Cybermage » Eric Flint

New Science Fiction Books in October 2010 Revisited

Cybermage.se — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:00:26 +0000

This is my updated pick of books for October. I have taken a look at them and ordered for next month.

Nowadays I also have an Almanac of forthcoming SF Books where you can check even further. The current Almanac goes to 2012.

Let me start with the books I have on order.

On Order

Title: Cryoburn

Series: Miles Vorkosigan book 12
Author: Lois McMaster Bujold
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Baen 19 October 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

Miles Vorkosigan is one of those lovable rascals, crippled at birth in a society that used to kill babies like him, he still overcome and surpass the obstacles in his way. Too creative for the armed forces he is appointed Imperial Auditor. He is often a frustration for his leaders and seldom asks for permission. Many times he accomplishes a resolution in an unconventional way that frustrates the people around him. In the The last Vorkosigan Novel Diplomatic Immunity he went on a honeymoon with Ekaterin. I am so embedded with this series that I wouldn’t miss this one for the world.

Miles Vorkosigan is back!

Kibou-daini is a planet obsessed with cheating death. Barrayaran Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan can hardly disapprove—he’s been cheating death his whole life, on the theory that turnabout is fair play. But when a Kibou-daini cryocorp—an immortal company whose job it is to shepherd its all-too-mortal frozen patrons into an unknown future—attempts to expand its franchise into the Barrayaran Empire, Emperor Gregor dispatches his top troubleshooter Miles to check it out.

On Kibou-daini, Miles discovers generational conflict over money and resources is heating up, even as refugees displaced in time skew the meaning of generation past repair. Here he finds a young boy with a passion for pets and a dangerous secret, a Snow White trapped in an icy coffin who burns to re-write her own tale, and a mysterious crone who is the very embodiment of the warning Don’t mess with the secretary. Bribery, corruption, conspiracy, kidnapping—something is rotten on Kibou-daini, and it isn’t due to power outages in the Cryocombs. And Miles is in the middle—of trouble!

Title: Redoubtable

Series: Kris Longknife book 8
Author: Mike Shepherd
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: ACE 26 Oct 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

Kris Longknife is a formidable woman with a knack for getting in trouble and getting out. She is one of them Longknifes and if life wasn’t enough complicated being an officer in the navy; the society of humanity dissolve and her grandpa is named King making her a reluctant princess. The Peterwald family with their long standing grudge with the Longknife set up their own little pocket empire and starts to make life for Kris and her family difficult. Lots of humor and fantastic characters. I love this series and the characters in them so this is a must.

Upcoming after this one is Daring in October 2011 and Furious in 2012. The titles are only preliminary expect changes,Redoubtable changed name at least once the last year.

Lieutenant Commander Kris Longknife has precise orders: seek out, engage, and destroy pirates, slavers, and drug lords operating beyond the rim of human space-without interfering in Peterwald family affairs. But when slavers kidnap a twelve-year-old girl, Kris’s mission becomes personal. And if destroying the pirate compound flattens some Peterwald interests-well, to hell with politics.

Title: Hellhole

Series: Hell hole Trilogy book 1
Author: Kevin J. Anderson & Brian Herbert
Hardcover:650 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 1 Oct 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK

I am a bit ambivalent about this one. It seems to be the first book in a series so I will give it a try.

Only the most desperate of Constellation colonists would ever dare to make a new home on Hellhole, a planet ravaged by natural disasters. Persistent volcanic eruptions, destructive storms and recent damage inflicted by significant asteroid impact make the planet a dumping ground for undesirables, misfits and charlatans. But its location out on the wild frontiers of the Constellation, among the Deep Zone worlds, makes it the final refuge for those fleeing from the rule of Diadem Michella Duchenet – a tyrant with a sweet face, but a blackened, shrivelled heart. General Adolphus, the military leader who was exiled to the planet when he was defeated in the first abortive revolution against the Diadem, is determined to transform Hellhole into a place of real opportunity for the inhabitants. While the colonists are diligently working to develop the planet, the General is forging secret alliances with the leaders of the other Deep Zone worlds. He dreams of turning his prison into the centre of a new coalition of planets free from the Diadem’s iron grip. Back on the decadent capital planet of Sonjeera, surrounded by corruption and consumed by the plots and feuds of the Old Guard nobles, Diadem Michella is confident that the General has been neutralized. She has no idea of the revolt growing in the Deep Zone …or does she? But what no one knows is this: the planet Hellhole, though damaged and volatile, hides secrets of historic magnitude. Lurking beneath the surface are the remnants of an obliterated alien civilization, detailing an unrecorded past, which, if unearthed, could tear the fragile human civilization apart.

Title: Bones of Empire

Series: Zak Cato book 2
Author: William C. Dietz
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: ACE 5 Oct 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

I recently finished book one in this series and it was entertaining ‘military’ science fiction about a future cop.

In a far-distant future, the Uman Empire has conquered and colonized worlds. Once thought invincible, its reign is now fragile as alien subjects and enemies conspire against it.

On holiday in the capital city, cop Jack Cato gets a glimpse of the Emperor-and realizes what he’s looking at is a supposedly dead shape- shifter. His mortal enemy is still alive and once again on the run. And the fate of the Empire-and Cato’s own honor-are at stake…

Title: Damage Time

Author: Colin Harvey
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Angry Robot 1 Oct 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

I enjoyed his previous novel Winter Song very much so this one I picked because I want to read something more of Colin Harvey. This is something different, it is a literary mind boggling murder mystery set on Earth. My review will be out soon. Recommended.

Rock-hard SF Thriller from the author of Winter Song: no-one here gets out alive. It’s 2050 and sea-levels have swamped today’s coastal regions. New York City is protected by tidal barriers and the USA is bankrupt. Detective Pervez (Pete) Shah serves with the NYPD’s Web Crimes Division as a Memory Association Specialist. When he’s accused of murdering a glamorous woman in a bar, he must find the killer, save himself … and the world.

Title: Empress of Eternity

Author: L. E. Modesitt Jr
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Tor October 2010

Order by: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

After reading Haze recently I want another Modesitt

In the far future, an indestructible and massive canal more than 2,000 miles long spans the mid-continent of Earth. Nothing can mar it, move it, or affect it in any fashion. At its western end, where it meets the sea, is an equally indestructible structure comprising three levels of seemingly empty chambers.

Scientists from three different civilizations, separated in time by hundreds of thousands of years, are investigating the canal. In the most distant of these civilizations, religious rebellion is brewing. A plot is hatched to overthrow the world government of the Vanir, using a weapon that can destroy anything-except the canal. If used at full power it might literally unravel the universe and destroy all life forever. The lives and fates of all three civilizations become intertwined as the forces behind the canal react to the threat, and all three teams of scientists find their lives changed beyond belief.

Older Books in new Releases on Order

Title: Zones of Thought

Omnibus: A Fire Upon the Deep, A Deepness in the Sky
Author: Vernor Vinge
Paperback: 800
Publisher: Gollancz 21 Oct 2010

Order from: Amazon UK

I have never read A Fire upon the Deep or A Deepness in the Sky and it is time to rectify that hole in my reading.

The Hugo Award winning A FIRE UPON THE DEEP and its epic companion novel A DEEPNESS IN THE SKY, set in the same universe but 20,000 years earlier, were benchmarks for SF in the last decade of the 20th century. In FIRE ‘Vinge presents a galaxy divided into Zones – regions where different physical constraints allow very different technological and mental possibilities. Earth remains in the “Slowness” zone, where nothing can travel faster than light and minds are fairly limited. The action of the book is in the “Beyond”, where translight travel and other marvels exist, and humans are one of many intelligent species. One human colony has been experimenting to find a path to the “Transcend”, where intelligence and power are so great as to seem godlike. Instead they release the Blight, an evil power, from a billion-year captivity.’ Publisher’s Weekly In DEEPNESS, ‘the story has the same sense of epic vastness despite happening mostly in one isolated solar system. Here there’s a world of intelligent spider creatures who traditionally hibernate through the “Deepest Darkness” of their strange variable sun’s long “off” periods, when even the atmosphere freezes. Now, science offers them an alternative. Meanwhile, attracted by spider radio transmissions, two human starfleets come exploring–merchants hoping for customers and tyrants who want slaves. Their inevitable clash leaves both fleets crippled, with the power in the wrong hands, which leads to a long wait in space until the spiders develop exploitable technology. Over the years Vinge builds palpable tension through multiple storylines and characters.’ Dave Langford

Other Books of Interest

Title: Surface Details

Series: Culture book 9
Author: Iain M. Banks
Hardcover: 640 pages
Publisher: Orbit

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N

This is also a book I might order. Banks is a bit on the darks side compared to my comfort zone but we will see.

It begins in the realm of the Real, where matter still matters.

It begins with a murder.

And it will not end until the Culture has gone to war with death itself.

Lededje Y’breq is one of the Intagliated, her marked body bearing witness to a family shame, her life belonging to a man whose lust for power is without limit. Prepared to risk everything for her freedom, her release, when it comes, is at a price, and to put things right she will need the help of the Culture.

Benevolent, enlightened and almost infinitely resourceful though it may be, the Culture can only do so much for any individual. With the assistance of one of its most powerful – and arguably deranged – warships, Lededje finds herself heading into a combat zone not even sure which side the Culture is really on. A war – brutal, far-reaching – is already raging within the digital realms that store the souls of the dead, and it’s about to erupt into reality.

It started in the realm of the Real and that is where it will end. It will touch countless lives and affect entire civilizations, but at the center of it all is a young woman whose need for revenge masks another motive altogether.

Title: 1635: The Eastern Front

Series: Ring of Fire 9 | 1632
Author: Eric Flint
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Baen 5 Oct 2010
Snippets: Chapter 1-24

Order from: Simon & Schuster | Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

I like the RIng of Fire books but I have so many books to read.

The Thirty Years War continues to ravage 17th century Europe, but a new force is gathering power and influence: the United States of Europe, a new nation led by Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, and the West Virginians from the 20th century led by Mike Stearns who were hurled centuries into the past by a mysterious cosmic accident. While the old entrenched rulers and manipulators continue to plot against this new upstart nation, everyday life goes on in Grantville, even under the shadow of war, as this lost outpost of American freedom and justice must play David against a 17th century Goliath of oppressive feudalism.

Title: Version 43

Author: Philip Palmer
Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: Orbit 7 Oct 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

This one is enticing. I might order this one.

The Exodus Universe.

Your odds of surviving quantum teleportation are, more or less, fifty/fifty. The only ones crazy enough to try it are the desperate, the insane, and those sentenced to exile for their crimes.

