Ender's Game

I can see why Ender's Games won so many awards and is seen as a sci-fi classic. It is a great story, well written, that does as good sci-fi should do - keep the reading but asking questions. On purpose, I had not read any reviews of the book so I missed an spoilers (I won't be including any here I hope).

Story revolves around Ender a six-year old boy selected to be trained as the military saviour of the human race, the goal being to training him (if possible) to be lead the space fleet to victory against the enemy. What is done to him is arguably cruel but does the end justify the means? Is it right to take away his childhold? I will confess I didn't predict the ending but that might just be me.

If you haven't read, don't be put off by the techno-war; it is more about human issues than war. I enjoyed it; so I have brought the next in the series.

Doctor Who: Harvest of Time

Another great read from Alastair Reynolds. The third Doctor and the Master have to collaborate (some of the time) to defeat an invasion of bodysnatching aliens. The imagery in the book is great, you get a good sense of the locations, characters (especially the Doctor and the Master) and the aliens Sild.

The combination of Alastair Reynolds and Doctor Who is a great combination; the pace is fast and the book is quite hard to put down.




Other reviews

Tidhar's Central Station

This is a collection of three short stories that appear in Interzone by Lavie Tidhar all set in Central Station and revolves around a book-worm/seller with a vivid imagination and a sort of vampire who sucks memories out of be people.

'Strigoi' (Interzone 242) is concerned with the arrival and the 'vampire' and how she came to be one.
'The Book Seller' (Interzone 244) is concerned with the book seller and his relationship with the 'vampire'.

'The Core' (Interzone 246) explains partially some of the questions raised in the first two stories about why the 'vampire' was allowed into the city.

I hope there will be more of these stories.

Overtime

This is one of the best short stories I have read in a while. It has  all the horror and humour of a Charles Stross Laundry series story (have a go if you haven't read one of these), which it is. A Christmas story with Lovecraft overtones and a nice antidote to more sugary Christmas stories. Events take place with the hero Bob Howard on duty in a British Government supernatural organisation over Christmas; with a creepy take on the nature of Father Christmas.

Good, tongue-in-cheek fun, that is well written, at a good price.

After the Coup

If you like John Scalzi's 'Old Man's War' books or 'The Human Division' I think your will like this. It is a short story, (I read it on the Kindle for 38p in the UK at the time of writing). It concerns the things some of the characters have to do, to gain success on a diplomatic missions. In this case one of the character's has to fight (and lose) as a form of 'champion' for humanity a representative of the alien race. The story is imaginative, and like good short stories is great for a quick satisfying read.

For more reviews on this book:

A Tall Tail

This story by Charles Stross is a great read. It is put across as factual, and throws in some real and possible unreal chemicals in to the story about space craft propulsion systems and possible unhand things US and Russians (in this story) did to get ahead in the space race. The story revolves around a group of rocket scientists at a party discussing the weird propulsion system they worked on, or pretended to work on to trick their opponents with misinformation.

If you looking for a good, tongue-in-check read this is worth a look, especially at 35p (in the UK) on the Kindle.

For more reviews go to:

Poor Man's Fight

I bought this book, in large part, because of the price (under £2.00 on the kindle), thinking if it not that good I have lost out too much. Well it is on this blog, so I am more than happy I took the chance.

This is a fast paced book, mixing politics, a tiny bit of social commentary but mostly a good sci-fi action book. The story revolves around Tanner who joins his system's Navy largely to repay the debts for education. The book starts with him not doing as well as he should have on standardised tests; leading to greater debt, joining the Navy and becoming a hero fighting pirates. There is a lot more to this book than that one sentence summary, it could have gone down all the standard plot-lines of all in the military are deep good-at-heart, who are just being tough for positive reasons; instead the crew maybe heroic but are flawed. There are twists in the book, and politicians doing what ever it takes and making some morally questionable deals.

I enjoyed this book. A good read at a very good price.

