Audio Book Review: Julian Comstock - A Story of 22nd-Century America

Author: Robert Charles Wilson

Narrated by Scott Brick

Audio Length: 20 hours and 48 minutes

Robert Charles Wilson is one of favorite authors as his books are thought provoking and usually spur my imagination into overdrive. Plus, his stories usually have a couple of “holy crap” moments. With Julian Comstock, Mr. Wilson shifts gears from normal Sci-fi into more of a historical fiction style of story but set in the future America. This is really more of a character novel than a Sci-Fi adventure. For the most part, I really enjoyed the book and the further it delved into life in the 22nd Century, the more interesting it became.

Summary

The story encompasses about 20 years, from 2172 to 2192. But, the future is not so bright in America as the world economy has collapsed due to climate change and the depletion of oil. Mr. Wilson does not spend much time delving on the specific causes of the collapse leaving the reader to wonder how society arrived at this point. The average person from the 1800’s to early 1900’s would feel more comfortable in this futuristic world of Julian Comstock than anyone from present day. All travel is by horse, there is no electricity and being able to read is just a luxury.

Review

The story is written as a sort of a biography by Julian’s life long friend, Adam Hazzard. It reminded me of the numerous political novels that are always published after the end of each Presidential administration. The author typically discusses his younger life and then all the relevant happenings that occurred while working with President. The author is only able to talk about all of happenings that occurred when they were present. Therefore, the picture is left incomplete and the reader is left wonder about other important events. Mr. Wilson sticks to this principle as Adam only writes about the time he was with Julian and his perspective is somewhat bias being Julian’s friend. I would have like to read what other characters heard or witnessed while around Julian.

This was one quibble with the novel. Julian Comstock would disappear from the story numerous times and at points, is almost nonexistent. Adam goes into details about his life and the struggles he faced for far too much of the novel. While most of it was interesting, the far more interesting character was Julian Comstock and I wish there was more of a focus on the details of his life.

The constant theme that really courses through the novel is Julian’s constant battle against the intolerant religious type of government. A fundamentalist Christian organization has taken over American called the “Dominion of Jesus Christ” or just the “Dominion”. They control all forms information and entertainment, therefore greatly influence society and how people think. Julian is sort of a free-thinker and does not strictly adhere to the ideals of the Dominion. The numerous debates and struggles that Julian has through out his life on this topic was really the highlight of the story for me. Even though the story centers on extreme of religious intolerance, it does provide a warning against intolerance and more importantly, dictatorially type of governments.

The other focus of the story is Julian’s rise to power. The Presidency is passed down through hereditary succession rather than meaningful general elections. Julian’s uncle, Deklan Comstock, became the President upon the death of Julian’s father, Bryce. Many suspect than Deklan had Bryce killed. Deklan understands that Julian is the next to inherit the Presidency and takes several steps to orchestrate Julian’s demise. As mentioned, Julian is a free-thinker and he is able is devise some pretty inventive ways to stay alive through out the course of the novel.

The writing is simply top notch. Julian is involved in several hair raising battles. Mr. Wilson does an excellent job of putting the reader in the middle of the action, to the point you feel the bullets whizzing by. In addition, the world Mr. Wilson has created is fully realized in all respects. Since he borrowed heavily from the past the reader is able to quickly grasp the nuances of this future society.

The audio book is narrated by Scott Brick. I don’t need to reiterate the high quality of a Scott Brick production except to say that it works really well with this type of old fashion story telling.

Final Word

It took me awhile to get used to the style of this novel. At first, I was disappointed that there were no “holy crap” moments that I have come to love in Mr. Wilson’s novels. But as the story progressed, I really began to enjoy listening to Julian’s and Adam’s struggles in the 22nd-Century. By the end I was totally won over and can see why it was nominated for a Hugo award. It is loving portrayal of a character with an extreme amount of courage that we usually read about in history books but wish existed in today’s world.

                                                            My Rating

Audio Book Review: Feed (Newsflesh, Book1)

Author: Mira Gran

Narrated by Paula Christensen and Jesse Bernstein

Running time: 15 hours and 6 minutes

Summary

In 2014, two experimental viruses—a genetically engineered flu strain designed by Dr. Alexander Kellis, intended to act as a cure for the common cold, and a cancer-killing strain of Marburg, known as "Marburg Amberlee"—escaped the lab and combined to form a single airborne pathogen that swept around the world in a matter of days. It cured cancer. It stopped a thousand cold and flu viruses in their tracks. It raised the dead.

Millions died in the chaos that followed. The summer of 2014 was dubbed "The Rising," and only the lessons learned from a thousand zombie movies allowed mankind to survive. Even then, the world was changed forever. The mainstream media fell, Internet news acquired an undeniable new legitimacy, and the CDC rose to a new level of power.

Set twenty years after the Rising, the Newsflesh trilogy follows a team of bloggers, led by Georgia and Shaun Mason, as they search for the brutal truths behind the infection. Danger, deceit, and betrayal lurk around every corner, as does the hardest question of them all: When will you rise?

