The Race / Nina Allan

The Race

by Nina Allan

science fiction

copyright 2016

not read in December 2017

rated 4/10: bad but could be read

At page 22 I thought, If nothing happens, I'll stop reading.

Nothing happened. I stopped reading.

===

30mar19: I started reading. Thought, this is depressing. Thought ,this is boring. Thought, I've tried reading this before. Gave up.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Progress isn't made by early risers. It's made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something." … Robert A. Heinlein

===

https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/

Good Morning, Midnight / Lily Brooks-Dalton

Good Morning, Midnight

by Lily Brooks-Dalton

science fiction

copyright 2016

not read in December 2017

rated 5/10: readable but only if there's nothing else

There's this miserable git who seems to have decided to end his life at an Arctic astronomy base. "End his life" as in, the world is ending, everyone else is evacuating, he decides to stay.

Turns out that a young girl has also stayed behind. Eh?!

Who is she? Where did she come from? Why did no-one miss her during the evacuation?

These and other questions don't interest me. The book -- in its first 20 pages -- has nothing that interests me.

I stop reading.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Progress isn't made by early risers. It's made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something." … Robert A. Heinlein

===

https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/

The Elvenbane / Andre Norton, Mercedes Lackey

The Elvenbane

(Halfblood Chronicles 1 of ?4)

by Andre Norton, Mercedes Lackey

fantasy, chicklit

copyright 1991

read (again) December 2017

rated 7/10: well worth reading

I was wondering how many books are in the Elvenbane series, when I found two reviews of this first book. (I prefer to not read reviews before I write my own; all bias should be my own.) The reviews were interesting...

One review rated the book poorly, due to shallow characters and simplistic plot. The other reviewer enjoyed the book for its simple characters and straightforward plot. That is, the reviewers took the same points and interpreted them differently.

My reviews are *my* opinions. A review describes whether or not *I* enjoy a book. I have my own preferences in books. Worse yet, my preferences may change... Sometimes I want to read a light, uncomplicated book, sometimes I want more depth to my reading.

I read -- and re-read -- this book many years ago -- and enjoyed it. I have just read it for the third time -- and still enjoyed it :-) This is not to say that the book is perfect...

It was clear -- in earlier readings -- that this book would lead to sequels. Not to worry, it is a complete book in itself. This time, however, I noticed that many chapters have more to do with potential sequels than with this book. That is, several chapters add to the world view without adding to the plot. Drop those chapters and this book would appear to be complete -- but later books would need more "introductory" chapters.

Not to worry: Elvenbane is still a lot of fun. The main plot is exciting, the "extra" chapters are interesting, there are several love interests for the heroine. There is plenty of magic -- with different races having their own forms of magic. And, of course, there are dragons.

What's not to like?! This is a fantasy adventure that may be light -- but it is very enjoyable. And well worth reading.

==== Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved
===

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity." … Amelia Earhart

====

https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/

Virus-free. www.avast.com

Biggles x 2 / Captain W.E. Johns

Biggles in the Orient

by Captain W.E. Johns

... action, subadult

copyright 1945

read in December 2017

... rated 6/10: read to pass the time

Classic Biggles adventure with non-PC stereotypes which make it so simple to follow the plot. British are good, all villains are Asian. One Asian is said to be honest, generous, as I read it he is almost "one of us"; he was murdered before the story begins. There is one British character who is responsible -- without realising it -- for several British deaths; he pays the price by being killed.

There's lots of flying in a variety of planes; very satisfying for fans of flying (eg me). There's heroism and death and injury. A surprising amount of death and injury -- until you remember that this is a war story.

Biggles struggles through the heat of Indian jungle -- yet he still wears his tie. Oh, and I do have a worry with the chocolate bars that -- despite the heat -- do not melt.

The central mystery is well developed. The story is somewhat dated. The characters are two-dimensional. Yet it's still an easy-to-read and enjoyable book.

===

Biggles defies the Swastika

by Captain W.E. Johns

... action, subadult

copyright 1941

read in December 2017

...rated 7/10: well worth reading

Biggles is in Norway when the Nazis invade... which leads to my favourite scene: Biggles wakes up at his usual time -- but the hotel maid does not bring his morning coffee! No need to boil your own kettle, no need to call room service, delivery of morning coffee is just part of the hotel service... I like it :-)

The rest of the story is equally unbelievable, with Biggles flying & driving all over Norway, fooling Nazis and Nazi sympathisers at every turn and delivering vital information to British High Command.

Biggles is a straightforward fighting pilot, he does not like spying but he follows orders. Despite his own reluctance, Biggles does admire the bravery and skill of the "professional" spy.

This is plenty of action and adventure -- and flying -- in a story based around actual events in WW2. Germans are, of course, villains though they are not all evil. Some Germans are simply fighting for their own country. Norwegians who betray Norway get less sympathy.

