John Varley's Millennium is a distinctly different type of time-travel book, and I enjoyed it. It's not as good as The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, but what can compare to that all-time classic. The only comparison is that both novels were made into movies (I only saw the 1960 movie that starred Rod Taylor). This novel has an unusual plot. People from the future go into the past via a gate and exchange doomed crash victims with replacements called wimps. Since the Earth of the future is a dying planet due to thousands of years of wars and pollution, the people from the future built a spaceship to carry the healthy humans from the past to another planet or to a future Earth millions of years from now. The people from the future couldn't go because they didn't live long due to the poisoned air that they evolved to breath. So Earth's future was really its past.
The biggest concern during these "snatch" operations was to avoid paradoxes. One little mistake could change the future and eliminate mankind forever. For example, if you went into the past and killed your father, you wouldn't have been born and therefore unable to kill your father. Changing anything in the past could cause the catastrophic erasing of man. So when the future time travel team lost two stunner guns, one in 1955 and one in 1980, the panic was on, or you know what hit the fan!
The guns were lost on two separate plane crashes during the removal of the crash victims before the accidents occurred. The guns are used to stun the passengers so that they can be transferred through the gate and into a holding pen while the wimps take their place. The head of the future snatch team is Louise Baltimore, and the head of the past crash investigation team is Bill Smith. The two other meaningful characters in the book are the Big Computer and Louise's robot, Sherman (like the tank). Can Louise go back into the past and find these stun guns before Bill Smith?
The story seemed to flow easily enough, although certain things didn't make much sense or add anything of value to the book. For instance, when Bill Smith's group discovers that the crash victims all ate chicken during the flight - so what? And when Smith discovers that some of victim's watches ran 45 minutes fast and some ran backwards, I didn't understand what that meant. Anyway both matters were quickly dropped and never came up again. Other than that, the book was well written and thought out. I especially like the way most chapters were titled the Testimony of Bill Smith or Testimony of Louise Baltimore, as if the story was a trial in front of God...maybe it was. John Varley continues to make me happy with his ability to make all his scientific theories comprehensible.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: The theory of time travel has always been a puzzlement to mankind. Would the laws of physics even allow travel to the future or the past? Causing paradoxes would be very feasible, thus creating potentially perilous situations. Great authors have dealt with this subject in some respects, such as Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, and Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
THE LAST THEOREM
The reviewers have been way too harsh on this novel by the great Arthur C. Clarke. Readers must remember that Clarke was 90 years old when he started this book, became ill, and turned over his unfinished manuscript to 89 year old Frederik Pohl. I liked the book. Okay, there were some reoccurring themes, such as the skyhook elevator, the solar Yacht race, and the concept of an older controlling species as in the Space Odyssey novels.So what! For some readers, this is the first Clarke novel they've read. Days before Clarke died, he saw the final product and approved it. That's good enough for this reader.
The story centers on Sri Lanka in the near future. The main character is Ranjit Subramanian, a young math addict. His ambition is to solve Pierre de Fermat's Last Theorem in the short form, using only what was known to math in the year 1637, unlike the 150 page modern proof by Andrew Wiles. He enters college as a young man concerned about world violence. Unfortunately for Earth, so are the Grand Galactics, located thousands of light years away. Ranjit, visiting friends aboard a cruise ship, is kidnapped by pirates and when rescued by an unknown country, is mistaken for a pirate. While he spends two years in prison, he solves the Last Theorem. He is rescued by his childhood friend Gamini Bandara, now a member of the United Nation's 'Pax Per Fidem' (Peace Through Transparency). Ranjit becomes a famous professor, marries his childhood sweetheart Myra and has two children. All is well.
All is not well! The Grand Galctics have seen the nuclear explosions on Earth and decide that the humans must be liquidated. They dispatch the aliens known as the One Point Fives in a massive armada navigated by another A.I., the Machine-Stored. Earth is being spied upon by a third alien race, the Nine Limbeds. It will take the time equal to a full human generation to travel to Earth from their planet.
The last two-thirds of the book deal with the rest of Ranjit's life, Earth's effort for world peace, and the long voyage of the Grand Galactics closing in on their target. What will happen? Can Earth get a pardon or is it doomed? The ending is unexpected and thrilling. Unlike 2001: A Space Odyssey, the ending is very understandable. I'm sure there would have been a sequel had Clarke not died. The pipeline of Clarke novels is closed, but now is the time to catch up on all his wonderful previous novels.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Both Arthur C. Clarke and Frederik Pohl are Science Fiction Grand Masters. Clarke was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998. Some of Clarke's famous novels include the four 2001: A Space Odyssey books and Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke was a confirmed atheist, and as per his will, he wanted no religious rites or icons at his funeral.
