The Medusa Chronicles / Baxter & Reynolds

The Medusa Chronicles

by Stephen Baxter & Alastair Reynolds

science fiction

copyright 2016

opened in January 2020

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

I've read about 20 pages and the book has not been interesting. Some discussion, some exploration of a big ship with several repeats of how really really big it is. Meetings with several cardboard characters. So far the main point seems to be, that the main character is not happy and not pleasant.

I suspect that it will be tedious but interesting, so I rate it at six. I'm just not interested in reading any further.

I think I was put off by the blurb on the back cover: "As centuries unfold..." Hints of an episodic history rather than an interesting story.

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Ah, yes, I was right... I wanted to write the essential review before confirming my bias. Having now checked: Yes, Baxter is the author who can take an idea from Terry Pratchett -- and create a whole series of really boring books. Decision confirmed, I will not read further.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
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"I took out a loan to pay for an exorcism. If I don't pay it back, I'm going to get repossessed." … Olaf Falafel
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Venus / Ben Bova

Venus

by Ben Bova

science fiction

copyright 2000

part read in January 2020

rated 4/10: bad but could be read

I wonder if someone said, Hey Mr Bova, here's an article on weird ways to get to Venus, why don't you write a story about it? So Bova describes a ridiculous spaceship, adds cardboard characters, love interest and a possible villain... and it is published.

The author also shows signs of being an ancient, narrow-minded person. A group of people get together for a casual discussion, they are all dressed up in suits. How horrible it was in the past, thinks one of them, When people used to wear old untidy clothes. And they would have tattoos. Ugh!

Sorry, that is a very "disgruntled old man" view.

Just before page 100 the main character realises that he is a useless fool. He's right, I'm just surprised at how long it took him to realise the truth. And then... he does not change. Well, not as far as I can be bothered reading.

The spaceship has some interesting features. There is no space to move in the control room. The labs are cramped. The mess is said to be the only space where two people can sit and meet. What about the viewing room? With room for two to sit and chat. Has it disappeared?

Oh, and they spot the metal wreckage of an earlier spaceship. One serious problem: the spaceship was made of "cermet" -- which is said to be stronger than metal -- but *not* metal.

Back at the start of the book, the evil father is about to cut off his son's allowance. Yet, without question -- the father bankrolls the building of his son's spaceship!

The plot is slipshod, characters are unbelievable and unlikeable. The science may be "hard" but it is unlikely and it is inconsistent.

It's slow. It's silly. It's rubbish. I have no interest in what happens next. I've stopped reading.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
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"I took out a loan to pay for an exorcism. If I don't pay it back, I'm going to get repossessed." … Olaf Falafel
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The Last Namsara / Kristen Ciccarelli

The Last Namsara
(Iskari #1)

by Kristen Ciccarelli

fantasy

copyright 2017

read in January 2020

rated 9/10: really really good

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31mar23: I read a page or two... thought it was familiar... and yes I had read if already. Long enough ago that I had only vague memories of what happened. And that's as good as reading a new book.

Over a few years, my opinion of a book may change... I'm in a different mood, looking for different things, whatever.

For this book -- my enjoyment is exactly the same...

Action and violent adventure. Sweet love. Satisfying ending with more to come. At the end of the book... I am left smiling :-)

My original opinion is the same:

First point. I enjoyed this book. That's the key measure of my rating :-)

More than that, this book is different. The dragons are different. The characters problems are different. The world is new... though fairly standard. The politics -- past, present and future -- are unexpected. For me. It feels quite realistic.

I almost categorised the book as chicklit... but it's not. It is definitely written from a female viewpoint, it's all about a heroine and yes, she does regularly change clothes. But it's not chicklit.

This is a story for anyone, it just happens to have a strong female lead. She does go all warm and fuzzy near the male lead character -- but it's the man who is captured, beaten, held hostage against the heroine's good behaviour.

It's a great fantasy story where the lead character just happens to be female. Yes, she's tough yet the male villain is physically stronger. It all seems quite natural, no-one is forced into a "counter gender" role.

