Science Fiction
Discussion
Warmfuzzies said:
Any comments on Terminal World; by Alistair Reynolds: I’m having difficulty gelling with it...
I loved it, but then I love anything by AR.Splendidly different, needs concentration to read, a bit like Iain M Banks at his best I thought (Feersum Endjinn is a hard read)
Though compared to some of AR's most straightforward stuff like Poseidon's children and the revelation space series, it definitely is harder work.
I'd be tempted to stay stick with it, but if you're not enjoying it yet then it doesn't really change tone or themes at any point and it is consistently written throughout, then you're not going to enjoy it later on either.
JonChalk said:
Warmfuzzies said:
Any comments on Terminal World; by Alistair Reynolds: I’m having difficulty gelling with it...
I loved it, but then I love anything by AR.Splendidly different, needs concentration to read, a bit like Iain M Banks at his best I thought (Feersum Endjinn is a hard read)
Though compared to some of AR's most straightforward stuff like Poseidon's children and the revelation space series, it definitely is harder work.
I'd be tempted to stay stick with it, but if you're not enjoying it yet then it doesn't really change tone or themes at any point and it is consistently written throughout, then you're not going to enjoy it later on either.
I’m up to the point of tackling the Ghouls, leaving Neon Heights, so some pages in now... will give it another chance; then might park and review later.
Warmfuzzies said:
Thanks Jon.
I’m up to the point of tackling the Ghouls, leaving Neon Heights, so some pages in now... will give it another chance; then might park and review later.
As a counterpoint, if you haven't read the first Prefect novel from AR, that is excellent without being hard work, and the recently released 2nd Tom Dreyfus is just as good.I’m up to the point of tackling the Ghouls, leaving Neon Heights, so some pages in now... will give it another chance; then might park and review later.
JonChalk said:
Warmfuzzies said:
Thanks Jon.
I’m up to the point of tackling the Ghouls, leaving Neon Heights, so some pages in now... will give it another chance; then might park and review later.
As a counterpoint, if you haven't read the first Prefect novel from AR, that is excellent without being hard work, and the recently released 2nd Tom Dreyfus is just as good.I’m up to the point of tackling the Ghouls, leaving Neon Heights, so some pages in now... will give it another chance; then might park and review later.
I thought Children of Time was great but let down by the ending which was just a bit too twee/Hollywood and rather spoiled it for me. I bought Luna, New Moon at the around the same time which was superb but the ending was a little weak.
I can however thoroughly recommend The Dark Forest by Cixin Lui. I picked it up on a whim the other day and loved it.
I can however thoroughly recommend The Dark Forest by Cixin Lui. I picked it up on a whim the other day and loved it.
Just completing my Iain M Banks collection, and just read Against a Dark Background.
Not sure, is the honest answer - well written, like all his novels ('M' or not), but the style is sort-of a shaggy dog story with Shakespearian overtones, and it never grips you as much as his best stuff (e.g. Look to Windward, Consider Phlebas). And in tone it's as dark as anything by him, Wasp Factory possibly excepted.
Not sure, is the honest answer - well written, like all his novels ('M' or not), but the style is sort-of a shaggy dog story with Shakespearian overtones, and it never grips you as much as his best stuff (e.g. Look to Windward, Consider Phlebas). And in tone it's as dark as anything by him, Wasp Factory possibly excepted.
Warmfuzzies said:
Any comments on Terminal World; by Alistair Reynolds: I’m having difficulty gelling with it...
Old comment but Terminal World like many of AR's novels isn't straightforward, especially at the beginning where you're struggling to understand how the world is broken up into zones and how things work differently. However once I was through that I couldn't put it down.
Just finished Into The Storm by Taylor Anderson.
In brief, a couple of destroyers in early 1942 have just about survived the battle of the Java sea and are hoping against the odds to reach a friendly port without being sunk. They enter a squall and come out the other side in a parallel universe.
The geography is the same but there are no humans. Whatever wiped the dinosaurs out didn't happen, the most prominent species are extremely vicious reptiles and vaguely humanoid Lemurs. These are at war with each other, both having sophisticated sailing ships but otherwise vaguely bronze age technology. Our heroes get drawn in on the side of the Lemurs.
