Walker of Worlds

Review | Starship Winter by Eric Brown (PS Publishing)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Title: Starship Winter
Author: Eric Brown
Publisher: PS Publishing
Format: Hardback
Release Date: February 2012

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, PS Publishing

That winter David Conway was enjoying a quiet life with his friends, not especially looking for love, but finding it anyway. The artist Matt Sommers was due to stage an exhibition of Epiphany Stones from Acrab IV, a show which attracted the attention of one Darius Dortmund, the famous empathy. Dortmund could see into the minds of men 'some said into their very souls' and when he met David and his friends, and looked into their minds, what he found there would lead to murder . . .

Starship Winter, the third volume in the Starship Seasons sequence, continues the quiet adventures of Conway and his friends on the backwater colony world of Addenbrooke, Delta Pavonis IV.

Starship Winter is set a couple of years after the events of Starship Fall, and once again we're back in Magenta Bay, on the Planet of Chalcedony, with David Conway and his friends: Matt, Maddie, Hawk, and Kee. Winter is a relatively short novella, focusing again on the events that befall the small group of friends we have followed through the previous novellas, with David Conway the medium through which we experience this tale.

As is Eric Brown's trademark, Starship Winter is easily readable, the prose flowing off the page with little effort. This makes the pages turn all too quickly for a story of its length and before long the end is drawing close. However, despite this - or perhaps because of it - Brown fills the text with vivid descriptions, planting the alien images in your mind without being overpowering. It's remarkable how easily he does this, and how well it ties into the story to pull off another emotional and fitting read.

While the story itself is not long, it does have a solid centre to it, and it also raises some interesting aspects about art, spirituality, and the interactions humans have with alien species. Darius Dortmund is perhaps central to this aspect, a human with empathetic and telepathic abilities with aliens and, to an extent, humans. His views and actions are strange and cold, but through these the story unfolds and revelations are made, and deeper truths uncovered.

Sometimes, when reading a novel, there is an aspect that hits home harder than anything else within. In Starship Winter it was the relationship that develops between David and Hannah. I had gone through the early stages of a relationship myself when I read this novella, and the way Brown conveyed David and Hannah's relationship was very easy to relate to, and added to my enjoyment of the story.

Brown is more than capable of delivering a story like this, and of asking deeper and more personal questions than many other authors writing in the genre. Even in such a small page count Eric Brown has crafted a deeply moving and emotional story, and one that captivated me entirely.

To finish I shall leave you with a quote from David Conway, our main character:

"No one is perfect. We live with our strengths, our weaknesses and imperfections—and we do our best with what fate has given us. It’s called being human—to try your best, and fail, and to go on despite everything..."

Review | Joyland by Stephen King (Hard Case Crime)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Title: Joyland
Author: Stephen King
Publisher: Hard Case Crime
Format: Paperback
Release Date: June 2013

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

College student Devin Jones took the summer job at Joyland hoping to forget the girl who broke his heart. But he wound up facing something far more terrible: the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and dark truths about life—and what comes after—that would change his world forever.

A riveting story about love and loss, about growing up and growing old—and about those who don’t get to do either because death comes for them before their time—JOYLAND is Stephen King at the peak of his storytelling powers. With all the emotional impact of King masterpieces such as The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption, JOYLAND is at once a mystery, a horror story, and a bittersweet coming-of-age novel, one that will leave even the most hard-boiled reader profoundly moved.

Joyland, Stephen King's new novel, is a strange beast. Coming from Hard Case Crime and being billed as 'a mystery, a horror story, and a bittersweet coming-of-age novel', it appears to have a little of everything. Perhaps that's the main problem with Joyland - what, exactly, is it? It's a question I asked many times during my reading, because the story I found within the pages was so much more than the billing Joyland received.

In Joyland, King has written a novel that has many of his trademark story elements: coming-of-age, mystery, murder, and friends. It recognisable as a Stephen King story almost from the get-go, and the further in you read the more you realise just how King is able to weave a fairly simple story into something more than the sum of its parts.

The narrative is told from the point of view of Devin Jones, remembering his summer working at Joyland during his time at university. While events are recounted, the benefit of hindsight allows some comments to creep in here and there, giving the story more emotion and grounding, letting you believe that this truly is an old man telling a tale of his youth. His memory of his first love, the fall-out of the relationship, and his reaction all play a large part in the story, a seemingly central point around which most of his thoughts revolve, at least to begin with. It's fortunate that King doesn't dwell to much on these aspects of Devin, instead focusing on the main attraction of Joyland: the park itself.

Anyone that has been to an amusement park, or touring fair, will instantly recognise the vivid descriptions King employs in exploring Joyland. I suspect that even those that haven't will be hard pressed not to close their eyes and see the place come to life. The park is a character in itself, not simply a location in the novel to serve a purpose - although the purpose it serves certainly elevates its status. With a carny spirit and enjoyable characters, Joyland is every bit the perfect place for this story. The history of the murder plays a large part in the revelations we discover, but perhaps not as large as you may think.

Joyland is an exceptional novel. Not only does King deliver an interesting murder-mystery that will keep you guessing, but does so without it obviously being one. It's often heartfelt and emotional, with relationships playing a large part throughout, and never is it a chore to read. Perhaps one of King's best novels in recent memory, Joyland is a slow-burner that will not let you down. Highly recommended.

Review | The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos (Starscape)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Fri, 31 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Title: The Planet Thieves
Author: Dan Krokos
Publisher: Starscape
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: May 2013

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

Two weeks ago, thirteen-year-old Mason Stark and seventeen of his fellow cadets from the Academy for Earth Space Command boarded the SS Egypt. The trip was supposed to be a short routine voyage to log their required spacetime for summer quarter.

But routine goes out the airlock when they’re attacked by the Tremist, an alien race who have been at war with humanity for the last sixty years.

With the captain and crew dead, injured, or taken prisoner, Mason and the cadets are all that’s left to warn the ESC. And soon they find out exactly why the Tremist chose this ship to attack: the Egypt is carrying a weapon that could change the war forever.

Now Mason will have to lead the cadets in a daring assault to take back the ship, rescue the survivors, and recover the weapon. Before there isn’t a war left to fight.

I'm always on the look out for YA focused sci-fi novels because I love the genre and want to be able to recommend interesting and action packed books to the younger generation. The Planet Thieves is a novel that fits this perfectly - it's aimed at the younger end of the YA crowd, and in doing so offers a novel that an captivate and enthral the reader all the way through.

When the SS Egypt is captured by the Tremist while on a seemingly routine mission, with almost all officers held captive by the alien foe, it is left to a small group of cadets that are left to do what they can. With the situation apparently dire, Mason takes charge of the group and, along with his friends and the ship AI, they attempt to take the ship back while trying to discover just what the Tremist came for...

One of the things that instantly stands out about The Planet Thieves is the storytelling and the way Krokos lures the reader in, not bothering to hang around too much before getting right to the action. This works well for two reasons. Firstly, it gives the story some urgency, and makes you want to keep on reading to find out what's coming next. Secondly, it helps build the characters and setting without obviously doing so. Sure, there is the odd passage giving background information, but most of what we learn is through character discussions and the natural exposition of the narrative.

The story rolls along at a great pace, always leading from one point to another with ease. It really was a joy to read and, despite the younger level it was aimed at, I wanted to keep on reading to find out exactly what was going on. Krokos manages to add little things here and there throughout the text that piqued my interest about the Human/Tremist war, and about the history of both sides. It's points like this that make The Planet Thieves stand out above the crowd, and Krokos an author to keep an eye on.

While the seasoned sci-fi reader won't find much new here, or much to surprise them, they will find a thoroughly enjoyable tale with plenty to keep them hooked at every turn. As for the younger crowd, well... this is exactly the sort of sci-fi novel they should be reading: action, adventure, and well fleshed out and defined characters. Highly recommended.

Review | Starship: Flagship by Mike Resnick (Pyr)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 14 May 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Title: Starship: Flagship
Author: Mike Resnick
Publisher: Pyr
Format: Hardback
Release Date: December 2009

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

The date is 1970 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now, and the Republic, created by the human race but not yet dominated by it, finds itself in an all-out war against the Teroni Federation, an alliance of races that resent Man's growing military and economic power.