Then the book ends -- very satisfactorily. Yes, the battle for freedom and unity has barely begun. There is a lot more to do -- I expect there are more books in the series. Yet I am able to finish the book and feel, that was a very satisfactory ending.

(Okay, I search the web and find that there are two more "Iskari" books. Good :-)

Okay, it's a "girl and boy finally get together" ending but I like that :-) It feels good, it wraps up the current conflict, there is more to do but it is not an annoying cliff-hanger.

The book rates a clear 8/10. For the sheer pleasure as I read the last pages... definitely nine out of ten.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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"[The] truth is incontrovertible. Panic may resent it, ignorance may deride it, malice may distort it, but there it is." ... Winston Churchill

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/ :-)

Angel of Storms / Trudi Canavan

Angel of Storms

(Millennium's Rule #2

by Trudi Canavan

fantasy

copyright 2015

read in January 2020

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

The author has gone all McCaffrey... By which I mean, the story ticks along but most of the words are devoted to meeting nice people, chatting with nice families, discovering nice ways of living within a possibly cruel society... All so sweet and cuddly.

Still, the story does tick along. Slowly.

The book has two streams, following two characters. Sure, the two are expected to meet and, possibly, save the worlds -- but not yet. Perhaps in book three. Yes, there have been hints. Meanwhile, the two streams are separate but still working well together.

Stream one follows a man and all the action is his. Plus a lot of worry over moral dilemmas. Stream two is the woman. She meets the nice people, joins the nice families, learns a few magic tricks that add a little action -- and she worries over moral dilemmas.

I have a horrible suspicion that the morally suspect super-powered psychopath will return in book three -- and turn out to be god. He has, after all, just sacrificed himself. If that does happen I will be most disappointed.

btw: This psychopathic proto-god could have -- with a few tweaks to the plot -- stranded all his "enemies", as he himself had been stranded. But no, his implemented solution involves having most of them killed. Fairly typical of his past actions. Another reason to hope that he does not reappear as "god".

Then there are the parallel worlds... far too many, described in far too much detail. Okay, the existence of these worlds is essential to the books, they are far more interesting than the "Long Earth" worlds -- but enough is enough. And in this book it is too much.

The book drags but is readable. I hope to read the final book of the trilogy. I hope that the third book will move away from the "might is right" paradigm. And I hope that the heroine is not, finally, forced to worship the all-powerful psychopath just because he is all-powerful.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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"[The] truth is incontrovertible. Panic may resent it, ignorance may deride it, malice may distort it, but there it is." ... Winston Churchill

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/ :-)

Vosper's Revenge / Kristian Alva

Vosper's Revenge

(Dragon Some Saga #3)

by Kristian Alva

fantasy, subadult

copyright 2012

read in January 2020

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

Another somewhat amateurish story in the series. More violence and sudden death. More unbelievable exploits and last-minute lucky happenings.

I get the impression that the author ran out of things for some characters to do -- so she killed them off.

Another in the series? What started as a trilogy is now number three of nine. The good news, though: this set wraps up nicely, the next stories seem to be the same world but mostly new villains. How do I know this? On the last page a character rushes in and says, Come quick, the evil X has survived and is acting more evilly than ever before!

Anyway... it's a readable book in a silly but readable series. With a straightforward plot told in poorly linked fits and starts. Some authors improve with practice, this author has managed to maintain a limited skill level for three books.

One or two interesting ideas, a light message of morality. Not a good book but -- if you don't mind occasional cartoonish violence -- mostly harmless.

Nick Lethbridge  /  consulting dexitroboper
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"I bought shoes from a drug dealer. I don't know what he laced them with, but I've been tripping all day." … Steph on Twitter
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Thief's Magic / Trudi Canavan

Thief's Magic

(Millennium's Rule #1)

by Trudi Canavan

fantasy

copyright 2014

read in January 2020

rated 7/10: well worth reading

Two separate stories here, though there is no confusion as the narrative switches from one to the other. It's also clear that the two stories are in the same universe -- though parallel worlds are soon introduced. The common thread is the operation of magic, and the current situation in each world.

Two world's, two sets of distinct characters, yet a common thread of control and quest for money and power. And a common thread of corruption.