  

The Lives of Tao

Two competing factions of an alien race, using Humans as hosts to get off this planet, but with different philosophies [though not always that easy to tell the difference]. Now imagine you are an over-weight software engineer, getting in your car and one of these aliens merges with you and over a relative short time turns you into a secret agent in their war. This is the beginning of this book by Wesley Chu.

A good sci-fi book where the concept of what would happen in aliens were behind the leading figures in history is re-explored. Basically anything we think of us humans developing that is significant, is actually developed through these aliens. Now, throw in martial arts action, deception, politics, and blood-feuds what you end up with is an interesting and more importantly enjoyable read.

The Stars Do Not Lie

The Stars Do Not Lie by Joseph E Lake published as a novella in Asimov's Science Fiction October/November 2012. What is especially nice, is the story is available at http://www.asimovs.com/pdfs/Stories/The_Stars_Do_Not_Lie.pdf.

A Scientist makes a discovery which when he tries to announce it, he gets removed from the stage quickly and becomes the focus of a lot of initially unwanted attention. The story mixes politics, religion and science policy to make a interesting story. It has a steam-punk feel to it, with airships, pomp,  and presentations to Royal Society type organisations.

Confession time, at first I didn't think the story was going to work for me, I was wrong.The basic story is not a new one, but the way it is written and the spin taken is good. It is not hard to see why this a Nebula Prize nominee, it is enjoyable without insulting the readers intelligence.

The Mongolian Book of the Dead

The Mongolian Book of the Dead by Alan Steele published as a novella in Asimov's Science Fiction October/November 2012.

A US citizen gets caught up in the turmoil of a fictional invasion of Mongolia by China, by initially be rescued by a band of Mongolians. Why was he rescued gradually becomes clear as the story develops. The story revolves around the fact that he had a near death experience when he was young, a shaman, soul and Ghengis Khan's army. Work that one out.

As a reader you are lead through the story at the right pace, with the Mongolian language and landscape being integral to the story. It is an interesting, enjoyable, fantasy/sci-fi story, that I didn't predict the conclusion. Well worth a read

vN: The First Machine Dynasty

This is an interesting book by Madeline Ashby in many ways; in part in that the main players are not human, even though it is essentially a human world, but robots and often 'female' robot. The vN in the title is von Neumann machines, they self replicate (even if they 'male' robots), and takes a look at the dark side of having robot built with the inability to harm humans. I know Asimov got there first, but he didn't go as far as the thinking in this book, the robots are forced in many ways to be in love with humans and some of the degrading possibilities that could lead to for sentient creatures.

Also explored is what happens if the inability to harm or even to watch humans being harmed is removed do you necessarily get psychotic robots (in one case yes). The flipside of all this is also looked at from the human who prefer vNs to their own species - in places in some very creepy ways.

As a reader you are lead through some thought provoking ideas, in a fast-paced way.

Bedlam

Christopher Brookmyre does it again with another great comic read.

The main character is a medical technologist who volunteers to have his head scanned and comes around in a game he used to play as a teenager and the adventures follows from there. In the game world (or is it real) he becomes Bedlam.

It has a mixture of comic and philosophy (don't get put off by that) asking the question if you were brain was scanned and is essentially a copy of you  -
Is it right for someone else to use it anyway they want?
Who owns it?
Would you be able to tell the difference between being in a simulation or the real-world?
Is the real-world a simulation anyway? Not original but still interesting. See the relate bit below for more information.

Mix this with corporate greed and politics; adventure; retro-gaming and great comic writing, you have a book that is worth reading.




Related
Links to the work mentioned in the book can be found at:

• http://www.simulation-argument.com/simulation.html 
• http://www.simulation-argument.com/matrix.html 

In Analog magazine: http://www.analogsf.com/2013_07-08/altview.shtml 

S. Wolfram (2002) A New Kind of Science, Wolfram Inc.

Nexus

There seems to be interest in books about 'transhumans' at the moment, no least of which are two books called Amped are just two examples. Nexus is the best so far of the current bunch (and I liked the others).