Belladonna is home to the survivors of the fifty/fifty– and is therefore a planet run by criminals and thieves. But when a horrific and improbable murder catches the attention of the Galactic Police force, one cyborg cop — Version 43 — is sent to investigate.

Version 43 has been here before and has old friends and older enemies lying in wait. The cop was human once, but now, he is more program than man and will find a way to clean up this planet once and for all.

Title: Lightborn

Author: Tricia Sullivan
Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: Orbit 7 Oct 2010

Order by: Amazon UK | sfbok

Lightborn, better known as ‘shine’, is a mind-altering technology that has revolutionised the modern world. It is the ultimate in education, self-improvement and entertainment – beamed directly into the brain of anyone who can meet the asking price. But in the city of Los Sombres, renegade shine has attacked the adult population, resulting in social chaos and widespread insanity in everyone past the age of puberty. The only solution has been to turn off the Field and isolate the city. Trapped within the quarantine perimeter, fourteen-year-old Xavier just wants to find the drug that can keep his own physical maturity at bay until the army shuts down the shine. That’s how he meets Roksana, mysteriously impervious to shine and devoted to helping the stricken. As the military invades street by street, Xavier and Roksana discover that there could be hope for Los Sombres – but only if Xavier will allow a lightborn cure to enter his mind. What he doesn’t know is that the shine in question has a mind of its own …

New Releases of Old Books

Title: Fantastic Planet

Author: Stephan Wul
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Creation Oneiros 1st English (1st French 1957)

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N

Now published for the very first time in English, Stephan Wul’s Fantastic Planet (Oms En Série) is a classic of Science Fiction and the inspiration for the award-winning 1973 animated film La Planète Sauvage (Fantastic Planet). The last surviving humans are taken from Earth to the wild planet Ygam by the traags, a race of blue-skinned, red-eyed giants. Here they become known as oms, used as lowly servants and regarded as savages. But little by little, led by a young man of superior intelligence named Terr, the oms regain their thirst for liberty and rise up against the draags to affirm their humanity in the face of oppression. This deceptively simple story-line is vividly depicted by author Wul with fantastic detail and a stirring mythopoeic resonance. The film Fantastic Planet won the Grand Prix at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival and remains a mind-bendingly entertaining touchstone of counterculture art; at last, English-language readers can enjoy the classic Sci-Fi novel that it was based on.

Related lists

Fantasy Book Critic – I found “The Unidentified” by Rae Mariz there.

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New Science Fiction Books in October 2010

Cybermage.se — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 23:00:34 +0000

This is my pick of books for October. I have taken a look at them and ordered for next month. I will return at the beginning of October with an updated version.

Nowadays I also have an Almanac of forthcoming SF Books where you can check even further. The current Almanac goes to September next year.

Let me start with the books I have on order.

On Order

Title: Cryoburn

Series: Miles Vorkosigan book 12
Author: Lois McMaster Bujold
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Baen 19 October 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

Miles Vorkosigan is back!

Kibou-daini is a planet obsessed with cheating death. Barrayaran Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan can hardly disapprove—he’s been cheating death his whole life, on the theory that turnabout is fair play. But when a Kibou-daini cryocorp—an immortal company whose job it is to shepherd its all-too-mortal frozen patrons into an unknown future—attempts to expand its franchise into the Barrayaran Empire, Emperor Gregor dispatches his top troubleshooter Miles to check it out.

On Kibou-daini, Miles discovers generational conflict over money and resources is heating up, even as refugees displaced in time skew the meaning of generation past repair. Here he finds a young boy with a passion for pets and a dangerous secret, a Snow White trapped in an icy coffin who burns to re-write her own tale, and a mysterious crone who is the very embodiment of the warning Don’t mess with the secretary. Bribery, corruption, conspiracy, kidnapping—something is rotten on Kibou-daini, and it isn’t due to power outages in the Cryocombs. And Miles is in the middle—of trouble!

Title: Redoubtable

Series: Kris Longknife book 8
Author: Mike Shepherd
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: ACE 26 Oct 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

Upcoming after this one is Daring in October 2011 and Furious in 2012. The titles are only preliminary expect changes,Redoubtable changed name at least once the last year.

Lieutenant Commander Kris Longknife has precise orders: seek out, engage, and destroy pirates, slavers, and drug lords operating beyond the rim of human space-without interfering in Peterwald family affairs. But when slavers kidnap a twelve-year-old girl, Kris’s mission becomes personal. And if destroying the pirate compound flattens some Peterwald interests-well, to hell with politics.

Title: Hellhole

Series: Hell hole Trilogy book 1
Author: Kevin J. Anderson & Brian Herbert
Hardcover:650 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 1 Oct 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK

I am a bit ambivalent about this one. It seems to be the first book in a series so I will give it a try.

Only the most desperate of Constellation colonists would ever dare to make a new home on Hellhole, a planet ravaged by natural disasters. Persistent volcanic eruptions, destructive storms and recent damage inflicted by significant asteroid impact make the planet a dumping ground for undesirables, misfits and charlatans. But its location out on the wild frontiers of the Constellation, among the Deep Zone worlds, makes it the final refuge for those fleeing from the rule of Diadem Michella Duchenet – a tyrant with a sweet face, but a blackened, shrivelled heart. General Adolphus, the military leader who was exiled to the planet when he was defeated in the first abortive revolution against the Diadem, is determined to transform Hellhole into a place of real opportunity for the inhabitants. While the colonists are diligently working to develop the planet, the General is forging secret alliances with the leaders of the other Deep Zone worlds. He dreams of turning his prison into the centre of a new coalition of planets free from the Diadem’s iron grip. Back on the decadent capital planet of Sonjeera, surrounded by corruption and consumed by the plots and feuds of the Old Guard nobles, Diadem Michella is confident that the General has been neutralized. She has no idea of the revolt growing in the Deep Zone …or does she? But what no one knows is this: the planet Hellhole, though damaged and volatile, hides secrets of historic magnitude. Lurking beneath the surface are the remnants of an obliterated alien civilization, detailing an unrecorded past, which, if unearthed, could tear the fragile human civilization apart.

Title: Bones of Empire

Series: Legion of the Damned book 2
Author: William C. Dietz
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: ACE 5 Oct 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

I recently finished book one in this series and it was entertaining ‘military’ science fiction about a future cop.

In a far-distant future, the Uman Empire has conquered and colonized worlds. Once thought invincible, its reign is now fragile as alien subjects and enemies conspire against it.

On holiday in the capital city, cop Jack Cato gets a glimpse of the Emperor-and realizes what he’s looking at is a supposedly dead shape- shifter. His mortal enemy is still alive and once again on the run. And the fate of the Empire-and Cato’s own honor-are at stake…

Title: Damage Time

Author: Colin Harvey
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Angry Robot 1 Oct 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

I enjoyed his previous novel Winter Song very much so this one I picked because I want to read something more of Colin Harvey. I have started to read this one. I haven’t gotten very far yet but I can tell you it is a very different kind of story.

Rock-hard SF Thriller from the author of Winter Song: no-one here gets out alive. It’s 2050 and sea-levels have swamped today’s coastal regions. New York City is protected by tidal barriers and the USA is bankrupt. Detective Pervez (Pete) Shah serves with the NYPD’s Web Crimes Division as a Memory Association Specialist. When he’s accused of murdering a glamorous woman in a bar, he must find the killer, save himself … and the world.

Title: Empress of Eternity

Author: L. E. Modesitt Jr
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Tor October 2010

Order by: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

After reading Haze recently I want another Modesitt

In the far future, an indestructible and massive canal more than 2,000 miles long spans the mid-continent of Earth. Nothing can mar it, move it, or affect it in any fashion. At its western end, where it meets the sea, is an equally indestructible structure comprising three levels of seemingly empty chambers.

Scientists from three different civilizations, separated in time by hundreds of thousands of years, are investigating the canal. In the most distant of these civilizations, religious rebellion is brewing. A plot is hatched to overthrow the world government of the Vanir, using a weapon that can destroy anything-except the canal. If used at full power it might literally unravel the universe and destroy all life forever. The lives and fates of all three civilizations become intertwined as the forces behind the canal react to the threat, and all three teams of scientists find their lives changed beyond belief.

Older Books in new Releases on Order

Title: Zones of Thought

Omnibus: A Fire Upon the Deep, A Deepness in the Sky
Author: Vernor Vinge
Paperback: 800
Publisher: Gollancz 21 Oct 2010

Order from: Amazon UK

I have never read A Fire upon the Deep or A Deepness in the Sky and it is time to rectify that hole in my reading.

The Hugo Award winning A FIRE UPON THE DEEP and its epic companion novel A DEEPNESS IN THE SKY, set in the same universe but 20,000 years earlier, were benchmarks for SF in the last decade of the 20th century. In FIRE ‘Vinge presents a galaxy divided into Zones – regions where different physical constraints allow very different technological and mental possibilities. Earth remains in the “Slowness” zone, where nothing can travel faster than light and minds are fairly limited. The action of the book is in the “Beyond”, where translight travel and other marvels exist, and humans are one of many intelligent species. One human colony has been experimenting to find a path to the “Transcend”, where intelligence and power are so great as to seem godlike. Instead they release the Blight, an evil power, from a billion-year captivity.’ Publisher’s Weekly In DEEPNESS, ‘the story has the same sense of epic vastness despite happening mostly in one isolated solar system. Here there’s a world of intelligent spider creatures who traditionally hibernate through the “Deepest Darkness” of their strange variable sun’s long “off” periods, when even the atmosphere freezes. Now, science offers them an alternative. Meanwhile, attracted by spider radio transmissions, two human starfleets come exploring–merchants hoping for customers and tyrants who want slaves. Their inevitable clash leaves both fleets crippled, with the power in the wrong hands, which leads to a long wait in space until the spiders develop exploitable technology. Over the years Vinge builds palpable tension through multiple storylines and characters.’ Dave Langford

Other Books of Interest

Title: Surface Details

Series: Culture book 9
Author: Iain M. Banks
Hardcover: 640 pages
Publisher: Orbit

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N

This is also a book I might order. Banks is a bit on the darks side compared to my comfort zone but we will see.

It begins in the realm of the Real, where matter still matters.

It begins with a murder.

And it will not end until the Culture has gone to war with death itself.

Lededje Y’breq is one of the Intagliated, her marked body bearing witness to a family shame, her life belonging to a man whose lust for power is without limit. Prepared to risk everything for her freedom, her release, when it comes, is at a price, and to put things right she will need the help of the Culture.