The first few pages, fighting the Japanese navy and before the parallel universe section seem very realistic and well researched. One nice touch is the way the officers are constantly preoccupied by supplies and logistics with tactics a secondary consideration. A very good read, but I wasn't really sure how this was going to work. You suspend disbelief when someone in a book goes into parallel universe/time travels/meets vampires etc because it's what the book is about. While this is about the crew of a destroyer.
Yet it works really well. The new world is presented in terms of the crews reactions to it, and after what they've already been through it seems perfectly reasonable that they can deal with armed dinosaurs in a surprised but professional and resourceful fashion. I found myself wanting to keep reading not so much to see what interesting science fiction ideas the parallel universe would throw up, but to find out how the crew would get on. It reminded more of 'The Cruel Sea' than of most sci fi, but with well reasoned scientific speculation as well,
Another 11 books in the series, next one on order already.
In brief, a couple of destroyers in early 1942 have just about survived the battle of the Java sea and are hoping against the odds to reach a friendly port without being sunk. They enter a squall and come out the other side in a parallel universe.
The geography is the same but there are no humans. Whatever wiped the dinosaurs out didn't happen, the most prominent species are extremely vicious reptiles and vaguely humanoid Lemurs. These are at war with each other, both having sophisticated sailing ships but otherwise vaguely bronze age technology. Our heroes get drawn in on the side of the Lemurs.
The first few pages, fighting the Japanese navy and before the parallel universe section seem very realistic and well researched. One nice touch is the way the officers are constantly preoccupied by supplies and logistics with tactics a secondary consideration. A very good read, but I wasn't really sure how this was going to work. You suspend disbelief when someone in a book goes into parallel universe/time travels/meets vampires etc because it's what the book is about. While this is about the crew of a destroyer.
Yet it works really well. The new world is presented in terms of the crews reactions to it, and after what they've already been through it seems perfectly reasonable that they can deal with armed dinosaurs in a surprised but professional and resourceful fashion. I found myself wanting to keep reading not so much to see what interesting science fiction ideas the parallel universe would throw up, but to find out how the crew would get on. It reminded more of 'The Cruel Sea' than of most sci fi, but with well reasoned scientific speculation as well,
Another 11 books in the series, next one on order already.
I picked up BioShock: Rapture by John Shirley in a charity shop for 80p, in perfect condition with not even a single crease in the spine. It's either never been read or has been read by someone as careful as I am when it comes to spines.
The book is a prequel / backstory to the first Bioshock game leading up to the events at the start of the game.
I'm only partway through, but it is ok. A little plodding in places, but it's nice to see the backstory fleshed out a little more. So far the author is managing not to do anything to go against the canon of the game (if you haven't played it, there is a lot of backstory to be found in letters, audio recordings, and the like) and this book builds on that.
The book is a prequel / backstory to the first Bioshock game leading up to the events at the start of the game.
I'm only partway through, but it is ok. A little plodding in places, but it's nice to see the backstory fleshed out a little more. So far the author is managing not to do anything to go against the canon of the game (if you haven't played it, there is a lot of backstory to be found in letters, audio recordings, and the like) and this book builds on that.
Dr Jekyll said:
Just finished Into The Storm by Taylor Anderson.
In brief, a couple of destroyers in early 1942 have just about survived the battle of the Java sea and are hoping against the odds to reach a friendly port without being sunk. They enter a squall and come out the other side in a parallel universe.
The geography is the same but there are no humans. Whatever wiped the dinosaurs out didn't happen, the most prominent species are extremely vicious reptiles and vaguely humanoid Lemurs. These are at war with each other, both having sophisticated sailing ships but otherwise vaguely bronze age technology. Our heroes get drawn in on the side of the Lemurs.
The first few pages, fighting the Japanese navy and before the parallel universe section seem very realistic and well researched. One nice touch is the way the officers are constantly preoccupied by supplies and logistics with tactics a secondary consideration. A very good read, but I wasn't really sure how this was going to work. You suspend disbelief when someone in a book goes into parallel universe/time travels/meets vampires etc because it's what the book is about. While this is about the crew of a destroyer.
Yet it works really well. The new world is presented in terms of the crews reactions to it, and after what they've already been through it seems perfectly reasonable that they can deal with armed dinosaurs in a surprised but professional and resourceful fashion. I found myself wanting to keep reading not so much to see what interesting science fiction ideas the parallel universe would throw up, but to find out how the crew would get on. It reminded more of 'The Cruel Sea' than of most sci fi, but with well reasoned scientific speculation as well,
Another 11 books in the series, next one on order already.
thanks for that - been meaning to try these for a while, may give them a bash after my current (huge) list has been read through.In brief, a couple of destroyers in early 1942 have just about survived the battle of the Java sea and are hoping against the odds to reach a friendly port without being sunk. They enter a squall and come out the other side in a parallel universe.
