Dune / Frank Herbert

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

Day of the Triffids / John Wyndham

The Day of the Triffids

by John Wyndham

science fiction

copyright 1951

re-read December 2021

rated 7/10: well worth reading

It's a great book. A classic. Possibly deserves a rating of eight, really quite good. But... well... not today. Yes, I enjoyed it. But not as much as I enjoyed The Chrysalids.

Triffids is an end-of-civilisation story. With the positive view that a new -- but different -- civilisation will appear. It's much more here-and-now than Chrysalids. (Though "now" is the 1960s. Chrysalids is set much later, many centuries after the apocalypse... 

More importantly: Triffids follows a few key people as they -- plus all other survivors -- adapt to a new situation. Chrysalids follows a small number of young people as they discover that their view of the world is very limited. It is a very personal adventure story.

Triffids is great science fiction. Chrysalids adds the appeal of escapism, with the heroes escaping from their constricting homes. Just for personal enjoyment, I prefer the escapism of Chrysalids.

===

One Triffids scene sticks in my mind:

Generally, the story is of people working together, or not, in order to gain long-term survival.

Then there is the girl who asks the narrator to stay... She is willing to sacrifice herself for the good of the group. For this one simple action -- this girl is the single stand-out character in the book.

She sets a standard which is not matched by any other character.

With a few more characters like her... this book would definitely rate an eight.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

The more things change, the more they stay insane" ... per Ginger Meggs===

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

Now and Forever / Ray Bradbury

Now and Forever

fantasy, novella

by Ray Bradbury

copyright 2007

read in December 2021

rated 4/10: bad but could be read

American authors have an obsession with idyllic small-town life of half a century ago. (Or at least, way in the past.) Tom Sawyer even was written forty years after it was set.

Now and Forever is set in an idyllic small town. As is standard (except, perhaps, for Tom Sawyer) the town hides an awful secret.

This novella goes into excruciating detail of the idyllic town. Finally, after many pages of tedious boredom I gave up. I skipped ahead to find the hidden secret. Which was interesting but, surprisingly, not awful. Unless you decide that it is awful what the residents have done with their town: They have made it extremely boring.

There is, however, a message. The idyll is due to be destroyed by progress.

The message is valid, but badly dated. Dated because the idyll was shattered many years ago. Probably, even, well before Bradbury wrote this boring nonsense.

Oh, there are two more Bradbury novellas in this book. There is no way I will try to read them.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

The more things change, the more they stay insane" ... per Ginger Meggs===

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

White Silence / Jodi Taylor

White Silence

by Jodi Taylor

fantasy, thriller

copyright 2017

read in December 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

There are mind powers, ghosts and a spot of time travel: fantasy.

There's an all- powerful organisation which controls and manipulates people: thriller.

It's a bit girly, with romance, loss and betrayal but it's not romance. There's not enough clothing changes to be chicklit.

I guess it's fantasy adventure.

The mind powers are interesting... until they explode.

The heroine has some mind powers which would be useful if only she learnt to use them. Then -- suddenly -- she uses them. Learns quickly while using -- and her mild powers become super-powers. There is no hint ... until she destroys buildings.

There's no logic to the use of her powers.

The climax also lacks logic. Was it a dream? Was it a split in the time-stream/ Was it a cop-out when the author ran out of logical solutions?

I came to this book from St Marys by the same author. This book is more serious. Or at least, less light. Somewhat disappointing.

Forget the author... the book is readable. Entertaining. There are some nice ideas, some nice characters... some nasty. Though the villain is rather confusing... giving him depth makes his villainy less villainous.

Readable but very average.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

The more things change, the more they stay insane" ... per Ginger Meggs===

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

Slave Warrior Queen / Morgan Rice

#1 Slave, Warrior, Queen,

and #2 Rogue, Prisoner, Princess

fantasy / sword & sorcery

by  Morgan Rice

read in December 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

Read to pass the time -- but enjoyably :-)

The books are good fun but nonsense... or, rather... soap opera with a promise of great development... but only a promise.

The Queen of the title? Yes, she loves a prince and he loves her but it will take a large number of books to get them together.

The hero and heroine may as well be wearing signs saying, Betray me. They are ordered to get married then sent off -- apart -- to be killed -- then lined up to marry other people then pushed apart then saved then betrayed then... Well, it's a never-ending saga.

With absurd plot twists, a ridiculous revolution, a king and a queen who each have the ability to smile evilly.

