A nice quick read detailing the creation and outbreak of the Kellis-Amberlee virus...y'know, the one that turns you into a zombie when you die? Yeah, ...moreA nice quick read detailing the creation and outbreak of the Kellis-Amberlee virus...y'know, the one that turns you into a zombie when you die? Yeah, that one. Nice prequel to the Newsflesh trilogy. (less)
Moody collection of near-future stories about life -- sometimes very everyday, sometimes more fantastical -- after the apocalypse. _Which_ apocalypse,...moreMoody collection of near-future stories about life -- sometimes very everyday, sometimes more fantastical -- after the apocalypse. _Which_ apocalypse, precisely, varies from story to story. I found the first story ("The Naturalist") the strongest; the rest didn't entirely grab me, and the presentation was unfortunately marred by poor editing leaving scattered typos throughout the book.(less)
I'm not as into zombies as many people are these days, but this book made life in a zombie apocalypse terrifyingly and believably real. Moving right o...moreI'm not as into zombies as many people are these days, but this book made life in a zombie apocalypse terrifyingly and believably real. Moving right on to the next book in the series...(less)
I must admit, I chose to read this book first in my quest to read all of this year's Philip K. Dick nominees simply because I expected to find least i...moreI must admit, I chose to read this book first in my quest to read all of this year's Philip K. Dick nominees simply because I expected to find least interesting. I'm not big into military stories (the only other military-themed SF I can remember reading is Heinlein's Starship Troopers), so when sorting from least-curious to most-curious by back cover blurbs, this made it to the top of the pile.
However, I found it a lot more interesting and enjoyable than I expected. While there's certainly no doubt about this falling into the realm of military SF, it incorporates enough other aspects through Ia's abilities, characterization, and motivation that I had no problems getting through to the end, and never felt like I was slogging through it or reading it "just because" instead of out of actual enjoyment. Military hoo-rah may not be my thing, but Ia's an interesting enough character that I'll enjoy following up with her story when the sequels come out.(less)
Really, really impressive trilogy. Great blend of action-adventure-y type stuff (gunplay, explosions, narrow escapes) and high-concept SF (quantum mec...moreReally, really impressive trilogy. Great blend of action-adventure-y type stuff (gunplay, explosions, narrow escapes) and high-concept SF (quantum mechanics, scientists doing science-y stuff, singularities, AIs), all in a near-future, post apocalyptic London.(less)
Holding off on a full review until I've finished the whole trilogy, but we're off to a good start. Near-future dystopian post-Apocalyptic adventures i...moreHolding off on a full review until I've finished the whole trilogy, but we're off to a good start. Near-future dystopian post-Apocalyptic adventures in gunplay and quantum physics.(less)
Funny, frightening, and increasingly depressing apocalyptic novel about what happens when a cure for aging is loosed upon the world. Immortality is de...moreFunny, frightening, and increasingly depressing apocalyptic novel about what happens when a cure for aging is loosed upon the world. Immortality is definitely more of a curse than a blessing!(less)
I definitely enjoyed this one; it's a fun mix of detective noir and sci-fi that kept me engaged enough to plow through in just two days. Admittedly, t...moreI definitely enjoyed this one; it's a fun mix of detective noir and sci-fi that kept me engaged enough to plow through in just two days. Admittedly, the mystery of the city's secret was pretty obvious partway through, but as the characters still had to figure it out, not to mention wrap up all the other threads, this was a case where the journey was more the point than the destination.(less)
Asimov has long been one of my favorites, and while I'd probably read each story in this collection at least once before, that in no way lessened my e...moreAsimov has long been one of my favorites, and while I'd probably read each story in this collection at least once before, that in no way lessened my enjoyment of any of them.(less)
As many reviews have already said, this is definitely Stephenson's most "accessible" work yet, in that it has a much broader appeal than the...moreAs many reviews have already said, this is definitely Stephenson's most "accessible" work yet, in that it has a much broader appeal than the hardcore sci-fi/geek set. That's definitely not a bad thing, either! Think of it as a Clive Cussler or James Patterson adventure as written by someone who's actually wildly intelligent and an extremely good writer.(less)