When Senator Peter Ryman of Wisconsin decides to take a team of bloggers along on his run for the White House, Georgia and Shaun Mason are quick to submit their application. They, along with their friend Georgette "Buffy" M. are selected, and view this as the chance to launch their careers to a whole new level...that is, if they can survive the campaign trail.

Review

Holy moly. For a change, I am going to discuss the ending of this novel first. There is an event that occurs at the end of this story that absolutely crushed me and I still can’t believe that Ms. Grant did it. It was truly epic. For spoiler reasons I won’t discuss the plot twist here but I am in total awe of the author for taking this risk in this day and age of safe urban fantasy fiction. I am still in shock. Let’s put it this way, it affected me the whole day at work as I replayed the events in my head. Wow.

Feed starts off as your typical post-apocalyptic zombie novel and then turns into something more. For me, the book is not about the battle against the zombies but is really about the culture of fear. If you transpose the word zombie in this novel with the word terrorist, thief or murder it would work the same. The people of this future world live in a constant state of fear of being attack and this has lead to overriding personal freedoms for the greater good. What will a society give up to live in safe environment?

The main plot line involves a political thriller that for most part works and sometimes seems a tad unrealistic. Again, the undercutting theme behind the plot is what works best. It shows how far some political figures will go to keep the citizens in line by using fear and that the best tactic against this is a media that has an interest in uncovering the truth.

The really strange thing is that for the majority of the novel I felt as if the characters were really not all that developed. But when the ending hit and it hits hard, I lost all feeling and felt like someone slammed a door in my face. I haven’t been this affected emotionally since reading Stephen King’s The Stand when Larry Underwood is killed.

Again, wow.

Final word:

Feed is one of the best I have read this year. The story will plod along and then it reaches a point that you become so intertwined that you must continue reading to find out what happens next. What puts this novel head and shoulders above the standard zombie novel is the underlying themes that will give the reader something to think about well after you have finished the story. Finally, as a word of warning, keep tissues near by when are getting towards the end, you will need them.

                                                           My Rating

Audio Book Review: The Unincorporated Man (Book 1)

Author: Dani Kollin, Eytan Kollin

Narrated by Todd McLaren
Audio Length: 23 hours and 19 minutes

The Kollin brothers have created a futuristic society that is a CEO’s wet-dream. Basically, corporations are good and government is bad. Politically, this topic is a hot potato and I going to stay away from it as best as I can. Based on your political beliefs you will either cheering for the main character, Justin Cord, or relishing his downfall. My advice is not to get to wrapped up in the various arguments, for or against corporations, and just go with story.

Summary

The premise behind The Unincorporated Man is that world economy suffered a grand collapse several hundred years prior to start of the novel. The solution was to incorporate every person on the face of the Earth. When a person is born they have so many shares that are allotted to them and these shares are traded publicly. Corporations and other people are free to buy shares of anyone. Basically, the more successful or popular a person is, this will increase the cost of their individual shares. If a Corporation owns a majority of stock in you then they own you and can dictate the direction of your life. In essence, a person’s goal in life is to make enough money in order to buy back a controlling interest in themselves. In addition, allotments of shares are automatically given to the parents and the government. In theory, your parents will then have an investment in their children and will do what they can to help them become successful.

Review

This is the world that Justin Cord comes crashing into. Justin is a billionaire from 21st Century but he was suffering from a non-curable disease and decides to build a hibernation chamber. When Justin is recovered in the far future, he is cured of his disease and begins a cat and mouse game with the government and the corporations. The problem with Justin is that he was born prior incorporation and the law is unclear on how to handle this unusual scenario.

The rest of story involves Justin fighting off several court challenges regarding his status as the only unincorporated man. Justin firmly believes that incorporation is akin to corporate slavery. There are decent arguments among the other characters that the people of the 21st Century also suffered under a form of economic slavery and their system is much more fair. These discussions were fascinating but only went up to certain point then the authors would back off. In my opinion, if this novel was to be a commentary on economics then they should have gone all out on the good and bad behind the ideals of incorporation. Whether the reader agrees with their principle or not, it would be a truly fascinating topic to have a bull session over.

The one story line that just did not ring true was the reason behind the grand collapse. The authors blame it on Virtual Reality. Nothing more, just Virtual Reality. People became so addicted to their virtual lives that they neglected their real ones and wasted away. In my opinion, the authors just did not fully develop this idea to make it more of a believable scenario.

The majority of complaints that I have read in other reviews have to with one dimension characters. While I have to agree that the characters are basically caricatures this is not all detrimental to the story itself. Most Sci-fi novels are not really character type novels; they are more about the future society and the plot. As with The Unincorporated Man, it is more about ideas of what constitutes a free person and the effects upon civilization. I can live with weak characterization as long the plot is solid, which for the most part The Unincorporated Man is.

There is also side plot that really comes out of the blue. It involves AI and is very fascinating how the authors handle this aspect. I don’t want to go into too much detail for spoiler reasons, but I actually really enjoyed this story line and wish there was more of it in the novel.