Good grief! What a load of nonsense -- and what a load of fun :-)

Read them. Switch off your critical faculties. Enjoy them. Don't expect great literature. Or any conclusion. And guess what: I'm already looking for more books by the same author.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

There are no disasters, only opportunities. And, indeed, opportunities for fresh disasters." ... Boris Johnson

===

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

This Book is full of Spiders / David Wong

This Book is full of Spiders

(#2 of 4)

by David Wong

fantasy, horror, humour

copyright 2012

read in December 2021

rated 7/10: well worth reading

Those categories:

fantasy: It's possible that it's science fiction... no. There are some scientific devices but really, it's fantasy.

horror: Humans being taken over by "things". The no-longer-humans then do violent, gory, nasty things to other people. Slasher horror, with lots of dismemberment, death and gore. So much that it's ridiculous. Or, rather, just background to the plot. People having their heads ripped off? May as well be a farmer ploughing a field... messy but not frightening.

Two things make this book well worth reading:  The characters support each other. While the world heads towards apocalypse -- the main characters are trying to save each other. Second: there is a lot of sensible (but not tedious) explanation. For example: Let's nuke the infection site, why? and the reasons make sense. It's not just apocalypse, it's apocalypse with explanation.

This is book two of (so far) four. No need to start with book one.

Oh, and humour: When I read that the author is a comic writer, I was surprised.

Sure, there are some chuckles along the way... but it is not a funny book. Satirical, perhaps. Perhaps ripping off limbs is a humorous" spoof on horror? Whatever. The intent appears to be "humour -- so I'll leave that category -- but it misses.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

There are no disasters, only opportunities. And, indeed, opportunities for fresh disasters." ... Boris Johnson

===

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

The Blood Mirror / Brent Weeks

The Blood Mirror /

(Lightbringer #4)

 by Brent Weeks

fantasy

copyright 2016

not read in December 2021

rated 2/10: unreadably bad

To be fair... The writing is fine. The plot is solid. There are distinct characters.

The book is so absolutely nasty that I cannot bear to read it. I managed forty pages then gave up in disgust.

Various people clam to be fighting to defend the empire. They spend more effort fighting and betraying each other. Doesn't matter: the empire is rotten. It should be utterly destroyed.

There are just a few characters who are almost nice. That is, I could care what happens to them. These nice characters may as well be wearing "kick me" signs. They will be betrayed or killed or forced into evil.

Enough. This is just a very nasty book. It does not wrap up the awful series. Do not read it.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

There are no disasters, only opportunities. And, indeed, opportunities for fresh disasters." ... Boris Johnson

===

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

The City and the Stars / Arthur C Clarke

The City and the Stars

by  Arthur C Clarke

science fiction

copyright 1968

read in November 2021 (and before)

rated 7/10: well worth reading

This is the story of humanity split in three: the high tech city dwellers, the telepathic low-tech country folk and the citizens of a space empire. The time scale is galactic: at least a thousand million years of human future history. The action is scaled down to follow just one person, one person who brings humanity together again. But slowly...

Just when you think that's it, all problems are solved -- there's more. The book covers all aspects of a huge story. And no, it is not boring. The time-scale is huge, the story is well-contained.

This book also contains a sequence which sticks in my mind, as a part of what I call dexitroboping. It's the restoration of sanity to the robot... if that helps :-)

The scale is huge. The book also includes chapters where the author is saying, Look at my enormous imagination... how else can you explain the planets round the seven suns?

It's a good book. Enjoyable for its story. And eye-opening for the scale of the action.

Also... The virtual world of the City is better than that in Ready Player Two.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

There are no disasters, only opportunities. And, indeed, opportunities for fresh disasters." ... Boris Johnson

===

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

2001 A Space Odyssey / Arthur C Clarke

2001 A Space Odyssey

by Arthur C Clarke

science fiction

copyright 1968

read in November 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time.

I've seen the movie -- when it first came out. This is the book based on the movie. Will it explain what the movie was about?

Sort of.

The movie was amazing vision set to beautiful music. Then there's the flashing through space... to a mysterious and incomprehensible ending.

The book lacks the vision and music. It does explain why the shuttle hostess walks funny. Other than that, the main body of the book does give explanations... sometimes at odds with the movie.

Then the book takes us flashing through space -- with less explanation and less logic than the movie.

Then the astronaut becomes a "Star Child". I only know that from reading Wikipedia. The Star Child sees an orbiting nuclear bomb -- and explodes it! Why? No explanation.

The end of the book is as mysterious and as incomprehensible as the end of the movie, but with a nuclear bomb.

