34 posts tagged “books read in 2009”
Book One of The Commonwealth Saga: Pandora's Star
From the Cover:
It is AD 2329, and humanity has colonised over six hundred planets, all interlinked by wormholes. With Earth at its centre, the Intersolar Commonwealth has grown into a quiet, wealthy society, where rejuvenation allows its citizens to live for centuries.
When astronomer Dudley Bose observes a star over a thousand light years away vanish, imprisoned inside a force field of immense size, the Commonwealth is anxious to discover what actually happened. As conventional wormholes cannot reach that far, they must build the first faster-than-light spaceship. Captained by Wilson Kime, an ex-NASA astronaut a little too eager to relive his old glory days, the Second Chance sets off on its historic voyage of discovery.
But someone or something out there must have had a very good reason for sealing off an entire star system. And if the Second Chance does manage to find a way in, what might be let out?
From the Cover:
After hundreds of years secretyly manipulating the human race, the Starflyer alien has succeeded in engineering a war which should result in the destruction of the Intersolar Commanwealth. Now, thanks to Chief Myo, the Commonwealth's political elite finally acknowledges the Starflyer's existence, and puts together an unlikely partnership to track down this enigmatic and terrifying alien.
The invasion from Dyson Alpha continues with dozens of Commonwealth worlds falling to the enemy. The navy fights back with what it believes to be war winning super-weapons, only to find that the alien fleet has been given equally powerful weapons. How the aliens got them is the question which haunts Admiral Kime. Could it be that the Commonwealth's top-secret defence project has been compromised by the Starflyer's agents, or is the truth even worse?
To Mark Vernon, mechanic and general repairman extraordinaire, it appears he's landed on his feet when he finds the perfect job on the most secure world in the Commonwealth. He and his family will never be in danger again now that he's helping to build the starships that will evacuate the ultra-rich should the war be lost. Until one day when Nigel Sheldon arrives to ask him a small favour. You don't say no to the man who created the Commonwealth. But the problem with small favours is the way they tend to grow...
With the war going badly and the Starflyer's treachery threatening the very heart of the Commonwealth, only the alien's destruction can turn the tide. As Paula Myo finally begins to close in on her prey, the operation is sabotaged from within. If the nemesis is ever to be beaten, Paula will have to work out which of her colleagues is plotting to betray the entire human race.
I have been rather preoccupied reading these - well, Pandora comes in at 1,152 paperback pages, and Judas comes in at 949 hardback pages, that is some reading. And they are dense, too - not light reading, these - neither in content nor size!
I loved them. The aliens are the equal of The Moties, the canvas is wide and deep, yet manages to keep the characters human sized and intimate. Hazmilton explores the impact on humans of rejuvenation and how attitudes would change should you be able to survive death by being Re-Lifed. Mostly, the books deal with the rich and influential - this is not cyberpunk - though the disaffected certainly affect things. There are the Guardians, Barsoomians, and the Silfen to cope with too.
Odfdly, I must have read Pandora before. Although I could not remember what happened next, every page was turned with a sense of deja vu. I must not have read Judas - that came clean and unsullied (apart from some dirty fingerprints on the pages). I got them both from the library - always a bonus when all the books in a series are in.
Recommended. As long as you can read 2,000 pages without too much trouble.
From the Cover:
It is AD 2329, and humanity has colonised over six hundred planets, all interlinked by wormholes. With Earth at its centre, the Intersolar Commonwealth has grown into a quiet, wealthy society, where rejuvenation allows its citizens to live for centuries.
When astronomer Dudley Bose observes a star over a thousand light years away vanish, imprisoned inside a force field of immense size, the Commonwealth is anxious to discover what actually happened. As conventional wormholes cannot reach that far, they must build the first faster-than-light spaceship. Captained by Wilson Kime, an ex-NASA astronaut a little too eager to relive his old glory days, the Second Chance sets off on its historic voyage of discovery.
But someone or something out there must have had a very good reason for sealing off an entire star system. And if the Second Chance does manage to find a way in, what might be let out?
After hundreds of years secretyly manipulating the human race, the Starflyer alien has succeeded in engineering a war which should result in the destruction of the Intersolar Commanwealth. Now, thanks to Chief Myo, the Commonwealth's political elite finally acknowledges the Starflyer's existence, and puts together an unlikely partnership to track down this enigmatic and terrifying alien.
