Oryx and Crake / Margaret Atwood

Oryx and Crake

category: science fiction, author:

Margaret Atwood

published by Bloomsbury, original copyright 2003, read in April 2010

Agamedes' rating: 6 out of 10

Agamedes' opinion:

A... puzzling... book. As I started reading I thought, this is stupid. Boring, gloomy, no chance of a happy resolution. Then it improved.

The bulk of the book describes a dystopia: genetic modification gone mad, rich living in enclaves, poor locked out in the "pleeblands". Though in the few glimpses given of the pleeblands, life seems to be rather vibrant, though rough, tough and not as tightly controlled as in the rich-industrialists' enclaves.

Anyway, it's a dystopia. The main source of misery is, that industry creates chemicals with superficially good effects and unknown side-effects. Advertisers push these dubious items, until the customer runs out of money. So the basic theme is the evil of capitalism and consumerism -- with the evils of uncontrolled genetic manipulation thrown in, for good measure. As such, it's quite a good book.

Then there's the misery of the narrator's upbringing, the misery of his adult life, the anger of the man who brings about the end of the world... Plus a hit against selling children into sex-slavery... Hmmm... all over misery -- but the book was not that miserable as I read it!

Until the end of the world is reached -- again -- via the extended flashback. Characters are killed off and we are left to wonder why. The friendly "new humans" are under possible threat and we are left to wonder, what should the protagonist do? In fact, the two big questions of the book are left unanswered!

I guess that we are meant to think. Or, perhaps, the author herself did not know the answer... No, I suspect that Atwood has an opinion. She just thought it was cleverer to leave the questions unanswered. If I wanted to debate against myself -- why would I read a book?!

The author's view of the future -- as presented in Oryx and Crake -- is so gloomy that it is hard to believe. Another near-future novel that is so near-future that it lays its central ideas open to doubt. Readable, interesting in detail, lacking in overall impact.

..o0o..

This blog is supported by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes & documents, email nickleth at gmail dot com.

Grave Peril / Jim Butcher

Grave Peril

(category: fantasy)
book 3 of Dresden Files by

Jim Butcher

published by Orbit, original copyright 2001
Nick read a library book, in April 2010

Nick's rating: 7 out of 10

Nick's opinion:

Another great book from The Dresden Files -- but, perhaps, not quite as great...

This is the fifth Dresden book that I have read, all within three months. Perhaps I have Dresden overload? I enjoyed Grave Peril but was -- just slightly -- dissatisfied. It is partly that Butcher is (it seems) still experimenting with his writing style. I also have a problem with the way in which the hero's personal life is going downhill...

You could say that this book has a complex plot. Or, you could say that the pace is frenetic... Either way, there's a lot happening. Non-stop, in fact. In each chapter the hero gets in trouble, just a little deeper; each chapter ends with a cliff-hanger. Still, the cliff-hangers are not as bad as in the previous book, Fool Moon.

Then there's the general happiness of the hero, Harry Dresden.

My first experience with Harry Dresden was with the tenth in the series, Small Favour. My next experience was with Summer Knight -- the fourth in the series. I noticed the difference, that book four was darker than book ten. At the end of book four, Harry Dresden has been drawn out of his funk. In this third book (Grave Peril), he reaches deep into the depths of despair.

For me, I enjoy the happy ending. I don't mind ongoing plots -- but I don't really like the hero to be quite so depressed at the end of a book!

So it's a great book, an exciting adventure, with lots of human and fantasy creatures to battle and to save. But for full enjoyment, I'm considering re-reading book four... just so that I can see Harry Dresden end a book in a cheerful frame of mind.

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes & documents, email nickleth at gmail dot com.

For Us, the Living / Robert A. Heinlein

For Us, the Living

(category: science fiction)
by

Robert A. Heinlein

published by Scribner in 2004, but written in 1939
Nick read a library book, in April 2010

Nick's rating: 6 out of 10

Nick's opinion:

This book is of historical interest for fans of Heinlein... A treatise on how society should be and an early taste of Heinlein's preachy style. In 1939 the book was unpublishable; that obstacle has been overcome because Heinlein is now dead and famous.