The rebel starship, the Theodore Roosevelt, under the command of Wilson Cole, is preparing to lead Cole's ragtag armada into the Republic, even though he is outnumbered thousands to one. Cole is convinced that the government has become an arrogant and unfeeling political entity and must be overthrown.

The trick is to avoid armed conflict with the vast array of ships, numbering in the millions, in the Republic's Navy. For a time Cole's forces strike from cover and race off to safety, but he soon sees that is no way to conquer the mightiest political and military machine in the history of the galaxy. He realizes that he must reach Deluros VIII, the headquarters world of the Republic (and of the race of Man), in order to have any effect on the government at all—but Deluros VIII is the best-protected world in the Republic.

But a new threat looms on the horizon. Cole, the Valkyrie, David Copperfield, Sharon Blacksmith, Jacovic, and the rest of the crew of the Teddy R face their greatest challenge yet, and the outcome will determine the fate of the entire galaxy.

And so I reach the final book in the Starship series, Starship: Flagship. I've loved this series so far and enjoyed all the books to date - Mutiny, Pirate, Mercenary and Rebel - with very little reservations. To say I was anticipating this would be an understatement and I only hoped it could provide the same enjoyment that I had come to expect from the series. Did it hit the right notes? Well, not exactly, but it was still a very enjoyable novel.

In the aftermath of the Republic attack on Singapore Station Wilson Cole and his fleet of ships aims to do the unthinkable - take the fight to the Republic capital world. Leaving Singapore Station to the mercy of the next incoming Republic fleet leaves a bitter taste in many a mouth, but they know it is the right thing to do, hoping the Republic will leave it alone when they can't find Cole. With hundreds of ships under his command the effort to rid the Inner Frontier of the Republic is still underway and is slowly having an effect, and with allies from within the Republic helping their cause, and a surprise find, Cole is able to make strategic decisions that will help improve their chances to a great degree.

With the risk of sounding like a broken record, I'll once again say how well the characters Resnick writes work in Flagship. Cole is now focused on a course of action and his associates are helping him with what is needed, as is the crew of the Teddy R. His discussions with people like Sharron help flesh out his thinking and allow us to get the motivations and processes he's going through. All well and good, especially as this is one of the aspects of the series that has worked so well.

And to the story. Well, for the first two thirds of the novel the story was continuing at a good pace, logically following on from Rebel and taking the situations as they come, each time managing to think their way out of too much trouble. When Cole finally gets to the Republic's capital events take a very unexpected turn. Suddenly the planet is attacked by an alien race that appears from nowhere and Cole finds himself the only one that could save the Republic he's come disband. It just doesn't feel like a natural progression to me, more like this should have been two separate books but due to constraints everything was thrown in. A bit of a shame as the book was on course to wrap the series up very nicely indeed.

Starship: Flagship is a good book let down by a situation that just pops up to serve as a plot point, but it does leave the universe in a very interesting place, and if any follow up stories were done they'd certainly have plenty to go on. I'd definitely recommend this book if you've read the rest of the series, but don't jump in here - the four previous books are well worth the effort and all are a step above this one.

Review | The Warrior's Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold (Baen)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Fri, 10 May 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Title: The Warrior's Apprentice
Author: Lois McMaster Bujold
Publisher: Baen
Format: Ebook
Release Date: February 1991

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

Discharged from the Barrayan Military Academy, Miles Vorkosigan chances on a jumpship with a rebellious pilot and arranges to take over the ship. Events escalate from there, and soon Miles is commander of a mercenary fleet and reinvents himself as Admiral Naismith of the Dendarii Mercenary Army.

While browsing through my kindle for something to read I came across the Miles Vorkosigan books. Deciding that I wasn't already reading enough multiple-novel series', I decided to give the first Miles book, The Warrior's Apprentice, a go. What I found was a quick paced and easily readable story that has much potential, and left me thinking where the story could go from here.

A cripple since birth, Miles is not your average Barrayan. He's also the grandson of a military genius and the heir to the house of Vorkosigan - more than enough to live up to. But Miles is intelligent and headstrong, determined to prove others wrong. However, while attempting the physical tests to pass his Officer's exams he breaks both legs and sees his chance disappear. At a loose end, he decides to visit his mother's side of the family on Beta colony, a colony that saw much fighting prior to his birth. Along with Sergeant Bothari, his personal bodyguard, and Bothari's daughter, Elena, Miles takes a trip that ends up being much more than he bargained for.

I enjoyed The Warrior's Apprentice, despite the setting and its history not really hitting the spot. It felt strange - a society that went from fighting with swords, to spaceflight between planets, in perhaps 70 years. There is some allusion in the novel to the 'Time of Isolation' after the colony was founded, but never in any detail, and it often left me wondering a little more about these things.

Fortunately, The Warrior's Apprentice is not about the finer points of world building, but about the characters. Mile Vorkosigan is our main man, and he's a completely intriguing character to follow. Despite his weak bones disability, or perhaps in spite of it, he's confident and, to be fair, a little arrogant. He can talk his way through many things, and in reality that's what this novel is about: Miles Vorkosigan. While the other characters add to the mix - particularly Sergeant Bothari with his dark and mysterious military past.

On the whole The Warrior's Apprentice does things well. It's a quick paced novel that leads the reader from one point to another, often leaving you blinking at the change of situation. The times that it does slow down and allows some deeper issues to be raised and dealt with are by far the highlight, showing that it's not all about moving the story forward at a breakneck pace.

Definitely recommended, and with Hugo winners in future volumes I'll be looking forward to what other adventures Miles has in store.

Review | Starship: Rebel by Mike Resnick (Pyr)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 07 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Title: Starship: Rebel
Author: Mike Resnick
Publisher: Pyr
Format: Hardback
Release Date: December 200

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

The date is 1968 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now. The Republic, dominated by the human race, is in the midst of an all-out war with the Teroni Federation.

Almost a year has passed since the events of Starship: Mercenary. Captain Wilson Cole now commands a fleet of almost fifty ships, and he has become the single greatest military force on the Inner Frontier.

With one exception. The Republic still comes and goes as it pleases, taking what it wants, conscripting men, and extorting taxes, even though the Frontier worlds receive nothing in exchange. And, of course, the government still wants Wilson Cole and the starship Theodore Roosevelt. He has no interest in confronting such an overwhelming force, and constantly steers clear of them.

Then an incident occurs that changes everything, and Cole declares war on the Republic. Outnumbered and always outgunned, his fleet is no match for the Republic's millions of military vessels, even after he forges alliances with the warlords he previously hunted down.

It's a hopeless cause...but that's just what Wilson Cole and the Teddy R. are best at.

Starship: Rebel is the fourth book in the starship series, following on from Mutiny, Pirate and Mercenary. So far the series has gone from strength to strength, building on from each book in a logical and enjoyable fashion. I mentioned in my review of Starship: Mercenary that I felt there were no surprises in store, that everything seemed to go the right way for Cole and the crew of the Teddy R. Starship: Rebel does away with that notion and manages to up the stakes while still delivering a compact and fast paced novel.

Wilson Cole now has a fleet of 50 ships, one of the biggest in the Inner Frontier, and is discovering that finding mercenary work for all crews is proving difficult - having to split the fleet to cover smaller jobs is one of the options that faces him. However, when the Republic Navy capture, torture and kill a member of the Teddy R's crew Wilson Cole changes his tactics. He's had enough of the Navy coming into the Inner Frontier and taking what they want without consequence, now it's time for the citizens of the Inner Frontier to step up and stop this happening.

Once again Mike Resnick manages to take this series in a new direction, a direction I didn't think I'd see to be honest. The past three books have been focused on them making a life on the Inner Frontier and avoiding the Republic wherever possible, so to see them taking up arms is great. One of the things I had mentioned previously was that there was no sense of surprise as such in the books, but Rebel really does change that opinion. I didn't expect the events to turn out as they did and thought that Resnick did a good job of keeping me on my toes while still packing a punch.

New characters also start to take centre stage here. Jacovic, the former commander of the Teroni 5th Fleet (the very same fleet that was involved when Cole mutinied in the first book) has left the Teroni Federation due to their actions and joins Cole, fitting in nicely to their growing fleet. The Octopus is also a new addition to the cast, being the biggest warlord on the Inner Frontier, but pledging his allegiance to Cole after he unknowingly saved his son's life. Both characters fit in effortlessly to the story and Resnick gives them personality that is hard to dislike. Cole also shows another side to his character and the anger he has towards the Republic is manifested well, taking over much of the book.