A group of post-grads add an operating system to an illegal drug, Nexus 3, creating Nexus 5 which enables users to share thoughts, control each others bodies and share experiences. Government agencies are out to ruthless surpress the drug; stopping people becoming more than human. The main character gets arrested with his friends and is 'turned' by the agency to be bait for bigger fish. It doesn't work out the way the agency hopes!

Though it is fair guess which way the author goes on the idea of whether people should have the opportunity to become 'more than human' or sharing experiences, the book is not clear cut. There is an great ongoing discussion of several issues

• Is it right to stop the use of these drugs?
• What happens to normal people if some people become enhanced?
• What would happen if a small group has the enhancement and others don't? would it be better if no one had it?
• How would it be abused? 
• Is it right to stop everyone having the opportunity to be enhanced because some may abuse it?
• How much responsibility to the developers of the enhancement have for the abuse? 
• Is it ok for government agencies to use these enhancement on their own agents, to prevent others gain the abilities? In effect turning some of the agents into the 'monsters' they are trying to prevent!

I found this a fast paced, intelligent book and not least a great read. Please post with any comments if you have read this book.

Ghost Brigades

Ghost Brigades

John Scalzi

A scientist who has turned traitor escapes by killing a clone of himself, but leaves a copy of consciousness behind. To understand what happened the consciousness get put into a modified soldier clone of the ‘Ghost Brigade’, but doesn’t take initially. The story revolves around the nobody is completely sure whether to trust the clone, especially when bits of the memory start coming back. Is this clone going to be becomes a traitor? Is he going to become the scientist or he is a person in his own right? What happens if the a super-enhanced soldier has the mind of a traitorous scientist? So you could say it - whether it is nature or nurture.

Mostly this book sets the background for one of the most interesting groups from the book “Old Man’s War” – The Ghost Brigade. A force of special forces soldiers who are cloned from people who are dead, and who are born, as adults, knowing they are soldiers and their destiny is to protect humanity.

If you enjoyed Old Man’s War this is also forms it’s sequel and is well worth reading.

Angelmaker

Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway is another one of those book it is hard to pigeon-hole, so I won't. The writing is well constructed, descriptive and the book is 'hard to put down'.

The story revolves around a man, Joe Spork, who initially desires a quite life repairing clockwork devices, and not following in the footsteps of his late gangster father. Everything changes when

• he is tricked into starting an old doomsday device by an octagarian ex-spy; 
• becomes public enemy number one; 
• chased by a group of monks with a charasmatic leader who wants to become God; 
• clockwork bees;
• finally becoming what he didn't think he wanted to be initially.

Read this book, the pace is fast. I wouldn't describe it as only a comic novel, but there is a definite warped sense of humor evident in the writing.


For more reviews:

Top five books of 2012

1. The Hundred-Year-Old Man who Climbed Out of The Window and Disappeared 
Jonas Jonasson
This book has a great twist in that the character you think is going to be this harmless very old man who is going to need to be protection is anything but. The way the book switches from the past to the present really works well and reveals the main character Allan Karlsson has been behind the scenes of many of the great events of the twentieth century (without really trying - Forrest Gump bit), as well as being probably one of the brightest people ever (speaks several languages, nuclear physics is not a problem, international diplomacy, etc) not bad for someone with only three years of formal education - this guy makes James Bond look incompetent. The switching between the past and present also does help develop the story.
2. Robopocalypse
Daniel H Wilson 
A slightly chilling book (which I should have guessed with a quote by Stephen King) about a war between robots and humans. Ok, this is not an original idea but this book does not claim it is, in fact there are plenty of historic quotes to show this idea has been around a long time.


3.Ready Player One
Ernest Cline
This is an excellent book it has been described as "Enchanting, Willy Wonka meets the the Matrix" (USA Today) but if you were a teenager in the 80s and Geeky this book will probably please you with all the references to 80s computers, films, TV programmes and games. The character Wade Watts is a star, if this is Ernest Cline's first book then I look forward to seeing what follows!




4. The Departure
Neal Asher
If you like Polity Series I think you will like this. New heroes including the rapidly developing post-human Saul and his Mars stranded sister are interesting. The title for the Trilogy - Owner is clever (I won't spoil where it comes from).  The second book in the series Zero Point was released late 2012.


