Peter F. Hamilton -  The Night's Dawn Trilogy; A Second Chance at Eden

• The Reality Dysfunction

• The Neutronium Alchemist

• The Naked God

• (A Second Chance at Eden)

• (The Confederation Handbook)

In the USA, each volume was published in two parts, as evidenced by the thumbnails.

The Night's Dawn trilogy is a huge story spanning over 4000 pages. It tells of a great evil that befalls the otherwise mostly peaceful but very interesting and multifaceted Federation. Everything changes as mankind faces its true self. As the external threat starts to seriously damage the foundations of civilization, the large differences between various human and alien factions make for an interesting backdrop to the struggle. Actually it's very difficult to describe Night's Dawn in a few short sentences. The scope is quite breathtaking, there are many characters and the writing is impeccable. The only nagging complaint is the far too rapid conclusion. Hamilton seems to have been in a hurry to tie things up. Some might feel the ending is a bit of a cop-out. But in my opinion whatever you think of the ending, the journey is certainly worth it.

There is a reference book for the trilogy called The Confederation Handbook. This can be practical to keep lying around since there is a lot to keep track of.

The short story collection ”A Second Chance at Eden" is a fine companion to the trilogy. Although only a few of the stories are in the same universe, all of them are gems in their own right. Importantly, though, the title story gives some valuable background on how the Edenist Culture was founded,

If nothing else, the books are worth buying simply for the sake of the gorgeous covers. Note that the thumbnails here don't do them justice The UK covers are even nicer, since they have retained the original colors of the artwork better.

UK Edition:

US Edition:

Peter F. Hamilton - The Commonwealth Saga

• Pandora's Star

• Judas Unchained

These two books are simply two volumes of the same novel, dubbed the "Commonwealth Saga". In the tradition of the other (even more) massive Hamilton opus, "Night's Dawn", characters and interweaving subplots. This author can get away with it, since even his explanatory filler is eminently enjoyable. A very rich societal backdrop forms the stage for a drama with some very unexpected twists and turns. The most insignificant details come back to haunt the characters in what is obviously a very finely and meticulously crafted story. The end of Pandora's Star is a massive cliffhanger and the story picks right back up in Judas Unchained, so I would recommend reading the two volumes back to back.

With the invention of wormhole technology by straight arrow Nigel Sheldon and eccentric Ozzie Isaacs, traditional space exploration (vacuum, spaceships, all that kind of thing) is all but abandoned. Rail lines running between worlds through wormholes are the only means of interstellar transport, and humanity is rapidly expanding to many planets.

Hamilton seems to have been inspired by Morgan's Altered Carbon when it comes to rejuvenation technology, although there are differences. Practical immortality is available to all but the very poor. Most people pay money into a sort of pension fund which pays for rejuvenation. The more well to do rejuvenate more often, staying forever young. This has brought about a maturing of humanity, where planning is much more long-term. Careers span decades and centuries. The rich can take entire "sabbatical lives".

These two massive upheavals, longevity and cheap transportation over interstellar distances, have led to an unprecedented period of growth for human society. A commonwealth unites the worlds. The Commonwealth is nominally a democracy, but the reins of power are firmly in the hands of dynasties rich enough to own entire planets. A utopia of sorts, but not really a democracy despite outward appearances.

A mysterious stellar event far outside the human sphere of influences forces the construction of a starship. It is the first one ever built. Former astronaut Wilson Kime captains the mission, which leads to the escape of the greatest threat humanity has ever faced from its ancient prison. And it soon becomes clear that the escape was not entirely an accident. There are mysterious forces at work inside the Commonwealth.

The story is peppered with wondrous things such as the Silfen, an enigmatic race of aliens, and their even more enigmatic forest paths, which lead seamlessly from world to world. Even the enemy is fascinating and an example of a true non human intellect. There are bizarre, enigmatic and just generally cool characters such as the super investigator Paula Myo, slut turned reporter Mellanie Rescorai, the orphan Orion, cult leaders, resistance warriors, criminals and politicians. A tangled web held together elegantly by Hamilton.