Final Word

The Unincorporated Man is an incredibly interesting novel of a very type different of future that is truly unique. Economics is rarely explored subject in Sci-fi which is strange as it is so fundamental to every day life. While the novel did not hit every note for me, it hit enough that I truly enjoyed this story and will be picking up the next one in the series, The Unincorporated War.

                                                           My Rating

Audio Book Review: Diving into the Wreck

Author: Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Narrated by Jennifer Van Dyck
Audio Length: 9 hours and 45 minutes

One of New Year resolutions was to try to get back to my Sci-Fi roots. It seems that my reading tastes have slid more towards fantasy over the last year or so and I am now on the hunt for some quality space opera adventure. While listening to the podcast The Dragon Page I came across an interesting interview with the author, Kristine Kathryn Rusch. What really caught my attention was that Ms. Rusch was looking to fill a void left behind in the current crop of Sci-Fi novels and write a good old fashion space adventure story. She makes the point that these types of stories are very popular on TV and at the movies, why aren’t the publishers following form? I could not agree more and within 10 minutes I downloaded her novel, Diving into the Wreck, to see if Ms. Rusch could back up her statements with a story. I instantly fell in love with story as she is able to capture the wonder and mystery of exploring the unknown.

Review

Ms. Rusch takes an interesting tact on her story, instead of exploring the future, her characters investigate the past. The story follows the adventures of salvage divers who explore abandon space vehicles for their treasures. If they are lucky they will find technology that has been lost to the ages that the Empire will pay handsomely for.

The main character, simply known as Boss, discovers on Old Earth era warship Dignity vessel that is 5,000 years old and very far from where it is supposed to be. Boss puts together a team to dive the old wreck. They soon discover ancient technology that will change the course of events in Empire and surrounding galaxies.

Diving into the Wreck is divided into three sections with the first two being separate stories that lead into the final conclusion. Ms. Rusch does a beautiful job of capturing the sense of wonder of exploring the unknown. The first involved diving the Dignity vessel wreck and the second story has the crew exploring a space station known as The Room of Lost Souls. Each of the stories entailed solving mysteries as to why each one exists and where did it come from. While listening to the story I felt a sense of awe as the story progressed and clues were uncovered.

In some respects Diving into the Wreck reminded me of Frederik Pohl’s Gateway (without the intervening physiologist discussion chapters). Salvage crews are constantly going on dangerous mission to uncover secrets of the past. Both are able to effectively convey the essence and fear of explorers going into uncharted areas of space to the reader.

Jennifer Van Dyck does an adequate job of narrating the story. Her narration is pretty straight forward without much variation in her voice inflictions. The only quibble I had was that she made Boss sound more a CEO business woman than a space explorer.

Final Word

Ms. Rusch sent out to create a story that harkens back to the old time Sci-Fi space opera adventures which I grew up on and she nailed it perfectly. It is what has been missing from the Sci-Fi genre for far too long. The good news is that the end of the book leaves open the possibilities of sequels which I will be highly anticipating. This is easily my favorite book of 2010 so far.

                                                            My Rating 

Audio Book Review: Haze

Author: L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

Narrated by William Dufris

Audio Length: 10 hours and 32 minutes

This is the first novel that I read by L. E. Modesitt, Jr., which is amazing because it seems that he puts out a new novel every other week. The reason I have not read any of his other works is that most are part of a huge series that I have no hope of catching up. The reason I picked Haze is that it is a stand alone novel and for the cool cover art by Sparth. Unfortunately, the cover art is the best thing about the novel. Is it completely unreadable? No. It is just that this storyline has been so many times that it would take a spectacular storyline to develop something new and fresh. Haze falls way short of introducing something new or original.

Summary

Haze is your typical fish out of water story times two. The novel alternates between the main character’s current mission and him remembering back to previous assignment. Major Keir Roget is an agent for the Federation and he is usually sent undercover into potentially hostile places to assess threats against the Federation. The set up for this story is pretty decent. The Federation has discovered a planet that has a haze shielding that blocks all types of sensors. Roget is sent to the planet surface to discover what is behind the haze and if there some life forms behind it. Like I said, a great set up for a Sci-Fi story.

Review

Unfortunately from this point forward the story is relatively unremarkable. Roget discovers a human society with very advanced technology. He spends a lot of time talking to the habitants, walking around, taking in the sites and an inordinate amount in restaurants. Mr. Modesitt must have been hungry when he wrote this story because there are numerous passages describing the food selection on menus and what the characters are eating. Even kinda made me hungry at times. There is no real conflict between Roget and the citizens of Haze even though they are aware that the Federation has come to their planet in order to assume control of it. The world building is weak and not very imaginative. Basically there a few changes in way their government operates, the way they communicate among themselves, etc. But none of these are all that interesting. Essentially by the end of the novel I could care less if the Federation demolished this planet or not.

The other story involves Roget going undercover as water monitor to a religious community of St. George. A previous agent had died in accident while hiking. So Roget is being sent in to investigate. Again this involves a lot of time talking to the habitants, walking around taking in the sites and an inordinate amount in restaurants. The story is not really clear how this mission was supposed to force Roget to question the motives of the Federation and cause him to reconsider his current line of work. Personally, I saw no need of this story line except to fill pages for the main story that was taking place on Haze.

