I received a review copy of Good Morning, Midnight in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Lily Brooks-Dalton and Weidenfeld & Nicolson FictionI received a review copy of Good Morning, Midnight in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Lily Brooks-Dalton and Weidenfeld & Nicolson Fiction.
Good Morning, Midnight follows two characters. Astronomer Augustine who resides in isolation in the Arctic, still studying although the rest of his team were evacuated the year before, and astronaut Sully who is returning to Earth with her space shuttle crew after a successful mission observing the moons of Jupiter. Silence on the radiowaves has left Augustine unable to contact the outside world, and with Misson Control falling silent, the crew of the Aether have no idea what awaits them upon their return to Earth.
Good Morning, Midnight is a beautifully written and thought-provoking dystopian fiction novel that focuses on exploring and analysing relationships when faced with an unknown and uncertain future. The book examines themes such as friendship, isolation, parenting, love, loneliness, longing, regret and the future's uncertainty. This uncertainty is accentuated to the reader in the way that Brooks-Dalton never gives us any real detail to what has happened to humankind which heightens out affinity to our two protagonists and the scenarios they are facing. It is often uncomfortable to read how these characters are smothered by the silence.
The novel is quite a short read, clocking in at around 250-pages, with chapters alternating between Augustine and Sully, each taking about ten minutes to read. A key part of what kept me intrigued with Good Morning, Midnight was wondering if and how the two storylines would cross over and if the two protagonists had been chosen for a specific, important reason. As previously mentioned, this novel is beautifully written, with incredible and picturesque imagery, which is impressive as much of the novel is about the nothingness of space and the seemingly endless ice and snow. The language used is a definite juxtaposition with the hopelessness and forboding atmosphere the potential end of the world would present.
I'm glad that I read Good Morning, Midnight but my reading experience wasn't wholly positive and I wouldn't choose to read novels like this all the time. Reflecting on the narrative, apart from a handful of very standout moments, not that much actually happens. For every time that I was gripped and truly engrossed there was another time where I was a bit bored and had to force myself through to the next chapter. That being said, this book feels like an essential read for the days we are currently living through, with all of us now reanalysing our relationships, our priorities, our pasts, what we have taken for granted and are now forced to be without. That uncertainty and trepidation are emotions imbedded in Good Morning, Midnight. For that, it isn't always a comfortable read. With it being a relatively short book and with many of us now having more time on our hands, this is a novel I would recommend people add to their to-be-read list this year. I give Good Morning, Midnight a 7/10 rating, and will soon watch Netflix's The Midnight Sun which is based on this novel. ...more
I received an uncorrected proof copy of Inscape in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Louise Carey and Gollancz.
Inscape is a high-quality cyI received an uncorrected proof copy of Inscape in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Louise Carey and Gollancz.
Inscape is a high-quality cyberpunk thriller that's set in a futuristic version of London following an event called the Meltdown. Throughout the novel's pages, we follow Tanta, a young CorpWard, which is essentially a trainee spy for the InTech corporation. It doesn't take long for the action to start and in the very first paragraph, we are made aware that something important is about to go down. Through her Inscape, Tanta is informed that she is acting as team leader for her first mission - a red assignment - which is the initial sign that something is seriously wrong.
The mission is a disaster, a contingency which they couldn't pre-empt causes the deaths of two of Tanta's colleagues, with another being gravely injured. The whole incident raises many more questions than answers, and Tanta, who barely makes it home alive herself, will do all she can to shed light on the mysteries and conspiracies that surround this tragic night.
Inscape is a gripping and thought-provoking SF debut and I can't think of anything negative to say about it. Carey's cyberpunk world features a cold war between two rival corporations, mind programming, mind-wiping, and Inscapes which I'd describe as being a bit like an iPhone for your mind. The Inscapes are really intelligent pieces of kit with built-in GPS, silent MindChat, Zoom-like screen share, amongst many other applications, and you can swipe notifications away that you want to ignore. What was enjoyable to read about, but also quite tragic and harrowing, is that nothing Carey presents is that far-fetched. In fact, I was picturing the events happening here as being as little as twenty years in the future, with some of Carey's enhancements and advancements actually being very conceivable ideas.
Tanta is Inscape's main character and I had a great time following her. In this first of a trilogy, she discovers a lot about herself and changes drastically from the first to the final page. There is a lot of self-contemplation and reflection by our lead as events cause her to question her past, present, and reality. She is the top CorpWard and she has been raised to be a weapon for InTech. She lives, breathes, and loves her corporation. She is also in a nice and loving long-term relationship with a sex worker.
In addition to Tanta, there are two other point of view characters. One is Cole, an expert programmer who has had a great amount of his past erased from his memories. Throughout a large portion of Inscape, he is acting as Tanta's partner as they look into the mystery of what happened on that chaotic night, and even venture undercover together in rival corporation territory. The duo had great chemistry and it was excellent to read about how they get to know each other whilst also getting to know themselves. The other point of view perspective is that of Director Jen Ash. She is Tanta's senior manager and has overlooked her training and upbringing. Tanta will do everything she can to impress her.
I'll wrap up my review by saying that Inscape is an impressive SF action thriller. It presents a disquieting and eerie vision of what may come, made even more haunting by the fact many of the leaps Carey's made from our now to her future don't come across as ridiculous or far-fetched at all. Inscape's an intriguing and exciting debut that has a fine finale and works neatly as a standalone. The strengths of the story and the world-building leave lots of potential for the future of the trilogy, and I will be continuing Tanta's dystopian tale....more
I received a limited edition proof copy of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Christopher Paolini and Tor BooksI received a limited edition proof copy of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Christopher Paolini and Tor Books.
