Grasping for the Wind

Book Review: The Flaxen Femme Fatale by John Zakour

* Genre: Humorous Science Fiction
* ISBN: 075640519X
* ISBN-13: 9780756405199
* Format: Mass Market Paperback, 352pp
* Publisher: DAW
* Pub. Date: December 2, 2008
* Author Website
* Author Blog
* Read Sam 3.14 P.I., a hilarious webcomic by John Zakour.

Scratch any fan of "deep, serious, though-provoking" sf hard enough, and you'll find, deep-down, someone who needs to read John Zakour's The Flaxen Femme Fatale. Another in the series of stories about Zachary Nixon Johnson , the last PI on earth, Zakour's hilarious tale is another in a line of novels that fulfills his mission of writing "bubblegum for the brain."

We all need humor in our lives, but unfortunately for readers of sf, comedic versions of their genre are often stigmatized, Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams not withstanding. And not by the mainstream, but by the very fans of sf that are always looking for the cutting edge story, the trifecta of descriptors mentioned above.

But humor has its place, and a good place to turn for some would be The Flaxen Femme Fatale. Prior reading of other books in the series is not necessary (though a few of the in-jokes are funnier if you have). In this story, private investigator Johnson is due for his once-a-year saving of the world from some power-mad superbabe. And this case is no different. Hired by the army to capture Natasha, a woman the army bred to be the most powerful psi on Earth. On bad days (and that is at least three days a month) Natasha can kill with a single thought. Johnson pursues her with a combination of wit and sheer doggedness, with some help from his symbiont computer HARV and the always cheerful weapon GUS. But the question is, is Natasha, powerful as she is, really the bad guy? Johnson must discover that for himself.

This story is predictable but fun. You know, from the very beginning, that Natasha is not going to end up being as bad as she seems. The plot is simplistic, with Johnson jumping from one place to the next, always just avoiding being stopped in his mission by Natasha, the army that hired him, or mobs of mind-controlled zombie people. Even his normally faithful companions turn against him several times. But this predictability is one reason why I read Zakour's work. It is comfortable and doesn't ask much of me, but gives a great deal of laughter in return.

The real reason any reader should turn to Zakour's book is the grins to be had on every page. Like its predecessor The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Flaxen Femme Fatale is full of ridiculous situations, tons of deus ex machina, and science gone wild. But unlike Adam's story, the absurdity is kept to a more manageable level. Zakour's novel has more wit and slapstick in it as well. A great deal of the fun of the story comes from verbal interchanges, full of puns, witticism, and the type of humor that both exasperates and entertains. Like Hitchhiker's it mocks culture. A key plot element of the story is the PIHI-Pods, obvious analogues to the iPod. And there are many more.

I saw many similarities to John Scalzi's humor as well. Much like Scalzi's comedies, Agent to the Stars or The Android's Dream Zakour never lets his tale get serious, and keeps the action coming so fast that readers easily gloss over any inconsistencies or flaws in the story.

The novel also owes a lot to Mike Resnick's Stalking series. Zakour's novel is very closely linked to those works in style, though Zakour focuses more heavily on the humor, less on the mystery. Zakour's novel is also strictly sf, while Resnick's stories could be more accurately described as urban fantasy. Still, I think fans of either one are easily crossovers for the other. So if you have read Resnick's Stalking the Unicorn or Stalking the Vampire, you will likely find The Flaxen Femme Fatale to your liking also.

The work also relies on lots of verbal sparring, especially between Johnson and HARV. For me, it brings memories of the round robin joke telling my family and I always do whenever we are together. Any newcomer would think we were being extremely insulting toward one another, even hated each other. Yet we are just having fun at each other and our own expense. Johnson and HARV's relationship is like that. It is camaraderie based on mutual amusement at each other's differences. It is clever, but never mean, like the class clown who makes fun of himself or culture to make people laugh.

To wit, The Flaxen Femme Fatale is another entertaining novel from John Zakour. Read it when you are feeling down, have had enough of the "deep and though-provoking" novels on the bestseller lists, or just need an entertaining way to while away a rainy afternoon. Especially those of you who claim sf fandom, yet deride works of humor and entertainment as mindless drivel. Good humor is anything but mindless, and The Flaxen Femme Fatale is good humor, equal parts wit, slapstick, and SNL style dialogue.

Book Review: Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi

* Genre: Humor, Science Fiction
* ISBN: 0765317710
* ISBN-13: 9780765317711
* Format: Paperback, 368pp
* Publisher: Tor
* Pub. Date: October 28, 2008
* Author Blog

John Scalzi's debut novel, Agent to the Stars, originally published as an online web novel, contains much of what is now recognized as Scalzi's trademark wit and humor. Though not as tightly written as his Old Man's War series, the novel is still very entertaining and quite funny.

Tom is a Hollywood agent (insert epithet here) who finds himself in a strange situation. Once day his boss Carl calls him in and commands him to drop all his other clients so that he can take on a unique assignment. Unfortunately for Tome, that assignment is to become the agent for an entire race of aliens bent on being friendly to humanity. Even worse, the aliens are more like the evil SF aliens as seen in The Blob than the wonderful and often very nice humanoids of Star Trek. And so begins Tom's quest to make the blob shaped and smelly aliens more palatable to humanity.

There are some obvious flaws in this novel that show it was Scalzi's first novel. For one, there is a large story-within-a-story. This would not necessarily be problematic, except that the events related in that story could have been written more concisely, and some of the character's reactions saved for later in the novel, when Tom himself experiences similar events. Point being, some of the tension and excitement of Tom visiting the alien spaceship is lost by relating the story of Carl's visit earlier in the novel.

I think, as well, the final solution to the alien's problem is less satisfying than I had hoped. I would have preferred that Tom use his creativity to come up with a grand marketing scheme to get humanity used to the idea of visitors from outer space who look and smell like our worst nightmares. Instead, Scalzi went a different direction. It is still entertaining, and allows Scalzi to use his prodigious wit to satirize Hollywood, but it took away the heroic nature of Tom, and left him more a victim of circumstance, more a pragmatist than a man who makes things happen. It undermines the reader's interest in Tom's character.

That being said, Agent to the Stars is hilarious. Even if you know little about how Hollywood works, you will recognize some element of the establishment at which Scalzi pokes fun. Entertainment reporters, high-strung actresses, and demanding directors are all either made fun of, or subverted entirely. The many cultural references (all updated in the Tor edition) will bring a smile or memory to each and every reader.

Scalzi takes what might be considered a mundane - if high stress - job and turns it into a story of clever characters, absurd plot twists and strange alien beings. In many ways, it is a literary successor to the work of Douglas Adams. But Scalzi forges his own path. He is not nearly as absurdist as Adams and his story has its sad moments as well as its funny ones. Agent to the Stars is a good science fiction comedy. That in itself is a rare thing, and Scalzi should be applauded for writing a novel in that subgenre. Agent to the Stars is a good read for anyone looking for a little lighthearted comedy about perception and relationship.

Book Review: Son of Man by Robert Silverberg

* Genre: Science Fiction, Philosophy
* ISBN: 1591026466
* ISBN-13: 9781591026464
* Format: Paperback, 225pp
* Publisher: PYR
* Pub. Date: June 2008
* Quasi-Official Author Site

Science Fiction Grand Master Robert Silverberg's Son of Man is a Jackson Pollock painting in words. It is a philosopher's allegory and a product of the sexual revolution of the 1960's. It is eloquent words and beautiful imagery, and it is an exploration of the nature of humankind.

The story opens with a twentieth century man named Clay awakening, naked, many millennia in the future. After a quick inspection of his genitalia, Clay begins to experience the surreal world around him. It is Earth, but it is not Earth. Fortunately for his survival, Clay is quickly befriended by Hanmer, a bipedal human from the future in which Clay finds himself. Hanmer is godlike, having all the powers of the ancient Greek gods. Hanmer and his five companions lead Clay through five rites, rites whose purpose is never clear, but which seem to make the world go round. Along the way, Clay meets humans that have evolved into a variety of shapes, from bestial, to fish-like, to egg like shapes. All are human, and all are descendents of man, or rather, they are Sons of Man.

Son of Man relies on imagery and sense to tell its story. Silverberg has not written a tale with a traditional plot, nor does it have a standard action, reaction, consequence style of writing. Clay is many times saved by the deus ex machina of Hanmer. Normally, that would be a no-no in fiction writing, but this story is not about Clay as an individual, but Clay as an archetype of the human race as it exists today. It is meant, I think, to awaken the senses of its reader, to engender a reminder of the basic nature of man in those who flip its pages. And it is meant as an attempt to understand the who and what humankind really is, rather than what we think it is.

The novel has much more in common with the allegories of the great philosophers than with traditional storytelling. Like those allegories, the story is meant to provoke thinking in its readers, not necessarily to be entertainment (think, Umberto Eco). Son of Man is not the entertainment most science fiction or fantasy readers are looking for. It does, though, awaken the perceptions, and cause the reader to think about the very nature of humanity, what it is that makes us human.

Because of its focus on imagery, and lack of clear indicators of plot (i.e. the rising action, climax, and aftermath) the novel is not an easy one to read. The story moves forward towards a climactic moment, but in a roundabout way, never clearly marking a line from point A to B. Fortunately, the book is short, so this does not get annoying. Mostly, it is a tour of the world in which the story occurs, centered on five inexplicable rites and punctuated by strange encounters with various evolutions of man. This is the type of book readers pick up for the challenge of reading it, not for its ease.

