review – Page 6 – Finious's Folly

Review: Boneshaker

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
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My Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
First Published: September 2009
Read from: October 03 to 25, 2013

Boneshaker – More of a “Mind-number”

Very unusual for me, but only read half of this book. Just couldn’t get into it and had a lot on my plate at the time so finally gave it up as a lost cause. Nothing technically wrong with the writing, but considering all the fantastic elements it had to work with (steampunk, zombies, extended civil war era post-apocalyptic wild west,) it seemed very unexciting and unimaginative. I have read others’ reviews saying that the book started slow, but I believe I was close to, if not past, the half-way point and while some things were finally happening, even the “run for your life” scenes seemed…

Well, to put it in one word: “meh…” Continue reading Review: Boneshaker

Review: The World of Ptavvs

World of Ptavvs by Larry Niven
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My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
First Published: August 1966
Read from: July 23 to August 12, 2013

The World of Pshaw… I mean, Ptavvs [Niven Re-Read]

Reread this recently during one of my many “Niven binges”. This is one of Niven’s first novels (converted from a serial?) and it is NOT really one of his best.

The World Of Ptavvs is in Larry Niven’s “Known Space” universe but is a stand alone adventure. You get to see some aliens & alien tech from the “early days” of the galaxy. As usual with Niven, there are lots of cool scientific ideas for the most-part well developed. Lots of space travel, hi-tech gadgets, aliens, and a life and death plot… and characters that are very shallow even compared to the Niven standard.

Continue reading Review: The World of Ptavvs

Review: Wyrd Sisters

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
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My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
First Published: 1988
Read from: June 16 to August 24, 2013

Wyrd Sisters – Monty Python meets Shakespeare

I feel like I didn’t give Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett a decent chance and suspect it is more deserving of a 4 star (I really liked it) rating than the 3 star (I liked it) that I have given it here. I had read a lot of Discworld novels recently, and about half way through other books I have been reading began to take over my interest. So there was a long delay finishing this book (finishing it over a month… wait, 2 months?!… from when I started). I’m afraid that effected my appreciation of it. WHILE reading it however I VERY much enjoyed this book.

Reading Discworld novels is like reading a very yummy snack that while it is NOT junk food, you can only eat so much of it in one sitting. In many respects I think if I had been in the mood and read this book as it was meant to be read, I believe it would have been one of my favorite Discworld novels so far. Very much a cross between Monty Python and Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

Continue reading Review: Wyrd Sisters

Review: The Curse of Chalion

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
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My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
First Published: December 2000
Read from: August 04 to 10, 2013

Cursed by a ‘blah’ Cover & Title, Blessed with Great Writing

I had never read any Lois McMaster Bujold before, and would not have selected this book to read from its description or cover if it had not been for the Sword & Laser book club, which selected it as this month’s pick as a “sword” or fantasy selection. The whole reason I decided to try and follow this club was that I was stuck in a rut of the same old “classic” sci-fi & fantasy authors and there were so many genre authors out but so many seemed to be… well, trash. I wanted to find a club that would read a mix of old & new, sci-fi & fantasy, and that would feature mostly the “good stuff”.

Despite initially judging this book poorly by its cover and my lack of knowledge about the author, The Curse of Chalion would definitely classify as good stuff. The fantasy novel is grounded in a well constructed medieval-like fantasy setting with lots of political intrigue, some action, and a little magic as the Gods work through their followers to manipulate events. Continue reading Review: The Curse of Chalion

Review: Ringworld

Ringworld by Larry Niven
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My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
First Published: January 1970
Read from: July 07 to 10, 2013

Ringworld – A Fun & Thought-Provoking Sci-Fi Adventure [Niven Re-Read]

Reread as part of Sword & Laser book club pick for the month of July. I finished this early in the month, wrote a quick note, but am only now doing a full review.

I have read Ringworld an unknown number of times in the past and it is definitely one of my favorite all time “hard sci-fi” exploration adventure stories. Whenever I read it I can’t put it down. Of course it now has me in the mood to consume the sequel Ringworld Engineers which I also enjoy (though not quite as much).

