Reading in Science Fiction, July 2022

Hobbit

Hobbit

Cat Wrangler and Reader
Staff member
Joined
Jul 16, 2001
Messages
18,434
And ... Welcome to July!

(Last month's discussion of Science Fiction is HERE. )

It is in these strange and uncertain times that perhaps you telling us about what you've been reading in SF is important. Communication on such matters means that you may feel less alone.

Remember, good or bad, we still want to know what you think.




Hobbit/Mark
 
Finished A Fearful Symmetry by Olan Thorensen (Anyar book 8)

The top expected sf novel of 2022, A Fearful Symmetry mostly delivered after a very slow first 200 hundred pages, with an exceptional ending that has clear similarities with the ending of a previous series installment.

After the traumatic events in the last part of A Dubious Peace, Yozef Kolsko has become a man with a mission, namely bring the Narthani empire down as it has become clear there will be no peace for the planet or for him personally until this happens; and of course, there is the matter of the dire retribution promised by him to the latest Narthani tool; despite his miraculous knowledge augmented recently by the engineering prowess of Mark Kaldwel, this is, of course, a laughable notion as Yozef leads a small nation and one just recently united from 20+ fractious clans to boot.

However it helps that the Narthani are so obviously intent on world domination and there is no real prospect of peaceful coexistence, but only an armed truce on most of their borders flaring at any time in a hot war, while they now set their strategic goal of subjugating a previously neutral continent across the sea. So using his reputation, controlled delivery of goodies and keeping making clear to important persons from other nations the well-known maxim that a group hangs together or they hang separately, Yozef starts putting together a Grand Alliance of all the nations currently at war with the Narthani Empire; but promises and dreams are one thing, cold reality and especially fusing different armies into a coherent whole is another, so Yozef prepares a more modest goal that will serve as a demonstration of both the lethality of the new weapons produced by Mark and of the possibility that soldiers of many nations, with different systems of government, traditions, languages, some thousand of miles from the others can work together under unified command to first stop and then defeat the Narthani; and as we know there is a practical target for this, the country that sent troops to kidnap or murder Yozef for Narthani promises of leaving them alone and even allowing them part of spoils in the future. And of course, since this is something so new for Anyar, there is only one possible commander of this first joint overseas expedition...

In the meantime, some surprising developments happen in the Narthani empire where we meet old acquaintances and make new ones. And the alien AI that supervises Anyar and notified its unknown masters about the unexpected powerful impact Biped 1 (on the remote island) and then Biped 2 (joining him after traveling half the world) have been having on the development of technology on the planet, starts developing interesting capabilities and ideas of his own, especially when said masters stop replying to his queries...

Once the book gets going with the expedition underway, the action is compelling and one has to turn the pages to see what happens until the emotional and superb ending that left me wanting more as soon as possible.

Overall, a slow 200 pages followed by another 400+ that have energy, are compelling and remind one, why the Anyar series has been so good for 8 volumes and counting
 
Finished both part 2 and 3 of M.R. Carey’s Rampart Trilogy: The Trials of Koli and Koli’s Fall.

Read part 1 (The Book of Koli) only three weeks ago, so that’s saying something about the level of impossible-to-put-downness Carey has magicked up here. The whole trilogy is fairly compact in scope, focussing on only a handful of characters and locations. It’s the quality of the story, the believability, the subtle twists and turnings in people’s lives trying to survive in a well rendered hostile environment which are so engrossing.

Admittedly, one of the themes, revolving around AI consciousness, is not that interesting (see McEwan’s Machines Like Me for a more interesting take on that) - but the character itself which is the focus of this theme is funny, intriguing and evolving, so that’s only a minor flaw.

All in all, a great read; old fashioned storytelling at its best. Highly recommended.
 
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I read Light from Uncommon Stars, after seeing it as one of the Locus Award nominations.

A transgender violin student, an experienced teacher who has made a pact with Hell, and an alien family hiding on Earth in a spaceship disguised as a donut shop! It’s a strange mix but it works quite well; there’s something whimsical about it but at the same time it’s earnest, especially with Katerina’s character having to deal with being transgender in a world that doesn’t easily accept her (realistically done from an author who also is). And then there’s the love interest between the teacher and alien Lan that’s quite endearing.

It had an overall approach that was very positive and humane, and really makes you care about the characters - it’s been described as Good Omens meets The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, which I think is fairly apt. But it should probably described as SF light at most, there's terminology but little science; the alien aspect more being a vehicle to show we can get along no matter how different we look.
 