Oh, and back at the beginning... the book is clearer: The aliens influence man-apes towards intelligence. The book is very clear: the man-apes use their new intelligence to kill animals for food. To kill predators for safety. Then to kill other man-apes because... because they exist.

Perhaps the nuclear ending suits that depressing view of the uses of intelligence.

Watch the movie for the visual effects and music. Read the book for... well... for no reason other than to compare it with the movie.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

There are no disasters, only opportunities. And, indeed, opportunities for fresh disasters." ... Boris Johnson

===

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

Ready Player Two / Ernest Cline

Ready Player Two

by Ernest Cline

science fiction

young adult

copyright 2020

started reading in November 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

This book takes up the story soon after Ready Player One. The hero now rules, owns and has super-powers in the virtual world. He has also become a creep. He is cut off from and disagreeing with his key friends from One. All rather unpleasant.

The virtual world is now full sensory immersion. Players are full-Matrix cut off from the real world. They are unconscious, unaware and unprotected. The hero sees no problem with this.

Perhaps there *is* no problem with this.  How do players pay? The book does not mention. Once they run out of subscription fees, perhaps they are forced back into the real world.

The book is also full of the game-boy references which were fun in One and are now somewhat ridiculous. It's all in the mind -- or the machine -- but it may as well be wish-fulfilment magic.

At page 81 I stopped reading. There was nothing that made me want to follow the full story.

I hope that the hero returns to being human. I may, sometime in the future, try to read further.

For now, however, enough.

And the rating of six is generous. It would be five, readable if there's nothing else, except that I hope for improvement. After all, book One was quite good... I know that the author can do it.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

No matter how much you push the envelope, it will still be stationery

===

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

Pride and Prejudice / Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice 

by Jane Austen

Romance

copyright 1813

04jan24: Yes, I've read it again -- and enjoyed it again.

There's another book that I see as an updated... to 1909... version of P&P. Yet Set in Silver makes P&P seems harsh by comparison.

P&P is very much a critique of society. Where characters are foolish, or unpleasant, the author does not hesitate to say so. Both strengths and weaknesses are laid out clearly for the reader.

====

read... several times... last in October 2021

rated 9/10: really, really good

Good grief! I've read P&P so many times -- and have yet to review it.

So here goes:

In October 2021 I re-read P&P.

Enjoyed it thoroughly.

Reached the end and thought, Oh, that was sooo good :-)

So LotR is still my favourite book.

Right now, I think that P&P must be my *second* favourite.

For entirely different reasons.

For a hint of my reasons... have a look at my review for Persuasion.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

Dec 2022: read it again, enjoyed it again :-) What a thoroughly enjoyable book :-)

====

I did have a new thought:

It can be difficult to understand all that happens. (1) the prose is somewhat complex. (2) there are assumptions that, a century later, I no longer understand.

And (3) Good grief. This book was written by candlelight. In longhand. Using a quill pen.

Given electricity. Electric lights. Good reading glasses. A modern word processor for drafts, checks, updates and corrections -- I still could not write an entire novel. Not even a bad one.

How did Austen do it? And so well.

It's amazing :-)

No matter how much you push the envelope, it will still be stationery

===

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

The Fourth Bear / Jasper Fforde

The Fourth Bear

(Nursery Crime)

by Jasper Fforde

fantasy, humour

copyright 2006

read in August 2021

rated 7/10: well worth reading

Fforde's Thursday Next books look behind the scenes of literature.

His Nursery Crime series is set in a world where children's characters are real.

I had a problem at the start... I am not familiar with all of the monster threats which are used to make children behave. The Nursery Rhyme characters are more familiar, I settled in to enjoy the book.

Lots of fun ideas. Several good characters, sometimes with interesting aspects beyond their nursery rhyme origins.

An enjoyable book, I may look for others in the series. A suitably complex plot. Just not enthralling.

I do like the idea of a Battle of the Somme theme park...

I've recently read several books which reference the Somme... and finally realised that it could have been a 100th anniversary. Even writers of humorous fantasy are happy to climb on a bandwagon :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

Question authority. Don't expect to like the answer." ... per Ginger Meggs

===

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

Guards! Guards! / Terry Pratchett

Guards! Guards!

(Discworld)

by Terry Pratchett

fantasy, humour

copyright 1989

read in August 2021

(and at least once before)

rated 9/10: really really good

This is one of Pratchett's best books.

Vimes and the Night Watch become a real force for crime fighting. Various other key characters are developing into their roles. It's an enjoyable -- and essential -- part of Discworld history.

