Science Fiction Reading in July 2017

[Contrarius]

Nevermind, then!

 

[Hobbit]

The prose and ideas are great, but to me the plot in Claw shows serious signs of this-is-really-just-a-fragment-of-a-bigger-book syndrome. IMHO it's best to treat all four "books" of The Book of the New Sun this as one novel rather than a series, and read them one right after the other -- which, unfortunately, I haven't done to this point.

Think I'm right in saying that they were written intended as one book, (Book of the New Sun), albeit portioned off into sections for publication. In the UK they're sold as omnibus paperback editions (omnibuses?) of two books each, but then individual books for the Kindle.

 

[Contrarius]

Think I'm right in saying that they were written intended as one book, (Book of the New Sun), albeit portioned off into sections for publication.

Yeah, I think that's correct. But it isn't something I've looked up to verify. OTOH, they were not published immediately after each other -- publication dates given are each a year apart (80, 81, 82, 83). But I suspect it's the same basic situation as the first two Ada Palmer books.

 

[Hobbit]

But it isn't something I've looked up to verify.

Me neither! (And the brain has been known to get things wrong....)

 

[ArthurFrayn]

I seem to remember him being advocated by Michael Moorcock and published under his jurisdiction at New Worlds in the 60's, which is what made me think that.

Moorcock, Bayley, Aldis, Ballard- all pals from the New World days. Not unusual to see ideas from one pop up as topics in another's work.
Fall of Chronopolis is often touted as one of his best. I like it, but I recommend Collision Course which has a really weird take on time! I like that a bit better

 

[Ropie]

I recommend Collision Course which has a really weird take on time! I like that a bit better

I have that one too, will get round to it one day

 

[Bartholemew Ford]

China Mieville's Three Moments of an Explosion. His second (I think?) short story collection.

I'm about half way through - there have been some misses but I'm enjoying it. As full of strange ideas as his books (Dreaded Outcome and After the Festival stand out for their weirdness) but my favourite so far is Sacken, a ghost story set near a German lake. Unsettling to say the least.

 

[Ropie]

As full of strange ideas as his books (Dreaded Outcome and After the Festival stand out for their weirdness) but my favourite so far is Sacken, a ghost story set near a German lake. Unsettling to say the least.

Sounds good. I've only read part of one of his novels - City and the City - and couldn't get on with it for some forgotten reason, although I did think he had some talent as a prose writer, so maybe I should give some of his short stories a go.

And welcome to the forum

 

[Bartholemew Ford]

Sounds good. I've only read part of one of his novels - City and the City - and couldn't get on with it for some forgotten reason, although I did think he had some talent as a prose writer, so maybe I should give some of his short stories a go.

And welcome to the forum

Thanks Ropie.

City and the City is fantastic. If you have the time or inclination, give it another crack. His Bas-Lag Trilogy is also very much worth your time.

 

[Fireside]

Yeah, the play in Claw can be a bit of a slog but its probably the single most important chapter in the series.

 

[CTravis]

I've always been a fan of Timothy Zahn's work on his Star Wars books, but have only read a couple of his non-Star Wars books - I figured it was time to remedy that by reading his Quadrail series. I'm about halfway through Night Train to Rigel now and am loving it so far.

 

[Westy]

China Mieville's Three Moments of an Explosion. His second (I think?) short story collection.

I'm about half way through - there have been some misses but I'm enjoying it. As full of strange ideas as his books (Dreaded Outcome and After the Festival stand out for their weirdness) but my favourite so far is Sacken, a ghost story set near a German lake. Unsettling to say the least.

Yes, his first was Looking for Jake (and Other Stories). I liked Sacken too, probably one of my favourites from this collection - though I liked The Dowager of Bees the best. Such a great idea for a story (especially if you're a card player)!

But for me Perdido Street Station and The Scar are his best - though as an author his style is not for everyone (also most of his books lean towards the fantasy genre - with Embassytown the only one that's really SF-based).

 

[Westy]

I just read The Ion Raider by Ian Whates, the sequel to Pelquin's Comet.

Drake's former crew, The Dark Angels are being assassinated one by one, whilst Drake is sent on a high risk mission to investigate a potentially lucrative cache of alien artifacts.

This was a fast (only 242 pages), well constructed story (the opening assassination was one of the best first chapters I've read in a while) with some great characters. We learn a bit more about reason for the stockpiles of strange technology, and the ending is very much a set-up for book 3.

I'm surprised the author doesn't get more of a mention here - sure it's fairly straight-forward story-telling - but he does it well. A bit like Eric Brown I think, but probably better.

 

[Av Demeisen]

I have been reading Embassytown since finishing my Ada Palmer reread on Tuesday. Impressive worldbuilding.

 

[Windshadow]

If you like old-style SF, Arkwright is wonderful. Probably my favourite SF novel of last year. His version of Captain Future is good fun too!

and once again Mark you come through with a cracking good read, your review was the impetus that got me to buy this full price book and I just started part 3 of Arkwright (about 1/3 of the text and I am enjoying the ride. So add another author I need to add to my TBR pile/file

 

[Hobbit]

Very pleased to hear that, Windshadow.

I do think that Allen writes "old-style" SF - few frills, good storytelling. Those of us who like 'the old stuff' as well as 'the new' will recognise it and appreciate it. His early work is like better Heinlein, perhaps a little self-consciously, but it's worth a read IMO. His Coyote series is pretty good too.