Book Review: Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire

I have to admit that I haven't read any of The Wicked Series - But I certainly will now. I was asked to review this book for We Love This Book. If like me, you have been to see wicked and found it fantastic you will love the books. It's Maguire's sense of humour that flies from the pages into the fitting theatrical setting that makes the show come alive. You can see my review on We Love this Book - http://www.welovethisbook.com/reviews/out-oz Or simply read below.

Out of Oz is the fourth and final novel in Gregory Maguire's The Wicked Years series. Compared to the likes of Tolkien, Maguire holds high esteem with critics and high expectations with his loyal readers. Fortunately he delivers, completing his fantasy series the way it started - extraordinarily.

We return to OZ in a social upheaval as the Emerald City attacks Munchkinland. It is several years since we left its characters; Glinda is under house arrest, the Cowardly Lion is on the run, Liir is in hiding and Elphaba long dead, after a run in with Dorothy. The focus of the story now falls on a young girl called Rain - daughter of Liir and granddaughter of The Wicked Witch. Ultimately this story is Rain's - It is her legacy to Oz.

Readers of the series will know that it's Maguire's imagination, prose and delicious sense of wit that make the series so enchanting. True to form Maguire gives us an OZ far richer than F. L Braum could have dreamt. Supplying endless amusement, he frequently switches narratives, reacquainting the reader with favourite characters while introducing some new including a guest appearance from Dorothy herself. The book is slow to start, resembling its characters as they meander up the yellow brick road. However the journey is still enjoyable and picks up to deliver a wonderful adventure. A poignant and stunning end to one of the decade's most successful fantasy series.

Book Review: The Taker - Alma Katsu

Dr. Luke Findley is on the midnight shift in the emergency room when the police bring in a young woman. Few strangers come to this remote town in northernmost Maine in the winter, and this stranger is accused of a bizarre crime: killing a man and leaving his body in the Great North Woods. The young woman, Lanny, tells the doctor that she and the man in the woods lived in this town at its founding two hundred years ago, until fate sentenced them to an eternity of unhappiness until they atone for their sins.

The man in the woods is Jonathan, son of the town's founder, and the love of Lanny's life. After Lanny commits a terrible sin in the hope of claiming Jonathan for her own, she's banished from town and sent to Boston to serve her penance. In Boston, she falls in with a beguiling yet frightening man, Adair, who has otherworldly powers, including the ability to confer immortality. His world is one of unknown sensual pleasures and seemingly limitless power, but at what price?

Adair wants to add Jonathan to the collection of treacherous courtiers who do his bidding (but for unknown ends) and sends Lanny back to Maine to collect him. It seems like the answer to Lanny's deepest desire—to be with Jonathan forever—but once Jonathan has joined Adair's pack of immortals, she sees that Adair is not what he seems and his intentions toward Jonathan are far worse than she imagined. And now it is up to her to save her beloved—and herself—from a terrible fate designed to last for all eternity.

The Taker is a story of the power of love to corrupt, to drive us to do terrible things in its name, and the courage it takes to sacrifice in the name of love and ultimately be worthy of absolution.

Katsu is an accomplished writer and The Taker bridges the gap between classic and urban fantasy with its compelling tale of unrequited love, immortality and the dark art of alchemy.
Do not assume this is a paranormal romance as the Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan quotes may suggest. This is a novel well worth the attention of more traditional fantasy readers. I would highly recommend all fans of fantasy give this book a chance. Reminiscent of Anne Rice’s work (particularly Interview with a Vampire) The Taker begins in modern day Maine but soon travels back to the late 18th century as Lanore explains her tragic story.

Katsu's The Taker is not a story about romance; instead it delves into the darker side of love. The novel is hauntingly gothic and follows the genres focus on torment and terror. It is clear from the start of the novel that its characters’ have suffered for love and this emotion is constantly partnered with obsession, anguish and lust. Lanore suffers the most – making hopeless decisions and dark paths in hopes of reaching her love unrequited.

As a main character, Lanore is exquisite. Katsu has the gift of creating a character that you are compelled to embrace. Undoubtedly, she is far from innocent yet still endearing. Regardless of the mistakes she makes you cannot help but sympathise. Similarly Katsu creates a fantastic villain in Adair who is as horrifying as he is fascinating. An Alec D'Urberville type character – Adair is a ferocious energy throughout the novel who you feel afraid to approach but unable to walk away from.

There is a surprising twist in this novel and my only criticism is I found it a little too surprising. Lanore makes the discovery and I’m not sure if there were enough clues for her to manage it. Nevertheless, this is a small criticism and perhaps other readers and the characters themselves are more astute than myself!

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was engaging and harrowing and a brilliant example of how modern day literature can still create a gothic impression. I’m sure the author has great novel to come.

