Tag Archives: science fiction

The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov

Posted by melydia on August 30, 2011 None comments

The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov (unabridged audiobook read by William Dufris; 7 hrs 40 min on 6 discs): This time around, Lije Baley is sent to solve a murder case on another planet. I just want to note that sometimes dated SF can be really amusing. In this case, I was entertained by the notion that the “expressway” between DC and NYC takes ten hours. But that’s neither here nor there. As an Earthman, Baley is used to crowded underground cities and always being surrounded by people, be it in the cafeterias for meals or in the public restrooms. The planet Solaria is the opposite: the planet is home to only 20,000 people, each of whom has a private estate and lives more or less as what we would consider a recluse. While three-dimensional holographic “viewing” is a perfectly acceptable means of being social, being in the physical presence of another human being has become thought of as utterly distasteful. Most of the story deals with the society itself, coupled with Baley’s struggles with agoraphobia. I was fascinated by all the different characters, even if the murder mystery felt somewhat artificial. After all, I was more interested in the science fiction part of the story, and in that respect Asimov never lets me down.

A note on the audio: Dufris continues to entertain. I especially love the dichotomy between gruffly emotional Baley and ever-placid Daneel.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Finders Keepers by Russ Colchamiro

Posted by melydia on August 26, 2011 4 comments

Finders Keepers by Russ Colchamiro: Most of this novel is actually two more or less unrelated stories told side by side. The first is the tale of 20-something Jason’s adventures backpacking across Europe for the first time. Much of this plot is rushed and at times appears to be anecdotes from the author’s own experiences quoted verbatim and out of context. The other is about a jar of Cosmic Building Material lost during the construction of the Milky Way. It’s found by chance by a New Zealander, and the rest of the book is spent with various Eternitarians attempting to get their hands on the jar, which is their ticket out of their exile on Earth and back into their posh digs in Eternity. This would have been funny had it been a trifle easier to follow: I kept mixing up characters or forgetting who they were, and the fact that events jumped around in time made it all the more confusing. For the next reader, so you’re not quite so lost as I was: at some point in time, Emma and Lex are beautiful and successful Eternitarians. Some time later they are on Earth, where Emma is hugely fat and Lex is a dog. It took me far too long to figure out that the story alternated between two timelines. Sure, I got that one took place at the beginning of the Milky Way while the other was in 2005, but the character crossovers really sent my head spinning. On the bright side, everything ties up neatly and happily at the end.

In short, don’t feel bad if you have no idea what the heck is going on for most of the book. Personally, I think I would have enjoyed this one more had Jason’s coming-of-age-type story had been left out of the madcap SF tale, but I did appreciate the European scenery. Either way, it’s well-written and fairly entertaining. Worth a try if you’re looking for something unlike anything else you’ve ever read.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov

Posted by melydia on August 23, 2011 1 comments

The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov (unabridged audiobook read by William Dufris; 7 hrs 48 min on 6 discs): Lije Baley is a regular plainclothesman in far-future New York City sent to investigate a murder of a Spacer (that is, a person born on one of the many colonized planets). His partner is R. Daneel Olivaw, a disconcertingly human-like robot. Baley is a product of his environment, and like many of his displaced fellow humans he distrusts and dislikes robots in general. Though the social differences between Earthmen, Spacers, and the reader’s own society are the main draw of the book, the story itself is very much a 1950s-style detective story. If you like hard SF, you probably already know to read Asimov, but if you’d like your futurism with some mystery mixed in, this is a good place to start.

A note on the audio: Dufris is an excellent voice actor. Sure, his female characters are more or less in hysterics all of the time, but that’s how it was written. And how most women in 1950s hard-boiled detective novels were written as well.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Posted by melydia on June 10, 2011 2 comments

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (unabridged audiobook read by Carolyn McCormick; 11 hours 11 minutes on 9 discs): In a kind of Battle Royale-meets-The Running Man-type setting, each of the twelve districts in what used to be the United States must submit two randomly-selected teenage tributes – one boy and one girl – to the annual Hunger Games, where they fight to the death until only one remains. The story starts on Reaping Day (the day the tributes’ names are drawn) and ends when the victor returns home. Our narrator, Katniss, volunteers to be a tribute for District 12 (somewhere in the West Virginia area, I think) when the name of her younger sister is chosen. Since she’s the one telling the story you can be reasonably sure she won’t die, but it’s still quite gripping as you follow her fight for survival. There was a good balance between the drama of the games and Katniss’s confused emotions as a sort-of love triangle emerges. Never a dull moment. Can’t wait to find out what happens next.

