Category: Science Fiction Page 33 of 34

Well, this was a heckuva read. Solidly built world, you can see it — practically smell it. Yeah, it takes a little while to fill the picture in, but really from the get-go you have a pretty clear idea what this particular distopia is like.

But it’s more than just another distopian novel about survival — thankfully. Actually, it’s hard to put a finger on exactly what kind of SF novel this is without giving away everything, because every now and then — just when you think you have an idea what kind of book this is going to be, and what’s going on and what’s going to happen — Hough comes along, slaps you upside the head and says, “Nope, not that,” and proceeds to pull the rug out from underneath you. Characters you think you’ll be spending time with for the trilogy are killed. Constants turn out to be temporary. The shifts in direction aren’t such to give you whiplash, but it is enough to make you rethink everything you’ve read/predicted up to that point.

At some point, I started to mentally fill out one of those AD&D alignment grids for the characters — with 2 exceptions (and I guess you could make the argument for another one or two) they’re all some sort of “Neutral.” A couple of “Neutral Good”s, one “Neutral Evil,” (and of course, the exceptions — one “Lawful Good” and one “Chaotic Evil” (or “Total D*ck”), but on the whole, everyone is “Neutral”, just out to survive. Maybe find a little comfort and fun, but mostly just trying to survive in this uncertain world. Which is no mean feat.

It’s that need to survive that creates most of the conflict, most of the motivation for characters — and makes the whole thing so compelling. Almost every decision becomes a matter of life or death — sometimes for the person making the decision, sometimes for large groups of people, occasionally for the human race.

In the end, I think more questions were raised than were answered — but I didn’t feel cheated by any means, it wasn’t that Hough bit off more than he could chew, or left a lot of red (or potentially red) herrings laying around. Nope. He answered questions, he resolved plotlines, saw characters through their arcs. And those answers, resolutions and arcs led organically to new ones. The way it should be. He didn’t end things on a cliffhanger, but there’s almost no way someone could read that last line and not get impatient waiting for the sequel.

Doubleblind by Ann Aguirre

By HCNewton

On August 7, 2013

In Fiction, Science Fiction

I’m in kind of a rush posting this, not a lot of time to proofread/make sure it makes sense. If you see a problem, leave me a note in the comments, I’ll fix it. Thanks!

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Doubleblind by Ann Aguirre

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There’s a danger when reading serialized fiction in letting too many months — or potentially more dangerous — too many books pass between volumes. That’s exactly what happened between Wanderlust and Doubleblind for me. I spent far too much time in the first 50 pages or so trying to remember characters/events — even with a pretty well-done “let’s get reacquainted with everyone” chapter 1, that still moves the plot forward.

I’m not sure how much that effected my enjoyment of the book, but it did make it unreasonably difficult to get into. But that’s my fault, not Aguirre’s. I also was put off by Jax’s too frequent internal rehashing of the state of March and their relationship. That eventually slowed down — due to plot and (gasp!) character development. There’s one UF heroine who has similar problems with the internal rehashing, and Jax reminded me far too much of her for the first half of the book or so, but Aguirre does the right thing — she has Jax move on from that (by her own volition, as well as events around her), the character I kept comparing her to only grows when forced to in the last quarter of the book, and then spends the bulk of her next book complaining/trying to get back to where she was.

Jax being able to move on, and change as change is warranted (not changing for changes’ sake), makes me like her and her creator all the more.

And really, that’s what this series has been about — this book more than the rest — Jax shedding the party-girl, reckless youth, part of her, and maturing. Making determined choices to not be who she used to be, but instead thinking about her decisions and actions, taking responsibility of the outcomes, and working for the betterment of her crew, her employer, and humanity as a whole (though, she’ll settle for the betterment of her crew). Actually, in this, she’s reminding me a lot of Izzy Spellman (see my review of her latest).

Now, while this is what the book is really about (IMHO), there’s all this other plot-y stuff going on. Jax and her crew (and some others) are on a planet populated by an insectoid culture, trying to bring them into their planetary alliance while dodging threats from their hosts as well as from within (including, possibly, treachery of the worst kind). Oh, and this fledgling planetary alliance is trying to get its sea legs, while fighting off organized crime with more muscle than the government, not to mention the previous ruling power trying to get things back under their control. All the while, a nearly unstoppable alien force is starting to wage war against humanity, who needs the Jax’s mission to be a success so they can have a shot in the oncoming war.

And seriously, you don’t need the character development, the personal growth elements of this — you just need the politics, the intrigue and the impending doom to get a book to work (see: A Song of Ice and Fire). But you add in what’s happening to Jax, as well as her closest friends, and you’ve got yourself one rockin’ SF adventure.

I’m sure I won’t wait as long for book #4. I’m not that stupid.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

By HCNewton

On July 18, 2013

In Authors, Fiction, Rick Yancey, Science Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
Series: The 5^th Wave, #1

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There were two things that kept running through my mind: Noah Hawley‘s A Conspiracy of Tall Men and Suzanne Collins‘ The Hunger Games (maybe you’ve heard of it). I’m not really suggesting that Yancey’s created some sort of Hawley-Collins hybrid, but this affected me the same way those two did.