BUY THE TAKER NOW

Book Review: Science Fiction Stories - Chosen by Edward Blishen

I picked up this book at the local second-hand store and I would highly recommend it to anyone to can a wide selection of short stories and extracts from some of the best writers in Science Fiction including H.G.Wells, Jules Verne, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury and Isaac Asimov.

English Author, Edward Blishen hand selects the stories himself which range from time travel to mind control - scientific exploration to space invasion.

The best think about it, is you get it on Amazon for £0.01p (used)

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Book Review: Zoo City - Lauren Beukes

I’m off to the British Library this Saturday for another trip around the Out of This World Science-Fiction Exhibition and this time, I have got myself tickets to the ZOO CITY at the British Library. Considering Zoo City by Lauren Beurke has been my favorite read of the year (and winner of the Arthur C Clarke Award) it’s time to write a review!
"Zinzi December has a Sloth on her back, a dirty 419 scam habit, and a talent for finding lost things. But when a little old lady turns up dead and the cops confiscate her last paycheck, she's forced to take on her least favourite kind of job - missing persons."

Set in the gritty underbelly of a fantastical Johannesburg of the future, Zoo City would be a Sprawl if this was a SF - but it’s not, it’s an urban fantasy. Furthermore, it’s not a YA urban fantasy, it’s an adult fantasy – well written, edgy and brilliant. Thank God. Lauren Beurke has put the credibility back in a genre that has recently been tainted by too many badly written and overhyped paranormal romances.

Zinzi December is a down and out ex-druggie, ex-journalist with a Sloth on her back and a rare ability to find lost items. In Zoo City, criminals are lumbered with animals – a manifestation of their guilt to constantly and shamefully bear. The Zoo Plague, or AAF (Acquired Aposymbiotic Familiarism) reads like a clever rework of Pullmans daemons (His Dark Materials) and like Pullmans daemon you secretly really want one - even if it’s a cannibal penguin and particularly if it’s a Sloth.

The whole book reads like a noir thriller as Zinzi is forced to take on a dodgy job finding a missing person. Her investigation gets darker and more sordid the further she looks and ultimately she must consult her, sketchy conscious and moral code to decide whether she is going to follow through.

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Book Review: Surface Detail - Ian M Banks

I went into the only book store in Jersey to grab some books. I was slightly horrified to find Ian M Bank’s Matter in the science fiction, new releases section. Matter was actually published in 2008 as the 8th novel in Bank’s Culture series. Surface Detail (released 2010) is the 9th and latest novel. This too was in Jersey’s new releases section and is still high on the current best seller list – so far enough! But reluctant to be behind the times (or at least as behind as Jersey), I thought it best to write a review now.



As I’ve mentioned previously in this blog, certain Culture books can be read without much knowledge of the series – some cannot. I would consider this the latter. Banks explains in a technology intricacy the details of the functioning fighter ships and the fundamentals of new age safety suit but assumes the reader is already up to date on the Culture. I think the Culture novels, particularly Surface Detail has the complexity and traditional theatrics of a space opera that can be lost on the less hard core SF fan. Banks has the credentials’ and themes that reach into literary success but sometimes the operatic drama can damage Bank’s true potential and credibility as the serious writer that you see in Wasp Factory. Personally, I think this is one of the most entertaining Culture novels I have read. And the space opera is brilliant. But then, I’m a space opera fan.

It begins in the realm of the Real, where matter still matters.

It begins with a murder.

And it will not end until the Culture has gone to war with death itself.
Lededje Y'breq is one of the Intagliated, her marked body bearing witness to a family shame, her life belonging to a man whose lust for power is without limit. Prepared to risk everything for her freedom, her release, when it comes, is at a price, and to put things right she will need the help of the Culture.

Benevolent, enlightened and almost infinitely resourceful though it may be, the Culture can only do so much for any individual. With the assistance of one of its most powerful - and arguably deranged - warships, Lededje finds herself heading into a combat zone not even sure which side the Culture is really on. A war - brutal, far-reaching - is already raging within the digital realms that store the souls of the dead, and it's about to erupt into reality.

It started in the realm of the Real and that is where it will end. It will touch countless lives and affect entire civilizations, but at the center of it all is a young woman whose need for revenge masks another motive altogether.

Surface Detail as the blurb suggests, begins in the real. We are introduced to three great characters who we like. Each one is immediately killed. Suddenly we are placed in the reality of Bank’s new world, where it doesn’t really matter. With the use of a neural lace that is placed in your brain, minds are backed up like a computer hard drive - stored and saved. Your body can be replicated and replaced. Death is no longer irreversible.

The technology within Bank’s world is extremely advanced and his techno-galactic world building is what makes him stand out as a good SF author. Virtual realities are the main focus of the novel. Minds are poured into virtual simulations, scenarios and realities to the point where whole lives and wars are fulfilled within these fake realities.

