Made in DNA
The first novel is stellar, which works as a standalone and is best read that way. The second and third are connected, but the plot loses a little something. Though the concepts and worldbuilding are interesting (if not dated), it felt as if Jones took something rooted in the very real world and cerebral (in the first novel), and then turned it into pulpy style mystery. Reader mileage may vary.
The first novel in the Culture series, Consider Phlebas' protagonist is an enemy of the Culture, an Idiran spy. His mission is to retrieve a Culture mind (a sentient machine) that evaded Idiran capture. The real beauty of this novel (beyond the exquisitely layered language, worldbuilding and plot) is that it sets up the reader to view the Culture as a questionable force in the universe, while all the other novels in the series have Culture protagonists! From the get-go to the very end, I found myself disliking the Culture, and yet fascinated by Banks' world. I'll definitely be purchasing the other novels in the series. Cannot recommend enough.
Great fun. Never knew a Star Wars book could be this fun. Harkens back to the days of the Han Solo/Lando Calrissian books from the 80s. Adventure, battle, mystery, horror.
Exquisite. Loved the megastructure themes. More books in this universe would be welcome.
The description reads “in the spirit of Pacific Rim, Macross, Transformers, Robotech, Gundam, Evangelion, and more”, but to be honest, there are ZERO stories inspired by Macross (aka Robotech), Gundam or Transformers. This is book was inspired by solely Pacific Rim and possibly Evangelion. For potential readers not familiar with the mecha genre, or those only familiar with Pacific Rim, this means this collection is packed with stories about giant robots versus monsters (aka kaiju) – which is a fine if that's what you like. Unfortunately, that's not the whole genre, only a subset. Nor is it really all that appealing to the fans like myself who are enamored with the space opera aspect ala Macross, Gundam, L-Gaim, Dougram, Votoms, et al.
I wanted this book to be so much more. I backed it on Kickstarter and waited for it for the longest time (and then I had problems loading my preferred version into my phone, and it took months of working with the publisher to get it to work). And it is a flat disappointment. I couldn't get through more than 30% of this book. I'm going to jump to the back and read Martha Wells (who always spins a great yarn), but I'm not hopeful as it seems even Kevin J. Anderson phoned in his story. That said, no matter how good it is, it will NOT be able to save this collection...
It. Stinks.
NOT SO FANTASTIC - A little pedestrian
86 pages of full-color photos of the titular “Cyberpunk” young woman on the cover. First and foremost, while the description states “women of adult age (18+)”, there is ABSOLUTELY no nudity involved, nor anything “adult” about the book. It's clean and safe for work as there are zero provocative shots (though there are perhaps five to six shots that come accidentally close to being somewhat provocative. So if you've come for sexy images, this is not the book for you. That said, I'm glad the photographer and “author” (there is no text in this book whatsoever) decided on using a young woman instead of a preteen like is so popular in similar books in this vein.
Unfortunately, I wasn't as impressed by this book as I wanted to be. It's rather dull and amateurish. Is it bad? No. But Julie Watai's work with Hardware Girls puts this to shame. This is just a young woman in several different cyberpunk-ish headgear pieces, a gas mask and VR headgear. I flipped through the whole 86 pages in less than five minutes. There wasn't anything to hold my attention. And sampling (via Amazon's free samples) shows that this “8 Book Series” gives the same treatment to the same young women in subsequent titles.
Hopefully the “author” and photographer decide to spread their wings a little in the future and really get a little wild and crazy with the settings. This series does NOT need to be sexy to be good, it just needs to work on settings, and perhaps, clothing choices for the model a little more.
Arthur Graham is an author and the sitting Editor in Chief of Horror Sleaze Trash, a publication of mixed genre fiction all flagrantly injected with sexual elements. Tanuki Tango Overdrive (TTO for short) is a collection of three short stories revolving around the Japanese tanuki (sometimes referred to as a “raccoon-dog”), an animal with the appearance cross between a badger and a raccoon. In Japanese mythology, these animals are purported to have supernatural powers which allow them to trick human beings, and in Arthur's collection, they use these powers to get jiggy with an assortment of famous Hollywood stars, each other, and even a bullet train. Over the top comedy and sexual situations are the hallmark of this original work. Not for the faint of heart, strong sense of humor a must. A quick read, but something you'll be recommending and lending out to your friends over and over again.
If you loved “Roller Ball Murder” (or the stunning 1975 film starring James Caan), then this book is for you. It's a Max Headroom-esque look at the future where evil corporations run football in the 20oos, whipping fans into a frenzied watch-fervor with pay-per replays and murder/mayhem reel highlights of street football during the week. Mix in a bit of political satire and you have for a lean, mean, gutsy novel.