The story moves from utopia through gathering storm through all-out chaos and war to a spectacular conclusion, and is finally neatly put to bed in the epilogue. The true genius of Hamilton is that his universe is not populated by 20th Century humans living long lives and using wormholes. Society and its inhabitants are is quite different, reflecting the changes in society and culture brought about by technological advances. Motivations, reactions and behaviors are believably described for these "future humans" (and aliens), just as a 17th Century human would behave differently from us.

It should be clear by now that this novel is among the very best I have ever read. Sure, one could criticize the perhaps unnecessarily long road chase in the second volume, or the seeming abandonment of a few supporting characters at the end. But the truth is that it is very very difficult to write something this long, with so many character relationships, and not run into the occasional pacing problem.

So stop reading this and order the books. You will not be disappointed. 20060801

 

Robert A. Heinlein - Stranger in a Strange Land

This classic novel tells the story of Valentine Michael Smith, a human raised on Mars, by Martians. He is brought "back" to Earth and soon whisked away by a nurse and a reporter. He can perform seemingly miraculous feats of bodily control, telekinesis, and more. He ends up at the house of Jubal Harshaw, author, professional cynic and bon vivant; a man who surrounds himself with three secretaries to take down prose or poetry at any time. "Mike" Smith, the "Man from Mars", after an education at the hands of Jubal, goes out into the world, spreading his ideas about sharing, love and "grokking" under the guise of a new religion.

Stranger in a Strange Land is widely acclaimed as a genre classic, and I cannot help but agree. The evolution of Smith from uncommunicative quasi-cripple with the blank mind of a baby to mental giant with a huge following is masterfully described. Jubal Harshaw (Heinlein's "ideal" alter-ego, perhaps?) is equally interesting as a character, with his honest modesty but sharp intellect and wisdom. The book is VERY heavy on the dialogue and rather light on the action. The risk an author takes with an reliance on dialogue is that the whole things becomes rather boring and long-winded. Such is not the case here. The characters talk about interesting things as wide ranging as religion, politics, art, jurisprudence and morality. Furthermore, they actually learn stuff and develop as people as they do so. They do not merely talk to support the action. Their talking IS the action. The view of females is somewhat rooted in the 50s and 60s but even so Heinlein was being rather "modern" in his views. The views expressed are very interesting, especially since Heinlein doesn't take the obvious (for scifi) router of dismissing religion as nonsense. THAT really intrigued me. The way he manages to meld religion into Smith's "message" is mindblowing. This is not the lightest of reads but I must recommend it. It is both interesting and entertaining but most importantly it makes the reader think long and hard about the accepted truths of our society. 20091024

Lois McMaster Bujold - The Vorkosigan Saga

The Vorkosigan Saga has by now been reprinted in omnibus editions that order the novels chronologically. Hence the larger number of reviews compared to covers. While not all the books score highly enough to be included in the book pick's by themselves, I still feel that the series as a whole places here. For those planning to start reading the books, I highly recommend reading in internal chronological order (as listed here), starting either with Shards of Honor or with The Warrior's Apprentice. Somewhat unfortunately, these are the perhaps weakest books in the series. But it is well worth reading them first. The rest of the books make more sense and will be enjoyed more if you do so. Another option is to start with Memory, which is the first of the strongest three novels and fits with them in a logical story arc.

Shards of Honor and Barrayar (collected in Cordelia's Honor)

Behind the rather tacky cover is an omnibus edition consisting of McMaster Bujold's debut novel "Shards of Honor" and its immediate sequel "Barrayar". The latter won the Hugo in 1992. These chronicle the adventures of Cordelia Naismith from the time she first meets her future husband, Lord Aral Vorkosigan, when she is his prisoner of war. At the end of the "Shards of Honor", she goes to Vorkosigan's home planet of Barrayar to become his wife. Barrayar is quite different from her own modern home planet of Beta Colony. It has only recently been rediscovered, and an old system of blood ties, honor, nobility, and plain Machiavellian insanity keep it ticking. Cordelia's adaptation to Barrayar, and her key role during a civil war, are the subject of "Barrayar".