5. Three Unbroken
Chris Roberson

A war on Mars (or in his case Fire Star) seen through the eyes of three people in different services but the same side, set in an alternative history where China or Celestial Empire became the dominate world power but is at war with an Aztec-styled Mexican-like nation. I know this didn't come out in 2012 but this when I read it.



These are mine - what would yours be?

Ghosts of Manhattan

Batman meets steampunk with slight touch of Lovecraft, set in 1920s Prohibition New York  Ghosts of Manhattan by George Mann has all of these features. Coal-powered cars travel the street; a Cold War between America and the British Empire; and Roman Coins in mint condition appearing at crime scenes - you have an interesting book.

The Ghost is a vigilante hero, whose alter-ego is playboy haunted by 'things' he saw during war including something that he can't explain - so there is the Batman/The Shadow link. People are dying and crimes being committed by a gang headed by The Roman. Who the Roman is? Why is he called the Roman? What are these people dying? These questions are explained with a touch of creatures from another dimension throw in for good measure.

This is a good fun book, that I kept thinking would make an great graphic novel; like a lot of steampunk the images are strong.  Well paced action and story, that keeps the readers interest.

For more reviews of this book:

Tears in the Rain by Rosa Montero

How can any sci-fi fan resist reading a book with such an obvious reference to Bladerunner! The links with Bladerunner / Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep are clear but not important - there are a couple quotes from the film and some discussion how the 'Reps' in this are different to those in the film (the comparisons are all made to the film not the book). This is NOT a Bladerunner rip-off though, after a while I was able to ignore the comparison and read this book as a good book in it's own right - the two are different with some similarities. 

Bruna Husky, a ex-combat replicant who is now a private detective gets drawn into (and targeted we later find within) a conspiracy against Earth and Techno-humans (replicants):

• by a neighbour trying to kill her in her apartment who then kills herself;
• finding out there have more of these cases; 
• then the whole thing going political and Husky being accused of many things but including the murder of human-separatist leader.

Don't this put you off, what you actually have is a story with several levels:

• A detective story around a series of murders and the politics;
• A near-future story about aliens, humans and artificial humans; their conflicts and biases;
• About someone not just 'finding themselves' but actually creating what they want to be; who they do or don't want to be with;
• Last but not least, an enjoyable read.

To read other reviews:

Doughnut - Tom Holt

Another great book from Tom Holt, also a little different to the others of his I have read, which revolved around magic being used commercially. In this book quantum physics, multiple universities, time travel, god-complex, big-bang and siblings - a heady mix. 

The main character blows up a particle accelerator (but is it his fault) leading to at the very least Switzerland being considerably flatter, becoming unemployable, and giving a new meaning to 'climbing into the bottle' which in this case leads to alternative realities and meetings with both his not-so dead brother and mentor. 

If you looking for a good comic 'fantasy' or sci-fi book this one is worth a look.

I confess to getting sucked in by the free chapter at the end of the book for 'The Accidental Sorcerer' and ended up buying the book.

To read other reviews:

Old Man's War - John Scalzi

Read this book, it is one of the most enjoyable Sci-Fi books I have read for a while. I have been reading the Scalzi's Human Division series books and they are good, but this is better.

The concept of 75 year old's enlisting (after starting the process 10 years before) to become soliders in an off-world force (Colonial Defence Force), giving up all their rights and breaking all contact with anyone left on Earth is not something you read everyday. The book is logical in terms of how a pensioner on Earth can become a superhuman soldier, the method is not really a surprise but that is an advantage.

Action is fast paced, with the effects of being a soldier consider and then moves on. John Perry is the central character, who we see going from enlistment, meeting new friends, physically becoming the superhuman solider, training, fighting a number of aliens and becoming a veteran - all in a very short period of time. Along the way we see him make and lose friends.