The story centers on Sri Lanka in the near future. The main character is Ranjit Subramanian, a young math addict. His ambition is to solve Pierre de Fermat's Last Theorem in the short form, using only what was known to math in the year 1637, unlike the 150 page modern proof by Andrew Wiles. He enters college as a young man concerned about world violence. Unfortunately for Earth, so are the Grand Galactics, located thousands of light years away. Ranjit, visiting friends aboard a cruise ship, is kidnapped by pirates and when rescued by an unknown country, is mistaken for a pirate. While he spends two years in prison, he solves the Last Theorem. He is rescued by his childhood friend Gamini Bandara, now a member of the United Nation's 'Pax Per Fidem' (Peace Through Transparency). Ranjit becomes a famous professor, marries his childhood sweetheart Myra and has two children. All is well.
All is not well! The Grand Galctics have seen the nuclear explosions on Earth and decide that the humans must be liquidated. They dispatch the aliens known as the One Point Fives in a massive armada navigated by another A.I., the Machine-Stored. Earth is being spied upon by a third alien race, the Nine Limbeds. It will take the time equal to a full human generation to travel to Earth from their planet.
The last two-thirds of the book deal with the rest of Ranjit's life, Earth's effort for world peace, and the long voyage of the Grand Galactics closing in on their target. What will happen? Can Earth get a pardon or is it doomed? The ending is unexpected and thrilling. Unlike 2001: A Space Odyssey, the ending is very understandable. I'm sure there would have been a sequel had Clarke not died. The pipeline of Clarke novels is closed, but now is the time to catch up on all his wonderful previous novels.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Both Arthur C. Clarke and Frederik Pohl are Science Fiction Grand Masters. Clarke was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998. Some of Clarke's famous novels include the four 2001: A Space Odyssey books and Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke was a confirmed atheist, and as per his will, he wanted no religious rites or icons at his funeral.
Friday, October 21, 2011
STEEL BEACH
John Varley states that this book is not a part of his novels and short stories known as the Eight Worlds future history. I say it is, and one day he will tie all these tales together in some kind of chronological order with a final book in this series. Having read Varley's Gaea and Red Thunder trilogies, I expected more of the same. No way! This book explodes with new thoughts and innovations unlike any of the previous seven Varley books I've read and enjoyed.
If you saw the play The Front Page or the movie His Girl Friday, you will remember the heroine was a lead reporter named Hildy Johnson. Well, he (or she) is back along with the crusty Editor who doesn't want him to quit. Varley has also added a reporter named Brenda Starr. Remember her from the eponymously titled comic strip? Only the time period is 199 years after the aliens kicked us off the Earth! The aliens evicted the humans to the Moon and other planets so they could give the Earth to the non-polluting whales and dolphins. No one can describe the aliens since anyone who has seen one has been killed.
On the Moon, the editor of The Nipple wants to do a Bicentennial Commemoration of the invasion of Earth. He puts the suicidal Hildy Johnson in charge of the project, who does his best to avoid this assignment and spends most of his time trying to commit suicide, scooping the competition on other lunar stories, and building his period house in a Disneyland known as Texas of the 1800s. The infrastructure of the Moon and the health of the humans are controlled by a central computer known as The CC. Halfway through the story, Hildy changes to a female, a routine operation on the Moon, while some of the other characters in the book also change their sex from time to time. Wouldn't you get bored with your body if your life span was at 200 to 300 years? Only a splattered brain was incurable, although The CC was working on a remedy for that.
This is not your normal world. How about: dinosaur farms, microscopic nanobots in your body, slash-boxing as a sport, or children born in jars? Then, enter the mysterious Merlin, a.k.a. Mister Smith and his Heinleiners, their starship and nullfields. What's a nullfield? Don't ask. When Hildy, Mister Smith, and The CC collide, the result is what was known as The Big Glitch! This clash with the Lunarians and The CC is monumental and tragic resulting in a unexpected ending.
This is a typically well written book by John Varley. His character development has always been second to none. He also continues his trend of having prominent female characters. Varley has the ability to make his innovative technology easily understandable. This novel has his usual sexual situations, but they don't get in the way of the story. My final conclusion? Great book!
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: John Varley has won 10 Locus, 3 Hugo and 2 Nebula Awards. Many of his novels are of the trilogy genre or related themes. If you want to read one of his stand-alones, grab a copy of Mammoth. It's fabulous.
