Saturn Run / John Sandford, Ctein

Saturn Run

by John Sandford, Ctein

science fiction

copyright 2015

read in September 2017

rated 8/10: really quite good

"How to Write a Blockbuster" is a book which explains how to ensure that your ensemble list of characters has someone for everyone. ie Forget the plot, just expand the market appeal. Saturn Run starts off with a few chapters which are collecting the required, broad, ensemble of characters.

Uh oh.

Then it gets into a real story... And really, the broad range of selected characters is hardly relevant. It's not only the kid with glasses who can solve the riddles. It's not only the Marine sergeant who can fight with fists... etc. Yes, some characters are better than others, in special areas. But really, there is a lot of overlap... as there is in any interesting area of real life.

The whole book is like that: just when you think you're about to be hit by a cliche -- something shifts. For example:

This book is *hard* science fiction. So there is a lot of explanation of the science. Just when you begin think, hmmm... there's a problem... Looks to me like a Checkhov's Gun(*) trope... uh oh! But no, the gun is not fired... Or it is!

(*) Checkhov's Gun: "If it's not essential, don't include it in the story."

Some of the science is pure explanation, for the fans of hard science fiction. And sometimes it fails, for those who enjoy an exciting plot.

An exciting plot? Yes! There is science adventure. Light romance. Plenty of humour -- which in no way interferes with the conflict. Political intrigue... The book has a mix of factors, many of which surprised me. And yet... once they had appeared... each element became an "obvious" part of the challenge of the adventure.

And the surprises -- complications, at least -- continue, right to the end.

I don't think that this is a "great" book. But it is really quite good. Well worth reading. And a very enjoyable read, from beginning to end.

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Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved
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​"Wer den Daumen auf dem Beutel hat, der hat die Macht." … Otto von Bismarck eh what?!

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Now much more than a clever name for a holiday journal:

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

Chaos and Order / Stephen Donaldson

Chaos and Order

(The Gap # 4)

by Stephen Donaldson

science fiction

copyright 1994

re-read in September 2017

rated 9/10: really, really good

17feb22:

I'm re-reading the series. This one is still good :-)

Perhaps not as good as on my earlier readings... because I am not (now) in the mood for such stressful verbosity. Still I enjoyed it. With some new observations:

Modern day astronauts (so I believe) attach tubes for waste. No one needs to hold it in for days of spaceflight.

Well... the Gap spacesuits are more primitive.

The spacers wear a "shipsuit". Over that they wear an EVA suit. And when they poo -- as do two of the characters -- they fill the suits with poo. Oops.

The writing is verbose.

And you know how you can lose track of who's speaking? When the author omits Joe said, Jill said... etc.

Donaldson'e dialogue is worse.

Occasionally it is not clear who is speaking. Very very often... it is not clear that a character is, in fact... not speaking at all.

There will be a line of dialogue, in quotes, fine.

Or -- very often -- dialogue with no quotes... Which means... the character does not say it aloud. Which causes confusion when the next character makes no response. Did they hear it? No! it was not spoken. Very confusing!

===

Okay, looking back, I wrote that the third Gap book could be the best in the series. Nope! This fourth book is even better!

Dark & Hungry followed technology. In particular the effect of technology wedded to humans.

In Chaos the emphasis is on the people. And on their superhuman efforts to resist, survive... overcome... impossible odds. But it's not really "super" human. The major struggles are by "ordinary" people who refuse to give in to extraordinary pressures.

Of course these are not "ordinary" people by our own, everyday standards. Chaos is set in an over-the-top world of extremes. Extreme cunning, extreme honesty, extreme dishonesty, extreme everything. All the major characters... most of the minor characters... are beyond the extremities of our own "real" world. Well, this is a novel :-)

The extremities of this book, however, are in mental, moral & immoral, determination to succeed, despair... It's a book about the mental strengths -- and weaknesses -- of human beings. Being tested to extremes.

Yes, there is still the science fiction technology. Though Donaldson is still a "fantasy" author. The tech is amazing... fascinating... yet is definitely there for a setting rather a focus of the book. Like the average fantasy magic: it gets things done, the real story is about why and what those things are.

As an example -- which does not at all detract from the power of the story -- the space battles are, very much, "close encounters"...

I'm used to battles in the vast emptiness of outer space. Torpedoes are far too slow... even laser beams struggle to drag themselves across the vast distances of space. Donaldson's spaceships fight at far less than 100km apart... and it just does not matter.

