Reading in Science Fiction, May 2015

[Hobbit]

Here's where you tell us about what you've been reading in SF this month. Good or bad, we want to know what you think.

Mark

 

[suciul]

still in the mood for space opera (and still not getting into Poseidon Wake), stumbled upon the releases of Ian Sales new series (Age of Discord) starting with A Prospect of War; bought an ebook earlier today after liking the sample pages and it reads very well so far about 50 pages or so in

Blurb:

Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it, but those who ignore history do so at their peril. The Empire was born in civil war and now, 1,300 years later, a fresh civil war is brewing. But who is the mysterious “Serpent” who threatens the Imperial Throne? And what can the renegade naval officer known only as the Admiral, and her single battlecruiser, do to combat him? Casimir Ormuz, a young man of low birth, may be the key. Whoever controls him is most likely to win—but he is determined to be his own master.

And then the historical origin of the Serpent’s conspiracy abruptly intrudes into the present… And the civil war becomes a battle for the Empire’s survival.

Set in a colourful and richly-detailed universe, An Age of Discord tells an epic story of derring-do and intrigue, while subverting space opera sensibilities and traditions.

 

[Razorhog]

Started Pandora's Star last week and I'm loving it. About half way through and my fears of it being too long, while still grounded, are dissipating quickly. I can tell that some of the scenes are "fluff" but I enjoy them just the same. I think it should have been divided into 4 books instead of 2 but I know that many of the scenes will be permanent memories. I'm not well versed in space opera but this is good stuff. Reading and listening via Amazon whispersync.

 

[odo]

still in the mood for space opera (and still not getting into Poseidon Wake), stumbled upon the releases of Ian Sales new series (Age of Discord) starting with A Prospect of War; bought an ebook earlier today after liking the sample pages and it reads very well so far about 50 pages or so in

Sorry, where did you get the ebook? I can't find it at any of the usual retailers

EDIT: Nevermind. I've just found the link from the author's blog.

 

[suciul]

Sorry, where did you get the ebook? I can't find it at any of the usual retailers

EDIT: Nevermind. I've just found the link from the author's blog.

Hopefully it will go on Amazon too as many people do not buy anywhere else - I love buying directly from independent retailers, but I admit that Amazon makes it super-easy;

read more from the book (A Prospect of War - Ian Sales) last night and it is very entertaining - a feudal star polity with nobility, yeomanry and proles, a few groups of pov which should converge obviously at some point, well done and intriguing background and very promising story-lines - in what i guess is a homage to IMB, there is already a floating trunk and while it is no quite an AI, it has interesting properties and one of the main characters uses in interesting ways

 

[Hobbit]

And The World for World is Forest review is up and running: http://www.sffworld.com/2015/05/the-word-for-world-is-forest-by-ursula-k-leguin/
I am really enjoying The Three Body Problem - thanks to all those who suggested I read it. But I've had a copy of Jack Vance's Night Lamp arrive this morning, so I am quite torn.... really fancying some planetary romance at the moment.

Still trying to get my head around Al Robertson's Crashing Heaven, which I'm in the middle of writing a review of. Keep veering between 'brilliant' and 'bonkers'. An AI that can control people and runs around on a space station as a wooden puppet.... yeah. Still working on it!

 

[Luke_B]

Still trying to get my head around Al Robertson's Crashing Heaven, which I'm in the middle of writing a review of. Keep veering between 'brilliant' and 'bonkers'. An AI that can control people and runs around on a space station as a wooden puppet.... yeah. Still working on it!

Looking forward to both your review and reading that one myself.

 

[odo]

Looking forward to both your review and reading that one myself.

+1

 

[Hobbit]

No pressure, then! Thanks, guys.

 

[Luke_B]

I picked up a copy of The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction edited by Edward James and Farah Mendlesohn, and I've made it through Mendlesohn's introduction and the first chapter 'Science fiction before the genre' by Brian Stableford. The last line of the introduction struck a chord with me, where Mendlesohn states that without SF's history "one could only skate the present." There's huge gaps in my reading in the history of the genre I would like to address. Stableford's chapter argues eloquently about the importance of H.G. Wells in the pre-history of the genre, which I imagine would be an unsurprising statement of fact to many. I was inspired to download Wells' The Time Machine onto my iPad last night and enjoyed it one sitting. I was particularly fascinated by the evocation of the dying earth at the end of the book, which was a feature of the story I wasn't familiar with through my secondhand understanding of the novel. I might move straight onto The Island of Doctor Moreau tonight, though I am wary of Wells burnout.

 

[Hobbit]

The Time Machine and War of the Worlds are two of my favourite all-time stories. And unbelievably short for so many big ideas. (I also love the 1950's movies, though they don't follow the books that closely.)

 

[chitman13]

I finished Portal by Eric Flint and Ryk E Spoor, and I quite enjoyed it. It was a nice close to the trilogy, though it did leave plenty open. I know there is a fourth book, but set much further in the future, so I'll be interested to get to that at some point soon.