The invasion from Dyson Alpha continues with dozens of Commonwealth worlds falling to the enemy. The navy fights back with what it believes to be war winning super-weapons, only to find that the alien fleet has been given equally powerful weapons. How the aliens got them is the question which haunts Admiral Kime. Could it be that the Commonwealth's top-secret defence project has been compromised by the Starflyer's agents, or is the truth even worse?
To Mark Vernon, mechanic and general repairman extraordinaire, it appears he's landed on his feet when he finds the perfect job on the most secure world in the Commonwealth. He and his family will never be in danger again now that he's helping to build the starships that will evacuate the ultra-rich should the war be lost. Until one day when Nigel Sheldon arrives to ask him a small favour. You don't say no to the man who created the Commonwealth. But the problem with small favours is the way they tend to grow...
With the war going badly and the Starflyer's treachery threatening the very heart of the Commonwealth, only the alien's destruction can turn the tide. As Paula Myo finally begins to close in on her prey, the operation is sabotaged from within. If the nemesis is ever to be beaten, Paula will have to work out which of her colleagues is plotting to betray the entire human race.
I have been rather preoccupied reading these - well, Pandora comes in at 1,152 paperback pages, and Judas comes in at 949 hardback pages, that is some reading. And they are dense, too - not light reading, these - neither in content nor size!
I loved them. The aliens are the equal of The Moties, the canvas is wide and deep, yet manages to keep the characters human sized and intimate. Hazmilton explores the impact on humans of rejuvenation and how attitudes would change should you be able to survive death by being Re-Lifed. Mostly, the books deal with the rich and influential - this is not cyberpunk - though the disaffected certainly affect things. There are the Guardians, Barsoomians, and the Silfen to cope with too.
Odfdly, I must have read Pandora before. Although I could not remember what happened next, every page was turned with a sense of deja vu. I must not have read Judas - that came clean and unsullied (apart from some dirty fingerprints on the pages). I got them both from the library - always a bonus when all the books in a series are in.
Recommended. As long as you can read 2,000 pages without too much trouble.
From the cover:
It takes an alien race to show us our humanity.
When a mysterious alien race known as the Kethani makes contact with the people of Earth they bring with the the dubious gift of eternal life. These enigmatic aliens will change the course of the human race forever but also touch people's lives on a personal level, not least in a small town in the English countryside. But do the Kethani have a hidden agenda, and will the human race choose to evolve or turn in on itself in the face of this momentous revelation?
Kethani is a superbly crafted novel that examines the consequences of First Contact with an alien race, and the choices faced by those whose lives are touched by these visitors from the stars. This is moving and powerful science fiction.
O no it isn't! I have read more First Contact novels than there are words in this post, and this is low, low down on the list. It was a series of stories which have all appeared in print earlier. This is a Fix-Up book, and the Prologue, Interludes and Coda are not enough to make it a good, interesting novel.
Yes, how humanity might deal with immortality is dealt with. In a middle-class, English way. Don't know what happened to the rest of the world! There is no tension in this book, no kick at the end (read To Serve Humanity for a fine example of that!) - just a dreary, boring, non-delivery of a book.
Do not read this. Read A Mote in God's Eye, or Ringworld, or any number of any other books first.
It takes an alien race to show us our humanity.
When a mysterious alien race known as the Kethani makes contact with the people of Earth they bring with the the dubious gift of eternal life. These enigmatic aliens will change the course of the human race forever but also touch people's lives on a personal level, not least in a small town in the English countryside. But do the Kethani have a hidden agenda, and will the human race choose to evolve or turn in on itself in the face of this momentous revelation?
Kethani is a superbly crafted novel that examines the consequences of First Contact with an alien race, and the choices faced by those whose lives are touched by these visitors from the stars. This is moving and powerful science fiction.
O no it isn't! I have read more First Contact novels than there are words in this post, and this is low, low down on the list. It was a series of stories which have all appeared in print earlier. This is a Fix-Up book, and the Prologue, Interludes and Coda are not enough to make it a good, interesting novel.
Yes, how humanity might deal with immortality is dealt with. In a middle-class, English way. Don't know what happened to the rest of the world! There is no tension in this book, no kick at the end (read To Serve Humanity for a fine example of that!) - just a dreary, boring, non-delivery of a book.
Do not read this. Read A Mote in God's Eye, or Ringworld, or any number of any other books first.