Benevolent, enlightened and almost infinitely resourceful though it may be, the Culture can only do so much for any individual. With the assistance of one of its most powerful – and arguably deranged – warships, Lededje finds herself heading into a combat zone not even sure which side the Culture is really on. A war – brutal, far-reaching – is already raging within the digital realms that store the souls of the dead, and it’s about to erupt into reality.

It started in the realm of the Real and that is where it will end. It will touch countless lives and affect entire civilizations, but at the center of it all is a young woman whose need for revenge masks another motive altogether.

Title: 1635: The Eastern Front

Series: Ring of Fire 9 | 1632
Author: Eric Flint
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Baen 5 Oct 2010
Snippets: Chapter 1-24

Order from: Simon & Schuster | Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

I like the RIng of Fire books but I have so many books to read.

The Thirty Years War continues to ravage 17th century Europe, but a new force is gathering power and influence: the United States of Europe, a new nation led by Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, and the West Virginians from the 20th century led by Mike Stearns who were hurled centuries into the past by a mysterious cosmic accident. While the old entrenched rulers and manipulators continue to plot against this new upstart nation, everyday life goes on in Grantville, even under the shadow of war, as this lost outpost of American freedom and justice must play David against a 17th century Goliath of oppressive feudalism.

Title: Version 43

Author: Philip Palmer
Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: Orbit 7 Oct 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

This one is enticing. I might order this one.

The Exodus Universe.

Your odds of surviving quantum teleportation are, more or less, fifty/fifty. The only ones crazy enough to try it are the desperate, the insane, and those sentenced to exile for their crimes.

Belladonna is home to the survivors of the fifty/fifty– and is therefore a planet run by criminals and thieves. But when a horrific and improbable murder catches the attention of the Galactic Police force, one cyborg cop — Version 43 — is sent to investigate.

Version 43 has been here before and has old friends and older enemies lying in wait. The cop was human once, but now, he is more program than man and will find a way to clean up this planet once and for all.

Title: Lightborn

Author: Tricia Sullivan
Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: Orbit 7 Oct 2010

Order by: Amazon UK | sfbok

Lightborn, better known as ‘shine’, is a mind-altering technology that has revolutionised the modern world. It is the ultimate in education, self-improvement and entertainment – beamed directly into the brain of anyone who can meet the asking price. But in the city of Los Sombres, renegade shine has attacked the adult population, resulting in social chaos and widespread insanity in everyone past the age of puberty. The only solution has been to turn off the Field and isolate the city. Trapped within the quarantine perimeter, fourteen-year-old Xavier just wants to find the drug that can keep his own physical maturity at bay until the army shuts down the shine. That’s how he meets Roksana, mysteriously impervious to shine and devoted to helping the stricken. As the military invades street by street, Xavier and Roksana discover that there could be hope for Los Sombres – but only if Xavier will allow a lightborn cure to enter his mind. What he doesn’t know is that the shine in question has a mind of its own …

New Releases of Old Books

Title: Fantastic Planet

Author: Stephan Wul
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Creation Oneiros 1st English (1st French 1957)

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N

Now published for the very first time in English, Stephan Wul’s Fantastic Planet (Oms En Série) is a classic of Science Fiction and the inspiration for the award-winning 1973 animated film La Planète Sauvage (Fantastic Planet). The last surviving humans are taken from Earth to the wild planet Ygam by the traags, a race of blue-skinned, red-eyed giants. Here they become known as oms, used as lowly servants and regarded as savages. But little by little, led by a young man of superior intelligence named Terr, the oms regain their thirst for liberty and rise up against the draags to affirm their humanity in the face of oppression. This deceptively simple story-line is vividly depicted by author Wul with fantastic detail and a stirring mythopoeic resonance. The film Fantastic Planet won the Grand Prix at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival and remains a mind-bendingly entertaining touchstone of counterculture art; at last, English-language readers can enjoy the classic Sci-Fi novel that it was based on.

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New Science Fiction Books in June 2010 Revisited

Cybermage.se — Mon, 31 May 2010 23:00:45 +0000

Lets have a look at June for books. I usually check my pre-orders mid May and then revisit the list around the start of June. These are the books I am interested in. I try to put new never before published books here, for me there is no difference if the book is first published in the US, UK or in Australia. The delivery time to the far north is about the same. So mates we are going for world’s first here.

Books are new once. But in the current distribution system books are released in different countries at different times as new releases and that makes perfect sense from a marketing point of view. A new release can also be an old book being republished which is good. Marketing is good, I want people to read more books but I also want new SF books, published for the very first time to have their own place here on my blog. This is my selection of new for the very first time, books that interest me.

There are many excellent bloggers out there with selections of new releases that might interest you. I can recommend Fantasy Book Critic’s extensive list or that you use the link section here on Cybermage to check out new releases yourself.

New Books On order

Title: Blood and Iron
Author: Tony Bellantyne
Series: Penrose / Robot wars 2
Genre: Science Fiction
Hardback: 448 pages
Publisher: Tor UK
Order: Amazon US | UK

Appointed Commander of the Emperor’s Army of Sangrel, Wa-Ka-Mo-Do of Ko tries to establish relations between the existing robot population and the humans who have recently arrived on Yukawa.

On the continent of Shull, Kavan forms the Uncertain Army and is marching to Artemis City. Upon discovery that the city’s generals have made an alliance with the humans, he retreats to Stark where he plans the eventual overthrow of Artemis and the humans.

Meanwhile, Karel is heading South, hoping to be reunited with Susan, his wife. As he walks, he hears more of the stories of the robots, and begins to understand something about his place on the world of Penrose.

But with limited resources and tensions growing between robot and human it’s only a matter of time before problems arise. And it’s becoming more and more apparent that the humans are a lot more powerful than the robots first expected…

Title: Veteran
Author: Gavin G. Smith
Genre: Science Fiction
Paperback: 400 pages
Published: Gollancz
Order: Gollancz | Amazon UK

Three hundred years in our future, in a world of alien infiltrators, religious hackers, a vast convoying nation of Nomads, city sized orbital elevators, and a cyborg pirate king who believes himself to be a mythological demon Jakob is having a bad day:

“Nothing gets in the way of a hangover like being reactivated by your old C.O and told to track down an alien killing machine. The same kind of killing machine that wiped out my entire squad. And now it’s in my hometown.

My name is Jakob Douglas, ex-special forces. I fought Them. Just like we’ve all been doing for 60 bloody years. But I thought my part in that was done with.

My boss has other ideas. If I didn’t find the infiltrator then he’d let the Grey Lady loose on me. And believe me; even They’ve got nothing on her. So I took the job. It went to shit even faster than normal.

And now I’m on the run with this teenage hacker who’s had enough of prostitution. The only people I can rely on want to turn the internet into God. And now it turns out that They aren’t quite what we’d all thought.

I’ve been to the bottom of the sea and the top of the sky and beyond trying to get to the truth.

And I still can’t get far enough away from the Grey Lady.

All things considered I’d rather be back at home deep in a whiskey bottle.”

Veteran is a fast paced, intricately plotted violent SF Thriller set in a dark future against the backdrop of a seemingly never ending war against an unknowable and implacable alien enemy.

Title: Heavy Metal Pulp: The Bloodstained Man
Author: Christopher Rowley
Series: Netherworld 2
Genre: Science Fiction | Cyberpunk
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Tor Books
Order: Tor | Amazon US | UK | B&N

I liked the first book, it was a tight little book. Read my review of Pleasure Model. No cover yet.

Following the explosive events of book one, Pleasure Model, Detective Rook Venner, Mistress Julia, and Plesur are on the run from the government troops trying to kill them and from a shadowy group that wants to capture Plesur alive for its own purposes. What secrets have been implanted in Plesur’s head—and why are they worth killing for?

Caught between these two powerful rivals, the trio hides out in the lawless New Jersey territory. Betrayed by gang members looking to collect the bounty on Plesur’s head, the three are separated, and Rook and Mistress Julia find themselves in mortal danger. Julia, given as a prize to a gang member, finds herself in chains, but not without her own means of fighting back. Rook, forced to fight for his life in the gang’s bloodthirsty gladiatorial games, must stay alive long enough to rescue Plesur, but time is running out.

The Bloodstained Man is a fast-paced, adrenaline-filled ride through a future where pleasure has a price, and Plesur holds the key to a secret that could rock the country to its very core

Other New Books of Interest

Title: Is Anybody Out There?
Editors: Nick Gevers & Marty Halpern
Genre: Science Fiction
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: DAW
Order: Amazon US | UK | B&N

Beyond our skies…and imaginations.

Are we alone in the universe, and if not, who else-or what else-is out there? Here are thought-provoking stories that explore such questions as: Do intelligent species invariably destroy themselves by nuclear war or ecological collapse? Are the sentient aliens that do exist just too far away? Do they exist in forms beyond our comprehension? Are they among us, but undetectable? These are just some of the possibilities explored by a stellar lineup of contributors.

Title: Who Fears Death
Author: Nnedi Okorafor
Genre: Supernatural
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: DAW
Order: DAW | Amazon US | B&N

I have been interesting in getting into some African science fiction for some time now.

Review on Fantasy Literature

In a far future, post-nuclear-holocaust Africa, genocide plagues one region. The aggressors, the Nuru, have decided to follow the Great Book and exterminate the Okeke. But when the only surviving member of a slain Okeke village is brutally raped, she manages to escape, wandering farther into the desert. She gives birth to a baby girl with hair and skin the color of sand and instinctively knows that her daughter is different. She names her daughter Onyesonwu, which means “Who Fears Death?” in an ancient African tongue.

Reared under the tutelage of a mysterious and traditional shaman, Onyesonwu discovers her magical destiny-to end the genocide of her people. The journey to fulfill her destiny will force her to grapple with nature, tradition, history, true love, the spiritual mysteries of her culture-and eventually death itself.

Title: Threshold
Author: Eric Flint & Ryk E Spoor
Series: The Boundary
Genre: Science Fiction
Hardcover: 320 pages
Cover art: Bob Eggleton
Interior Illustrations: Keith Morrison
Publisher: Baen
Order: Baen | Amazon US | UK | B&N

When the strange fossil she’d discovered had ended up giving her a trip to Mars, Helen Sutter thought she’d gone about as far as any paleontologist would ever go in her lifetime. But when you’ve also married A.J. Baker, overconfident super- sensor expert for the only private agency in space ? the Ares Corporation — and your best friend Madeline Fathom Buckley is a former secret agent who’s just signed on as the chief of security for the newly created and already embattled Interplanetary Research Institute of the United Nations, there’s always somewhere farther to go.