I've since started Screw The Galaxy by Steven Campbell, the first book in his Hard Luck Hank series. While I initially thought this would be a semi-humorous tongue-in-cheek type of novel, it's surprised me with the depth it has. Good, solid characters and a story that is keeping me interested really marks this one out as a surprise read - I seem to be finding a few of those lately.

Also browsing Alastair Reynolds' Slow Bullets. Interesting premise, and not too long, which is always a plus for me when it comes to Reynolds' work (I just can't seem to get into his novels at all).

I seem to be slowly going off a lot of fiction at the moment, and other than my go-to authors I'm really struggling to give a damn about many recent releases, and just don't seem to want to read many of them. I'm sure it's just a phase I'm going through...

 

[suciul]

I read about 2/3 of Ian Sales A Prospect of War (fairly long book as befits space opera) and while it has its disjointness and occasional awkwardness as a fairly clear beginning work, it definitely manages to be fun and hit the space opera feeling, while keeping me interested and turning pages, not to speak of promising a lot;

for now it is of the "few parties traveling through the empire, encountering various culture and having lots of adventures in pursuit of millennia long conspiracies with some spaceship battles in for extra spice" kind, following the young man from modest background but with potential powers that everyone wants (some dead, some alive of course), an intelligence agent who seemingly got her current position by manoeuvrings in the capital among various high born lovers and who is now ambitious to make a name for herself and another intelligence agent, this time from one of the various shadow conspiracies (for and against the emperor etc) who is finding out that fieldwork suits her too, especially when she has the backing of one of the best swordsmen/fighters in the empire as a companion (despite being space opera swords - in a modern cool way - play quite a role, as do feudal insignia and the like)

overall very good stuff and I expect only to get better as the author gets more experience to manage a complicate multi cast, multi story novel

 

[Luke_B]

The Time Machine and War of the Worlds are two of my favourite all-time stories. And unbelievably short for so many big ideas. (I also love the 1950's movies, though they don't follow the books that closely.)

I have to admit, Mark, I was surprised and maybe a little disappointed we didn't see more of the Morlock's underground society. But Wells' novel was much more interested in ideas than an adventure plot, which might be more of a focus for the film versions. I'm keen to give the Pal film a viewing.

 

[Contrarius]

I

I've since started Screw The Galaxy by Steven Campbell, the first book in his Hard Luck Hank series. While I initially thought this would be a semi-humorous tongue-in-cheek type of novel, it's surprised me with the depth it has. Good, solid characters and a story that is keeping me interested really marks this one out as a surprise read - I seem to be finding a few of those lately.

I'm glad you liked this. I got it on some sort of free or very cheap deal (I forget now), and it looked like fun!

 

[Westy]

This morning I finished reading Wolves by Simon Ings. It's an unusual novel; primarily mainstream with a hint of scifi through augmented reality, but ultimately it's a coming of age story of the two main male characters (Conrad and Michel), who have been friends since childhood.

It's quite well written, I found myself wanting to keep going to see how it ends up, but overall I would have to rate it average. Maybe because it is a bit of a mish-mash of events and genres, it doesn't cohere as well as it should.

Memorable but ultimately a loss of potential.

 

[farseer2]

I'm reading Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach. It's the first book in the Paradox trilogy. Very entertaining so far.

 

[Luke_B]

This morning I finished reading Wolves by Simon Ings. It's an unusual novel; primarily mainstream with a hint of scifi through augmented reality, but ultimately it's a coming of age story of the two main male characters (Conrad and Michel), who have been friends since childhood.

It's quite well written, I found myself wanting to keep going to see how it ends up, but overall I would have to rate it average. Maybe because it is a bit of a mish-mash of events and genres, it doesn't cohere as well as it should.

Memorable but ultimately a loss of potential.

Liked this one much more than you. I thought it held together very well. I am surprised it hasn't been nominated for more awards -- got a nod for the BSFA but not the Clarke. One of the better 2014 books I've read.

 

[Westy]

Liked this one much more than you. I thought it held together very well. I am surprised it hasn't been nominated for more awards -- got a nod for the BSFA but not the Clarke. One of the better 2014 books I've read.

Yeah I don't know, the writing was good but it just didn't gel as a whole novel for me.

I'm reading Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach. It's the first book in the Paradox trilogy. Very entertaining so far.

I really liked it too, unfortunately I thought it went a bit down hill with the next books (second was still good, but by the third I thought the romance side of the story overtook the rest a bit too much).

 

[suciul]

finished A prospect of War by Ian Sales and overall it was outstanding - some growing pains in the first 100 pages but then it started firing on all cylinders and I had to keep turning the pages and see what happens - though space opera, the style has some Vancian overtones (somewhat elaborate cultures and mores, a fantasy like feeling in a feudal space empire - here the feudal aspect is done very "historically' with its main aspects like legalism, specific laws for specific classes, decentralization and circumscribed powers emphasized rather than the usual castles and swords, though both appear as do spaceships, cannon, guns, drones and more and the style fits that very well)
book 2 is a buy and read on publication (A Conflict of Orders, expected October this year)

highly recommended and a top 25, and likely top 10 of the year - best sf of 2015 to date by far though Seveneves is just around the corner