More than that: all of these characters are portrayed sympathetically. You can't help but like them. Or, at least, you can't help but enjoy reading about them. In earlier books, I find that I don't really enjoy reading about Rincewind, the eternal loser.

The Guards characters -- the goodies, anyway -- are likeable. Pratchett treats them with sympathy and understanding.

Which is interesting... There are many statements about the general mass of people -- and Pratchett's views are very negative. Humanity (or its Discworld equivalent) is thoughtless, greedy, stupid, etc. Yet as individuals, they can be so much better.

We can despair at the stupidity of the mob. While admiring the nobility of individuals.

This is Pratchett at his very good best.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

Question authority. Don't expect to like the answer." ... per Ginger Meggs

===

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

Upside Downside / Ron Goulart

Upside Downside

by Ron Goulart

science fiction

copyright 1982

read in August 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

Is this book intended to be a "dystopia"? Probably not. It's a world that I would not like to live in. A view of the 50-year future where all our gloomy predictions have come true :-(

Then again... for the people who live there... who have adapted enough to control their own lives... perhaps it's not so bad.

It's not a nice world. Yet when I finished reading I was *not* left feeling miserable. So -- not a dystopia :-)

I enjoyed this book. Enough to keep an eye open for more by the same author.

Interesting story, good characters, great imagination. Probably intended as an introduction to more books with the same hero.

Unfortunately the hero is not interesting enough. Sure, I enjoyed this book. I would probably enjoy more in the series. Yet there is *no* feeling of, that was fun, no lingering, what a great character.

Enjoyable. Funny in places. Imaginative with interesting plot and solid action. But not a great book.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

Question authority. Don't expect to like the answer." ... per Ginger Meggs

===

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

Pirates of Venus / Edgar Rice Burroughs

Pirates of Venus 

(Carson Napier #1)

by Edgar Rice Burroughs

fantasy

copyright 1932

read in August 2021

rated 4/10: bad but could be read

Now that's interesting...

Ten years ago I read this book (along with Venus #2). In the review I rated the pair as "seven". This time I rate book #1 as only four!

What has changed? My own attitude, probably.

This time I see the book as being ridiculous -- which is fine. It's that type of book... though not, I now believe, a "space opera". In space opera the science -- and the characters -- should be constantly growing. On Amtor (ie Venus) the hero moves location... discovers new humanoids and monsters... but fights with the same weapons. Oh... and the science is so ridiculous that... well, I'll call it fantasy.

So far, it sounds like a seven... Except that the hero is so very very stupid. His attitudes are dated. No worries. But he is so sloooww to spot the obvious villain. To work out how various characters have disappeared. This hero is an idiot!

Oh well. It's bad. But -- ten years ago I rated it as well worth reading.

You can read it. And... you may well enjoy it. I did. Ten years ago :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

One joy scatters a hundred griefs" ... Chinese proverb

===

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

Abaddon's Gate / James S.A.Corey

Abaddon's Gate

(Expanse #3

by James S.A.Corey (aka Daniel Abraham)

fantasy, fansonly

copyright 2014

not read in July 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

The series is a never-ending saga with -- mostly -- the same central cast. This book begins with a new character. Nothing attractive about him. I hope, I thought, that this character does not join the central cast. Well, no... once he is smeared across his own windscreen. Seems he's been written out.

But wait: A character who was killed in book one... is back. In typical by-the-numbers nonsense style he speaks in stupid riddles. Including admitting that he has no idea what he is doing. He has no idea, I have no interest.

I had this series categorised as "space opera". I have changed that to "fantasy". Rubbish fantasy. With action rather than plot to make the reader wonder, is something interesting about to happen? Well, no. Expect more shooting. More mystical happenings. No explanations.

To call this inexplicable clap trap "space opera" is an insult to the good writers of space opera (think, Doc Smith).

That said... this series is written as by-the-numbers entertainment. The aim is to provide endless entertainment so that readers will return -- for more of the same. As such -- I expect that it will succeed.

If you enjoyed the first two books, I am sure that you will enjoy this third.

I did enjoy the first two. But now -- I have had enough.

Just a few chapters in, I stop reading.

I will look for a book with a plot. Or, at least -- a space opera with a developing plot... and a definite conclusion. Maybe Doc Smith, again ... :-)

 

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

One joy scatters a hundred griefs" ... Chinese proverb

===

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

Generation one / Pittacus Lore

Generation one 

(Pittacus Lore)

fantasy, subadult

copyright 2017

read in June 2020

Rated 6/7: Read to pass the time

A mixed bag of teens from around the world. Each with a different superpower. Seems to be a very common basis for stories. And for TV series.