The novel following five different plots that centre around the concept, or in this case, the reality of Hell. In Bank’s super-advanced future, virtual realities are common place. These are civilisations where minds never die and virtual realities have been created as after lives for the disembodied. Sadistically, and all too plausibly, some civilisations have decided it necessary to create not only a heaven afterlife but a hell. The result in Bank’s novel is perversion of Dante’s hell; biblical torture carried out by monstrous and alien demons that destroy their victims in countlessly atrocious ways, endless lives filled with pain.

The war that brings the novel together is the war is to decide whether to destroy or keep these hell-realities within the galaxy. Vateuil is a soldier fighting in this never ending war. Chay, is trapped in hell after attempting to expose it’s horror to influence a sympathetic vote . Special Circumstance agent Yime Nsokyi, is assigned to find Lededje who may change the conclusion of the war. And, Lededje herself, completely unaware of the consequences is embarking on a revenge mission that may be pivotal to the fighting’s end.

The Surface Detail in the title works itself throughout the novel, most notably a reference to Lededje's fractal tattoo. The main way in which Bank’s illustrates the detail is by moving from the micro view and actions of his characters to the macro movement of the whole galaxy. The story becomes the age old question of whether one person’s plights is as important as the greater good. Is Lededje's revenge worth the war against Hells failing? Is Chay’s salvation worth every other soul in hells suffering?

I really enjoyed Surface Detail It has been criticized for mixing serious SF with the more traditional and frivolous which quite frankly Bank’s does well and is entertaining. I loved the Abominator class ship called the "Falling Outside the Normal Moral Constraints". The names are ridiculous. But with an eternity or intelligence and time in front of you – why wouldn’t you get a little silly? Falling Out of the Normal Constraints is hilarious and has some brilliant one liners. It is the first Culture novel where I have genuinely liked the characters apart from Yime, who is pretty much pointless. Although, apparently that’s the point? So it becomes a little pedantic to complain. It’s got an interesting and well thought out concept behind it and in my opinion, well worth the read.

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Book Review: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs.



The front cover’s picture – a haunting photograph of a young girl – makes me shudder and open the cover quickly. It takes me a long time to shut it again.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is (contrary to the haunting cover) not so much a horror but a fantastical mystery and adventure. Riggs writes in a refreshing classical style that reminds me of CS Lewis or H G Wells. Similar to CS Lewis, this young adult book can be enjoyed equally by adults or children.

A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote
island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss
Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms
and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here - one of
whom was his own grandfather - were more than just peculiar. They may have been
dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason.
And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive.

The main character Jacob is a regular, down to earth sixteen year old who unfortunately must deal with a set of extremely irregular occurrences – the first being his Grandfathers murder. In a wonderfully adventurous decision, Jacob travels to his Grandfather’s childhood orphanage to gain some closure and dispel any of the fairytales fuelling his dreams. Little does he know, he will journey to discover the reality of his nightmares.

The book is full of adventure, monsters and msytery. Jason himself describes the monsters 'like something out of David Lynch's nightmares' showing Riggs great perception for popular culture and modern day humour. I particularly enjoyed the Welsh’s childrens use of ‘taking the piss’. A phrase which baffled American Jacob but entertained me!

You can also tell Rigg's past as a geographical journalist as he describes the little welsh island - standing strong against in the sailor's grave sea and pounding British weather. A great setting for the story.

The other notablable gleem of this book are the pictures scattered throughout the movel. Each are original vintage photos from personal collections and really add to the sense of eerie mystery.

This is a brilliantly written book and a original plot which is a breath of fresh ait in the current YA book market. The peculiar children are true characters - each and everyone of them. You are definitely left intriqued to read more about them. And considering the book is left open ended, hopefully we will.

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN

Book Review: The House of Night Series – The Awakened

I want to keep this review quite short as it’s the eighth in the series and I have never reviewed the other books.

The House of Night Series is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me… Particularly because eight books later, I feel I have grown out of the age bracket for the reader. This is my first criticism of the book and the series. Whereas, most series develop their characters and plot to mature with the reader, this series has failed to keep up with its audience. Cringing as I dive back into the books, it takes me a couple of chapters to re-adjust to the teenage slang (like, oh my gawwwd) and random conversation about pure drivel that makes me question the heroes intelligence. PC Cast teamed with her daughter Kristen Cast for this teen fantasy series with the aim to produce books from a real teenage perceptive. I thought this was great in the first few novels where Zoey (the main character) who is a normal high school teenager is swept into the House of Night. Eight books on, she is an adjusted fledging and high priestess… Should she not have grown up a bit? She is supposed to be one most powerful fledging in the world. In my opinion there is nothing admirable or powerful about a heroine who refuses to swear and still uses the term ‘Bullpoopie’.

There are some great pop culture references throughout the series that set the book as a good urban fantasy; creating clever one liner’s and good comic moments that readers can really appreciate. I did enjoy the glee mention in this series and Jacks scene singing along to ‘Defying Gravity’ but these moments are equaled by moments that trivialize the plot and make you feel the characters are not taking their situation seriously.

