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Samuil Petrovitch #1
Equations of Life
Winner of the 2012 Philip K. Dick Award
Samuil Petrovitch is a survivor.
He survived the nuclear fallout in St. Petersburg and hid in the London Metrozone – the last city in England. He’s lived this long because he’s a man of rules and logic.
For example, getting involved = a bad idea.
But when he stumbles into a kidnapping in progress, he acts without even thinking. Before he can stop himself, he’s saved the daughter of the most dangerous man in London.
And clearly saving the girl = getting involved.
Now, the equation of Petrovitch’s life is looking increasingly complex.
Russian mobsters + Yakuza + something called the New Machine Jihad = one dead Petrovitch.
But Petrovitch has a plan – he always has a plan – he’s just not sure it’s a good one.
Samuil Petrovitch is a survivor.
He survived the nuclear fallout in St. Petersburg and hid in the London Metrozone – the last city in England. He’s lived this long because he’s a man of rules and logic.
For example, getting involved = a bad idea.
But when he stumbles into a kidnapping in progress, he acts without even thinking. Before he can stop himself, he’s saved the daughter of the most dangerous man in London.
And clearly saving the girl = getting involved.
Now, the equation of Petrovitch’s life is looking increasingly complex.
Russian mobsters + Yakuza + something called the New Machine Jihad = one dead Petrovitch.
But Petrovitch has a plan – he always has a plan – he’s just not sure it’s a good one.
390 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 2011
92 people are currently reading
3189 people want to read
About the author
Simon Morden
44 books287 followersAka S.J. Morden
Dr. Simon Morden, B.Sc. (Hons., Sheffield) Ph.D (Newcastle) is a bona fide rocket scientist, having degrees in geology and planetary geophysics. Unfortunately, that sort of thing doesn’t exactly prepare a person for the big wide world of work: he’s been a school caretaker, admin assistant, and PA to a financial advisor. He’s now employed as a part-time teaching assistant at a Gateshead primary school, which he combines with his duties as a house-husband, attempting to keep a crumbling pile of Edwardian masonry upright, wrangling his two children and providing warm places to sleep for the family cats.
His not-so-secret identity as journeyman writer started when he sold the short story Bell, Book and Candle to an anthology, and a chaotic mix of science fiction, fantasy and horror followed. Heart came out to critical acclaim, and Another War was shortlisted for a World Fantasy Award, but with The Lost Art, things suddenly got serious. Contracts. Agents. Deadlines. Responsibility. Scary stuff. The Lost Art was subsequently a finalist for the Catalyst Award for best teen fiction.
As well as a writer, he’s been the editor of the British Science Fiction Association's writers’ magazine Focus, a judge for the Arthur C Clarke awards, and is a regular speaker at the Greenbelt Arts Festival on matters of faith and fiction. In 2009, he was in the winning team for the Rolls Royce Science Prize.
Dr. Simon Morden, B.Sc. (Hons., Sheffield) Ph.D (Newcastle) is a bona fide rocket scientist, having degrees in geology and planetary geophysics. Unfortunately, that sort of thing doesn’t exactly prepare a person for the big wide world of work: he’s been a school caretaker, admin assistant, and PA to a financial advisor. He’s now employed as a part-time teaching assistant at a Gateshead primary school, which he combines with his duties as a house-husband, attempting to keep a crumbling pile of Edwardian masonry upright, wrangling his two children and providing warm places to sleep for the family cats.
His not-so-secret identity as journeyman writer started when he sold the short story Bell, Book and Candle to an anthology, and a chaotic mix of science fiction, fantasy and horror followed. Heart came out to critical acclaim, and Another War was shortlisted for a World Fantasy Award, but with The Lost Art, things suddenly got serious. Contracts. Agents. Deadlines. Responsibility. Scary stuff. The Lost Art was subsequently a finalist for the Catalyst Award for best teen fiction.
As well as a writer, he’s been the editor of the British Science Fiction Association's writers’ magazine Focus, a judge for the Arthur C Clarke awards, and is a regular speaker at the Greenbelt Arts Festival on matters of faith and fiction. In 2009, he was in the winning team for the Rolls Royce Science Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 289 reviews
December 17, 2015
There's a lot of good things I can say about this novel. It has good plot, good pacing, and it does the whole subgenre of techno-thriller justice.
I enjoyed the main character, Petrovich, for his almost unbelievable mash up of personality traits. I mean, who else except in a techno-triller will be a hardened survivor of an apocalypse, a computer geek, an untrained but very well read and brilliant mathematician, and a self-serving asshole with combat skills? Oh. Wait... something like this does happen fairly often, or at least close variations on the theme.
I'm not complaining. It's entertaining for what it is.
It's a very easy read compared to a lot of the books I've read recently, and it passed very smoothly down my gullet, like vodka and sake. (But not at the same time!)
It is kinda funny, though, that I'd be reading no less than a half-dozen novels this year with AIs. Hell, earlier this month, I just read The Hive Construct, which was almost the very twin to this novel, at least in broad plot and action. It's almost as if a one page synopsis was shared between publishers or the underlying zeitgeist of throwing yourself at crazy AI's is so firmly embedded in our collective psyche (Thank you, 2001 Space Odyssey) that we've just got to rehash the same theme a million times, and preferably in cities where we can have the most collateral damage.
Though, to be fair, I much preferred the writing and the characters in this novel over the other one I just mentioned. It's also worth mentioning this one came out years before, as well. I'll soon get into this one's sequels. I liked it. It's a popcorn SF adventure, done all modern-like.
And who knows, maybe I'll get a taste of how the world will be after the GUT starts getting some applications. :) I'd love to see some speculation up here! ;)
I enjoyed the main character, Petrovich, for his almost unbelievable mash up of personality traits. I mean, who else except in a techno-triller will be a hardened survivor of an apocalypse, a computer geek, an untrained but very well read and brilliant mathematician, and a self-serving asshole with combat skills? Oh. Wait... something like this does happen fairly often, or at least close variations on the theme.
I'm not complaining. It's entertaining for what it is.
It's a very easy read compared to a lot of the books I've read recently, and it passed very smoothly down my gullet, like vodka and sake. (But not at the same time!)
