Rick Riordan of Percy Jackson fame now branches out to the Norse myths. Magnus Chase lost his mother and has been living on the streets for two years.Rick Riordan of Percy Jackson fame now branches out to the Norse myths. Magnus Chase lost his mother and has been living on the streets for two years. His life isn't great, and gets weirder still when he learns that he's a child of a Norse God, and that Ragnarok, the end of the world is coming. Magnus ends up on a desperate quest to prevent the end of everything, with a few new companions, and opposition of all sorts.
It's hard to write about the Norse gods these days, especially with the Marvel movies out, but Riordan does a fine job making his versions different (and more true to the myths). The series, like most of his others, are written for YA. They're a bit simple for adult readers, but not at all bad.
Good, fun, light reading on a mythic scale. ...more
Ballard writes some odd stuff. Good, but odd. This is no exception. In some ways it could be seen as eerily prescient, talking about global warming anBallard writes some odd stuff. Good, but odd. This is no exception. In some ways it could be seen as eerily prescient, talking about global warming and the resulting flooding. But it's from natural forces and not man-made.
Earth has been flooded, and our characters are studying the effects in what used to be London. It was long enough ago that most of the cast doesn't remember London, or any of the cities, before the flood.
The initial group is scientists with some Army help, studying the new plant and animals while mankind has retreated to the formerly polar regions. The environmental issues aren't the only problems happening. As the world changes to something more like the Triassic era, people are getting nightmares, race memories of when mammals were just starting to get a foothold on the planet.
Add in some weird pirate/salvagers who are written seriously racist, and it's a weird book. ...more
This one truly is a sci fi classic. I re-read it for a book challenge, and while I try to avoid rereads, I'm glad I did. This is a brilliant book.
In tThis one truly is a sci fi classic. I re-read it for a book challenge, and while I try to avoid rereads, I'm glad I did. This is a brilliant book.
In the far future, mankind has spread among the stars, settling planets and solar systems. The great Galactic Empire holds sway over the human race, ruling tightly. But all is not well.
A little-known academic named Hari Seldon has developed the field of pscho-history. With it, he's able to see the future in broad sweeps, using economics, mob mentality, and other large-scale indicators. Seldon outsmarts the Empire, and is "punished" by being sent just where he and his followers want to go.
Then the real work begins. The book covers many years on many different planets. Seldon's careful work and research pay off as his guiding influence is left behind after he's gone.
There are few references to Asimov's time in the 1950's that we've already moved past, and those can be a bit jarring from time to time. But it's a great book, part of a really good series, and I hugely recommend it. ...more
An enjoyable read, but a product of its time. There is some racism and certainly sexism here. But it's still fun. This is long on action, short on chaAn enjoyable read, but a product of its time. There is some racism and certainly sexism here. But it's still fun. This is long on action, short on characterization, but it's a classic in early sci fi. It's far from deep, but it's a decent light read....more
This book has a lot of tropes in it that honestly, I'm rather sick of. The fact that I gave it four stars speaks amazingly well to the author's talentThis book has a lot of tropes in it that honestly, I'm rather sick of. The fact that I gave it four stars speaks amazingly well to the author's talent. I really enjoyed this book.
Collins creates some new twists to the over-used dystopian future idea, and does it well. It has elements of typical society gone awry, but with gladiatorial aspects, and echoes of Shirley Jones' The Lottery.
Katniss Everdeen is something of an outcast in her town, breaking the repressive laws to feed her family by hunting (Robin Hood, anyone?). The time comes to sacrifice someone to the horrific Hunger Games, where people are forced to fight to the death in a bread and circuses event.
Katniss learns a lot about herself, people in her town, and what their society is really hiding as she becomes a celebrity and then fights for her life. How far would you go to save your life? The life of someone who loves you?
I thought this was a creative spin on a theme that's always been popular, and Collins tells her story well. I wasn't as wild about the rest of the series, but this one was really well done. ...more
This is, in my opinion, one of the rare classics that live up the hype. It's a fantastic story, especially when you consider Wells was practically invThis is, in my opinion, one of the rare classics that live up the hype. It's a fantastic story, especially when you consider Wells was practically inventing the genre as he went. This is, if not the first, certainly one of the first, stories about an alien race invading the Earth.
Wells used a first person narration, which made the story more immediate, as we are left wondering what happened to the man's family and friends. It also is a great way to limit the story, since one man, on his own, wandering around, would have no way of getting the bigger picture, back in the age well before cell phones.
He also made the aliens truly alien. Not only did they look different from the Earth men, but they had a completely different mindset and technology. And, of course, the famous weakness, which was a groundbreaking idea for the time.
I really enjoyed this book.
I recommend it to any fans of good storytelling, and consider it a must for anyone who likes science fiction. I'm not sure we'd have either Star Wars or Star Trek, as two of the better known examples, without War of the Worlds. ...more
This was a really enjoyable book. Scalzi took some very original concepts here and gave them some really good spins. Earth is at war in the middle futThis was a really enjoyable book. Scalzi took some very original concepts here and gave them some really good spins. Earth is at war in the middle future (not near, not too far off), and the Colonial Defense Forces only take people after they hit 75. Why would they do that, and what is the plan to take people that are that old and make them into soldiers? These mysteries take up the early parts of the book, and the answers are truly shocking.