To read other reviews:

Turing's Cathedral - George Dyson

Concerned with the role played by Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study in the 'computing revolution', the players are introduced and their role in the developing computing is pieced together gradually. The main focus is on John Von Neumann and his role in a variety of computational fields, effect on the Institute, his life and the consideration of what coud have been if he hadn't died at a relative young age. If you are looking a lot of background on Alan Turing, this is not the book for you, Turing himself has a chapter. If though you are looking for the importance of Turing's work, then this book is for you,  this is one of the major themes running through the book.

For me there was a little too much background and family history of some of the main players, including a chapter on the site of the institute itself. 

There are some surprises (for me), the main one being the importance of Klara Von Neumann the second wife of John Von Neumann, as one of the first programmers/pioneers of the early computers.

This is a good book about the history and importance of computing, with some thoughts and even chapters on the concept of the Digital Universe and it's implications. If you are interesting in the history of computation this is book you will want to read.

To read other reviews:

We Only Need The Heads - John Scalzi

The strangely titled book (the reason is quite clear half way through this book/chapter) is the third in the Human Division series. The heroes from the first book B-Team are back and in difficulty. This book, unlike the previous two, leaves you with a cliffhanger, the team split over two related locations.

These books do need to be read in sequence, but I not sure I want to keep reading them installments, would it be worth waiting for the whole collection as one book? I am unsure. What it has done though, is lead me to by other John Scalzi books.

To read other reviews:

Walk the Plank - John Scalzi

This is the second in the thirteen part Human Division series on the Kindle.

The book is delivered as a dialogue on a 'Wild-cat' planet and is a very short (but worthwhile) story that is a quick read. It concerns hard decisions that have to be made for the good of the colony.

How it relates to the first book is not clear but I am curious to fine out (see Human Division 3 book below).

To read other reviews:

American Sniper - Chris Kyle

This is an autobiography of a SEAL sniper during the second Iraq War, and like others books written by soldiers it is actually more readable strangely (for example Apache by Ed Macy) than similar biographies written by reporters (even if they were embedded).

One of the really good features in this book is the inserts from his wife giving a really good extra dimension to the book.

This is a fast paced book, that leads the reader through the narrative effectively.

The author you respect. His cowboy nature is raised every so often, and problems with Head Shed (senior officers) is well documented in the book.

It is a fast paced, good read, the level of graphic detail is low (which would be have been a problem), written from a first person perspective and too a certain extent a 'warts and all' account. It appears to have been written with an American audience in mind, though the Polish army comes out in the book in a very positive light. The inserts from his wife are an excellent addition to the book, counterbalancing the action, with the effect the war has one the soldier's family. Reference is made to another book Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell, and this author's charity work after leaving the SEALs is discussed..

To read other reviews:

The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Blue Bear by Walter Moers

This book by Walter Moers is both strange but very enjoyable, but also hard to pin down what type of book it actually is. The front cover and pictures inside the book makes it look like a children's fantasy book, but it is not usually found in the that section of a bookshop - and if you actually try reading this to a young child I am sure you would very quickly find the language and ideas a little heavy. This is a great, guilty pleasure for adults to read a book with pictures that is full of great images, ideas and a good story and be reading it for us.

The story is set in the continent of Zamonia, starting with a Blue Bear as a tiny baby floating next to a giant whirlpool in half a walnut shell. Minipirates rescue him, teaching him seamanship skills and then dumping him on an island of hobgoblins when he is too big for their boat. From there he goes on to meet a whale-like creature with one-eye; island that is a carnivorous plant; pterodactyl hero; giants; wolf-like characters; a seven-brained professor and knowledge that is a infectious bacteria; and the list goes on.

An imaginative book that is throughly enjoyable but don't be mislead by the book's cover and use images inside the book there is plenty hear to keep grown up interest. If you liked this book Rumo is worth a read as well.


To read other reviews:

The B-Team by John Scalzi

The first part of the Human Division series that is being released on the Kindle. For a while these books have being popping up on the list recommendations and I have being ignoring them. I am glad I stopped ignoring them and gave it a try especially at the price (65p).