Even with all these issues I highly enjoyed the ending and the choices Roget made. I just wish that it would have come sooner in the novel. Then the last third of the novel could involved Roget living with decision and exploring further. It seems to me that by the story started to get fascinating is when it ended.

William Dufris is a veteran when comes to audiobook narrations. The only problem I has was that he had narrated the voice of Neb from Ken Scholes Lamentation and Canticle. So I kept thinking of Neb while I was listening to the story.

In many ways this novel was a disappointment as I believed it missed on so many notes. There are tiny bits of goodness but too much of it felt like filler to me. So, I guess the novel just left me in a haze (bad joke, sorry).

                                                            My Rating

Sci-Fi classic book review: Rainbows End

Author: Vernor Vinge

Vernor Vinge has won five Hugo Awards, including one for each of his last three novels, A Fire Upon the Deep (1992), A Deepness in the Sky (1999), and Rainbow’s End (2006). Known for his rigorous hard-science approach to his science fiction, he became an iconic figure among cybernetic scientists with the publication in 1981 of his novella "True Names," which is considered a seminal, visionary work of Internet fiction. His many books also include Marooned in Realtime and The Peace War.

Born in Waukesha, Wisconsin and raised in Central Michigan, Vinge is the son of geographers. Fascinated by science and particularly computers from an early age, he has a Ph.D. in computer science, and taught mathematics and computer science at San Diego State University for thirty years. He has gained a great deal of attention both here and abroad for his theory of the coming machine intelligence Singularity.

Pedigree / Awards

2007 - Hugo Winner

2007 - Locus SF Winner

2007 - Campbell Nominated

Review

Disclosure: This is the Audio version of this novel.

Narrated by Eric Conger

Audio Length: 14 hours and 45 minutes

Vernor Vinge does not write many novels averaging one about every 7 years. But when he does they are usually a treat as they work on many levels. Rainbows End was no exception as it was awarded the 2007 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

I fell in love with this from the very beginning as it absolutely hit all the right notes. Mr. Vinge understands that a story about possible future technology is moderately interesting to most Sci-Fi readers. But he interjects a very human story and this is what sets this novel apart from most modern Sci-Fi novels. At no time does he allow the Sci-Fi elements supercede or overwhelm the story so that the technology becomes the story itself. This happens far too often in modern Sci-Fi.

One of the hardest issues with a near future story is how the author introduces the new technology advances into their story without it seeming contrived or an info dump. Mr. Vinge worked out a brilliant solution to this problem. His main character, Robert Gu, suffered from Alzheimer’s disease which obviously forced him to lose contact with people and the world him. Through some medical breakthroughs Robert is treated and mentally brought back to the point he was prior to the onset of the disease. This is a plausible explanation as Robert learns about the world operates with all the technology advances. The reader is brought along as we learn all about smart clothing, overlay contact lenses, projection avatars, communication through “silent messaging”, etc.

The personal story of Robert Gu is what makes this novel so great. Before he suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, Robert was a world renowned poet who treated everyone, including his family, like crap by belittling them and making it known how superior he was to all of them. After recovering from the disease he has lost ability to write poetry because most of his malice has dissipated also. Roberts begins to learn the harm that he caused his kids and grandkids and he is determined to make amends. This is where Mr. Vinge really shines because he understands human nature and that an old dog cannot new learn tricks. Robert will always have some nastiness that constitutes his character and makes him what he is. This was the source of his great poetry. So does Robert choose his family or does he choose his talent? I like the solution that Robert comes too in the end as it is very plausible and I wish more people would have a chance to go back right the wrongs in their lives.

I am barely scratching the surface of the other themes explored in this novel. Mr. Vinge heavily explores the repercussions of high security state that constantly has its population under surveillance. So, is the rapid advance of technology ultimately good for society? Is living in fear of the next big attack beneficial or harmful? Ultimately only time will tell but its good to see a story ask some pretty tough questions about where our society is heading.

Eric Conger does a decent job of narrating the story. My favorite expressions were his old man grunts. Half the time Robert would answer with a grunt instead of a yes or a no and had me cracking up every time I heard an “um”.

Last Word

Vernor Vinge masterfully blends a brilliant Sci-Fi back drop with an extraordinarily human story. Rainbows End’s Hugo Award for Best Novel is well deserved as it combines all the necessary elements for classic and timeless story. But more importantly this novel really affected me on personal level which does not happen very often and this about the best praise I can give it.

                                                            My Rating

Sci-Fi classic book review: The Sword of Shannara

Author: Terry Brooks

Terry Brooks was born in Illinois in 1944. He spent a great deal of his childhood and early adulthood dreaming up stories in and around Sinnissippi Park, the very same park that would eventually become the setting for his bestselling Word & Void trilogy. He received his undergraduate degree from Hamilton College, where he majored in English Literature, and went on to earn his graduate degree from the School of Law at Washington & Lee University.