What made me continue reading the House of Night series was the plot. In theory, it has a lot of components to an epic fantasy. There are vampires, gods, ancient mythological creatures and ancient magic. The ongoing conflict between Zoey and Neferet (the villain of the story) is essentially a battle between good and evil. I like the plot but it dismally lost its punch in this novel. And unfortunately, I can’t see it getting it back. It is incredible hard to feel a sense of danger and doom when the characters themselves seem to be underrating the whole situation. The inane childish commentary continues as does the pathetic teenage rivalry between characters (surely differences are set aside when people start dying?)

This being said, I think my main problem with this book was the deaths… or lack of. The sixth and seventh book focused on the dramatic death of Heath (Zoey’s first love) the trauma of which caused her soul to shatter. Heath’s death was sudden and shocking and suddenly the plot got serious. In the Eighth novel however, PC Cast has deemed to bring Heath back to life. It seems that Cast enjoys bring all significant deaths back to life in some shape of form (Stevie Ray, Zoey, Heath…) which makes me, as the reader no longer care if any character dies because I feel they will turn up again – Yawn. It ruins any sense of threat from Nerefet. Or evil. To me, Cast has proven she will never be brutal. She will only truly kill off the secondary characters who we have little emotional connection to. This series will finish as PG as it started and I fear everyone will live happily ever after. Nice…But, definitely not exciting.

This is quite a negative review for me. I am disappointed with the House of Night series because I feel it had potential. It has a strong and interesting plot which most vampire teen fantasy’s lack. Also, unlike Twilight, it has strong sense of matriarchal empowerment which is refreshing. It is also tackles a lot of social issues. It’s the only teen fantasy I have read lead characters who are gay and brings up racial issues. Not that it is a pinnacle point of topic in the book, but you can tell Cast has deliberately set up a theme of equality that is done effectively and positively.
All in all, if you are young this is a good book. If you are looking for light hearted fantasy this is what you are going to get. It isn’t going to bridge the gap to adults though and as much as I wish it would, it’s not going to get dark and poignant.

BUY AWAKENED: A HOUSE OF NIGHT NOVEL

Book Review - The Good Man Jesus and The Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman

Philip Pullman's Jesus and Christ

The Times reviewer Ronald Hutton describes Pullman's new work as a postmodern fiction, from which different readers can take the messages they choose. I would have to agree. And it is extremely relevant when discussing religion and myth because, more than ever, people are taking a post modern view of these subjects and interpreting text as they perceive. This includes myself. The novel’s purpose is not to explore the history of Christianity. It is a story which explores the teachings of Jesus, the problems of organised religion the nature of storytelling.




Growing up in a very catholic schooling (two convent school to be precise) and being a huge Pullman fan from childhood, I was eager to read The Good Man Jesus and The Scoundrel Christ. To be honest, my experience with Christianity have left me cynical of religion and I was looking forward to Pullman (well known for his criticism of organized religions) to give it to them! However, what I read was much more thoughtful and tactful then expected and I am surprised so many took offence. Underlying this novel, is actually a very well meaning perception of the message of Jesus. There is a difference in the belief of the divinity of Jesus of Nazareth and belief in the virtue of his teachings. And I don’t believe there is anything wrong with holding value in the former without the later.

The books premise is that Mary does not give birth to one son, but twins; Jesus and Christ. Jesus is the one to walk into the desert and preach the word of God, whereas Christ stays in the shadows but has loftier dreams for his brother. He listens to the childhood prophecy’s and is obsessed with the thought of his brother being chosen by God to change the world and perform miracles. He is encouraged by a mysterious stranger to help his brother become this messiah by recording events, but editing and changing them to lead a religion from his preaching. However, Christ realizes too late that in order to create this religion the most miraculous thing must happen; Jesus must die and rise again. Furthermore, it is he who must carry out the events. It is then the reader realizes that ‘Christ’ is actually Judas. He must forever console himself that his actions were necessary to create the church and that although he killed Jesus, the memory of him as a savior will live forever.

Pullman wrote this novel as a contribution to the Canongate Myths series, which invited prominent writers to retell famous imaginary tales in a personal way. Controversial as always, Pullman chose to tackle the myth of Jesus Christ. The novel has strong similarities to Brecht, not only in title but form. The novel is broken up into a series of self-contained dramatic episodes, making it difficult to just enjoy the flow of the story; it forces you to think. The narrative is written similarly to most religious texts, with a dispassionate and dull narrative voice giving the novel satire.