It is kinda funny, though, that I'd be reading no less than a half-dozen novels this year with AIs. Hell, earlier this month, I just read The Hive Construct, which was almost the very twin to this novel, at least in broad plot and action. It's almost as if a one page synopsis was shared between publishers or the underlying zeitgeist of throwing yourself at crazy AI's is so firmly embedded in our collective psyche (Thank you, 2001 Space Odyssey) that we've just got to rehash the same theme a million times, and preferably in cities where we can have the most collateral damage.
Though, to be fair, I much preferred the writing and the characters in this novel over the other one I just mentioned. It's also worth mentioning this one came out years before, as well. I'll soon get into this one's sequels. I liked it. It's a popcorn SF adventure, done all modern-like.
And who knows, maybe I'll get a taste of how the world will be after the GUT starts getting some applications. :) I'd love to see some speculation up here! ;)
May 12, 2015
A post-apocalyptic journey of self-redemption and bildungsroman. Probably aimed at millenials who develop intellectually at the expense of interpersonal relationships; thanks to a steady diet of technologically assisted personal interactions and freely available information. It explores the divide between the physical and the virtual and draws parallels using physics and artificial intelligence. It is an intelligent novel that does not try to instruct or lecture the reader.
It took a tiny bit of getting used to the Russian swearing in this one; mainly because I don’t speak Russian and so I never knew what flavour of expletive was being used. Since the Russian turn of phrase is rather interesting, it would have been good to have a translation somewhere for language geeks too lazy to google it. There are plenty of nods to memes and cult icons that draw the reader into a relationship with Petrovich by creating a bridge of shared experience.
I love the world this novel and the following two, are set in (London - Called Metrozone after the 'apocaplypse' the details of which are not really important to the story except that it involved radiation). I love the fierceness and vulnerability of the main character, though I had a bit of trouble believing Petrovich’s age, given his educational quals, health limitations and employment history. When I eventually made peace with the idea, it was much easier to enjoy the story and the relationships between characters.
It can be read purely for entertainment, and it succeeds in this sense; it is difficult to put down after the first 100 pages, and I was compelled to immediately buy the next two books as soon as I finished the first. Scratch the surface and there is plenty of social commentary and philosophical content packed within the subtext and for those interested in such things, Morden has shown himself to be an astute observer of social change.
I found that the second and third books in this series were more enjoyable, but I’m not sure if it is a case of practice makes perfect on behalf of the reader or the writer.
It took a tiny bit of getting used to the Russian swearing in this one; mainly because I don’t speak Russian and so I never knew what flavour of expletive was being used. Since the Russian turn of phrase is rather interesting, it would have been good to have a translation somewhere for language geeks too lazy to google it. There are plenty of nods to memes and cult icons that draw the reader into a relationship with Petrovich by creating a bridge of shared experience.
I love the world this novel and the following two, are set in (London - Called Metrozone after the 'apocaplypse' the details of which are not really important to the story except that it involved radiation). I love the fierceness and vulnerability of the main character, though I had a bit of trouble believing Petrovich’s age, given his educational quals, health limitations and employment history. When I eventually made peace with the idea, it was much easier to enjoy the story and the relationships between characters.
It can be read purely for entertainment, and it succeeds in this sense; it is difficult to put down after the first 100 pages, and I was compelled to immediately buy the next two books as soon as I finished the first. Scratch the surface and there is plenty of social commentary and philosophical content packed within the subtext and for those interested in such things, Morden has shown himself to be an astute observer of social change.
I found that the second and third books in this series were more enjoyable, but I’m not sure if it is a case of practice makes perfect on behalf of the reader or the writer.
April 7, 2018
Exceeded my high expectations. I had a lot of fun reading this. There were some highly original, very cool scenes in here and it blew by, definitely downhill the whole way. Great characters, very cinematic and descriptive I highly recommend this.
August 5, 2022
Някък не успя да ме впечатли достатъчно тази книга...
Има всички нужни съставки, за да се получи нещо много добро, но за съжаление авторът според мен не е успял да ги смеси съвсем перфектно. :)
Продължавам с втората част от серията, с надеждата че ще е по-интересна!
Има всички нужни съставки, за да се получи нещо много добро, но за съжаление авторът според мен не е успял да ги смеси съвсем перфектно. :)
Продължавам с втората част от серията, с надеждата че ще е по-интересна!
December 28, 2015
An enjoyable near-future post-Apocalyptic thriller set in London. I enjoyed this, though the main character is a tad unbelievable (but very funny). Looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.
June 11, 2011
http://staffersmusings.blogspot.com/2...
The moment I saw the cover for Simon Morden's Equations of Life I was intrigued. In a genre known for covers like S.M. Stirling's Rising(google it, right now), the art put together by Orbit Books screamed unique. I have to give them credit for giving a new author something that differentiates him on the shelf. Throw in a blurb that has Armageddon, jihads, and complex math and there was little doubt I was pumped to get my hands on it.
Morden's novel features a fairly standard protagonist named Samuil Petrovich - he's begrudgingly heroic and decidedly irreverent in the face of danger. He's also an advanced theoretical mathematician who suffers from a degenerative heart condition. On his way to the university, Petrovich witnesses an attempted kidnapping of a young girl. Despite his best interests he intervenes, saving her from abduction.
Along the way he gets a hand from Maddy, a gun toting amazonian nun, who helps him return the rescued girl to her father - who just so happens to be the head of the Oshicora crime family (read Yazuka). Caught between the Russian mob, the Oshicoras, the police, a couple of street gangs, and a mysterious entity calling itself the New Machine Jihad, Petrovich finds himself in a high stakes tug and pull for Metrozone's future.
Equations wasn't what I expected - at all. The title, the cover art, the blurb all pointed in my mind to something a lot more akin to the film A Beautiful Mind. Usually when my preconceived notions are blown apart I tend to be disappointed. With Equations that wasn't the case at all. While mathematics only lurked on the periphery of the story and Petrovich turned out to be far more Chow Yun Fat than Rick Moranis, the book whipped by at such a pace that I never had a moment to lament what it wasn't. Rather, I focused on what is was - a first rate cyberpunk thriller filled with witty dialog and outstanding wizbangs.
