The Curve of the Earth
by Simon Morden
science fiction
copyright 2013
read in December 2013
rated 6/10: read to pass the time
Tough but caring hero with lots of super-strength mech and mental upgrades. And a best friend who's an omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent supercomputer.
It's a whole lot of wish fulfilment, saving civilisation, fantasy. A whole lot of fun. But there's not enough good stuff for me to rate it as 7, well worth reading.
My rating scale is largely based on gut feel as I read the book. Curve is clearly worth 6. It just lacks the hard to define "worth" which would make it a 7. Good to read but no need to go out of your way to read it.
So.
I do like the Newcomen character. Rather, I like the way that Morden deals with him. There's doubt as to whether he will end up as help or hindrance. The final result is believable and satisfactory.
Then there's Michael, the self-aware super-computer. Every boy's favourite imaginary best friend... But wait a minute ! Is that the same Mike the super-computer that gained self-awareness in Heinlein's, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress ?!
Perhaps a clever allusion with explanation in an earlier book by Morden ? Our am I mistaken in my memory of names ? No matter... Mike or Michael, still a boy's best bully-bashing super-friend :-)
And finally...
According to the blurb on the back, it's worth mentioning the hero's "plethora of Russian swearwords".
Okay, he's Russian. And he -- presumably -- swears. In Russian. Or is he really saying, "Oh bother, those naughty people have just kicked me in the shins. Let me respond by placing this bazooka up their left sleeves."
So Morden has a dictionary of Russian vulgarity. And I too could learn to be crude in Russian. If I could be bothered reading Curve with a Russian-English dictionary close to hand.
It adds nothing much to the story.
It adds to the character, yes. For a while. Then it very quickly becomes boring. A modern hero who swears like a trooper but with minimal offence to the delicate reader ? Okay, clever. Until it's totally overdone.
Read the book, enjoy the action, move on.
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