A writer since high school, he wrote many stories within the genres of science fiction, western, and fiction but was unable to finish any project. Then one fateful semester early in college he was given The Lord of the Rings to read. That moment changed Terry’s life forever. In Tolkien’s great work he found all the elements needed to fully explore his writing combined in one genre.

Influenced by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, The Sword of Shannara was begun by Brooks in 1967. It took him seven years to complete, as he was writing the novel while attending law school. After being accepted for publication by Ballantine Books, it was used to launch the company's new subsidiary, Del Rey Books. Its success provided a major boost to the commercial expansion of the fantasy genre.

Pedigree / Awards

1978 - Locus Fantasy Nominated

Review

The Sword of Shannara is one of the hallmarks of the fantasy genre and a personal favorite of mine.  I first read this novel in 1980’s at the height of my Dungeons & Dragons phase.  The story appealed to me and I have fond memories of the summer that I discovered Terry Brooks’ magnus opus.  I decided to revisit the novel to see if it is as good as I remember but I decided to go with the Audio version this time around. 

The novel starts off in typical fashion, a young person learns that his past is not what he thought is was and now he is in danger unless he takes up a quest to stop a great evil.  Not wholly original but always a good beginning.  In The Sword of Shannara the young person is Shea Olmsford.  He is unexpectedly visited one day by the great Druid Allanon.  Allanon explains that Shea is the last descendant of elven Jerle Shannara and is the only one left capable of wielding the Sword of Shannara against the evil Warlock Lord.  Since Shea is only half elven he stayed under the radar when the Warlock Lord returned to the Skull Kingdom.  Since the Sword of Shannara is the only weapon that can kill the Warlock Lord, he eventually discovers Shea’s presence and is looking to destroy him.  The Warlock Lord sends a Skull Bearer into Olmsfords’ peaceful town of Shady Vale to kill Shea.  Shea is forced to flee before it kills him and his beloved family.   

So begins Shea’s and his half-brother, Flick’s, escape and mission to locate the Sword of Shannara in order to stop the Warlock Lord from ravaging their peaceful Shady Vale.  As with most fantasy novels the path is never straight but a series of side quests and adventures that introduces the reader to fascinating places and other characters.  Terry Brooks littered his story with the typical fantasy archetypes, humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, trolls, etc.  The humans live in Southland and away from the other races.  They keep to themselves as they really have no interest or want to get involved with the politics and wars of the other races.  As Shea has lived his whole life in the Southland he is unaware of the world around him.  Shea’s adventure takes him to new and wondrous places, the reader also learns about this intriguing world. 

The first hundred or so pages were a struggle to get through.  A lot of it was just an info dump to set up the rest of the story.  For me, the story began to take off when Shea teams up with Panamon Creel, a one-handed con man, and Keltset Mallicos, Panamon's mute troll companion.  In fact, Panamon Creel and Keltset are my favorite characters of the entire novel.  They kinda reminded me of Han Solo and Chewebacca from Star Wars.  It still hit me pretty hard when Keltset dies saving the others late in the novel. 

The ending and demise of the Warlock Lord is probably the weakest portion of the story.  Throughout the story the legend of the Sword of Shannara is built up so that you expect a great battle.  The Sword’s power is such that when held it tells the wielder the truth about their lives.  In essence, the Warlock Lord is defeated by being forced to confront that he had deluded himself into believing that he was immortal.  Poof, he just disappears and the land is saved.  Yeah, the good guys win again. 

In reality, this novel is solely about the confrontation with the Warlock Lord but it’s strength lies in the adventures and the characters are put through to reach the ending.  In this area the novel still stands heads and shoulders above the crowd. 

Besides the great story, the other reason this novel is so well known is the controversy that occurred when it was published in 1977 and it still rages today.  The Sword of Shannara drew criticism from critics and fans that Brooks’ novel stole much from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.  In 1978, influential fantasy editor Lin Carter denounced The Sword of Shannara as "the single most cold-blooded, complete rip-off of another book that I have ever read" and that "Terry Brooks wasn't trying to imitate Tolkien's prose, just steal his story line and complete cast of characters, and [Brooks] did it with such clumsiness and so heavy-handedly, that he virtually rubbed your nose in it."  Fans and defenders of Tolkien have taken up the cause and have blasted this novel at every opportunity.  Go ahead and read some the reader reviews on Amazon and you will get a flavor of the pure vile hatred that this novel has created. 

In my opinion, this controversy is much a do about nothing and it is highly unwarranted.  I am so sick of the Tolkien fanatics decrying every work of fantasy as just another copy of the Lord of the Rings.  It is total bunk.  Tolkien did not invent the fantasy genre nor were his novels completely original.  He also took universal concepts and incorporated them into his novels.  I have never been a huge fan of The Lord of the Rings and have not put them on a pedestal that many people have. 

The narration of the Audio Book is handled by Scott Brick.  Mr. Brick does an adequate job in telling the story and never falters.  I just wish they would have gone with someone with more a fantasy type of tone to give it more atmosphere.  It felt just like a straight reading versus the higher production values that were used on other classic novels, such as Dune.