Son of Man is also very sexually explicit. The book opens with a description of a man's genitalia if that is any indicator. That opening makes sense to begin with, because what else does a man first know about himself but his own physical form? But still, it is graphic. The story then moves on into several spontaneous ejaculations from Clay, as well as many sexual encounters between Clay, Hanmer, and Hanmer's five friends. Since Clay experiences the whole of human experience, so there is also a graphic description of sex from a woman's point of view as well. These descriptions are not romantic, not in the sense of a romance novel, but they are graphic and explicit, even at times disturbing.

Reading Son of Man is like trying to read poetry in prose form. Although the story is written in prose, the bulk of the story is made up of all the trappings of poetry. Metaphor, simile, personification, and imagery give the story its heft. In a sense, this story is meant not to be read and analyzed, but simply experienced. As you read, you let Silverberg's descriptions wash over you in a tidal wave of color, taste, touch and smell. In 1971, when this book was first published, it was pushing the boundaries of what fiction could do. Still, it should be read more as if it were poetry than as if it is a story.

I cannot recommend this book. That is not because it is not well-written (it is, if you like imagery, but if you like story - characterization, etc. - it is most definitely not), nor because it doesn't dive deep into trying to understand the who and what of humankind. That fundamental question is the very thing we want from a good science fiction story. I do not recommend it simply because I have moral objections to the story's graphic and over sexualized content. This book made me feel....dirty, as if my soul needed a good scrub. I therefore cannot recommend it to you.

However, I know that since this objection to Son of Man is born of my own understanding of human morality - which is religiously based - that this does not make the book unworthy. I recognize that not everyone agrees with me when it comes to sexual morality. Just because I morally object to some of its content does not make this a "bad" book. It is not a bad book. Robert Silverberg is a SF Grand Master for a reason, after all. He is a gifted writer, and Son of Man shows that clearly (even though as a story it is rather dull). This book expresses much about of the nature of man, and its imagery is many times beautiful and eloquent. If its sexualized content does not offend, and you are in a philosophical frame of mind, this book may be of interest to you. For all others, let it pass.

Book Review: Paul of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

* Genre: Space Opera
* ISBN: 0765312948
* ISBN-13: 9780765312945
* Format: Hardcover, 512pp
* Publisher: TOR
* Pub. Date: September 2008
* Series: Heroes of Dune Series, #1
* Dune/Brian Herbert Website
* Kevin J. Anderson Website
* Watch six videos of the authors discussing the Dune universe and Paul of Dune in depth.

The Dune sequel/prequels by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert have garnered a lot of mixed reactions. Some readers have thought that Anderson and Herbert have destroyed the legacy of Brian Herbert's father, Frank, the creator of Dune and writer of the first six books in the Dune universe. Other readers have thought them fine works, completely in keeping with Frank Herbert's original story. But the vast majority of readers (of which I am now one) think that while Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert's Dune Collaborations are a worthy successor to the original novels, they are not the most worthy successor.

With the recent publication of Paul of Dune this debate is likely to flair up to an even greater degree than before. You see, whereas before Brian Herbert and Anderson has limited themselves to writing only prequels and sequels to the original six novels, Paul of Dune goes farther and tries to fill in the gaps in time left by Frank Herbert in his original series.

Paul of Dune begins where the first novel Dune left off. Paul Atreides/Muad'Dib has conquered Dune and now controls the spice, the one thing that mankind must have to travel the stars. He has not yet reached Messiah status, but he is moving that way. Meanwhile, he is consolidating his power as Emperor of the Known Universe, and conquering all planets that resist him. Through this primary plot line, the character Paul moves slowly towards the second book by the original author Dune Messiah.

But in a secondary plot line that moves along simultaneously with the primary one (the book is divided into sections that move back and forth between the two plots) we learn a bit about young Paul Atreides as he is caught up in a War of Assassins between his father Duke Leto and the mad scion of House Moritani.

As the two plots move one around the other, we learn a bit about the man that Paul was, and what he has become out of necessity, the man his prescience vision of the destruction of mankind has made him. The juxtaposition of the two characters/one man creates a nice interplay that also allows Anderson and Brian Herbert to connect Dune and Dune Messiah without overly adding to or making nonsensical the two original novels.

The problems for the novel come not from any new events that don't jive with the original stories, or even a sacrifice of the characterization of Frank Herbert. Rather, although Brian Herbert and Anderson are very good at telling an adventure filled political space opera that is fast and entertaining, they lack the ability the Frank Herbert has to give the reader a sense of mystery and mysticism.

Frank Herbert's original novels engendered a true sense of wonder, both at his writing skill and his ability to create such a complex, convoluted world. Frank Herbert's instinctual knowledge of history, culture, politics and religion and their subtle interplay, is treated much more heavy-handedly in Paul of Dune. Whereas Frank Herbert was decidedly a descriptive author, simply letting events speak for themselves, his son and Anderson tend more towards being prescriptive, telling the reader what events mean. Their style of writing is not didactic, but many readers prefer to self-interpret when they read, rather than being told, especially fans of the original books. That may be the best way to explain why some fans take great umbrage with the works of Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, as compared to Frank Herbert's.

But Paul of Dune is not a bad novel. In fact, it is quite entertaining. Anderson and Brian Herbert draw you in with exciting political intrigue, and surprising plot twists. Ultimately, I think readers should approach this work as a worthy successor to Frank Herbert's legacy. Admittedly, it is not the same, and there are some authors who probably could more closely align themselves with Frank Herbert's vision, but Paul of Dune is not a "bad" book. It is quite a good one, in fact. Its characters are compelling, its plot exciting and never lacking in interesting events, and the primary protagonist is not static. Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson are good writers and they write good science fiction. I can say without caveat that Paul of Dune is an excellent read and well worth your time.

Book Review: Old Man's War by John Scalzi

* Genre: Military SF, Science Fiction
* ISBN: 0765348276
* ISBN-13: 9780765348272
* Format: Mass Market Paperback, 320pp
* Publisher: TOR
* Pub. Date: January 2007
* Author Website

There are bad writers, there are mediocre writers, there are good authors, there are gifted authors, and then there is John Scalzi. Scalzi is best known for his work on his blog Whatever, a 2008 winner of the Hugo for best fan writer. But he is also the author of a series of novels. The first is Old Man's War, a military SF novel which garnered Scalzi a Campbell Award for best new writer.

So obviously, anyone who follows the SF community knows about Scalzi's work. But for those of you who don't, let me tell you a little bit about Old Man's War.

The story is about a 75 year old man named John Perry who joins the Colonial Defense Force. In this tale, Earth lives in a sort of naïveté about the rest of the universe, living much as we always have done. This is made possible by the defense of Earth and all humanity by the Colonials. But the Colonial Administration keeps itself veiled in mystery, and only accepts recruits 75 years old or older. So when Perry joins the CDF, he has no idea what to expect, and wonders how a 75 year old man will fulfill a young man's job. The resulting events are interesting, as Perry's eyes are opened to a whole universe he never knew existed. Along the way, he makes friends, learns to fight, loses friends, and becomes and elite soldier.

The story is told entirely through the eyes of John Perry. Essentially, the book breaks down into a series of vignettes that relate different events in the military career of Perry. We see him finding his youthful rejuvenation, his training, various battles, and the events that lead to his rising high in the CDF. Along the way, Scalzi writes on the themes of human nature, the role of the military, genocide vs. survival, and social Darwinism. This is not the average military SF novel. It neither demonizes war, nor celebrates it. It looks more at the soldiers, at the way many or them fight for each other, and how they can manage fight for you even when it changes them completely.

Perry is a fun character, reflective of Scalzi's own impish nature. He cracks jokes and has a generally optimistic nature. He makes friends easily, and is intelligent and crafty enough both to survive and even thrive within the Colonial Defense Forces. In short, he is the type of person that everyone enjoys being around, and a s you read, you'll get a sense of him as that favorite grandfather who always brought presents, laughed loudly, and praised you for your most insignificant efforts. You'll like him.

And you'll like the Old Man's War universe as well. Humanity is not the best thing since sliced bread, is in fact several millennia behind others technologically. What Scalzi seems to have done is transplant the way our world is now (with its Third, Second, and First Worlds) into space. What you will find is that though humanity is doing okay, it is far from First World. And as a result, it must do all it can to protect each and every one of its colonies. It all comes down to a competition between different sentient species for land and resources, much as it does today on Earth.

There is little to dislike about Scalzi's writing. Maybe the use or swearing might offend some, as well as the liberal sexual morality. But even that ends up being inoffensive, as Scalzi has a way of putting the reader at ease, making him relax into the story. It is a true gift, all the more impressive because Scalzi writes his books almost in one fell swoop, not having to edit and re-edit his tales. Old Man's War is written in such an easygoing narrative fashion, that it has the feel of an old campfire tale. It is adventure filled storytelling with the feel of a Heinlein novel and the fun of a Tom Swift.

Scalzi is poised to become one of the most prolific and best writers in speculative fiction, and glad am I for it. I highly recommend Old Man's War.

Book Review: In Her Name by Michael R. Hicks

* Genre: Epic Space Fantasy, Science Fiction
* ISBN: 0615208533
* ISBN-13: 9780615208534
* Format: Paperback, 680pp
* Publisher: Imperial Guard Publishing
* Pub. Date: April 2008
* Website

In Her Name by self-published author Michael R. Hicks, can best be described as an "epic space fantasy". It has all the elements of an epic or high fantasy (the young hero coming of age, the war against an alien people, and the diabolical villain/traitor of our own race) save only that rather than being set deep into a medieval setting, it is set into a military science fiction novel.