In To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, we follow the third-person perspective of Kira who is a xenobiologist. We join her towards the end of an assignment on the Earth-sized moon of Adrasteia. On the final excursion to the moon, Kira uncovers a mysterious relic. What was hidden there was placed away for a good reason and Kira's discovery of it will have dramatic consequences for herself personally, her crew who were studying Adrasteia, as well as to all in the known galaxies and beyond. As the back of the novel fittingly describes it: "Space holds countless secrets. She just found the deadliest one."
I'm aware that Paolini is a fantasy megastar and I am one of the few amongst my friends who haven't read The Inheritance Cycle. I went into to Sleep in a Sea of Stars as a blank canvas with regards to Paolini and enjoyed this fact so that I could analyses what is billed as the author's first adult novel on its qualities and merits. I can confirm that To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is a deep, well-written, and intelligent SF-epic that is definitely for the more mature audience.
Set approximately 250-years in the future, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars features interstellar travel to planets and space stations, space battles and skirmishes, on planet confrontations, aliens and sentient life, a fair few swears, and quite a lot of impalement. It's a beautifully-written novel, brimming with poignant moments, great action-segments, and an awesome skinsuit that bonds with our protagonist.
After Kira's discovery and the catastrophic repercussions, she spends the majority of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars on a space vessel known as the Wallfish, or with the ship's crew as they deal with the threats of two alien species (known as the Jellies and the nightmares) who both wish for the destruction of humankind. The crew of the Wallfish are a great ensemble to follow, all having intriguing and diverse pasts, all seem extremely loyal to each other, and qualified in their areas of expertise. The ship's captain Falconi, the kid Trig, and the ship's mind Gregorvich all have great interactions with Kira. The latter, brilliantly intelligent, poetic, yet slightly unhinged is a standout creation. I loved his banter with Kira and the many colourful nicknames he gives her ("O Spiky One", "O Queen of Flowers") and the crew of the Wallfish. There is also a pig that lives on the ship and is a favourite pet of the crew.
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is a behemothic novel that features 850+ pages in both the ARC and the hardback versions. Creating something this detailed in a first foray in both science fiction and adult fiction is extremely ambitious by Paolini and I think he succeeds as he's created an enjoyable and grand space opera with significant depth and detail. I have to admit, that I wasn't always in the mood to read To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. I had to set aside a good chunk of my day and make sure that I had no distractions so that I could completely lose myself in this science fiction adventure. Every time I approached it I wanted to make sure that I could make a sizable dent in the novel. This is the first novel in the Fractalverse and is a complete standalone. The finale is stunning and completely fitting for the scale and scope of the narrative. Some of the characters could come back in future escapades, and others are almost unrecognisable with the manner they change throughout this novel. The next Fractalverse story could contain a whole new cast but it is definitely something I will be willing to check out when it is released. To summarise, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars isn't YA and it doesn't feature any space dragons but for those readers who like intelligent and ambitious SF with a Mass Effect feel then there is a lot to enjoy here....more
I received an uncorrected proof copy of Every Sky a Grave in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Jay Posey and Harper Voyager.
In Every Sky a GI received an uncorrected proof copy of Every Sky a Grave in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Jay Posey and Harper Voyager.
In Every Sky a Grave we follow Elyth, an agent for the First House of the Ascendance. This female-only order regulates the galaxy and keeps peace and harmony throughout. When a planet's path deviates from what the authorities desire then an operative is sent to do a task. Their objective is to use the Deep Langauge, the greatest of all the Ascendance's technologies, to assassinate the planet. Elyth uses these words of power to bring forth the assigned planet's destruction. Upon completing her mission on Revik, she is urgently called back to base and given a crucial follow-up mission. This task, which takes Elyth to the planet of Qel, makes up the lion's share of the action that takes place in Every Sky a Grave.
Elyth is a model agent for the First House of the Ascendance. She is highly trained and experienced in stealth, reading people, manipulating situations, combat, and with the Deep Language. She is a true believer of the First House's cause. When upon Qel, her mission does not go to plan at all. When events go a bit haywire Elyth has to use analyse the strange scenarios and improvise on the assignment that isn't like any that she has completed before. There is a mysterious and powerful entity on or surrounding the planet, and that something, or maybe the planet itself, may not give in to Elyth's words of power and doom.
Every Sky a Grave, the first novel in The Ascendance Series, was my first time reading anything by Jay Posey. The intriguing premise won me over completely, I think the cover is beautiful, and the publicist presented it as science fiction for fans of Mark Lawrence. Every Sky a Grave does have a Book of the Ancestor in space vibe to it. Like Nona, Elyth is the sole third-person point of view perspective and she operates for a female-only assassin/warrior establishment. Similar to Lawrence, Posey is a skilled wordsmith who creates excellent imagery, presents quality and exciting set-pieces and makes me truly empathise with his protagonist throughout. Even if she is stubborn, headstrong and blindly dedicated to her role in First House of the Ascendance. I enjoyed following her patterns of thinking when dealing with a scenario or drama.
I had a mostly positive experience when reading Every Sky a Grave. It took me a while to get into though and some of the chapters in the first half of the novel dragged and seemed overly descriptive, including the opening segment. Throughout the second half, I didn't have this problem but it may be that whilst reading I became attuned to Posey's style, just embraced it and enjoyed the ride. The chapters tend to be between 20-35 minutes long so I always made sure that I had at least that time set aside so that I wouldn't be rushed and could relish what was being presented.
We spend a fair amount of the narrative's time in Elyth's head as she is alone but the novel also includes some fine supporting players. The Paragon of the First House is a great character who has been extremely influential in Elyth's upbringing yet my favourite character is someone who I can't really mention or describe here without potentially mentioning something that might take away from the reading experience. All I will say is that they were an absolute pleasure to read about and their interactions with Elyth were sometimes humorous, often thought-provoking, but always had me glued to the page.