The story revolves around
- a diplomatic mission that has gone to pieces (literally in this case) with the one of the best diplomatic team being killed and negotiations going wrong even before they have started;
- Earth and an alliance of human populated planets not getting along;
- Alien fractions forming alliances that are potentially not in the human's best interest;
- The eponymous B-Team, they don't know they are called that, a team of diplomats and naval-types who at the start of the story don't get the most high profile jobs, but have to step in to save the day in their own way.

There is good character development in such as short book, with characters that are quickly being fleshed out with their likes and dislikes; their faults and strengths coming out. Both for the B-Team itself but also the powers behind them Egan and Rigney and the political games they play.

This book did surprise me, in that I enjoyed it so much. I am looking forward to reading Walk the Plank, the next episode - downloaded and ready. If you are after a good quick read with plenty of action consider this book.

To read other reviews:

Sleepover by Alastair Reynolds

This is a good short story (no suprise there), but unlike most Alastair Reynold's stories it is set on Earth, admitted a future Earth. The population of Earth (expect a few thousand) is cryogenically frozen for reason that are explain but it would be a spoiler to explain why here. One of the first to be frozen, a former CEO of an AI company, is selected to be revived for caretaker duties on what sounds like oil-rig-like structures where the whole of human race is being stored.

Creatures of the deep, AI emergence and other dimensions all play a role - so you won't miss out on the elements of Reynold's other books.

Confession time - when I first download this onto the Kindle I wasn't aware it was short story/novella in an anthology Apocalyptic SF by Mike Ashley, I thought it was a short story by Alastair Reynolds. I enjoyed it so much I download the anthology.


Other reviews can be found at: http://bestsf.net/alastair-reynolds-sleepover-the-mammoth-book-of-apocalyptic-sf/


To read other reviews:

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce has the eponymous hero travelling from Devon to Berwick one step at a time, initially one postbox at a time.

A bittersweet story, about an essentially lonely man (even though he is married) travelling to say goodbye a dying friend who we find out he thinks he has wronged. His apparent estrangement from his wife and son, is explained through the book and his rise and 'fall' as a folk hero as the story of his journey is becomes more widely known is interesting.

This book is full of different themes and kept my interest throughout, it could easily have been a story of a man who finds himself (which in part it is) with public acclaim and everything is rosy for this reluctant hero. The book is more than this, there is elements of his journey helping others but some of it is people being able to tell their secrets to a stranger because they know they are never going to meet again. Cult of celebrity comes under the microscope a bit, as do many other issues that would be a spoiler if revealed here.

I enjoyed this book and I can see why some recommendation sites are linking it with The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared. There are links but they are very different books the latter is an adventure book in many cases (I know that is a little unfair on such a good book), this book is a more personal account. On the Kindle version several portions of the book, usually relating to the more philosophic parts, have been highlighted by many readers. This is not a 'heavy' book it is accessible without insulting the reader.

To read other reviews:

Wired

Douglas E Richards' Wired is a great technothriller sci-fi book. The story is action packed; revolving around, initially, a search for a potentially psychopathic female genius Kira Miller who is said to be working for a jihadist terrorist group...things are not what they seemed. The story develops quickly to what appears to be a government agency who want her because she has developed a drug that radically improves the intelligence of an individual, but also because whilst using the drug she created a treatment that extends life by an expected seventy years.

Many themes are explored. Including what does it mean to be human and what the effected of technology could be on society?.

This is a hard to put down story (I read the kindle version in just over a day - which is quick for me). The pace is fast, with so many twists. I am looking forward to reading the sequel Amped (which a bit confusing as Daniel H Wilson also brought out a book Amped recently).

To read other reviews:

The Mammoth Book of SF Wars

The Mammoth Book of SF Wars  edited by Ian Watson and Ian Whates is an anthology of military science fiction, from new and not so new authors.

Surprising thing about this anthology is the range of stories, the military aspects is present throughout the stories but it is not all big armies fighting other armies, but a lot about about the impact war has on the participants.

To read other reviews of this book:

The Last Watch

The Last Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko is the sequel to the brilliant Night Watch Trilogy and that is really what is being reviewed here.