The newest discoveries will take her, A.J., and their friends Jackie, Joe, and Madeline to the mysterious asteroid Ceres ? and beyond, in a desperate race to Jupiter’s perilous miniature system of radiation- bombarded moons. The next gold rush is on ? for alien technology, hidden in lost bases around the system. And there are people willing to do anything to get it ? even plan the first interplanetary war, four hundred million miles from home!

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New Science Fiction Books in June 2010

Cybermage.se — Fri, 14 May 2010 23:00:17 +0000

Books I have on order

Title: Blood and Iron
Author: Tony Bellantyne
Series: Penrose / Robot wars 2
Genre: Science Fiction
Hardback: 448 pages
Publisher: Tor UK
Order: Amazon US | UK

Appointed Commander of the Emperor’s Army of Sangrel, Wa-Ka-Mo-Do of Ko tries to establish relations between the existing robot population and the humans who have recently arrived on Yukawa.

On the continent of Shull, Kavan forms the Uncertain Army and is marching to Artemis City. Upon discovery that the city’s generals have made an alliance with the humans, he retreats to Stark where he plans the eventual overthrow of Artemis and the humans.

Meanwhile, Karel is heading South, hoping to be reunited with Susan, his wife. As he walks, he hears more of the stories of the robots, and begins to understand something about his place on the world of Penrose.

But with limited resources and tensions growing between robot and human it’s only a matter of time before problems arise. And it’s becoming more and more apparent that the humans are a lot more powerful than the robots first expected…

Title: Veteran
Author: Gavin G. Smith
Genre: Science Fiction
Paperback: 400 pages
Published: Gollancz
Order: Gollancz | Amazon UK

Three hundred years in our future, in a world of alien infiltrators, religious hackers, a vast convoying nation of Nomads, city sized orbital elevators, and a cyborg pirate king who believes himself to be a mythological demon Jakob is having a bad day:

“Nothing gets in the way of a hangover like being reactivated by your old C.O and told to track down an alien killing machine. The same kind of killing machine that wiped out my entire squad. And now it’s in my hometown.

My name is Jakob Douglas, ex-special forces. I fought Them. Just like we’ve all been doing for 60 bloody years. But I thought my part in that was done with.

My boss has other ideas. If I didn’t find the infiltrator then he’d let the Grey Lady loose on me. And believe me; even They’ve got nothing on her. So I took the job. It went to shit even faster than normal.

And now I’m on the run with this teenage hacker who’s had enough of prostitution. The only people I can rely on want to turn the internet into God. And now it turns out that They aren’t quite what we’d all thought.

I’ve been to the bottom of the sea and the top of the sky and beyond trying to get to the truth.

And I still can’t get far enough away from the Grey Lady.

All things considered I’d rather be back at home deep in a whiskey bottle.”

Veteran is a fast paced, intricately plotted violent SF Thriller set in a dark future against the backdrop of a seemingly never ending war against an unknowable and implacable alien enemy.

I liked the first book, it was a tight little book. Read my review of Pleasure Model. No cover yet.

Following the explosive events of book one, Pleasure Model, Detective Rook Venner, Mistress Julia, and Plesur are on the run from the government troops trying to kill them and from a shadowy group that wants to capture Plesur alive for its own purposes. What secrets have been implanted in Plesur’s head—and why are they worth killing for?

Caught between these two powerful rivals, the trio hides out in the lawless New Jersey territory. Betrayed by gang members looking to collect the bounty on Plesur’s head, the three are separated, and Rook and Mistress Julia find themselves in mortal danger. Julia, given as a prize to a gang member, finds herself in chains, but not without her own means of fighting back. Rook, forced to fight for his life in the gang’s bloodthirsty gladiatorial games, must stay alive long enough to rescue Plesur, but time is running out.

The Bloodstained Man is a fast-paced, adrenaline-filled ride through a future where pleasure has a price, and Plesur holds the key to a secret that could rock the country to its very core

Other Books of Interest

Title: Is Anybody Out There?
Editors: Nick Gevers & Marty Halpern
Genre: Science Fiction
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: DAW
Order: Amazon US | UK | B&N

Beyond our skies…and imaginations.

Are we alone in the universe, and if not, who else-or what else-is out there? Here are thought-provoking stories that explore such questions as: Do intelligent species invariably destroy themselves by nuclear war or ecological collapse? Are the sentient aliens that do exist just too far away? Do they exist in forms beyond our comprehension? Are they among us, but undetectable? These are just some of the possibilities explored by a stellar lineup of contributors.

Title: Who Fears Death
Author: Nnedi Okorafor
Genre: Supernatural
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: DAW
Order: DAW | Amazon US | B&N

I have been interesting in getting into some African science fiction for some time now.

In a far future, post-nuclear-holocaust Africa, genocide plagues one region. The aggressors, the Nuru, have decided to follow the Great Book and exterminate the Okeke. But when the only surviving member of a slain Okeke village is brutally raped, she manages to escape, wandering farther into the desert. She gives birth to a baby girl with hair and skin the color of sand and instinctively knows that her daughter is different. She names her daughter Onyesonwu, which means “Who Fears Death?” in an ancient African tongue.

Reared under the tutelage of a mysterious and traditional shaman, Onyesonwu discovers her magical destiny-to end the genocide of her people. The journey to fulfill her destiny will force her to grapple with nature, tradition, history, true love, the spiritual mysteries of her culture-and eventually death itself.

When the strange fossil she’d discovered had ended up giving her a trip to Mars, Helen Sutter thought she’d gone about as far as any paleontologist would ever go in her lifetime. But when you’ve also married A.J. Baker, overconfident super- sensor expert for the only private agency in space ? the Ares Corporation — and your best friend Madeline Fathom Buckley is a former secret agent who’s just signed on as the chief of security for the newly created and already embattled Interplanetary Research Institute of the United Nations, there’s always somewhere farther to go.

The newest discoveries will take her, A.J., and their friends Jackie, Joe, and Madeline to the mysterious asteroid Ceres ? and beyond, in a desperate race to Jupiter’s perilous miniature system of radiation- bombarded moons. The next gold rush is on ? for alien technology, hidden in lost bases around the system. And there are people willing to do anything to get it ? even plan the first interplanetary war, four hundred million miles from home!

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Ove’s Monthly Journal April 2010

Cybermage.se — Sat, 01 May 2010 23:00:32 +0000

I want to interest new people to Science Fiction, this vibrant genre of new ideas and wow moments, thus the 10010 Top Military Science Fiction Series and the new Formidable Female Protagonists in Science Fiction part 1, part 2 and part 3 in April.

I read 16 books in April, helped by the weather and Easter holidays. As I am writing this, I see the brown grass, even some green grass coming out of the snow, there are still piles of snow lying around and our two weeks of spring is just around the corner.

Writing is fun, doing research for the articles is also fun as I had to go back to many of my favorites and recap a little of the adventures we had together. As a ‘punishment’ for that I got a long list of rereads to do, 20 something novels or series, sweet joy.

I am a bit backlogged when it comes to reviews but the unpublished ones are halfway finished or better, I dream of having a pile of 20 or so reviews ready for when ever I need them.

These are the most popular posts in April according to Google Analytics. I am a bit sad flickering pictures of SciFi is more popular than novels but I see where it is coming from.

My backlog of reviews finished in April:

The Crucible of Empire by Eric Flint & K. D. Wentworth (Jao Empire 2)
Coyote Destiny by Allen Steele (Coyote Chronicles 2)
Trade of Queens by Charles Stross (Merchant Princes 6)
Gardens of the Sun by Paul McAuley (The Quiet War 2) review on Temple Library Review
The Myriad by R. M. Meluch (Tour of the Merrimack 1)
Wolf Star by R. M. Meluch (Tour of the Merrimack 2)
Pleasure Model by Chrisopher Rowley (Netherworld 1) review on Temple Library Review

Books read this month:

Dust by Elizabeth Bear (Jacob’s Ladder 1)
Chill by Elizabeth Bear (Jacob’s Ladder 2)
Shadow of the Scorpion by Neal Asher (an Agent Cormac novel)
Grindlinked by Neal Asher (Agent Cormac 1)
The Line of the Polity by Neal Asher (Agent Cormac 2)
Brass Man by Neal Asher (Agent Cormac 3)
Quarter Share by Nathan Lowell (Golden Age of the Solar Clipper 1) – audio book
Half Share by Nathan Lowell (Golden Age of the Solar Clipper 2) – audio book
Full Share by Nathan Lowell (Golden Age of the Solar Clipper 3) – audio book
Double Share by Nathan Lowell (Golden Age of the Solar Clipper 4) – audio book
Captain’s Share by Nathan Lowell (Golden Age of the Solar Clipper 5) – audio book
The Sagittarius Command by R. M. Meluch (Tour of the Merrimack 3)
Strength and Honor by R. M. Meluch (Tour of the Merrimack 4)
A Mighty Fortress by David Weber (Safehold 4)
South Coast by Nathan Lowell (A Shaman’s Tale in the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper) – audiobook
Primary Inversion Catherine Asaro (Saga of the Skolian Empire 1)

I listen to a number of short stories mainly from my list of Science Fiction Podcasts and one stood out:

His Master’s Voice By Hannu Rajaniemi on Escape Pod 227 a Review

I curse the postal services in multiple countries as the books I ordered takes forever to arrive. How is it possible that a single book in an ‘envelope’ can takes 30 days from the US or in some cases even from UK to Sweden at this age? These books arrived this month (bought by me) some even on time, that’s what makes it so hard to understand why some doesn’t.

Necromancer by Eric Brown (Bengali Station 1)
Strength and Honor by R. M. Meluch (Tour of the Merrimack 3)
The Sagittarius Command by R. M. Meluch (Tour of the Merrimack 4)
A Mighty Fortress by David Weber (Safehold 4)
The Orphaned Worlds by Michael Cobley (Humanity’s Fire)
Deliverer by C. J. Cherryh (Foreigner 9)

Don’t miss my series of

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Plans for the Week

Cybermage.se — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 23:00:15 +0000

I am having a wonderful weekend with lots of reading and writing for you next week. There are upcoming book reviews and a Trends in Current SciFi post to be expected

I was on holiday since Wednesday with a lot of reading getting done and I have finished a couple of really good books and written a review of Elizabeth Moon’s Oath of Fealty and one of The Crucible of Empire by Eric Dlint and K. D. Wentworth.

I also did the usual end of/start of month posts:

To make life easier for others to find good and especially new science fiction books I also made my previous private Links page public, use it to make your own favorite new books lists.