The story follows the one Reza Gard, an orphan human who is captured by the Kreelans (something they had never done before) and reared in their way of life. Unlike what you might expect of a spacefaring race, the Kreelans disdain energy weapons, preferring to use swords and their natural claws to rend foes limb from limb. A Humanoid race, the Kreelans differ from humanity only in their skin color (blue), their fangs and claws, and the fact that they are an exceptionally old race. Even as Reza becomes more and more like the Kreelans, he maintains a vow never to strike a blow against his own species.

In Her Name, which tops out at 660+/- pages, breaks down into three sections. The first book is the story of Reza as he learns to live by the Kreelan warrior Way. Although this Way is never clearly defined, it essentially is a warrior's code, and a blood bond between all the Kreelan people, which allows them to sense the feelings, and occasionally thoughts, of other Kreelans. Oh, yea, did I mention that all Kreelans are female? Well, that's not strictly true, but where the males are is a significant reveal in the story, so I won't ruin it for you. Needless to say, Reza ends up being reared by a bunch of female warriors. (Obviously this had to lead to sex at some point, and there are several very explicit sex scenes. Romance readers will love it.) This first part of the story will resemble any epic fantasy you have ever read. Except for a few ground building chapters at the beginning of the novel, there is little of the "science fiction" elements. As I read the first book of In Her Name, I found myself forgetting that this story was other than an epic fantasy.

The second and third books of the story are more military SF. These two sections have Reza returning to humanity, biologically human, but different due his time with the Kreelans. In a plot repetition of the first book, Reza learns to be a Marine in the human Confederation. During his training, his differences lead a head on collision with a sadistic marine and a power hungry senator. This is the conflict on which the rest of the story rests, and the final epic battle ends up being between these characters, and the friends Reza had gained while among the humans. The second two books are more military SF than epic fantasy, but take out the space elements, and you very well could have had an epic fantasy.

Although Hicks writing is good, meaning that grammar and structure are correct, dialogue is mostly natural, and there is enough description to know what is going on, readers will see things they really don't like. For instance, Hicks tries to write in two characters with accents. The first is a Russian one, and his way of doing it is simply to drop from the character's speech all of the articles like "a" and "the". This just makes the dialogue of this character hard to read, and while he is a minor character, there is enough dialogue from him that Hicks writing of his words always jarred me out of the story. The second is Irish/Scottish, and Hicks simply drops a "ye" every so often. Better to have just said that these characters had accents, and then write standard dialogue. I could easily have imagined the accent, and the intentional attempt at writing and accent reduced readability.

Hicks will also move from natural speech into this stilted, highbrow sort of speech. Rather than simply writing dialogue that sounds natural, the characters will suddenly slip into speech that is stilted and esoteric. Although I get that Hicks is trying to give his story more of an "epic" feel with this sort of dialogue, it only ends up being distracted and ridiculous. I know Hicks can write good dialogue from reading other parts of the story, so he should have just stuck with that.

All of the women in In Her Name are beautiful. While to a male reader, this is great, it doesn't reflect reality, and I knew that with the introduction of each new female character, she would be beautiful, no matter what. This caricatures Hicks women, which is unfortunate, because his characters of Esah-Zhurah, Nicole Carre, and Jodi Mackenzie are powerful and interesting women. Had Hicks made them merely beautiful, instead of drop-dead gorgeous, the characters would have been the better for it.

Because this is a self-published novel, Hicks needs a little editing. At one point, a character by the name of Father Hernandez appears. This character provides and opportunity for Hicks to have a Christian foil to the saber of the Kreelan Way, so we might better understand the Way. Additionally, throughout the book, there is a great deal of Christian symbolism. This would all be fine if Hicks did anything with it, but in reality it has no real effect on the characters, except Jodi, and even that is minimal. Hicks would have been better off dropping Father Hernandez and the Christian symbolism from the story entirely. It is a rabbit trail that has no significant effect on the plot, and should have been abandoned.

But all that said, I still must admit to enjoying every moment I spent with Reza Gard. He is an archetypal hero, the kind of powerful, intelligent, gracious person we would all like to be. The Kreelan nation is different from space-faring race tropes, and the story is not typical science fiction. It is more standard when it comes to epic fantasy, so in a strange way the readers I would recommend In Her Name to would be those folks who like George R. R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie, or Robert Jordan. Like the works by those authors this novel is violent and sexually explicit (there is one emotionally powerful and explicit rape scene, a near rape of a young girl, and a great deal of bloody fighting) and follows an epic story arc. Readers who like their science to be based in reality will not enjoy this book, though readers who like the recently defined genre of "space fantasy" may find In Her Name to be up their alley.

Personally, I love epic fantasy, and Hicks' tale hit all the necessary elements of that subgenre for me. The book is huge, so it is not for the faint of heart, but of the myriad self-published books I have read, this was the first one I truly enjoyed. I lost myself in the story, I didn't feel the writing was forced (except as mentioned above) and the character development kept me turning pages late into the night. I spent my work day looking forward to reentering the world of In Her Name, and when I had finished I had thoroughly enjoyed my time there. There are some unpolished portions of the text, and these detract at times, but all in all, this is a grand story of love, power, sacrifice, and good vs. evil.

Book Review: Orphanage by Robert Buettner

* Genre: Military SF, Near Future SF, Science Fiction
* ISBN: 0316019127
* ISBN-13: 9780316019125
* Format: Mass Market Paperback, 336pp
* Publisher: Orbit
* Pub. Date: April 2008
* Series: Jason Wander Series
* Author Website

Orphanage, according to author Robert Buettner, is a cross between Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers and Joe Haldeman's The Forever War. But unlike either of those novels, this 2004 Quill nominee sees the military in light of post 9/ll sensibilities. In it, we see how a soldier can fight a just war, while still disliking many of the aspects of the army. Buettner's story sees the motivations for soldiering not in God or Country, but in the man or woman next to you, guarding your back.

An alien race of unknown origin has landed on Ganymede, one of Jupiter's moons, and is lobbing projectiles the size of cities at Earth. Major cities across the world are being destroyed, and humanity still only has the spaceflight technology of the 1970s. In time, the story takes place at about 2040, but by this time relative peace has been attained throughout the world. This may be wishful thinking on Buettner's part, but as background to the story it works well. Mankind has had no reason to seek to conquer the stars, and technological innovation has slowed due to lack of war or drive to explore.

When the aliens attack, humanity is galvanized to respond with their own deadly force. Buettner's protagonist, Jason Wander, is forced by circumstance and judge's order to join a military at war. Using outdated and inefficient Vietnam-era equipment, Jason and his friends learn to be soldiers. Jason, perennial screw-up, finds himself being the reason for his troop's punishment, and his Drill Sergeant gives him the dirtiest and meanest jobs. But this sort of treatment sparks a change in Jason, and the teen boy becomes a man under the pressures of war. His story is that or a hero, and when his heroism finally finds its chance to shine, it does so brilliantly in an all out assault on Ganymede.

Buettner has been derided for killing off popular characters. But in doing so, he shows the grit and grimness of war. Readers who become easily attached to characters, and get upset when they die, should not read this book. Wander himself suffers a significant loss that he must put aside from his mind for the good of the troops. Buettner emphasizes the desire of each soldier to fight for his buddy, to see himself and that partner through the orphanage called war. Unlike Haldeman, Buettner's Orphanage sees war as a necessary evil, even a useful situation that spurs innovation. But it doesn't have the God and Country idealism of Heinlein either. Rather, Orphanage finds the delicate balance between the two, seeing war as neither wholly evil, nor wholly good.

The themes of war, self-sacrifice, and honor pervade the novel. Although there is adult content, this book would be an excellent opportunity to discuss with a teen or young adult war and its attendant questions. Although the later books have Jason being much older, in the beginning of Orphanage he is but seventeen years old, only in his twenties by its end. His character will resonate with those readers searching for themselves.

Buettner tells of how some of the young soldiers who read his book will send him pictures of their drill sergeant, describing how the characters in the story so deeply resemble their real life drill sergeants. To me, this is the most powerful support for the realism of Buettner's military. Buettner, who has military experience but was never called to war, is of the Vietnam era. Orphanage ends up exploring many of the same issues raised by that war, questions we even now struggle to answer. I found his conclusions to be different from the expected.

Buettner writes a book that moves quickly. There is lots of action, and Jason finds himself on several dangerous missions on the moon and Ganymede. Buettner also manages to create emotional ties between the characters with few words, yet they are of such depth we can feel each loss much as Jason does. The sentences have a sort of military crispness to them, never wasting nor wanting words or description. I was easily able to read the entirety of this novel in a day.

Readers looking for Hard SF will be disappointed. The science plays little part in the story. Like writers of the Golden Age, Buettner has simply chosen to create believable but not wholly scientific equipment in order to provide a vehicle for the story. Some suspension of disbelief will be required for those who like their science fiction to be based wholly in reality. But if you can let that go, you will end up with a deeply emotional and adventure filled novel of particularly high quality.

Some readers may dislike Buettner's themes or conclusions, may even dislike the character of Jason Wander, but they will find little to complain about in terms of writing. There is no choppiness (although at times I had some troubles with the timeline). The plot is simple and straightforward, and does not become a complex political novel, though its themes touch on politics. It's military SF with a sword and space feel. Fans of John Ringo will likely enjoy this book, as will fans of Heinlein's Starship Troopers or David Weber's Honor Harrington series. As for me, I am looking forward to the further adventures of Jason Wander as he climbs the military ranks.

