Light / M. John Harrison

Light

by M. John Harrison

science fiction

copyright 2002

started reading in August 2020

rated 4/10: bad but could be read but see below

There are a couple of extremely creepy characters. One small hint that they may somehow be linked. Two completely  different settings.

No interest in the characters. An expectation that the senseless killings will continue. No desire to find out.

Twenty-eight pages is too much. I stop reading.

15aug22: Good grief, I tried to read it again. Absolutely forgettable. Before I found the first review I wrote:

rated 3/10: so bad it's embarrassing

I'm guessing that the author had a story in mind.

After 20 or 30 pages of rubbish I gave up.

There's an unexplained (so far?) murder, a space-piracy murder. A dozen or more characters, none pleasant. No plot linkage -- nothing making any sense.

Perhaps we need a few more monkeys hitting typewriters.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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I'm not cynical… just experienced… per Ginger Meggs

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

Record of a Spaceborn Few / Becky Chambers

record of a spaceborn few

by Becky Chambers

science fiction

copyright 2018

read in August 2020

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

This is a pleasant story of pleasant people in an interesting situation. We get a guided -- and detailed -- tour of their lives, their physical environment, their worries. Such a pleasant story that the death is a shock. Then it gets nice again.

Yes, it's interesting. It's also... not boring, just... not very exciting. No. It's not exciting at all. Is that a problem? Not really... it is never so uninteresting that I give up reading. But... I go for days at a time not bothering to read further.

I'm wondering if this generation ship civilisation is intended to be a Utopia? It certainly reflects a lot of the concepts I associate with saving the planet: reuse, recycle, live simply, live in harmony... The city motto is, Longevity, stability, well-being. I wonder if this is a deliberate reference to Brave New World's, Community, Identity, Stability? If so, I agree...

It's a world of sweetness and light, of continuity and old-ideas-are-best thinking. A world which would drive me to shouting and fighting and misery.

Luckily, some characters also recognise that this world is not Utopia. Some leave, some leave to get new ideas and return. Others make small changes to improve the system.

And that is about all the action there is.

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The bulk of the story takes place during the final events of "The Long Way...", the author's earlier book. So we are told. Well, I read that one a few years ago, I have no memory of how the two books could relate. A quick glance at my review and one thing is clear: this author writes sweet stories. With sweet characters.

"Record" is a pleasant book. Pleasant characters. With a lot of interesting ideas. Though the ideas all point in one direction: Wouldn't it be nice if we could all live in this caring and sharing fashion. It's a nice dream. As long as it is possible to escape.

 

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

I'm not cynical… just experienced… per Ginger Meggs

===

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

cafe: Rivers Edge, Northam

Rivers Edge Cafe in the Northam visitors centre. Not at all hipster. Nice :-)

Built with a view over the river. Even on a wet and drizzly day the view is very pleasant. The extra lookout deck would be very pleasant, on a fine day.

We are here for lunch, eggs benedict. Very nice coffee, the eggs are on the good side of average. That is, good but not spectacular.

Deb remembers this cafe from a previous visit to Northam. A good place for a light lunch -- plus an exceptional location. Rated 2 out of 3, if we are in town, this is where we will go for a snack or light meal.

... Main meals may be good, we don't test it.
... Cakes look interesting, we don't test them :-(

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===

When all else fails, have someone else read the instructions" … per Ginger Meggs
   

The Cruel Stars / John Birmingham

The Cruel Stars

(Cruel Stars #1)

by John Birmingham

Space Opera

copyright 2019

read in August 2020

rated 8/10: really quite good

Rude, crude, violent -- and hugely enjoyable. Plus, written in Australia.

This book is first of a trilogy -- and Birmingham knows how to write a first book of a trilogy: there is plenty of action, lots of plot & plot development, an introduction to a whole lot more -- yet with an entirely satisfactory ending.

This book can be read by itself. The ending is entirely satisfactory. You are left satisfied -- and wanting more. Lots more.

And speaking of more: The villains were, apparently, beaten soundly several centuries ago. This is the *return* of the Sturm... Is there an earlier book? Or is this just a well-crafted backstory?!

Amongst the violence there is a lot of humour, just not for the faint-hearted. It's more a chuckle as yet another over-the-top action takes place. So over-the-top that it is ridiculous... and ridiculously funny... if you are in the mood for it... And I am :-)

The heroes / heroines are truly heroic. The villains are villainous and traditional cartoon Nazis. (The eternal villains.) The villains are not entirely stupid... but... they just don't stand a chance against the super-smarts of the goodies. Sure, people are killed. But -- overall -- the goodies will always win. I like that.

And to top it all off, a lot of the book is ridiculously Australian. From the simple Royal Armadale Navy / RAN / Royal Australian Navy. To the language, the attitudes and... I don't know, it just hits me as being so Aussie that I should really be insulted.

