Review: Dune

Dune by Frank Herbert

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



There were parts of this novel that I thought were brilliant. The planet of Arrakis, the ecology, the spice, the worms, the religion of the fremen, the religion of the Bene Geserit. But there were many irritating things as well, starting with Paul and his mother Jessica. Those two characters seemed quite dated. They made this novel feel like a 1950s YA novel and a irritating one at that. But if you ignored the front story and concentrated instead on the amazing backstory this was an amazing novel.



View all my reviews

Review: Homage to Catalonia

Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This book was a great and engrossing read, bringing the Spanish Civil War and the Barcelona street fighting between the Anarchists, the Stalinists, the Replublicans and the POUM back to vivid life 80 years later. I highly recognize it for its unromantic description of life in the trenches on the front line but also for its very moving and romantic treatment of the original revolution in Spain and Orwell's description of the people and the changes that the revolution had on daily life and the slow descent back into authoritarianism.

Orwell has an interesting technique of first describing how an event (such as the street fighting in Barcelona) directly affected him in a diary like account, and then in the following chapter, he'd fill in the story with a broader brush of what was going on in a political, macroscopic view.

The final chapter's were maddening descriptions of the Pogram against the POUM, the trotskyite party and militia which were outlawed and thrown into prison, accused of collaborating with the fascists, even as they were coming off of the front lines that they were holding against the fascist. I had heard stories of the treachery of the Stalist factions in the Spanish Civil War, but had no idea the extent of their back-stabbing.

But still Orwell warns that all accounts of the Spanish Civil Was were biased and he warns of taking his own account as objective truth. But through it all the heartbreak, the stupidity, the treachery; he still sees the humanity of the people in the streets and on the front lines:

This war, in which I played so ineffectual a part, has left me with memories that are mostly evil, and yet I do not wish that I had missed it. When you have had a glimpse of such a disaster as this--and however it ends the Spanish war will turn out to have been an appalling disaster, quite apart from the slaughter and physical suffering — the result is not necessarily disillusionment and cynicism. Curiously enough the whole experience has left me with not less but more belief in the decency of human beings.

View all my reviews

Review: A Feast for Crows

A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Jaime,” she said, tugging on his ear, “sweetling, I have known you since you were a babe at Joanna’s breast. You smile like Gerion, fight like Tyg, and there’s some of Kevan in you, else you would not wear that cloak…but Tyrion is Tywin’s son, not you. I said so once to your father’s face, and he would not speak to me for half a year. Men are such thundering great fools. Even the sort who come along once in a thousand years.”

This book, concentrated on the action happening around King's Landing. The main narrators where Cercei, Jaime, Brienne, and Samwell, with a couple chapter's for Sansa, Arya and the Dornish. I found Brienne and Samwell's story arc's to be the most interesting. Cercei, finally started getting on my nerves by the end of the book. Jaime, as always, had entertaining wit. Also, it should be added that Sansa's chapters have become much better now that she has been paired with the amazing Littlefinger, the greatest mind in Westeros, with the possible exception of Tyrion.

I greatly enjoyed this book, the wild intricate plots and characters keep you still turning the pages, through the entirety of book 4. There were no weaknesses like the Daenerys chapters in the first couple of books.

This book also added a few new characters and kingdoms. The deserts of Dorne and its sly and sexy characters were filled in.

The star of this book was without doubt Brienne and her quest, she was the true knight, dashing, formidable, true to her word, endlessly loyal. She was the knight that Sansa was always looking for and pining over. [




View all my reviews

Review: Software

Software by Rudy Rucker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Cobb Anderson is the creator of the boppers: anarchic robots that have rebelled against the humans and now live autonomously on the moon. He built a simple directive into their code: each robot or bopper must rebuild bodies for themselves every 10 months. This directive cause rapid evolution among the boppers, the idea was "we couldn't build intelligient robots, but we could cause them to evolve."

At the beginning of the novel Cobb Anderson is retired and living in the "gimme retirement state" of Florida. He is worrying about how he can afford a new artificial heart, when a robot duplicate of himself, built by the boppers, offers him a ticket to the moon and the chance for immortality.

This novel is a classic and a major influence of the early cyberpunks. Although it was written in the 70s it doesn't feel dated, unlike some of the early cyberpunk novels from the 80s. It was a joy to read, and the bopper society, as well as Rucker's vision of Florida and the Gimme State and Baby boomer retirees is hilarious and not to be missed. This is the second time I have read this novel and I liked it even better the on the second reading. Highly recommended.



View all my reviews

Review: Halting State

Halting State by Charles Stross

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This story started slow, really slow, but I finally got into the story about half way through. I stuck with it because of the interesting look into the very near future.

The peak into the future world that Stross has created is the star of this story. Copspace, the augmented reality of the police, the virtual LARP's that the main character's are involved with, drone taxis, the virtual realities, the blacknets. Very cool stuff.





View all my reviews

My Nook

I received a Nook for Christmas and I really like it. I like it so much I even sewed a sleeve for it. Mushrooms:



I'm developing my thoughts on the difference between reading the nook and physical books. Once the bright touch screen dims (the touch screen timeout is configurable from 10 to 60 seconds), the reading experience is similar to that of a book. The e-ink display is very nice on the eyes--much nicer than a computer screen or I dare-say iPad display.

I've read a couple books on the Nook now, and while my eyes tire quickly when I read on my laptop, I can read all day without them tiring of the e-ink display.