Every Sky a Grave, although the first in a series, works perfectly well as a standalone. The last 25% to the ending is terrific and takes the novel from a steady 3 to a strong 4-star rating for me. What could come in the next books is exciting and there are a lot of possibilities. I believe I will check out the sequel as I am interested to see what is next for Elyth after the knowledge gained, and the revelations and events witnessed here. Every Sky is a Grave is an intriguing and entertaining read for those who wish to follow the adventure of an assassin of worlds. Even with the sections that dragged to me, I raced through the 400 or so pages in 4 days. Recommended....more
I received an uncorrected proof copy of The Doors of Eden in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Adrian Tchaikovsky and Tor for the oI received an uncorrected proof copy of The Doors of Eden in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Adrian Tchaikovsky and Tor for the opportunity.
Four years ago, young lovers Lee and Mal went in search of the Birdman of Bodmin. The girls were cryptid hunters and they were fascinated by the unexplained including creatures such as the aforementioned Birdman, the Sasquatch and the Loch Ness Monster. During their hunt on the moors of Bodmin, events took a turn for the worse and only one of the girls returned from that holiday expedition. In current day London, Mal miraculously resurfaces yet Lee has no idea what transpired that day on the moors or where her girlfriend has been all this time. No contact. No phone calls. No messages.
"You ever get the feeling there are cracks in the world... my girlfriend fell into one somehow."
The back of the novel states that: These strange disappearances have taken place since time began, as the unwary have fallen through the cracks between our worlds and others. But now these cracks are widening, and it's not just Mal who returned to Earth.
The Doors of Eden is truly epic is ambition and scale. The novel follows its main characters across many alternative Earths. Each world has changed - and creatures have evolved differently - across these multiple timelines. In Tchaikovsky's science fiction masterclass Children of Time, we were presented with highly intelligent spiders. Here, we're witness to extremely advanced rat-creatures, bird-like tribal dinosaurs, and science-savvy cavemen too. There are even village-sized insects that can act as flying vehicles. Tchaikovsky's imagination is bizarre, mindboggling yet at the same time is utterly brilliant.
The novel follows approximately six human point of view perspectives. These include the already mentioned Lee, MI5 agent Julian who is nothing like James Bond, transgender genius scientist Dr Kay Amal Khan, and ex-army type Lucas May. We, as readers, learn about the multiple different species, societies, advancements and Earths from very human perspectives. However, you could say that there is one viewpoint from a species that is not human but I will not go into any further details regarding this. The characters' stories cross over as the walls between Earths become thinner, meaning potential outcomes could be drastic and even Earth(s)-shattering. The majority of the characters are a pleasure to follow. They are likeable, well-developed and relatable. In addition to the main characters, I had a soft spot for the awesome Dr Rat and his translator, and also Mal's "cousin" friend Stig.
When reading Tchaikovsky's science fiction work I always get the feeling that I am reading something that is extremely special. The Doors of Eden come across as intelligent, well-researched, and incredibly detailed. Some of the science-specific language and the interludes written by the fictional Professor Ruth Emerson were a bit "over my head" at times yet this is possibly intentional because as a reader I learned to understand the complexities just as the characters themselves did. I'm afraid that I did skim-read a couple of the interludes to return to the main bulk of the story until I understood their importance and how they actually fit with the overall narrative. If I reread this novel I will not make this mistake again.
The imagery Tchaikovsky creates is sensational throughout, especially when depicting these alien worlds. Some of the set pieces are phenomenal. One moment springs to mind instantly which is when two Earths cross over when members of the ensemble are on the ninetieth floor of a skyscraper. The ending sequence(s) were intriguing and presented in a very clever way. Overall, The Doors of Eden was an outstanding and entertaining thriller that deserves to be Tchaikovsky's next science fiction megahit. Highly recommended.
"We're here because they trust us." Mal chuckled. "It's a million-to-one long shot, and only these two desperate lesbians can save the world. Perfect action movie material."...more
I received a review copy of Neon Leviathan in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to T.R. Napper and Grimdark Magazine.
From my Goodreads profile,I received a review copy of Neon Leviathan in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to T.R. Napper and Grimdark Magazine.
From my Goodreads profile, you will see that I write for Grimdark Magazine. However, I have nothing to do with this release and I've treated this novel as I would if it was from any other publisher. I knew nothing about the author T.R. Napper and I wasn't that familiar with the grim-side end of cyberpunk but hell, I jumped headfirst into this deep daunting apocalyptically presented future and dived in to see what was waiting for me there.
"The sea is vast and eternal. It has no malice, but it does have raw, unimaginable power. It is indifferent to human suffering."
This is a short story collection featuring twelves tales. They are all by the same author and all set in the same world. They don't take place in order yet they all take place approaching or just after 2090. Neon Leviathan is brutal cyberpunk character-focused futuristic fantasy that is harrowing and haunting. Honestly, it's not far away from our current reality however grim and horrible it seems. It's violent, sweary, and full of honourable heroes who get fucked and leaders who seem to be winners because they have the confidence yet no competence.
"The incident was yet another reason why I never understood the world. A bully can ply his trade for years, breaking down his peers psychologically and physically; turning the years of adolescence into a long, drawn out form of torture that some kids take a lifetime to get over. But you break that bully’s jaw with a cricket bat, and you’re the bad guy."
The main underlining important event is that there has been a war where China has been fighting against a Vietnamese and Australian coalition. The rest of the world, for all we know, doesn't exist anymore.
The short stories are mostly between 20-30 pages. There are 12 in total. Favourites of mine included the opener Flame Trees, Opium for Ezra (which is a mindfuck!), Jack's Fine Dining and also The Line (featuring George - the only player who frequents two of the stories).