From the Cover:
It is the summer of 1921 and eight-year-old Lucy Gault stays close to the glens and woods above Lahardane - the much-loved house that her family is being forced to abandon. She knows that danger threatens and the Gaults are no longer wecome in Ireland. Lucy, however, is headstrong and decides that somehow she must force her parents into staying. But the path she chooses ends in disaster. One chance event, unwanted and unexpected, will blight the lives of the Gaults for years to come and bind each of them in different ways to this one moment in time, to this beautiful stretch of coast...
Gravely beautiful, subtle and haunting - Hermione Lee, Guardian
Astonishing, tender. A perfect novel - Sunday Telegraph
Yes, this book is beautiful, haunting, subtle, well written, and all the other accolades I have seen heaped on its rather slim frame. Doesn't alter the fact that this is one of the most boring books I have ever read. Beautifully written, yes - but nothing of note really hapens in its 230 pages. I finished it, partly to see if anything did happen - nope. It is like a beautful sugar rose - beautiful, but insubstantial. Delicate but sickly.
Not recommended, really.
It is the summer of 1921 and eight-year-old Lucy Gault stays close to the glens and woods above Lahardane - the much-loved house that her family is being forced to abandon. She knows that danger threatens and the Gaults are no longer wecome in Ireland. Lucy, however, is headstrong and decides that somehow she must force her parents into staying. But the path she chooses ends in disaster. One chance event, unwanted and unexpected, will blight the lives of the Gaults for years to come and bind each of them in different ways to this one moment in time, to this beautiful stretch of coast...
Gravely beautiful, subtle and haunting - Hermione Lee, Guardian
Astonishing, tender. A perfect novel - Sunday Telegraph
Yes, this book is beautiful, haunting, subtle, well written, and all the other accolades I have seen heaped on its rather slim frame. Doesn't alter the fact that this is one of the most boring books I have ever read. Beautifully written, yes - but nothing of note really hapens in its 230 pages. I finished it, partly to see if anything did happen - nope. It is like a beautful sugar rose - beautiful, but insubstantial. Delicate but sickly.
Not recommended, really.
From the Cover:
No cheats, no back doors, no extra lives.
It was called in as a robbery at Hayek Associates, an online game company. So you can imagine Sergeant Sue Smith's mood as she watches footage of the heist being carried out by a band of orcs and a dragon, and realises that the robbery from an online game company is actually a robbery from an online game.
Just wonderful. Like she has nothing better to do. But when the bodies of actual people start to show up, it's clear that there is something very dangerous and very real going on at Hayek Associates.
If this is a game, someone is playing for keeps.
Another 9 out of 10 for Stross. I thoroughly enjoyed this, till the end anyway (which I found a bit - contrived? unrealistic? something like that). That aside, I would still recommend it.
No cheats, no back doors, no extra lives.
It was called in as a robbery at Hayek Associates, an online game company. So you can imagine Sergeant Sue Smith's mood as she watches footage of the heist being carried out by a band of orcs and a dragon, and realises that the robbery from an online game company is actually a robbery from an online game.
Just wonderful. Like she has nothing better to do. But when the bodies of actual people start to show up, it's clear that there is something very dangerous and very real going on at Hayek Associates.
If this is a game, someone is playing for keeps.
Another 9 out of 10 for Stross. I thoroughly enjoyed this, till the end anyway (which I found a bit - contrived? unrealistic? something like that). That aside, I would still recommend it.
My quest to read all Carl's books continues with Tourist Season. Debut novel or not, this is funny, but lacks something that his other books have. Dunno what. This still comes recommended, mind. Just - there is something missing.
From the Cover:
Nobody took any notice of the first victim. He was from out of town, probably took a dip when he was drunk. The second victim DID make waves. The head of the city's Chamber of Commerce found in a suitcase with a toy rubber alligator lodged in his throat. Now that was headline-hitting, bizarre even.
In Carl Hiaasen's violently funny first caper, reporters, cops, politicians and a very hungry crocodile do a Danse Macabre round the Everglades that makes Miami Vice look like Play School...
Recommended, though not the best.
From the Cover:
Nobody took any notice of the first victim. He was from out of town, probably took a dip when he was drunk. The second victim DID make waves. The head of the city's Chamber of Commerce found in a suitcase with a toy rubber alligator lodged in his throat. Now that was headline-hitting, bizarre even.
In Carl Hiaasen's violently funny first caper, reporters, cops, politicians and a very hungry crocodile do a Danse Macabre round the Everglades that makes Miami Vice look like Play School...
Recommended, though not the best.