Upcoming Reviews:

The Trade of Queens by Charles Stross (Merchant Princes 6) read last week
Gardens of the Sun by Paul McAuley (The Quiet War 2) read last week, review on Temple Library Reviews Tuesday April 6.
The Myriad by R. M. Meluch (Tour of the Merrimack 1) read last week
Wolf Star by R. M. Meluch (Tour of the Merrimack 2) read last week
Coyote Destiny by Allen Steele (Coyote Chronicles 2)
Dust by Elizabeth Bear (Jakob’s Ladder 1)
Chill by Elizabeth Bear (Jakob’s Ladder 2)
Shadow of the Scorpion by Neal Asher (an agent Cormac novel)
Gridlocked by Neal Asher (Agent Cormac 1)

I usually update the TV Pilot Roundup every day and make a post of it if it’s news worthy.

There will be micro recaps from David Weber’s upcoming books A Mighty Fortress and Mission of Honor on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I try to keep them spoiler free. A Mighty Fortress is soon to be published so there is only a few days left on it.

I will try to finish a new posts for Trends in Current Science Fiction this week. Last week I wrote about Reality TV.

And a review of Caprica’s spring finale (it will be back September 17) is still around the corner, I just have to watch it first.

A Review of Fringe and Stargate Universe’s returns from hiatus is also expected during the week.

Monday you will get What’s New or Returning on TV This Week .

Tuesday I will guest blog on Temple Library Reviews with a review of Gardens of the Sun by Paul McAuley.

Don’t forget Walker of Worlds Sci-Fi Appreciation Month during April.

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The Crucible of Empire by Eric Flint & K. D. Wentworth (Jao Empire 2)

Cybermage.se — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 23:00:34 +0000

This is what I like in space opera, giant space ships, epic battles, first contact and alien races. The first book, The Course of Empire is about humanity carving out a place for themselves in Jao society after the Jao’s occupation of Earth, described with excellent alien perspective. I am really impressed by the authors ability to write yet another unique and believable alien point of view in this book.

When humans and their Jao overlords joined forces in a desperate battle to save the Earth from the malevolent race called the Ekhat, the relationship between the two species was changed forever. Two years later, humans and Jao are learning to work in an uneasy alliance. Then, in a distant nebula, three Jao ships detect signs of another sentient species during a battle with the Ekhat. Only one of the ships returns, with most of its crew or injured.

Earth’s Preceptor Ronz suspects the unknown species was actually the Lleix, a name out of the Jao’s past, and an ancient shame from the period in their development when they themselves were still ruled by the maniacal Ekhat.

Ronz sends the Lexington, a massive ship built on Earth and crewed by both human and Jao, to investigate. The Lexington dwarfs any ship ever built by the Jao and even outmasses Ekhat ships, which may enable it to survive the attack that destroyed two of the three Jao ships. But if the expedition does find a surviving remnant of the Leleix, will the survivors trust the Jao? And should they?

The Authors

Eric Flint has written some of my favorite science fiction series 1632 and Wages of Sin. One of his strenghts is collaborations as in 1633 and Crown of Slaves with David Weber. I haven’t read his Belisarius series written with David Drake, but I have it on my to-read list. Eric Flint is noted as the editor of the Baen Free Library, and I love Baen Free Library, I have found a number of new authors and series there. His website Ericflint.com is one the best sites on the net for Snippets from new books not only from Baen.

K. D. Wentworth is author of seven novels according to wikipedia, including Black on Black and Stars Over Stars for Baen, and more than fifty short stories. Her latest novel is This Fair Land (Hawk), an alternate history fantasy of the era of Columbus. I haven’t read anything else by her but I am inclined to do so after reading the Jao Empire books.

Format and Information

Hard cover : 448 pages
Cover art by Bob Eggleton
Published by Baen (US) / Simon & Schuster (UK)

Dedicated to the memory of Jim Bean by the authors.

The cover art is beautiful and depict some kind of biological looking ship thing in front of a sun being approached by a more traditional spacecraft.

I started enjoying this book long before it was published thanks to the snippets on Eric Flint’s place on the web.

World building

The world building in this book is good and it is refreshing in that it doesn’t assume human superiority. Interaction between alien societies is a central theme of the whole series.

The new integration of humanity into Jao society is both challenging and reason for us humans to feel proud. The Jao was uplifted by the Ekhat to be their perfect servants and now they start to develop individuality and creativity under the ‘bad’ influence of their human partners. That’s like giving a loaded gun to a kid, just much more amusing.

The Lleix starting with their rigid ritualistic and yet artistic society is masterfully depicted. They have been running from the Ekhat and the Jao for a long time, some of them expect the end of days any day now especially with the Ekhat incursion into the nebula. So it’s understandable that they are far from trusting of the Jao.

One interesting part of the story is how technology evolve when Jao and human technology merge.

Plot

The plot is pretty straight forward, go to the nebula, contact the Lleix, save them from the Ekhat that are sure to return soon while pretending to be human so you don’t freak out the Lleix and help them evacuate. But of course it’s not that easy.

Characterization

The characters are easy to love and the general optimistic outlook is refreshing. Of course you find the usual competent individual that is so common in Space Opera. We also have a nice overlap in characters from book one. But we are also introduced to a few new ones.

There is good character growth especially for Tully that has to take charge of a company and Caitlin who has to handle first contact negotiations with the Lleix.

The practical jokes, long tales and banter between the humans and the Jao is delightfully entertaining.

My View

The Crucible of Empire is an entertaining story of first contact and mixing of cultures that begs for more, I can’t wait on the next novel. If you like interesting aliens and space opera this is definitely a book for you, start with The Course of Empire book one in the Jao Empire Series.

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Ove’s Monthly Journal March 2010

Cybermage.se — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 23:00:13 +0000

March started low on the reading and watching but picked up in later weeks. I also started writing a new series of articles about Trends in Current Science Fiction that seems to have gone down well.

Most popular posts have been First look at Felicia Day in RED that got some 3000 hits, followed in popularity by Major Casting Change in HBO’s Game of Thrones, Interesting TV Pilots Round Up, New Science Fiction Books in April 2010 and 18 Science Fiction Podcasts.

Reading has been good, though I am a bit behind in my review writing as you can see. Of the books I enjoyed Oath of Fealty, Shadow Prowler, The Crucible of Empire and Gardens of the Sun best, in that order. None of the books where really bad, though I was a bit disappointed with Trade of Queens it didn’t give as much closure as I wished for.

Books read in March 2010 in reading order:

The Quiet War by McAuley, Paul (The Quiet War & Gardens of the Sun Series)
The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
Earth Strike by Ian Douglas (Star Carrier 1)
This Paper World by Jeff Lane
Shadow Prowler by Alexey Pehov (Chronicles of Siala 1) *1st review copy ever
Oath of Fealty by Elizabeth Moon (Paladin’s Legacy 1)
The Crucible of Empire by Eric Flint & K. D. Wentwoth (Empire 2)
Coyote Destiny by Allen Steele (Coyote Chronicles 2)
Trade of Queens by Charles Stross (Merchant Princes 6)
Gardens of the Sun by Paul McAuley (The Quiet War 2)
The Myriad by R. M. Meluch (Tour of the Merrimack 1)
Wolf Star by R. M. Meluch (Tour of the Merrimack 2)

I took on myself to write down some of the idle observations I make while I read Science Fiction and call it an article Series on Trends in Current Science Fiction. So far I have written three articles, and I plan on writing about one a week until I run out of trends.

Arrived or shopped books is always interesting. You can always check out my latest arrivals if you like. You should also know that I didn’t receive any free books for review this month (I reviewed one I received in February), I put my money where my Science Fiction is.

The Crucible of Empire by Eric Flint & K. D. Wentworth
Oath of Fealty by Elizabeth Moon
Coyote Destiny by Allen Steele
Gardens of the Sun by Paul McAuley
Trade of Queens by Charles Stross
Geosynchron by David Louis Edelman
Xeelee an Omnibus by Stephen Baxter (Raft, Timelike Infinity, Flux, Ring)
Shadow of the Scorpion by Neal Asher (an agent Cormac novel)
A Thousand Words for Stranger by Julie E. Czerneda (The Trade Pact Universe #1)
Ties of Power by Julie E. Czerneda (The Trade Pact Universe #2)
To Trade the Stars by Julie E. Czerneda (The Trade Pact Universe #3)
Dust by Elizabeth Bear
Chill by Elizabeth Bear (sequel to Dust)
The Myriad by R. M. Meluch (Tour of the Merrimack #1)
Wolf Star by R. M. Meluch (Tour of the Merrimack #2)
Servants of the Underworld by Aliette de Bodard (Obsidian & Blood 1)

It’s been a good month, I haven’t finished quite all I would have liked to do but it is a good start.

Next month will have quite a few more books, you can see what I ordered in New Science Fiction Books in April 2010. I also have some Elizabeth Bear, David Louis Edelman, Aliette de Bodard and more to look forward to.

Don’t forget Walker of Worlds upcoming Sci-Fi Appreciation Month starts April 1. I have made a contribution and will let you know when it’s there.

I will also guest blog a few reviews for Temple Library Reviews starting April 6th with my review of Gardens of the Sun by Paul McAuley.

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Arrived Books March 16 2010

Cybermage.se — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:27:39 +0000

Good timing by amazon this time. Two books arrived today.

Oath of Fealty by Elizabeth Moon

Perfectly timed this time by amazon, the parcel arrived on time. I feel a quick read coming up.

Elizabeth Moon’s bestselling science fiction novels featuring Kylara Vatta have earned her rave reviews and comparison to such giants as Robert Heinlein and Lois McMaster Bujold. But as Moon’s devoted fans know, she started her career as a fantasy writer. The superb trilogy known as The Deed of Paksenarrion is widely judged to be one of the great post-Tolkien fantasies, a masterpiece of sustained world-building and realistic military action. Now Moon returns to this thrilling realm for the first time in nearly twenty years. The result: another classic in the making.

Thanks to Paks’s courage and sacrifice, the long-vanished heir to the half-elven kingdom of Lyonya has been revealed as Kieri Phelan, a formidable mercenary captain who earned a title—and enemies—in the neighboring kingdom of Tsaia. Now, as Kieri ascends a throne he never sought, he must come to terms with his own half-elven heritage while protecting his new kingdom from his old enemies—and those he has not yet discovered.

Meanwhile, in Tsaia, Prince Mikeli prepares for his own coronation. But when an assassination attempt nearly succeeds, Mikeli suddenly faces the threat of a coup. Acting swiftly, Mikeli strikes at the powerful family behind the attack: the Verrakaien, magelords possessing ancient sorcery, steeped in death and evil. Mikeli’s survival—and that of Tsaia—depend on the only Verrakai whose magery is not tainted with innocent blood.