If you saw the play The Front Page or the movie His Girl Friday, you will remember the heroine was a lead reporter named Hildy Johnson. Well, he (or she) is back along with the crusty Editor who doesn't want him to quit. Varley has also added a reporter named Brenda Starr. Remember her from the eponymously titled comic strip? Only the time period is 199 years after the aliens kicked us off the Earth! The aliens evicted the humans to the Moon and other planets so they could give the Earth to the non-polluting whales and dolphins. No one can describe the aliens since anyone who has seen one has been killed.
On the Moon, the editor of The Nipple wants to do a Bicentennial Commemoration of the invasion of Earth. He puts the suicidal Hildy Johnson in charge of the project, who does his best to avoid this assignment and spends most of his time trying to commit suicide, scooping the competition on other lunar stories, and building his period house in a Disneyland known as Texas of the 1800s. The infrastructure of the Moon and the health of the humans are controlled by a central computer known as The CC. Halfway through the story, Hildy changes to a female, a routine operation on the Moon, while some of the other characters in the book also change their sex from time to time. Wouldn't you get bored with your body if your life span was at 200 to 300 years? Only a splattered brain was incurable, although The CC was working on a remedy for that.
This is not your normal world. How about: dinosaur farms, microscopic nanobots in your body, slash-boxing as a sport, or children born in jars? Then, enter the mysterious Merlin, a.k.a. Mister Smith and his Heinleiners, their starship and nullfields. What's a nullfield? Don't ask. When Hildy, Mister Smith, and The CC collide, the result is what was known as The Big Glitch! This clash with the Lunarians and The CC is monumental and tragic resulting in a unexpected ending.
This is a typically well written book by John Varley. His character development has always been second to none. He also continues his trend of having prominent female characters. Varley has the ability to make his innovative technology easily understandable. This novel has his usual sexual situations, but they don't get in the way of the story. My final conclusion? Great book!
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: John Varley has won 10 Locus, 3 Hugo and 2 Nebula Awards. Many of his novels are of the trilogy genre or related themes. If you want to read one of his stand-alones, grab a copy of Mammoth. It's fabulous.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
THE SORCERER'S HOUSE
This is the latest delightful tale from Gene Wolfe published in 2010. Although only 300 pages, it seems to be a larger tale than it is. Maybe Gene Wolfe is really a sorcerer or a warlock. Every time I read a Wolfe book, I'm surprised by his style and ingenuity. There are a few parts that remind me of Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, which is a good thing.
The entire book is composed of letters written mostly by our lead narrator, an ex-con named Baxter Dunn, to his twin brother George. Baxter was recently released from prison and is asking his brother for some much needed money. His luck changes when he discovers an abandoned house. He decides to hire a real estate agent to find the house's owner. He'd like to live there rent-free in exchange for much needed repairs to the house. Realtors Doris Griffin and Martha Murrey inform him that the previous owner, Zwart Black, has left the house to him in his will. He later finds out that a certain Mr. Skotos has left him valuable real estate and a large bank account. Who are these people, and what did they want in return?
This peculiar house has many rooms, some without entrances, some without exits. The strangest of people and animals arrive and disappear. As he tries to unravel this mystery, he meets a werewolf, a changeling pet fox, a pair of strange butlers, a dwarf and a host of eccentric people. Some of the supernatural creatures in this novel are somewhat unique and original. The ending is unpredictable and is climaxed by some unanswered questions. Does this mean a sequel?
Although Gene Wolfe is 80 years old, his mind remains forever young and imaginative. This novel displays Wolfe's great storytelling abilities, and even though this is not quite a five star novel, it is highly recommended reading for any fantasy fan.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Writers Neil Gaiman and Patrick O'Leary admit that they have been inspired by Wolfe and consider him to be the best writer alive. Early in his career, Gene Wolfe was able to communicate with the great J.R.R.Tolkien; I wonder if he got some helpful guidance.
The entire book is composed of letters written mostly by our lead narrator, an ex-con named Baxter Dunn, to his twin brother George. Baxter was recently released from prison and is asking his brother for some much needed money. His luck changes when he discovers an abandoned house. He decides to hire a real estate agent to find the house's owner. He'd like to live there rent-free in exchange for much needed repairs to the house. Realtors Doris Griffin and Martha Murrey inform him that the previous owner, Zwart Black, has left the house to him in his will. He later finds out that a certain Mr. Skotos has left him valuable real estate and a large bank account. Who are these people, and what did they want in return?
This peculiar house has many rooms, some without entrances, some without exits. The strangest of people and animals arrive and disappear. As he tries to unravel this mystery, he meets a werewolf, a changeling pet fox, a pair of strange butlers, a dwarf and a host of eccentric people. Some of the supernatural creatures in this novel are somewhat unique and original. The ending is unpredictable and is climaxed by some unanswered questions. Does this mean a sequel?