Last Word

On the second go around with this novel I enjoyed every bit as much and in some way much more.  The characters really appealed to me much more than they did 20 years again.  While not as complex as today’s fantasy novels, it is much more epic in scope and has that old school fantasy vibe that creates feelings like when you go back home again.    

The Sword of Shannara deserves to be one of the touchstones of the fantasy genre and a must read for anyone who enjoys a good tale.   

                                                          My Rating

Audio Book Review: Bright of the Sky (The Entire and The Rose #1)

Author: Kay Kenyon

Kay Kenyon’s The Entire and The Rose series is one I have been meaning to get around to reading for a long but for one reason or another I kept pushing it back. I have heard so many good things about this series that I finally decided to purchase the Audio Book and enjoy it while driving to and from work.

The Bright of the Sky is the first of a four book series. Three of the four are currently in print with the fourth, Prince of Storms, due to be released in January 2010. In many ways The Bright of the Sky is deeply complex novel and other ways it is simple story. It sorta reminded of me of James Clavell’s Shogun by the fact it is a fish out of water story but set in a heritage rich world.

Summary

The novel begins with Titus Quinn having very little memory of where he disappeared to for a long period and then suddenly reappearing. He claims that he lived in another universe for 10 years but people think he is just a crazy old man. People think Quinn is a broken man because when his spaceship disappeared it had wife and child on board. His wife and child never came back and are feared to have perished.

A space station disaster causes a portal to open up and the company Quinn worked for believes this is a passageway into the other universe. So they decide to send Quinn on mission to see if there are quicker passageways through this universe than the ones they are currently using. Of course Quinn has different ideas; he is going back to learned what happened to his wife and daughter.

The title of the series, The Entire and The Rose, is what the people of the other universe use to refer to places. The Entire is their universe and The Rose is ours. They have opened small portals into our universe and have been spying on our civilization for a long time. In fact, their culture is based on the ancient Chinese traditions and customs but is somewhat modified or as they state “they made it better”. All people have their station in life and will bow to all above their stations. If the traditions are not followed to the letter then it is consider an insult and you could lose your head.

The big difference is that The Entire is populated with alien species. They all live under the iron fist of the Tarig. The Tarig control every aspect of life in The Entire and are constantly on the hunt for any kind of trouble.

Soon after Quinn’s return to The Entire we learn that his wife was probably killed and his daughter was blinded and forced into slavery by the Tarig. Quinn’s mission is to locate his daughter and return her to The Rose. Unfortunately, in this complex society nothing is easy.

Review

In most respects The Bright of the Sky should be consider a fantasy novel rather than a Sci-Fi novel. There are parts in the beginning of the story that have Sci-Fi elements but once the plot moves to The Entire it moves at the pace of a fantasy novel. There is not much, if any, real action sequences. This novel mainly develops through Ms. Kenyon’s incredible world building skills. The customs, traditions and the civilization are extremely rich and well detailed through the entire novel. Typically I am not fan of world building novels but this one drew me in hard. This is likely because Ms. Kenyon used familiar aspects of ancient cultures to provide the ground work and then overlaid it with her own flair.

Probably the single issue I had with the novel was the names. It was difficult to keep track of who was who through out the course of the story. I really wish there was a glossary to refer to.

This is the first novel that I have listened that was read by Christian Rummel. His voice is somewhat monotone during all but the speaking parts which can cause periods of daydreaming. I had to rewind several times because I just missed a whole passage because my mind drifted. Generally he does an excellent job with dialogue by using different tones / inflections for different characters. But his Chinese accent is really kinda goofy.

Last Word

I really enjoyed this novel and I am in awe of Kay Kenyon’s ability to create a vibrant universe along with a well crafted tale. I like it so much that I already working on her follow up novel, A World too Near. 

                                                             My Rating

Sci-Fi Classic Book Review: The Windup Girl

Author: Paolo Bacigalupi 

Paolo Bacigalupi’s writing has appeared in WIRED Magazine, High Country News, Salon.com, OnEarth Magazine, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine. His short fiction been anthologized in various “Year’s Best” collections of short science fiction and fantasy, nominated for three Nebula Awards, four Hugo Awards, and won the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award for best science fiction short story of the year.  He currently lives in Western Colorado with his wife and son.

Awards 

The Windup Girl was named as the ninth best fiction book of 2009 by TIME magazine and as the best science fiction book of the year in the Reference and User Services Association's 2010 Reading List.  The book was also won the 2010 Nebula Award, 2010 Hugo Award for Best Novel, 2010 John W. Campbell Memorial Award, 2010 Compton Crook Award and the 2010 Locus Award for best first novel.

Dust Jacket Summary

Anderson Lake is a company man, AgriGen's Calorie Man in Thailand. Under cover as a factory manager, Anderson combs Bangkok's street markets in search of foodstuffs thought to be extinct, hoping to reap the bounty of history's lost calories. There, he encounters Emiko...