Okay, I am a fan of Biggles. I like his attitudes, I enjoy his adventures. The start of this story is a bit slow but overall, I find that this book is well worth reading.

==== Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved
===

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity." … Amelia Earhart

====

https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/

Virus-free. www.avast.com

Cryptum / Greg Bear

Cryptum

(Halo / Forerunners #1)

by Greg Bear

science fiction, fansonly

copyright 2010

part read December 2017

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

At first I thought, Yes, this is fun, not too bad. Especially for a book based on a computer game.

Then I read further... and nothing happened.

Okay, things happened. Mysterious voices said, Do this. So the narrator did this. Special effects were described... in meaningless detail. The narrator accepted that he was a fool.

The book is set in the Halo universe. As far as I know, Halo is a first-person shooter. So when will the shooting start?!

Not quite half way through the book. There's a feeling that I'm reading the cut-scene for the start of a game. Setting the scene. But essentially pointless. Perhaps it makes more sense for Halo players?

As a novel -- almost half way through book one of three -- I stop.

Not a bad book. Not really "fansonly", which is a very negative category. Just that... nothing interesting is happening.

==== Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved
===

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity." … Amelia Earhart

====

https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/

Virus-free. www.avast.com

I Found this Funny / Judd Apatow (ed)

I Found this Funny

ed Judd Apatow

collection

copyright 2010

barely read December 2017

rated 2/10: unreadably bad

I looked at the cartoons: sick. Not funny.

I read a couple of the articles. Not funny. Boring.

I found this book is rubbish.

==== Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved
===

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity." … Amelia Earhart

====

https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/

Virus-free. www.avast.com

Feersum Endjinn / Ian M. Banks

Feersum Endjinn

by Ian M. Banks

science fiction ?

copyright 1994

read just a bit in December 2017

rated 4/10: bad but could be read

Chapter one seems to be a person coming out of hibernation. Chapter two seems to be a completely different world, possibly an interesting world. One character is told to "go there" and she sets off. In chapter three we meet an unrelated character who is travelling... somewhere else. Possibly on the same world. He travels, sees interesting things -- then is killed, for no apparent reason.

Chapter four is written by a new character who is apparently illiterate. Sure, he can write but he can't spell. Say the book title aloud. Then imagine pages written in phonetics which is even harder to interpret.

So far: four unrelated stories, two or three worlds. The threat that a quarter of the book will be written in phonetics. Or possibly rittin N fone u tix.

Forget it.

===

Oh, yes: why have I categorised this book as science fiction followed by a question mark? The hibernating character seems to be from science fiction. The rest -- as far as I can be bothered to read -- could be fantasy. But the cover -- and the author -- say, SF. So, probably, science fiction.

==== Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved
===

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity." … Amelia Earhart

====

https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/

Firefall / Peter Watts

Firefall

by Peter Watts

science fiction

copyright (2006) 2014

part read in December 2017

rated 5/10: readable but only if there's nothing else
(was 7/10: see update at end of review)

Full marks to the author for his up front warning: This is not a new book. It is two previously published books now in one volume. If you have just paid good money for this book, you may have already read book one... so half this volume is old material.

Could be worse... If you bought the first book (published eight years earlier, back in 2006) you would have reached the last page -- and then found that it was not the end of the story. Bugger, eh. Bloody US publisher :-(

I've since discovered that this is common practice, to publish just half of a story in one book -- with no hint that the story is not complete. It's to do with page limits in book binding, apparently. Which is fine -- unless there is no clear statement on the cover -- in which case it is just dishonest publishing.

The book itself.. as far as I read it... is rated as a bare seven. Which includes a bonus positive for the author's warning.

There are at least two themes: first alien contact and integration of brain with computer. (The second theme is, in fact, far more complex than that.) The first theme is interesting. The second is hellishly complicated -- and revealed very slowly.

For various reasons I am currently looking to read books for enjoyment and escapism. This book needs to be read very carefully... analytically... and occasionally with background reading to understand what is being said. It's a hard book to read, far too hard for me. I stopped reading even though I was just a few chapters short of the end of book one.

On the other hand, I believe that the book is actually well worth reading. It's certainly -- as far as I can understand it -- a new take on alien contact. The brain+computer theme is less interesting but far harder to read.

Merging a brain (and a body) with a computer is old hat. Justifying the results in terms of known properties of the brain is more difficult... and that is where I stalled. I stalled, gave up reading but -- again -- I'm not entirely sure that I understand what the author is trying to say.

I *think* this is a good book, with interesting themes well followed. But for *me* -- it is just too complex. Too complex by far.

===

08nov19: I picked up this book, realised I had read it before, started reading anyway. Did not like the characters, did not enjoy the space flight methods, checked my earlier review. I read for enjoyment. I stopped reading.

The book failed its second test. I think I'll change my rating to 5 out of 10. Readable but only if there's nothing else.

==== Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved
===

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity." … Amelia Earhart

====

https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/