Veteran by Gavin Smith (Gollancz)

Jul 212010

Title: Veteran
Author: Gavin Smith
Genre: Military Science Fiction
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Gollancz, June 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK | sfbok

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.

Information

Veteran is Gavin Smith’s debut novel and it is dedicated to Ruth & James Nicoll. I believe that they are “The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don’t just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary” – James Nicoll and his wife. I found the quote online and I just had to include it here. English’s actions as described are appropriate to the novel.

The Author

Gavin Smith is new both to me and the world but he writes like a pro. I had to check inside if it was a pseudonym for an established author. Gavin Smith is 35. Born in Dundee he now lives in Leicester. He has a degree in Media Production (specializing in script writing) and a MA in Medieval history. He owns his own marketing company.

World building

Earth is a gritty place with social segregation after a long war with the alien Them and Gavin paints it well even though the story is written in first person. There are flashbacks to the time Jakob Douglas fought in the war that explains a great deal. There is also a lot of discussions that sometimes slows down this otherwise fast paced story but makes it clear to the reader what really is going on.

Plot

The plot is in short that Jakob Douglas is reactivated to hunt down one of Them. Then he discovers that there is more going on than meets the eye and become the hunted himself. He must fight back to stay alive. Which he eventually does after a number of adventures in some spectacular and intriguing places with names like Rigs, Crawling Town and Atlantis.

Characterization

The characters are what I really love with this story. They are gritty and twisted but in a good way. Jakob is no superman he has lots of luggage from the war to carry around but he grows as the story grows. But no one grows more than Morag, first the story play her as an almost insignificant figure which reflects the way Jakob and the others treat her. This is something she resents but it is also her driving force to grow later in the story where she becomes principal.

There are a great many other notable characters both friends and enemies that easily takes up life in the mind of the reader.

The banter and bickering is excellent and that is a huge plus for me.

My view

Veteran is an excellent read, I had trouble putting it down. This is one of the best books I read so far this year. It got mysterious aliens, conspiracies, realistic battle scenes, fast pace, lots of wow moments and wonderful characters. I would say this is a mixture of Heavy Metal, Cyber Punk and Classic SF. It is Military Science Fiction at its best and I would recommend it to a wider audience. I can’t wait for his next book.

Share|

Blood and Iron by Tony Ballantyne (Penrose/Robot wars 2)

Books 1 Response »

Jul 122010

It is a world inhabited by humanoid robots, female and male robots. Baby robots are created when a female robot twists the wire from a male robot into a mind for a newborn and it is inserted into a baby body. The twisting of a mind decides personality, fidelity and talent. Their past is shrouded in legends. But now humans have arrived at Penrose and their motivations isn’t pure. Most robot minds are twisted for ‘what is’ but a few are twisted with the ability to make their own decisions. This is an epic story about the start of a new era where everything shifts for the robots of Penrose.

Title: Blood and Iron
Series: Penrose/Robot wars book 2
Author: Tony Ballantyne
Genre: Science Fiction
Jacket art: Jon Sullivan
Inside Illustrations: Sebastian Winnett
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Tor UK
Copy: Bought by me

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

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…

Information

This is the second book in the series that started with Twisted Metal (review below). The first book explored the origin of the robots on Penrose as well as the City of Artemis’ war of conquest against Turing City and the North.

This story continues the story of Karel a strange robot that survived the conquest of Turing City on his quest to rescue his wife Susan from Artemis City and it also follows the former commander, Kavan of the Artemis Army on his return to the same city. We don’t know much about the second continent Yukawa but here we get to follow Wa-Ka-Mo-Do a newly appointed commander that has to deal with the newly arrived humans.

The book is dedicated to Eric, Chris and Simon
There is a map of the second continent Yukawa in the beginning

The Author

Twisted Metal was the first book I read by Tony Ballantyne and it blew my mind, it was such an original story. He is a British writer that lives in the Manchester area, regularly contributed to magazines such as Interzone and Private Eye before embarking on his first novel/series, Recursion. I haven’t read his first series but I have it on my to-read list.

World Building

This is such an original world populated with humanoid robots and animal robots. The great mystery is how did they come to be? The Book of Robots talk about the Makers and the first robots but it is forbidden in Artemis and Yukawa. Now the humans have arrived, are they really the makers? Filthy animals according to some.