This one is okay. Not great.

Some of the characters are absolute stereotypes... As are the powers. Nothing very interesting.

The most interesting aspect of the book is the villainy -- but not in a nice way.

The villains are nasty. Their methods and actions are unpleasant and amoral. Nasty enough to cause nightmares. Too nasty -- I would have think -- for subadult readers :-(

Not surprisingly, for a by-the-numbers book of clichés, there is a strong moral... In favour of friendship. Nice, but not nice enough to balance the brutality.

This book is one of a never-ending series. Light reading. No conclusion. The moralistic messages highlight the calculated intent to make money from the teen market. Not quite harmless.

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

One, be a good person; two, have fun; three, be happy; four, show respect and be respected; and then number five was, if you can play tennis after that, it's an added bonus."... Ash Barty's first coach
   

Into the Fire, Pittacus Lore

Into the Fire, 

Pittacus Lore

subadult, fansonly

rated 3/10: so bad it's embarrassing

I really dislike a book which has no real conclusion. This book is even worse -- it has no beginning. Well...

The book begins with a group of people in a plane. They talk about people who we have never met -- who are not even in the plane. There is some semi-heroic chat about rescuing... someone Or taking risks with villains we have never heard of.

Okay. If you are a fan, you may have read earlier books, you may know what's going on.

Then it gets worse: Turns out, the pilot has mysteriously disappeared. Fortunately, one of the characters has the superpower to control machinery. Phew! But wait -- for some mysterious reason his superpower does not work on this plane.

It's okay, he phones a friend (from the plane). The friend tells him to click his ruby slippers (or some such). And wow! it works... His superpower is upgraded.

Luckily... landing a commercial aircraft is so simple that this teenager -- untrained -- does it safely.

So far, this book has many of the elements of the only other Pittacus book that I have read. Different characters -- from the same stereotypes -- and the plot is a close copy.

Then there's some cutesy teen stuff of a girl learning more about her own superpowers. Then my brain threatened to collapse from an overload of stupidity.

Boring... boring... boring.

To save my brain from implosion, I stop reading.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

One joy scatters a hundred griefs" ... Chinese proverb

===

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

Caliban's War / James S.A.Corey

Caliban's War

(The Expanse #2)

by James S.A.Corey (aka Daniel Abraham)

space opera

copyright 2012

read in June 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

Somewhere I read that this series aims to fill the fictional gap between Humans stuck in the Solar System and a galaxy-wide human empire. How will we get from one to the other?

As far as I can tell the answer is, by deus ex machina. Or, by god-like alien intervention. Which is rather disappointing, really.

Made more interesting by a lot of strictly human fighting.

So the big-picture growth of civilisation is disappointing. The space opera violence makes for an overall enjoyable book.

Except for the characters.

I have a rating of three, for a book which is so bad that it's embarrassing. The characters in this book are close to "three".

The characters are all overdrawn cliches. Then the committee of authors tries to add a humanising touch... and it is embarrassing.

There is, for example, the sweet little white-haired granny. She swears like a trooper and eats pistachios. (Why?)

Then she interacts with her very young grandchildren.

Does she play with them as though she were human? No... she totally fakes an interest in what they have found.

Actually, I suspect that fake interest is seen by the authors as being a valid human response.

Sorry, no.

There is no surprise when the granny proves to be a manipulative and power-hungry witch. Spoiler: it is really disappointing but she totally fails to choke to death on a pistachio.

Then there are the plot chiches. Indestructible alien monster. Which succumbs to an even bigger weapon. Embarrassing "blockbuster" essential cliche: the plot is driven by the need to rescue the cute little girl. Oh good grief :-(

And whenever it would be a good idea to tiptoe quietly past danger... some idiot will get in a killing mood due to anger... or fear... and start a gunfight. Could be worse: they could also shout... LEROY !!

This is a book -- a series -- where every attempt is made to tick every box in the "deliberate blockbuster cliche" list. So yes, it is embarrassing.

On the other hand... it is quite enjoyable. And when the last page is the inevitable to be continued... who cares.

Read the next book. Or books. And be prepared to pass the time. Quite enjoyably. Yet with no great insights... certainly no insights into humanity's expansion from solar system to galaxy. Mindless. cliched. Nevertheless... enjoyable.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

One joy scatters a hundred griefs" ... Chinese proverb

===

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

The Philosopher's War / Tom Miller

The Philosopher's War

(Philosopher's War #2)

by Tom Miller

fantasy, science fiction

copyright 2019

read in June 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

The front cover says that this is "a novel". Never trust a book that has to explain that it is... intended to be? ... a novel.