Although Gene Wolfe is 80 years old, his mind remains forever young and imaginative. This novel displays Wolfe's great storytelling abilities, and even though this is not quite a five star novel, it is highly recommended reading for any fantasy fan.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Writers Neil Gaiman and Patrick O'Leary admit that they have been inspired by Wolfe and consider him to be the best writer alive. Early in his career, Gene Wolfe was able to communicate with the great J.R.R.Tolkien; I wonder if he got some helpful guidance.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Last Night in Twisted River
All the prerequisites are here for another vintage novel from John Irving. Guess where the novel begins. New Hampshire, of course. Is a bear involved? Yes. Are there deadly mishaps and lost loved ones? Yes and yes! These are the staples of a John Irving book; The man stays with what works for him. It works for the reader too for the most part, though there are a few items that are a little fuzzy. John Irving is known to write with a seemingly bizarre fear of losing a child that tends to confuse the details of a loved one's death and the aftermath.
The story begins in Twisted River, New Hampshire with a young man drowning, an American Indian woman killed when mistaken for a bear, and the murder suspects, a logging camp cook and his son, taking it on the lam from the law. The journey takes us to New England, Iowa, Colorado, and Toronto, Canada over a period of nearly fifty years. Their sojourn seems to have been avoidable if only the cook and his young son, Dominic and Daniel Baciagalupo, hadn't run, but then there wouldn't have be a story. The cook's best friend is a crusty, tough logger named Ketchum, who will be the Baciagalupo's eyes, ears and adviser in New Hampshire for the next 47 years.
As time passes, Daniel becomes a famous writer using the pen name Danny Angel. Dominic and Daniel change their name's many times as they move from place to place to elude the constable from Twisted River. The fact that Daniel is a writer who happens to be writing a story within this story is a clever technique common to an Irving story. There are many delightful characters in this novel, such as Six-Pack Pam, Carmella and Lady Sky. The final conflict between the Baciagalupos and the retired, homicidal constable is somewhat predictable but still exciting.
The hero of this novel, Danny Angel, nee Daniel Baciagalupo, attended Phillips Exeter Academy and The University of Iowa Writers Workshop with Author Kurt Vonnegut as his teacher. Guess who else went to these schools and had the same teacher? You guessed it...John Irving! The reader will wonder if John Irving might really be the person who hit Injun Jane with the eight-inch cast-iron skillet. Anyway, I highly recommend this novel.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Some of John Irving's bestsellers include: The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules, and The Hotel New Hampshire. He won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 1999 for The Cider House Rules. Simon and Schuster will publish Irving's next book, In One Person, in the summer of 2012.
The story begins in Twisted River, New Hampshire with a young man drowning, an American Indian woman killed when mistaken for a bear, and the murder suspects, a logging camp cook and his son, taking it on the lam from the law. The journey takes us to New England, Iowa, Colorado, and Toronto, Canada over a period of nearly fifty years. Their sojourn seems to have been avoidable if only the cook and his young son, Dominic and Daniel Baciagalupo, hadn't run, but then there wouldn't have be a story. The cook's best friend is a crusty, tough logger named Ketchum, who will be the Baciagalupo's eyes, ears and adviser in New Hampshire for the next 47 years.
As time passes, Daniel becomes a famous writer using the pen name Danny Angel. Dominic and Daniel change their name's many times as they move from place to place to elude the constable from Twisted River. The fact that Daniel is a writer who happens to be writing a story within this story is a clever technique common to an Irving story. There are many delightful characters in this novel, such as Six-Pack Pam, Carmella and Lady Sky. The final conflict between the Baciagalupos and the retired, homicidal constable is somewhat predictable but still exciting.
The hero of this novel, Danny Angel, nee Daniel Baciagalupo, attended Phillips Exeter Academy and The University of Iowa Writers Workshop with Author Kurt Vonnegut as his teacher. Guess who else went to these schools and had the same teacher? You guessed it...John Irving! The reader will wonder if John Irving might really be the person who hit Injun Jane with the eight-inch cast-iron skillet. Anyway, I highly recommend this novel.
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: Some of John Irving's bestsellers include: The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules, and The Hotel New Hampshire. He won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 1999 for The Cider House Rules. Simon and Schuster will publish Irving's next book, In One Person, in the summer of 2012.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
SOLDIER of SIDON
This is Gene Wolfe's third installment of our favorite amnestic Roman mercenary known as Latro, Lewqys or Lucius depending on whether you are Egyptian, Phoenician, or Persian. Latro's tale is based on the author's translation of a papyrus scroll found in a 2,500 year old sealed vase in a land once known as Nubia.