Above their world hangs a metal moon, what is that? And are the humans mining it?

I especially enjoyed the Emperor and the Silent City and their brand of robot society contrasted with Artemis utilitarian world view ‘everything is metal’

Plot

Kavan has succeeded in conquering the north and now he is returning to Artemis City as a hero. But the leaders fear him and they plan treason to stop him, for they have been twisted to love leadership above all. He forms an army and marches against Artemis City picking up knowledge and followers on his way.

Kavan made to follow and believe in one ideology as are all the soldiers of Artemis can be seen as a clever critique of fanaticism as opposed to Karel’s freedom to make up his own mind.

Karel is also on his way to Artemis City to reunite with his wife. He travels in the wake of the Uncertain Army and he explores secrets hidden in the old mountains of the north on his way and he also picks up followers.

Wa-Ka-Mo-Do is in trouble, the humans has been given land and privileges by the emperor but the robots of Yukawa has been made for a society without humans and the tension continues to build. The humans’ motivation is not pure and there are fractions in conflict with each other. He learns more about the mysterious humans and befriends a teenage girl I hope will return next book. There is exploitation and colonialism in the way the humans treat the robots.

I also enjoyed Susan’s exploration of Artemis City while she tries to find her missing friend and escape.

Eventually there is a clash on both continents that will change their world forever.

Characterization

I love the robots, Tony switches point of view and there is no problem understanding or believing their motivation. I am usually not fond of multiple main characters as it dilutes my focus but here it works great for me. The switches back and forth are timely and appropriate to what is happening. You will find that the timelines might not be what you expect but that works well too.

The only one I miss from the first book is Maoco O, the city guard that survived and was about to start a resistance. What happened to him?

My View

Easily one of the best books I read this year if not the best. There is not often you read a truly original story. A world of robots made for how that world is, clashes with new concepts as conflicting human groups lands and starts to take advantage. It is a story about exploitation, colonialism, fanaticism and free will all packed in an epic science fiction saga about robots. I have been fascinated by robots since I read The Caves of Steel. You can read it as a standalone novel but I recommend you read Twisted Metal first. This is one of the books you should read this year.

Related information

My review of Twisted Metal
Tony Ballantyne’s homepage tonyballantyne.com
Blood and Iron was one of my picks for New Science Fiction to Read 2010

Share|

The January Dancer by Michael Flynn (The January Dancer 1)

Books 1 Response »

Jun 142010

I needed something to listen to on my way to work and the January Dancer sounded interesting and I am always willing to try new authors, you might find something you really like. This is what I found.

“The January Dancer tells the fateful story of an ancient pre-human artifact of great power and the people who pursue it. Starting with Captain Amos January, who quickly loses it, and then the others who fight, scheme, and kill to get it, we travel around the complex, decadent, brawling, mongrelized interstellar human civilization it might save or destroy. Collectors want the Dancer; pirates take it; rulers crave it; and they’ll all kill if necessary to get it.” This is a story of love, revolution, music, and mystery, and it ends, as all great stories do, with shock and a beginning.

Information

I listened to the audio book version and I connected with that voice from the very beginning. It was a good choice with the right accent and dynamic enough for the other voices in the story.

In the best Gaelic tradition a beautiful redhead Harper walks into a bar looking for a man who can tell the tale of the January Dancer so she can make sweet music of it. She finds ‘the Scared man’ and he tells her the Tale of The January Dancer.

I feel that listening to this instead of reading it added extra realism in the storytelling, I could feel myself sitting in that dark alcove listening to the scared mans masterful word weaving as he dealt out piece by piece to keep the suspense high.

I would have gladly brought him all the uisce beatha he could drink to get him to finish his story.

World building

The story of the January Dancer takes place in a future world were humanity is spread among the stars along the highways of space. Known space is divided by a rift that may have been created in a war or a cataclysmic event. Much of history and science is lost in legends. Legend has it that the Rift was created in a cataclysmic war that shattered the Commonwealth of Suns, devastated Terra and plunged everyone into ‘the sundering’ when dark ages ruled and many worlds lost contact with mainstream humanity.

The side of the Rift centered on Terra consists of The Confederation of Central Worlds under the dictatorship of ‘Those of Names’. Flynn has his way with names.