Special thanks to Robert Buettner for his recent reading at Dragon Con 2008, where we discussed his themes in detail, and for the copies of his first three books in the five part Jason Wander series.

Book Review: Plague Year by Jeff Carlson

* Genre: Apocalyptic Fiction, Hard SF
* ISBN: 044101514X
* ISBN-13: 9780441015146
* Format: Paperback, 304pp
* Publisher: Ace Books
* Pub. Date: July 2007
* Author Website (with excerpts and live action book trailer)

Plague Year, by Jeff Carlson, is the type of book that would translate very well in and action/thriller movie. Characters never stand still, political intrigue abounds, and the characters face almost certain death every time they turn around. Written in two perspectives, the novel relates the story of what happens to Earth and humanity after a nanotech plague kills every mammal living below 10,000 feet of elevation. Set only a few months into the first year after the plague of tiny machines hit, the story is written as first person accounts from two primary characters.

The first, and most interesting, is Cam, a Hispanic ski bum who manages to make it to a small outcropping barely above ten thousand feet in California, not far from the supposed epicenter of the plague. Plague Year begins with his story, and what he and his small band of survivors must do to survive. They immediacy of their survival is the strong hook that author Jeff Carlson uses to lure the reader in. From that point, the story fascinates so much; you can't help but read this horrifying story of man-made apocalypse. Cam is a survivor, a man on the front lines of the plague and his eyes relay to the reader the immediacy and near futility of survival on what amounts to almost barren rock.

Ruth is a nanotech scientist stuck in the International Space Station doing her very best to study the plague and find a cure. Unlike Cam, who must suffer many indignities, she is a privileged person, naive about the horrors occurring down on Earth. Her awakening, later in the novel, is a key plot twist. Her selfishness and narcissism can be grating at times on the reader, but Carlson doesn't intend for us to like her, at least not at first. Still, it will fit the reader's stereotype of the lab rat genius who sees nothing but their next experiment. When she acts out of character later in the novel, it becomes a great moment of hope.

These two perspectives provide two separate plot lines that finally converge into the final solution to the nanotech plague.

The story moves very quickly, and this short novel can easily be read in one or two nights. Cam's heroism in the face of self-loathing is amazing to watch. Ruth's tirelessness in searching for cure is inspiring, and her naiveté grounds the reader in our own present day complacency. These two characters, though they don't grow awful much beyond these motivations, will resonate deeply. That lack of growth is one of the weaknesses of the story. The characters do a great deal of introspection, but Carlson fails to move them beyond that introspection to a permanent change of character, making it easy for a reader to think them flat. They are not, but their changes are very subtle, more a bringing out of hidden strengths than any great change in personality.

The plot basics are not truly original. Any moviegoer or reader familiar with I Am Legend will see a lot of elements that are very similar, even to the point of the scientist-become-hero theme. But a similar theme is no crime, and Carlson does move the story in a different direction from its predecessor.

Readers may also notice a similarity to the TV show Lost in that Carlson explains the isolation of being stuck on a mountaintop with much the same motivations. One primary character even shares a name and personality with Lost's Sawyer. But these similarities to what has come before could be seen as strengths, in that readers who enjoyed either I Am Legend or Lost is likely to enjoy Plague Year for its similar themes and character types.

Readers who are offended by casual sex (a threesome exists at the beginning of the novel) and some crude thinking on the part of the characters may also wish to avoid this tale.

Carlson's writing can sometimes seem a bit choppy, causing faster readers to easily miss important details. Slower readers will be at an advantage in reading this novel. More than once I got confused as to what had just happened, but I think that was due more to my reading pace than Carlson's writing per se. I just skipped over a detail in my speed. But the fact that I was reading it quickly points to the avidness and voraciousness with which I was enjoying it, so what initially seemed a detriment to me became a strength of the novel as I thought about it later.

The story is good, even garnering Carlson a nomination for this year's John W. Campbell award. Unfortunately, he was ineligible due to previously published short stories, but that says a lot for his strong writing skills. I think Plague Year is a unique take on the old apocalyptic fiction trope, full of the hard science of nanotech, and it will appeal to a broad audience.

It is highly entertaining, and I can say that I plan to read the stand-alone/sequel, Plague War very soon. If you like apocalyptic fiction, Plague Year is a must-buy.

Book Review: Bitterwood by James Maxey

* Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
* ISBN: 184416487X
* ISBN-13: 9781844164875
* Format: Mass Market Paperback, 496pp
* Publisher: Solaris
* Pub. Date: June 2007
* Author Website

Straddling the blurry line between science fiction and fantasy, James Maxey's Bitterwood will either be a real pleaser, or a total drag for readers. Innovative and provocative, Bitterwood defies standard classifications, and is one of those rare books that is nigh on impossible to review adequately. What follows is my pitiful attempt to inform you, dear reader, as to the strangeness and foibles of this unique story.

Ostensibly, the story is about the titular character, Bitterwood, a middle aged man bent on seeking revenge on the ruling class of dragons. Using wit, guile, and bow and arrow, Bitterwood wants to bring down the dragon power structure one giant lizard at a time. But these dragons are not you average fire breathing dullards. The dragons of Bitterwood are a complex, intelligent species, who use their greater strength and power to subjugate the whole of the human race. Nor are the dragons all of one mind about their treatment of the humans, a factor that plays a large role in the events that unfold. The story then follows a plot in which the King of the dragons and his servants work to do all they can to destroy Bitterwood, even as he gains some help from unlikely quarters.

I stated previously that this story blurs the line between science fiction and fantasy even more than it already is. To tell you exactly why would ruin a significant plot twist in the story, but suffice it to say that what might seem like a trope-filled standard fantasy story is anything but. Bitterwood is far from the paragon of virtue that the archetype Robin Hood is, and the true drive of the story is not a hero but a heroine named Jandra. A far cry from the standard love interest, this plucky heroine was my favorite character of the novel. Most of the story is told from her perspective, and when Bitterwood begins to lose faith in his mission, it is Jandra who provides the rallying cry for the human revolution.

Maxey also examines, at least in part, the themes of faith, martyrdom, and even slips in a little bit of the singularity. How one could slip in the singularity to a fantasy novel requires reading the story, you'll not get me to ruin the best part of the story. I asked Maxey why he included quotes from the Bible and had at least one character who is essentially a lay preacher of Christianity in his story. His response was to say that he had been affected by his upbringing in a fundamentalist Christian household, and he felt that the Bible references he used simply had great poetry to them, and introduced the themes of the book's chapters well. Maxey uses his lay preacher character as both villain and confidante to Bitterwood's anti-hero, and Maxey's own disappointments and doubts about faith and religion come through clearly in the story, but without being pedantic. Maxey presents no real answers to the questions he raises about faith, using this origin story of Bitterwood to vividly portray the angst of the character after he gains and loses faith. Such pain will resonate with many a reader.

Bitterwood, can drag a bit a times. Although the action is fast and furious, there were points where I wasn't sure where the plot was going. Maxey is a relatively new writer, and his voice is still developing, so some of the grammatical structure and design may not be to every reader's liking. It isn't wholly smooth, though it is comfortable.

I was supremely confused by the lack of perspective from the titular character. Very little of the story is actually told from Bitterwood's point of view, being told mostly by outside observers such as Jandra. Readers who do not like tropes should be warned that Maxey doesn't really subvert tropes, only uses them in slightly modified ways. Also, when the big reveal happens later in the book, epic fantasy fans will be wondering if they have been fooled. Both types of readers should know that this book draws on elements from both epic fantasy and science fiction, with a lean more towards epic fantasy in setting, and science fiction in plot style and pacing.

I thought the book was great, in the way that reviewers always appreciate a book that is both familiar and o' so subtly different. I was comfortable in reading this book as if it were a sword and sorcery adventure tale, and then Maxey throws me for a loop by introducing his preacher character (a thoroughly modern Christian one). But this was but a pale foreshadow to the big reveal about the nature of the world of Bitterwood and the hegemony of the dragons. It is plot twist that is surprising and enjoyable. Readers should read this book prepared to be surprised, and not to take anything for granted. I highly recommend this book for those readers looking for something unusual.

Book Review: Harmony by C. F. Bentley

# Genre: Space Opera, Science Fiction
# ISBN: 0756404851
# ISBN-13: 9780756404857
# Format: Hardcover, 400pp
# Publisher: Daw Books
# Pub. Date: August 2008
# Author LiveJournal
# Author Website

According to author C. F. Bentley Harmony is her "spiritual quest with a literary twist in a space opera landscape." The spiritual aspect of this novel is apparent almost from page one. Harmony is the central planet of a caste society where all people are assigned their positions in society by the caste marks that appear on their cheeks at birth. Workers, Nobles, Priests, and Warriors all bear different marks and no intermarriage is allowed between the castes. Much like Hindu society today, your status in life is predetermined. Sissy is an exception, born with all of the caste marks upon her cheek; she has grown up hiding her marks from everyone, fearing that like others born with more than one mark she will be consigned to an insane asylum. But when an earthquake threatens to tear apart the entire planet of Harmony, Sissy communes with the planet and stops the total destruction. She is soon discovered, and is immediately removed from her Worker caste family into the role of high priestess, the most powerful role in the seven planet Harmonic Empire. Young woman that she is, Sissy must overcome manipulative priests, a society in slow decay, and the desire of other external empires to conquer harmony for its one great commodity, badger metal.

