Sunday 27 December 2009

Inherit the Stars by James P. Hogan

This is the first James P Hogan book I have read and it is also the first complete ebook I have read,  a free download from the Baen Free Library. It is a good read, a scientific detective story about what happens when 50,000 year old human remains are is discovered on the moon. The novel is heavy on factual detail and light on plot decoration so it can get a bit wordy at times but it kept me reading to the end on the 2 inch screen of my mobile phone. Like all good detective stories you can have fun guessing whodunnit before the denouement of the plot finally reveals all. I am of a mind to look out for more James P. Hogan.

Saturday 26 December 2009

The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams

An honest to goodness fairy story no less with pixies and pookas to boot from someone who has become one of my favourite authors. The protagonist of this tale gets whisked away to Fairie to discover all is not right in that magical realm. Fairy society has taken a wrong turn it seems and the sylvan glades of legend have been replaced with dark satanic power stations. This is a very entertaining read with genuinely unpleasant baddies that you long to see get their come-uppance. I won't give away any spoilers except to point out that it is a fairy story - draw your own conclusions.

Tuesday 1 December 2009

House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds

This story is set millions of years into the future and mankind has expanded around the galaxy in many expanding and collapsing empires. The only constants are the "lines", clone families who persist through the millennia travelling around the galaxy and possessing almost god like powers (the ability to dam a star for example). An attempt to wipe out one of the lines sparks off an enjoyable romp through big concept sci fi. Generally very good but the ending is weak in my opinion.