Two kings stand at a pivotal point in the history of their worlds. For dark forces are gathering against them, knit in a secret conspiracy more sinister—and far more ancient—than they can imagine. And even Paks may find her gods-given magic and peerless fighting skills stretched to the limit—and beyond.

The Crucible of Empire by Eric Flint & K. D. Wentworth

Also arrived on time, another long awaited book. Loved the first book.

When humans and their Jao overlords joined forces in a desperate battle to save the Earth from the malevolent race called the Ekhat, the relationship between the two species was changed forever. Two years later, humans and Jao are learning to work in an uneasy alliance. Then, in a distant nebula, three Jao ships detect signs of another sentient species during a battle with the Ekhat. Only one of the ships returns, with most of its crew or injured.

Earth’s Preceptor Ronz suspects the unknown species was actually the Lleix, a name out of the Jao’s past, and an ancient shame from the period in their development when they themselves were still ruled by the maniacal Ekhat.

Ronz sends the Lexington, a massive ship built on Earth and crewed by both human and Jao, to investigate. The Lexington dwarfs any ship ever built by the Jao and even outmasses Ekhat ships, which may enable it to survive the attack that destroyed two of the three Jao ships. But if the expedition does find a surviving remnant of the Leleix, will the survivors trust the Jao? And should they?

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February 2010 in Reading v2

Cybermage.se — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:42 +0000

February has been a hectic month. I usually read more books than this but work has intruded much on my leazure time this month, we are about to hatch a new product soon. It has not been easy to rank these fine books. I am trying a new format with a concentration of my reviews, better? worse? Read the reviews if you want to know more.

I made mistake with the feed earlier this month so I have to make 2 similar posts to get it right, sorry ignore the other

The God Engines by John Scalzi

John Scalzi treads new domains with this dark Gothic Opera of star travel, faith, living gods, sex, violence and space battles which channels the spirit of H.P. Lovecraft…

… The God Engines is a chilling horror story set in a world with living manifested gods, so it has to be fantasy? Well, maybe, there is a lot of Space Opera and science fiction in this fantasy story. I think it’s magnificent and I love the inventiveness of the story, using gods as engines! I am just sorry it is so short, the plot could easily have been made into a full length novel. I say convinced that it would be easy for John Scalzi, him being such a fantastic writer (nudge, nudge).

The Course of Empire by Eric Flint & K. D. Wenthworth (Empire Series 1)

The reason I am reviewing The Course of Empire now is that the second part The Cruible of Empire will be out next month (March 16, 2010). This is the first book in a series about an alien invasion of earth by the Jao that changes into something else under the pressure of yet another more menacing alien race, the Ekhat bent on exterminating all non Ekhat life from the universe. It holds interesting alien point-of-views (pov), alternatives to violence and an unusual positive treatment of collaborateurs…

… This is one of the best alien point of view stories I have read in a long time, the world is vivid and the characters are easy to love. I got very emotional here and there in the story, especially at the end. I would recommend The Course of Empire to anyone intrested in a good alien point of view story or if you are just looking for good science fiction.

Semper Human by Ian Douglas (William H. Keith) (Inheritance Trilogy 3)

This is the last book in a Marine Corps Saga spanning thousands of years and three trilogies. The Trilogies are first Heritage, then Legacy and finally The Inheritance Trilogy. It is an epic military saga about the Marine Corps and the Garroway family that serves in it…

… The whole series is a great homage to the Marines, where every man is a rifleman first. It is a strong moral story about standing up for your team and your ideals. It also have great world-building and believable science within the fiction. You should read the other books in the Inheritance Trilogy before Semper Human, there is lots of references. I strongly recommend the whole series to any lover of military science fiction and space opera.

The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner

It’s been said that John Brunner invented the term “worm” for a program that replicates itself on a network in this proto-cyberpunk novel from 1975.

The first half of the novel had me wondering if this was way to intelligent for me, then the fog lifted, the wow feelings started to hit me. This is a great novel! It involves the Brain Race, a development from the previous Arms Race. Every superpower collect their own brain resources and develop them at great cost in institutions like Tarnover to handle the out of control speed of change in society. The novel addresses many of the problems with the ever faster changing world that are still valid today. Especially in the area of mental health…

… The Shockwave Rider impressed me with its content and how the pieces fell into place in the story and it became great. It is a few years old but much of what it tells are still valid. Read it if you can get hold of it.

Coyote Horizon by Allen Steele (Coyote 6)

Humanity meets aliens in Spindrift (4) where the Hjadd saves the day and we learns to know them better in Galaxy Blues (5) when we go and trade with them. Contact with another technologically more advanced civilization always leads to change. This time the contact is with an interstellar multi-specie civilization whose very existence challenge many of our traditional belief systems. The planet Coyote become much more than a safety vault for the overpopulated and ecologically devastated home planet. It becomes a focal point of the whole human civilization when the Hjadd sets up there embassy there and not on Earth.

This book is concurrent in parts with Galaxy Blues (5). It is a two book story the last part Coyote Destiny (7) is published in March 2010…

… I like the characterization in the beginning of the book. The world building is good, it’s one of Allen’s strengths. The storyline was clear and easy to follow. I am not so hot on this many protagonists and switching back and forth between them. It works but I personally would have preferred a more central protagonist, but that’s just me. I liked the book in general and it is a good read you don’t want to put it down…

… The book ends with a cliffhanger but you don’t have to wait long to read the last part of this story. Publication is next month. You can start reading about Coyote with this book but you you misses a lot of the backstory if you haven’t read volume 1-3.

Pleasure Model by Christopher Rowley (Netherworld Trilogy 1)

Rook Venner bring the evidence home, said evidence being Plesur, a pleasure model with long golden hair, deep blue eyes, a pert little nose and large mouth loaded with heavy lips that works like triggers on the heterosexual male mind all packed into a gorgeous young body, to protect her from rape. Only to wake up in the middle of the night by a phone call telling him to get out NOW!

Presenting Heavy Metal Pulp, a new line of novels combining noir fiction with fantastic art featuring the themes, story lines, and graphic styles of Heavy Metal magazine…

… The book doesn’t end with a Cliff hanger but leaves enough unresolved that I long for the next volume. I enjoyed the fast paced illustrated action packed spicy Pleasure Model immensely. It is a good read. It lacks somewhat in depth that can be remedied by checking out Rowley’s homepage. I would recommend it to any adult science fiction fan. I myself can’t wait until I have read the next two Netherworld books. I wonder when they will be out?

Live Free or Die by John Ringo (Troy Rising 1)

This is the first book in a new series called Troy Rising. It is an alien invasion Space Opera with an unlikely hero…

… Live Free or Die is an amusing Space Opera with a bit sketchy characters and world building but quite enjoyable. I would recommend it to readers of military science fiction with a sense of humor. I will definitely buy the rest of the series as soon as it is available.

Mirrored Heavens by David J. Williams (Autumn Rain 1)

This is the action packed first book in a new cyber-thriller series, Autumn Rain.

It starts out as one of those super action packed first scenes in a Hollywood Block Buster but here it feels like it never stops. Put a handful major characters, one mega conspiracy or two and the intrigue and mysteries of a Le Carré cold war spy thriller into the mix and splatter it out on a canvas of world-wide insurrection, high technology and dystopian cityscapes and you have a feeling what this book is…

… Mirrored Heavens is a strong first novel by David J. Williams. He presents a chilly future high-tech world of espionage and double crossing that is more than entertaining, the characters are not very deep and at times the plot might feel a bit over complex at times but so far I like it. I already have volume 2 Burning Skies here waiting. I can recommend it if you like fast paced cyber thrillers.

Starbound by Joe Haldeman

Starbound left me conflicted, I have had to have a few days to think it over before writing a review. After the human race’s near extinction from an exploding martian the earth authorities decide to send an expedition after the mysterious Other’s starship that left the solar system heading for what might be the Others home world…

… not a bad book, nor an excellent, it is somewhere in between for me. It took a little long time before the action started and when it did it was over in no time. I would recommend it if you like mysterious aliens and Defying Gravity-esque personal interaction.

I haven’t read Marsbound, and it it is supposed to be a better read than this one, maybe it suffers from middle-book-itis.

Bitter Angels by C. L. Anderson (Sarah Zettel)

Bitter Angels was written by Sarah Zettel under pseudonym. It’s a military science fiction of sorts with a central murder mystery. And I liked it much more than Kingdom of Cages, which put me off from her, seems I was wrong…

… I liked the mystery part, but it took a bit too long to get to when it started to make sense, around page 300. I wouldn’t mind if the author made faster work of that. It left only 150 pages for the real action and the characters to grow.

Now and then I felt it was too much talks, meetings and dead ends that didn’t bring the story forward, but I might have missed a point or so. It slowed it down from excellent to good in my mind. Bitter Angels is a good mystery-spy science fiction and if you like that it’s a book for you.

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February 2010 in Reading

Cybermage.se — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:30:02 +0000

I made mistake with the feed earlier this month so I have to make 2 similar posts to get it right, sorry read either one.

The God Engines by John Scalzi

John Scalzi treads new domains with this dark Gothic Opera of star travel, faith, living gods, sex, violence and space battles which channels the spirit of H.P. Lovecraft…

The Course of Empire by Eric Flint & K. D. Wenthworth (Empire Series 1)

Semper Human by Douglas, Ian (William H. Keith) (Inheritance Trilogy 3)

The Shockwave Rider by Brunner, John

It’s been said that John Brunner invented the term “worm” for a program that replicates itself on a network in this proto-cyberpunk novel from 1975.

Coyote Horizon by Allen Steele (Coyote 6)

This book is concurrent in parts with Galaxy Blues (5). It is a two book story the last part Coyote Destiny (7) is published in March 2010…

Pleasure Model by Christopher Rowley (Netherworld Trilogy 1)

Presenting Heavy Metal Pulp, a new line of novels combining noir fiction with fantastic art featuring the themes, story lines, and graphic styles of Heavy Metal magazine…

Live Free or Die by John Ringo (Troy Rising 1)

This is the first book in a new series called Troy Rising. It is an alien invasion Space Opera with an unlikely hero…

Mirrored Heavens by David J. Williams (Autumn Rain 1)

This is the action packed first book in a new cyber-thriller series, Autumn Rain.

Starbound by Joe Haldeman

I haven’t read Marsbound, and it it is supposed to be a better read than this one, maybe it suffers from middle-book-itis.

Bitter Angels by C. L. Anderson (Sarah Zettel)

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New Science Fiction Books March 2010 Revisited

Cybermage.se — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:00:46 +0000

Lets have a look at March for books. I usually check my pre-orders mid February and then revisit the list by March 1. This is the revisit I have added quite a few interesting books since mid February.