The first book, "Shards of Honor", is decent but nothing to write home about. McMaster Bujold shows an early talent for characterization, describing motivation and personal development. "Barrayar", on the other hand, is a rich story of adventure and one woman's fight for herself and her family in the midst of an (to her) insane civil war. I enjoyed it immensely. McMaster Bujold has a knack for describing emotion and motivation that sweeps the reader along as if he is looking right over Cordelia Naismith's shoulder. As a heroine, Cordelia is perfect. Heroic when need be, but more importantly rational and humble in a world where honor and revenge pull society's fabric to the breaking point and beyond. Highly recommended. 20080115

The Warrior's Apprentice (collected in Young Miles)

This was the second novel that McMaster Bujold wrote, and the first one about Miles proper. Miles fails the entrance exam for the Barrayar (military) Service Academy in spectacularly humiliating fashion. The physical handicaps caused by his in utero poisoning make him short, crooked, brittle boned and ugly. As a young Vor lordling, he doesn't really need to work for a living, but he is expected, and expects of himself, to serve Barrayar. For now, he is sent off to visit his grandmother (Cordelia's Mother) on Beta Colony, a world as egalitarian and "modern" in its views as Barrayar is feudal and provincial. A chance encounter on arrival eventually leads to Miles commanding his own mercenary fleet. As if that's not trouble enough, collecting such a personal army is tantamount to treason for a Vor lord.

It is not necessary to have read "Cordelia's Honor" in order to enjoy "The Warrior's Apprentice" but it does help with understanding the background, in particular the peculiar character of Sergeant Bothari and his relationship to his daughter Elena. The novel is a lot of fun. Miles as a character, with his boundless energy and quick thinking, is enormously entertaining. The plot is quite far fetched, asking the reader to make some rather challenging leaps of faith. If it weren't so engaging and frequently humurous, this novel would go from pretty good to awful. 20080710

The Mountains of Mourning (short story collected in Young Miles)

After graduating from the Barrayar Service Academy, Miles has a few weeks of leave. He ends up having to solve an infanticide while acting as the "Voice" of his father, Lord Vorkosigan.

This rather long short story is neat little piece. Miles gets to be clever and driven, while at the same time acquiring an increased sense of purpose for his life. Very good. 20080711

The Vor Game (collected in Young Miles)

Miles' first assigment after graduation from the Barrayar Service Academy seems like a complete dead end. Weather officer at a remote arctic training station. He is replacing an officer who has spent fifteen at the base, and uses his nose to compile the forecast. Miles has been more or less promised a very attractive ship assignment if he can prove that he can follow orders and keep out of trouble for six months. For even after graduation there are many who believe Miles is too weak and short to be a real officer, and too arrogant to follow orders. Of course, Miles doesn't manage to stay out of trouble, and ends up leading a mutiny against the deranged commander of the base. A just mutiny, perhaps, but this wasn't what they meant when they told him to stay out of trouble. In the end, his father the prime minister and the head of Imperial Security decide that it would be safest to make him part of Imperial Security itself. To that end, he is sent as a subordinate on a fact finding mission about an impending crisis at an critical frontier wormhole hub. Yet again, Miles cannot stay out of trouble. He is forced to rejoin the Dendarii Mercenaries (from The Warrior's Apprentice) and finds himself attempting to rescue the young Barrayaran emperor while trying to prevent an invasion.

The entire first part of the novel at the arctic base felt like an (admittedly entertaining) throwaway for quite a while. I was worried that this would make the novel disjointed, but one of the main characters from that section did crop up in a key role later. So no worries there. McMaster Bujold certainly knows how to throw together a complex plot. Luckily for the reader, she also knows how to sort it all out. The Vor Game is entertaining, engaging, exciting, and at times laugh-out-loud funny. 20080712

Cetaganda (collected in Miles, Mystery & Mayhem)

Miles, now a Lieutenant working for Imperial Security, is sent off to a Cetagandan state funeral along with his less than brilliant but handsome cousin Ivan Vorpatril. While there, they are embroiled in a complex plot to stir the waters of Cetagandan nobility genetic engineering.