Like Graham Swifts’ Water Lands the novel takes on the theme of storytelling, particularly storytelling about history. As we know, the bible is a historical account. But how much can we trust a historian or narrator? Has he told us the true events of the story? In Pullman’s story, Christ writes down the account of Jesus’ life that will one day become the bible. There is a difference between the events in the novel and what he writes down and names ‘the truth’. This is particularly true of the miracles performed by Jesus. Whereas, Christ lists the many miracles Jesus performs during his teachings, in truth, he never accomplishes anything miraculous. For example, the story of Jesus turning a few fish and wine into a feast for thousands was actually resolved by Jesus asking everyone to share what food they had until the whole crowd was nourished.

When studying the bible I remember challenging the gospels myself. Each gospel is written by a different Disciple and describes different events in the lead up to Jesus’ crucifixion. There has been much debate as to which disciples’ version of history is the most accurate. It is natural to turn to the new testament for evidence and answers about Jesus. But the thing is, the New Testament does not prove anything but what Jesus’ disciples believed and saw in his actions – each testament is their own personal viewpoint. Also, we must remember by the time these testaments were written, the actions had long past and the myth of Jesus had already begun which undoubtedly influenced the texts.

The most controversial part of The Good Man Jesus and The Scoundrel Christ is how Pullman criticizes organized religion. When Jesus takes a walk alone in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of his arrest he thinks about the dangers of an organized religion with power; the wars that would be created; the corruptions that would be overlooked.
The one criticism I have with this book is Jesus’ lapse of faith also during this soliloquy. He admits that although he prays to God, he hears no answer and questions whether God is listening at all. Although it is an important concept to think about (prayer without answer), Jesus had never received any words from God. I didn’t understand why he thought they would come? Or why he thought they were important? I was hoping for a liberating story where one no longer had to achieve some miraculous sign to have some faith; that the point of the text was to prove that you did not need to wait for words from above to follow a good path. It was also a shock because Jesus’ faith had never been questioned before during the novel. As a reader, it left me stunned and unsure of how to react. Did Jesus regret all the teachings he was so sure of throughout the novel? Something about this soliloquy rang untrue to the plot and was disappointing.

All in all I did enjoy the book. The importance of controversy is it shocks the reader into looking deeper into stories and fables told so often the mind pays little attention anymore. There is alot of criticism of organised religion in the modern day and Pullman makes a good point with Christ that although secular identities may cause alot of problem in society, the meanings and teaching that religious people try to follow and well meaning and good.

Book Review: The Wind Up Girl - Bacigalupi

When you haven't blogged in a while you need to come back with a bang?

So what do I want to come back with? Probably the next big science fiction writer.



It is such a great feeling when you finish a book and realize it was not just a great read but a phenomenal read. The Wind Up Girl is crafted perfectly and complements its authors ingenious ideas with superb writing.

This was my most eagerly anticipated read of 2010. The novel is one of the most critically acclaimed of the year (extraordinarily for a debut novel). It won two of the genres biggest awards, the Hugo and Nebula award. It also won the John W Campbell and the Locus first novel.

The Wind Up girl is set in a future Thailand struggling for survival; survival from the flood waters that skim it’s protective walls, survival against the incurable gene plagues ravaging the world and survival from the genetics that hack down food crops and destroy the vital calories needed to keep the population. There is a battle in the city between the money hungry traders who are eager to ignore environmental legislations and the environmental white shirts who struggle with the balance between the contraband gene tampering and the government, tampering themselves, to survive. Then there are the Thai rulers, struggling to maintain their culture and spirit in a new world that butchers it.

It was a breath of fresh air to read a future sci-fi set in Thailand. The future Thailand is a steam-punk dystopia energized by its factions - each struggling for dominance. It’s clear that the energy of the city is bubbling to a violent climax. Notoriously compared to William Gibson's seminal cyberpunk novel Neuromancer the plot has the darkness and violence of a noir - with multiple corrupt characters and plot twists.

It’s also an environmental Sci-Fi. What makes it a good one is that the plights of The Wind Up Girls Thailand have roots in today’s society. Bacigalupi creates a haunting world because its believable. He mixes this with the fanciful, from evaporating Cheshire cats to terrifying armoured megathons.

Defying the majority of environmental sci-fis, Bacigalupi leaves his story open ended and without defining the ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. You are left with a feeling of resolution but no clear idea who was right; who won and who lost. Follow this lack of decisiveness; there are no outright heroes or villains in the novel. For example, Jaidee the head of the white shirts (the environmental military entrusted with keeping the genetic terrors at bay) should be a hero but in the first scenes he is seen accepting bribes from traders. He then destroys their shipments, ignoring the illicit money he has just received to protect them. He terrorizes and threatens all who stand in the white shirts path, considering it a lesser wrong for protecting his country. He reminded me of Jack Bauer, but instead of protecting his country against terrorists, he protects it from the biological threats. There is also Kanya; his deputy who is really a double agent. She struggles between choosing between which of her masters is really providing justice and helping the nation. Is there really an answer when both are shedding blood?