The two finest entries are towards the end of the presentation. Twelve Minutes to Vinh Quang which I found out in the afterwards is a Writers of the Future award-winning story. It's incredible. All I'll say is you would not mess with Lynn! There are 12 stories here. 9 of them have been posted elsewhere before in short story collections including those presented by Interzone, Asimov's, Galaxy's of the Edge, and Writers of the Future. The finest entry by a country mile is exclusive and it's by far the longest tale in the release. The Weight of the Air, the Weight of the Earth. It's around 100 pages or so and really makes you question reality, and possibilities and control and had dystopian elements rivaling those featured in 1984. In this story there was one section in particular that I really related to that has happened to me recently #now... not 100 years in the future. The tales are full of lots of cyberpunk gadgets and gizmos but these stories are presenting events that are more about humans than they are about technology. About how humans, certain people at least, mostly our leaders will do all the can for complete control.
Neon Leviathan is brutal, often rude, crude, with Aussie slang included occasionally. The good guys often get fucked. These tales seemed really well researched from all directions talking about Chinese Emperors to mentioning comic book issues of Batman. The author is a future talent guaranteed. His finest outing, as mentioned, was the longest story here so Napper, give us a full-length novel, sir. Recommend!...more
I received an uncorrected proof copy of Docile in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank K. M. Szpara and Tor for the opportunity.
DocilI received an uncorrected proof copy of Docile in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank K. M. Szpara and Tor for the opportunity.
Docile is the story of Elisha. He is a young gentleman who volunteers to become a Docile to pay off his parents' debt which is at a catastrophic amount of £3,000,000. If he had not proposed this then his mother and father would have been placed in debtors prison. A docile is essentially a slave. They become the property of the patron who pays off their debt in exchange for a set time of service. For the £3,000,000 to be cleared Elisha is to be the property of his patron for life. Most individuals who are forced into this life of slavery tend to take a drug called Dociline. It's a drug to make the dociles obedient. It leads them to have the charisma of a robot or a zombie yet most beneficial for the takers is that they don't really know what horrible tasks, duties or punishments are being forced upon them. It is a brainwashing drug. Elisha, having witnessed the effects of Dociline on his mother vows to refuse to take the drug, which is one of his rights. He will be completely aware of what happens to him during his time as a docile which, of course, is for the rest of his life and may not be very pleasant.
In addition to Elisha's first-person point of view perspective, we also follow the trillionaire Dr. Alex Bishop who becomes Elisha's patron in the first-person too. Alex is the CEO of the company that creates Dociline and wanted Elisha to be his guinea pig for a new version he is hoping to release to market. When Elisha refuses to accept the drug, as is his right, Alex is frustrated yet decides to mould him as he wishes as he owns him for life and can do with him anything he wishes... and I mean anything.
This is a queer dystopian novel that is often uncomfortable to read, extremely graphic in nature, is thrilling, beautifully written and yet is often a mind-fuck and has quite a few trigger warnings to discuss. Although other reviewers have referred to this as science fiction, it never really came across that way to me as what is presented is far too close to our current reality. Some of what happens here is not that farfetched when analysing where the human race could be heading in the near future. Docile features BDSM, explicit gay and group sex scenes, torture and punishments, suicide attempts, and rape scenes sometimes from the first person point of view of the rapist. At this point, Elisha is a piece of meat that Alex uses whenever he fancies. It also presents love, friendship, family, and how people change, especially the two main characters over the length of the narrative.
Although it's often uncomfortable to read and is probably the first novel I've read that has incorporated gay sex scenes that were this explicit and detailed I have to admit that Docile is a masterpiece of dystopian fiction. I'm pretty certain that I've read nothing like it. It was engaging and I completely lost myself in the narrative. It made me question our reality, the gravity of debt, my sexuality occasionally, and however horrid some of the actions committed by Alex were, I never really hated him. If anything I often felt sorry for him which shows Szpara's talent to make me care about someone who I should have straight away written off as an utter bastard. It took me three days to read these 500 or so pages and the finale of this standalone novel is actually nice and fitting which was a surprise after many of the nightmare segments throughout. Docile is an exquisite, well-written and often uncomfortable mindfuck of a debut release. I'll be following Szpara's career closely. Recommended....more
I received an uncorrected proof copy of Riot Baby in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Tochi Onyebuchi and Tor.
Riot Baby begins inI received an uncorrected proof copy of Riot Baby in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Tochi Onyebuchi and Tor.
Riot Baby begins in Compton, USA depicting topics that could have been straight out of an N.W.A song. Racism, police brutality, gang banging etc... This chapter is presented by a young lady Ella who is one of the two point of view perspectives. At the culmination of the chapter Ella's mother goes into labour in the midst of a brutal riot and gives birth to her little brother. Kev, the riot baby.
As mentioned, the first of the two point of view perspectives is that of Ella. She has special powers which she refers to as the Thing. She can look at a person and can see visions of their past and future sufferings. She can Travel which means she can disappear to other places, can Shield to make herself invisible, can appear as an astral phantom, can destroy items with her mind... she can even make rats heads explode without looking at them. It is as if she is taking all the anger and despair that she witnesses and is building the emotions up to something that could be cataclysmic. Her views are presented in the third-person perspective.
The second main player is Kev, the titular Riot Baby. His viewpoint is presented in the first-person. He's an intelligent young black individual who spends a lot of time reading and fixing computers. He's also street-wise and knows a simple bad decision can equate to death in the hood. His narrative arc is full of depth which is surprising for a tale this short. He ends up being incarcerated for little more than being a young black gentleman. His time in jail is horrendous featuring some notorious and harrowing scenes, it changes him completely, and it fucks up his mind. The only thing that keeps him sort of sane or focused are visits he receives from his sister that are "both mundane and supernatural."
At 173 pages, this was an intense, occasionally challenging and utterly unique novella. It combines elements of science fiction, dystopian ideals, racism, supernatural powers, change, and oppression but it is ultimately about a close family and their love for each other. In these 173 pages the events that take place cover approximately 28 years. It goes from a nowadays Compton to a dystopian futuristic existence where emotions and choices are essentially taken away from black individuals. During this period Ella spends her whole time watching and drawing in the pain of reliving unjust deaths.