Petrovich is the novels primary focus. He's an onion-y character that reveals himself slowly and almost always accompanied by Russian epithets. Who he really is and why he got involved are questions that permeate the early parts and drives things when the action slows down. Unfortunately, the breadth of the story and the pace Morden chose to tell it left little time to explore the novels secondary characters or elaborate on the setting. In particular Petrovich's nun companion, Maddy gets short shrift despite significant page time.
Additionally, there seems to be a bit of a trend developing to start series with narrower plots before expanding into a more epic struggle in the subsequent installments (Shadow's Son by Jon Sprunk is a recent one that comes mind immediately). I'd love to talk to someone on the decision making side of the industry at some point to see whether this is a conscious decision. Telling more self contained stories precludes the need for information dumps, but also removes some of the wonder that's the lifeblood of the genre. Equations walks a fine line of hinting at the larger world yet staying unencumbered. It's largely successful, but I found myself very much wanting to know more about what's going on outside Merry ol' England.
In all, Equations of Life was an excellent first installment in Simon Morden's Metrozone Series. While I found the lack of academia disappointing, the fantastic pace and action more than made up for it. I'm sure I'll be diving into Theories of Flight and Degrees of Freedom soon. And if the ending to Equations holds up there is sure to be a bigger dose of theoretical math ahead.
The moment I saw the cover for Simon Morden's Equations of Life I was intrigued. In a genre known for covers like S.M. Stirling's Rising(google it, right now), the art put together by Orbit Books screamed unique. I have to give them credit for giving a new author something that differentiates him on the shelf. Throw in a blurb that has Armageddon, jihads, and complex math and there was little doubt I was pumped to get my hands on it.
Morden's novel features a fairly standard protagonist named Samuil Petrovich - he's begrudgingly heroic and decidedly irreverent in the face of danger. He's also an advanced theoretical mathematician who suffers from a degenerative heart condition. On his way to the university, Petrovich witnesses an attempted kidnapping of a young girl. Despite his best interests he intervenes, saving her from abduction.
Along the way he gets a hand from Maddy, a gun toting amazonian nun, who helps him return the rescued girl to her father - who just so happens to be the head of the Oshicora crime family (read Yazuka). Caught between the Russian mob, the Oshicoras, the police, a couple of street gangs, and a mysterious entity calling itself the New Machine Jihad, Petrovich finds himself in a high stakes tug and pull for Metrozone's future.
Equations wasn't what I expected - at all. The title, the cover art, the blurb all pointed in my mind to something a lot more akin to the film A Beautiful Mind. Usually when my preconceived notions are blown apart I tend to be disappointed. With Equations that wasn't the case at all. While mathematics only lurked on the periphery of the story and Petrovich turned out to be far more Chow Yun Fat than Rick Moranis, the book whipped by at such a pace that I never had a moment to lament what it wasn't. Rather, I focused on what is was - a first rate cyberpunk thriller filled with witty dialog and outstanding wizbangs.
Petrovich is the novels primary focus. He's an onion-y character that reveals himself slowly and almost always accompanied by Russian epithets. Who he really is and why he got involved are questions that permeate the early parts and drives things when the action slows down. Unfortunately, the breadth of the story and the pace Morden chose to tell it left little time to explore the novels secondary characters or elaborate on the setting. In particular Petrovich's nun companion, Maddy gets short shrift despite significant page time.
Additionally, there seems to be a bit of a trend developing to start series with narrower plots before expanding into a more epic struggle in the subsequent installments (Shadow's Son by Jon Sprunk is a recent one that comes mind immediately). I'd love to talk to someone on the decision making side of the industry at some point to see whether this is a conscious decision. Telling more self contained stories precludes the need for information dumps, but also removes some of the wonder that's the lifeblood of the genre. Equations walks a fine line of hinting at the larger world yet staying unencumbered. It's largely successful, but I found myself very much wanting to know more about what's going on outside Merry ol' England.
In all, Equations of Life was an excellent first installment in Simon Morden's Metrozone Series. While I found the lack of academia disappointing, the fantastic pace and action more than made up for it. I'm sure I'll be diving into Theories of Flight and Degrees of Freedom soon. And if the ending to Equations holds up there is sure to be a bigger dose of theoretical math ahead.
February 12, 2012
I read this when it was nominated for the Philip K. Dick award in 2012, and I'm glad it showed up on that list as I hadn't come across it in any other way. Technically the entire trilogy is nominated.
This is set in a post-apocalyptic London (in the "Metrozone"), in a time where bombs have destroyed most of the world and countries like Japan have completely disappeared due to environmental disaster (war-related).
Samuil Petrovitch is around 20, having recently escaped from St. Petersburg and working as a graduate physics student, when he helps someone who is being kidnapped. He gets involved in a situation involving Russian mobsters, Yakuza, and ends up with technology going crazy.
The story is fast-paced and has a lot of bits to make my geeky heart happy, including mathematicians who might be cracking the code to time travel in the midst of the chaos, a main character who swears in Russian, a nun who just happens to have the biggest gun of anyone, and a new Japan created in a virtual space. Samuil is written to be complex, but the age of the characters really got to me - Maddy and Sam are both around 20 and I just kept thinking how much more I'd believe their actions and powers of deduction if they were at least in their 30s.
I think I may actually read the next book.
This is set in a post-apocalyptic London (in the "Metrozone"), in a time where bombs have destroyed most of the world and countries like Japan have completely disappeared due to environmental disaster (war-related).
Samuil Petrovitch is around 20, having recently escaped from St. Petersburg and working as a graduate physics student, when he helps someone who is being kidnapped. He gets involved in a situation involving Russian mobsters, Yakuza, and ends up with technology going crazy.
The story is fast-paced and has a lot of bits to make my geeky heart happy, including mathematicians who might be cracking the code to time travel in the midst of the chaos, a main character who swears in Russian, a nun who just happens to have the biggest gun of anyone, and a new Japan created in a virtual space. Samuil is written to be complex, but the age of the characters really got to me - Maddy and Sam are both around 20 and I just kept thinking how much more I'd believe their actions and powers of deduction if they were at least in their 30s.
I think I may actually read the next book.