Starship: Rebel is another excellent addition to the series and once again shows how successful a sci-fi novel that is light on the science can be. I'd recommend this series without hesitation and feel that for pure entertainment value, you won't find much better than this. The only question that remains is whether Resnick can successfully bring this series to a close in the final book, Starship: Flagship.

Cover Art & Synopsis | A Game of Battleships by Toby Frost (Myrmidon Books)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Fri, 03 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Attention! Isambard Smith and his loyal and noble friend, the psychopathic alien headhunter Suruk, are back in a fourth laugh-out-loud installment.

In the 25th Century the future of the galaxy rests on a knife-edge. The actions of one man could save the British Space Empire, or leave Earth at the mercy of deadly legions of ant-people. That one man is Captain Isambard Smith, and Earth is in a lot of trouble.

After blowing up a top-secret enemy base, Space Captain Smith and his crew deserve a rest. But their holiday ends when forces unknown destroy the robot convoy they were meant to be guarding. Smith finds himself in hot pursuit of a mysterious vessel that can pass through dimensions, incurring the wrath of the dreaded Grand Witchfinder of New Eden--which would be much easier to deal with if his pilot wasn't cowering under the dashboard and his spaceship wasn't infested with man-eating toads.

Meanwhile, the Empire is gathering its allies to form a united front against alien tyranny. Unfortunately, the delicate negotiations have been entrusted to Major Wainscott, a man who knows no fear and very little about diplomacy or trousers.

Once again, Captain Smith must summon all his courage to unite humanity behind the Empire. His quest will take him on a journey to face his greatest fears: from the depths of space, through Hell itself--and even to France.

The other day I saw a little item of news via the Space Captain Smith facebook page that, quite frankly, made my year: a new book, A Game of Battleships, is done and on the way this coming August.

I. Am. So. Freaking. Excited.

The Space Captain Smith novels are hugely enjoyable sci-fi with humour by the bucketload. They're also very British, and completely self-mocking. Based on the previous novels, A Game of Battleships will probably be the most entertaining novel I read this year.

Anyway.

Above is a draft cover (I can't wait to see the final version), and it's completely faithful to the previous novels (below). Love it!

Right, I'm off to drink some tea and re-read the first three novels...

Review | Starship: Mercenary by Mike Resnick (Pyr)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Title: Starship: Mercenary
Author: Mike Resnick
Publisher: Pyr
Format: Hardback
Release Date: December 2007

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

The date is 1968 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now. The Republic, created by the human race but not yet dominated by it, is in the midst of an all-out war with the Teroni Federation. Captain Wilson Cole, a man with a reputation for exceeding orders but getting results, found himself the victim of a media feeding frenzy, a political scapegoat despite years of dedicated military service. Faced with a court martial, he was rescued by the loyal crew of his ship, the Theodore Roosevelt. Branded mutineers, the Teddy R. has quit the Republic, never to return.

Seeking to find a new life, Wilson Cole first remade the Teddy R. as a pirate ship plying the spaceways of the lawless Inner Frontier. But military discipline and honor were a poor match for a life of pillaging and plundering, and Cole’s principles naturally limited his targets. Taking on a new role, the Teddy R. becomes a mercenary ship, hiring out to the highest bidder. Whether it’s evacuating a hospital before war can reach it, freeing a client from an alien prison, or stopping a criminal cartel from extorting money from a terrified planet, the crew of the Teddy R. proves equal to the task. Along the way they form a partnership with the once human Platinum Duke, team up with a former enemy, and make the unique Singapore Station their headquarters.

But the life of a mercenary is not always predictable, and eventually circumstance pits Cole and the Teddy R. against his right-hand woman, the former Pirate Queen known as the Valkyrie. Soon the fragile trust that has grown between these two legends is put to the test as they find themselves on opposite sides of a job.

Staship: Mercenary is the third book in Mike Resnick's Starship series, preceded by Starship: Mutiny and Starship: Pirate. It picks things up where they were left in Pirate, with Wilson Cole and the crew of the Teddy R giving up on the piracy game and deciding to go into the mercenary business. Again, Resnick manages to mix things up and delivers another solid story that keeps much of the same that made the first two books so successful, but adds more to the story to keep the reader more than satisfied. Read on for more...

With David Copperfiled now living on board the Teddy R due to the events in Pirate, and also acting as their job finder, their is a new dynamic to the ship. Copperfield brings some light comedy to the novel, a welcome addition, and his interactions with Cole are great, sometimes even the highlight of the novel. His cowardice is a particularly amusing aspect, and his character seems at odds with the military mentality on board the Teddy R. He thinks only of the end results - cold, hard profit - and the story that comes from this helps flesh out Cole's personality and morals even more than in the previous books. He thinks nothing of putting the ship up against odds others would scoff at, but with his contacts throughout the Inner Frontier he is almost second to none in acquiring jobs for Cole and the crew.

It is through Copperfield that we meet the Platinum Duke, owner and ruler of Singapore Station, a vast space station free of any law but his and home to thousands of humans and aliens. The Platinum Duke is a human with many modifications and augmentations, his appearance giving him his name. He's a fresh new character that brings a new dimension to the series, giving a deeper glimpse into life on the Inner Frontier. He helps Cole get new jobs and with his knowledge he is able to advise what they may be up against, an invaluable resource for the Teddy R.

We've still got the main characters - Cole, Sharon, Forrice and Val - and now some of the other crew members of the Teddy R are starting to come into their own. I feel so comfortable in reading their exploits and can often see where things are going, but never quite imagining just how Cole will deal with the situations they are in.

It's an excellent story because of the characters, but I was slowly starting to feel that there are no surprises in store. Cole always manages to think his way out of any given situation and the tensions starts to suffer because of this. However, Resnick, to his credit, has written a military space opera that reads well and has plenty of fast action sequences, but it's not a full military SF series. This is good, mainly because the pace is never slowed by over thought space battles or missions and doesn't get bogged down in unnecessary detail. The ending also throws up some surprises and it left me grinning from ear to ear the way a good novel should.

At the midpoint of the series I just can't wait to see how the final two novels pan out and I'm putting Mike Resnick right up there with authors that I will read without hesitation. Pick them up!!

Review | Starship: Pirate by Mike Resnick (Pyr)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Title: Starship: Pirate
Author: Mike Resnick
Publisher: Pyr
Format: Hardback
Release Date: December 2006

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

The date is 1967 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now. The Republic, created by the human race but not yet dominated by it, is in the midst of an all-out war with the Teroni Federation. After his latest exploit saved millions of lives but embarrassed his superiors, Captain Wilson Cole, a man with a reputation for exceeding orders but getting results, found himself the victim of the media feeding frenzy, a political scapegoat despite years of dedicated military service. Faced with a court martial, he was rescued by the loyal crew of his ship, the Theodore Roosevelt. Now branded mutineers, the crew of the Teddy R. has quit the Republic, never to return.

Seeking to find a new life for themselves, Wilson Cole and comrades remake the Teddy R. as a pirate ship and set sail for the lawless Inner Frontier. Here, powerful warlords, cut-throat pirates, and struggling colonies compete for survival in a game where you rarely get a second chance to learn the rules.

But military discipline is poor preparation for a life of pillaging and plundering, and Cole’s principles naturally limit his targets. Seeking an education on the nature of piracy, Cole hunts more knowledgeable players. Enter the beautiful but deadly Valkyrie, Val for short, and the enigmatic alien fence known as David Copperfield. But hanging over everything is the fearsome alien pirate — the Hammerhead Shark.

With Starship: Pirate, five-time Hugo winner Mike Resnick continues the story begun in his very first military SF. Will the galaxy ever be the same?

After enjoying myself immensely with Starship: Mutiny I had to go straight on to Starship: Pirate. The ending of the first book was great and it opened a whole lot of interesting situations up to the crew of the Teddy R. Starship: Pirate was never going to be the same sort of book as Mutiny, but I jumped into it in the hope that the essence of what I enjoyed was still present. Suffice to say that I had as much fun here as I did in the first, but this time with some very interesting new characters thrown into the mix.