The geography is the same but there are no humans. Whatever wiped the dinosaurs out didn't happen, the most prominent species are extremely vicious reptiles and vaguely humanoid Lemurs. These are at war with each other, both having sophisticated sailing ships but otherwise vaguely bronze age technology. Our heroes get drawn in on the side of the Lemurs.
The first few pages, fighting the Japanese navy and before the parallel universe section seem very realistic and well researched. One nice touch is the way the officers are constantly preoccupied by supplies and logistics with tactics a secondary consideration. A very good read, but I wasn't really sure how this was going to work. You suspend disbelief when someone in a book goes into parallel universe/time travels/meets vampires etc because it's what the book is about. While this is about the crew of a destroyer.
Yet it works really well. The new world is presented in terms of the crews reactions to it, and after what they've already been through it seems perfectly reasonable that they can deal with armed dinosaurs in a surprised but professional and resourceful fashion. I found myself wanting to keep reading not so much to see what interesting science fiction ideas the parallel universe would throw up, but to find out how the crew would get on. It reminded more of 'The Cruel Sea' than of most sci fi, but with well reasoned scientific speculation as well,
Another 11 books in the series, next one on order already.
As an aside I'm finding a good number of decent books via Kindle unlimited
Dr Jekyll said:
Just finished Into The Storm by Taylor Anderson.
In brief, a couple of destroyers in early 1942 have just about survived the battle of the Java sea and are hoping against the odds to reach a friendly port without being sunk. They enter a squall and come out the other side in a parallel universe.
The geography is the same but there are no humans. Whatever wiped the dinosaurs out didn't happen, the most prominent species are extremely vicious reptiles and vaguely humanoid Lemurs. These are at war with each other, both having sophisticated sailing ships but otherwise vaguely bronze age technology. Our heroes get drawn in on the side of the Lemurs.
The first few pages, fighting the Japanese navy and before the parallel universe section seem very realistic and well researched. One nice touch is the way the officers are constantly preoccupied by supplies and logistics with tactics a secondary consideration. A very good read, but I wasn't really sure how this was going to work. You suspend disbelief when someone in a book goes into parallel universe/time travels/meets vampires etc because it's what the book is about. While this is about the crew of a destroyer.
Yet it works really well. The new world is presented in terms of the crews reactions to it, and after what they've already been through it seems perfectly reasonable that they can deal with armed dinosaurs in a surprised but professional and resourceful fashion. I found myself wanting to keep reading not so much to see what interesting science fiction ideas the parallel universe would throw up, but to find out how the crew would get on. It reminded more of 'The Cruel Sea' than of most sci fi, but with well reasoned scientific speculation as well,
Another 11 books in the series, next one on order already.
sounds good will add to my amazon listIn brief, a couple of destroyers in early 1942 have just about survived the battle of the Java sea and are hoping against the odds to reach a friendly port without being sunk. They enter a squall and come out the other side in a parallel universe.
The geography is the same but there are no humans. Whatever wiped the dinosaurs out didn't happen, the most prominent species are extremely vicious reptiles and vaguely humanoid Lemurs. These are at war with each other, both having sophisticated sailing ships but otherwise vaguely bronze age technology. Our heroes get drawn in on the side of the Lemurs.
The first few pages, fighting the Japanese navy and before the parallel universe section seem very realistic and well researched. One nice touch is the way the officers are constantly preoccupied by supplies and logistics with tactics a secondary consideration. A very good read, but I wasn't really sure how this was going to work. You suspend disbelief when someone in a book goes into parallel universe/time travels/meets vampires etc because it's what the book is about. While this is about the crew of a destroyer.
Yet it works really well. The new world is presented in terms of the crews reactions to it, and after what they've already been through it seems perfectly reasonable that they can deal with armed dinosaurs in a surprised but professional and resourceful fashion. I found myself wanting to keep reading not so much to see what interesting science fiction ideas the parallel universe would throw up, but to find out how the crew would get on. It reminded more of 'The Cruel Sea' than of most sci fi, but with well reasoned scientific speculation as well,
Another 11 books in the series, next one on order already.
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