July 23, 2013
I picked up Equations of Life, the first novel in Simon Morden’s Samuil Petrovitch series, after receiving a copy of his latest novel The Curve of the Earth for review. The new novel is the fourth one set in the series, but it came billed as a good point to get started if you missed the first three books, which form a trilogy of sorts. Still, being somewhat obsessive about these things, I decided to go back and read the first book rather than jump in at The Curve of the Earth.
Alas. After reading Equations of Life, I’m not sure if I’m interested in reading the rest. It’s not that this is a bad book per se. It’s just that it didn’t really offer me anything I haven’t seen elsewhere before.
Read the entire review on my site Far Beyond Reality!
Alas. After reading Equations of Life, I’m not sure if I’m interested in reading the rest. It’s not that this is a bad book per se. It’s just that it didn’t really offer me anything I haven’t seen elsewhere before.
Read the entire review on my site Far Beyond Reality!
May 7, 2020
Tells the story of a Russian immigrant, Samuil Petrovitch, in a near future World, living in the London Metrozone, several years after a nuclear event. Then add Russian gangsters and the Yakuza, a high kicking sword waving gun-toting nun, Madeline and Samuil's dark past and you have quite an interesting tale, that may encourage you to go and read the next two stories in the trilogy. 5 out of 12.
January 26, 2013
Okay. I gotta say, the cover hooked me. I mean, come on. If it doesn't hypnotize you, then it'll leave you quivering on the ground in a seizure. I found myself traveling without a book to read. I can't take two steps without a book on call, so I popped into a local Barnes and Nobles, scoured the shelves and BANG!
Then I opened it. I'm not sure what to call it. Post-apocalyptic cyberpunk? Apocalyptic Punk? Whatever you call it, Equations of Life is a terrific entry book into the world of Simon Morden. Reading the acknowledgements and the interview afterwards, I see our mutual friend Brian Hopkins (BaH) had something to do with Simon's success in his early days. That Simon has written so extensively in this universe rings clear and presents an authentic, texturally rich and wholly believable landscape.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and finished it within 24 hours. I'm signing books at another Barnes and Nobles today and plan on getting the next two, which I believe have equally seizure-enticing covers.
Terrific Job, Mr. Morden.
Keep them coming.
Then I opened it. I'm not sure what to call it. Post-apocalyptic cyberpunk? Apocalyptic Punk? Whatever you call it, Equations of Life is a terrific entry book into the world of Simon Morden. Reading the acknowledgements and the interview afterwards, I see our mutual friend Brian Hopkins (BaH) had something to do with Simon's success in his early days. That Simon has written so extensively in this universe rings clear and presents an authentic, texturally rich and wholly believable landscape.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and finished it within 24 hours. I'm signing books at another Barnes and Nobles today and plan on getting the next two, which I believe have equally seizure-enticing covers.
Terrific Job, Mr. Morden.
Keep them coming.
January 24, 2020
It is not bad. But it is not good in any way either.
The plot is boring and predictable.
Characters didn't feel like real people. And Petrovich is really good at everything without any reason or because of some really stupid one. For example, he is good in planing stuff because, and I'm quoting, "I’ve been playing strategy games on computers since I first sucked milk from my mother’s tit".
That was the moment when I decided that the two stars are too much for Petrovich.
And post-apocalyptic part was very disappointing (and I don't remember any proper description of what actually have happened).
That exchange with nuclear bombs between someone around 20 years before the story starts didn't add much to the plot. It could be just some shitty city in the future. No mutants, no radiation-related health problems. Apparently nuclear war just leads to a significant increase in organized crime.
The plot is boring and predictable.
Characters didn't feel like real people. And Petrovich is really good at everything without any reason or because of some really stupid one. For example, he is good in planing stuff because, and I'm quoting, "I’ve been playing strategy games on computers since I first sucked milk from my mother’s tit".
That was the moment when I decided that the two stars are too much for Petrovich.
And post-apocalyptic part was very disappointing (and I don't remember any proper description of what actually have happened).
That exchange with nuclear bombs between someone around 20 years before the story starts didn't add much to the plot. It could be just some shitty city in the future. No mutants, no radiation-related health problems. Apparently nuclear war just leads to a significant increase in organized crime.
May 18, 2017
Книгата я прочетох по препоръка на Копо. Определено си заслужава.
Посапокалиптика, талантлив физик, който му се налага да е корав пич, разбеснял се ИИ, смотани ченгета и мафиоти от всякакви раси.
И двуметрова 19 годишна монахиня от боен орден, с оръжие лично осветено от Папата.
Започнах да я чета в три през нощта. От време на време затварях таблета и се опитвах да заспя, но след десетина минути се усещах, че пак чета. И така до сутринта, когато най-сетне я изчетох.
Не знам Колибри обаче дали ще издадат следващите.
П.С. Главният герой е руснак, ръси цинизми на руски през цялото време, а преводача свенливо е превел "Хуй в жопе" като - псвуня споменаваща задника ти.
Посапокалиптика, талантлив физик, който му се налага да е корав пич, разбеснял се ИИ, смотани ченгета и мафиоти от всякакви раси.
И двуметрова 19 годишна монахиня от боен орден, с оръжие лично осветено от Папата.
Започнах да я чета в три през нощта. От време на време затварях таблета и се опитвах да заспя, но след десетина минути се усещах, че пак чета. И така до сутринта, когато най-сетне я изчетох.
Не знам Колибри обаче дали ще издадат следващите.
П.С. Главният герой е руснак, ръси цинизми на руски през цялото време, а преводача свенливо е превел "Хуй в жопе" като - псвуня споменаваща задника ти.
June 23, 2011
Awesome world - post-some sort of an Apocalypse that's kept pretty vague in this novel, although there are references to nuclear fallout and radiation issues. The story takes place in a London that's had all of its parks converted into refugee camps, basically, filled with shipping containers turned into living quarters. The world is technologically-speaking not that far from our own - possibly because the Apocalypse came along and halted development for a number of years, I guess. There are hints that other things have changed, too, my favourite being one of the characters, a nun who identifies as a Joan. Yes, she carries weapons. That's pretty awesome. I can appreciate military nuns. There are also mafia, yakuza, physics doctoral students, weary cops....