In book one, our hero became an amnesiac due to a head injury in a Grecian battle. Latro has to write down his daily activities every night lest he forgets them. He has a habit of duplicating information while defining previous unclear events. His head injury also gave him the amazing ability to see and talk to various Egyptian Gods and mythical monstrosities. This is a historical fantasy of the highest degree.
The story follows Latro and his hired wife, Mytsereu, along with their many companions as they sail south to Nubia and beyond under the orders of the Persian Satrap, the occupying Governor of Egypt. They are to gather information from their expedition, especially about the gold mines, and report back to the Satrap. During this trip we meet many wonderful characters, Gods and Goddesses, mythical monsters, and furious warriors. Latro gets in and out of many sticky situations that he will soon forget unless he writes them down or is reminded of them by his friends. The book's ending implies that there is a book four in the future, although Mr. Wolfe is 80 years old and writes other series. I'm only bringing this up because there was 20 years in between this book and Soldier of the Mist.
This is a very pleasant book that is so good that it could stand alone. I thought this was a unique way to write an original historical fantasy. Now I know why the great Neil Gaiman said, "Gene Wolfe is the smartest, subtlest, most dangerous writer alive today"! If you haven't read a Wolfe book yet, I suggest you start with this one.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: Gene Wolfe is a multiple winner of the Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy Awards. Even though he had polio as a child, he later served in the Korean War. As a engineer, he helped design the machine that makes Pringle's Potato Chips. He now lives in Barrington, Illinois.
In book one, our hero became an amnesiac due to a head injury in a Grecian battle. Latro has to write down his daily activities every night lest he forgets them. He has a habit of duplicating information while defining previous unclear events. His head injury also gave him the amazing ability to see and talk to various Egyptian Gods and mythical monstrosities. This is a historical fantasy of the highest degree.
The story follows Latro and his hired wife, Mytsereu, along with their many companions as they sail south to Nubia and beyond under the orders of the Persian Satrap, the occupying Governor of Egypt. They are to gather information from their expedition, especially about the gold mines, and report back to the Satrap. During this trip we meet many wonderful characters, Gods and Goddesses, mythical monsters, and furious warriors. Latro gets in and out of many sticky situations that he will soon forget unless he writes them down or is reminded of them by his friends. The book's ending implies that there is a book four in the future, although Mr. Wolfe is 80 years old and writes other series. I'm only bringing this up because there was 20 years in between this book and Soldier of the Mist.
This is a very pleasant book that is so good that it could stand alone. I thought this was a unique way to write an original historical fantasy. Now I know why the great Neil Gaiman said, "Gene Wolfe is the smartest, subtlest, most dangerous writer alive today"! If you haven't read a Wolfe book yet, I suggest you start with this one.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: Gene Wolfe is a multiple winner of the Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy Awards. Even though he had polio as a child, he later served in the Korean War. As a engineer, he helped design the machine that makes Pringle's Potato Chips. He now lives in Barrington, Illinois.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Lucifer's Hammer
This is a remarkable post-apocalyptic novel written in 1977 by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. It certainly challenges the 1957 novel On the Beach by Nevil Shute. The only difference is that Earth is destroyed by a comet, not by a nuclear war as in Shute's book. Although, Niven does have Russia and China exchanging warheads after the comet hits Earth. The other disparity is that mankind attempts a rebound of civilization versus the suicidal ending of On the Beach. Anyhow, this was a very enjoyable novel that precedes all the current "end of the world" disaster books and movies. Which novel is better is a matter of conjecture.
Once again Niven has a dramatis personae in his book, which means..."Hello to numerous characters"! Wow, how about at least ten main characters and dozens of side characters, all fully developed. It means you, as the reader, will really care what happens to these people whether good or bad. That is a talent of Niven's that I've noticed in his other novels. The only flaw is with his Dr. Charles Sharps character, the Science and Project Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratories. After the comet impacts, he disappears from the story and never returns. I wonder if that was done on purpose or an oversight.
The story begins with Tim Hamner, a amateur astronomer, along with a similar sighting from a youngster named Brown, discovers a comet heading towards Earth. The odds of this Hamner-Brown Comet hitting Earth are millions to one. Harvey Randall, a Documentary Producer for NBS television, decides to do a TV series on this event. The comet's name gets changed to Lucifer's Hammer by Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. The U.S. and Russia send four astronauts in orbit to study the comet. The U.S. Senator Arthur Jellison, the man behind the space program, retreats to his California ranch. As the comet rounds the Sun and approaches Earth, the unthinkable happens...it calves, changes course, and strikes Earth in many places!