Seems to be one of a trend at the mo, Westy: sounds rather like the style of The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez, in that the emphasis is on the character and less on the science/setting. As you say, sounds rather like the Becky Chambers books to me.
 
latest


I just finished Tiamat’s Wrath which is the second to last main-line Expanse Novel by “James S. A. Corey.” It tells a story set in the Laconian Empire. It is the eighth novel in the Expanse Series.

The Laconian Empire has taken control of most of the major worlds beyond the ring gates. They hold James Holden prisoner on their home world. However, they are spread thin, and a resistance has arisen. Bobby, Alex, and Naomi have become leaders of this underground. Can this rag-tag band of outlaws face down the military might of the Laconian Dictatorship?

This novel is a refreshing story, which details new settings, and introduces new characters. It’s action packed and sometimes has periods of nail-biting suspense. I’m sad that I only have one novella and one novel left to read…
 
I am so far behind with that series, PD. Last one read here - Cibola Burn. I enjoyed it a great deal, but am having to space them out a little though. Have heard that they pick up by the end.
 
Hobbit said:
I am so far behind with that series, PD. Last one read here - Cibola Burn. I enjoyed it a great deal, but am having to space them out a little though. Have heard that they pick up by the end.
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I sort of disliked the “Free Navy” story-line in some of the middle books, so I was happy to see that particular issue resolved. The Laconian Empire was a more interesting foe for me. Looks like the final novel will deal with a entirely different threat…
 
Hobbit said:
Last one read here - Cibola Burn
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Ditto here, I need to get back to the series.

Finished Richard Powers' Bewilderment (which I'm calling SF) and liked it a lot. He writes very well.
Also read Herbert's The Santaroga Barrier and quite enjoyed that, although I thought it went on a bit at the end.
 
Started Neal Asher's Weaponized, and so far I'm enjoying it. At the moment it delivers his usual alien weirdness, and the way the colonists are adapting is interesting. I suspect things may ramp up considerably as the novel progresses. I'll also echo so many comments I've read about this book - the way the story switches between past and present is not the easiest to follow, especially in audio format, and I forget sometime which part I'm listening to if I've had to pause mid-chapter. Still waiting to see if this is actually necessary, because at the moment I feel it would have been better as a straightforward start to finish story.
 
I'm 350 pages into Great North Road by Peter F Hamilton, a favourite SF writer of mine. It's a standalone novel and a book I appear to have missed at the time I was reading through his stuff years ago. A murder mystery set in 2143 runs through the book, though I'm only a third of the way through its 1100 page length and a long way off finishing it. It took a few hundred pages to really get into it, but I'm caught up in it now.
 
krisbslick said:
I always felt it was too daunting to start. What a doorstop!
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The middle part may be the test. By that point many readers find it rather slow, although if you have immersed yourself in it you will enjoy it a great deal and will be happy to keep going and finish it.

Here's a point though - if the book had been split, would it have been a less daunting read? I'm always mindful of such things, especially when some of Peter's other books are clearly one story/novel split in half - Pandora's Star, I'm thinking of you, for example! At least with North Road it is all there in one (admittedly hefty) block!

Although he is far too modest to admit it, If I remember right, our own chitman is a named character in there as well. :)
 
Hobbit said:
Here's a point though - if the book had been split, would it have been a less daunting read? I'm always mindful of such things, especially when some of Peter's other books are clearly one story/novel split in half - Pandora's Star, I'm thinking of you, for example! At least with North Road it is all there in one (admittedly hefty) block!

Although he is far too modest to admit it, If I remember right, our own chitman is a named character in there as well. :)
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Still a bit short of halfway through though it seems as if splitting it into two books would have meant a substantial rewrite in order to make the first one a meaningful, worthwhile novel in its own right. I guess it's just a long story and you have to accept it.

Haven't noticed chitman in the story yet.
 
Hobbit said:
Although he is far too modest to admit it, If I remember right, our own chitman is a named character in there as well
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I'm a named character in a book (albeit very briefly!)
One of Peter Meredith's 'generation Z' books about a zombie apocalypse. "The Queen Enslaved"

He had a Facebook promo contest and I got in.

The quote from this great novel:-

Deanna planted her hands on her hips. “And what about the killing of Danny McGuinness, Todd Karraker and Steve Gordon? Did Joslyn Reynolds really kill three grown men all by herself? Because that’s not the Joslyn I knew.”. :cool:
 
Hobbit said:
Although he is far too modest to admit it, If I remember right, our own chitman is a named character in there as well. :)
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My claim to fame! I've also been meaning to re-listen to GNR after picking it up on audible a couple of months back, but it is a beast at over 36 hours. I always remember it being slow going to start, but ultimately a very good book.
 
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