The plot is quite complex, and while showcasing Miles' intelligence, it goes perhaps a bit too far. The Cetagandan empire is a remarkable edifice constructed by McMaster Bujold. The highest caste controls the evolution of their own and the soldier caste through rigidly held gene banks and elaborately calculated pairings. It is almost worth reading the book for the descriptions of ceremonies, locations and people. Unfortunately, the plot is not as strong as one would want, and quickly bogs down in far too many twists and turns. I'm all for a nice mystery but there is very little actual action to propel the mystery along. I caught myself no longer caring very much what actually happened, as long as I could read about Miles and his ever entertaining. 20080717

Ethan of Athos (collected in Miles, Mystery & Mayhem)

Somewhat unexpectedly, this story doesn't feature Miles at all. One of the main characters is Elli Quinn, introduced back in "The Warrior's Apprentice". She is now a Commander in the Dendarii Free Mercenaries and is hunting down a mysterious character named Terrence Cee. The titular protagonist, Ethan of the planet Athos, comes from an isolated society made up exclusively of males. He is a reproductive specialist who is sent on a mission to find ovarian cultures in order to enrich Athos' failing gene pool. On arrival to his first waystation, he finds himself embroiled in the struggle surround Terrence Cee and his valuable genetic heritage.

Ethan's initial contact with galactic society is very entertaining. He has never met a woman, and really has understanding whatsoever of that sex. Luckily, McMaster Bujold doesn't make the entire novel an essay on this point. The action, almost exclusively confined to one massive space station, is entertaining and leavened with the author's almost trademark sharp wit. The evolution of Ethan's character from hopeless naif through angry victim to assertive decision maker makes this a bildungsroman of sorts, and a good one. 20080721

Labyrinth (collected in Miles, Mystery & Mayhem)

This short story is set in the Jackson's Whole system, a place where capitalism has run completely wild and unchecked. Miles' mission is to pick up a scientist wishing to defect from one of the large syndicates that run Jackson's Whole. But of course, things are never that easy and simple when Miles is involved.

This piece was a lot of fun, with McMaster Bujold showcasing how she understands what makes characters tick and how they react to one another. Quite enjoyable. 20070722

The Borders of Infinity (Collected in Miles Errant)

This short story is a tidy set piece. It opens with Miles in a Cetagandan prison camp. The camp consists of some terrain enclosed in a dome shaped force field. No visible guards or anything like that. Every day, ration bars (one per prisoner) are passed through the force field. Inevitably, fights break out about the food. Equally inevitably, cliques have formed, for mutual protection and for acquisition of food. Miles has a secret agenda, but how will he take command of this group, using only his quick tongue?

"The Borders of Infinity" is a fine example of the short story genre. McMaster Bujold displays her uncanny grasp of the human psycho and logic. She manages to both solve the problem in a plausible manner, and tack on a realistic motivation for Miles' actions, while keeping the reader guessing right up until the end. 20080810

Brothers in Arms (Collected in Miles Errant)

While traveling with the Dendarii Mercenaries, Miles ends up on Earth. While there, he is entangled in a plot to replace him with a clone.

The elements to create a good story are in place. Miles' clone brother Mark is an excellent addition to the series, seeing as how he can act as a counterpoint to Miles himself. The character development and exploration in this book is on par with McMaster Bujold at her best. The plot, unfortunately, is not. It seems a bit forced, somehow. And while still an enjoyable read (this woman is a fabulous writer) it is weak compared to other installments in the series. 20080814

Mirror Dance (Collected in Miles Errant)

Miles' twin brother Mark is back. He manages to infiltrate the Dendarii while acting as Miles. In short order, he is taking a ship on a harebrained mission to Jackson's Whole in order to free clones doomed to act as replacement bodies for the rich, a procedure which leads to the clones' brain being dumped. Naturally, it all goes to hell, with Miles chasing after. Miles is shot "fatally" and cryo-frozen, at which point Mark is whisked off to Barrayar to meet the parents for the first time. Meanwhile, Miles' frozen body is lost.