The rest of the novel deals with the catastrophic events that happen after the strike, man's reaction, and ultimately man's survival. There is so much happening that you really have to read this great book yourself. All of the human elements pertaining to survival are completely believable. And kudos to Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle for keeping the technical stuff out of the book and just tell the story. I don't remember what man's attitude was when the Kohoutek Comet passed Earth in 1973, but if another stray comet approaches Earth, one would hope it will not be as cavalier as Lucifer's Hammer was.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: Halley's Comet passes every 75 or 76 years, but the Kohoutek (or Kouhoutek) Comet has a course so far from Earth that we will only see it every 75,000 years! The next time it passes, man may not be living on Earth.
Once again Niven has a dramatis personae in his book, which means..."Hello to numerous characters"! Wow, how about at least ten main characters and dozens of side characters, all fully developed. It means you, as the reader, will really care what happens to these people whether good or bad. That is a talent of Niven's that I've noticed in his other novels. The only flaw is with his Dr. Charles Sharps character, the Science and Project Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratories. After the comet impacts, he disappears from the story and never returns. I wonder if that was done on purpose or an oversight.
The story begins with Tim Hamner, a amateur astronomer, along with a similar sighting from a youngster named Brown, discovers a comet heading towards Earth. The odds of this Hamner-Brown Comet hitting Earth are millions to one. Harvey Randall, a Documentary Producer for NBS television, decides to do a TV series on this event. The comet's name gets changed to Lucifer's Hammer by Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. The U.S. and Russia send four astronauts in orbit to study the comet. The U.S. Senator Arthur Jellison, the man behind the space program, retreats to his California ranch. As the comet rounds the Sun and approaches Earth, the unthinkable happens...it calves, changes course, and strikes Earth in many places!
The rest of the novel deals with the catastrophic events that happen after the strike, man's reaction, and ultimately man's survival. There is so much happening that you really have to read this great book yourself. All of the human elements pertaining to survival are completely believable. And kudos to Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle for keeping the technical stuff out of the book and just tell the story. I don't remember what man's attitude was when the Kohoutek Comet passed Earth in 1973, but if another stray comet approaches Earth, one would hope it will not be as cavalier as Lucifer's Hammer was.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: Halley's Comet passes every 75 or 76 years, but the Kohoutek (or Kouhoutek) Comet has a course so far from Earth that we will only see it every 75,000 years! The next time it passes, man may not be living on Earth.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
THE STARS ARE ALSO FIRE
I struggled with this book for about 75 pages, then I got it, then I lost it again, then I didn't understand what all the commotion was about at the end. I thought all the flip-flopping between centuries and all the technical jargon made this novel taxing. It's not a bad novel. It's just not what I expected from the great sci-fi writer Poul Anderson. The idea that the human race could be controlled by a Cybercosm (a network of artificial intelligences) is not new, but it's motives are. The idea that a A.I. system would care if we explored the heavens or got along with each other is doubtful.
The novel switches back and forth between the early days of the moon occupation and the drama of moon/earth tensions centuries later. It seems that Lunarians want absolute sovereignty from the World Federation and Peace Authority, the chief honchos on earth. The Lunarians are genetically altered humans that were bred for survival in low gravity.
The early part of the story mainly concerns Dagny Beynac, her children, Anson Guthrie and his company Fireball Enterprises. They control the moon's activities and provide earth with many minerals and innovations. Dagny's children find a new planet, but keep it a family and Fireball secret. Why a secret? What's to be learned from it? The Beynac family die off as the centuries go by with their secret intact. Later Anson Guthrie, now a downloaded robot, and some Lunarians depart for Alpha Centauri for eternity.
The other part of the story is about a powerful Lunarian, Lilisaire and her agents, Ian and Aleka, chasing down the centuries old secret of the Beynac family. They believe the secret will hold off earth's invasion of people and give the moon its independence. They are pursued by the Cybercosm and its agent, Venator. Will the mystery of the Beynacs be solved? Will the information gain the moon its freedom? Is the secret about the unknown planet or something completely different?
I thought the novel was well written with good character development, but was filled with too much nonsensical technical language. Since it's a Poul Anderson book, I still recommend this work.
RATING: 3 out of 5 stars
Comment: Poul Anderson was the winner of seven Hugo and three Nebula Awards! He died of cancer on 7/31/2001 at the age of 74.
The novel switches back and forth between the early days of the moon occupation and the drama of moon/earth tensions centuries later. It seems that Lunarians want absolute sovereignty from the World Federation and Peace Authority, the chief honchos on earth. The Lunarians are genetically altered humans that were bred for survival in low gravity.