I will admit that I didn't fully understand a few sections when watching historic events or walking on different plains whilst the characters' bodies were still alive in the real world. It also switches sporadically occasionally from past, current, future and even point of view perspectives. This isn't really a negative, I just had to concentrate deeply to fully appreciate the full tale and it's three-dimensional depth. For me, this was between 3-4 stars up until the final 10 pages which were phenomenal and pushes Riot Baby up to a solid 4-star read. Onyebuchi is a popular YA author but there is no denying that this novella, his first-time releasing adult fiction is extremely dark and graphic in its nature. Certain scenes were nail-biting in their intensity and other occasions were so brutal that if this was a film then they would be the look away from the screen moments.
Riot Baby is a thrilling, intense, nail-biting read that transcends genre and has an ending of biblical proportions. Adult, often extreme but highly recommended....more
I received a review copy of Children of Time in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Adrian Tchaikovsky and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity. I received a review copy of Children of Time in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Adrian Tchaikovsky and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity.
Children of Time is 600-pages of extraordinary, evolution-based science fiction that features quality storytelling and worldbuilding that is rarely seen in this generation. This narrative is set over 1000's of years. We first see Doctor Kern and her scientific team of 19 as they wish to experiment with monkeys and a nanovirus on what some individuals are considering could be the new Earth. After betrayal and confrontation on their spaceship, which may be reflecting hostilities back on Earth events don't progress in the way that they envisaged.
The action mainly follows two very different perspectives. The first is the views of a human classicist named Holsten who has travelled for two millennia to the above-mentioned planet after the end of Earth. He is onboard the spaceship Gilgamesh with the remnants of the human race and spends most of his years frozen and therefore not aging. The crew members are only awakened when their duties permit it necessary so our first contact with the human ensemble is when they are approaching the said planet. The crew features the needed components to create a new future including commanders, engineers, soldiers, intellects, etc... It transpires that the planet they are looking to land on is already occupied and it isn't by the highly evolved monkeys as was planned. This brings me to the second perspective which is written from the point of view of spiders - a species that are also receptive to the advancements in evolution that the nanovirus presents. This complication was not accounted for and may be problematic. We follow the spiders as they evolve over 100's of generations and the way it is written is truly unique. The main spiders we follow are Portia, Bianca, and Fabian. They don't live to be 1000's of years old, instead, we follow the original characters' relatives through different generations as the spiders evolve. They may share the same name but often have very different personalities. There is also a third perspective that is from a human/machine/satellite/messenger/God viewpoint and she is very protective of 'her planet' and does not wish for the humans to land. It's a superbly original tale in the way it is presented.
Often, science fiction stories that I read are overly complex with tech-lingo and it sometimes feels like the author is trying to prove how smart he is. In the first few pages of Children of Time, I thought it would be the same again. However, after the first chapter or two, it became crystal clear that this is a novel where the story, characters, and development are the top priority. It is beautifully written, and has been extremely well researched and is expertly paced. Children of Time is packed full of highs and lows. Who could have known I'd care about the death of a revolutionary hero giant-spider? The spiders' society throughout various stages of evolution is intensely detailed and complex, still the way the species progress feels organic and natural although before this narrative I'd have never considered how a spider community would behave. Turns out they're pretty damn sexist!
For quite a lengthy book I was reading this at a blistering pace. Chapters tend to be between 10-20 pages so it was always tempting to just read one more which soon became another 100 pages. Especially the last 100 pages with I devoured in one breathless sitting. It features an insane space battle and I could never have imagined reading something of the sort when I first picked this up. The ending is intense, unpredictable, but highly satisfying. When I finished reading this story the first thought I had upon reflection was that there is no way I could be an author because I could never write anything this good so what would be the point? It's one of the best science fiction books I've ever read and I've already started Children of Ruin. A+ Recommended....more
Thank you to Orbit for sending me a review copy of The Rosewater Insurrection. It cheered me up on what has been an otherwise awful day and I'll probaThank you to Orbit for sending me a review copy of The Rosewater Insurrection. It cheered me up on what has been an otherwise awful day and I'll probably read it next. ...more
“If in 100 years I am only known as the man who invented Sherlock Holmes then I will have considered my life a failure.” - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Thi“If in 100 years I am only known as the man who invented Sherlock Holmes then I will have considered my life a failure.” - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
This review will contain minor spoilers. Although Sherlock Holmes, Dr. John Watson, Mycroft Holmes, and Professor James Moriarty are Doyle's most known creations, Professor Challenger, the hot-tempered scientist is another character that many readers will be familiar with. This is the first of the Professor Challenger series and the only one that I had read previously. I started reading religiously in 2012 and The Lost World was one of my favourite stories from my pre-review era. I decided to revisit this exuberant and vivacious science heavy adventure tale that features dinosaurs - and I'm truly glad that I did.
This narrative begins with journalist and international rugby player Edward Dunn Malone as he finally tells the love of his life Gladys about the emotions and feelings that he has been harbouring. Unfortunately, it is soon revealed that she doesn't share the sentiments that Malone has been feeling and therefore he remains in the 'friend-zone.' He just isn't exciting enough. She wants an adventurer, essentially so she can bask in the glory of her partner's deeds. As the archetypal example of a member of the friendzone guild, he doesn't even consider thinking that maybe she is a "bad apple" and not the right woman for him. The antithesis is what he thinks. Malone races down to the office of the Daily Gazette and begs his editor for an exciting, dangerous assignment... war correspondence perhaps? His superior states that there is no task more high risk or hazardous for a reporter than to interview the infamous scientist Professor Challenger.