I remember very little about Hawley’s book (it was 1999, in my defense) — I remember enjoying it and being really creeped out and feeling paranoid. A feeling that lasted a little longer than the book, as I recall.

I remember Collins better, obviously. And whatever issues and problems the first of Katniss’ adventures had, it grabbed me by the throat and wouldn’t let me go until well after the runaway freight train of a story had come to it’s adrenaline-fueled conclusion.

I really don’t know how to discuss the story of The 5^th Wave without spoiling the heck out of it. But I can tell you that it hit me like those two books did. The various storylines are gripping, and fast-paced and make you wish you could turn the pages faster. And once you get your brain wrapped around the devastation being unleashed on earth, the creepiness and paranoia are the order of the day.

This isn’t one of the better books I’ve read lately — in terms of character, craft, literary value, etc. — but it’s just about the most effective and affecting. Hawley gets under your skin with the skill of a seasoned pro, makes your emotions and reactions dance like a marionette for him, and leaves you hungry for more.

I have to admit, I miss the Yancey of Alfred Knopf and The Highly Effective Detective books — they just felt different. They were fun — as enjoyable as this is, it wasn’t fun. And I liked the characters (most of them), wanted to spend time with them. Not so sure I like these characters as people. But, until Yancey gets around to it (if he does), I’ll gladly take pulse-pounding excitement and mind-bendy plots.

In Medias Res: The 5th Wave

By HCNewton

On July 6, 2013

In Authors, Currently Reading, Fiction, In Medias Res, News/Misc., Quotations, Rick Yancey, Science Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

trying something different here . . . as the title implies, I’m in the middle of this book, so not a review, just thoughts mid-way through

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The 5^th Wave by Rick Yancey

Wow. WOW! This is everything it’s been hyped. Spine-tingling. Paranoia-inducing. Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Disturbing. This is messing with my mind, in a very good way. Loving this.

Suzanne Collins, Scott Westerfeld, Veronica Roth — not that any of your works are lacking, mind you — and anyone else looking to write YA action, the bar has been raised.

The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

By HCNewton

On June 14, 2013

In Fiction, Science Fiction, Steampunk, YA/MG/Children's Books

Whoops. Missed posting Thursday. I’ll try (no promises) to get two up today.

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The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another fun installment in Cross’ Steampunk Chronicles. As silly as I feel reading a book with the Harlequin Teen logo on it, I really enjoy this series (‘tho maybe I should switch to the ebook edition to protect my rep). Once again, Cross balances a steampunk-y adventure story with strong emotional plotlines, with some fun banter between her characters, making for an addictive read.

This time out the primary focus is on Emily — the technomancer, and on both her personal and professional crisis. Just as it seems she’s making some progress on getting Sam to say how he feels about her, as well as to accept what she did to save his life, she’s kidnapped by a bunch of automatons so she can perform a brain transplant from a very injured scoundrel into a semi-organic android. No really, that makes sense in context.

Everyone else, in one way or another, is dealing with the fallout from their trip to the U.S. (and from the events in the first book), while also trying to find Emily and bring her home safely. Obviously, it’s worst for Jasper, more withdrawn from both his friends and the events in the book as a whole.

Griffin and Finley are also dealing with their relationship’s progress — with all the complications, ups adn downs that such entails. Griffin started dealing with something relating to his power in the States and it’s having a devastating impact on him back home (and in turn, that’s impacting everyone around him), causing Finlay to fret over him. My biggest beef with this book comes from the Finlay/Griffin interactions, which are far too similar to the Emily/Sam interactions, covering nearly the same grounds with both couples.

There’s a new character introduced that should provide a good deal of fodder for storylines in the future, and I eagerly await more of her. Really can’t say more without entering Spoiler City, so, I’ll just limit myself to saying that Cross’ creativity and inventiveness is on full display with her creation, and she’s already one of my favorites in the series.

One other note, one of the automatons we spend the most time with was described as a spider with a doll’s head. I certainly hope Cross was trying to get her readers to envision that creepy doll from Toy Story — because every one I know whose read this is seeing that.* Griffin and his team find her just as unnerving as Woody and Buzz did (don’t blame them), either.

Things are getting harder, and stakes are getting higher for our intrepid adventurers — whatever’s next will likely push them further yet.

This was a fun, quick read and I’m already impatiently waiting for the next installment.

*That’d be my wife and I.

Dusted Off: Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi

By HCNewton

On April 13, 2011

In Authors, Fiction, John Scalzi, P-U, Science Fiction

Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Short Version: A good, good story told in a fun–often funny–way.

Long Version: In the Author’s Note, while Scalzi is describing the long, strange journey this novel took to get to this particular edition, he calls it the “book that won’t quit.” It took me maybe 50 pages to see why. This is one froody book.

The tone is great, the style is spot on, good satire/commentary on Hollywood’s place in the world, everything about the alien race–their language, appearance, spaceship, ways to interact with humans/other creatures…just wonderfully imaginative.

