Stealing Light (Shaol sequence 1) by Gary Gibson

Jul 222010

Title: Stealing Light
Series: Shaol Sequence book 1
Author: Gary Gibson
Genre: Space Opera
Cover Art: Lee Gibbons
Paperback: 601 pages
Publisher: Tor UK 2007

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

In the 25th century, only the Shaol possess the secret of faster-than-light travel (FTL), thus exerting an economic stranglehold on all interstellar travel. For a century and a half, mankind has operated within their influence, till now there are at least a dozen human colony worlds scattered along Shaol trade routes.

Dakota Merrick, while serving as a military pilot, has witnessed atrocities for which this alien race is responsible. Now piloting a civilian cargo ship, she is currently ferrying an exploration team to a star system containing a derelict starship. From its wreckage, her passengers hope to salvage a functioning FTL drive of mysteriously non-Shaol origin. But the Shaol are not yet ready to relinquish their monopoly of a technology they acquired through ancient genocide.

Information

The online description of this paperback lists 400 pages but my book has 601 (Tor UK has 592), but I believe my own eyes the first page with story is page 3 and last page is 603.

This is a story about taking responsibility. The main character is Dakota and followed by Corso and the main antagonists are the Shaol Trader-In-Faecal-Matter-Of-Animals and the human crime boss Bourdain.

Dakota is a machine head, her brain is wired with enhancements once used by the military but outlawed since the Port Gabriel Massacre where enemies took control over the enhanced soldiers and killed off a whole town of Freeholders. Her dark secret is that she was victim to that mind control.

Corso is a Freeholder expert in ancient protocols blackmailed to hack into the ship they found while Dakota is the designated pilot.

The Author

Gary Gibson is a new acquaintance. According to Tor UK he is a graphic designer, previously magazine editor, in his home city of Glasgow. He has been writing since the age of fourteen.

World building

Humanity is forbidden knowledge of FTL travel or even attempting to get it or face boycott by the Shaol but the Shaol themselves hides a secret that starts to come to light when light from multiple Nova’s in the Magellanic Clouds reach our part of the galaxy.

Humanity is not united; it consists of different fractions that often fight each other. The Consortium dominates but wars are still fought on some worlds. Principal in this story is Freehold who fights a war against the Uchidan but are losing ground so in a desperate attempt to turn the tides they go after FTL travel.

The world building is quite extensive and includes some surprising twists. The underlying threat is intriguing and it is with anticipation I read the next books in the trilogy.

Plot

Trader is always there when something happens, he tries to steer events to the most favorable outcome for the Shaol.

Dakota is hired to bring a secret cargo to Boudain’s asteroid but she is betrayed and in that confusion the astroid is destroyed making her even more a fugitive than before. Boudain and his scary bodyguard go after her bent on revenge. That is about the time she gets an offer to pilot a Freehold frigate to the derelict starship. She doesn’t have much choice in the matter; she got to take the job.

Here is where the real action starts with the hardcore Freehold investors on one side and Dakota and Corso on the other side. But the thing is that they find so much more than an FTL drive and someone has to take responsibility to what is going to happen with that new knowledge.

Characterization

Again a story with wonderful characters. I am on a roll when it comes to new authors. Dakota is a complex character with lots of luggage and she makes many mistakes and she is not always in full control of events but she is still endearing. Corso grew up in a society where might is right, where the only way to become a full citizen is to kill but yet he manages to keep his humanity and grows as the story unfolds. I especially like Dakota’s ship. I have a thing for sentient ships with an attitude since Mutineers’ Moon.

My view

Stealing Light is a fast paced space opera about ancient alien secrets and a great start of a series. I read it in two days; it was pretty exciting to read. It’s the kind of story I like with strong characters and a mysterious past to decipher. The only thing missing is a love story. I sincerely recommend the whole series as a good example of modern science fiction.

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Shadow of The Scorpion by Neal Asher (A Cormac Novel)

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May 312010

This is the prequel to Neal Asher’s Agent Cormac series and it covers Cormac’s early years and the first missions that formed the basis of the man he later became.

[blurb] Raised to adulthood during the end of the war between the human Polity and the vicious arthropoid race, the Prador, Ian Cormac is haunted by childhood memories of a sinister scorpion-shaped war drone and the burden of losses he doesn’t remember.

In the years following the war he signs up with Earth Central Security, and is sent out to help either restore and simply maintain order on worlds devastated by Prador bombardment.