A note on the audio: McCormick was great, using subtle but distinct voices for each character. I especially enjoyed her version of Haymitch, and I look forward to her interpretation of the other books in the trilogy. And for some reason, even though I knew she was supposed to be an olive-skinned brunette, I kept picturing Katniss as Atlanta Silverstone. I don’t know if this is because of the character or the narrator, but that’s how it is.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Lodestone #2: The World of Ice and Stars by Mark Whiteway

Posted by melydia on June 8, 2011 None comments

Lodestone Book Two: The World of Ice and Stars by Mark Whiteway: When we last saw them, Shann and Boxx were stranded on a strange shore on the far side of their planet. They meet some Kelanni from this new land and attempt to continue their quest for the piece of ancient technology to defeat The Prophet who oppresses their people. The physics of this world is explained in more depth, giving it a far more science fiction feel than the first book, which could easily be considered fantasy. We learn a bit more about the character’s emotions and personal histories, including the introduction of young scientist Rael. I like him, but for some reason Book One gave me the impression that something might develop between Shann and Lyall. That’s not evident here, alas. I am, however, still hopelessly in love with Alondo and still have no idea who Oliah is and why I’m supposed to care about her. But I might just be jealous. :)

Though the ending clearly alludes to what’s planned for Book Three, most things are fairly well wrapped up, giving the reader a sense of satisfaction. (Unlike Book One, which ended on a major cliffhanger.) You want to continue the story, but you don’t feel let down if you have to wait a while for the next installment. But still, I hope it’s not too long. Kelanni’s a nifty place.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Balticon: May 27-30, 2011

Posted by melydia on May 20, 2011 None comments

My dear husband is a guest at Balticon, the science fiction and fantasy convention in Baltimore, Maryland, next weekend. I’ll be there too, so if you’re in the area, stop by and say hello!

Dune by Frank Herbert

Posted by melydia on May 6, 2011 2 comments

Dune by Frank Herbert (unabridged audiobook read by Scott Brick; 26 hours on 22 discs): It took me a long time to get into this one, but that’s okay because it’s a long book. In many ways this is a political thriller that takes place on a distant planet. Paul, son of Duke Leto, is 15 when his family is transferred to the desert planet known as Arrakis. When a rival baron takes over, Paul and his mother are forced to flee into the desert, where they join with the planet natives. Politics mingle with religion, genetic engineering, prophecy, and the meticulous conservation of water to produce an intricately woven tale in a meticulously detailed world. This level of world-building is on par with Tolkien. However, the story – though unquestionably interesting – has not gripped me so thoroughly that I feel any need to read the subsequent books in the series. But I’m glad to have read this one.

A note on the audio: I’ve listened to a fair number of books narrated by Brick, and while his cadence is predictable and does pretty much no special voices for the characters, I like his performances nonetheless. I do, however, think that including the final appendix (which is basically a glossary) was not such a good idea. It would have been nice to reference while reading the rest of the book, but at the end it felt tedious, and I ended up skipping most of it. The other appendices, on the other hand, were very interesting. Herbert clearly put a lot of thought into the creation of this story’s universe.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

The Talisman of Elam by Jim Mastro

Posted by melydia on May 5, 2011 1 comments

The Talisman of Elam by Jim Mastro: Jason Hunter has troubles. New school, new friends, weird neighbors, weird parents. The next thing he knows, he’s escaping evil aliens, riding in a flying saucer, and zipping off to the other end of the galaxy in order to save the planet. Along the way, he meets several memorable characters and has adventures on numerous worlds, with barely a moment to catch his breath. It’s been a long time since I’ve read any YA science fiction, and this was a very fun return to the genre. The setting, though clearly inspired by such SF giants as Stargate and Star Trek, is detailed, plausible, and fairly original – and best of all, not dumbed down. My favorite character, by far, was Takkadian Pheno. Scary, hilarious, and all-around awesome. I do hope he shows up again sometime. Now, I will admit to having a pretty good idea of how the other two books in the trilogy will play out (there’s reason Jason brought two friends with him, after all), but I’d still like to read them, if only to revisit the universe of these stories. I can see this series becoming very popular among junior high school SF fans.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Exchange by Dale R. Cozort

Posted by melydia on April 27, 2011 None comments

Exchange by Dale R. Cozort: When the Exchange occurs, seemingly at random, a small portion of our world switches places with that from an alternate reality. This other Earth, known as Bear Country, is a wild, dangerous land where humans either died out or (more probably) never evolved at all, inhabited instead by strange animals such as enormous bears, twittering wolves, and minuscule poisonous bats. When Sharon’s hometown of Rockford, Illinois, is Exchanged, she is stuck in a strange world of religious cults, escaped convicts, and demanding Marines. If that weren’t headache enough, her abusive ex-husband has kidnapped their special-needs daughter and escaped into Bear Country with her. I haven’t read such an action-packed book in quite a while. There’s never a dull moment. I am fascinated by the idea of the Exchange, and can imagine many more stories set in this universe. I wish there had been some mention of Exchanges happening in the middle of the ocean, but that’s a petty quibble. I also enjoyed how I was never quite sure when people were telling the truth, without feeling like the drama emerged purely from people not telling each other things. In short, this was a fun SF adventure and a quick read. I look forward to Cozort’s future works.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells

Posted by melydia on April 26, 2011 None comments

The First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells: As some have created barriers to heat or sound or water, so our heroes have created a barrier against gravity. This material, called Cavorite, it then used to create a spherical capsule to ferry them to the moon. There they find life, of course, because if they found what’s really on the moon (i.e., nothing), we would have no story. The aliens were interesting enough, but what really fascinated me was the idea of the atmosphere freezing into snow at night, then thawing into thin-but-breathable air each day. I felt real suspense as the characters desperately searched for shelter as the deadly sunset approached. While Wells is most known for his visionary science fiction, what I love is the interaction between the two main characters, particularly Bedford’s outrage at Cavor’s absent-minded apathy. This short book may not be one of his more famous works, but I definitely enjoyed it.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

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