McMaster Bujold is back in good shape here. The first part of this book is merely good, but the fireworks really fly when Mark ends up on Barrayar. His mother, Cordelia, steals all the scenes she is in. A truly great character who does even better in middle age as a bit player than in the books featuring her as protagonist ("Shards of Honor" and "Barrayar"). The parallel plot folowing the lost (in several senses) Miles is equally engaging. One of the best in the series so far. 20080818

Memory

Somewhat oddly, this is the only Vorkosigan novel not collected in an omnibus. It forms a pivotal point in Miles's character development. In it, Miles continues feeling the effects of the injuries from Mirror Dance. This, and his own fear of losing the pursuits he loves, leads to his dismissal from Imperial Security. In an odd turn of events, he finds himself a depressed bachelor with not much to do. Luckily, trouble is afoot at the ImpSec he had to leave. Emperor Gregor appoints him an Imperial Auditor, a sort of all-powerful troubleshooter, and sets him to investigating the mysterious circumstances of ImpSec head Illyan's disablement.

Memory is a wonderful book. As is her wont, McMaster Bujold figures out the worst thing she can do to her hero, and skewers him with it. Miles' dual identity as Admiral Naismith is completely destroyed. This was his safety valve, his way to escape the pressures of being a cripple in Barrayar's militaristic society. The sections that deal with coping are insightful and excellently written, but still sprinkled with McMaster Bujold trademark humor. The last part of the book, with Miles as Imperial Auditor, is a pure pleasure to read. The role suits Miles' personality perfectly, and I found myself frequently chortling at his antics. The author deserves admiration for daring to kill off her hero's raison d'être. She could surely have milked a few more books out of Admiral Naismith, but probably felt that there was more interesting character development to be found this way. This reader is truly grateful. 20080827

Komarr (Collected in Miles in Love)

Now a permanent Imperial Auditor, Miles is sent to Barrayar's subject planet of Komarr to investigate an "accident" on a solar mirror. The mirror is part of a centuries long projecto to terraform Komarr. Currently, Komarrans live in domed cities. Through a fellow auditor, he makes the acquaintance of Ekaterin Vorsoisson, the unhappily married wife of a Barrayaran terraforming administrator. Miles is smitten. He must now solve the mystery of the accident, while sorting out his feelings for Ekaterin. Unfortunately, she is used as a pawn the by the sinister conspirators behind the accident when these move to enact their terrorist

I found Komarr absolutely stellar. Confident Miles is stepped back from the action a bit to make room for the conflicted character of Ekaterin. She seems everything he could wih for, but she is married and suspicious of men in general. A challenge worthy of our hero. McMaster Bujold manages to make her vulnerable and angry without making her weak and abrasive. By delving deep into the source of her unhappiness, McMaster Bujold lays out a character one cannot help but like despite her flaws. It is made clear how Ekaterin dug herself this hole. The sense of duty which Barrayarans so pride has trapped he in a loveless marriage to a loser. The resolution, while brining forth the "true" Ekaterin, does not wned with "happily ever after". The author acknowledges that life is not so simple, but without depriving us of a satisfying triumph. 20080830

A Civil Campaign (Collected in Miles in Love)

After the events of Komarr, Ekaterin returns to Barrayar to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Miles is more infatuated than ever. In the mist of the preparations for the Emperor's wedding, he embarks on a campaign to win her heart. And screws up badly. Meanwhile, political intrigue lands him in trouble, and his brother Mark starts a bizarre business venture in the basement of Vorkosigan House. Much hilarity ensues.

McMaster Bujold herself describes Komarr as the romantic drama, while A Civil Campaign is the romantic comedy. It is definitely the funnies Vorkosigan book. The author was inspired by authors like Dorothy Sayers and Jane Austen for this comedy of manners. It is definitely a melding of Science Fiction with those romantic styles, and brilliantly done. The infamous dinner party scene is one of the most inspired and funniest passages I have ever read. McMaster Bujold has a talent for putting her characters in the deepest trouble. She seems to revel in it, never protecting them from embarassment or injury. This makes for greatly engaging stories. 20080902

Winterfair Gifts (Collected in Miles in Love)

This short story forms an epilogue of sorts to Komarr and A Civil Campaign. It is told from the viewpoint of armsman Roic. A few days before Miles and Ekaterin's wedding guests in the form of Miles' friends from the Dendarii Free Mercenaries arrive. Taura in particular is focused on in a brief tale leading up to the wedding..