Tragically, the story and the characters do not live up to the setting they are given. The story, of the repercussions when a student in the wrong place at the wrong time decides to act the hero, has great potential. How organised crime might work in such a world is a fascinating topic, especially when you add in the option of new and exciting technology and the clash of old and new morals and values. However, this one did not work well for me primarily because it chopped and changed too many times. I don't mind surprises, but they have to make sense in the context of the characters, rather than feeling like the next thing to be dumped on the reader because the plot was slowing down some.
The characters also let the story down. Petrovich, the main protag, is dull and whingy. So is Luke Skywalker for all of Episode IV. Luke though has the advantage of awesome supporting characters. Petrovich has Maddy, the nun; she started off well and just went downhill in terms of attitude and believability. There's the tired cop, probably the most amusing and realistic of the bunch, who gets little screen time, and the PhD student with whom Petrovich shares an office, who again had potential but barely has the dialogue to become a cameo let along anything else.
So. Disappointed? yes. Likely to read the next two in the series? No.
Tragically, the story and the characters do not live up to the setting they are given. The story, of the repercussions when a student in the wrong place at the wrong time decides to act the hero, has great potential. How organised crime might work in such a world is a fascinating topic, especially when you add in the option of new and exciting technology and the clash of old and new morals and values. However, this one did not work well for me primarily because it chopped and changed too many times. I don't mind surprises, but they have to make sense in the context of the characters, rather than feeling like the next thing to be dumped on the reader because the plot was slowing down some.
The characters also let the story down. Petrovich, the main protag, is dull and whingy. So is Luke Skywalker for all of Episode IV. Luke though has the advantage of awesome supporting characters. Petrovich has Maddy, the nun; she started off well and just went downhill in terms of attitude and believability. There's the tired cop, probably the most amusing and realistic of the bunch, who gets little screen time, and the PhD student with whom Petrovich shares an office, who again had potential but barely has the dialogue to become a cameo let along anything else.
So. Disappointed? yes. Likely to read the next two in the series? No.
April 22, 2013
I was first attracted to this series by the covers alone. Then I started reading them.
The hero of the stories, Sam Petrovich, is the unlikeliest of leading men and yet he turns into a futuristic Super Hero by simply thinking three steps ahead and accessing the information. Don't understand me too quickly. This is not a DC or Marvel Super Hero we are talking about. He is just someone who is fighting for his life and his way of life and eventually for those he cares about and is willing to do anything to get there. Imagine Batman but with less morals and eventually, through the series, better gadgets without the cape and mask.
It's fast action and humorous and the books move so quickly you will find yourself through all four books in the series and waiting like I am to see what happens next.
One word of advice, keep this website tagged on your computer or your phone when you are reading.
http://www.myinsults.com/support-us/1...
Samuel Petrovich loves to swear in Russian and he does it so often I found myself going back and forth sometimes while reading the first book, just so I could follow the context and to understand how mad or frustrated he really was. I really enjoyed the research and after a while you get the gist of what he's saying without referring to the website, but it's still fun to read the literal translations.
The hero of the stories, Sam Petrovich, is the unlikeliest of leading men and yet he turns into a futuristic Super Hero by simply thinking three steps ahead and accessing the information. Don't understand me too quickly. This is not a DC or Marvel Super Hero we are talking about. He is just someone who is fighting for his life and his way of life and eventually for those he cares about and is willing to do anything to get there. Imagine Batman but with less morals and eventually, through the series, better gadgets without the cape and mask.
It's fast action and humorous and the books move so quickly you will find yourself through all four books in the series and waiting like I am to see what happens next.
One word of advice, keep this website tagged on your computer or your phone when you are reading.
http://www.myinsults.com/support-us/1...
Samuel Petrovich loves to swear in Russian and he does it so often I found myself going back and forth sometimes while reading the first book, just so I could follow the context and to understand how mad or frustrated he really was. I really enjoyed the research and after a while you get the gist of what he's saying without referring to the website, but it's still fun to read the literal translations.
September 8, 2011
This book is such a--dare I say it?--charming departure from what I've been seeing in sci fi! Had to give it the 5 stars. It's post-Armageddon "London Metrozone." Ok, I know what you're thinking. "Charming" and "post-Armageddon" together? Has she taken leave of her senses? But I have to call it as I see it. (And, yes, probably millions of people die in this one, along the way. But the story isn't really about those people, though they do factor in, of course.)
You've got your Russian organized crime. You've got your Japanese organized crime. You've got your local dispossessed mob (less organized crime). You've got a 2+ meter tall, incredibly strong nun, carrying her Vatican-approved gun, so she can protect her parish priest. And then there are the cops and, of course, the New Machine Jihad. Samuil Petrovitch, who survived Armageddon (which is never actually explained), somehow finds himself caught up in all of this because he broke his rule and got involved. It is quite an adventure, for all concerned.
The key characters are all well-drawn, including the crime bosses, the nun, and, of course, Petrovitch. I really had trouble putting this one down. Can't say more without spoiling things. You'll just have to read it.
You've got your Russian organized crime. You've got your Japanese organized crime. You've got your local dispossessed mob (less organized crime). You've got a 2+ meter tall, incredibly strong nun, carrying her Vatican-approved gun, so she can protect her parish priest. And then there are the cops and, of course, the New Machine Jihad. Samuil Petrovitch, who survived Armageddon (which is never actually explained), somehow finds himself caught up in all of this because he broke his rule and got involved. It is quite an adventure, for all concerned.
The key characters are all well-drawn, including the crime bosses, the nun, and, of course, Petrovitch. I really had trouble putting this one down. Can't say more without spoiling things. You'll just have to read it.
May 3, 2016
I started reading The Equations of Life by Simon Morden, which came highly recommended by goodreads, and for the third time this month I'm dropping a book and moving on. The main character - Samuil Petrovitch - is a genius prodigy who, when he isn't effortlessly hacking secure government systems or discovering the Grand Unified Theory (with no formal education, just alot of books he read in his own time) - is constantly embarrassing and mouthing off to career criminals with absolutely no consequences. But the author has clearly been to some writing workshops and knows that your characters have to have some limitations - so Petrovitch has a dodgy heart that doesn't stop him running marathons and he wears glasses. So he's definitely not a Gary Stu. Maybe i could forgive this if the story was really fun. But its not. And there is this really awkward romance with giant teenage mutant ninja nun. That's not a metaphor or an exaggeration.