A confession, I am not a fan of Dark Fantasy- vampires, etc, leave me cold (no pun intended) but the Night Watch Trilogy is something different and when this book came I was pleased. The books are set now but there is a battle going on between forces of light and dark, starting in Moscow. The interesting point for me in the books is that these forces are essentially a difference of philosophy about how power can be used acceptably. The books are inventive and refreshing in there spin on Good and Evil; and the scarily neutral officials of the Twilight Watch who the overseers who maintain the balance. The Night Watch are the forces of Light who prosecute the forces of the Dark for infringements of the mutually agree code of conducts for each side; the Day Watch is the dark forces equivalent.

If you are looking for a good read, these are worth reading but start with the Night Watch. Do they appeal to Twilight Fans?... I don't know, but they are worth a try.


To read other reviews:

Great North Run

Great North Run by Peter F Hamilton is another great read from one the band of great 'newer' British sci-fi authors we are lucky to have at the moment. The story is set 130 years in the future in Newcastle, UK and off-world; transport gates exist for instant travel and the economy is effected by reliance on fuel. Initially the book revolves around a murder, and evolves into a story about the effect human society going out to the stars.

Ok, sounds like quite a few other books? Yes and no, the effect of human venturing out into the stars is not new, that is standard stuff, but the book has various levels to it .

The personal level of the detective leading on the murder investigation who is pragmatically dealing with conflicts of interests between doing his job and his 'patron' from an interstellar corporation lead by a group of clones of there founder (one of who is murdered). A woman who is accused twenty years of a similar murder, but has a complex past. The corporation and its family dynamics. Who or what is killing the members of this family. Eventually leading up to some morality issues about settling a new planet and what sentience is.

Hamilton has produce a relatively long book, don't let this put you off, the pacing is fast, the multiple strands of the story running parallel, with flashbacks at appropriate points keeps you engaged and the story itself is good. Flashbacks in some books can be annoying but I was surprised that when I want to know a bit more backstory it came along quite soon after (perhaps I easily pleased!). Characters in the book are people you feel for, and their actions are understandable.

Another good book and if you have read some of his other books then I think you will like this.

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Ack-Ack Macaque

Ack-Ack Macaque by Gareth L Powell is a story you can't put down. Part adventure story, part alternative history with a dash of sci-fi. The original short story was in Interzone magazine in September 2007, and was voted the most popular story of the year (I agree with that).

This though is not an extended version of the short story but a full-length story in it's own right, with the cigar-chomping, talking, fighter-pilot monkey fighting the 'bad guys' in both the virtual and real world. A world where Britain and France are a Commonwealth, with fascist forces who want to 'improve humanity' as well a talking monkey.

This is not a deep, very philosophic book, it is what it sounds like it is - a good adventure with sci-fi elements and a good enjoyable read. The book (definitely on the Kindle version) also includes the original story as well as a bonus.

To read other reviews:

Pathfinders

Pathfinders - The Golden Age of Arabic Science by Jim Al-Khalili as the title suggests is mainly a book about the misconception that the 'Dark Ages' produced little scientific advancement may be partly true for european science but possibly not by science in the Near- and Middle East.

Early parts of the book have quite a bit about his personal connection to this topic coming from Iraq originally- possibly a little too much of it; but it does help to make the book more accessible. The contributions of various scholars during this Golden period are highlighted, suggesting that directly or indirectly, scientists during and since the European Renaissance were heavily influence by the works of earlier Islamic scholars (as well as Greek and Indian).

The book ends with some discussion about why there has been a decline from this golden age in the science output in Islamic countries and some suggest some reasons. The book ends positively about the future in these countries and with some issues for the western countries to consider though about religions dictating scientific research. Science as a gradual process, that builds on the work of others comes through as a strong theme.

It is a good read, with some interesting insights. Another book (and accompany video) that I would highly recommend is 1001 Inventions (see links below) - I liked it so much I bought a friend a copy and lent my copy of the Pathfinders book.


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