It's the aftermath of the mutiny trail, during which the crew of the Teddy R busted Wilson Cole out of jail, and now the former Navy ship finds itself on the run. The only place it can go where they will be relatively safe is the Inner Frontier, a place devoid of Republic influence and with more than its fair share of opportunities. With few choices at their disposal and the need to run a ship while paying and feeding the crew, the only real option the find themselves faced with is piracy. With Cole having such a strong moral code the targets he's willing to let them face becomes very small indeed, but with his cunning they soon find themselves bringing in the hard cash.

I was a little sceptical about how Resnick would pull off a Navy crew converting to the life of crime as pirates on the Inner Frontier, but I shouldn't have worried. Once again he manages to write with style and flair, delivering a mighty novel in such a short page count. There are no prolonged passages where Resnick is having to explain anything, instead letting the story tell itself through the characters, all of which are great to see again, plus the new additions to the cast help spice things up a bit.

Cole is still his usual self, leading the crew of the Teddy R and making the right choices. But what we also get are great supporting characters: Forrice, Cole's best friend and 1st officer; Sharron, security chief on the Teddy R and also Cole's lover; Val, a seven foot tall pirate queen that Cole encounters on an excursion; David Copperfield, an alien fence that has taken to the works of Charles Dickens. These are all characters that bring life to the pages of Starship: Pirate and can easily deliver the action and conversation required to enjoy the book. Mike Resnick sure has an expert way with characters that let you invest in the story and wanting to find out what happens to them.

I must admit that I particularly liked the introduction of Val to the crew of the Teddy R. She's vicious and deadly, but has other qualities lurking behind those that make her the sort of character that you just enjoy being with. Her interactions are mostly with Cole, but given her background she still manages to fit in easily on a Navy ship. The friendship between Cole and Forrice is also a highlight and allows the reader to really get into the characters, letting us see more than just the day to day life on board a military ship.

I can safely say that after this book I am hooked on Mike Resnick. Roll on Starship: Mercenary!

Cover Art & Synopsis | On The Steel Breeze by Alastair Reynolds (Gollancz)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:00:00 +0000

An epic vision of our journey into deep space.

Hundreds of years from now mankind will finally inherit the stars. A fleet of holoships is heading towards the nearest habitable planet at 15% the speed of light. In massive asteroids turned into ships, tens of millions of people are heading towards a new home. A home that bears signs of an ancient alien civilisation.

No-one knows what they will find when they get there in 90 years. But the main problem is that the ships will have to break the laws of physics to be able to stop. And the research into ways to stop risk the ships themselves. Has mankind squandered the utopia of years past?

via The Wertzone

I've not read Blue Remembered Earth, though it's on my ever-daunting to-read pile. I like the idea behind this trilogy, and may well wait until all books are out before getting around to them (don't you just hate waiting between releases?).

Anyway, On The Steel Breeze. Nice and bright cover, though looking like a draft rather than a finished product to me - the image is just a touch too blurry and not quite there yet. I'm going to reserve full judgement until I see it in the flesh...

Review | Fire Season by David Weber and Jane Lindskold (Baen)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Title: Fire Season
Author: David Weber and Jane Lindskold
Publisher: Baen
Format: Hardback
Release Date: October 2012

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

Second entry in a new young adult series by New York Times best seller David Weber, and the prequel to the hugely popular Honor Harrington adult science fiction saga.

Fire in the forest—and a cry for help from a trapped and desperate alien mother! Unfortunately, this is one cry no human can hear. Stephanie Harrington, precocious fourteen-year-old Provisional Forest Ranger on the planet Sphinx, knows something is wrong from the uneasy emotion that is flooding into her from her treecat friend, Climbs Quickly. But though Stephanie's alien comrade shares a tight bond with his two legs, he cannot communicate directly to her the anguished call from one of his people.

Still, their strong and direct bond of feeling may be enough. Stephanie and fellow ranger Karl Zivonik respond to Climbs Quickly's rising waves of distress. Fire season on the pioneer world of Sphinx has begun. But there are those who want to use the natural cycle of the planet for personal gain—and to get rid of the one obstacle that stands in the way of acquiring even greater land and power on Sphinx: the native treecats.

Now it's up to Stephanie and Climbs Quickly, along with their friends, family, and allies to prevent disaster and injustice from befalling a treecat clan. But in the process Stephanie must be certain to preserve the greatest secret of all. It is the knowledge that the treecats of Sphinx are not merely pets or servants, but are highly intelligent in their own right—that they are a species fully deserving of rights, respect, and freedom. And keeping the secret that will allow the treecats time to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with humankind.

It all begins with the friendship of a girl and her treecat.

Fire Season is the second Stephanie Harrington novel, the new YA series from David Weber. I thoroughly enjoyed A Beautiful Friendship, so reading Fire Season was a no-brainer. I knew that Jane Lindskold was on board for co-writing duties, and I questioned how this would effect the novel, and how different it could be in tone and style to A Beautiful Friendship. Turns out the answer wasn't what I hoped for, and Fire Season marked a change in both style and storytelling.

With Sphinx entering the end of its long Summer, the forests of the planet are ripe for fires. Stephanie and Climbs Quickly are Forest Rangers, travelling with a more experienced partner and helping where possible. While on one of these excursions, Climbs Quickly identifies the calls of some Treecats in peril, and swiftly alerts Stephanie, guiding her to their location in order to help them. And this is just the start of the Fire Season...

I'm not going to say much else about the story in Fire Season because it's all in the title. Fires rage, Stephanie and Climbs Quickly respond where they can, and Treecats are rescued. Add in a few smaller plot threads - an off-world scientific team studying the Treecats, Stephanie's relationships - and that's Fire Season for you.

To be honest, I'm disappointed. I really thought that there was so much potential after reading A Beautiful Friendship, and while their were glimpses of it in Fire Season, it really didn't live up to expectations.

The major downside to Fire Season, when compared to A Beautiful Friendship, is the prose and style. I really don't know how much of this novel was written by each author, and while I thought there were times I could see Weber's writing, it feels flat. While the first novel was aimed (or at least written) at an older YA audience, Fire Season seems to be undecided as to its target audience. There some times, like most of the the day-to-day incidents that plague Stephanie (i.e. boy issues, friendships, etc), where it's written towards a very young crowd, while at others (like the scientific party discussions) are clearly above such a readership. With no consistency in the writing, Fire Season fails at delivering a gripping and exciting story.

It's such a shame, because their is huge potential here for some truly interesting and exciting stories. Perhaps the subject matter of this one limited the scope, or perhaps Weber & Lindskold were adjusting to working together on a novel. Either way, I've come away unsure whether or not to try the next novel, Treecat Wars. I'm interested in it, but I'm also worried it will be the last Stephanie Harrington novel I read....

Cover Art & Synopsis | The Lost Stars: Perilous Shield by Jack Campbell (ACE)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Following a successful coup, the leaders of the rebel Midway Star System struggle to forge a government free enough to please its citizens yet strong enough to secure power. But in a world where former rulers have become new foes, an alien threat to humanity may turn old adversaries into uncertain allies.

General Artur Drakon knows three words describe someone who confides in a Syndicate CEO: Stupid. Betrayed. Dead. Despite his misgivings, he partnered with another former CEO to overthrow Syndic forces. Now, with an enigma fleet menacing their hard-earned independence, he can ill afford to trust her—or lose her support.

President Gwen Iceni believes Midway is humanity’s defense against the enigmas. Syndicate training taught her self-preservation in a crisis, yet she’s determined to fight for the star system’s fate…even if it means joining forces with Drakon—and an officer of the hated Alliance.

Their plan places the Midway flotilla at great risk in hopes of greater reward: recruiting the personnel necessary to man warships against the enigmas. But before facing the alien advance, Drakon and Iceni must survive hidden dangers closer to home: all-too-human threats that could jeopardize Midway’s freedom…and their own lives.

Here's the cover and synopsis for Perilous Shield, the second book in Jack Campbell's Lost Stars series (which in turn is a spin-ff from the Lost Fleet/Beyond the Frontier series). I've yet to read Tarnished Knight, the first in this series, but I'm a huge fan of Campbell's Lost Fleet books.

As far as the cover art goes... it's okay. Nothing spectacular, but it does the one job I've come to put at the top of my 'what good covers should do' list: continuity. Having the same style as the previous book is a big plus in my book, and despite the covers for this series being of generally poorer quality than Beyond the Frontier's covers, I'm still pleased with what ACE have done.