Great story! A very human story. Definitely... the best in the series. So far :-)

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Now much more than a clever name for a holiday journal:

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

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

​"Humanity had been thrown to the brink of extinction by insane men in positions of power following one another, each thinking the others knew where they were going." … Donald Keene, in Shift

The Song Rising / Samantha Shannon

The Song Rising

(Bone Season #3)

by Samantha Shannon

fantasy

copyright 2017

read in September 2017

rated 7/10: well worth reading

It took me a while to get into The Song. That's because it continued from the last book, in the same setting, I have forgotten quite a few of the characters! So it was a relief when the heroine left London and met new -- to her and to me -- characters.

In London I was thinking, read to pass the time. The new locations helped me "follow" -- catch up with -- the plot. The ending is well worth reading.

The writing is a bit choppy: short sentences, I think I mean. Sometimes that is a bit... almost... annoying. Perhaps it's a good way to reflect the tension of the plot?! I notice it but I know that I could not do any better. I could not write an entire novel. The story flows well, even while I can see an abruptness in the style. (Sometimes.) Which, for all I know, could be deliberate!

There is a claim that there will be seven books in the Bone Season series. The Song extends out of London. Then ends with a natural expansion to even further areas. With the promise of an even broader spread of leaders of "the resistance".

Every broadening of the scope of a series is risky. Will the readers like (or accept) a new set of characters? Will it be a natural progression -- or a tacked-on means to continue the income stream?! So far... it works well.

The heroine has grown -- and clearly has room for further growth. The villains are down but not out. It looks as though both goodies and baddies will continue into future books. I expect new locations, new challenges -- mostly familiar characters.

I'm looking forward to book four :-)
===

30apr19: I read this book again. I was 20 or 30 pages in before I realised that I had read it before, that's not a good sign :-(

There are two things against this book -- two things from *this* reading. (1) I enjoy fantasy for the fantastic elements... in this case, the use of magical powers is essential to my enjoyment. There is very little magic in the first half, it's largely the heroine being worried. Which leads to (2) This book has no lightness. It is serious, suffering, under constant threat with occasional sudden death. Not what I want, not in my current mood !

Then, in the second half, the main goodies move out of London. There is action. There is magic. There is a single line of almost humour. The second half is far more enjoyable than the first... enough to make it worth reading the book. And the ending... yes... again, leaves me wanting to read book four :-)

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

"We must learn from our past mistakes so that we can improve our new mistakes" … per Ginger Meggs
   

Sword of Fire and Sea / Erin Hoffman

Sword of Fire and Sea

(Chaos Knight #1)

by Erin Hoffman

fantasy

copyright 2011

read in August 2017

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

Nice people tackling difficult challenges in a complex world.

Unfortunately the challenges are overcome too easily... See a problem, wave a sword or a magic spell, problem overcome.

And the complex world is barely described. People, countries, cities appear from nowhere, do their bit, then disappear. Some of them barely have a "bit" to do... One man, for example, serves coffee each morning, gives a gift of coffee, goes his own way. Does it add anything to the plot? Not as far as I can tell. He is a stranger who is met on the trail -- to no purpose.

The whole book is a lot like that: interesting people and places, coming unannounced and going, having added little of value.

The plot itself is largely unexplained. Plenty can be understood, sometimes after the result. But there is a lot of inexplicable motivation. My best guess is that it's because the country is a dungeons and dragons game world. Players -- and the author -- know the world. The reader is left in the dark.

For all that, it's a pleasant book to read. I won't seek out book two -- but I will be happy to read it if it appears.

And the cover... is very nice :-) Definitely one of the better book covers.

Great cover. Unclear plot. Nice characters. Too little world explanation. Easy reading. Light and forgettable.

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

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming 'WOO HOO what a ride!'
   

The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. / Neal Stephenson, Nicole Galland

The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.

(DODO #1)

by Neal Stephenson, Nicole Galland

fantasy, science fiction

copyright 2017

read in August 2017

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

In a word: disappointing.

Stephenson writes hard and heavy science fiction. A Stephenson book will have chapters of hard science, more chapters of explanation of the hard science. With a few interesting -- overblown -- characters to manage a complex plot.

Dodo seemed to be going the same way. First twenty pages and I thought, this is great! Solid science -- plus humour! That's a first for Stephenson. Galland is new to me, I guess that she provides the humour. But...

One hundred pages in and I'm thinking, This is not a Stephenson book. Yes, there's humour, that's a plus. But where is the scientific depth?!

The story is being told by a woman, a linguistics expert. A very likeable character. Except that her approach to science is, Oooh... that went right over my head. So, no real explanations. Which is fine -- but disappointing in a Stephenson book.

Then the science is used -- entirely -- to build a box in which magic can be performed. Magic? Yes, magic. Which is explained as... Well, I obviously can't explain that, it's magic.

Science is supplanted by magic. The book shifts from science fiction to fantasy.