Emiko is the Windup Girl, a strange and beautiful creature. One of the New People, Emiko is not human; instead, she is an engineered being, creche-grown and programmed to satisfy the decadent whims of a Kyoto businessman, but now abandoned to the streets of Bangkok. Regarded as soulless beings by some, devils by others, New People are slaves, soldiers, and toys of the rich in a chilling near future in which calorie companies rule the world, the oil age has passed, and the side effects of bio-engineered plagues run rampant across the globe.

What Happens when calories become currency? What happens when bio-terrorism becomes a tool for corporate profits, when said bio-terrorism's genetic drift forces mankind to the cusp of post-human evolution? Award-winning author Paolo Bacigalupi delivers one of the most highly acclaimed science fiction novels of the twenty-first century.

Review

The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi has garnered much press as being one of the best Sci-Fi novels of 2009 but I have also read several reviews who feel it did not live up to their expectations. I can see why as this is not the easiest story to get absorbed into and enjoy. Initially I started reading the novel but stopped at the end of chapter one (page 20). I really felt bad about giving up on it so soon and not giving it a fair chance. Over the Christmas break I downloaded the Audio version and started over by listening to the novel.

Normally I don’t mention the narrator until the end of the review but Jonathan Davis’ telling of this novel was absolutely incredible. His voice fit the story perfectly in that I felt like I someone was narrating movie instead of a novel. Mr. Davis’ inflections when different characters were speaking were pitch perfect. For example, Emiko is the windup girl in the novel but she is taught to obey and be subservient to humans. When Mr. Davis is speaking for Emiko he uses a very shy and quivering voice that elicits much sympathy for this character, which I guessing was the author’s intention. I suspect that I would have a hard time finishing this novel by just reading it, the audio made it much more highly entertaining.

The Windup Girl is the “in vogue” type of Sci-Fi being published nowadays. They typically take place in the near future with society on the verge of collapsing. These stories are much more about social commentary than being the traditional space opera. The Windup Girl is in the same vein as The Children of Men by P. D. James or Brasyl by Ian McDonald.

The Windup Girl takes place in a near future Thailand, which is one of the few surviving countries after plagues have wiped out most of the food and people. In addition, energy supplies have been used up with the very rich being the only ones that can afford these luxuries. With limited food and energy resources the world is going through a crisis causing the corporations to fight to get ahead by means necessary. The future is not so bright in The Windup Girl but you still need to wear shades.

Thailand has survived by securing their borders from the world and using draconian measures whenever a problem arises. The arm of the government that has risen to power is the Environmental Ministry and their whiteshirts. When reports of a plague outbreak where discovered the whiteshirts would go into the area killing and burning everything. While this may seem harsh, it was effective in stopping the spread of diseases and limited the damage to small region. The Environmental Ministry and the whiteshirts were considered heroes for saving the country but that time has now passed since the plagues have not ravaged Thailand for several years.

Since Thailand has been effectively stabilized, the whiteshirts have essentially turned into bullies as they shake down citizens for bribes. Jaidee is the current leader of the whiteshirts. He sees his country eroding back to the time of the plagues and turmoil by allowing farang (foreigners) into their country and by encouraging trade with them. Jaidee decides to make a stand against this tide but he oversteps his bounds which throws the country into a civil war.

On the other side of the equation is Anderson Lake. He is a farang who is secretly in Thailand hunting down plague resistance food for the big corporations in the United States. Mr. Lake’s goal is to get access to the Thailand seed banks and discover the mastermind behind the successful gene manipulation. He forms a powerful alliance with the Trade Ministry, who are also looking to take down the powerful Environmental Ministry and their whiteshirts.

In the middle of all this mess is Emiko, the windup girl. Emiko is a new person, meaning she was created by manipulating DNA to create a specific type of person. Her skin is near porcelain quality but this means she is unable to sweat which causes her to overheat in sweltering heat in Thailand. She is also trained to obey any command no matter how demeaning it is. Emiko is called a windup girl because of the tell tail herky-jerky movements that are part of being a new person. Emiko is forced to exist in a whorehouse and tolerate customers who are there only to demean her. When she learns that a society of free new people are living to the north of Thailand, Emiko is determined to break her chains and flee her dreary existence.

A word of caution though, The Windup Girl is a very brutal story at times. There are several very descriptive rapes along with vicious killings that occur during this novel. It is very story relevant but not for the weak stomached.

Last word 

The plot is melded with scenery and background of this world to the point that they are equals within the story. In many ways this is a culture novel in that the reader will honestly believe that they exist inside the city along with characters. At times the descriptions become alittle monotonous and overblown but that is a small price to pay because the overall results are well worth it.

Towards the end of the story one word came to my mind, epic. By this, I mean that this story is a classic telling of the rise and fall of civilization. Mr. Bacigalupi is willing to take chances by continuing to push his storyline further and further into an extremely disturbing conclusion. Overall, this novel is truly an excellent story and completely absorbing. It does take time for the story to pick up but when it does the narrative will suck you in.

The Audio version of The Windup Girl is the perfect marriage between an author and narrator to create a very unique experience that will not be forgotten any time soon.    

                                                           My Rating

Audio Book Review: A Dirty Job

 

Reviewed by Christel

Narrator: Fisher Stevens

Audio Length: 11 hours and 49 minutes

 

I will warn you now, I LOVE Christopher Moore! This is gonna sound like one big Chris Moore love fest.