Books I have on Order

The Crucible of Empire
by Eric Flint & K. D. Wentworth
Empire Series 2

This is a book I am very exited about. The characterization and alien point of view from the last book in the series were fantastic [review]. The blurb is weirdly short and uninformative, rumor says Eric is very busy but is there no one else to write one?

There are nine sample chapters on webscriptions you can read instead.

The sequel to the critically acclaimed The Course of the Empire.

Trade of Queens
by Charles Stross
Merchant Princes 6

A dissident faction of the Clan, the alternate universe group of families that has traded covertly with our world for a century or more, have carried nuclear devices between the worlds and exploded them in Washington, DC, killing the President of the United States. Now they will exterminate the rest of the Clan and keep Miriam alive only long enough to bear her child, the heir to the throne of their land in the Gruinmarkt world.

The worst and deepest secret is now revealed: behind the horrifying plot is a faction of the US government itself, preparing for a political takeover in the aftermath of disaster. There is no safe place for Miriam and her Clan except, perhaps, in the third alternate world, New Britain–which has just had a revolution and a nuclear incident of its own.

Coyote Destiny
by Allen Steele
Coyote 7 (or 5 if you don’t count the stand alone books)

The unexpected arrival of a ship from Earth after their long isolation from their home world leaves the inhabitants of Coyote both hopeful and wary. The lone passenger brings news-both good and bad.

The good news is that there was a survivor of the long-ago explosion of the Robert E. Lee and he is living still on Earth, in the ruined city called Boston. The bad news is that the person responsible for that act of terrorism is also still alive-and somewhere on Coyote…

Oath of Fealty
by Elizabeth Moon
Paksenarrion universe

Elizabeth Moon is one of my favorite authors, so this is a must.

Elizabeth Moon’s bestselling science fiction novels featuring Kylara Vatta have earned her rave reviews and comparison to such giants as Robert Heinlein and Lois McMaster Bujold. But as Moon’s devoted fans know, she started her career as a fantasy writer. The superb trilogy known as The Deed of Paksenarrion is widely judged to be one of the great post-Tolkien fantasies, a masterpiece of sustained world-building and realistic military action. Now Moon returns to this thrilling realm for the first time in nearly twenty years. The result: another classic in the making.

Thanks to Paks’s courage and sacrifice, the long-vanished heir to the half-elven kingdom of Lyonya has been revealed as Kieri Phelan, a formidable mercenary captain who earned a title—and enemies—in the neighboring kingdom of Tsaia. Now, as Kieri ascends a throne he never sought, he must come to terms with his own half-elven heritage while protecting his new kingdom from his old enemies—and those he has not yet discovered.

Meanwhile, in Tsaia, Prince Mikeli prepares for his own coronation. But when an assassination attempt nearly succeeds, Mikeli suddenly faces the threat of a coup. Acting swiftly, Mikeli strikes at the powerful family behind the attack: the Verrakaien, magelords possessing ancient sorcery, steeped in death and evil. Mikeli’s survival—and that of Tsaia—depend on the only Verrakai whose magery is not tainted with innocent blood.

Two kings stand at a pivotal point in the history of their worlds. For dark forces are gathering against them, knit in a secret conspiracy more sinister—and far more ancient—than they can imagine. And even Paks may find her gods-given magic and peerless fighting skills stretched to the limit—and beyond.

Citizens
Edited by John Ringo & Brian M. Thomsen
Military science fiction by military veterans

It was the really impressive list of authors I like that got me to order this one.

Citizens is a new kind of science fiction anthology. The names appearing between its covers are not only veteran authors, among the very best in the field, they are military veterans as well. New York Times bestselling author John Ringo (a veteran of the 82nd Airborne) and Brian M. Thomsen, a Hugo finalist and one of the most respected editors in the field, have selected a treasure trove of gems written by writers who know first hand what it means to wear their country’s uniform. Among the top writers appearing in Citizens are Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, Elizabeth Moon, Gordon R. Dickson, David Drake, Joe Haldeman, Harry Harrison, Keith Laumer, Frederik Pohl, Jerry Pournelle, Gene Wolfe, and more, nearly all authors of bestsellers, and recipients of Hugo and Nebula awards.

Other Books of Interest

Mindover Over Ship
by David Marusek
Counting Heads? book 2

“David Marusek is one of the best-kept secrets of science fiction, a wild talent with a Gibson-grade imagination and marvelous prose, and a keen sense of human drama that makes it all go”
–Cory Doctorow, author of Little Brother

The year is 2135, and the international program to seed the galaxy with human colonies has stalled as greedy, immoral powerbrokers park their starships in Earth’s orbit and begin to convert them into space condos. Ellen Starke’s head, rescued from the fiery crash that killed her mother, struggles to regrow a new body in time to restore her dead mother’s financial empire. And Pre-Singularity AIs conspire to join the human race just as human clones, such as Mary Skarland and her sisters, want nothing more than to leave it.

Welcome to Mind Over Ship, the sequel to Marusek’s stunning debut novel, Counting Heads, which Publishers Weekly called “ferociously smart, simultaneously horrific and funny.”

Epitaph Road
by David Patneaude

This sounds different, I am tempted to order it now.

2097 is a transformed world. Thirty years earlier, a mysterious plague wiped out 97 percent of the male population, devastating every world system from governments to sports teams, and causing both universal and unimaginable grief. In the face of such massive despair, women were forced to take over control of the planet–and in doing so they eliminated all of Earth’s most pressing issues. Poverty, crime, warfare, hunger . . . all gone.

But there’s a price to pay for this new “utopia,” which fourteen-year-old Kellen is all too familiar with. Every day, he deals with life as part of a tiny minority that is purposefully kept subservient and small in numbers. His career choices and relationship options are severely limited and controlled. He also lives under the threat of scattered recurrences of the plague, which seem to pop up wherever small pockets of men begin to regroup and grow in numbers.

And then one day, his mother’s boss, an iconic political figure, shows up at his home. Kellen overhears something he shouldn’t–another outbreak seems to be headed for Afterlight, the rural community where his father and a small group of men live separately from the female-dominated society. Along with a few other suspicious events, like the mysterious disappearances of Kellen’s progressive teacher and his Aunt Paige, Kellen is starting to wonder whether the plague recurrences are even accidental. No matter what the truth is, Kellen cares only about one thing–he has to save his father.

Pinion
by Jay Lake

Another tempting book, this one is a steampunk, got to order the other book first…

“The delight is in what’s seen en route, as Lake has configured his world-dominating empires, one British, the other Chinese, with huge and devoted attention to the last detail. The delight of the next volume–prefigured with unrelenting clarity in Escapement’s final pages–should be the discovery that the destination adds up.” –Washington Post Book World on Escapement

Rejoin the Librarian and the Chinese submarine captain, the British sailor, the clockwork man, and the young sorceress who has gone south of the great equatorial wall. This adventure in Lake’s Clockwork Earth continues the tale begun in Escapement.

“The very cosmology of this world is an enigmatic astonishment, and it underpins every single bit of action and character….Lake has a ball transporting his characters up and down this magnificent world, subjecting them to all sorts of perils and escapes in a wild variety of settings. His three main protagonists all exhibit distinct and memorable personalities that allow us to filter their world through three prisms of intelligence and attitude….Fantasy has always been “escapist” in the best sense of the word, and Lake engineers a fine tale of humans in search of liberation from the clockwork and customs that ensnare them and us as well.” –Sci-Fi Weekly on Escapement

The Dream of Perpetual Motion
by Dexter Palmer

Starred Review. Palmer’s dazzling debut explodes with energy and invention on almost every page. In a steampunky alternate reality, genius inventor Prospero Taligent promises the 100 kids he’s invited to his daughter Miranda’s birthday party that they will have their “heart’s desires fulfilled.” When young Harold Winslow says he wants to be a storyteller, he sets in motion an astonishing plot that will eventually find him imprisoned aboard a giant zeppelin, the Chrysalis, powered by Taligent’s greatest invention, a (probably faulty) perpetual motion machine. As Harold tells his story from his airborne prison, a fantastic and fantastical account unfolds: cities full of Taligent’s mechanical men, a virtual island where Harold and Miranda play as children, the Kafkaesque goings-on in the boiler rooms and galleries of Taligent’s tower. Harold’s narration is interspersed with dreams, diary entries, memos and monologues from the colorful supporting cast, and the dialogue, both overly formal and B-movie goofy (“I’m afraid the death rays are just a bunch of science fiction folder”), offers comic counterpoint. This book will immediately connect with fans of Neal Stephenson and Alfred Bester, and will surely win over readers who’d ordinarily pass on anything remotely sci-fi.

Fledgling
by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
A New Liaden Universe Novel

Theo Waitley has lived all her young life on Delgado, a Safe World that is home to one of the galaxy’s premier institutions of higher learning. Both Theo’s mother, Kamele, and Kamele’s onagrata Jen Sar Kiladi, are professors at the university, and they all live comfortably together, just like they have for all of Theo’s life, in Jen Sar’s house at the outskirts of town.

Suddenly, though, Theo’s life changes. Kamele leaves Jen Sar and moves herself and Theo back into faculty housing, which is not what Theo is used to. Once settled back inside the Wall, Kamele becomes embroiled in faculty politics, and is appointed sub-chair of her department. Meanwhile, Theo, who has a notation in her file indicating that she is “physically challenged” has a series of misadventures, including pulling her best friend down on the belt-ride to class, and hurting a team mate during a scavage game.

With notes piling up in her file, Theo only wants to go “home,” to the house in the suburbs, and have everything just like it used to be.

Then, Kamele uncovers evidence of possible dishonest scholarship inside of her department. In order to clear the department, she and a team of senior professors must go off-world to perform a forensic document search. Theo hopes this will mean that she’ll be left in the care of the man she calls “Father,” Professor Kiladi, and is horrified to learn that Kamele means to bring Theo with her!

What’s on your list?

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The Course of Empire by Eric Flint & K. D. Wentworth (Empire 1) a Review

Cybermage.se — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:43:48 +0000

Product description

Conquered by the Jao twenty years ago, the Earth is shackled under alien tyranny – and threatened by the even more dangerous Ekhat, one of whose genocidal extermination fleets is coming to the solar system. The only chance for human survival is in the hands of an unusual pair of allies: a young Jao prince, newly arrived to Terra to assume his duties, and a young human woman brought up amongst the Jao occupiers.

But, as their tentative alliance takes shape, they are under pressure from all sides. A cruel Jao viceroy on one side, determined to drown all opposition in blood; a reckless human resistance on the other, which is perfectly prepared to shed it. Added to the mix is the fact that only by adopting some portions of human technology and using human sepoy troops can the haughty Jao hope to defeat the oncoming Ekhat attack – and then only by fighting the battle within the sun itself.