The Wind Up girl is a key character and a metaphor of the books message. She is a new person; a Japanese creation. She is created with human modification. She has immunity from disease, strength and quicker reflexes. However, because she is designed to serve and delight others she is also built with flaws such as no pores to give her perfectly smooth skin. This causes her to overheat if she moves too fast. She is also designed to move in wind up, stutter stop motions: a deliberate feature to ensure she can be spotted from a real person. She has also been built with innate psychological qualities - like a labrador she craves a master and to serve. The Thai’s regard her as an abomination – unnatural and dangerous. She is constantly treated as inferior, when she herself points out; really she is superiorly designed in every way. The doctor Gi Bu Sen (a master at gene hacking) comments the world could be much better off if we all gave in and became new people ourselves.

The novel is a tremendous read that is never predicable and leaves you turning each page eager for more. The characters are engaging and you long to know what will happen next. Is there a sequel? Only time will tell! All I know is, after reading this book you know that Paolo Bacigalupi is the next big thing in Sci-Fi.

Book Review: I Robot – Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov is probably my favourite Sci-Fi writer. To me, he is the unequivocal classical sci-fi writer.

I Robot is similar to Asimov’s other books in the sense that it is made up of a collection of short stories centered around robots. These series of stories were actually originally published in a series of pulp magazines. The common thread throughout the stories is Dr. Susan Calvin, a robopsychologist employed by Earths largest robot manufacturers US Robot Inc. The stories of Dr. Calvin’s retrospection on her career, narrated to an eager journalist.

Gone are the tales of robot killers and cold hearted armies of metal over throwing the human race. Each story explores the moralistic, practical and ethnical arguments for developing artificial life. The novel is seminal in the fact that many future writers included Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics which are pinnacle to the plot:
1) A robot may not injure a human being or through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm;
2) A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law
3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

These laws are created in Asimovs’ story to ensure humans place as the master because ultimately, future robots are far more intelligent and physically durable than humans will ever be. They are also more moralistic than humans (for the afore mentioned rules). Asimov uses his stories to explore this relationship and even debate if Robots should be the rulers, being more capable.

Asimov has a great sense of comedy and the stories are equally comical, as some are dark. Each story generally centers around a problem or fault with a robot which must be solved which by the end leaves you trying to figure out the solution first.
The character of Dr. Susan Calvin is outshone by the robots she encounters. Dr. Calvin is not likable - this is particularly relevant when she drives a robot into madness just to spite him and you begin to empathize with her view that robots are nicer than humans. The first story of Robbie (a little girls Nanny Robot) is particularly endearing to robots.

I’ve never been that much of a ‘robot story’ reader but I really enjoyed this book. The great thing about Asimov is that he creates books that really speculate the future. I Robot (which is nothing like the film!) could be renamed A Comprehensive Investigation into the Possible Affects to the Development of AI. You get the impression that Asimov spent a great deal of time looking into every side affect from the advances this kind of technology would create when in reality, he probably didn’t spend very long on each story. In the height of his career Asimov was churning out stories and ended his career with nearly five hundred books to his name and several hundred articles to his name.

Book Review: Crescendo - Becca Fitzpatrick

As I mentioned, I received a shiny (the cover really is shiny) signed copy of crescendo that I’m delighted to give it a review.



Great start to the sequel with the murder of Nora’s father. We wanted to know more since the first novel and it’s immediately revealed that his death is linked to the dangerous world of angels – the plot thickens.

The book then starts from where it left off which is a nice touch. Naturally, everyone wants to know about Patch and Nora and the reader hasn’t missed anything. I hate when stories leave out the ‘happy months’ after the first novel and immediately go into the drama. Great! We knew they happened but a couple of paragraphs about summer days snuggling on the beach doesn’t really cut explain much does it? At least we know the happy period didn’t last long and there’s trouble from the onset. Understandable, when a fallen angel/come guardian angel is trying to have a sneaky relationship with his protected. So although the novel starts with a blissful relationship we all know it inevitably won’t last long. Fitzpatrick tackles this well. It’s usually the guy who’s the sensible one and breaks it off but Nora manages to beat him to it. In light of the Arch Angels threatening Patch if he doesn’t end the relationship she quickly decides to end it herself (lessening the heartache by making it quick and ensuring Patch doesn’t stay with her but at least stays alive!) Clever girl! Reminds me of a Buffy plot! But surely they have to find some way to get back together?

Of course, trying to keep away from the guy you love is never easy. Especially for a teenage girl and especially when he decides to spend his new found freedom in the company of your slutty arch rival – Marcie Millar (cue for girl drama). It’s not often you get a girl fight in a fantasy novel. I found it pretty entertaining! Nora suddenly plays the typical girl writhed with jealously. She becomes consumed with the fact that Patch is suddenly with Marcie and becomes obsessed with finding out what’s going on. This annoyed me a little as it seemed obvious to me that Patch was performing some angelic duty. But fair enough! At least she doesn’t sit sulking in her room and Fitzpatrick really captures the emotional rollercoaster of being a teenage girl in love. The truth is her irate behavior and snap decision are a little annoying and get her in trouble but they also make her character interesting and exciting. I didn’t like the sensible Nora. I like the Nora that goes to pool halls with random boys to prove she’s cool and breaks into people’s bedrooms to find their secrets.