The story is cute, but would not be worth much if it hadn't been tacked on to the end of the Miles in Love omnibus. It is certainly worth reading, and it forms a very nice bookend to the macrostory of Miles and Ekaterin's courtship, but not a great standalone. 20080903

Falling Free (Collected in Miles, Mutants & Mayhem)

Not, technically, a Vorkosigan novel since no Vorkosigan is even lurking in the background, it is nevertheless set in the Vorkosiverse, though, about two hundred years before Miles' birth. The story is about the origin of the quaddies, humans genetically engineered for work in free fall, whose most striking adaptation is the replacement of their legs with arms (and hands). Leo Graf is an engineer and teacher assigned to the habitat where the quaddies are being "reared". The corporation he works for intends to use them for free fall work, thus avoiding the costly planetside leaves necessary to ensure good health for normal humans. The thousand quaddies are young, the oldest only just out of adolescence, and are being treated like children, with no voice in their future. Legally, they are the property of the corporation, even as they live their lives, work hard, even procreate. As artificial gravity is invented, the quaddies become instantly obsolete, the need for free fall work decreasing dramatically. They are no longer cost effective for the company, which orders the experiment terminated, meaning sterilization and confinement to barracks (read, prison) on a planet. For the free fall adapted quaddies, gravity wells are an unnatural, dangerous and generally terrible environment. At this point Graf rebels and plans the exodus of the quaddies, away to make their own lives.

This is one of the best novels I have ever read. The characters, "normal" and quaddie alike are well rounded, interesting, authentic. Bujold quickly manages to turn the quaddies from freaks into just "different humans" in the mind of the reader. The plot is excellently constructed, with disparate elements and personalities meshing well to create an engaging whole with many page turner moments.

Diplomatic Immunity (Collected in Miles, Mutants & Mayhem)

This novel is the chronologically the last in the Vorkosiverse. Miles and Ekaterin are diverted from their honeymoon as Miles is ordered to Quaddiespace in order to sort out a diplomatic tangle involving an interned Komarran/Barrayaran trade fleet. Needless to say, complications abound as a Cetagandan plot involving haut unborn babies is uncovered.

It was quite bittersweet to read the last of the books. McMaster Bujold has stated that she is working on one more novel, but there are no guarantees. While Diplomatic Immunity is not the best of the Vorkosigan books, it does not disappoint. As usual, the enormously talented McMaster Bujold demonstrates her prowess at seeing things from many points of view. Her descriptions of Quaddies, their actions and thought patters, are particularly impressive. A lot of thought was obviously given to how even basic mannerisms could be decidedly different for humans with four arms, no legs, and a life in zero gravity habitats. The interaction between a happily married Miles and Ekaterin is charming and alluring, leaving the reader hungering for many more books. Perhaps it is a good thing that the author quit when at the top of her game, but I can't help but feel that Miles, and now Ekaterin, still have many stories left to be told. 20081116

Julian May - The Saga of Pliocene Exile; Intervention; The Galactic Milieu Trilogy

The scope of this saga spanning eight novels is staggering. A gate is opened to the past, specifically the Pliocene era. But it's a one-way trip. Adventurous souls travel back, and find a world unlike any they could imagine. Epic conflict rages between ancient races, and the future destiny of man is decided. The initial four books make up The Saga of Pliocene Exile:

• The Many-Colored Land

• The Golden Torc

• The Non-Born King

• The Adversary

These can be read as a standalone series, but who would want to stop there?

The "bridge" book :

US Edition (two volumes)

• Intervention - Surveillance

• Intervention - Metaconcert

UK Edition (one volume)

• Intervention

Introduces The Galactic Milieu Trilogy:

• Jack the Bodiless

• Diamond Mask

• Magnificat

What surprised me as I finally finished the whole thing was how May had obviously planned the whole story arc from the very beginning, and elements important to the last novels were referenced in the first. This lends the whole series a sense of completion rare in such works. Considering the fact that it took over 12 years to write, the achievement is even more impressive.