Though I was prompted to pick this up with the recent news of the upcoming movie based on Hansen's killings, I'd been meaning to read it for years, af...moreThough I was prompted to pick this up with the recent news of the upcoming movie based on Hansen's killings, I'd been meaning to read it for years, after picking up my mom's copy and having her tell me that as a child, I actually knew Hansen, and had gone over to his house to play with his kids. The story is chilling enough on its own; the fact that it's all real, happened in my lifetime and where I grew up, and that it was Hansen was someone I and my family knew and associated with just makes it even more creepy. Hansen is a scary, disturbed man. Hopefully the movie does the story, and Anchorage, justice.(less)
I ended up enjoying these -- not the _best_ fantasy I've ever read (though, admittedly, I'm more of an SF person), but far from the worst, and Elric's...moreI ended up enjoying these -- not the _best_ fantasy I've ever read (though, admittedly, I'm more of an SF person), but far from the worst, and Elric's struggles make for a more interesting lead character than most heroes. Someday I'll have to track down the final two books in the series (the used bookstore where I found these only had the first four).(less)
Still going, still enjoying these. Elric's an intriguing character -- definitely something of an anti-hero, but definitely with that sympathetic eleme...moreStill going, still enjoying these. Elric's an intriguing character -- definitely something of an anti-hero, but definitely with that sympathetic element that makes anti-heroes work.(less)
I enjoyed this one more than I did the first -- perhaps I'm getting used to the style, perhaps Elric's growing on me, or perhaps I just had to get pas...moreI enjoyed this one more than I did the first -- perhaps I'm getting used to the style, perhaps Elric's growing on me, or perhaps I just had to get past the introductory bits to where things really start to get interesting. Whatever the reason, I'm looking forward to moving on to the third book.(less)
Decent fantasy with a more interesting main character than many I've read. Not the best writing (which could be its age, Moorcock's age when he wrote ...moreDecent fantasy with a more interesting main character than many I've read. Not the best writing (which could be its age, Moorcock's age when he wrote it, his style, or something else), but interesting enough for me to continue on to the next book.(less)
Niven is one of my favorite SF writers, and the short-story length is often perfect for a quick exploration of ideas. Even the less-than-excellent sto...moreNiven is one of my favorite SF writers, and the short-story length is often perfect for a quick exploration of ideas. Even the less-than-excellent stories were worth reading, and the final four, all set in the same tavern catering to a multitude of alien species, were a great way to wind this one up.(less)
Actually the first P.K. Dick I'd read. Some really fun ideas in quite a few of these stories, but I was struck by how much a product of his time Dick ...moreActually the first P.K. Dick I'd read. Some really fun ideas in quite a few of these stories, but I was struck by how much a product of his time Dick was, especially in his treatment and characterizations of women. I suppose it's not really a surprise in hindsight, but it occasionally caught me off guard as I was reading.(less)
I love Simmons's writing, and while I enjoyed this a lot, I couldn't help but feel that I'd get a lot more out of it if I was more familiar with the w...moreI love Simmons's writing, and while I enjoyed this a lot, I couldn't help but feel that I'd get a lot more out of it if I was more familiar with the work of both Dickens and Wilkie Collins.(less)
A light but enjoyable sequel to Bimbos of the Death Sun, picking up a few years later as Jay Omega and girlfriend Marion join a professor friend and f...moreA light but enjoyable sequel to Bimbos of the Death Sun, picking up a few years later as Jay Omega and girlfriend Marion join a professor friend and former SF author on a trip to a reunion of a storied group of Golden Age SF authors. Where Bimbos used a SF/F con as its setting, Zombies uses the reunion to evoke much of early SF fandom and how it changed over the next few decades. More sedate than Bimbos, Zombies has less of the fandom snark and less humor, but is certainly not without occasional doses of both.(less)
This was one of my favorites when I was younger, and recommended it to quite a few friends, one of whom (accidentally, I believe) kept my copy after I...moreThis was one of my favorites when I was younger, and recommended it to quite a few friends, one of whom (accidentally, I believe) kept my copy after I leant it to her. I finally ordered another copy, years later, and am quite happy to find that it's just as good now as it was years ago. Definitely one of my favorite children's/young adult books, and one I'm tempted to send copies of to my nephews and nieces. (less)
Notable far more for having been written from the original shooting script, and therefore containing oddities such as an R2D2 frequently described as ...moreNotable far more for having been written from the original shooting script, and therefore containing oddities such as an R2D2 frequently described as walking, references to C3P0's facial expressions, a human Jabba, and obvious hints at a very un-sibling interest between Luke and Leia. A serviceable novelization, but not much more than that. (less)
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