Okay, this book does seem to be a novel. A story, with characters, plot, beginning middle and end. I'm still confused.

It appears to be a massive attack on the violence, futility, the stupidity, the glory-seeking leadership of war. With a parallel WWI as the setting.

Or, possibly... the book is a fantasy version of the actual WWI.

I mean... there are generals, battles, tactics... straight from WWI -- but with people who can fly. Is this a parallel world? or a retelling? I don't know.

Only recently I realised -- thanks to one excellent book -- that it is possible to enjoy a parallel universe story -- without a detailed knowledge of the "actual" universe.

As far as I can tell... with no detailed knowledge of the "real" WWI -- this book is largely pointless.

It's readable. It's enjoyable. There are far too many characters for me to remember. The few I remember are, quite likeable.

Action, adventure, anti-war, it's not a bad book. If not for "a novel" on the front cover -- I would be confused. Okay... even more confused.

Then, finally: the grand finale. An act of magic which is so huge... so preposterous that yes... this is "a novel".

Oh... "magic"? I thought it was science fiction?

The flying (et cetera) is magic. Scientifically developed magic. I'm happy that the book is fantasy / science fiction.

With an ending which does... definitely... make it more than an historical retelling of WWI. So... readable... rather than just pointless.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere ... Chinese proverb

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

Leviathan Wakes / James S.A.Corey

Leviathan Wakes

(Expanse #1)

by James S.A.Corey (aka Daniel Abraham)

Space opera

copyright 2011

read in June 2021

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

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

10jan24: I'm re-reading. And I've re-rated. Here are some key points:

... There is a clear feeling that the author thinks, I am so much more clever than the reader. Things such as the I'm-so-modern slang which he then has to explain. The incomplete conversations which the author then has to explain. The background of science which says, I have read a lot more Wikipedia than you have. Really, it's just an overall, vague but definite impression of author ego.

And the plot -- is clearly never going to reach a conclusion. A lot of wham-bam action with no clear purpose... except to provide a long-term flow of income for the author.

Oh, it's exciting but who cares. A small group of main characters, some of whom are quite likeable ... but not likeable enough to care whether they live or die. Anyway, the magic medi-tech will fix all injuries.Then there's the "love interest". Not the man who is in love with his imaginary long-dead stranger, that makes some sense. But the human man and woman, good grief, are they really human?

From my first review and vague memories I know that something odd will happen. I'm two-thirds of the way through this nonsense of a book. I may not last much further.

It's a made-for-TV-syndication potboiler.

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Here's the plot for the first half of the book:

Nice people are chased by people who want to kill them. Nice people are injured, escape, get mostly healed, gain armour or other protection which will make their lives a bit safer. And then...

Nice people are chased by a new lot of people who want to kill them. The new lot are slightly nastier, the new protection barely works. By luck and skill etc the nice people are injured, escape, get mostly healed, gain armour or other protection which will make their lives a bit safer. And then...

Repeat. Over and over.

On the third or fourth repetition I almost gave up.

Half way through the book it seems that there is, in fact, a slow build-up to a complete plot. Thank goodness. The repetitive nature of the action scenes becomes tedious.

Finally... there is a scene where I'm muttering desperately, Kill him! Kill him! It seems obvious... Then the characters spend many pages on guilt or justification. There's a lot of that: how much violence is justified in order to reach a possibly-worthwhile end?

Nice try but, well, I would have been happy with the space opera violence... without the angst.

And then the science fiction becomes magic. It does not help that one character keeps telling us, This is not magic. With no explanation, no forewarning, no logic except, The alien is a very superior being... it may as well be magic. Just call it magic.

Now that the alien can use magic... every human being is doomed. Of course. Talk to the flaming alien, I mutter. That works in nine out of ten humans-are-doomed stories. Just... talk.

Sorry if this is a spoiler, but... it works. Of course it does -- because nothing else would work.

Good news: There is a twist. A good twist. It makes some sense of a lot of the prior confusion. Well done :-)

And then the magic returns. With no logic. No explanation. No clear reason. But a lot of colourful special effects. (There must already be a signed movie deal.) The magic is a lead-in, I guess, to book two.

I'm reading this book from my public library. I have the next two books lined up, ready to read.

If I were paying -- buying -- these next two books... I would not bother.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere ... Chinese proverb

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