6 in the Styx is a collection of 6 vivid stories of ultra-suspense cum personal horror with an slick varnish of weird as well. What would push a person over the edge of sanity? Are there personal definitions of “hell”? Who are the “skeletons” in our closets? With 6, rising author Brad Carl (Gray Areas, Craft Beer Burning, 5 Dead or Alive) explores the consequences of our actions. Bizarre and twisted, the collection allows you to enjoy a smattering of Carl's literary prowess in as little as 15 to 30 minutes (depending on your reading speed). This is an extreme plus for busy folks like myself who find reading relaxes them after a long day at the office. (I work an afternoon shift and get home late. Reading lulls me into a relaxed state.) In a literaryscape of trilogy novels that often span into 1000s of pages (I do love them but as you can see, it takes me time to read), Carl's work can be enjoyed in a short span without losing where you are in the novel, or who such and such character is. Highly recommended.
Infinite Lives: (Infinite Lives Online Book 1) is a GameLIT (LitRPG) novel is in the world of virtual fantasy roleplaying. Our hero, DeadPixels, clad in nothing but crack-revealing armored speedos, cloaks himself in smarmy, smart-ace remarks as he makes his way from (just barely) defeating Gauldark the Grimm, a powerful necromancer/pyromancer who has set the hero's netherbytes on fire.
But that's not the worst part of his ordeal. Truth be told, he's been online for... good question; he thinks it could be weeks; in which case, he's a little worried that he might just be a disembodied version of his digitized mind. (GULP!)
Pacing and action are fairly good, but I might have hoped for a little more action, maybe even some of the end fight with Gauldark the Grimm in the beginning. That said, action is not the focus of the novel, so it was never a problem. The pacing is strong, keeping the goals of the characters clear and moving the story along.
The POV of the story switches between two main characters online, and the chat or email between several event-determining characters. The email/chat might seem as if its fluff at first, but the author Elven Steele is clever in his buildup of plot. Much of half takes place before the protagonists' adventure, so it's important to follow them closely as they give clues to what's happening.
To put it all together, this is a book for those who loved Bored of the Rings or any parody based fantasy novel. I, myself, loved the first book so much I pre-ordered the second, and have begun reading it now that launch day has passed.
Contains adult themes and language, so it's clearly not for the YA crowd.
Absolutely wretched. I honestly cannot fathom the appeal of this novel, let alone a series of novels centered on this character. I forced myself to read as much as possible as I honestly thought it sounded like it would be fun. I could not have been more disappointed. Everything from the cardboard cutout characterization to the thin plot was just subpar. But it seems that I am in the minority on this, so, kudos to the author for being able to pump out a ton of novels.
The Goddess Gambit is an ambitious novel melding fantasy, mythology and science fiction (specifically mecha, robots and transhumanism). As a lover of role-playing games (TRPGs), the world struck me as RIFTS like in scope, featuring different dimensions, aliens, monsters and mystical powers, but is certainly NO COPY OF. The author did a fantastic job of world-building and pulling all the elements together in a fine-tuned novel that is expected to span further volumes, with this first one ending on a tense, foreboding note that was completely unexpected. This is definitely a novel that spans a variety of genres and will easily appeal to a great number of readers.
Not really what I was hoping it would be. Set in the same universe as Left Alone, a short story which is a FAR better. Had a hard time relating what it was that the author was trying to relay through the varied layers of the story, especially the comparisons of the First Martian culture to the Jomon era peoples. If you are into (very) slow, thought-provoking SF, this might be right up your alley. Frankly, I was not really impressed. I think the translation needed a bit more editing as well as there were some really rough spots compared to the eloquence of most of the book.
The first book is the inspiration for the classic sci-fi film The Forbin Project, and while much is the same, the book is a very much a product of its time. No doubt this set of novels would be condemned as a product of “toxic masculinity”, and by all counts, it did make me cringe on more than one occasion. That aside, there is an excellent story outlining the dangers of technology within. Set in a future where the Cold War still has humanity teetering on the edge of extinction, in steps Forbin and his scientists who create a master computer to watch over the defenses of the United States. It's a well thought out novel on what could go wrong. Unfortunately books 2 and 3 take a weird turn starting with the end of book 1 and soon involve computer intelligence from Mars. Sounds exciting in theory, but the whole of the original concept created in the first book is chucked out the door by the later novels, and one wonders if they weren't a product of forced publication rather than what the author originally intended. Skip books 2 and 3 if possible and just enjoy the first novel (Colossus).
Romero zombie fans will recognize this campy take on the genre for what it is and run with it. Written in first person, we follow the adventures of Cerra Romero as she runs through the LA Basin in an attempt to outrun the antagonists, both flesh-eating and live. Following her through a year of her life, the work (sometimes jarringly) skips ahead months at a time. While this did not diminish enjoyment of the book, the overall work might have benefited from the expansion and detail. Fortunately the author did not skip out on the important details, and has carefully planned and crafted the world. A quick, entertaining read that is meant to be enjoyed like a late Saturday night film on commercial TV.
Set in the far future when humanity has spread to the stars and met other spacefaring cultures, this novel (like all good works) is lightly modeled on current events and indeed history in general. Humanity can be both graceful and grotesque in a myriad of aspects, and Exelby expertly tells the story of dragon bone-harvester, Markio Edi, who, through no fault of his own, is inescapably thrust into deep conspiracy and possible war.