Here's another that will soon find it's way to my bookshelf...

Review | Starship: Mutiny by Mike Resnick (Pyr)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Title: Starship: Mutiny
Author: Mike Resnick
Publisher: Pyr
Format: Hardback
Release Date: December 2005

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

The date is 1966 of the Galactic Era, almost three thousand years from now, and the Republic, created by the human race - but not yet dominated by it - finds itself in an all-out war.

They stand against the Teroni Federation, an alliance of races that resent Man's growing military and economic power. The main battles are taking place in the Spiral Arm and toward the Core. But far out on the Rim, the Theodore Roosevelt is one of three ships charged with protecting the Phoenix Cluster - a group of 73 inhabited worlds.

Old, battered, some of its weapon systems outmoded, the Teddy R. is a ship that would have been decommissioned years ago if weren't for the war. Its crew is composed of retreads, discipline cases, and a few raw recruits. But a new officer has been transferred to the Teddy R. His name is Wilson Cole, and he comes with a reputation for heroics and disobedience. Will the galaxy ever be the same?

Starship: Mutiny is the first book in Mike Resnick's Starship series, a Military SF series with larger than life characters and a plot that begs you to keep on reading. I initially read this book a few years back and thoroughly enjoyed it, and since it's been a while since the review appeared on the blog I thought I'd polish it up and re-post it.

It's 3000 years into the future and the Republic are locked in a war against the Teroni Federation, an equally powerful starfaring society. Wilson Cole is a hero to the Republic citizens for winning battles that seemed unwinnable, and often not according to the orders he was given. The Republic Navy doesn't see him in this light, despite awarding him some of the highest medals it can, preferring to assign him to a ship full of misfits and sending them out to a remote cluster in the hope that he'll be out of the spotlight. As is typical when Cole is in the frame, things don't quite go according to plan...

Seeing as this book (actually, the whole series) follows Wilson Cole, let's have a look at the unwanted hero that the Navy has in its ranks. He's extremely intelligent, but has won battles by ignoring orders from his superiors, been demoted from Captain twice and now finds himself as the second officer on a ship of misfits. In fact, Wilson Cole is the sort of soldier that any Navy should be proud to have and his reasoning and tactics are second to none when he commands his ships, but disobeying orders doesn't earn him and friends in the higher command ranks.

We pick up Wilson's story as he joins the Theodore Roosevelt, one of the older ships in the fleet, and they are sent to an unimportant star cluster to keep them out of the way. The crew lack discipline, the captain does not care, and Wilson finds himself at a loss to their attitude. His first impressions on the captain, a human, and first officer, a podok, don't do much to help his cause on the Teddy R and it isn't long before he's hauled up by the captain about following orders to the letter and at loggerheads with the first officer over his decisions while in command during his shift.

This is a fairly short novel, but covers a lot of story and plenty of action. Resnick has a great skill at storytelling and I found myself in love with the setting he's created and enjoying the characters very much indeed. I get their motivations, their personalities and their actions - even the ones I dislike because of those traits. The plot moves quickly and fluidly and the conversations between the cast helping the pace to great amounts. There is plenty of action and the setting up and world building is done remarkably well in such a short page count.

Suffice to say that not everything goes according to plan in Starship: Mutiny, but that's where the enjoyment stems from. I want to know what is going to happen at the end of every chapter and often found myself continuing with the story for this very reason alone. Starship: Mutiny is a page turner, there is no other way to describe it.

If you love your Space Opera and Military SF then this is a novel you really need to read. If you're anything like me you'll blast through it and be left very much wanting to read the sequel, Starship: Pirate.

Review | Wool by Hugh Howey (Century)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:30:00 +0000

Title: Wool
Author: Hugh Howey
Publisher: Century
Format: Hardback
Release Date: January 2013

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

In a ruined and hostile landscape, in a future few have been unlucky enough to survive, a community exists in a giant underground silo.

Inside, men and women live an enclosed life full of rules and regulations, of secrets and lies.

To live, you must follow the rules. But some don't. These are the dangerous ones; these are the people who dare to hope and dream, and who infect others with their optimism.

Their punishment is simple and deadly. They are allowed outside.

Jules is one of these people. She may well be the last.

After reading some older novels from favourite authors, I thought it was time to go to my bookshelf and pick up something newer. Wool is the novel that caught my eye. Hugh Howey wrote the story contained in Wool in instalments and self-published it before it was picked up by a publishing house. This release contains the first five Wool stories and is effectively a self-contained story, giving some intriguing and interesting plot elements that make it a book that always makes you want to read just one more chapter to find out what happens next, or what exactly the secret behind the Silo's is...

Wool has a simple premise: those that commit crimes inside the Silo are sent to clean the cameras that show the outside world. These cameras remind the inhabitants of how deadly the outside is, and if you go out to do the cleaning, you don't come back. It's a brutal system, but is effective at keeping order within the Silo. As the story progresses we see more of the Silo, how it works and who is in charge of the important aspects, and questions are raised at almost every step.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The first part of Wool looks at Holston, the previous Sheriff of the Silo. He's volunteered for cleaning, and once this is spoken it cannot be changed. This is the hook for the novel, and what it allows Howey to do is to show us the Silo and its inner workings through the eyes of someone that was in charge of its order, but who ultimately learnt secrets of previous uprisings and can no longer do his job. Add to the mix that his wife discovered much of these before volunteering herself, and you've got a story that makes you question many things that are presented, and all done with an emotional tone.

And this is only the beginning of Wool.

The main focus of Wool is Jules, an engineer from the lowest levels who is recommended by Holston to become the next Sheriff. As the Mayor and Deputy Sheriff make their way from the top levels all the way to Jules, we see much of the Silo, learning many aspects of its functioning as we go. Howey appears effortless in doing this, and is able to convey so much imagery within the pages.

It's very difficult to say much more without getting into spoiler territory, so I won't.

What I will say is that Howey is a storyteller, and the episodic format that Wool was initially released in allows him to add plenty of twists and turns to the story. He builds the revelations and suspense throughout and delivers what ultimately is a very readable novel. It's one of those books that trickles information throughout the narrative and keeps on wanting you to go back for more.

I will say that despite all its positives, I came away unsure what to think. Yes, Howey has written a very interesting story, and done so very well, but.... Well, that's the thing. I can't put my finger on why it didn't hit the right spot for me. Regardless of this, I'm very interested to see where he takes the story in the next novel, Shift.

Cover Art & Synopsis | Known Devil by Justin Gustainis (Angry Robot)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 09:00:00 +0000

My name’s Markowski. I carry a badge. Also, a crucifix, some wooden stakes, a big vial of holy water, and a 9mm Beretta loaded with silver bullets.

A new supernatural gang is intent on invading Scranton – as if I didn’t have enough to contend with!

Supernatural gang warfare? Not on my watch!

I like Gustainis' Occult Crimes Unit novels from Angry Robot Books, and they're one of the few Urban Fantasy books I read nowadays. The cover for this one follows the same style as the previous novels, so it'll fit in nicely on my shelf. Known Devil is simply a book I'm looking forward to reading later this year, and I'd recommend the series to anyone who, like me, wants a quick, punchy, and enjoyable read.

Cover Art & Synopsis | Night Creatures Series by Marianne de Pierres

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Marianne de Pierres, author of the Sentients of Orion series I enjoyed reading a few years back, posted the below book covers to her website the other day and I had to share them. The series is called Night Creatures and is a sci-fi/dark fantasy series with a YA crossover. I've known about the series for a fair while, but it's only ever had a release in Australia. However, Marianne is now bringing them to an international audience under her MDPWeb imprint as e-books and paperbacks - expect to see them on the various Amazon sites soon.

The artwork is quite stunning, I must say. I haven't read the novels, but after reading the synopsis below the covers seem quite fitting for the series. The artist, Jarek Kubicki (site NSFW), has done a marvellous job at producing some pretty amazing covers - they've pushed me to give them a go, that's for sure.

Another interesting note is that singer-songwriter Yunyu collaborated with Marianne and composed some songs to accompany the books. You can find out more over on the Burn Bright website - worth checking out.

In Ixion music and party are our only beliefs. Darkness is our comfort. We have few rules but they are absolute . . .