The characters are amazing, with rich depths of character and particular quirks that blend in well with the evolving destiny of humankind. The settings, especially in Exiles are among the best I have ever seen.

Please don't be put off by the truly awful covers of the US version (one wonders why they couldn't all go with the original Pan ones). I cannot recommend this series highly enough.

David S. Michaels & Daniel Brenton - Red Moon

The plot of this story is set in 2019, with humans back on the Moon looking for fusion power fuel, and also in the Soviet Union in the late 1960s, at the height of the Moon race. As things fall apart during a Moon mission in 2019, a NASA scientist must travel to Moscow to find out about a mysterious spacecraft found on the Moon. He uncovers a deep conspiracy about the Cold War Soviet space program. Back then, unknown cosmonaut Grigor Belinsky is maneuvered into taking on an unthinkable mission.

I freely admit that I am a sucker for the subject matter. Secret Moon missions? Blending fact and fiction about the Moon Race? Oh my! I just had to read this book. It delivered beyond my wildest expectations. Unlike the deeply disappointing "Children of Apollo", another independent publication in the genre, "Red Moon" is masterfully crafted. The plot is intelligent and elegant beyond words and moves powerfully towards a breathless climax. Not since early Clancy novels have I read something with this kind of page-turning power combined with depth.

And the characters! Belinsky feels so alive, so real. He is a classic tragic hero, his inevitable fate sealed by his deep drive and desire to do the right thing in an evil world. The whole way Russians are described is so spot on, showing their poetic and melancholy side, their deeply emotional selves, in a way that few Western thrillers manage. What a book! It satisfies on many levels, with the sprinkling of culturally rooted mysticism, the slice-of-life vignettes from the 60s and the believable, three-dimensional characters lifting what could have been just a competent thriller into the realm of the sublime. 20100110

Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons - Watchmen

Yes, it's a graphic novel. It is also a great literary achievement. Well drawn and masterfully written, this is a tale of a disillusioned world and its disillusioned heroes. The heroes are well into middle age as they must unite again to save the world. Even if you are skeptical to the format, you should give Watchmen a chance. You won't be dissapointed.

Alan Moore & David Lloyd - V for Vendetta

Dystopian graphic novel about a post nuclear war fascist England by the same writer as the incredible "Watchmen". The art is very different from that work, however. To go with the setting, it is unusual for a comic strip. No thought bubbles, no sound effects, just a washed out gray style that is purposefully unnerving.

The main character, V, is a larger than life anti-hero who fights back against the fascist regime in traditional terrorist fashion, or so it seems. But this terrorist understands the people, and really serves as a catalyst for the change brewing under the surface anyway. A great story on many levels.

Beyond the cool factor of this graphic novel is the hard-hitting social commentary, the deep understanding of human nature, and the interesting conclusion. It is a scary thing how true the setting rings. 20060224

Richard Morgan - Altered Carbon

This book was lent to me by Abri while Kat and I were visiting him and Evelyn for dinner (thanks btw). It literally blows me away. After about five or six pages I was hooked. Very cool cyberpunk/noir in a future where bodies can used (as "sleeves") almost like clothes (albeit very expensive ones; a normal person can buy one "extra" body and thus double his lifespan). This naturally raises some rather intriguing philosophical questions about mortality (or the lack of it), but also about how the legal system would work under the circumstances. All this is but a backdrop for a fabulous crime thriller told in the first person. It is clear that Morgan was very much inspired by Blade Runner (down to the robotic voice saying "Cross now. Cross Now. Cross Now" at a zebra crossing). The gloomy, indifferent outlook of our hero is similar, and it is answered by a similar outlook from his surroundings. The only (tiny) shortcoming with this book is that the plot becomes a bit convoluted at times. All in all, a very very nice read. 20030712

Richard Morgan - Market Forces

I was going to wait until this came out in paperback, but at only £8 for a signed copy it seemed dumb not to pick it up. Morgan has left the Altered Carbon universe with this one. Morgan has left Takeshi Kovacs behind and written a story of corporate warfare in the near future.