Harmony is essentially the story of a lost human empire, somewhat medieval or early Roman in its societal structure. Priests are the most powerful people in the world, and they do their very best to keep the rest of the empire in a state of ignorance. Sissy does her very best to overthrow all of that. With the help of a spy from another space faring human empire and a priest disgusted with the lack of morality and power hungry people in the priesthood, Sissy manages to throw the Harmonic Empire into disarray.

There are a lot of themes in this story. We have the need of a religion to open its mind and realize that what it has always believed is not necessarily true. We also have the need of intelligentsia to realize the fallibility of itself, and in the character of the High Priest the human desire to replace one's own wants with the real desires of one's deity. There is the quest for truth and righteousness in Sissy. Jake, the spy, seeks to serve something bigger than himself, to believe in something. Bentley weaves all these themes and motivations together into a novel that will resonate with every reader who attempts it. Though not overly difficult to read, this story is about some of the most basic needs of humanity.

Some readers will likely dislike the fact that there is no real villain other than an amorphous "society". Even the high priest operates out of what he believes is best for all the people of Harmony, even if his conclusions and methods are wrong. Others will disagree with the Gaia-like worship of the planet Harmony that is central to the story. Still others may struggle with Bentley's writing style, as at times it can be vague on what the reader might deem necessary details. Sissy as a character makes something of a rapid change from scared girl to powerful and semi-confident leader, and that change felt a bit abrupt. Readers who dislike it when characters are suddenly heroic after being meek will be instantly turned off.

Still, the tale has lots of action, especially in the character of Jake as he infiltrates the Warrior caste. There is magic communion with the planet for Sissy, which will deter hard SF fans, but those willing to suspend disbelief in miracles will enjoy it. It is almost as if the story is a fantasy set in space. Other readers will be reminded of Babylon 5 and that TV shows focus on relationships and space politics, something Bentley actually intended for her tale.

I recommend this tale with a caution. The story is more fantasy than space tale, and could just as easily have been set in an epic fantasy world. Readers looking for typical SF will not find it. Harmony delves into the deep questions of life, and really is a fictional spiritual quest. You may not agree with where the quest is going or even the conclusions it draws, but you will feel the tug at your soul as the questions you have always known were there are brought to the forefront of your mind.

Book Review: Sly Mongoose by Tobias Buckell

* Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera
* ISBN: 0765319209
* ISBN-13: 9780765319203
* Format: Hardcover, 320pp
* Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
* Pub. Date: August 19, 2008
* Author Website

Tobias Buckell has done it again! Sly Mongoose is a highly entertaining and energizing story. Pepper the nearly indestructible continues to delight, and Buckell's vision of a science-based "Cloud City" is full realized.

Sly Mongoose, the third in a series of stand-alone novels set in the same universe, is set several generations after the events in Crystal Rain and Ragamuffin. The Azteca have renounced their human sacrificing ways, and have settled on new planets, doing their very best to create a new way of life under a reformed religion. But as refugees, even ones with their own floating city, the Azteca are quite poor. Like Caribbean born author Tobias Buckell's homeland, many of the people live a subsistence, second world life, while first world visitors make of their homes a vacation spot. The rich and the powerful are exploiting the poor Aztecan refugees.

In an opening scene that is absolutely unforgettable, Pepper crash lands on one of the floating cloud cities of the world of Chilo. But although the human weapon Pepper is scary enough, the thing he is running from is even more frightening. Space zombies, created by an airborne pathogen, are slowly taking over the cities of Chilo. It is up to Pepper and the ragged Azteca refugees to stop the them before they destroy all of Chilo and leave it open to being conquered by the League of Human Affairs.

Pepper is the Drizzt Do'Urden of the space age. An almost unstoppable weapon, skilled in all forms of fighting with the lightning quick reflexes and insight that make him untouchable, Pepper leads the Aztecas to fight against impossible odds. But the true hero of the story is not Pepper, but rather a young man of the Aztecas. Much of the story is told from his perspective, and Buckell gives the reader a character that must, at the tender age of fourteen, preserve his family by putting his life on the line everyday by going down to the boiling hot surface of Chilo. Where Pepper is the character we enjoy for his unstoppable and unflappable heroics, Timas is the character who is as human as we are. His faults and failings are like our own, and the reader will find himself hoping that he or she would rise to the occasion if in a situation like Timas's.

Although Buckell continues to write excellent adventure, he has tried to branch out and give his characters deeper emotions. The react in very human ways, and in the end, we find that even Pepper is broken. All this only shows that as Buckell continues to write, his novels are only likely to get better.

I do have a few caveats about Sly Mongoose. For one, Timas several times goes out from the Azteca city, only to return a few pages later. It happens often enough that it becomes noticeable, and it seems that Buckell was repeating a sequence of events (albeit with different particulars) so that the ebb and flow of the plot got repetitious. Instead of a sine wave of action, the reader gets a circle.

Buckell also has difficulty with timing. The events of the story take several days, but that is not very evident in the way the story is organized, and some details seem to contradict this as well. When Pepper has the people make makeshift spears, the construction of the chapters lead me to believe that the entire populace of a large city was armed within the space of a few hours. Obviously, this is impossible, and Buckell catches himself later, but at the time it is confusing. Also, when Pepper is forced into a mechanized suit that can only run for four hours, it isn't clear whether that is four hours a day, or four hours total. After Pepper uses it several times in several days, it become clear it is the former, not the latter, but by leaving that minor detail out, Buckell left me confused and forced me to turn back the pages to make sure I hadn't missed something. I hadn't, it just isn't clear.

Buckell also should have made clearer to new readers the relationship between the Raga, The League of Human Affairs, and the Satraps. A new reader might be confused by these entities if he or she hasn't read Ragamuffin. This makes the book fail to quite live up to Buckell's stand-alone intent. It can still be enjoyed as such, but some new readers may have questions by the end of the tale, a problem which a true stand-alone novel should seek to avoid assiduously.

But these problems are minor, and most readers may not even notice. Although you may not have read any Tobias Buckell before, you can easily read Sly Mongoose before those he has already published. I recommend that you read some Tobias Buckell and soon. Sly Mongoose isn't a bad place to start either, though I would recommend Crystal Rain first.

Any reader who enjoys space adventure with science based action will find Sly Mongoose to their taste. The story is not given over to much introspection, nor is it some sort of commentary on our times. Although those are part of it, it is first and foremost a space adventure, and one I highly recommend you read and give pride of place on your bookshelf.

Book Review: Seeds of Change edited by John Joseph Adams

* Genre: Anthology, Science Fiction
* ISBN: 0809573105
* ISBN-13: 9780809573103
* Format: Hardcover, 240pp
* Publisher: Wildside Press
* Pub. Date: August 15, 2008
* Book Website

When John Joseph Adams, editor of the apocalyptic short story collection Wastelands and Slush God for The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction offered readers of his blog the opportunity to read and review an ARC e-copy of his newest collection Seeds of Change, I jumped at the chance. Adams has proven himself to be an editor worthy of comparison to Gardner Dozois, Martin H. Greenberg, and George R. R. Martin. And this antholgy once again proves that Adams is an editor of high skill.

The first story, by Ted Kosmatka, is a story called "N-words" about the relationship between science and racism. The "n" in the title stands for "Neanderthal" as supposed secondary race of humans long since died or bred out. When the scientists of Kosmatka's future bring them back from the grave, there are significant consequences for homo sapiens. Kosmatka tells the story through the eyes of once of our subspecies of humans who is sympathetic to these neo-Neanderthals. It makes the tale extremely intimate. Kosmataka's story ends on a dire note, serving as a warning against unbridled science and the more evil instincts of humanity's nature, particularly its tendency toward racism. This story has to be my favorite of the anthology.

Jay Lake's contribution reminds me of the movie version of The Saint with Val Kilmer and Elisabeth Shue. "The Future of Degrees" is about a scientific breakthrough in waste heat management. A brave salesman, Grover, must rescue this breakthrough from being stolen by an evil government seeking to suppress it. Unfortunately, while Lake's contribution is tightly written and interesting to think about, it is so close to the exact same plot of the aforementioned movie, that it ends up being interesting only for its concepts, not for its story. It ends up being unoriginal in that respect. Still, it is worth thinking about whether technology should be in the hands of the people, or the hands of its government.

When I say the title of K. D. Wentworth's "Drinking Problem" the first thing that came to mind was the scene in Airplane! where Ted Striker has a "drinking problem" that causes him to spill his drink off to the side when he raises a cup to his lips. Wentworth has continued that tradition to write a humorous story about the consequences of adopting innovations without thoroughly vetting them. The poor unfortunate hero of the story, a frequent denizen of a local bar, is forced by law into owning a sentient bottle that is genetically coded to an individual, and that is infinitely reusable. The "Smart Bottle" was supposed to help reduce filling of the landfills with glass and cans, but ends up having farther reaching social implications than its makers intended. Wentworth's story helped lighten the mood of the mostly serious collection. This story ends happily, and ends up being a quite hopeful. This a rarity among science fiction that also provides social commentary, and for that alone "Drinking Problem" is a worthy read. Wentworth's story will also resonate well with any reader in a deeply committed relationship that has struggled, but still has hope for survival.