Obviously I love this book. And being biased and having read it so many times I feel I may not be able to give it a normal review here. Instead, having read some other people’s negative reviews, I think I will respond to some of their points.

Continue reading Review: Ringworld

Review: Protector

Protector by Larry Niven
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My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
First Published: January 1973
Read from: July 10 to 17, 2013

Protector – A Classic Niven Known-Space Sci-Fi Adventure [Niven ReRead]

Re-reading Ringworld earlier this month as part of Sword & Laser book club selection got me in the mood for a re-read of Ringworld Engineers. Part way into that I dug out Niven’s Protector and decided I should re-read that before getting much further in RW Eng. Overall I like this book ALMOST as much as Ringworld, some parts more so, some less. I would rate it a 4.5 if I could, but putting this just under Niven’s Ringworld, Mote in Gods Eye & Dream Park novels which are my favorites.

I enjoy a number of aspects about Protector. A little spoilerish so read on at your own risk… Continue reading Review: Protector

Did I “Diss” the Dome?

Under the Dome Handprint — Talk to the hand...

When I got to work this morning, everyone it seemed was talking about the CBS TV series of Stephen King’s Under the Dome that I gave an opinionated “review” of in my previous post. I also read a “professional” review that gave it a better shake than I did. That got me thinking… Did I “Disrespect the Dome?” Have I become so inured that I was failing to perceive something that others were enjoying?

After some thought, I have decided: No, the pilot of the Dome really did suck. Continue reading Did I “Diss” the Dome?

‘Under The Dome’ Very Underwhelming

I kind of expected it, but I must say I found the CBS TV adaptation of Stephen King’s Under the Dome very underwhelming. While the book was okay (until the end) it was similar to, but not as good as so many other King novels which explore (at least in part) a group of ‘small town’ characters under the pressure of some mysterious threat. Such novels as ‘Salems Lot, Needful Things, The Tommyknockers, It, and much more. The only thing I found vaguely intriguing about the novel was the mystery of the dome itself, and the final reveal of that mystery I felt was disappointing. Continue reading ‘Under The Dome’ Very Underwhelming

Review: Use of Weapons

Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks
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My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
First Published: 1990
Read from: November 14 to December 16, 2012

Use of Plot Tricks…

“Use of Weapons” is the first book I’ve read by Iain Banks. I had heard the science fiction novel was one of the author’s best, and that it is an independent story taking place in a series of books about a futuristic society called the “Culture” that explores a super advanced society of humans and their AI creations that have spread across the galaxy. That certainly sounded like a book I ought to give a read.

My impression on the first half or so of the novel was that it was okay, but not great. The story had all the right trappings to at least be a fun sci-fi novel if not a ground-breaking or amazing one. There’s the tactical and strategic hero type, some hi-tech gadgets, even some comedic relief in the form of a smart-mouthed sentient robot. There is occasionally some thought-provoking and middle of the pool “deep” stuff going on too in regards to war and violence (either physical or psychological), and some exploration of humanity’s ability to “use” anything, including other people, as tools or “weapons” to achieve our victories, whatever they may be. But much like the citizens of the Culture, I just wasn’t being engaged enough and found myself wanting something else. Continue reading Review: Use of Weapons

Moon Reflections

I watched the Duncan Jones movie Moon again this evening. I watched it about a year ago and enjoyed it then, and thought Sam Rockwell did an amazing job. On second viewing it is a little slow in places, but intentionally so I think, as it puts you in the shoes of the mining facility caretaker character isolated on the dark-side of the moon.

I’ve had a recurring futuristic dream that might contain a little of this movie in it. In it I run a mining ship that is harvesting the asteroid belt for whatever I can make enough profit on that will let me afford to go out and do it all again. The ship was built for multiple people — a family — but they died in an accident before we could make the dream a reality. So I have decided to go on alone and do it all myself, accompanied only by a dog who is a clone of a dog that I have had (at the time the dreams are set,) through multiple “generations”. Continue reading Moon Reflections