Not too unexpectedly, this book is full of cool prose, has an anti-hero, and contains some pretty extreme violence. As Morgan himself admits in the foreword, it is unashamedly inspired by films such as Rollerball and Mad Max. In view of several deep recessions, the rift between rich and poor has widened dramatically. Corporations pretty much run the world, and the only game in town is to work for one, if you have the guts for it. Tenders and positions are battled for on the road with car duels, often to the death. It's all very cutthroat and cool, but Morgan has somehow kept it just this side of believable (see chapter 24 for the short version of how things ended up this way).

Our hero, Chris Faulkner, works for the Shorn Corporation in the Conflict Investment department. His job is, in simple terms, to support some third world revolutionary with weapons and support. When said revolutionary is settled as ruler, a percentage of the GDP of his country will go to Shorn, and thus to the investors in Shorn. Cruel, but not really that far removed from some situations seen today. The difference is that the corporations in this future do not bother to disguise their naked ambition.

The book also contains the absolute best description of a long, slow break up I have ever read. Chris' transformation from vague idealist to the ultimate antihero is brilliantly portrayed, and the end may surprise you, although in hindsight it was inevitable.

Marvelous and very very cool. 20040205

Larry Niven - Neutron Star

My favorite short story collection, with quite a few gems from Nivens Known Space universe. Pick this up and enjoy every minute.

Larry Niven - Ringworld; The Ringworld Engineers

Niven's best books (?), and the ultimate BDO (Big Dumb Object) story. Great adventure in an incredible setting. And what great characters. The second chapter heading of the first book, "And his motley crew" pretty much sums it up. Scream and leap onto these two novels!

And then Niven wrote "The Ringworld Throne", which is pretty bland and uninteresting.

Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle - The Mote in God's Eye

Arguably the best story about first contact ever written. A ship comes careening into a human system. The pilot is dead, and strange, and it has apparently traveled for years at sublight speeds to get there. Even more strange is the fact that the ship hardly seems enough to sustain it. Two ships are dispatched to a star system hidden inside a nebula to contact the aliens. The society of "Moties" they find is very strange, and very fascinating, almost as fascinating as the creatures themselves. What they fail to realize is that the truth behind Motie society is deeply disturbing and will be a danger to all humanity.

Has aged very slightly due to the its being written in the seventies, but this hardly detracts from the magnificence of this novel. Manages to capture the essence of encountering the truly alien, and how humans have a hard time not placing their own values and prejudices on that which they do not understand.

Larry Niven and  Brenda Cooper - Building Harlequin's Moon

Niven is at his best in collaboration, and this is no exception. Building Harlequin's Moon is is a story in many layers. The main thrust is about the first interstellar starship, escaping a Sol System full of renegade AIs and nanotech, escaping to reclaim humanity. But there is a malfunction and the starship is stranded part way to it's goal, in a barren star system. More antimatter is needed to refuel the ship, and the colonists refuse to use nanotech in a big way. The only option is to spend sixty thousand years (yes it's a long time but they can extend their lifespans indefinitely) building a habitable moon out of smaller ones, and then populating it with flora, fauna, humans, and then finally industrializing and constructing a collider to make antimatter. Rachel is a "Moon Born" "Child", basically a slave to the goal of ultimately fueling the ship. But what no colonist counted on was that the Children are human too, and once the cogs in the plan are live humans, you have to look them in the eye. The titanic endeavor is ambitious in the extreme, but is it worth the cost to their souls?

On another level, the story is about Rachel, from her rather innocent teenage years to her coming of age as a leader of her people. And on yet another, it's about what makes us human. Our values, our biology, our goals?

The rather slow style of the book suits the story well, and events are followed in a careful fashion as we move, never too fast, through the action.

Building Harlequin's Moon is full of wonderful three dimensional characters. Niven & Cooper ensure that even the most seemingly irrational and heartless protagonist is well understood by the reader as they delve deeply into her motivations. This novel shows humans at their best and worst, and it is impossible not to be entranced by the adventures of Rachel, Gabriel and the others. This is quite simply a masterpiece. 20051205