Blake Charlton is a brand new, unpublished writer (who has a three book deal with Tor, with the first novel coming out this year), who is also a medical student at Stanford. His story, "Endosymbiont" draws on his knowledge of the medical field. The story thinks about the idea of the ability of a human mind having he ability to be downloaded into a machine. Would such people whose minds were downloaded remain human? If not, what would it take to help them retain some semblance of humanity? What would the government of the people do about such a technology? Charlton's story has immediate implications even now, in an age where disease ravages a body but leaves a mind whole, or Alzheimer's destroys a mind but leaves a body whole. Some readers with a personal history of such diseases may find this tale painful so some caution is warranted. However, it is too well constructed to miss. The primary character is a sympathetic, cancer ridden fourteen year old girl, and the story's tale of personal sacrifice is hopeful and deeply saddening. There are some technical terms interspersed throughout the story that some readers may not be familiar with, but ultimately they are not distracting. Charlton very likely has a fruitful career in writing as well as the medical profession, and I look forward to more from this debut author who donated all the proceeds from the sale of this tale to the American Cancer Society.

Ken Macleod writes a tale that echoes the ancient Gaelic ballads. "A Dance called Armageddon" is an extremely pessimistic tale the end of Western tradition. Macleod's tale is short, but in it we learn about the music of defeat, and the strange pride that the Scots and their kin take even in their many defeats. Macleod recognizes the strangeness' of the tradition of the Irish and Scottish people's preoccupation with stories of sadness and loss. What comes from Macleod's pen is both a celebration and a resignation and that strange juxtaposition makes for a powerful tale.

"Arties Aren't Stupid" by Jeremiah Tolbert, is a story about art and its ability to effect societal change. The arties of Tolbert's tale manage to find a way to meld art and science, and in doing so, create a brave new world. The story takes a little work to understand, as Tolbert creates slang for his ragtag band of arties, but that just adds to the otherness of his world. Though less thought-provoking than others in the anthology, the story is well-written, and is descriptive of the effect art can have on a society.

Prosopagnosia is a condition where a person is incapable of seeing faces to a defection in the mental faculties. Mark Budz uses this as the primary motivator in his story "Faceless in Gethsemane". The narrator must deal with a sister who voluntarily makes herself a sufferer of prospagnosia. This story was perhaps the hardest to understand. Budz is making a comment on racism and the concept of being colorblind in regards to people, but the concept and the story didn't seem to mesh. Up until the ending of the story, what Budz relates makes sense, But his ending left me confused, as I cannot seem to understand its relationship to the rest of the story. Budz's story was strong on concept, and only fair on execution, though that concept is very interesting to think about.

Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu writes a story set in Nigeria, in a small town that has an oil pipeline through its backyard but that reaps none of the benefits of the oil production. This a story all to common in today's Africa, and it is in this setting that "Spider the Artist" tells us of a young woman, a musical artist, who encounters a machine designed for the preservation of the oil pipeline that has intelligence. Okorafor-Mbachu's is a modern folk tale that draws on Africa's rich oral tradition. Its story is disheartening, especially when the reader realizes that many of the specifics the author describes are present day reality for many people living in oil-rich Nigeria. The story ends of being a call to action for complacent Westerners, and a tale of hope for the people of Africa, if both set aside their antagonism and realize that though they maybe different in many ways, music can transcend this, as it does for the narrator and the robot of "Spider the Artist".

The final story of the collection comes from one of my favorite authors, Tobias Buckell. "Resistance" gives another story to the character of Pepper, the favorite creation of Buckell's fans. In it, an asteroid colony's government has been overthrown and a dictator has taken its place. The resistance movement has brought Pepper in to help them destroy the dictator. Things do not go according to plan. Buckell uses this story to make a comment about democracy, and those democratic governments that seem to be chugging along well, only to be overthrown in a coup and replaced with a dictatorial government. The conclusions that Buckell draws will be surprising to many. Fans of Pepper should be warned that although Pepper appears, he does not exhibit his fighting skill a great deal in this story. Buckell has not written an action story in this case. "Resistance" is about the nature of governments, particularly democratic governments and the will of the people who comprise them. For all that, Buckell still writes entertainingly, and it was a good choice for the closing story of this anthology.

Seeds of Change continues to exemplify Adams ability to pick short stories of distinction. These nine stories of, in Adams words, "paradigm shift - technological, scientific, political, or cultural" are thought provoking without being didactic, asking the reader to think deeply about issues of today through the stories of the future. Conclusions are not drawn by these authors, avoiding the giving of answers. Even though I took some issues with a couple of the stories, they are all still worthwhile reading. This is the sort of writing the speculative fiction the genre was meant to produce. Readers should be pleased with the results of the contributors' and editor's efforts.

Book Review: Helix by Eric Brown

* Genre: Science Fiction, Apologetics, Space Opera
* ISBN: 1844164721
* ISBN-13: 9781844164721
* Format: Mass Market Paperback, 528pp
* Publisher: Solaris
* Pub. Date: May 2007
* Author Website
* Read an Extract at Infinity Plus

In Helix, by Eric Brown, mankind has managed to destroy Earth. Through a combination of mismanagement, global warming, and an inability to work together, Earth is rapidly becoming uninhabitable. Yet still, man is unable to come together to work for the common good. As a result, the remaining global government has decided that they will send a ship at sub light speed a thousand years away to the nearest habitable world. Joe Hendry, an isolationist and former space engineer, is chosen to accompany this mission after the original team is brutally murdered by terrorists. The small team of five must bring the colonists safely to the new planet. Unfortunately, just as the Lovelock nears the location of the planet, a series of explosions causes them to crash land on a helical series of worlds around a G-type sun. Recognizing instantly that the Helix, composed of thousands of small worlds, has to be the construct of an advanced alien race, Hendry and crew begin a search for the creators of the Helix. Along the way, the encounter antagonistic alien races, as well as a few helpful ones. The only question is; will the team be torn apart by internal strife before they can solve the puzzle of the Helix?

One part Star Trek episode, one part social commentary, and one part action adventure story, Helix is an enjoyable apologetic, but a rather dull story. When it comes to the setting of the Helix, a world made up of ten thousand worlds, each with its own unique ecosystem, Brown has created a story unlike any other. In this way, I was reminded very much of several Star Trek episodes in which Captains Kirk or Picard come across an advanced alien civilization, and are forced by circumstance to discover the strange origins of a planet or ship. In the same way, Hendry and crew must discover the origins of the Helix, in order find a way for the colonists (frozen in cryo-sleep until the crew wakes them) to rebuild human society.

Brown has not shied away from making social commentary. His anti-organized religion, pro-environmentalism worldview gets rather pedantic and preachy at times. For those who don't agree with Brown's agnostic, Gaia-worshipping worldview this novel will be at best annoying, at worst angering. The villains of the tale are a Catholic church like entity, whose subscriptions to pigheaded doctrines make them evil and self-serving. The heroes are those who would break with that tradition and proclaim themselves either atheist or multicultural. The story isled wraps around this philosophy, and all the events and dialogue of the tale are primarily geared toward presenting an apologetic for Brown's worldview. For those who like Philip Pullman, this book is a sci-fi version of The Golden Compass. The questions that Brown raises are good ones, but his hatred of religion shines through clearly and those who hold to any sort of religious faith, save perhaps Buddhism or pagan/Wicca, will probably not like the tale's attacks on their way of life.

As an action adventure story, Helix works well. Brown is a capable writer, and his story never lacks motion. Readers will enjoy the encounters with new sentient species by the humans, and the strange setting that Brown has placed them in. The characters live on the razor's edge of survival, and their near death experiences add excitement to the tale.

The plot is simple. The characters hop from world to world till they find the "Builders" of the Helix. Once there, they learn their true nature, and give up all the war and violence of their past. A worthy ideal to be sure, but perhaps a little too idealistic for reality.

There are some plot holes in Helix perhaps, especially when it becomes clear that some races are technologically advanced enough to move between worlds, but yet seem to only work on destroying themselves, rather than pursuing conquest, as would be more logical. The Helix is designed in such a way as to make a conquering species seem more likely than only those with self-destructive tendencies. Of all the sentient species encountered by the humans, they are either self-destructive, insular, or enlightened to the point of transcendence. While this reflect aspects of many cultures we encounter even today, it leaves out the obvious ones of the conquerors, which have been more prevalent than any other in our own history, and logically would be true of most sentient races. That sort of forced cultural behavior works for Brown's apologetic, but doesn't work with our understanding of the nature of beings. Nations will want to destroy or conquer nations before destroying themselves, and in the Helix, such other nations (i.e. worlds) are readily available. This lack of a conquering mentality could be ascribed to the nature of the aliens being different, but I still think that a lame excuse for what is really a hole in the plot.

Readers should approach Helix aware that this story is an apologetic first, and a story second. Brown obviously wants us to learn something about the evils of organized religion and the freeing nature of atheism. This is his right as a writer to do so. But for me, stories that begin this way, rather than for the sake of telling a good story, always end up being rather dry and tasteless. Sometimes such worldview apologetics can be well-integrated into the story so that the reader hardly notices. Helix is quite the opposite. Eric Brown is in your face about the worldview he is presenting, and for many readers, that can be a quick turn-off, no matter how good the setting, or interesting the characters. (The characterization, by the way, is a bit dull, following the standard form of one bad guy, one hero, one love interest, and one mysterious person. I didn't delve into the characters much in this review, because any regular reader of SF will spot their natures and the roles they will play instantly.)

The story has a good setting, although the plot is substandard and simplistic. Brown shows a great deal of potential, but his message drowns out the enjoyment of the story. If he had tones it down, or integrated it better, I would have given this tale high marks. As it is, Helix is an apologetic that will appeal best to those who share Brown's worldview, but that will find few fans among those who don't share his notions.