A Dirty Job is one of the funniest, most disturbing, imaginative books I have ever read/heard. In an effort to absorb as many stories as I can, I will occasionally go to the library and check out an audio book. Listening to audio books makes my 1 hour drive to work a little bit more bearable. This book was a delight to listen to. Of course, it was well written by Mr. Moore, but it was also masterfully read by Fisher Stevens (Number 5 is alive!).

Charlie Asher is about to become a father. As if this momentous life change isn’t enough for our neurotic hero, his life is about to undergo a change larger than he could have imagined. After loosing his wife in childbirth, he is left to raise his newborn daughter alone. Worse, Charlie will soon find out that he is a Death Merchant. In addition to raising a daughter and collecting souls, he taunts and battles with the Orcus and the Morrigan who live in the storm sewers. And this is only the beginning…

What I liked: Mr. Moore is a master at writing humorous horror. A Dirty Job is extremely funny, unique, and insightful all at the same time. The characters are all fantastically written. I enjoyed every minute of my time spent in my car with Asher, Sophie, Minty Fresh, the Emperor, Lily, Ray, the Morrigan and countless other characters that make up this wonderful story. I liked it so much I am going to buy this book just so I can have my own copy to read again.

What I didn’t like: It ended…. No really, there isn’t anything that I didn’t like.

Last Word: A dirty Job is extremely entertaining and hilariously funny. But at the heart of it all, this book is about death and how we deal with it. Broaching such a serious subject with humor and wit takes serious talent. I am fairly new to reading Mr. Moore’s books, as I have only read 2 so far, but I plan to read them all. Up next, I will be reading the Stupidest Angel. I can’t wait!

                                                          Her Rating

Audio Book Review: Lamentation

Narrator: Stefan Rudnicki, Scott Brick, William Dufris, Maggi-Meg Reed

Audio Length: 14 hours and 49 minutes

It’s Vlad Li Tam’s world and we are all just living in it. The press and reviews for this novel have been over the top. So, I kept putting this one at the top of my to-be-read stack but for one reason or other it kept getting pushed back. With the sequel fast approaching, I knew I needed to read this one soon, so I decided to go with the Audio version. Yes, I purchased both the hardback and audio editions. Publishers love me.

The novel begins with destruction of an ancient and powerful city known as Windwir. Windwir is the center for the Androfrancine Order. The Androfrancine’s mission is basically one of archeology, they gather up artifacts, scrolls, etc. of the previous ages. They release the discovered technologies back into society when they feel it is safe. Their goal is to prevent another total wide destruction of lands as the past ages have done. Now, with the destruction of Windwir the Androfrancine Order is decimated and the majority of discovered relicts are destroyed. Who could have precipitated this heinous crime and why did they do it?

The novel is written in an alternating character format. The majority of novel revolves around four main characters, Rudolfo, Jin Li Tam, Petronus and Neb. At points, a few other characters are introduced into the story to provide their perspective. Mr. Scholes uses this technique to great effectiveness by keeping each narrative really short, usually 2 to 3 pages. This creates a feeling of high tension and makes the story feel like it’s moving at break neck speed. All four characters are so wonderfully developed that you can’t wait until their next section to find out was it going on. With the addition of characters known as the Servitors, or metal man, such as Issak, this just tops off the incredible character development inside this story.

The plot is just flat out great. Mr. Scholes takes a different tack than most fantasy type novels. He centers his story on the politics regarding the destruction of Windwir versus the battles that result. Entire governments are affected, political traps are set, entire countries are set to go to war and people are being killed. I have not read a better fiction novel that creates this type of tension out of a political situation since probably Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card. Mr. Scholes plots his novel better than many writers that have been in the business for many more years.

The only real downside for me was the ending. First, I did not want the story to end but then again, I was not really sold by the final conclusions. I honestly thought it would come down to a struggle between Rudolfo and Vlad Li Tam for control of the Named Lands. The ending, for me, just kind of petered out and did not hold up to the first half of the novel.

The narration is incredible as it adds a new dimension to the novel. The narrators alternate their readings with the characters that they have been assigned. Stefan Rudnicki reads Petronus’ parts, Scott Brick reads Rudolfo’s parts, William Dufris is Neb and Maggi-Meg Reed reads the Jin Li Tam’s parts. Scott Brick also reads parts of the other characters that are introduced later, such as Vlad Li Tam, Pope Resolute and Sethbert. This shared narrative adds to the atmosphere of the novel by creating a distinct voice for each of the characters. Macmillan Audio went all out on this novel and the effort really shines through.

So, does this novel live up to the hype? Absolutely in every way and then some. I can see why it will be on many of the best of year novel lists as I am having a hard time deciding which one I like the most. In my opinion, it is a dead heat between The Warded Man, Warbreaker and Lamentation. So far, it has been a great year for the fantasy novels. I am really looking for the Mr. Scholes next novel, Canticle, and if the Audio version is done in the same format then I then that is edition I will go with.