From the Cover:
Twelve-year-old Oskar is an outsider; bullied at school, dreaming about his absentee father, bored with life on a dreary housing estate. One evening he meets the mysterious Eli. As romance blossoms between them, Oskar discovers Eli's dark secret - she is a 200-year-old vampire, forever frozen in childhood, and condemned to live on a diet of fresh blood.
Now a major feature film, Let the Right One iI is a disturbing and brilliant reworking of the vampire legend, and a deeply moving fable about rejection, friendship and loyalty.
I almost didn't buy this. It's those words - now a major film - put me off, every time.
However, I thought Kelly had recommended the book but no! It must have been another neighbour recommending the film. Whatever. I still bought the damn thing.
Thank you, whoever you are. I so enjoyed this - I think I finished this quicker than the Jim Butcher books, and that's saying something!
This is what is says on the cover - moving, brilliant, a love story, a horror story and most of all a fucking ace read. Highly recommended, specially to you, Kelly. Based on the books you have read, you will love this.
Twelve-year-old Oskar is an outsider; bullied at school, dreaming about his absentee father, bored with life on a dreary housing estate. One evening he meets the mysterious Eli. As romance blossoms between them, Oskar discovers Eli's dark secret - she is a 200-year-old vampire, forever frozen in childhood, and condemned to live on a diet of fresh blood.
Now a major feature film, Let the Right One iI is a disturbing and brilliant reworking of the vampire legend, and a deeply moving fable about rejection, friendship and loyalty.
I almost didn't buy this. It's those words - now a major film - put me off, every time.
However, I thought Kelly had recommended the book but no! It must have been another neighbour recommending the film. Whatever. I still bought the damn thing.
Thank you, whoever you are. I so enjoyed this - I think I finished this quicker than the Jim Butcher books, and that's saying something!
This is what is says on the cover - moving, brilliant, a love story, a horror story and most of all a fucking ace read. Highly recommended, specially to you, Kelly. Based on the books you have read, you will love this.
Harry Dresden is the only professional wizard in the Chicago area phone book, and paranormal investigations are his stock-in-trad.e Luckily, he's not alone. Although most people don't believe in magic, the Chicago PD has a Special Investigations department, headed by Dresden's good friend, Karrin Murphy. They deal with the... stranger cases.
It's because of Karrin that Harry sneaks into Graceland Cemetery one night to meet a deadly vampire named Mavra. It seems Mavra has some incriminating evidence that would destroy Karrin's career. The vampire's demand is simple: find her the Word of Kemmler and all the power that comes with it. But first, Harry would kind of like to know just what the Word of Kemmler is. Before long, he's in a race against time - and six necromancers - to get the Word. And to prevent the good people of Chicago from experiencing a Halloween night that will truly wake the dead...
Still lovin' it, lovin' it, lovin' it. Still good reading on these books. Highly recommended.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
And why would the chapters not break close in the last post, huh? What is it with Vox layout.
Aagghh! I missed this one out... OK, this is actually Book 5 (like it says)
From the cover:
From the cover:
Harry Dresden, Chicago's only practicing professional wizard, should be happy that business is pretty good for a change. But now he's getting more than he bargained for.
A duel with the Red Court of Vampires' champion, who must kill Harry to end the war between vampires and wizards...
Professional hit men using Harry for target practice...
The missing Shroud of Turin...
A handless and headless corpse the Chicago police need identified...
Not to mention the return of Harry's ex-girlfriend Susan, who's still struggling with her semi-vampiric nature. And who seems to have a new man in her life.
Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. No
matter how much you're charging.
Just don't you go stepping in front of no buses, Jim. Be careful on stairs and give your wallet to muggers, no questions asked. You have to keep writing these books! Can you tell - I enjoyed this one too.
muwhahahahahahaha!
She looks a bit worried, does't she? And so she should. In this, the last (two) books of the Serrano series, the main protaganists are, once again, fighting a battle against corruption, greed, aliens and themselves. Makes for great readng.
(nicked from Amazon, cos I am feeling lazy and in a hurry)
CHANGE OF COMMAND: The Speaker of the Grand Council has been assassinated, and battle lines are quickly drawn. Factions include Families keen to control the new political order, and neighbouring states preparing to defend themselves. Even Fleet can no longer be depended on to keep the peace. Young Fleet officers Esmay and Barin want simply to marry. But Barin is a Serrano, the most influential of Fleet families, and Esmay is Landbride of the planet Altiplano. Their elders see only disaster in the match. And as Esmay and Barin struggle to reconcile their families, their very way of life is threatened.