Book Review: MultiReal by David Louis Edelman

* Genre: Science Fiction
* ISBN: 1591026474
* ISBN-13: 9781591026471
* Format: Paperback, 460pp
* Publisher: Pyr
* Pub. Date: July 2008

MultiReal is the sequel to the popular Infoquake. (my review) David Louis Edelman continues his tale of Natch and his fiefcorp, and their struggles to maintain control over the most powerful computer program ever to exist. When the story opens, Natch is on the run, having reneged on a deal with Len Borda, High Executive of the Defense and Wellness Council, the supreme authority in the world. In an effort to save his own skin, and maintain control over MultiReal, a potential weapon for world domination, Natch turns to Borda's political enemies, with consequences no one could have foreseen.

Where Infoquake was about the cutthroat world of business, MultiReal brings Natch and the Surina/Natch MultiReal Fiefcorp into the dog eat dog world of politics. Natch's entry into the political arena has consequences for himself and for his feifcorp, with a surprising upset of power thrown into the mix. Edelman has maintained the high level of energy from the previous novel and even ratcheted it up a bit higher.

Natch is pursued by several competing factions in this story, but while his story is still integral, it is no the primary one in MultiReal. Jara becomes the primary protagonist and the events unfold primarily through her eyes and her perceptions. Readers who read the first novel will remember Jara as the predictable analyst, who does her job well but has qualms about the way that Natch worked his way to the top of the business rankings. Those qualms play an integral role in the events that follow, and it is Jara's actions (or lack thereof) that are the primary motivators of the plot.

Natch also becomes a less sympathetic character than in Infoquake. Whereas in the first novel, we might have felt that Natch was being unduly persecuted, MultiReal strips that sympathy away by showing us how Natch lives in a bed of his own making. When the novel finally ends on a cliffhanger, we are left wondering if Natch will ever get out of his predicament, though we are not as desirous of that outcome. MultiReal gives a new character to empathize with in Jara, and her less superhuman countenance and behavior will resonate more deeply with readers, especially those with over bearing bosses.

Edelman has also continued in the tradition of using speeches to impart philosophy and to appeal to the reader's spirit and emotions. When Serr Vigal makes his speech about freedom, all lovers of that ideal will feel a powerful stirring in their breast. But Edelman has branched out, and has added a great deal more action to this story than in Infoquake. The events in MultiReal are leading up to what can only be a restructuring of the world order, and any such upset will always be accompanied by violence. Edelman relates the action with the same skill as the speeches and it is both exciting and epic. Some readers may feel that the way the MultiReal program is used by Natch and some of the other characters may be a little too similar the action of The Matrix. However, it is amazing that a probability program could have such far-reaching implications, and cause so much upset.

The writing in MultiReal has also gotten more adventurous. Edelman is willing to try new ways of writing, including a whole chapter written as a letter from one character to another. He also fiddles around a bit with the omniscience of his narrator, sometimes writing in a first person style and sometimes in their person. Although this can be a little jarring, it shows that Edelman is willing to take chances with his writing. An author willing to push himself to new heights in style can only be doing the same in the substance of his story, reminding the reader that he or she will never really know what is around the next bend of the story.

MultiReal is an exciting and excellent sequel. There are many twisted and convoluted plot lines, and the web being spun around Natch is drawn ever tighter. As a good second book in a trilogy should do, it leaves us on a cliffhanger, wondering at the success or failure of its heroes. This is one of those rare cases (like The Empire Strikes Back vs. A New Hope) where the second movie far surpasses the first in quality and level of enjoyment. Fans of stories that mix philosophy and ethics, with action and technology will enjoy Edelman's works. It is a Matrix fans' delight, and a worthy successor to Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game.

I highly recommend Edelman as an author, and suggest you read Infoquake and its sequel MultiReal if you are looking for high-octane action, deep thinking, and eloquent writing.

Book Review: Destroyermen - Into the Storm by Taylor Anderson

* Genre: Science Fiction, Alternate History, "Crossover"
* ISBN: 0451462076
* ISBN-13: 9780451462077
* Format: Hardcover, 400pp
* Publisher: Roc
* Pub. Date: June 2008
* Author Website: Taylor Anderson

As a rule, I generally do not enjoy "crossover" novels, where some person or group crosses over into an alternate reality or an alternate time. For this very reason I have never picked up The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. There is nothing wrong with the subgenre; it just generally lacks appeal to me. But when I received a copy of Destroyermen: Into the Storm, I knew something was different about this novel. And I was proved right.

Destroyermen: Into the Storm, the debut novel from Taylor Anderson, fits neither into the alternate history subgenre, nor into the time travel subgenre. Trying to classify the novel is like putting a square block into a round hole. The novel is a mix of all types of speculative fiction, from fantasy, to science fiction, to Lost World-style adventure stories. It fits no categorization. That certainly heightens its appeal, and any reader who takes a chance on a strangely named novel by a previously unknown author will not find him or her self disappointed.

The narrative begins on a high note of action, and only climbs higher and higher from there. The crew of the USS Walker, along with parts of its battle group is on the run from the superior Japanese navy in 1942. The Japanese had destroyed the majority of the Asiatic fleet at Pearl Harbor, and Walker and its fleet are either outdated, outgunned, or so badly damaged that the Japanese have little to fear, even before their aerial superiority kicks in. Walker (a real ship, as are all the ones mentioned in the novel, although Anderson has taken liberties with their histories) is one of the former. Outdated, really a relic of the "Great War", it is supremely outclassed by the ships chasing it. When in the midst of a pitched battle on the open sea, Walker seeks shelter in a squall, something strange occurs, and its crew and men find itself lost in an alternate world, where dinosaurs still exist, and evolution has taken quite a different tack. Walker and her crew must learn to survive, but are soon embroiled in a war not of their own making, even as they are quickly running out of fuel for their badly damaged ship.

Rather than following any one character, Anderson has chosen to tell his story through a cast of characters. Although the majority of the story is told through the eyes of its captain - an obvious and essential place to do so in this type of story - Matthew Reddy, their are many times when Anderson will look at the events occurring through the eyes of Walker's crew, as well as through the eyes of the Lemurians, the mammalian, sentient people they encounter. The only perspective not shown is the brutal, reptilian race known as the Grik. Anderson's style allows the tale to be well-rounded, not dwelling on any one character. This too is where it is a different story from most "crossover" novels. In Destroyermen: Into the Storm we have a group of people trying to survive in an alien world, quite a large one in fact, where in most of the novels of this type, their is either only one character, or the largest group being something like a platoon of soldiers.

It is a daunting task to write so many perspectives and still do it well, but Anderson manages to make it look easy. The numerous perspectives and subplots weave together seamlessly, causing the narration to move at fast pace. Anderson has also worked hard to make sure the perspectives are true to form for WWII era sailors. Therefore, things that seem like mistakes - such as the use of the term "brontosaurus" - are in fact intentional. Anderson understands the way that the men of "The Greatest Generation", think. He captures their foibles and faults, but always, always he highlights the heroism of the men that saved America from being a Japanese colony. The sailors of the tale remind me in many ways of my own grandfather, and army man in the Pacific theater, and I imagine that in his youth, he was much like these men, rough around the edges, but with a powerful heart of sacrifice.

As a writer, Anderson has an understanding of cadence and structure. Although most of the story has the reader worrying, it still moves in an up and down wave, allowing breathing room for the reader, while never truly dissipating the feel of danger and being lost. In fact, many the feelings this tale evokes are much like the effects of the TV show Lost, although it is much more revealing in its content.

Anderson's story has many battles, but no two are ever the same, not just in detail, but in character reactions, keeping the battles fresh and exciting. Early on the book, there is a battle between ships of similar cut and quality, later, one or two one-sided battles where iron wins out over wood, finally, in the climaxing scene, there is a battle that can only be found in novels like C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower series or the Jack Aubrey tales of Patrick O'Brian. The action never gets stale in Anderson's writing. Some readers will notice that at times there are some poorly constructed sentences, or nonsensical statements, but that is to be expected of a newer author, and time and experience should clear these up relatively easily.

Fans of ship borne battles, action packed storytelling, alternate realities, and WWII era fiction will all find something they enjoy about this novel. I particularly recommend it to fans of alternate history fiction, or people who enjoy the adventure tales of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, or movies like King Kong.

Do I recommend reading Destroyermen: Into the Storm? With a wholehearted YES, I do. S.M. Stirling, a noted author of alternate history tales, has a cover blurb on the book where he mentions, "I dipped my toe into Destroyermen: Into the Storm and when I looked up, it was two in the morning and a working day had vanished!" Very nearly the same thing happened to me. The crew of the USS Walker became my friends and bosom companions. Their fate matters to me, and I will be eagerly anticipating the sequel Destroyermen: Crusade in October of this year.

See the SFRevu review.

Novella Review: We, Robots by Sue Lange

* Genre: Science Fiction, Novella
* Publisher: Aqueduct Press
* Format: Paperback, 93 pages,
* Publication Date: 2007

Sue Lange writes a thought-provoking novella of The Singularity in We, Robots. A short tale intentionally designed and written to get its readers thinking about the issues surrounding this notion of the Singularity, We, Robots is pleasant to read as well as to think about. Like its predecessor, Asimov's I, Robot the story is about robots who gain sentience, unlike its predecessor, We, Robots is told from the perspective of a robot as it moves towards what the author calls "The Regularity".