The other side is occupied by the United League of the Periphery a more loose association of worlds under Ardry of High Tara. The ULP is kept together by highly trained agents called ‘hounds’ or ‘pups’.

Technology is not very well understood by most, many legends claim that it was more advanced ‘before’. They can still manage interstellar travel along the high roads where space travels faster than light. The roads have named like ‘Route 66′ and ‘the Silk Road’.

The world just is, I am there. Michael Flynn is a master world weaver I can never do his intricate weave justice with my scribblings.

Plot

One side of the plot is the scared man and the Harper but they tell a story some twenty years before.

A motley crew under Captain January finds an alien artifact (The January Dancer, named after the Captain) on a desert planet when they stop for repairs. This sets off a series of events where different actors across the spiral arm try to gain control over it. An ancient legend of an object of power a Twister is involved. The story focuses on a group that seems to get together by chance; it consists of the Fudir, an opportunistic criminal from Jehovah, Hugh a guerrilla leader and once planet manager of the first planet where the Dancer changed hands and two kennel agents Greystroke and Bridget ban. They eventually track down the Dancer and confront its power.

Characterization

The Fudir is my favorite character but they are all great. The voices on the audio were superb and the way they are described really makes them come alive. It feels like the scared man has meet each and every one of the characters and he tells their story like you would tell your best friend.

The way it is done is perfect for the story and the way it is told. But I as an outside reader gets so curious about those characters that I want to know more! Some of the characters like the Fudir and Hugh you get to know a little more about.

My View

I am in awe with this book, the combination of wonderful prose and just the right narrator meshed perfectly. Its only drawback is that it is too short. I am not sure the story telling technique will fit everyone but I would recommend that you give the audio version a try. The January Dancer is space opera wrapped in a Gaelic saga served by a Harper and a scarred man. I am already on the sequel Up Jim River.

Share|

Stargate Universe – Incursion – Season Finale

TV Series 4 Responses »

Jun 122010

I elected to combine the two part season finale to one review. This Review contains spoilers.

Plot

The Lucian Alliance tries to take control of Destiny, but they too are cut off from home as the Icarus planet they dialed from exploded.

Colonel Telford, free of the mind control is undercover with the Lucians when they board the ship so Young doesn’t open the gate room to space as he intended, instead giving the Lucians a foothold. The Lucians occupies the gate room and takes some of Destiny’s crew hostage among them TJ.

There is something off with one of the members of Kiva’s party, he was friendly with Rush in a peculiar way while back at the Icarus planet. What is his story? Who does he work for?

Destiny dropped out of FTL when dialed but the counter to the next jump has not started. Why?

Something weird is happening with the ship. One of the Lucian soldiers is disintegrated by a strange light coming from outside the ship. I first thought it could be the advanced aliens from that constructed solar system who caught up with Destiny. Then we learn that on top of the invasion the ship dropped out of FTL next to a binary system orbiting a black hole. It is what has been happening to the ship, every time the sun rotates around the black hole a burst of gamma radiation hits the Destiny and it has to boost its shield every time. Now the shields are about to fail. Rush and the science team comes up with a solution but someone has to go outside to fix it but to get outside they have to use an exit Kiva controls. She blackmails them into turning over control of the ship to her before allowing it. Telford comes up with a plan where he would turn control back to Rush who will hide from capture. Unfortunately Kiva walks in on him when he is about to and they both shoot each other. Kiva is alive but unconscious while Telford to all appearance is dead.

Eli and Chloe hide and end up in an unexplored part of the ship. Since Colonel Young shut down life support in all unused parts of the ship in preparation for the attack they struggle to survive. After the prisoner exchange they discover that Eli and Chloe are missing but they don’t start looking for them. Eli finds a console and has to leave Chloe to rush to save Scott and Greer who are trapped outside.

In the final minutes a firefight breaks out in the infirmary and TJ is hit, Chloe looses consciousness, Young and his men are separated from the civilians and are about to be executed, Scott and Greer are still trapped outside. Talk about cliffhanger!

We also have the mystery of the disappeared ancient-chair man. Where is he?

Characterization

Rush – I like the way he starts to make sense and I can understand some of his motivations and I am starting to love his character and the dynamics in the conflict between him and Young – For the sake of the crew – they both agree to get along. I would love to see Rush alien knowledge start to surface (he was captive to those aliens far longer than Chloe).