Retra doesn’t want to go to Ixion, the island of ever-night, ever-youth and never-sleep. Retra is a Seal – sealed minds, sealed community. She doesn’t crave parties and pleasure, experience and freedom.

But her brother Joel left for Ixion two years ago, and Retra is determined to find him. Braving the intense pain of her obedience strip to escape the only home she’s ever known, Retra stows away on the barge that will take her to her brother.

When she can’t find Joel, Retra finds herself drawn deeper into the intoxicating world of Ixion. Come to me, whispers a voice in her head. Who are the Ripers, the mysterious guardians of Ixion? What are the Night Creatures Retra can see in the shadows? And what happens to those who grow too old for Ixion?

Retra will find that Ixion has its pleasures, but its secrets are deadly. Will friendship, and the creation of an eternal bond with a Riper, be enough to save her from the darkness?

Retra — now called Naif — has escaped from Ixion, the island of ever-night. She doesn’t know if her friends on the island survived the battle between the Ripers and the rebels.

But she does know that she must return home, behind the sealed walls of Grave, to find out why the Ripers have been seen there talking to the councillors. What links the two worlds?

First she must convince Ruzalia to help her. The fierce pirate captain saves those who face terrible fates on Ixion, but that doesn’t guarantee their gratitude. Instead, she faces a revolt — and Naif is caught in the middle.

Naif will need all her courage to survive. For Lenoir, who wants to keep her safe, for her friends Suki and Rollo, if they live, for Markes, who has secrets of his own, and for the new friends she will make on this journey.

The fate of worlds depends on it.

Ixion. The island of ever-night.

If she had a choice, Naif wouldn’t go back. But her friends will die if she doesn’t find a cure for the badges that are slowly killing them, and her brother is there, fighting against the Ripers who hold everyone in thrall. And Naif has knowledge that might save them all.

First she must solve the mystery of Ixion’s eternal night. Then she must convince everyone – rebels and revellers alike – to join her cause. And all the while, she must fight the urge to go to Lenoir – her greatest love, her mortal enemy.

The secrets of Ixion must be revealed. The evils must be stopped. A new dawn will come.

Review | The Daylight War by Peter V Brett (Harper Voyager)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Title: The Daylight War
Author: Peter V Brett
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Format: Hardback
Release Date: February 2013

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

Continuing the impressive debut fantasy series from author Peter V. Brett, The DAYLIGHT WAR is book three of the Demon Cycle, pulling the reader into a world of demons, darkness and heroes.

On the night of a new moon all shadows deepen.

Humanity has thirty days to prepare for the next demon attack, but one month is scarcely enough time to train a village to defend themselves, let alone an entire continent caught in the throes of civil war.

Arlen Bales understands the coreling threat better than anyone. Born ordinary, the demon plague has shaped him into a weapon so powerful he has been given the unwanted title of saviour, and attracted the attention of deadly enemies both above and below ground.

Unlike Arlen, Ahmann Jardir embraces the title of Deliverer. His strength resides not only in the legendary relics he carries, but also in the magic wielded by his first wife, Inevera, a cunning and powerful priestess whose allegiance even Jardir cannot be certain of.

Once Arlen and Jardir were like brothers. Now they are the bitterest of rivals. As humanity’s enemies prepare, the only two men capable of defeating them are divided against each other by the most deadly demons of all: those that lurk in the human heart.

Here we are, one of the few fantasy books I'll read this year: The Daylight War by Peter V Brett. It seems like an age since I first entered the world of the Demon Cycle with The Painted Man, way back in March of 2009, and the wait since I read The Desert Spear has been a long one. I had high expectations of The Daylight War - simply a given considering how much I enjoyed its predecessors - and it's safe to say that it's a hugely impressive and enjoyable novel.

The Daylight War picks up where we left off in The Desert Spear, and as such it gets the pace going pretty much straight away. We have Arlen and Renna together, growing closer, with Arlen speaking more of his abilities and what he learnt from the Mind Demon he destroyed. Jardir is settling into his new city after his invasion, enforcing Krasian Law, and attempting to wed Leesha as his Northern wife. With Inevera and Abban both having Jardir's ear - one through Hora magic, the other shrewd business sense - events and plans are being laid out to facilitate Jardir's further conquest of the northern lands, and the impending Daylight War.

Brett keeps the formula from the previous books again here, with Inevera the focus rather than Arlen or Jardir. This starts early on and her history is woven throughout the novel, giving the details of her past, where she came from, and just how she worked and manipulated events to her benefit. As the details are spread throughout there are pieces of information that we don't learn about until later in the story, though Brett feeds us the right information at the right time to ensure the story keeps a good and steady pace. This was all handled well, better than The Desert Spear (where Jardir's story took up the first couple of hundred pages), and allowed further inspection and revelation of the Krasian culture.

The details of how the world works are also given some more clarity in The Daylight War, particularly from the side of the demons. We learn new bits of information with the impending arrival of more Mind Demons at Waning, and most of those direct from the Minds. It sheds light on a few aspects of how the demons work, and on the history of Thesa, but opens up more questions than it answers. The relationship between the demons and humans is touched on, and I expect we'll see and hear more of this in the future.

Character-wise, things are much the same with our bunch of heroes and villains, though it's never entirely clear which is which. Brett does a fantastic job at keeping the interactions between the characters fresh, with some issues causing more discussion than others. Some characters, like Rojer, grow more and start fulfilling the promise that has been there since the start, while others, like Leesha, seem to take a step back and are not as prominent this time around.

It's safe to say that The Daylight War is a book of three characters: Arlen, Jardir, and Inevera. Each have big roles to play - especially considering the impending confrontation of the two Deliverers. With Arlen and Jardir each starting to discover more and more about demon magic the possibilities become very intriguing, and the outcome between them is never entirely knowable. Inevera plays a large role because of her backstory, and, of course, because of her relationship to Jardir. She's the character that has the most growth, and this is simply because Brett allows us to understand her more, learn her motivations and reasoning.

I read through The Daylight War pretty quickly, enjoying every page, and always wanting to know where the story was going next. The big events happen later on in the novel, but that doesn't stop the build up from being any less enjoyable. It's a big book, but you wouldn't think that when times flies all too quickly while you're reading it. I'm very interested to see where Brett takes the story from here and hope that, with the end-game in sight, he delivers everything I hope for.

Cover Art & Synopsis | Starship Seasons by Eric Brown (PS Publishing)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:00:00 +0000

On the backwater colony world of Chalcedony, Delta Pavonis, all is not what it seems...All David Conway wants after the death of his daughter and the break-up of his marriage is a quiet life away from Earth—and when he comes to Chalcedony he thinks he’s found that. What he does find is a group of people whose friendship will change his life forever, as well as a haunted starship, extraterrestrials with an uncanny ability to read future events, and a conflict between alien races that has lasted for millennia . . . and is about to begin all over again.

In this wonderful series, Eric Brown gives us aliens, fabulous works of art, starships and teleportation . . . plus some of the most delightful characters ever to grace the printed page.

If you're a regular visitor I'm sure you'll have heard me go on about how much I enjoy Eric Brown's writing, particularly his Starship Seasons series, comprising of four novellas (Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring).I've read the first three (Winter's review forthcoming!), with the fourth on my shelf cursing me for not yet getting to it. Starship Seasons collects all these novellas in one, and it's being released as both a paperback and limited edition hardback. Personally I'll be getting my order in for the hardback as soon as the pre-order page is up, though the paperback is out soon (it's being released at Eastercon).

Review | The Duke's Dish & One Bare Foot by Bernd Struben (Strider Nolan Media)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Title: The Duke's Dish and One Bare Foot
Author: Bernd Struben
Publisher: Strider Nolan Media
Format: Ebook

I like Bernd Struben's writing, period. I read his debut novel, 40 Years, a while back and enjoyed it, but lost track of him until this past January when I went on an ebook buying mission on the kindle store. I found out he'd written another novel, The 13th Zookeeper, which I promptly ordered, but also that his publisher, Strider Nolan, had released a couple of kindle-only short stories. I'm not a massive short fiction reader, mainly because working my way through collections and anthologies never works out, but having them as individual stories is another matter entirely. I'm glad I purchased them too because, despite their short length, I enjoyed the hell out of both of them.