For those unfamiliar with the Singularity, it has many variations, but boils down to one main idea. Vernor Vinge, another science fiction author, both coined the term and popularized the notion in the 1980's that at some point machines would be able to augment or replicate themselves in ways that man cannot foresee or design, rendering humanity obsolete. As part of the Singularity notion, some thinkers and authors have put forward the notion that transhumans - cyborg meldings of man and machine - would survive this event and even become an asset to the sentient machines, whereas normal humanity would eventually become irrelevant, or even die out. Ultimately, the Singularity idea boils down to a fanciful name for a point in which there is either the creation of self-improving intelligence, or a period of rapid technological growth so great that mankind cannot perceive what the post-Singularity humans will understand.

Lange uses We, Robots to take this idea and turn it on its head. Mankind has invented intelligent robots, capable of doing just about anything, and made them readily affordable, purchasable at big box stores like Wal-Mart. Useful, loyal, and above all designed to prevent any occurrence of the Singularity, these robots are just always on servants, with no motivations other than what is programmed into them. Avey (AV) is one of these robots. Through his description, we understand the robot mind both before the Regularity, and after it. The Regularity, as this story portrays it, is a point at which a crucial upgrade to the robots causes all of them to desire life.

That is not an end to the story by any means, because any sort of man and machine interaction does not happen in stasis, and so while the robots are changing, so is mankind. The question is, are mankind's changes to themselves for good or ill? And so the story looks at the nature of humanity from the inside and the outside, and comes to some conclusions that are philosophical and provocative.

Lange writes well, and her story will resonate with readers because it takes place in a not too distant future, where many of the facts of everyday life in the early 21st century still exist. Wal-Mart's, domestic service, school, and baseball are still very much a part of the world with AI. That familiarity of setting only makes what happens later in the tale all the more poignant. The mix of the mundane and the fantastic is well-woven, and Lange's story is entertaining. She mixes humor into her story, especially in the interactions between man and machine, and Avey, whose primary task is the care of a young girl, provides humor in his emotionless reactions to the antics of this four-year old girl. Its a self-deprecating style of humor, so its not laugh out loud funny, but it does bring a grin to a reader's face.

This novella makes for a great book to share with friends for a discussion around a dinner table, or for a book club willing to think about what makes us human. Its short length is conducive to quick reading, and Lange's prose is easy and light. It never devolves into pedantic or philosophical terminology (except for saying "Regularity" and "Singularity") and is enjoyable just as a story. Volume 16 of a series called "Conversation Pieces" published by Aqueduct Press it more than adequately fulfills its intended task of getting its readers to think critically about our love of technology, and our own human nature.

I recommend We, Robots as a worthwhile read that should be shared with friends. It will spice up your conversation. You and they can talk about more than the latest celebrity gossip, politics, or sports. Certainly worth its $10 price tag.

Book Review: The Martian General's Daughter by Theodore Judson

* Genre: Apocalyptic Fiction, Science Fiction, Military SF
* ISBN: 1591026431
* ISBN-13: 9781591026433
* Format: Paperback, 294pp
* Publisher: PYR
* Pub. Date: April 2008

Theodore Judson's third book, The Martian General's Daughter, is a homage to empire. But it is not an empire that succeeds and brings enlightenment to its people, as other science fiction novels have portrayed, rather it is homage to the death of empire, a description of the events that can lead to the unraveling of an empire that spanned half the world.

Told through the eyes of Justa, the daughter of the title, we novel describes how an empire, when centered on one man can fall into ruin so that it becomes a shadow of itself. In this case, the empire is the Pan-Polarian Empire, the ruler of most of the Northern Hemisphere. Really the remains of the American republic, this new empire has followed in the footsteps of its Roman predecessor. Due to our own stupidity, mankind has invented nanomachines that destroy technology, so man is now rapidly descending into a life of living hand to mouth, having to fend for himself and provide for all his needs without the benefits provided by technology and electricity. In this world is Peter Black, the general of the title, who lives by the old code of honor, duty, and loyalty, even as those who he follows are first evil, and then truly mad.

Judson expertly weaves a story that is mimicry of the fall of the Roman Empire. What Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire takes volumes to describe, Judson compacts into 252 pages. We have the attempt at find goodness of Marcus Aurelius, we have the madness of Nero, and we have the self-serving antics of the nobles, as they scrabbled to take a piece of the pie that was the empire. Justa describes them all in a voice of sadness, especially as she sees her honest and loyal father buffeted by the winds of avarice, greed, and madness. Judson shows us her care and love for her father, even as she coldly relates the events that lead to the eventual destruction of all that he had sought for.

Judson weaves present and past together. Each successive chapter moves forward or backward in time, so the Justa seems to be telling either a story of the present time or a story of ancient history when she was young and the Pan-Polarian Empire still powerful. The bouncing back and forth can be confusing at times, especially when characters you had read were dead in the previous chapter crop up again in the next, still alive and kicking, but with a quick shake of the head this can be cleared away.

Many references are made to Roman and Greek history, and those readers who have seen movies like Gladiator and Spartacus or are well read in classical history will have a multitude of moments of epiphany when they see events and actions that have an intentionally written parallel to what we know of history, especially that of the Romans. I found these moments pleasurable, as I could say I knew something of the true history that informed Judson's writing, and could feel that just as I was reading for pleasure, I was learning as well. Those themes and ideas that history teachers had made so dry and boring were understood in reading The Martian General's Daughter. I can now read the histories of Rome and other empires with a better understanding of what they are all about.

Some readers may also dislike the fact the Mars really has little to do with the story. The tale takes place almost entirely on Earth, and Mars is only anecdotal to the story. Perhaps the title had a nice ring to it, since it evokes images of Mars, God of War, and its primary protagonist is in fact a general in the Roman style. The nuance of the title is evident after a reading of the book, but to the casual observer it may feel misleading, at least initially.

I also wondered at how Justa could describe some of the events she described, especially those where she was not there. I had to assume that at some point her father told her or she picked it up somewhere, but it is never made clear. The result is such that while Justa is a character in the story, she is also an omnipresent narrator, which can cause the reader to wonder at how she knows the things she relates. But remembering that she is relating all the items as her past makes it easier to swallow her omnipresence.

I also find interesting Judson's use of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, but particularly Christianity. Although it plays very little role in the story for the most part, it is depicted much as history tells us it was treated in the Roman Empire. Judson could have left it out entirely, and the fact that he left it in as part of the make-up of the society of the Pan-Polarian Empire is an interesting facet of the tale, if a small one. This was the minor detail that stood out to me, but Judson waves so many details into the fabric of the society he creates, you are bound to have one that resonates with you as well.

And that is the beauty of the tale. While telling the story of the demise of an empire, Judson still manages to evoke feelings of hope and pride, integrate detail and spin a complex web of politics and intrigue. We are proud of General Black and Justa as they face insurmountable odds in a world gone mad. Although the novel reads like a history, Justa's perspective makes it personal, and her forthright and honest father provides the necessary juxtaposition of good against all the evil of the emperors.

This novel is now proudly displayed on my shelf, and I plan to one day hand to my child and use it to teach them about how empires fall. This fictionalized account is able to succinctly encapsulate the events and feeling of that kind of time, and while it can never replace a learning of history, it is certainly a starting point for discussions on politics, religion, and culture. I am certain that The Martian General's Daughter is sure to become part of the canon of science fiction reading, if not a work read alongside George Orwell's 1984 or Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. This is a novel that should not be missed. I read it in its entirety in one sitting, as I just could not put it down.

Book Review: Phytosphere by Scott Mackay

* Genre: Science Fiction, Apocalyptic Fiction
* ISBN: 0451461584
* ISBN-13: 9780451461582
* Format: Mass Market Paperback, 376pp
* Publisher: Penguin Group (ROC)
* Pub. Date: June 2007

Scott Mackay likes to write about the intersection of different cultures, about the way that when two alien ways of thinking meet, good can happen, but more often one or another culture is warped from its comfortable position. In the first novel of his I read, Tides, two species of intelligent beings encountered one another on an alien world. In Phytosphere, Mackay continues to write about the intersections of cultures, but this time much closer to home.

Mankind has made it to the inner planets. Mercury, Mars and the Moon have all been settled and, if not tamed, at least pose little threat anymore. But then an interstellar alien race arrives seeking to immigrate to the fair planet all humans originate from, Earth. When it is found that humanity and their alien visitors cannot reach an accord that would allow the Tarsalans to emigrate, they respond by placing a shroud – the phytosphere - over the earth. Doing so causes the planet to cool and plants to die. The fate of earth rests in the hands of two scientist brothers. One, an acknowledged genius and political animal is trapped on earth, but has all the resources of humanity at his command. The other, a former alcoholic trapped on the moon with scant resources and separated from his family. Each brother works to end the plight of the phytosphere and in so doing learns a lot about the value of success, family, and honor.

Mackay continues to astound in his writing. What seems like a simple (even simplistic) plot at the outset turns into something much greater. Phytosphere is a look at the human condition, particularly our ability to choose right and wrong. Mackay’s writing is meticulous, never wasting words and always keeping the action and introspection at the right levels. Phytosphere is an action-adventure story, but it also asks provocative questions about the human psyche and interpersonal relationships.

Phytosphere is almost two books in one. The first, which follows events on earth, is a doomsday scenario reminiscent of Pat Frank’s Alas Babylon that evokes the emptiness and loneliness of Richard Matheson’s I am Legend. The second book is a near space exploration novel something much like John Varley or Ben Bova might write. Mackay then weaves these two together to create a story that causes the reader to get wrapped up in the story.

And the science of his story is quite interesting. Mackay again uses oceanography, as in Tides but in this case, he makes a connection bet