Plenty of threats and near misses, though the main characters survive, relatively unscathed. It's all very exciting, all good fun, no real suffering by either reader or characters. Just the sort of book that I enjoy :-)

The author writes in trilogies, this is book one of a trilogy. This is clear, right on the front cover: "An epic new fantasy adventure begins." I appreciate an honest publisher.

But is this book safe to read by itself? Yes... By the end of this book the two main characters have not even met. Yet I would guess that they are at least -- at last -- in the same world. These two characters are safe but not settled. It is still not even clear what will happen after this one book of what is, essentially, scene-setting.

A book of scene-setting with no obvious overarching evil to be defeated... and yet... I think I can see where this is going. If I read the clues correctly.

This book is enjoyable by itself even though the story is clearly not complete. Barely even begun. Yet with a satisfying conclusion: The main characters have each won through to a point of (apparent) safety. They each have a lot of work to do. And there is clearly an overriding plot, yet to be fully introduced.

By itself, this is an enjoyable book. Better yet, it leaves me looking forward to the next in the series.

The Dragon Round / Stephen S Power

The Dragon Round

(Dragon Misery #1)

by Stephen S Power

fantasy

copyright 2016

read in January 2020

rated 4/10: bad but could be read

[05jan20 aside: This is a very negative review. I did not *enjoy* the book but I can see a lot of good stuff in it. For me, I want a book to enjoy. I want characters with a more positive attitude. For example, treat the dragon as more than just a beast of burden. And I would like to have fewer major characters dying. That said...]

As I read this book I wonder, Will anything good come of all this? I reach the end and realise, No.

This is a well-written -- sort of -- but comprehensively miserable book. One character is, perhaps, likeable but does very little. Though seems fated to do more in a second book. Of the rest, a few are sympathetic but none are pleasant.

"Well-written"? Sort of. Each scene reads well, is interesting, creates an interesting world. Put it all together and the result is unpleasant.

The author has two writing tricks which are overdone. The sudden shock: Enjoying a stroll in the jungle, a lion eats him. That sort of unannounced surprise. Uncertain results: The lion licks its lips, looks hungrily at his companion... and the story jumps to an unrelated action. Is his companion eaten? Who knows.

These two tricks work well -- once. Then they become annoying.

The central dragon is about as smart -- or as stupid -- as a dog and is seen as just a new-fangled war-horse with armour and flamethrower. There is no fondness for the dragon, just various nasty people wondering how to use it for profit. Unpleasant.

btw: There is no mention that this is the first book of a series. Yet it clearly is intended to be the first. Nothing is wrapped up, there is no conclusion, no ending, neither happy nor sad... Miserable, in fact.

At the top I have said that this book is #1 of "Dragon Misery". That's just my name for it.

I have a quick look at the author's website. As far as I can tell, he attempted to write book two and the publisher rejected it. I feel sorry for Power as a struggling-to-succeed author. I won't be sorry if book two never appears.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"[The] truth is incontrovertible. Panic may resent it, ignorance may deride it, malice may distort it, but there it is." ... Winston Churchill

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/ :-)

Return of the Dragon Riders / Kristian Alva

Return of the Dragon Riders

(Dragon Stone Saga 2)

by Kristian Alva

fantasy, subadult

copyright 2011

read in December 2019

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

Kid gets dragon, kid has super magic powers. Simplistic plot, easy to read. More violent than book one. Still no conclusion.

If you do not intend to read the other two books in the series -- rate this as 4: bad but could be read. I consider rating it as a six because I fully expect the story to finally wrap up -- at the end of book three. By itself, this book is childish rubbish.

And perhaps that's the problem: it is childishly simple. Fine, I could enjoy that. But childishly simple plus rather violent? No, not good. And it doesn't help to publish the one story as three separate books. It just highlights the weakness of the story, each book is a series of minor escapades.

I think I'll average my rating: 4 because it's rubbish, 6 because I'm reading it and it passes the time, so an average rating of five. Readable if you have nothing else to read.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"[The] truth is incontrovertible. Panic may resent it, ignorance may deride it, malice may distort it, but there it is." ... Winston Churchill

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/ :-)