I've put some story-specific thoughts below, but one thing that strikes me about Struben is his ability to write a story that you just want to read. His prose is easy to read and flows off the page, completely engrossing you in what's going on. I found that both these short stories were over way too quickly, and it's nudged me to put The 13th Zookeeper right near the top of my to-read stack...

Title: The Duke's Dish
Release Date: 14 May 2011
Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

A group of college students wait out a nuclear holocaust in a fallout shelter, a satellite dish their only connection with the rest of the world. When the dish stops working, do they dare venture outside and risk the unknown dangers that await them? A novella by science fiction author Bernd Struben.

The Duke's Dish is a simple premise, but executed well. The relationships between the friends is well described, and the effect of being locked up away from the world is also thoughtfully dealt with. It's short, but Struben manages to convey everything we need to know about the hows and whys they're in the shelter, making it believable. There could easily have been more he could have said, but it was self-contained enough not to need it.

Title: One Bare Foot
Release Date: 15 May 2011
Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

Years after a devastating nuclear war pushed humanity to the brink of extinction, a hunter follows a strange set of tracks: his prey is a human being with one bare foot. A novellete by Bernd Struben.

I think I enjoyed this one more the The Duke's Dish, but it was a close call. Another post-apocalyptic setting, with no real explanation as to why, but plenty of suggestions that we're left to decide upon. One Bare Foot is more the story about our hunter, and the world he must live in, rather than anything bigger. It's good, if not a little disturbing in describing what he must do to survive, but all in all it works.

Cover Art | Treecat Wars by David Weber and Jane Lindskold (Baen)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Here's the cover for the third Star Kingdom novel from David Weber and Jane Lindskold: Treecat Wars. It looks like the art is once again done by Dan Dos Santos, and very nice it is too (as are his other Star Kingdom covers below). I thoroughly enjoyed A Beautiful Friendship when I read it on release, and still need to get to Fire Season, but Treecat Wars is a novel I'll be picking up as soon as it's released - the title itself demands my attention!

Review | A Jar of Wasps by Luis Villazon (Anarchy Books)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Title: A Jar of Wasps
Author: Luis Villazon
Publisher: Anarchy Books
Format: E-Book
Release Date: April 2012

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

Graham Trevennan has just been dumped by his girlfriend. That's not the problem. He's wanted by the police for a murder he didn't commit. That's not the problem, either. But around the world, dormant volcanoes are suddenly erupting and impossibly complex crystal meteorites are falling out of the sky in a way that probably isn't coincidental. Now, the CIA, the army and at least one terrifyingly beautiful treasure hunter all seem to think that shooting Graham will somehow help them get hold of these priceless, extraterrestrial crystals. That is a problem.

Graham's mission is to avoid getting killed, figure out whose side he is on and save the world. In the end, he manages two out of three. Which for a beginner, isn't bad.

I picked up A Jar of Wasps from the Kindle store after I got a shiny new Kindle Fire HD for Christmas. It was an impulse buy, mainly because I was stocking up on some e-versions of books I owned paper copies of and it popped up as a recommendation. I thought the cover was rather nice, and the blurb and few reviews I read seemed to be positive. I'm not massively into techno-thrillers, but I like to mix things up every now and then, see what reading outside my normal sub-genres can give me. Sometimes I'm in luck and thoroughly enjoy what I pick up, other times not so much. Unfortunately A Jar of Wasps falls into the latter category...

From the opening scene where Graham receives a delivery, finds himself with unwelcome guests, and then at the end of a murder charge that he didn't commit, it's clear that things aren't going to hang around. But it's also clear that we're going to be left with a fairly standard set of characters and a connect-the-dots plot. It's a shame, especially because the story about strange alien rocks falling to earth at volcano sites has plenty of promise, though even that left me wondering after I'd finished reading. I suppose it's a good sign that I thought about the events within, and the repercussions of said events, but the positives were far outweighed by the negatives.

The story, while interesting, jumped back and forth too much and often (despite the timings and dates stated at the start of chapters) I wondered just what (and when) I was reading. The fact that most of the characters seemed to blur into one didn't help me, and I had to stop once or twice to check whether the point of view had changed without me realising. And to add further to me gripes with A Jar of Wasps, sometimes things were a little too convenient for our characters - like Graham ending up at the right place even though he didn't have a clue where he was going. It's the little things that matter, and it felt like they were glossed over more than once in an effort to get the story going where the author wanted.

Despite these things I really did want to like A Jar of Wasps - I read it quickly and found it well paced and, at times, enjoyable. There truly is potential in this novel, but it's hidden beneath cut-out characters and convenient plot points. A disappointment.

Cover Art & Synopsis | The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Guardian by Jack Campbell (ACE)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Admiral Geary's First Fleet of the Alliance has survived the journey deep into unexplored interstellar space, a voyage that led to the discovery of new alien species, including a new enemy and a possible ally. Now Geary's mission is to ensure the safety of the Midway Star System, which has revolted against the Syndicate Worlds empire - an empire that is on the brink of collapse.

To complicate matters further, Geary also needs to return safely to Alliance space not only with representatives of the Dancers, an alien species, but also with Invincible, a captured warship that could possibly be the most valuable object in human history. Despite the peace treaty that Geary must adhere to at all costs, the Syndicate Worlds regime threatens to make the fleet's journey back grueling and perilous.

And even if Geary escorts Invincible and the Dancers' representatives safely unharmed, the Syndics' attempts to spread dissent and political unrest may have already sown the seeds of the Alliance's destruction...

Here's the cover for the next Lost Fleet book, Beyond The Frontier: Guardian. Much like the rest of the series, it's alright, and probably has nothing to do with what is contained within - I don't think the main character, Geary, has ever been in any of the situations the covers depict.

Regardless, this is a novel I'm very much looking forward to reading. I love the whole Lost Fleet series to date, and providing Campbell doesn't completely cock this one up I can't see my opinion changing any time soon.

Review | The Wind Through The Keyhole by Stephen King (Hodder)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Title: The Wind Through The Keyhole
Author: Stephen King
Publisher: Hodder
Format: Hardback
Release Date: April 2012

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

For readers coming to the epic bestselling Dark Tower series for the first time - and for its legion of dedicated fans - a fabulous new book about Roland's first quest and a perfect introduction to the series.

For readers new to The Dark Tower, THE WIND THROUGH THE KEYHOLE is a stand-alone novel, and a wonderful introduction to the series. It is a story within a story, which features both the younger and older gunslinger Roland on his quest to find the Dark Tower. Fans of the existing seven books in the series will also delight in discovering what happened to Roland and his ka tet between the time they leave the Emerald City and arrive at the outskirts of Calla Bryn Sturgis.

This Russian Doll of a novel, a story within a story, within a story, visits Mid-World's last gunslinger, Roland Deschain, and his ka-tet as a ferocious storm halts their progress along the Path of the Beam. (The novel can be placed between Dark Tower IV and Dark Tower V.) Roland tells a tale from his early days as a gunslinger, in the guilt ridden year following his mother's death. Sent by his father to investigate evidence of a murderous shape shifter, a "skin man," Roland takes charge of Bill Streeter, a brave but terrified boy who is the sole surviving witness to the beast's most recent slaughter. Roland, himself only a teenager, calms the boy by reciting a story from the Magic Tales of the Eld that his mother used to read to him at bedtime, 'The Wind through the Keyhole'. "A person's never too old for stories," he says to Bill. "Man and boy, girl and woman, we live for them." And stories like these, they live for us.

The Wind Through The Keyhole is the eighth Dark Tower novel from Stephen King, though events contained within places it as book 4.5 in the series. When it was announced that King was writing a new Dark Tower instalment I was cautiously optimistic, wondering just how he was going to slip in another volume to an already finished series, especially with it placing halfway through. The Wind Through The Keyhole was always going to be on my to-read list, especially with the series as a whole amongst my favourites. A story within a story, The Wind Through The Keyhole is an interesting book. It's not long, and with two tales in a short page count it does remarkably well.

With a storm brewing, Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and Oy take cover to let it pass. With a long wait in store Roland begins to tell a tale of his younger Gunslinging days, not long after his return from Mejis and the events that unfolded there, and after the untimely death of his mother at his hands. Sent to investigate murders by a rumoured skin man, Roland and his partner gather evidence of these murders, which in turn leads Roland to Bill Streeter, a young boy who survived one of the attacks, and the only person that could possibly identify the killer. It is with young Bill that he recounts another tale: The Wind Through The Keyhole.