October 1, 2016
Well that was just too much fun! Quantum AI, Russian and Japanese crime loads, nuns with guns! While that may sound ridiculous it was actually a good story where the hero has a pacemaker and embedded defibrillator and dies more times than I can count. He's not strong, he's smart. Looking forward to the sequel.
February 20, 2021
This was a really fun and quite unusual in many ways, post apocalyptic science fiction. The main character is a bit of an antihero; he is kind of the antithesis of the rugged, athletic, hero. Samuil Petrovitch is living in the London Metrozone which is the last city in England it is a bit of a chaotic nightmare of a place, dysfunctional and full of refugees. Samuil is a bit dysfunctional himself, his heart is bad, he is irradiated after having survived the nuclear fallout from Sr Petersburg and he swears continuously in Russian (or we are told that is the case; google translate did not recognise a single word, so I am not sure about that).
One day on his way to the university where he is studying crazy level theoretical mathematics, he rescues a girl who was about to be kidnapped. This random act of uncalculated selflessness catapults him into a situation; the girl was the only daughter of the Yakuza boss in charge of the Metrozone (and the only survivors of Japan), the kidnapers were Russian mobsters. The police are now also somewhat interested in him and there is some crazy computer thing called the New Machine Jihad.
Samuil is kind of a classic, immoral, antihero of the badmouthed 'tough guys with flaws and a history' theme. Even though that is a bit of a common theme, both the backdrop of the London Metrozone and our main character are different enough for the story to feel fresh and interesting. It is fast paced and has a lot of layers to events without ever feeling too complicated to follow. I really enjoyed it, I will read more.
One day on his way to the university where he is studying crazy level theoretical mathematics, he rescues a girl who was about to be kidnapped. This random act of uncalculated selflessness catapults him into a situation; the girl was the only daughter of the Yakuza boss in charge of the Metrozone (and the only survivors of Japan), the kidnapers were Russian mobsters. The police are now also somewhat interested in him and there is some crazy computer thing called the New Machine Jihad.
Samuil is kind of a classic, immoral, antihero of the badmouthed 'tough guys with flaws and a history' theme. Even though that is a bit of a common theme, both the backdrop of the London Metrozone and our main character are different enough for the story to feel fresh and interesting. It is fast paced and has a lot of layers to events without ever feeling too complicated to follow. I really enjoyed it, I will read more.
July 10, 2018
farklı türlerde okuma yaparken bilimkurguyu es geçmek olmaz dedim ve "yaşamın denklemleri"ne denk geldim. herahlde bir yerde övülmüştü, hatırlamıyorum ama ben petrovich'in maceralarından oluşan serinin ilk kitabını yorgunlukla bitirdim diyebilirim. çok aksiyon dolu ve inandırıcılıktan uzaktı. karakterler tam oturmadı; çünkü olaylar o kadar hızlı gelişiyordu ki kahramanlar dahil kimsenin durup düşünmeye vakti yoktu.
denedim, sevmedim.
denedim, sevmedim.
January 10, 2019
Не понасям зимата. Натрупвам депресия, което ме фрустрира до краен предел. Единственото, което мога да направя е да се закопая в книги, филми и самосъжаление. Това е основната причина да взема да публикувам нещо в този блог, който почти успешно съм зарязала от доста време насам. Изслушахте мрънканията ми, благодаря, време е да се прехвърля върху книгата, за която става въпрос в този пост. Това е вторият път, за който препрочитам тази книга– връщам се към нея като към стар приятел. Защото "Метрозоната" е чудесно отклонение от това, което съм свикнала да виждам в сай-фай литературата. Класически твърдо сварена постапокалиптика, търсеща себе-изкуплението и израстването, и изследваща разделението между физическия и виртуалния свят. Романът е толкова добър, че не му е нужно да се превръща във военно порно или евтина мелодрама. Интелигентна книга, която не се опитва дава указания или да чете лекции на читателя. Под повърхността има изобилие от социални коментари и философско съдържание, грижливо опаковани за тези, които се интересуват от тези неща. Мордън определено е проницателен наблюдател и е стъпил на раменете на Уилям Гибсън, но това в никакъв случай не е нещо лошо, напротив. Действието се развива в постапокалиптичен Лондон, в Метрозоната, пълна с емигранти, които живеят в блокове, построени от транспортни контейнери, във време, когато по-голямата част от света е унищожена от бомби и страни като Япония са напълно изчезнали. Самата история започва като криминална драма, а сай-фая се промъква зад гърба ѝ и ѝ причинява остра изненада. Разказът е бърз и включва математик, който би могъл да разбие кода за пътуване във времето, монахиня от боен орден, носеща пистолет, одобрен от Ватикана, нова виртуална Япония, изобилие от гангстери, корумпирано ченге, нео-якудза принцеса, зомбита и Джихад на машините. А най-хубавото? Главният герой е маниак. МАНИАК. И абсолютен тъпак. Но къде на друго място можеш да видиш оцелял от апокалипсис компютърен изрод, гениален математик и егоистичен задник с бойни умения с вградени пейсмейкър и дефебрилатор, който умира повече пъти, отколкото можеш да си представиш? И абсолютно страхотен.
Ако искате киберпънк, математика, трилър, антиутопия, разбъркани в луд микс, поръсени с ноар нотки, тази книга е за вас.
Целият текст, може да прочетете в блога: "Уравненията на живота" в ЛаИвзСтайл
Ако искате киберпънк, математика, трилър, антиутопия, разбъркани в луд микс, поръсени с ноар нотки, тази книга е за вас.
Целият текст, може да прочетете в блога: "Уравненията на живота" в ЛаИвзСтайл
March 23, 2013
Постапокалиптичните уравнения на живота на Саймън Мордън: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/y...
Добре дошли в лондонската Метрозона, последният град на Острова след Армагедон. Тук нещата са доста объркани, но ще се ориентирате малко по малко през погледа на Самуил Петрович, главният герой в “Уравненията на живота” на Саймън Мордън (трилогията спечели наградата “Филип К. Дик” за 2012 г.!). Той е от оцеляващите – видял повече, отколкото му се иска, успял да избяга от ядрения ад в Санкт Петербург, и желаещ само да бъде оставен на мира. Петрович е нещо средно между Шелдън от The Bing Bang Theory – гениален самоук физик с проблем в социализацията, и Хан Соло – смелчага с принципи и без особено уважение към закона. А, да, и нещо важно. Япония я няма.
