addition to the book, counterbalancing the action, with the effect the war has one the soldier's family. Reference is made to another book Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell, and this author's charity work after leaving the SEALs is discussed..

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The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Blue Bear by Walter Moers

2013-02-25T08:39:00.002+00:00

This book by Walter Moers is both strange but very enjoyable, but also hard to pin down what type of book it actually is. The front cover and pictures inside the book makes it look like a children's fantasy book, but it is not usually found in the that section of a bookshop - and if you actually try reading this to a young child I am sure you would very quickly find the language and ideas a little heavy. This is a great, guilty pleasure for adults to read a book with pictures that is full of great images, ideas and a good story and be reading it for us.

The story is set in the continent of Zamonia, starting with a Blue Bear as a tiny baby floating next to a giant whirlpool in half a walnut shell. Minipirates rescue him, teaching him seamanship skills and then dumping him on an island of hobgoblins when he is too big for their boat. From there he goes on to meet a whale-like creature with one-eye; island that is a carnivorous plant; pterodactyl hero; giants; wolf-like characters; a seven-brained professor and knowledge that is a infectious bacteria; and the list goes on.

An imaginative book that is throughly enjoyable but don't be mislead by the book's cover and use images inside the book there is plenty hear to keep grown up interest. If you liked this book Rumo is worth a read as well.

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