AGAINST THE ODDS: The worst has happened and Fleet is tearing itself apart. Some mutineers see injustice in the unequal spread of rejuvenation drugs offering virtual immortality to the rich; others are simply thirsty for power, or for blood. And when Esmay Suiza-Serrano is unceremoniously booted out of Fleet, the apparent victim of Family politics, she has no idea of the whirlwind of conflict that awaits ...
The Serrano books explore what might happen to a society if rejuvenation drugs were available. And a good job they do of it. My only quibble - this finished very abruptly, and a bit on the twee side of happily, and I wanted more. That said, if you like rollicking stories, space opera, strong female protaganists, romance, military stories and a damn fine read, try these books. You have to read them in order, though - these are not stand-alone books.
(nicked from Amazon, cos I am feeling lazy and in a hurry)
CHANGE OF COMMAND: The Speaker of the Grand Council has been assassinated, and battle lines are quickly drawn. Factions include Families keen to control the new political order, and neighbouring states preparing to defend themselves. Even Fleet can no longer be depended on to keep the peace. Young Fleet officers Esmay and Barin want simply to marry. But Barin is a Serrano, the most influential of Fleet families, and Esmay is Landbride of the planet Altiplano. Their elders see only disaster in the match. And as Esmay and Barin struggle to reconcile their families, their very way of life is threatened.
AGAINST THE ODDS: The worst has happened and Fleet is tearing itself apart. Some mutineers see injustice in the unequal spread of rejuvenation drugs offering virtual immortality to the rich; others are simply thirsty for power, or for blood. And when Esmay Suiza-Serrano is unceremoniously booted out of Fleet, the apparent victim of Family politics, she has no idea of the whirlwind of conflict that awaits ...
The Serrano books explore what might happen to a society if rejuvenation drugs were available. And a good job they do of it. My only quibble - this finished very abruptly, and a bit on the twee side of happily, and I wanted more. That said, if you like rollicking stories, space opera, strong female protaganists, romance, military stories and a damn fine read, try these books. You have to read them in order, though - these are not stand-alone books.
From the cover:
C:\BETHKE>RUN DOS, RUN!
Bad command or file name
C:\BETHKE>Jack Burroughs is a man more accustomed to saving documents than saving his skin,. The Information Superhighway may be a busy place, but, as any Junior Assistant Software Engineer for Monolithic Diversified Enterprises (Building 305) will tell you, it's not easy getting out of the bicycle lane. For Jack Burroughs, however, thigs are about to change. [ENTER]
Bad command or file name
C:\BETHKE>Before you can say "relational database", Jack finds himself caught in a tangled cyberweb of corporate double-dealing and virtual espionage. And when he's forced to put his life on line, it soon becomes apparent that his grip on (virtual) reality is by no means secure. [ENTER]
Bad command or file name
C:\BETHKE>Headcrash - Don't get caught with your systems down!
I nearly gave up on this, three pages in. The style of writing (see above) was a little annoying and the characters did not grab me. But - three pages, folks. I though No, that's not really fair and ploughed on.
And it was, actually, worth it. No way the best book I have read, but equally a long way from being the worst. There are better stories of cyberspace out there - but this is funny, has some excellent bits of writing in among the meh stuff, and comes down on the positive side of the scales.
C:\BETHKE>RUN DOS, RUN!
Bad command or file name
C:\BETHKE>Jack Burroughs is a man more accustomed to saving documents than saving his skin,. The Information Superhighway may be a busy place, but, as any Junior Assistant Software Engineer for Monolithic Diversified Enterprises (Building 305) will tell you, it's not easy getting out of the bicycle lane. For Jack Burroughs, however, thigs are about to change. [ENTER]
Bad command or file name
C:\BETHKE>Before you can say "relational database", Jack finds himself caught in a tangled cyberweb of corporate double-dealing and virtual espionage. And when he's forced to put his life on line, it soon becomes apparent that his grip on (virtual) reality is by no means secure. [ENTER]
Bad command or file name
C:\BETHKE>Headcrash - Don't get caught with your systems down!
I nearly gave up on this, three pages in. The style of writing (see above) was a little annoying and the characters did not grab me. But - three pages, folks. I though No, that's not really fair and ploughed on.
And it was, actually, worth it. No way the best book I have read, but equally a long way from being the worst. There are better stories of cyberspace out there - but this is funny, has some excellent bits of writing in among the meh stuff, and comes down on the positive side of the scales.
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