While this is his first book, it is clear that the author is no stranger to worldbuilding or storytelling. Excellently edited and well-paced, this is an engrossing novel that does NOT overgloss the situation that the protagonist is in, but scrutinizes every nook and cranny in an effort to understand the path set before him. Epic space opera.
Shining Tomorrow is the story of Irma, a young woman living in an alternate history American where the Axis defeated the Allies. A member of YELOW (Young Elegant Ladies of the West), she is caring, giving, and a paragon of femininity, so what is she to do when her beloved city and friends come under attack? Surely becoming a masked superheroine to take up piloting a giant mech is out of the question! But Irma also has heart and strength, and these give her the resolve to step forward and take up the mantle.
The first volume in author Rawle Nyanzi's retro remix world is a nod to not only Man in the High Castle but Peter Tieryas' acclaimed United States of Japan series. His knowledge of Japanese culture and anime is deftly balanced and blended with American sci-fi tropes and norms for a creative reading powerhouse. Well-written, well-edited, and well-received, it is surely a welcome addition to any bookshelf. This is the kind of fiction that evokes a more golden age of science fiction when things were less complicated and the world more defined.
Set in a dystopian future where America is now run by amoral religious nuts, Cyberpunk Jihad is a collection of interwoven short stories that gives the middle finger to the establishment. Reminiscent of handcopied, stapled indie fiction zines of the 80s and 90s, this novel takes no prisoners with its attitude and wears its colors clearly on its sleeve. It is disturbingly raw, powerful, twisted, and funny. Looking forward to future work.
From the poetry of the prose on the page to the plot and the characters, readers will recognize that the author is no stranger to history and fact-research. Furthermore, it is matched by the rich tapestry of world-building employed. The whole novel carefully weaves an unforgettable tale of cruel fate, hard life, bloody war and young love, each balanced via a multitude of perspectives. Cannot praise this debut work more. Looking forward to future work.
Set several decades after a “limited” nuclear holocaust, the story revolves around a small group of characters on all sides of the drama that unfolds. While most fiction revolves around the point of view of just one or two characters, usually protagonists, in Scorched Earth, the author creates an eerie verisimilitude to an already chilling reality by allowing the readers to see into the minds of all the major characters concerned. In doing so, it's becomes all too clear that “good” and “evil” overlap with such intensity that we can see ourselves in the mirror.
While clearly a “last stand against the darkness” post-apocalypse vision, the author didn't just stop there, creating a universe of vast potential. Just a few of the more overt science fiction elements of the book include time portals (a surprising, but well-done element), super soldiers (one of the more disturbing aspect of the novel), and longevity drugs. Each of the elements was introduced a pace that allows readers plenty of time to soak up each element. There's no rush which may stun readers into suspension of disbelief, and yet, nothing is forced either. Excellent pacing.
Both character and world building are, again, created through the eyes of every character introduced, of course, giving their versions of how they see the world, and allowing us to create the larger picture over all.
All said and done, Scorched Earth is a great action-suspense thriller. Highly recommended.
Future Horrorscape!
From the moment I dove into the book, I was gobsmacked. This is the absolute perfect blend of The Twilight Zone and cyberpunk with the endings leaning more toward the horror spectrum. This is not your hologram girlfriends and robotic servants, this is visceral nightmares steeped deeply in reality and the human consciousness. Stories range in length and style. Great for a quick read. Perfect for cleansing the palate when you need a break from a longer work (I like to read multiple works at once myself).
Originally published as The Goddess Gambit, Invasive Species is an ambitious novel melding fantasy, mythology and science fiction (specifically mecha, robots and transhumanism). As a lover of role-playing games (TRPGs), the world struck me as RIFTS like in scope, featuring different dimensions, aliens, monsters and mystical powers, but is certainly NO COPY OF. The author did a fantastic job of world-building and pulling all the elements together in a fine-tuned novel that is expected to span further volumes, with this first one ending on a tense, foreboding note that was completely unexpected. This is definitely a novel that spans a variety of genres and will easily appeal to a great number of readers.
The Goddess Gambit is an ambitious novel melding fantasy, mythology and science fiction (specifically mecha, robots and transhumanism). As a lover of role-playing games (TRPGs), the world struck me as RIFTS like in scope, featuring different dimensions, aliens, monsters and mystical powers, but is certainly NO COPY OF. The author did a fantastic job of world-building and pulling all the elements together in a fine-tuned novel that is expected to span further volumes, with this first one ending on a tense, foreboding note that was completely unexpected. This is definitely a novel that spans a variety of genres and will easily appeal to a great number of readers.
A thought-provoking collection of slick, smart science fiction heavy with transhuman and cyberpunk themes with none of the pretension that comes with the standard “cyberpunk” fare. The author introduces the reader to worlds akin to Clarke and Asimov but with a firm grounding in our own human history and cultures.