In case you haven’t read the blurb–an up and coming Hollywood agent is hired by a (by human standards) ugly, nauseatingly smelly alien race to help their “image” so they can make first contact with humanity. Why an agent, why not a President or something? ‘Cuz the aliens know where real power and influence are centered. So, our hero has to balance his Hollywood weirdo clients, the aliens and a nosy journalist who won’t leave him alone; while he comes up with a way to sell this species to humanity.

Funny, funny stuff on many levels and in different ways. But the book has a lot of heart, too. Just a pleasure to read.

Dusted Off: God’s War by Kameron Hurley

By HCNewton

On March 10, 2011

In Fiction, Science Fiction

God’s War by Kameron Hurley

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

On a planet colonized by Muslims using insect-based technology in the far-flung future ravaged a multi-sect religious war, in the midst of which a scrappy band of pansexual assassins try to scrap out a living (selling the occasional organ to pay bills). Ho-hum. Nothing we all haven’t read a thousand times before, right?

Well, maybe not. Fantastic concept, well-written, heckuva world built by Hurley here.

But here’s the problem — I couldn’t force myself to care about any of these characters, particularly the protagonist Nyx. Unpleasant people, no real moral core, no reason to root for/against them, to care about their lives, their missions, their wars. I kept trying and trying and trying to find a reason to get invested in this beyond trying to figure out exactly how the insect-tech worked and utterly failed at every turn.

You can have the coolest, most inventive setup imaginable, but if you don’t fill it with people readers can give a rip about, it’s just not worth the effort.

Dusted Off: Love in the Time of Fridges by Tim Scott

By HCNewton

On February 2, 2011

In Fiction, Science Fiction

Love in the Time of Fridges by Tim Scott

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It’s not often that a book leaves me as uncertain as this one does. Parts 1 & 2 were odd, amusing, a bit confusing (but not in a way that really detracted from the experience). Part 3, alas, fell apart, leaving me feeling all sorts of…eh…towards the book.

Scott’s prose is light, breezy, charming, incredibly quotable (about 50% of this book is worth memorizing to sprinkle in conversation), with just a hint of profundity, and a touch of sadness.

Other than the protagonist, Huckleberry Lindbergh, the characters are more hints, or sketches, of characters–in a couple of cases, a hint of a sketch–rather than fully-developed characters. Given that this is a thriller (and a fairly satirical one at that), it works, we don’t need complete backstories. Fridges is about the plot and the world Scott’s imagined, not people.

This is a world where the Nanny State has run amok, drunk on marketing. In part of their benevolent(-ish) efforts to protect the citizenry, they’ve developed technology to listen to moods, and search, print, and erase 24-hours worth of memory (anything more than that will likely lead to severe damage).

Oh, and there’s the whole thing with sentient, verbal, and semi=intelligent appliances and furniture. No idea what that was all about.

The novel was built on a tight inner logic, and was a heckuva ride, until Part 3 where Scott found/created a loophole in that logic and gave his reader a sloppy deus ex Heisenberg uncertainty principle ending. And that’s where he lost me. I’m still giving it three stars for the fun leading up to that tho’.

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Dusted Off: Agatha H and the Airship City by Phil & Kaja Foglio

By HCNewton

On January 28, 2011

In Fiction, Science Fiction, Steampunk

Agatha H and the Airship City by Phil Foglio

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve recently discovered–and become a fan of–the Foglios Girl Genius comics, doing so just before the release of the first novelization of the series was a nice bit of fortuitous timing.

There’s a part of me that wonders if they’ve been wasting their time, the Foglios have a wonderful, playful way of using their words. Certain phrases, sentences, and even whole paragraphs are filled with a whimsy that just makes me smile. Little things like:

“Now I am in control!” He followed this statement with a burst of laughter that showed the owner had done a fair share of gloating in his time, and had the basics down pat.

If you’ve read the comics, you’re not going to find a lot new here–they fill out some details here and there, spell out some things that the reader had to assume, that sort of thing. I honestly don’t know if someone who hadn’t read at least some of the comics could visualize the clanks, airships, Jägermonsters, etc. That’s the closest I can come to a negative to point out about this novel.

Full of laughs, romance, adventure, strong (and smart!) female characters, this is one fun read. Bring on the further adventures of Agatha and co.!

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Dusted Off: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

By HCNewton

On January 25, 2011

In Fiction, Science Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Overall, this was a fun, fast read, though it wasn’t the best written book.

The book opens with a scene that’s supposed to grab you by the lapels and not let go for the next 440 pages. Personally, it didn’t work at all, particularly because I could see the authors doing that.

Thirty pages or so later, the story did get rolling pretty well and before I knew it I was hip deep in the book, and fairly invested with some of the characters.

I had a list of quibbles I had with the writing, but decided not to bother. While they detracted from my enjoyment, they didn’t ruin anything.

The highpoint of the novel was the mix of SF and Magic. It’s not often that you come across that kind of thing, and when done right, it’s dynamite. These authors pull it off pretty well, as they do the rest of the story. I’ll be back for more.

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