Fitzpatrick’s Patch is as ever, delightfully mysterious, sexy and secretive. His attitude to the break up is handled brilliantly. He comes off uncaring and cold to Nora but to the reader he seems to be acting like an adult trying to handle the situation; it is obvious there is more to the story than Nora is aware of. He refuses to be drawn into the unnecessary drama that Nora creates in her angst.

The great thing about these novels is they manage to mix the everyday drama and angelic drama really well! In the midst of worrying about demonic and angelic attacks, Nora still manages to worry about buying a car, landing a job and getting one over on Marcie Millar.

Another irritation about Nora during the novel is her inability to reaction to threats. During the novel, Nora keeps having glimpses of her dead father. One of these sightings turn into a supernatural attack but at no point does Nora think she should mention it to someone. Anyone. Nor does she realize it’s strange that Patch doesn’t notice the danger and come to the rescue? Stupid things like that get heroines killed. Not to mention she didn’t get a punch in during the girl fight!

The main thread in this novel is Nora’s quest to find out who killed her father. She receives a mysterious note claiming the murderer is The Black Hand. Could it be that Patch is The Black Hand? All clues lead to him… This is a brutal blow to Nora. Fitzpatrick has set up the worst kind of betrayal. I really was swaying from yes to no. He couldn’t have done it? Could he? Maybe? The brilliance of the novel is that Patch really does appear capable of anything.

The end is a good twist. And the setting is great. The mythology of the nephilim, archangels and fallen angels, progresses and it’s a plot that has potential for an epic fantasy if Fitzpatrick hadn’t gone down the Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy root.

I think this is the success and the downfall of a novel like this. People who want a paranormal romance might find it falls short of a novel enthralled in romance whereas readers who love a good plot with a love line thrown in are going to be slightly put off by the huge focus on Patch and Nora. I personally think the Hush Hush series does well to tick all the boxes. It has an original idea that is undoubtedly evolving; a great love story; and a firm grasp on the elements you need for an urban fantasy.

What I also found interesting in the novel is it had the sequel feel to a novel series and not a trilogy. If the series was a trilogy it should have packed more punch. Crescendo sits well against other fantasy series for a sequel. Not as good as the first but leaves you excited for the third. And just over the horizon you feel a bigger plot could immerge. If it is a trilogy I'll be disappointed. It has more potential than that.

Plus, Crescendo has a cliffhanger that guarantees you will be buying the next book! You have been warned.

Can I buy it now please?

Book Review: The Maze of Death - Philip K Dick

I picked up The Maze of Death from a second hand book shop. It’s included in the SF Masterworks though, so it may still be available in shops! For those of you that aren’t clued in on the SF Masterworks is a series of Sci-Fi classics that are being reprinted based on their merit by Gollancz, an imprint of the Orion Publishing Group.



The Maze of Death is one of the lesser known Philip K Dick novels (probably because it’s one of the few that hasn’t been adapted to the screen) and was written in the middle of his career. If you have a look at the SF Masterworks list you will see that Dick nominates the classics. What is truly a shame is that his genius didn’t get recognized by a mass audience until Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner in 1982 (the year of Dick’s death). Philip K Dick spent the majority of his writing period living in poverty, struggling to live off the salary of a novelist.

The Maze of Death can easily be identified as being written in the middle of Dick’s career. It has the 1970’s paranoia trip that bleeding into his work as he experimented with methamphetamines and LSD. This being said, the novel also has a beautifully classic feel about it that is lost with his more popular novels.
In The Maze of Death fourteen people are selected and placed on a supposedly ‘uninhabited’ world for reasons they think will be explained when the last colonist arrives. The purpose of the mission is to be beamed from an orbiting satellite (their only communication and link to the outside universe). Unfortunately, or deliberately, the satellite breaks when they try to retrieve the message leaving them on the mysterious Delmak-O stranded with no escape and no purpose.

Things get bleaker when members of the group start being killed off and the books takes on a psychological twist leaving the reader and the colonists wondering if the whole situation is some sort of disturbing psychological experiment. This is strengthened by the fact that each of the 14 members of the new society appear to be dysfunctional and the rejects of the universe; from alcoholics and pill poppers to sex addicts.

The novel keeps you guessing and I doubt anyone has predicted the end. It’s the kind of resolution you are either going to love of hate. I would have hated this ending if it wasn’t for it’s pure bleakness. There is something about the thought of this ending which is truly terrifying… Even more so than an inescapable world of unhinged strangers… But I won’t give it away! More so, it complements the theme of the novel – perceived reality.