The early part of the story mainly concerns Dagny Beynac, her children, Anson Guthrie and his company Fireball Enterprises. They control the moon's activities and provide earth with many minerals and innovations. Dagny's children find a new planet, but keep it a family and Fireball secret. Why a secret? What's to be learned from it? The Beynac family die off as the centuries go by with their secret intact. Later Anson Guthrie, now a downloaded robot, and some Lunarians depart for Alpha Centauri for eternity.
The other part of the story is about a powerful Lunarian, Lilisaire and her agents, Ian and Aleka, chasing down the centuries old secret of the Beynac family. They believe the secret will hold off earth's invasion of people and give the moon its independence. They are pursued by the Cybercosm and its agent, Venator. Will the mystery of the Beynacs be solved? Will the information gain the moon its freedom? Is the secret about the unknown planet or something completely different?
I thought the novel was well written with good character development, but was filled with too much nonsensical technical language. Since it's a Poul Anderson book, I still recommend this work.
RATING: 3 out of 5 stars
Comment: Poul Anderson was the winner of seven Hugo and three Nebula Awards! He died of cancer on 7/31/2001 at the age of 74.
Monday, September 5, 2011
The Warlord Chronicles
This is a guest review from my eldest son, Deron:
The Warlord Chronicles is Bernard Cornwell's interpretation of the story of King Arthur. The trilogy is comprised of The Winter King, Enemy of God, and Excalibur and is told from the perspective of Derfel Cardan, a man that Britain's greatest druid Merlin plucked as a child from a death pit to become Arthur's most trusted warrior.
Cornwell's is not the romanticized version of Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur or T.H. White's The Once and Future King. The historical Arthur is thought to have lived around the year 500, just after the Romans had abandoned Britain and the beginning of the Dark Ages. Cornwell stays true to that time. There are no knights in shining armour, but warlords in old Roman armour. There is no magic, only superstition and coincidence. There are no stone castles, but forts made of wood and earth. Decay is in the air. The Roman cities crumble, and knowledge of their construction and repair fades.
The story begins with Uther Pendragon, King of Dumnonia and the High King of Britain, nearing death. His grandson, Mordred, is his heir; however, Mordred is only a baby. Arthur, a bastard of Uther, takes an oath of loyalty to Mordred and is chosen as Mordred's guardian. Until Mordred is old enough to rule Dumnonia himself, Arthur is effectively the king.
Arthur dreams to unite the various kingdoms of Britain and push out the invading land-hungry Saxons. This is the story of Arthur. Over and over again, just when you think that Arthur's dream is to become a reality, the dream is shattered due to his own weaknesses, his sense of justice, the machinations of kings and those closest to him, the conflict between Christians and pagans, or most often his oath of loyalty to Mordred. Certainly, for a moment there is Camelot, but even then dark clouds are on the horizon.
I highly recommend these books. As usual, Cornwell excels at describing the battles and the single combats. His take on characters is refreshing. For example, Lancelot is considered the greatest warrior in the land, not because of any actual accomplishments, but because of his ability to control his image, manipulate others, and pay the bards to sing his high praises; in truth, he is a coward. I've read many versions of the Arthur story. While it is difficult to rate one version against another as they are often so different, this is one of the best.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: Cornwell considers the Warlord Chronicles to be his favorite.
The Warlord Chronicles is Bernard Cornwell's interpretation of the story of King Arthur. The trilogy is comprised of The Winter King, Enemy of God, and Excalibur and is told from the perspective of Derfel Cardan, a man that Britain's greatest druid Merlin plucked as a child from a death pit to become Arthur's most trusted warrior.
Cornwell's is not the romanticized version of Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur or T.H. White's The Once and Future King. The historical Arthur is thought to have lived around the year 500, just after the Romans had abandoned Britain and the beginning of the Dark Ages. Cornwell stays true to that time. There are no knights in shining armour, but warlords in old Roman armour. There is no magic, only superstition and coincidence. There are no stone castles, but forts made of wood and earth. Decay is in the air. The Roman cities crumble, and knowledge of their construction and repair fades.
The story begins with Uther Pendragon, King of Dumnonia and the High King of Britain, nearing death. His grandson, Mordred, is his heir; however, Mordred is only a baby. Arthur, a bastard of Uther, takes an oath of loyalty to Mordred and is chosen as Mordred's guardian. Until Mordred is old enough to rule Dumnonia himself, Arthur is effectively the king.
