Truly a post-modern spec fiction novel. Solid writing captures damaged, confused characters struggling to make sense of bizarre, para-normal phenomeno...moreTruly a post-modern spec fiction novel. Solid writing captures damaged, confused characters struggling to make sense of bizarre, para-normal phenomenon in Spokane. More grotesque horror than sci-fi, there is no answer, no resolution, no stability - just a seeping dread at the loss of meaning and trust as even fundamental laws of physics decay.
It left me with a deep sorrow for the characters and the author. (less)
I had given up on fantasy until I chanced on Mr. Abercrombie's First Law trilogy, and later The Heroes. I have to say while Red Country is a solid sto...moreI had given up on fantasy until I chanced on Mr. Abercrombie's First Law trilogy, and later The Heroes. I have to say while Red Country is a solid story and wraps up lots of loose ends - particularly Logan Nine-Fingers - the novel simply didn't do it for me. The writing didn't have the mad gleam his other books had, as if it were rushed or written out of obligation rather than inspiration. Again, my hat's off to the author for re-invigorating the genre, but this isn't his best. (less)
OK but not great. A steampunk re-imagining of Moby Dick that only an established author like Mr. Mieville can get away with. I had a serious case of "...moreOK but not great. A steampunk re-imagining of Moby Dick that only an established author like Mr. Mieville can get away with. I had a serious case of "Hollywood remake" deja-vu: story was all tarted but suffered a loss of substance.
Read it if you're a fan. If this is your first CM book, skip to Perdido Street Station. (less)
"One Bad Apple" is the first installment of The Clar1ty Wars series.
Cyberpunk fiction told in an immersive, mosaic style, it captures the struggles o...more"One Bad Apple" is the first installment of The Clar1ty Wars series.
Cyberpunk fiction told in an immersive, mosaic style, it captures the struggles of individuals caught in the crossfire of a vicious civil war.
"One Bad Apple" details the opening shots of the conflict, and provides a glimpse at the powerful forces readying for war.
If you’re a fan of utopian sci-fi where technology enables humanity to assume the mantle of ‘best and brightest’, then sail into dest...moreI like this book.
If you’re a fan of utopian sci-fi where technology enables humanity to assume the mantle of ‘best and brightest’, then sail into destiny among the vast, glittering stars, you’re going to want to look elsewhere.
The novel essentially follows the story of John Farrell, a citizen in near-future America when the “cure” for aging is developed. Wry, well-written, with a touch of black humor, this is the first novel I’ve ever read that treated the subject of ‘immortality’ in a realistic manner. And I mean eerily realistic.
From the initial euphoria and Las Vegas hedonism, to the ‘Freezer Moms’ who inject their children so they stay perpetually infants, to the Thai pimps that freeze prostitutes as nubiles, to anti-aging vandals. terrorists, and new religious sects, to “Exit Specialists” who execute folks who finally want to die, Drew Magary manages to balance grimness with a fascinating, darkly comic narrative.
This is the kind of book you talk about the day after you’ve finished it. And then probably the day after that. This one is well worth your time and money. (less)
Fascinating, if disturbing read about everyday deception. Addresses motives, justifications, verbal and body cues, and default dishonesty in business...moreFascinating, if disturbing read about everyday deception. Addresses motives, justifications, verbal and body cues, and default dishonesty in business and corporate settings.
At once convicting and informative, it hits home personally as well as trains the reader to spot and avoid deceptive practices. Might be difficult to face, but well worth the time and effort, IMO.
As an aside, it's particularly good source material for writers regarding narrative and character development.
If you’ve hung around forums and websites for Christian fiction writers, you’ve no doubt bumped into a recurring set of discussions:
What are a faith-b...moreIf you’ve hung around forums and websites for Christian fiction writers, you’ve no doubt bumped into a recurring set of discussions:
What are a faith-based writer’s obligations before God? How theologically-correct does a story have to be? How evangelistic? How realistic can the depictions of a fallen world and unsaved characters be? Where exactly is the line for profanity? violence? pornography? When does it slip into being gratuitous and become a stumbling block?
Vital questions to be sure, and ones each writer must answer for his or herself. However, for someone who’s in the first phase of his writing career, I have to say the wranglings frequently come off as Hydra-headed. Every answer prompts at least two vociferous and adamant counter-points that only serve to exacerbate* the problem.
I believe it was G.K. Chesterton who said an open mind was like an open mouth: it must close on something solid. Now these debates consume a tremendous amount of passion, time, and creativity, and I’d like to think they’re inching towards reasoned, principled solutions. But I fear otherwise…
The aim of this post isn’t to stir the pot but to point out one very credible source of potential answers: Flannery O’Connor’s Mystery and Manners.
The book is a collection of her essays precisely on the subject of fiction writing as a Christian. I won’t bore you with a summary or try and distill everything into neat little fortune-cookie pearls of wisdom. I will say I found her insights refreshingly blunt, keenly perceptive, and a sobering challenge. In my opinion, the essays “The Nature and Aim of Fiction”, “The Church and the Fiction Writer”, and “Novelist and Believer” are worth the price of the book all by themselves. What’s so attractive is that Ms. O’Connor deals with exactly the same issues that dog so many Christian writers today, and in a way that not only honors God but elevates the calling and craft of writing.
I think this little book belongs on that small shelf next to every writer’s desk, in between the Thesaurus and the Dictionary. I believe if read with prayer and careful consideration, it will raise the bar, settle your mind, and allow you to disengage from the cyclical debates and get back to actually writing. Which is what writers are supposed to do.
I’ll end with a couple quotes:
The writer operates at a peculiar crossroads where time and place and eternity somehow meet. His problem is to find that location. – Flannery O’Connor
When a book leaves your hands, it belongs to God. He may use it to save a few souls or to try a few others, but I think that for the writer to worry is to take over God’s business. – Flannery O’Connor
*(it means ‘to make things worse.’ – Shaun of the Dead) (less)
Another excellent little dope smack upside the head for artists and creative types. Talk is cheap - Shut up, sit down and get to work. Companion to hi...moreAnother excellent little dope smack upside the head for artists and creative types. Talk is cheap - Shut up, sit down and get to work. Companion to his superb "The War of Art". (less)
Another fine little book from Mr. Pressfield. His hard-won perspective and advice on the fighting spirit backed by historical anecdotes. Light-years b...moreAnother fine little book from Mr. Pressfield. His hard-won perspective and advice on the fighting spirit backed by historical anecdotes. Light-years beyond mere brawling and egotistic violence, this is about Aggression tempered by Honor, Courage balanced with Compassion, and it addresses need to triumph over external and internal opponents.
A short, sharp treatise on virtues that, in my opinion, are in conspicuous decline in our society. (less)
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