The other interesting part of this novel is Dick’s exploration of Religion (some might argue another perceived reality). The foreword of the story states:

It stems from an attempt by William Sarill and myself to develop an abstract, logical system of religious thought, based on the arbitrary postulate that God exists.

In this world, Dick has seemed to throw together all religions into a scientific blender to make sense of the rhetoric and put the biblical into layman’s terms. The world’s bible is dubbed Specktowsky's How I Rose From The Dead In My Spare Time And So Can You. In this reality prayers can be relayed through futuristic post and answered accordingly. Religious figures include the Intercessor, Mentufacturer and Form Destroyer who control, monitor and create the universe, occasionally appearing to mortals. The Walker-on-Earth is a prophet of sorts who destiny is to appear to mortals and help them in hours of need. In a novel where Dick explores perception and reality, this philosophical meander gives the deepest meaning to the novel. Where each character has a different perception about their purpose or the true identity of Delmak-O , they also have different perceptions through their religious upbringings. A good example of this is when Seth claims the Walker on Earth who tells him not to go to Delmak-O. The group questions him on how he knew this man was the Walker on Earth. Was it just his perception of an irrelevant comment? Also, how does this relate to their fate? It the Gods tried to intervene but Seth ignored the message. This is also true of Tallchief who was selected for the mission by answer to his prayer. Perhaps this is punishment? Is Delmak-O hell? It almost seems such...

The Maze of Death is really more of a short story that a true novel which means it lacks any character development and plot progression that could of made the story stronger. But it’s a very enjoyable read and you can't get annoyed at a book that is short and sweet!

Review: The Difference Engine - William Gibson and Bruce Sterling

The Difference Engine is William Gibson and Bruce Sterling’s frolic into steampunk. As I mentioned, it’s the first steampunk novel I have read and I wasn’t sure what I would think. I’m not a fan of 19th century literature having waded through it in University. In his review, Robert J. Sawyer, describes the book as challenging. I have to agree. Like over period books, it is a challenging read but in terms of imagination and fascination it is worth the struggle to the end.



The novel is full of real life characters and events. The novel centralizes around the idea that Charles Babbage's general purpose mechanical computer was successfully created; throwing Victorian England into the alternative history of a technological revolution in the midst of the ongoing industrial revolution. The result is a strange play on the late 20th century's information technology revolution full of gears and steam on the smoky cobbled streets of London. Gibson and Sterling create an England obsessed with industry and science meticulously (and corruptibly) upheld by the ruling ‘Industrial Radical Party’.

The plot (which is a bit weak) is focused on the search for ‘clacking’ cards which are used to program Babbage's computer. The Difference Engine reminded me of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway in the sense that although there is a plot, the main focus of the novel is the atmosphere and world that overwhelms the book. Also similar to Woolf, The Difference Engines’ plot is explored through a series of intertwined stories. Using several stories focusing on different characters and their worlds allows the reader to get a broader grasp of how this other London works and feels. I enjoyed this use of style, particularly because the first character (Sybil Gerald’s) accent and personality irritated me. Fortunately, she is only in the first story! In fact, in general the first and last sections of the book are slow. The first story is worth powering through and the last leaves you feeling without a resolution. If you like tidily finished novels, you probably won’t enjoy The Difference Engine. Each story has various ends untied and the mysterious clacker cards’ purpose is never truly brought about. I however, enjoyed this method as it gave the novel a sense of ‘real life’.

The novel does have some good plots. I particularly enjoyed the thread focusing on Mallory, a ‘savant’ or paleontologist/explorer who uncovers a Brontosaurus skeleton in Wyoming and then becomes involved in a thrilling mystery to find the illusive Captain Swing. This is followed by a murder mystery investigated by Oliphant, a secret agent of sorts who enjoys posing as a Journalist. These stories focus on interesting debates throughout the novel such as uniformitarian vs catastrophic geology, chaos theory, communism, media propaganda and influence which are alluded from the ‘kinotrope’ shows. This is done very well and showed signs of the deeper thought and meaning behind the novel that make the writers reputable.

This alternative history is saturated in impressively accurate Victorian detail and extravagant description of the steam and gear contraptions that keep London running. This is the true enjoyment of the novel; being drawn into a whole steampunk world stemming from the single idea of Baggage’s. It’s exciting to imagine the logistics of a giant mechanical data machine. Or indeed how the environment would cope with London as an industrial hub of smoke and pollution (well, maybe we all have an idea about that one!)

Ultimately, the novel reminding me a lot of Asimov in the sense that Gibson and Sterling created a fantastic world and through the story touched on issues and debates worth commentary. However, Asimov has an impeccable ability to make his description intricate yet simple to understand. A lot of The Difference Engine got shrouded in smoke for me. Also apart from Mallory, I didn’t have any empathy for the characters. So although it was enjoyable, the book will never be epic for me.