After an eventful and volatile first meeting between the duo, the emotions cool down and Edward ends up sharing a cigarette with the incredibly intelligent, agog, slightly unorthodox and idiosyncratic scientist. I pictured him as being like an early 20th century Brian Blessed with the presented attitude, extravagance, and description. He divulges information about a potential Lost World which he has visited and the last time he was there, although only for a brief period, he shot a pterodactyl and presents the wing to the journalist. As the next few chapters progress it transpires that a team of three very different individuals will attempt to retrace Challenger's steps to visit this plateau that seems to have ignored the laws of science that the rest of the world's environments have adhered to.
In Sherlock Holmes, the brilliant characters take the concepts from being good to often phenomenal. The same is true here. The trio attempting this escapade (which has been mostly ridiculed by the science community as nothing but fancy and absurd), are Malone, adventurer, and Amazon exploration expert Lord John Roxton, and Challenger disparager and rival Professor Summerlee. They also have Zambo who is described as a "negro Hercules" and he acts as their Amazonian guide.
The beginning of the novel runs at a steady pace as the characters are introduced, foundations are set and the plan is set in motion. It really gets going when the ensemble reaches the infamous plateau. If I had to summarise this tale in a few words it would be "a gripping and rip-roaring adventure." It features suspense, betrayals, surprising revelations, horror, and elements of mystery. Add into the mix a plethora of dinosaurs including Iguanadons, Allosaurus' Plesiosaurus' amongst many other assumed extinct species. Doyle must have done an immense amount of research for The Lost World regarding the science of the Jurassic period and also of his current day. Throughout, the story never comes across as if it was a dull science text. Complex discussions about plants, creatures, and the environment are often humorous as Professor Challenger and Professor Summerlee debate the facts - very rarely agreeing with each other's hypothesis. The players also end up in the middle of a war fought between ape-people and the indigenous tribes of this raised island. The novel also features amazing set pieces that appear as bewildering yet exhilarating for the characters to behold as they were for me to read. There is always the nagging doubt in the back of the ensemble's minds about how on earth they are going to escape the plateau and if they are sitting on one of science's greatest ever discoveries that the world will be oblivious to if they don't succeed and return to London.
"But surely no man had just such a day since the world began."
Simply put, this is one of my favourite stories from when I started reading properly. It will always have a special place in my heart and I'm sure I'll read it again in another seven years. An absolute classic.
I received a review copy of Snapshot in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Brandon Sanderson and Gollancz for the opportunity.
ThisI received a review copy of Snapshot in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Brandon Sanderson and Gollancz for the opportunity.
This novella arrived on my doorstep at 11:30 this morning. I picked it up, loved the cover, read the blurb and decided to stop what I was doing. I dived headfirst into this sci-fi cop thriller and had finished it within 2 hours. I have a 'to be read' list of over 300 books so that fact that the book looked so good that I changed my day's plans to suit and did not put it down once just shows that I found Snapshot to be an excellent and thrilling bite-size futuristic drama that has surprising depth for its 120 pages.
Although it doesn't specify when exactly, Snapshot is set in the near future. Anthony Davis and his partner Chaz are two cops. At the start of the narrative, they are introduced as the only two real people. This is because they are investigating two crimes and have been given a warrant to see a 'snapshot' of the events of the day. This is essentially where through hi-tech and expensive scientific equipment they can visit a simulation of the day a certain crime took place and search for clues and evidence that can be used in court in the real world. The other people in this replay of events are duplications of their real selves only they do not know it. Now, Davis and Chaz were not here when the crimes happened originally so their influence on the snapshot environment can cause deviations which are recorded at a percentage. If they speak to someone and they go off on their way and change the course of events before or when they occurred the deviation rating will be high and therefore the evidence and information gained could be inadmissible in court. The ideal way to deal with this is to inspect the details of one crime then remain in a safe house until the known time of the second event they need to investigate. Davis, however, decides to look into another potential crime. He knows something large and important occurred but that it is not mentioned in any police records. What they find is truly shocking and they take it upon themselves to try and find information regarding a mass murderer relating to incidents that the police have kept under wraps.
We only really get to know the two main characters with a few side characters/ duplications who feature for a few moments here and there. The environment reads as a futuristic equivalent to New York City. It's pretty well written and has surprising depth for a novella. The ending presents two twists within quick succession and I could not have predicted either of them even if I tried my hardest. I'm not sure if I would pay £10.99 for it personally however for Sanderson completists of which I know there are many it is a beautiful little book and looks very nice on my Sanderson shelf next to the Edgedancer novella. I don't normally rate short stories or novella's that high but this is one of the top 10 shorter stories that I've ever read. It's 100% worth checking out....more
I received an uncorrected proof copy of One Word Kill in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Mark Lawrence and 47North for approachinI received an uncorrected proof copy of One Word Kill in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Mark Lawrence and 47North for approaching me to read this early.
Starting on the 8th January 1986, Nick a gangly 15-year-old who is extremely intelligent is diagnosed with leukaemia. The doctors advise that he may only have up to 5 years to live. In the local hospital, he goes through Chemotherapy and shares a children's ward with many other suffering youths as they weaken and essentially fade from health and normality. He has to visit the hospital weekly yet when he is not there he is living the life of a normalish geeky teenager. Going to school, dealing with bullies, scared to talk to girls but what he looks forward to the most is the weekly D&D meet-ups he has with his best friends. They can forget about the monotony and hardships real-life presents and lose themselves in a fantastical adventure where their imagination is the only limitation. When he is playing, even Nick forgets about what ails him. It all seems pretty straightforward until intense deja-vu affects the protagonist, a shadowy stranger starts stalking him, certain events that happen in their sessions are scarily close to some real-life events and what's even scarier than all is that a young lady has joined the group's D&D party!
It's no secret that in my humble opinion Mark Lawrence is one of the finest and most consistent fantasy authors currently writing. By profession, Lawrence is actually a scientist so it seemed like only a matter of time before he made the foray into the science fiction genre. This is completely unlike anything Lawrence has published before. This isn't like any science fiction stories I've read previously and for all the elements of time travel, parallel universes, complex mathematics and quantum mechanics, it features drug dealers, local psychopaths and the D&D group trying to learn how to dance to impress the ladies. It's a peculiar mix but I'm happy to say it works expertly.