As things continue, we find more and more questions about the CDF, the aliens, and the technology that exists. Are there connections between the several different races humans are at war with?
John Perry has a lot to deal with as he leaves Earth and steps out into a much larger universe. What he finds, and how he learns, is a great story. How he deals with the loss of his wife, and his old life, is really impressive.
I loved this book. I was frequently surprised by new and great twists. I strongly recommend it to anyone who likes sci fi or just plain good storytelling.
Red Mars is a very complex, detailed tale about the early days of human life expanding to Mars. There are a LOT of characters, occasional blocks of scRed Mars is a very complex, detailed tale about the early days of human life expanding to Mars. There are a LOT of characters, occasional blocks of scientific detail. It is a bit densely written at times.
The book is largely about the "First Hundred," the original mission that sends man to Mars on a permanent basis. The point of view switches in various sections among the more prominent of these colonists. I think a cast of characters might have helped; I occasionally was wondering, "Now who is this again?" as the POV shifted.
The First Hundred have their quirks and secrets, but the book never degenerates into a soap opera, which it could have. Several strong personalities dominate as Mars becomes a colony, then something more like a 19th century "company town." There is a nicely executed mix of science, politics, business, and human nature. The greed and selfishness of corporate culture very believably plays a large part in events.
We lose some of the Hundred along the way to accidents, noble deaths, and just plain wrong place wrong time events. The ripples of various events across the Hundred, and Mars itself, is nicely written.
This is a hard sci fi book. You don't need a grounding in sciences to read it, but it helps. I'd argue that it could have been a bit shorter, but that doesn't make it bad. ...more
I can see why it's a classic, but it's a dark story in many ways. The Earth is locked in desperate combat with the alien Buggers, as they're called, iI can see why it's a classic, but it's a dark story in many ways. The Earth is locked in desperate combat with the alien Buggers, as they're called, insectoid foes (shades ofStarship Troopers). With humanity's time possibly running out, Earth starts a last ditch training program to try and save the human race. Ender Wiggins becomes their star pupil. Will he learn enough to save the world? If he does, what will it cost him?
On the surface, it's a good sci fi tale, a bit dated, and a few racist terms tossed around. But it also does a decent job of exploring a lot of society's attitudes. What price are we willing to pay to be free? What's acceptable in the face of a major enemy?
There are some brutal scenes, and some twists and turns. These days, what Ender goes through is a bit like the child soldiers in Africa. It can make you think on things if you let it. It was a good story with a lot of interesting subplots. If you don't feel bad for Ender by the end... you might be a candidate for their training program. ...more
I've heard a lot about this book, and it came up in a reading challenge, so I decided to give it a shot. The Forever War is a sci fi/military book, wiI've heard a lot about this book, and it came up in a reading challenge, so I decided to give it a shot. The Forever War is a sci fi/military book, with a lot of social commentary and theory (sort of) thrown in. It's sort of a first contact gone horribly wrong idea, with the complications from time dialation thrown in.
William Mandala is drafted when Earth gets involved in the first war against an alien power. They know little of the enemy, and there's a lot of guess work in the fighting. A recurring theme, which is nicely done, is the government/military learning how to fight the enemy better as they go. While in a lot of books you'd see the research and experiments done, this is all from the point of view of the main character, a soldier, not a scientist.
Because of the relativity complications from near-light travel, our hero gets to see many big changes to Earth, as society evolves over the years he's away. Some of the changes are minor, at first, but by the end, society is essentially unrecognizable to the main character.
There is love, loss, injury, the thrill of combat and the questioning of just what he's fighting for in the book. Haldeman has created a very good story with a lot of implications about how we see the world and each other. This has action but also makes you think, which is a good combination.
Recommended to sci fi fans who like a bit more than shoot 'em stories in their interstellar wars....more
This is a sci fi version of the Canterbury Tales, and it's very well executed. What impressed me was that each tale is essentially a different genre, This is a sci fi version of the Canterbury Tales, and it's very well executed. What impressed me was that each tale is essentially a different genre, and the writing changes to match the genre. The world is well realized and put together, and the plot that ties the tales together is very well done.
I really enjoyed the book, and I recommend it. My only gripe,and what keeps it from being 5 instead of 4, is the end. I'm trying to avoid spoilers, but if you read it, I expect you'll know what I mean. That and there's an odd disappearance mid-book that is never really explained.
I did enjoy it, and believe Mr. Simmons to be a very talented writer. ...more
I really liked this book a lot. Great stuff here. Lots of geek and sci fi references, interesting version of the dystopian future, and a kinda cool miI really liked this book a lot. Great stuff here. Lots of geek and sci fi references, interesting version of the dystopian future, and a kinda cool mix of Second Life and World of Warcraft or similar games as the global escape. I really thought this was enjoyable, original, and creative.
It's hard to come up with a near completely original idea for a story, and this was up there.
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