Okay, I admit it: I skipped over great chunks of the book. I read some large chunks of ground-rules for a Heinlein utopia, then jumped a long way forward. Here's how it seems to go:

Modern (1939) hero leaps forward 150 years, to a perfect world. Various characters spend a lot of time explaining how their utopia works. Hero gets over his atavistic impulses, gets the girl, gets the other girl. Then -- in this perfect world -- the hero perfects rocket power and flies off to the moon.

What?!

Yes... In this perfect utopia of 2086, it is the hero from the USA of 1939 who has the nous and ability to perfect futuristic rocket technology. Heinlein describes utopia with one fault: the people are so boring and bland that they seem unable to develop their own technology..

So what is the message? Utopia is great but people of today's dystopia are so much more capable? Interesting, really: as the US heads towards WW II, Heinlein is scathing of its economy, its politics, its prudery, its crime. But he still sees the 1939 american male as being the be-all and end-all of heroic and successful endeavour.

An interesting book... mainly for its insight into the author.

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes & documents, email nick leth at gmail dot com.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows / J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

(category: fantasy)
book 7 of Harry Potter by

J. K. Rowling

published by Bloomsbury, original copyright 2007
Nick read a new book, in April 2010
(and before, in 2007)

Nick's rating: 9 out of 10

Nick's opinion:

Interesting. I read this book when it first came out: at last, I thought, the final instalment of a great series! And I was disappointed... Loose ends, irrelevant new ideas, boring stretches of nothing much happening. That's what I thought when I first finished this book.

Shows how wrong I can be!

That first time, I must have read at high speed. When I finished, quite a lot had just been, effectively, skimmed. It's a problem I have -- and a reason why I like to read books (good books) more than once.

This time, I read more slowly. Took a few days. Deliberately stopped reading every so often, just to allow the story to settle in and sort itself out in my mind.

I also tried to keep track of the various items which formed the two major quests. And it all made a lot of sense...

This is a great book! It is a very satisfying conclusion to a great series. The characters have grown, minor characters are allowed to add depth and strength to the plot, major motivations are -- finally -- revealed. The adventures begin right at the start, there are some pauses to take breath, then the last few chapters are hectic battles on a grand scale... though with occasional pauses for explanation.

On this second reading, I found that the pace was exciting yet controlled. It's possible that some scenes were written with a movie in mind -- and some, well, I bet that some scenes will never be filmed. Which is one good reason to read a book in preference to watching a movie.

It was my own too-fast reading which lead to my initial disappointment. This time -- with a little more effort to follow the plot -- I enjoyed the book far more... It all makes sense, new plots and existing plot threads are wrapped up nicely, an exciting and readable book.

Well worth the second read!

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes & documents, email nick leth at gmail dot com.

Fool Moon / Jim Butcher

Fool Moon

(category: fantasy)
book 2 of Dresden Files by

Jim Butcher

published by Orbit, original copyright 2001
Nick read a library book, in April 2010

Nick's rating: 8 out of 10

Nick's opinion:

I do enjoy these Dresden Files books!

This is the second in the series. In the first (Storm Front) there is magic, violence and a lot of sex. In Fool Moon, there is more magic, some sex and a lot of violence -- especially violence to Harry Dresden, the hero. And every chapter ends with, "... oh dear... this looks like the end for me!" An author learning his trade? No worries: Butcher began well and was still able to improve.

The hero is a true good guy. He believes in using his powers for good, protecting the weak, saving damsels in distress. Most of the damsels are attractive and the men are handsome. Interestingly, though, even the overweight, suspicious, less attractive characters have their good points... Even the murderous killer has an understandable motive.

Then there's the female werewolf who loves the mad killer and looks after the younger werewolves: I just love the final explanation of her origins!

I've read four Dresden books in the last few weeks. And I'm still looking forward to reading the next. An excellent series of books!