The story is presented through Nick's first-person perspective and he is a very likeable character who is a joy to follow. The accompanying cast is surprisingly deep and well fleshed out to say that this is quite a short book. I'd estimate it's approximately 90,000 words. In addition to Nick, My favourite characters were Mia, the goth girl who joins the boys games, Elton, who adores his kung-fu practising, and John, the cool dude who loves D&D but doesn't mention it to any of his school friends. Also, a character called Demus who I will say nothing about but who is hugely important and influential to the overall narrative and progression of the tale.
It is difficult to summarise and this probably won't be accurate enough but this is the best I can come up with. This seemed like a mix of Stranger Things, Donnie Darko, the Xbox game Alan Wake mixed with the youthful antics and awkwardness seen in comedy shows The Inbetweeners and The Big Bang Theory. Some of the scientific language written does come across occasionally as confusing and very hi-tech and knowing Mark's profession I imagine it's all legit and accurate. Although the story is complex, multi-layered, unpredictable and ultimately enduring it wasn't too difficult for me to follow as Lawrence is an excellent writer. The writing is sometimes intoxicating and addictive however surreal and bizarre certain events may be and I loved the humourous flow and banter between the friends. Mark's prose is poetic and sometimes, in a good way, hypnotising. I read One Word Kill within 24 hours and it was all I could think about to the extent where I dreamt about the shadowy character who stalks Nick!
The world building is admirable whether describing the suburbs in London, a friend's council flat or describing the London underground service. There are lots of brilliant references to the mid-80's such as the fact Back to the Future had just been released, kids play on their Commodore 64's and that everyone believes Hoverboards will be the obvious invention that the future will present. I really enjoyed, and I bet Mark enjoyed writing the descriptions of the D&D ventures. These sections are closer to what he has written before but with more humour, teenagers innocence and tropes including typical creatures like orcs, vampires, mages, clerics, warriors that will probably prompt a sense of nostalgia for his readers and the target audience. I regret that I've never played D&D. :(
This is not released until April 2019 but already in August 2018, this is one of the finest uncorrected proofs I have ever read. I did not notice a single error which is exceptional and shows the hard work Mark, Agnes and 47North have put into this tale. This works perfectly as a standalone. The ending is absolutely spectacular and wraps everything up perfectly. I loved the setting, the protagonist, the characters including the supporting and very minor players, the thrills and spills and emotions. To be honest, the very minor and possible negative that I have is that some of the terminologies threw me off balance very occasionally. 47North enjoyed this book so much they asked Lawrence to turn it into a trilogy of which all the books will be released in 2019. A note to his current fans, although a few scenes are dark and gruesome this is very different to his previous works. An exceptional time-travel adventure featuring a gang of geeks that's cleverly composed, thrilling and will hopefully aid Lawrence's to rise to the top of the game in another genre. I loved it....more
I received an uncorrected bound proof copy of Rosewater in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Tade Thompson and Orbit books for the I received an uncorrected bound proof copy of Rosewater in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Tade Thompson and Orbit books for the opportunity.
Set in Nigeria 2066, we follow Kaaro in the first person perspective. He is a complex yet interesting protagonist who is a psychic. He has two jobs. One is where he stops bank fraud and the other is more James Bond-esque, working for the government department of S45, which he doesn't really enjoy. Kaaro can read minds, replay past events and understand individuals' whole life experiences within a matter of seconds. He can also manipulate people and occasionally make certain people believe they are burning alive. Additionally, he can frequent a place known as the Xenosphere under his avatar as a Gryphon where he can fly. I will not try to explain this extrasensory-like environment to any great degree but it can be quickly summarised as being a dream-esque space between certain peoples thoughts.
If Rosewater doesn't sound complex enough so far, throughout the narrative we follow three different timelines. The main timeline is Nigeria 2066 which is set in the city of Rosewater which was erected around an alien biodome where once a year an 'opening' occurs where civilians ailments and illnesses can be cured by this extraterrestrial presence. Kaaro uses his mind wizardry for the government and also for a bank. It's mundane and boring for him generally but he has recently met a girlfriend called Aminat who has a very beautiful and mysterious housebound brother. The earliest timeline is about a youthful Kaaro where he is living life dangerously in Largos as a thief, getting disowned by his parents and learning gradually about his sight and abilities. The middle timeline is when our protagonist reluctantly works for the secret service and as an expert 'finder' is requested to find the mysterious bicycle girl and perhaps dig up more details about the alien entity that ends up residing in Rosewood. They are quite short chapters throughout, averaging approximately 10 pages however with the constant switch between timelines I did have to take notes to be aware of what had happened previously and pay attention to the dates at the beginning of the chapters.
I have been loving my fantasy and science fiction books recently that have been based on or inspired by certain places I am less familiar with that don't feature typical standard tropes such as The Poppy War (China), Jade City (Japan), and Empire of Sand (India). This fits nicely in the same vein for being exciting, elegant, complex, deep and original. It ticks a lot of boxes that I look for in a fiction age which is overflowing with carbon copies of what has come previously.
This is a very smart book. The time, expertise and efforts that Thompson has put into this opener of The Wormword Trilogy organically ooze from that page. One of my favourite aspects was how Thompson discusses the history we are familiar with that is up to date, (I think I noticed a Donald Trump diss in here somewhere !) and also imagined events that have taken place between 2018 and 2066. One example is that the USA is no longer on the world's radar. They have isolated themselves and the rest of the planet know nothing about what our Western cousins are up to.