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/y...
Добре дошли в лондонската Метрозона, последният град на Острова след Армагедон. Тук нещата са доста объркани, но ще се ориентирате малко по малко през погледа на Самуил Петрович, главният герой в “Уравненията на живота” на Саймън Мордън (трилогията спечели наградата “Филип К. Дик” за 2012 г.!). Той е от оцеляващите – видял повече, отколкото му се иска, успял да избяга от ядрения ад в Санкт Петербург, и желаещ само да бъде оставен на мира. Петрович е нещо средно между Шелдън от The Bing Bang Theory – гениален самоук физик с проблем в социализацията, и Хан Соло – смелчага с принципи и без особено уважение към закона. А, да, и нещо важно. Япония я няма.
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/y...
November 2, 2013
Post-apocalyptic action/adventure with SF basis.
Greater London after Armageddon, renamed Metrozone. Sam Petrovitch, PhD student, survivor of Moscow breakdown, heart transplant candidate, derives solution to the Grand Unified Theorem (GUT). A virtual Japan, run by AI shogun, wreaks havoc on the real world. Various sundry characters: notably, gun-toting nun, the ninja daughter of shogun, American reconstructionist as villain.
Conceptually intriguing. Wasn't too thrilled with implementation. Almost gave up midway but stayed on for the resolution of GUT but . The way this ends may even classify this as YA.
As a first book read of a new author, not ready to pass judgment. But am not hyped up. Would still read other books in the trilogy though not immediately.
Greater London after Armageddon, renamed Metrozone. Sam Petrovitch, PhD student, survivor of Moscow breakdown, heart transplant candidate, derives solution to the Grand Unified Theorem (GUT). A virtual Japan, run by AI shogun, wreaks havoc on the real world. Various sundry characters: notably, gun-toting nun, the ninja daughter of shogun, American reconstructionist as villain.
Conceptually intriguing. Wasn't too thrilled with implementation. Almost gave up midway but stayed on for the resolution of GUT but . The way this ends may even classify this as YA.
As a first book read of a new author, not ready to pass judgment. But am not hyped up. Would still read other books in the trilogy though not immediately.
April 7, 2013
Meh. Follows the template of Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash, but with even more cardboard-like writing, and little invention. There are a few good ideas (nuns with guns!), but you feel they are thrown in just because they are clever, not integral to the plot. There is a lot of action but it is poorly described, the characters shallow. I couldn't finish it.
September 22, 2013
Много я хвалят тази книга а на мен хич не ми хареса. Още от самото начало главния герой се набърква в ситуация, която тотално противоречи на образа му, който ни го набиваха в главите. Изобщо много са комиксови героите- нашия човек- учен, обаче пък се оказа ебати нинджата, сайдкика му- бойна монахиня амазонка. И още- якудза, бунт на машините, руски мафиоти, постапокалипсис. Манджа с грозде.
March 6, 2021
Initially, I had trouble getting in to this because I found the writing... odd. I think it was supposed to be noir but it didn’t quite make it and instead landed on awkward. Plus, all the Russian was kind of annoying, especially since there were no other verbal indications that the main character was so English-as-a-second-language that he would use that much of his native tongue in normal conversation unless it was an affectation.
But as I got further into the book, it was so obviously a nerd self-insertion fantasy that I just couldn’t take it. The main character is almost schizophrenic - threatening police detectives and pushing around mob bosses, but also squeaking when kissed by a(n underaged) girl and vomiting after he runs because he’s so out of shape his side stitches hurt worse than his heart with a dodgy pacemaker. Oh, and he also touts himself as a tactical genius because he’s played some computer games and read The Art of War. Please.
I did make it 70-some percent through this (though there was some heavy skimming after the halfway point) and I told myself I was going to finish it because I only had an hour left but.... I couldn’t. As soon as I said “it’s ridiculous and eyerolling but I’m going to finish it!” I couldn’t make myself pick it up again. So I give up.
But I knew a lot of gamer guys in school that would love this book, so if that’s you, go for it.
But as I got further into the book, it was so obviously a nerd self-insertion fantasy that I just couldn’t take it. The main character is almost schizophrenic - threatening police detectives and pushing around mob bosses, but also squeaking when kissed by a(n underaged) girl and vomiting after he runs because he’s so out of shape his side stitches hurt worse than his heart with a dodgy pacemaker. Oh, and he also touts himself as a tactical genius because he’s played some computer games and read The Art of War. Please.
I did make it 70-some percent through this (though there was some heavy skimming after the halfway point) and I told myself I was going to finish it because I only had an hour left but.... I couldn’t. As soon as I said “it’s ridiculous and eyerolling but I’m going to finish it!” I couldn’t make myself pick it up again. So I give up.
But I knew a lot of gamer guys in school that would love this book, so if that’s you, go for it.
February 7, 2018
A bit of a confusing post Armageddon novel where what is going on gradually becomes clearer and takes the reader along at a great clip.
A young refugee scientist (formerly Russian) is involved with his theoretical research in the city that used to be London, when he suddenly, for no good reason, interferes with a kidnapping.
This act snowballs and introduces him to two mobs in the struggle for the wasteland that New London has become.
An engaging, flawed hero and strong supporting cast.
A young refugee scientist (formerly Russian) is involved with his theoretical research in the city that used to be London, when he suddenly, for no good reason, interferes with a kidnapping.
This act snowballs and introduces him to two mobs in the struggle for the wasteland that New London has become.
An engaging, flawed hero and strong supporting cast.
January 21, 2022
The world building in this book is impeccable, and the concept is one to admire as well. As far as post-apocalyptic and dystopian societies go, this one is really cool. I applaud the author for creating a protagonist who still save damsels in distress while still being likable? The plot is riveting and so is the immersion into this book.
December 9, 2023
Usually I don't like post-apocalypse stories (hard for me to suspend disbelief), but this one has some merit. The unusual telling gives me a feeling of William Gibson. Maybe I just like sarcasm. Anyway, an unlikely hero coupled with an odd amalgamation of characters and social groups.