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes & documents, email nick leth at gmail dot com.

The Wayfarer Redemption: book one / Sara Douglass

The Wayfarer Redemption: book one

(aka BattleAxe)
(category: fantasy)
book 1 of Wayfarer Redemption by

Sara Douglass

published by Tor / Tom Doherty, original copyright 1995
Nick read a library book, in April 2010
(and before, several years ago?)

Nick's rating: 7 out of 10

Nick's opinion:

The cover of this book says that, "Sara Douglass is the best and most exciting writer of commercial fantasy fiction to emerge from Australia." Commercial fantasy fiction? I wonder what that means?! Anyway... Douglass is Australian and she writes a good fantasy novel.

I know that I've read this book before. Just can't remember when. Not from a library, either... perhaps I have a copy, somewhere in the house? I remember most of the incidents. I also remember that I was confused, that first time. This time, though, I read more carefully -- occasionally checking back, to the Prologue or to the central Prophecy -- and it all makes sense.

Not that the entire plot is sensible! Who are these people who appear in the 54th of 58 chapters -- just in time to get the good guys home on time? On the other hand... One of the strengths of this book is the gradual introduction of characters. As an example of bad introduction of characters, The Edge of the World throws a dozen characters at the reader, in the first dozen chapters, with each character having their own, apparently unrelated adventures. In Wayfarer, Douglass starts with a small number of characters and gives us time to get to know them. Those characters meet a few others, we get to know and follow those others. By the end of the book we are following a relatively small number of characters -- and we know how each of them relates to the main plot.

Mind you, the story's point of view does change regularly -- often, several times within a single scene.

Most of the characters are overdrawn. The hero is truly heroic and all the soldiers are willing to follow him to their deaths. As the villain attempts to belittle the hero, the villain laughs an evil laugh which, even to himself, sounds forced. The heroine is madly in love with the hero -- so in love that she marries the villain in order to save the hero's life. Ah! true love!

This is a straightforward book. By the end of the book, all the sensible people know that the hero will save the world (after several more books of love and battles, anyway). Good guys turning bad are clearly flagged; mysterious strangers point to characters and tell us that this person will soon be a major character. Straightforward, good versus evil, swords (and axes) and sorcery. An enjoyable book and a lot of fun.

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes & documents, email nick leth at gmail dot com.

The Positronic Man / Isaac Asimov & Robert Silverberg

The Positronic Man

(category: science fiction)
by

Isaac Asimov & Robert Silverberg

published by Pan Books in 1993
(based partly on Asimov's 1976 short story, The Bicentennial Man)
Nick read a library book, in April 2010

Nick's rating: 6 out of 10

Nick's opinion:

Another of Asimov's explorations of robots and their three laws... I don't really believe the logic that allows this robot to commit suicide despite the third law (to protect its own existence). Still...

The book is just a tad unbelievable with its view of the future. Robots in every household and several planets settled -- and that's in 2007. Okay, all near-future books are subject to unfortunate comparisons with reality. The shrinking population of Earth is harder to accept.

After 200 years -- by the end of the story -- Earth has lost most of its population to the space settlements. All the go-getters have got up and gone, only the placid, unimaginative stay-at-homes have remained, so Earth's remaining people are slow and steady and failing to breed. Perhaps this is simply an American point of view; a present day European could have a different view of "new world" versus "old world" drives and creativity...

The basic theme is slavery versus humanity: slavery is acceptable if the slaves are declared to be not human. As an exploration of black-vs-white in the US, the story is not too bad. As a science fiction story of robot liberation, it's a bit boring, almost twee... over sweet. It was written before the Robin Williams movie, The Bicentennial Man -- but I can easily see this story as the inspiration for what I believe was a sickeningly sweet, embarrassingly awful movie.

Read the book for its place in Asimov's robot series. Or save time, read the short story and you won't have wasted quite so much possibly valuable reading time.

..o0o..

These reviews are provided by Agamedes Consulting. For an independent and thoughtful review of your processes & documents, email nick leth at gmail dot com.