Okay, there's a lot of time travel. With some dependence on multi-strand universes. Some of it may be new... that is... not done to death in other time-travel stories.

With "suspense" provided by one woman who says -- many times, Well, of course I knew that that would go wrong but I couldn't be bothered telling you... Disappointing.

After a while the humour also begins to fade. There's a major strand of humour from acronyms. Funny... for a while.

The major characters are very pleasant. Except that they are really cogs in the vast bureaucratic machine that is the government agency which controls their actions. In their own time they have great skills and very little authority. Worse yet...

When they travel back in time, there are enormous difficulties. Which is interesting: setting the scope of time travel then exploring the very practical difficulties.

Except that the hero and heroine are stupid.

Not really stupid. They just meet people who know so much more than they do. Who couldn't be bothered doing anything with their abilities except -- now that someone else has started -- these new people are so much better at what has to be done.

Which leads to the disappointing finale.

The main characters finally take independent and strong action. A few other characters join them... and suddenly, it's the scene setting for a series. These other characters are sterotypes. They get together to form a standard, ethnic / gender / ability balanced team.

And this book -- after a quick wrap-up of the current conflict -- sets the stage for a series of books. Here's the huge / powerful / evil baddie organisation, here's the small / friendly / skilled team of goodies.

The story ends satisfactorily. Despite its haste and dubious logic.

The series has only just begun.

Acceptable as light fantasy. Disappointing as Stephenson science fiction.

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

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming 'WOO HOO what a ride!'
   

A Dark and Hungry God Arises / Stephen Donaldson

A Dark and Hungry God Arises

(The Gap #3)

by Stephen Donaldson

science fiction

copyright 1992

re-read in August 2017

rated 9/10: really, really good

It's years since I first read this book. I may have read it twice, I remember that I enjoyed it. This year I am reading the Gap series in sequence... with just a few other books to break it up. I can remember highlights, some details, the overall thrust of the plot -- and enjoy it even more.

Sometimes it helps to re-read a book. To know what will happen in subsequent chapters. To be able to understand -- in light of that known "future" -- just what is happening "now". The Gap series benefits from rereading: I'm getting a better appreciation and understanding of its complexities.

This book -- book three -- also has some plot positives. That is, main characters are winning at intermediate objectives. In this book the winning involves action, cunning and super powers... which is all good fun.

Books one and two concentrated on personal levels of threat and torment. This book three opens up the wider world -- and has a lot of physical action, plenty of bangs and booms. All of which I find a lot easier to enjoy. Okay, it's escapism. I can't deny that I enjoy escapism :-)

I'm enjoying the series. This is the best book in the series.

So far.

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

"If you're not part of the solution, you're in government." … per Ginger Meggs
   

City of Light / Keri Arthur

City of Light

(Outcast #1)

by Keri Arthur

fantasy, chicklit

copyright 2016

read in August 2017

rated 9/10: really, really good

Action from go to whoa. Not just fighting action but sneaky action, hot sex action, glaring at enemies who may be friends action... Never a dull moment. And it is not forced. (Interestingly, the preview of book two is non-stop action -- of the forced kind. No matter. That's just chapter one of book two.)

The heroine is gutsy, attractive, powerful, able and willing to fight. Better yet -- her motives are eminently acceptable. She is willing to put her life on the line for... a reason which I can fully understand and fully support. A reason which places this book firmly in the chick lit category.

Also -- since this is chicklit -- the heroine has a lover who may be evil and a potential lover who is a traditional to-the-death enemy. Romeo and Juliet? Chicklit ! A well used cliche, used well.

The story is set in a post apocalyptic world. A world which has been shattered by -- presumably -- nuclear war. "Bombs" are mentioned, with no further detail. Is this science fiction?

The post-war world is pure fantasy. There may be vague scientific explanations... but ghosts, vampires, shape-shifters, are fantasy. I'm happy to also add the created, genetically modified creatures into the fantasy category. There is no explanation of their mechanics, they are simply fantastic :-)

The world is wild... yet sensible. The various creatures are extensions of earlier fantastic creatures... yet with realistic limitations and motivations. (Though some motivations are not yet clear.)

City of Light is great fun. The characters are strong and understandable. The heroine is driven by believable and acceptable motivations, the team for good share the essential features of those motivations. With enough additional emotional baggage to maintain a solid sense of individuality. And, of course, conflict.

Was I in the mood for a fast and furious piece of positive -- in a moral sense -- chick lit? Possibly. Does that bias my rating? Probably.

I rate on my own enjoyment. I really did enjoy reading this book.

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

"If you're not part of the solution, you're in government." … per Ginger Meggs