I hope he hurries up with the rest of the trilogy :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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"Please do not feed the fears" … graffiti on a toilet wall

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

The City in the Middle of the Night / Charlie Jane Anders

The City in the Middle of the Night

by Charlie Jane Anders

science fiction

copyright 2019

read in August 2020

rated 7/10: well worth reading

It's an interesting book and enjoyable, with likeable characters. Though I did lose track of who is who... Is it Mouth/Bianca & Sophie/Alyssa? Or some other combination? Part of the blame for my confusion is that I read this in bursts and I don't have a good head for names. Also, it's quite a long book and the characters do interact, especially towards the end.

It's quite a long book with quite a lot to say. What it is mostly saying is, unthinking use of technology will destroy the environment. Also, we do tend to hate strangers. And honest communication is a good thing.

The ... let's call it "woke" -- messages are very strong. This does not affect enjoyment of the story. It adds a positive moral to a well-crafted adventure story.

The world where the action takes place is fascinating. Based -- the author says -- on sound scientific advice. I believe it.

The societies are ... extreme. Two human societies at extremes of control and an alien society which reflects ultimate hippie wish-fulfilment. I do like the aliens, despite their unbelievable sweetness.

Then the story ends -- unexpectedly. Yet... everything important is wrapped up. At first I think, but do they succeed?! Then I realise, the result -- in overall terms -- has been indicated by the one page introduction. Yes, I would like to know what happens next to the various characters. But also yes, the important points have been covered. Not in detail but enough.

It's an interesting book. There are strong ideas, some of which are clearly supported and others simply crushed. The overall themes may be "woke", the story is good whether or not you support the themes.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Please do not feed the fears" … graffiti on a toilet wall

===

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

The Girl and the Stars / Mark Lawrence

The Girl and the Stars

(Book of the Ice #1)

by Mark Lawrence

fantasy, chicklit

copyright 2020

read in August 2020

rated 7/10: well worth reading

First, take note: this is not a complete story. It is volume one of a series. Not "book" one with a suitable ending but "volume" one, with all the major characters lined up to die.

Very annoying.

At least the back cover does say, "An epic new series." A more accurate phrase would be, "A first chapter of a multi-volume epic." Because that's what it is, a first chapter. With some success followed by a to-be-continued ending and not even an intermediate conclusion.

Despite all that... it's a good book. Not great but good.

The setting is a planet, the people are descendants of space-travellers. There is remnant technology. All this is so fantastic that the book is fantasy rather than science fiction. The characters have fantasy-style powers and the technology may as well be magic.

I also categorise this book as chicklit. No, the characters are not continually changing clothes. In fact, most of them wear the same clothes throughout the book. So?

The heroine is constantly questioning herself. Is she good or is she bad, she asks herself. As she fights evil, are her actions just as evil? There's a lot of action but the main theme of the book is -- I think -- acceptance that everyone is made up of both good and bad.

I may be old-school but this seems to be aimed at female readers. With enough violent action for those who prefer to not think too deeply.

That good-bad dichotomy of individuals is made real, which is quite clever. The dichotomy is caused by old tech, it may be fought with the same tech, all very sensible.

Until the heroine uses the fantasy cliche of drawing on her mystical powers to save the day. I can't do any more, she cries... before doing even more.

The book is good enough to be well worth reading. If I see volume two, I may read it.... maybe. I would rather like to know that the epic series will actually end, before I commit to reading more.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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"Please do not feed the fears" … graffiti on a toilet wall

===

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

My Man Jeeves / PG Wodehouse

My Man Jeeves

(Jeeves series)

by PG Wodehouse

humour

copyright 1919

read in August 2020

rated 8/10: really quite good

Okay, I'm a Wodehouse fan. This is good Wodehouse. What more can I say!

The book is a series of short stories. Most are about Jeeves and Bertie Wooster. Those are all excellent: funny, enjoyable, pleasant, terribly dated. I mean, where could we now find such nice people?

Then there are two stories with a different main character, Reggie Pepper. Reggie -- for me -- just does not work.

Bertie is always helping friends. I mean, that's what a chap does. Bertie admits to being rather short of ideas, so he depends on Jeeves. Jeeves always saves the day.

Reggie is always helping friends. Or, at least, trying to help. I mean, that's what a chap does. Reggie is also a self-admitted chump though he does come up with some supposedly excellent ideas... Reggie's ideas cause more troubles than they cure.

I enjoyed all the stories, I like both the characters. I prefer Bertie's successes to Reggie's mixed results.

That's my preference for a happy ending :-)

The entire book is still excellent Wodehouse: light, positive and very funny.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Please do not feed the fears" … graffiti on a toilet wall

===

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