Wrang – I still think she is a Lucian spy. Unless she is or she is some other kind of undercover her behavior doesn’t make much sense. I don’t like her character much because I can’t understand how she could possibly act the way she does, it only makes her disruptive without making sense, yet.

Young – Is one of my favorite characters on SGU. He is a leader put in a hot spot he never expected, he struggles with personal demons, he fails to deal with his personal life and it all makes him more human, more of a realistic leader than many seen on TV. He makes though choices and sometimes he is wrong but he always tries to do the right thing.

Chloe – I think she has been treated unfair by many fans, the writers have treated this character all kind of clueless which I haven’t enjoyed much. I enjoyed the lost in that spider labyrinth part where she started to show alien knowledge, give more of that.

Eli – Has been under utilized in my opinion. I like the character and I like the way he doesn’t go around pining for Chloe, much. But lets bring forward his mystery solving skills, let him explore the ship. I still cant forget the scene when they recruited him, beamed him up to orbit and his amazement, bring that back if you can.

Scott – I don’t like because I want to see Chloe with Eli and he seems to be some sort of player. Besides that I do like his character, the young buck still deciding on who he wants to be or become.

TJ – She is one of the characters that really bounded with. She can be terrible frustrating to watch at times but it all makes sense and is relevant to the place her character is. She is well written and well played. I for one would like her to have her baby. It would be inconvenient but so is life. I am pretty sure the baby is dead though, look at the blood on her belly.

Greer – I like him but his character is starting to be borderline stereotypical, they played the angry black man card a little to often lately, he must be more than that. The tension between Greer and Wrang is interesting, I just hope they don’t make her forget her sexual orientation. Greer’s talk with Scott was true Master Sergeant, keep the young ones on track.

Kiva – I love her, please, please let her stay for next season. She is feisty and driven by righteous fury that Earth has taken all this knowledge for itself. I have seen her in other roles before and she got a very sublime touch to all her roles and she is one of the hottest women I have seen on TV. I guess we will see more of her second in command next season, but I hope Kiva makes it.

My Conclusions

I started writing these before I saw part 2 so they reflect the whole season too. I am a character person, having characters that I like and can root for is important for me to enjoy watching. But characters aren’t everything there must be a plot that takes us somewhere, that has a beginning, a middle and an end. This season and the finale have both.

The three last episodes have been a frantic ride. New really interesting characters have been added to the mix. This whole season has been really clever, SGU is intelligent Science Fiction just the way I like it. Awesome season finale.

I am not really surprised that SGU ended with a cliffhanger, I am just surprised over the extent of it, and everything is up in the air more or less. At least we don’t have to wait six months for it to return (I hope). Until we meet again watch the promo for season 2.

Who Will Survive – Stargate Universe Season 2 Video

Bonus pictures

Share|

Line War by Neal Asher (Agent Cormac 5)

Books No Responses »

Jun 062010

The Polity is under attack from the renegade AI Orbus but the plan seems uncoordinated and random. What is the real plan? Polity agent Ian Cormac has to put all the pieces together in this concluding volume of the Cormac Saga. Here is my view.

Title: Line War
Series: Agent Cormac 5
Author: Neal Asher
Paperback: 496 pages
Genre: Space Opera | Military Science Fiction
Publisher: Tor 2008
Order by: Tor | Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok | tbd

The Polity is under attack from a ‘melded’ AI entity with control of the lethal Jain technology, yet the attack seems to have no coherence. When one of Erebus’ worm ships kills millions on the world of Klurhammon, a high-tech agricultural world of no real tactical significance, agent Ian Cormac is sent to investigate, though he is secretly struggling to control a new ability no human being should possess…and beginning to question the motives of his AI masters.

Further attacks and seemingly indiscriminate slaughter ensue, but only serve to bring some of the most dangerous individuals in the Polity into the war. Mr Crane, the indefatigable brass killing machine sets out for vengeance, while Orlandine, a vastly-augmented haiman who herself controls Jain technology, seeks a weapon of appalling power and finds allies from an ancient war. Meanwhile Mika, scientist and Dragon expert, is again kidnapped by that unfathomable alien entity and dragged into the heart of things: to wake the makers of Jain technology from their five-million-year slumber.

But Erebus’ attacks are not so indiscriminate, after all, and could very well herald the end of the Polity itself…