The titicular story is perhaps the best starting point, and the stand out of the novel by far. The story that King tells here shows off many things: his ability as a storyteller, creating characters and situations that can completely hook the reader, and the level of background detail the Dark Tower universe has. It's a mythical story that includes everything that I've come to love about the books, while adding more depth in, what is at first glance, simply another tale. This story could easily be a stand-alone novella, not necessarily needing the other part of the novel, but it works very well in such context. The rest of the novel is still very enjoyable, and adds more history to Roland, giving us a little more on his background as a young Gunslinger. It also shows much of how Gunslingers work when looking into murders and such, and does so with ease.

One of the main aspects of this novel that I needed answering was whether or not it could fit halfway through a finished series without raising further questions. The answer is simple: yes. Because the structure of The Wind Through The Keyhole is that of past events narrated by Roland, it fits in without any hitches at all, and begs the question: when will we see more of these stories?

As a long time Dark Tower fan I came away more than satisfied, and I'd even go as far to say that even a non-reader of Stephen King's epic could easily enjoy what is within these pages. Of course, you'd benefit more if you read the series...

Review | The Iron Jackal by Chris Wooding (Gollancz)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Title: The Iron Jackal
Author: Chris Wooding
Publisher: Gollancz
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 2011

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

Things are finally looking good for Captain Frey and his crew. The Ketty Jay has been fixed up good as new. They’ve got their first taste of fortune and fame. And, just for once, nobody is trying to kill them.

Even Trinica Dracken, Frey’s ex-fiancee and long-time nemesis, has given up her quest for revenge. In fact, she’s offered them a job – one that will take them deep into the desert heart of Samarla, the land of their ancient enemies. To a place where the secrets of the past lie in wait for the unwary. Secrets that might very well cost Frey everything.

Join the crew of the Ketty Jay on their greatest adventure yet: a story of mayhem and mischief, roof-top chases and death-defying races, murderous daemons, psychopathic golems and a particularly cranky cat. The first time was to clear his name. The second time was for money. This time, Frey’s in a race against the clock for the ultimate prize: to save his own life.

The Iron Jackal is the third novel following the crew of the Ketty Jay, preceded by Retribution Falls and The Black Lung Captain. I've thoroughly enjoyed the previous novels and, despite my poor reading last year, it always hovered near the top of the to-read stack. After finally settling down to read The Iron Jackal I found myself treading lightly, wondering whether it could equal the previous books. I really shouldn't have worried as Chris Wooding brings his A game to the table and delivers not only a good tale of the Ketty Jay, but an excellent novel in itself.

The fortunes of Frey and his crew looking up, with widespread recognition and the Ketty Jay given a complete overhaul courtesy of his old fiance and long time nemesis, Tranica Dracken. When she offers him a simple heist job Frey is keen to take it on, seeing as nothing could go wrong, or so he thinks. When the item he must steal lays a curse on him, Frey and his crew must race against time before it fulfils its purpose and robs him of life, taking him to many places he's not been, and some that some members of his crew would rather not return to...

It's easy enough to say why I enjoyed The Iron Jackal so much: because, like it's predecessors, it's a page-turning, action packed, character driven novel. Being the third in the series means that you're likely to have read the first two books and know what you'll be getting into, but if not I highly suggest starting at the beginning. Not only does The Iron Jackal expand on what has gone before, it introduces some other new elements that ensure it's not just walking in the footsteps of Retribution Falls and The Black Lung Captain.

Wooding manages to keep the characters fresh, delving a little further into some back-stories, and exploring new aspects following The Black Lung Captain. The dynamic between the crew is as good as ever, and the introduction of Ashua early on means there's a new female for Darien to make a fool of himself over, despite some interesting developments in the Tranica department. And I can't forget Bess, who once again delivers some of the stand-out moments in the novel for sheer enjoyment.

As for the story, well, it's a fairly straightforward affair. Darien needs to return a stolen item to it's home or he dies from the curse that it inflicted on him. But it's not as simple as it may seem, and the crew of the Ketty Jay go from place to place trying to track down where it came from, with some enjoyable set pieces along the way. The ending is great, and once again opens up some new aspects that can be looked at further in the concluding volume of the Ketty Jay saga.

All in all I found The Iron Jackal to be hugely enjoyable. It continues what I expect from the series and leaves a fair few questions open for the final instalment, The Ace of Skulls. Once again, another highly recommended novel from Chris Wooding.

Review | Zero Point by Neal Asher (Tor)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Title: Zero Point
Author: Neal Asher
Publisher: Tor UK
Format: Hardback
Release Date: September 2012

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

MANKIND STRUGGLES FOR FREEDOM

Earth’s Zero Asset citizens no longer face extermination. Thanks to Alan Saul, the Committee’s despotic network is in ruins and its robotic enforcers lie dormant. But the ruthless Serene Galahad sees an opportunity to grab power.

On Mars, Var Delex fights for Antares Base’s survival, while the Argus Space Station hurtles towards the red planet. And Var knows whomever, or whatever, trashed Earth is still aboard. She must not only save the base, but deal with the first signs of rebellion.

And aboard Argus Station, Alan Saul’s mind has expanded into the local computer network. In the process, he uncovers the ghastly experiments of the Humanoid Unit Development, the possibility of eternal life, and a madman who may hold the keys to interstellar flight. But Earth’s agents are closer than Saul thinks, and the killing will soon begin.

Zero Point is the second Owner novel from Neal Asher, following on from The Departure. While I enjoyed the opening novel in the Owner series, The Departure didn't work quite as much as I would have hoped - it was more a novel of setting things up, establishing the setting, and moving pawns in to place. My closing sentence in my review of The Departure was:

"Now the setting up is done I expect much more from the sequel, Zero Point, and I won't be as forgiving if it doesn't meet the expectations I have."

So, the only question that really matters is whether it met those expectations, or did it fall flat in the attempt? Fortunately Zero Point built on the foundation laid out in the series opener, adding plenty to the story that kept me turning the pages to find out what happens next.

Zero Point picks up events immediately following the ending of The Departure. Alan Saul, the Owner, has captured Argus Station and controls it in its entirety, has wiped out a large proportion of the Committee's ruling Delegates on Earth, and is now looking ahead as Argus travels towards Mars. Var Delex is now in charge at the Antares Base on Mars, trying to use everything at her disposal to ensure the long term survival of the base, though not everyone agrees with her views. Earth is in the throws of change with Serene Galahad taking control of the Committee, setting her targets on a reduced population that cannot bode well for the zero assets. And when she discovers what the Owner is up to on Argus Station her focus to eliminate him only increases...

Following on from an action packed finale to The Departure, Zero Point doesn't wait around to get its breath, instead jumping straight into the meat of the story. We see the Owner investigate Argus Station further, digging up some very interesting hidden research that Messina, former head of the Committee, was working on. The research ranges from android/cyborg experimentation through to zero point energy of the title. It's a very interesting and enjoyable read while this is ongoing, with some rather intriguing possibilities from this research.

Zero Point carries the story along at a good pace early on, with the above mentioned happenings on the Argus Station making for the most engrossing. The Mars colony is another important aspect of the story, one that moves along at a slower pace, but always relevant and adding to the whole. As for Serene Galahad and her movements on Earth - that's on another level again. Seeing someone rise from the ashes of the Committee to assert control and begin a ruthless and focused re-build of the planet raises many questions in itself over the outcome, but it's an aspect of the story that I wouldn't have missed a second of.

I had one minor issue with Zero Point, and it was more one of pacing than anything else. A short way into the story an event happens that puts the brakes on the momentum that had been built up, essentially putting many of the most interesting aspects on hold for a good portion of the novel. It does allow other aspects to come to the fore and Asher adds more depth to the story, but it changes the pacing of the book and slowing down the events.

On the plus side, Zero Point is a thoroughly enjoyable novel with some very interesting ideas. Asher doesn't fail in making this second volume of the Owner trilogy a step up from The Departure, adding in plenty to keep the pages turning. For those familiar with his Owner short stories there are some nice treats in store, and for those that haven't.... well, what are you waiting for? In short, Zero Point is well worth reading, and I will be very much looking forward to Jupiter War!