There are some very dark scenes featured. Murders, people being burned alive, and a few brutal execution techniques included. Adult science fiction and even grimdark fans will find a lot to like here. It did take me a while to get in to initially and adapt to the presented world. The world building is very good and it mainly takes places in Lagos and the fictional Rosewater. Kaara is a damaged individual with unbelievable powers and although he's had a colourful existence there is still some heart and something worth following in our first-person protagonist. I for one look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. I'll be intrigued to see if Thompson adds any other point of view perspectives in his following books. It might be an interesting take but I'd personally like to carry on following Kaaro. Now the backstory is complete I'd like a single timeline going forwards though. That is my only slight negative that it sometimes threw me away from the action and narrative in Rosewater. Thompson is obviously a brilliant and very smart author and this is the best science fiction book I've read in a few years. Bravo, sir....more
I received a review copy of FALL in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank J.P. Ashman for the opportunity. As this is a short story I wI received a review copy of FALL in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank J.P. Ashman for the opportunity. As this is a short story I will keep my musings brief too.
FALL is an excellent cyberpunk action thriller that follows a female soldier called Senfel. As the only survivor of her prior mission, she is still badly injured yet it is mentally where she is most scarred, continuously reliving the haunting and devastating scenario over and over. She seeks her employer looking to get back out into the field through any available work. She is given a difficult 'select target' objective to complete. This is essentially an assault on an assigned group of people from a particular planet and these jobs can have catastrophic consequences.
Following on from Dragonship and Grannit, this is the third Ashman short story that I have read and enjoyed. It is his first foray into science-fiction and the finest of his works that I've reviewed. After the first two sections which set the scene, FALL is an adrenaline-pumping, engaging and violent sci-fi thriller which highlights a gritty potential future for humanity. This brief narrative includes chaotic and destructive weaponry such as Shock-Maces and Shredder-Waves as well as advanced equipment such as electro-gauntlets and vision enhancing masks. The people using these items throughout though are still very human in nature and their emotions are relatable to modern day. We follow two point of view perspectives featuring characters on both sides of the raid which gives a great 360 view of all actions. With FALL, which highlights only one mission, Ashman creates a very believable dark and bloody world and I'd be interested to follow Senfel further in a full-length novel. The tale incorporates approximately six main characters and the author skilfully made me care about them in a short space of time. This is one of the reasons that the ending was so shocking and uncomfortable to read. The finale is poignant and completely unexpected. FALL takes less than an hour to complete and is an enjoyable, thrilling and brutal sci-fi tale. Recommend....more
I received an advanced reading copy of Blackfish City in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Sam J. Miller and Orbit Books.
The resuI received an advanced reading copy of Blackfish City in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Sam J. Miller and Orbit Books.
The results of the climate wars were that the majority of the Earth was either flooded or burnt to rubble leaving very little in the way of habitual environments. In this futuristic and dystopian world, people now reside in an astonishingly well engineered floating city that has been constructed in the Arctic Circle. This settlement is bustling with strife between classes, corruption, amazingly advanced technology, and also rumours of a mysterious lady who arrived one day accompanied by a killer whale and a giant polar bear.
Miller has created a world that is so deep, complex, and well-imagined that it almost appears to be a living breathing entity. He cleverly explains the social aspects, current technology, and the world's history through the characters points of views or with chapters presented by City Without a Map. This is a mysterious and anonymous news service that civilians have access to. Many of the items used by the people of this world are logical but impressive advancements of equipment we use today. An example would be that a combination of a telephone, translating system, and radio can be stored in someone's jaw. As the world is so detailed and the language used is highly scientific it was difficult to get into initially. I found myself reading at a very slow pace and googling unfamiliar sounding words with unfortunate regularity with the overall intention being to make sure I fully understood what was going on. During the first 80-pages, I respected what Miller was doing but I wasn't really enjoying reading it. In addition to this, the four main characters that we follow all had pretty isolated stories with the common denominator being that they were based in the same city. I was unsure if this was going to be more of a science lesson than a complete story and therefore was very close to DNF'ing it, giving it a 2-star rating, saying it was unique, interesting and that Miller is very talented but it wasn't for me. As the publisher sent me a free copy of this I fought through a bit longer and I am really glad that I did. About 20-pages later, what has been built up so far seemed to click, I finally found myself caring about some of these characters and the world's secrets and from then on had a generally positive experience with Blackfish City.
We follow 4 main characters. Fill is an often unhappy queer young gentleman whose grandfather is a shareholder of the city. Kaev is a mentally ill beam-fighter journeyman who loses on purpose to earn paycheques. Ankit is an administrator for the government that keeps the city running in order. Finally, Soq is a beautiful gender-neutral messenger who slides their way around the city delivering messages for the underworld. All 4 make a colourful ensemble and there is a great amount featured in Blackfish City that LGBT fiction readers will adore. Soq was my personal favourite character to learn more about throughout the story. Miller introduces their gender neutrality well very early on so there are never any issues of confusion regarding their character.
This world has many original and interesting creations. A few examples are nanobonding - being able to emotionally bond with and essentially control a certain animal, and the breaks - a sexually transmitted infection that is polluting the city that gives sufferers the memories of those previously afflicted before a seemingly inevitable death through this apparent madness. Beam-fighting is a well crafted national sport that is like MMA but a contestant will lose by being forced off the beams into the ocean by their opponent. In addition, sliders with specially designed skates and death-defying free-runners operate above the city far away from the ocean beneath.
As previously mentioned, this book does start slow but the resulting narrative is excellent, the characters and their relationships with one another have great depth and the ending is awesomely realised. The created world is brilliantly conceived. It starts out like a science lesson but after that, the characters take over and that is where the book truly shines. Blackfish City is a haunting projection of our future that is made even eerier by the fact that nothing written here seems too alien or far-fetched. It seems a bit too close to our current reality for comfort. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys science-fiction, dystopian literature, or books where certain individuals can control frighteningly vicious animals. I can see this making many 'best-of-the-year' lists in 2018....more