Arthur dreams to unite the various kingdoms of Britain and push out the invading land-hungry Saxons. This is the story of Arthur. Over and over again, just when you think that Arthur's dream is to become a reality, the dream is shattered due to his own weaknesses, his sense of justice, the machinations of kings and those closest to him, the conflict between Christians and pagans, or most often his oath of loyalty to Mordred. Certainly, for a moment there is Camelot, but even then dark clouds are on the horizon.
I highly recommend these books. As usual, Cornwell excels at describing the battles and the single combats. His take on characters is refreshing. For example, Lancelot is considered the greatest warrior in the land, not because of any actual accomplishments, but because of his ability to control his image, manipulate others, and pay the bards to sing his high praises; in truth, he is a coward. I've read many versions of the Arthur story. While it is difficult to rate one version against another as they are often so different, this is one of the best.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: Cornwell considers the Warlord Chronicles to be his favorite.
Friday, August 26, 2011
THE BURNING LAND
Since I didn't read any of Bernard Cornwell's previous Saxon Tales, I was intrigued to find out if I could read this fifth book as a stand alone novel. The answer is yes! It is so fluent that there is no need to look up the four previous Saxon Tales for missing information. Well done, Mr. Cornwell. I've often wondered how the author could juggle this series, the Sharpe novels, the Grail Quest series, three other series, and seven stand alone novels without getting confused! All of these novels occur during different periods in the birth of England. Bernard Cornwell remains the historical fiction genius throughout the literary world.
This tale occurs around the year 892 with the continuing story of Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a pagan warlord under oath to the Christian King of Wessex named Alfred. How many of these facts are true is conjecture. We learn that Uhtred is a brilliant leader during the battle for Fearnhamme against the invading Danes (Vikings) led by the furious Harald Bloodhair. The description of the hand to hand combat is done in pure vintage Cornwell clarity.
After the battle, Uhtred is goaded into killing a priest in front of King Alfred and his many clergy cohorts. He breaks his oath to the King and flees north towards Northumbria with some of his loyal followers. There, he meets up with his foster brother Ragnar, Lord of Durham. Wanting to dispose of his uncle at his rightful castle in Bebbanburg, Uhtred is instead cajoled into joing forces with the Danes to end the Christian rule in Wessex once and for all. The rest of the story is classic Saxon versus Dane or Christian versus Pagan. You will have to read this magnificent story yourself to find out what happens in the exciting climax with many twist and turns in the final battles.
The novel is deep and rich in wonderful characters, such as: Aethelflaed, the daughter of Alfred; Haesten, the Dane pirate; and Skade, the most vicious sorceress ever known. This is the fourth book that I've read by Cornwell, and it doesn't disappoint. Like I've said before - can this man describe medieval combat or what?
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: According to Cornwell, there are at least three more Saxon Tale novels to come. The first five focus on Alfred the Great's reign during the ninth century. Uhtred was an English orphan living in Northumbria and adopted by a Dane. This is why Uhtred was brought up as a follower of Thor instead of Christ. The remains of participants involved in the book's final battle were found underground when a railway line was being built in the middle of the nineteenth century.
This tale occurs around the year 892 with the continuing story of Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a pagan warlord under oath to the Christian King of Wessex named Alfred. How many of these facts are true is conjecture. We learn that Uhtred is a brilliant leader during the battle for Fearnhamme against the invading Danes (Vikings) led by the furious Harald Bloodhair. The description of the hand to hand combat is done in pure vintage Cornwell clarity.
After the battle, Uhtred is goaded into killing a priest in front of King Alfred and his many clergy cohorts. He breaks his oath to the King and flees north towards Northumbria with some of his loyal followers. There, he meets up with his foster brother Ragnar, Lord of Durham. Wanting to dispose of his uncle at his rightful castle in Bebbanburg, Uhtred is instead cajoled into joing forces with the Danes to end the Christian rule in Wessex once and for all. The rest of the story is classic Saxon versus Dane or Christian versus Pagan. You will have to read this magnificent story yourself to find out what happens in the exciting climax with many twist and turns in the final battles.
The novel is deep and rich in wonderful characters, such as: Aethelflaed, the daughter of Alfred; Haesten, the Dane pirate; and Skade, the most vicious sorceress ever known. This is the fourth book that I've read by Cornwell, and it doesn't disappoint. Like I've said before - can this man describe medieval combat or what?
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
Comment: According to Cornwell, there are at least three more Saxon Tale novels to come. The first five focus on Alfred the Great's reign during the ninth century. Uhtred was an English orphan living in Northumbria and adopted by a Dane. This is why Uhtred was brought up as a follower of Thor instead of Christ. The remains of participants involved in the book's final battle were found underground when a railway line was being built in the middle of the nineteenth century.
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