Also as yet there is no email client or weather app for the Nook and so I can read in peace without feeling the need to check email or my facebook feed. I mean I get email, FB, pandora, google maps etc on a laptop and on my phone already, do I really need them on an ebook-reader too?

10. Dead Until Dark

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

9. The Electric Universe

The Electric Universe by David Bodanis

8. Harry Potter and Goblet of Fire

I'm re-reading the Harry Potter series. Love this book. I was up till 3 am last night finishing.

7. Holy Fire

6. Wetware

Wetware by Rudy Rucker

The anarchic robots, the boppers, are back in Wetware, the second novel in Rucker's groundbreaking cyberpunk series. I enjoyed this novel as much as the first.

5. the Color of Magic

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

This is the second Pratchett book I've read. It was fun and an enjoyable read but I did set it aside on several occasions for other books. It was Pratchett's first Diskworld novel and served as a tour of Diskworld. A tourist, the forst tourist to ever set foot on Diskworld arrives and chooses the incompetent and cowardly near-wizard Rincewind as his guide. The evade Death and take many snapshots as the hop from one continent to the next.

4. Parable of the Sower

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

This was a brutal second installment of this brilliant series by Octavia Butler. It continues the epic tale of Lauren Oya Olamina and Earthseed, her burgeoning religion and community Acorn. At the end of the first novel Olamina, her husband Bankole and their fellow survivors had just arrived at Bankole's sisters land only to find it burnt to ground and Bankole's relatives murdered. This novel picks a couple years later after the survivors had rebuilt the land into the community Acorn.

After a hopeful, but difficult few years of growth, the community is attacked by Christian Extremists and the tale turns brutal. During the ensuing struggle Olamina never gives up her vision of the Earthseed Destiny.

3. The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science

The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science

The content of this book was interesting, unofortunately all of the jocular asides of the author began wearing on me real fast, and they just kept coming one per paragraph. Eventually I began skimming the book and later set it aside and found other sources for basic physics, chemistry and science literacy.

2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Book 3 of the Harry Potter series, sees the slow transformation of the series from Children's literature to full blown kids-and-adults fantasy. I decided it was time to re-read the series and this book was a great treat. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed this book.

In it Harry first meets his godfather Sirius Black,
his favorite defense against the dark arts teacher Professor Lupin and the dread Dementors.

1. Dr Bloodmoney

Dr Bloodmoney by Philip K Dick

This novel by P K Dick is a bit of a change of pace for the author. The setting for the story is just before and after a Nuclear Apocalypse. There are some familiar Dickian elements: the Gnostic vision of a world ruled over by a false demiurge with a distant, helpless Deity looking on from beyond the planet. In this case the demiurge is the phocomelus Hoppy Harrington and the deity is an orbitting astronaut, the witty radio voice of Dangerfield that people all over the world tune into every night when the satellite he is stranded on is within range.

After the Nuclear anihilation, the novel follows the survivors as they first escape the city of Berkeley and then head into the countryside of Northen California. All of the small towns have a doctor and a handy. A handy is someone who can fix the old technologies that still remain, such as the refrigerators or the radios the towns use to tune in the orbitting Dangerfield. One such handy is Hoppy Harrington, a man without arms or legs who can fix technology with his mind. He is also a brilliant impersonator who often entertains the town by imitating dangerfield and others.

The title character Dr Bloodmoney, or Bluthgeld, is the nuclear physicist responsible for the nuclear armageddon. Afterwards he escapes from Berkely and becomes a sheep farmer in the town of West Marin, a town he shares with Hoppy. Bluthgeld suffers from paranoia and in West Marin believes he is able to fire off another volley of nuclear weapons. Before he is able to finish this task he has a confrontation with Hoppy whose powers of telekinesis are increasing, he and this leads towards the end of the novel.

I quite enjoyed Dr Bloodmoney, is satisfied my thirst for paranoid Dickian stories and post-apocalyptic tales. Highly recommended.

starting 30 books again in 2009

I've decided to start the count over again for 2009. I didn't quite make 30 books in 2008, but I've got a bit more time now in 2009. Bring on the Sci-Fi!

17. Twilight

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
The last 150 pages of this novel earned 4.5 stars, the first 300 pages were pretty 2 stars.



Every time the main character describes the MV, (main vamp) its some trite description of his beautiful alabaster face. Makes you want to hurl after the 113th time.



I wouldn't have gotten to the good part, but I was stuck in an airport.


View all my reviews.

16. Parable of the Sower

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow, this novel gave me nightmares for a week. Bleak future. Should be required reading for anyone who fantasizes about the post-industrial collapse.


View all my reviews.

15. Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook: A Worldwide Cycling Route & Planning Guide

This was a fun and partially useful book, although it concentrates more on bicycle touring in remote places. The first half of the book concentrates on finding a good bike for riding around the world and also getting the gear for camping out anywhere from the Himalayas to the Sonora Desert. And of course everywhere in between. The second half of the book is filled with brief report backs from different bicycle adventurers. This section is both filled with practical advice and inspiring stories as well as a few scary stories as well such as the traveller who had just been dropped off by a truck that had given him a lift and was waving goodbye to them when to his horror they unknowing waved back and ran over his bike. Ouch. Watch for that. Fun good, but there may be more practical books for cyclists who plan to stay in the US.