The Authors

Eric Flint has written some of my favorite science fiction series 1632 and Wages of Sin. One of his strenghts is collaborations as in 1633 and Crown of Slaves with David Weber. I haven’t read his Belisarius series written with David Drake, but I have it on my to-read list. Eric Flint is noted as the editor of the Baen Free Library, and I love Baen Free Library, I have found a number of new authors and series there. His website Ericflint.com is one the best sites on the net for Snippets from new books not only from Baens.

K. D. Wentworth is author of seven novels according to wikipedia, including Black on Black and Stars Over Stars for Baen, and more than fifty short stories. Her latest novel is This Fair Land (Hawk), an alternate history fantasy of the era of Columbus. I haven’t read anything else by her but I am inclined to do so after reading The Course of Empire.

Info/Format

This is the paperback version with 672 pages
published by Baen March 1, 2005
Cover Art by Bob Eggleton

First in the book is the Cast of Characters with a very usefull explanation of Jao naming conventions at the end you need to be familiar with.

At the end of the book there is a Glossary of Jao Terms that might be usefull to read before or while reading the story. I felt no particular need for it though, you can easily determine meaning from the story.

Also at the end are two Appendixes, one explaining the Ekhat and the other Interstellar Travel, save reading them after the story as they explain some of what surprised me about the Ekhat.

Plot

The Jao invaded and conquered earth some twenty years ago after. The conquest haven’t turned out well for the Jao or for humanity. The Jao doesn’t understand humans and treat them like animals trying to subdue them into submission and servitude. The humans see the Jaos as inhumane and uncaring, prone to kill for the slightest mistakes.

We get to follow the point of views from both human and alien sides. The main protagonists are the promising young Jao male Aille krinnu ava Pluthrak and the daughter of the Jao’s Native President of North America Caitlin Alana Stockwell, a hostage. Aille belongs to a krinnu (clan) in conflict with the Narvo the clan that has been ruling earth since the conquest. He arrive as the newly appointed sub-commander of all ground forces on earth. His, his clan especially but all Jao in general approach to conflict is association, this clashes with Governor Oppuk’s brutal ways. He starts to pick up humans into his personal service, among them Tully, an agent for the resistance that still abide in mountainous regions, Rafe Aguilera, a former tank commander now refitting human weapons with Jao tech, a professor researching Jao society and eventually Caitlin who grew up with Jaos and understands them better than any human alive.

The Jao clans compete to further their blood lines positions and glory. Only one group the mysterious Bond of Ebezon act for the whole of the Jao race and they have long time plans for earth, that are now coming into fruition.

The first two thirds of the book deals with the screwed up situation on earth. I enjoyed the alien pov which you get from both Aille and Oppuk.

The last third deals with the solution even if a large part of it is the fight with the Ekhat. The Jao were once created as servants to the Ekhat but rebelled. The Jao conquer other races to prepare them for defense against the Ekhat not for building Empires, which is a bit weird consider the title. I wouldn’t want to spoil the Ekhat for you by telling to much, they are truly alien in a unique way (at least from my reading).

Ideas

I belive there is an underlying idea by the authors that association and collaboration is a stronger and better tool to resolve differences than violence that reflects back to our own time and “the War on Terror”. I have no confirmation of it but it sounds reasonable given the book.

Characterization

Characterization is much better than one usually get in military science fiction. I got some C. J. Cherryh feelings there inspired by the name Tully I guess (Channur Saga) but the characterization is great, the characters grow, especially the ones you root for, but even the brutal Governor Oppuk has his own understandable rationalities. He is colored by the fierce fighting ever experienced by the Jao in conquering earth and especially the US so he treats the humans as clever animals and tries to subdue them.

The alien point-of-view is masterly done, the aliens are not humans in different skins, they do have different understandable motivations.

World Building

The Jao looks like humaniod sea lions with an elaborate stylized way of communicating with geastures and they also have a weird sense of time. A Jao have no use for any time measuring device, they just percieve the flow and arrive at the right time to no end of frustration to their human counterparts. Jao society is explained and experienced in splendid detail. At the beginning it was a bit annoying with all the foreign names but you soon get so immersed in the story that you don’t notice.

One thing I noticed especially was the human collaborators contra the rebels. It is rare to see collaborators portrayed so positive in military science fiction. I read somewhere that the rebels where supposed to be socialists? I never got that feeling, quite the opposite in fact.

Human with our evolved society contra the Jao’s stricter inherited and never questioned society (from their creators) is highlighted in an intresting way by the authors.

My View

This is one of the best alien point of view stories I have read in a long time, the world is vivid and the characters are easy to love. I got very emotional here and there in the story, especially at the end. I would recommend The Course of Empire to anyone intrested in a good alien point of view story or if you are just looking for good science fiction.

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A Mighty Fortress snippet 3

Cybermage.se — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 09:22:35 +0000

Snippet #3 of A Mighty Fortressby David Weber is now online at Eric Flint’s homepage

Since there isn’t any description of the book from the publisher out, I will try to make a guesstimate one later today.
Edit: I was to tierd so I went to bed instead, after work today.

Snippet #1
Snippet #2

You can order the book here: amazon.com amazon.co.uk , it will be out in April 2010.

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Best Science Fiction Books of 2009

Cybermage.se — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 01:47:48 +0000

The Best of My New Books 2009

These are the best books i have read for the very first time in 2009. There was quit a few authors I discovered 2009, and many of them are already favorites. To mention some of them John Scalzi of course he is my favorite of the year, Jaine Fenn is another strong new author, Elisabeth Bear is much better than the covers of her books, Laura E. Reeve with her strong Greek influence and Tony Bellantyne with his robot series is novel to say the least. I don’t doubt for a second I have missed some of this years greatest new authors and books. I would love to read them if you tell me about them.

Old Man’s War Series by John Scalzi (Old Man’s War, The Ghost Brigade The Last Colony, Zoe’s Tale)
The Graveyard Book by Niel Gaiman
Storm from the Shadows by David Weber (Saganami 2)
The Anderoid’s Dream by John Scalzi
Mote in God’s Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
By Heresies Distressed by David Weber (Safehold 3)
Torch of Freedom by Eric Flint & David Weber (Wages of Sin 2)
Saturn’s Children by Charles Stross
The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin(Eukmen 5)
The Magicans’ Guild by Trudi Canavan (The Black Magician 1)
The Sidhe Series by Jaine Fenn (Principles of Angels, Consorts of Heaven)
Mothership by John Brosnan(Mothership 1)
Undaunted by Mike Shepherd (Kris Longknife 7)
The Coyote Series by Allen Steel
1632 by Eric Flint (Ring of fire 1)
Empire Series by Richard Allen Stotts (Midshipman, Heir to the Throne, Majesty, Acheon, Citizen of the Empire) – All are Free Online Books
Relentless by Jack Campell (The Lost Fleet 5)
Southern Vampires Series (1-9) by Charlene Harris the inspirationt to True Blood the TV Series
Seeds of Earth by Michael Cobley (Humanity’s Fire 1)
The Jenny Casey Series by Elizabet Bear (Hammered, Scaredown, Worldwired)

The Best Re-Read Books of 2009

Remnant Polulation by Elizabeth Moon - This is the best First Contact book I ever read. It might be the best book.
Honor Harrington Series (1-11) by David Weber
Kris Longknife Series (1-7) by Mike Shepherd

Interesting and Notable Books not on the list 2009

The Wess’har Wars Series by Karen Travis
The Merchant Princes Series by Charles Stross
Contact With Chaos by Michael Z. Williamsson
The Lost Xuyan Bride by Aliette de Bodard
Twisted Metal by Tony Ballantyne
Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds
Jennifer Government by Max Barry
Major Ariane Kedros Series by Laura E Reeve

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Torch of Freedom by Eric Flint & David Weber (Wages of Sin 2)

Cybermage.se — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:26:00 +0000

This is the second Wages of Sin book and it takes place during the same time as At All Costs, Storm from the Shadows and Shadow of Saganami.

I identified the following main storylines:

The Alignment leadership under Collin Detweiler back on Mesa
Hugh and Queen Barry’s love story
The State Security renegades preparation to attack Torch
Rozsak and Govenor Baregos plans to build their own fleet and take over their own sector
Security chief Jack McBryde and Slipdrive researcher Herlander Simões fall to grace
Anton Zilwicki and Victor Cachat mission to Mesa

As always another great book.

Afraid I haven’t been reading much this week due to weakness after the fever I had last week.

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1634 The Ram Rebellion by Eric Flint & Virginia DeMarce (Ring of Fire)

Cybermage.se — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:36:37 +0000

Took me long enough to read, but I had a busy week traveling and dealing with life’s ods and ends.

Great book though. I have come to love Eric Flints stories, they are down to earth and written with warmth and humor. Here a stubborn crossbreed of a ram called Brillo first becomes an entertaining story in the Grantville paper and then he grows to become the symbol for the French Revolution, sorry German revolution.

I haven’t read anything by Virginia DeMarce before and that seems to be my loss. I have to look into something else she has written after I finish the ring of fire series.

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1634 The Galileo Affair by Eric Flint & Andrew Dennis (Ring of Fire)

Cybermage.se — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:53:00 +0000

Another alternative history book, this one takes place in Italy and focus on the religious, political and economic impact of Grantville’s appearance in the Ring of Fire on Venice.

Some young uptimers decide to free Galileo, who I learned a lot about.

Grantville also sends a diplomatic team to Venice to facilitate trade.

I also think Andrew Dennis might be an interesting author to look into

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1634 The Balic War by Eric Flint & David Weber (Ring of Fire)

Cybermage.se — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:36:00 +0000

This is the 3rd Ring of Firebook for me and I am hooked. I like History, Science Fiction and as a former SCA member I am also a fan of Creative Anachronisms even if they’re in reverse like here.

I have a slight complain with this book, it suffer pace wise from regular infodumps. It is something David Weber is renowed for, mostly undeserved imho.

Love the characters from Kristina to the Wardens of the Towern.

It is about the spring and summer of 1634 mostly concerning diplomacy and the war at sea (close to shore)

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1633 by Eric Flint & David Weber (Ring of Fire 2)

Cybermage.se — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:24:00 +0000

Just finished 1633. Now I will sleep, tell you more about it after I wake up again. I apearently didn’t wake up until December.

This is the first collaboration work in the 1632 universe. It deals with Cardinal Richileu’s attempt to stop and control the threat from the Grantville Up-timers and Gustavus Adolphus. The Dutch Republic nearly falls.

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