March 11, 2022
Would be 3.5 stars. Certainly enjoyed it, and the action pace is incredible.
July 22, 2011
This review is one for all three books. Just a warning.
I totally did NOT expect to get sucked into this series as much as I did, and the fact that it’s only a trilogy makes me profoundly sad. This is an awesome, awful alternate present/future that Morden has created, and I’m sad to see it go. But let’s take a look at what makes it so great, shall we?
This world is split off from ours at 2000, says Morden in an interview in the back of the first book. However, he doesn’t say how far in the future the Metrozone exists in – presumably at least 25-30 years down the line, as they have things like implantable/replaceable body parts and the like. Japan is gone, sunk under the sea, and the US is run by a “reconstructionist” religious party (not so far from today, it sounds like?).
I love books that consider alternate histories. It’s the Schrodinger’s Cat idea that gets me the most – instead of choosing A, what if I’d chosen B? What if I’d said no instead of yes? What are the possibilities of those choices? I know Doctor Who did a whole bunch of episodes about that in season 4 (some of the best of that season, and that season was pretty awesome). Morden’s alternate history of what might have happened in the year 2000 forward is a wonderful exploration of the darkest parts of the human psyche – our needs, our wants, and our most base animal parts. This is a dark bunch of books – so if you’re not into dystopian, let alone math-related books, bail out now. This just won’t be your cup of tea.
But if you like cyberpunk, math, thrillers, dystopia all in one insane mix, these books are so definitely for you. The math isn’t overwhelming, but there are some confusing points that I had to google to be sure on. Luckily, the rest are made up (the Ekinobi-Petrovitch Theorem, for example), so if you’re math-stupid like me, you’ll be fine.
I think the best part about Sam as a character and Morden is an author is that you really live through Sam’s eyes the entire trilogy. You’re right there with him, right there next to him, inside of his head. This means everything – from his stuttering heart in the first book, to his broken heart over Maddy by the third book. You see, think, feel, smell, touch everything he does. Morden is a master with sensory language and the amount of showing over telling is overwhelmingly, joyously tipped in the “showing” direction – automatically making me love Morden. It’s so hard to do that, and doing that in a sci-fi genre book/series is even harder. I tip my hat in major respect for him being able to do that.
The pace of these books start out slow but once they get going, don’t let up until you’re panting until the very end. But you know what? It’s a great panting, a great sheen of sweat you feel by the end of each book (especially book three). Never have I been so thrilled and on the edge of my seat for a hard sci-fi novel/series – at least not in a long, long while.
And the best part? OUR HERO IS A NERD. GEEK. DORK. But totally brilliant. He’s not big and brawny and gorgeous – he’s scrawny and pale and geeky. Morden makes math sexy with this hero, though, because I’d totally date Petrovitch. In a heartbeat.
I’m keeping this review spoiler free, so all I can say that’s left is to go read these books if you’re even remotely a sci-fi fan. It may be a pretty dark world Petrovitch and his friends are in, but he’s the light that shines within it, even if he doesn’t want to be. I seriously recommend the “Petrovitch” trilogy and any other future books in this world by Morden, should/if they ever come out. A great summer read, for sure!
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
I totally did NOT expect to get sucked into this series as much as I did, and the fact that it’s only a trilogy makes me profoundly sad. This is an awesome, awful alternate present/future that Morden has created, and I’m sad to see it go. But let’s take a look at what makes it so great, shall we?
This world is split off from ours at 2000, says Morden in an interview in the back of the first book. However, he doesn’t say how far in the future the Metrozone exists in – presumably at least 25-30 years down the line, as they have things like implantable/replaceable body parts and the like. Japan is gone, sunk under the sea, and the US is run by a “reconstructionist” religious party (not so far from today, it sounds like?).
I love books that consider alternate histories. It’s the Schrodinger’s Cat idea that gets me the most – instead of choosing A, what if I’d chosen B? What if I’d said no instead of yes? What are the possibilities of those choices? I know Doctor Who did a whole bunch of episodes about that in season 4 (some of the best of that season, and that season was pretty awesome). Morden’s alternate history of what might have happened in the year 2000 forward is a wonderful exploration of the darkest parts of the human psyche – our needs, our wants, and our most base animal parts. This is a dark bunch of books – so if you’re not into dystopian, let alone math-related books, bail out now. This just won’t be your cup of tea.
But if you like cyberpunk, math, thrillers, dystopia all in one insane mix, these books are so definitely for you. The math isn’t overwhelming, but there are some confusing points that I had to google to be sure on. Luckily, the rest are made up (the Ekinobi-Petrovitch Theorem, for example), so if you’re math-stupid like me, you’ll be fine.
I think the best part about Sam as a character and Morden is an author is that you really live through Sam’s eyes the entire trilogy. You’re right there with him, right there next to him, inside of his head. This means everything – from his stuttering heart in the first book, to his broken heart over Maddy by the third book. You see, think, feel, smell, touch everything he does. Morden is a master with sensory language and the amount of showing over telling is overwhelmingly, joyously tipped in the “showing” direction – automatically making me love Morden. It’s so hard to do that, and doing that in a sci-fi genre book/series is even harder. I tip my hat in major respect for him being able to do that.
The pace of these books start out slow but once they get going, don’t let up until you’re panting until the very end. But you know what? It’s a great panting, a great sheen of sweat you feel by the end of each book (especially book three). Never have I been so thrilled and on the edge of my seat for a hard sci-fi novel/series – at least not in a long, long while.
And the best part? OUR HERO IS A NERD. GEEK. DORK. But totally brilliant. He’s not big and brawny and gorgeous – he’s scrawny and pale and geeky. Morden makes math sexy with this hero, though, because I’d totally date Petrovitch. In a heartbeat.
I’m keeping this review spoiler free, so all I can say that’s left is to go read these books if you’re even remotely a sci-fi fan. It may be a pretty dark world Petrovitch and his friends are in, but he’s the light that shines within it, even if he doesn’t want to be. I seriously recommend the “Petrovitch” trilogy and any other future books in this world by Morden, should/if they ever come out. A great summer read, for sure!
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 289 reviews