There he discovers that though the old enemy remain as murderous as ever, they are not anywhere near as perfidious or dangerous as some of his fellow humans, some of them closer to him than he would like …

Information

The book is dedicated to the Island of Crete, because the scorpions are small there which doesn’t fit the one in the book, but then he is not on Crete either.

The protagonist is Ian Cormac the young boy and Cormac the soldier in training. The book starts with a flashback to young Ian alone with his mother in the desert. That’s where he sees the scorpion-shaped old war drone for the first time. The story focuses mainly on a selection of mission made by young Cormac with flashbacks to his youth.

The Author

Neal Asher is a British science fiction author living in Essex. I am most familiar with and love the now six Agent Cormac novels in the Polity universe. He has also written the Splatterjay Trilogy and a number of standalone novels and short stories in the same universe that I am keen on reading (expected summer reading 2010).

World building

The world Neal Asher paints is the Polity where humanity has spread hundreds of light years ruled by benign artificial intelligences (AIs). Instead of evolving into something in-comprehensive by humans the AI:s choose to stay with their creators. There are some post human features in there mind-upload into golem bodies, nano technology, body enhancments, computer-brain interfaces, sentient spaceships and much much more.

One thing that sets Neal Asher apart from the usual Space Opera is the complex and well thought out future society he created. It is complex and believable.

The Plot

Young Cormac has to find his way as a soldier on the war thorn planet Hagren where he first experience the Separatists as they tries to sneak into the crashed Prador warship to steal warheads. Faced with both the Separatists and surviving Prador crew Cormac has to make some hard decisions and learn just how far he is prepared to go. Fighting your own people is not what he expected.

The big mystery is the war drone, where is it from, what do it want?

Characterization

The other thing that sets Neal apart is the characterization. Neal is a wizard with characters, a new character comes to life in a few paragraphs and they all makes sense and add their part to the story.

The main character Ian Cormac, or Cormac as he prefers is easy to love, but he is a complex character with many dimensions. He deeply contemplates the choices he makes and feels bad about the hard ones he has to make but he comes through with determination and adaptability. He and the other characters grow and take on new roles.

The questions the characters ponder are also high quality. In this novel Neal ponders moral questions about being a parent and protecting your child as well as many of the questions a soldier has to ask himself when he stands against his own. Many of those questions are current today, the technologies exist today but they are used on soldiers returning from war and they are just as controversial now.

My View

The Shadow of the Scorpion is an excellent introduction to Agent Cormac and the Polity universe. It takes on some deeply moral issues as well as being a fast paced science fiction story with aliens, rebels and sentient war machines. It works as a standalone novel and gives great background if you are already into the Cormac series.

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The Orphaned Worlds by Michael Cobley

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May 202010

The first book was excellent mind blowing space opera with ancient secrets, a multitude of alien races, a living planet and three lost tribes of humanity so it was with anticipation I opened The Orphaned Worlds. Here is what I found.

Title: The Orphaned Worlds
Series: Humanity’s Fire 2
Author: Michael Cobley
Genre: Space Opera
Cover art : Steve Stone
Design: Peter Cotton
Publisher: Orbit 2010
Order: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

Darien is no longer a lost outpost of humanity, but the prize in an intergalactic power struggle. Hegemony forces have a stranglehold over the planet and crack troops patrol its hotspots while Earth watches, passive, rendered impotent by galactic politics. But its Darien ambassador will soon become a player in a greater conflict. There is more at stake than a turf war on a newly discovered world.

An ancient Uvovo temple hides access to a hyperspace prison, housing the greatest threat sentient life has ever known. Millennia ago, malignant intelligences were caged there following an apocalyptic war. And their servants work on their release.

However, Darien’s guardians have not been idle, gathering resistance on the planet’s forest moon. Knowledge has been lost since great races battled in eons past, and now time is short. The galaxy will depend on the Uvovo reclaiming their past – and humanity must look to its future. For a new war is coming.

The Author

Michael Cobley is a new author for me; the first thing I read was Seeds of Earth in September last year but it impressed the hell out of me.

Information

The cover is of burning space ships that are leaving a planet’s night side. They leave paths of burning gas and dirt-brown clouds behind them. They are appropriate to the content. The first part had a cover of a blue planet with spaceships in front of it; this planet is shaded by night and looks brown and lifeless wonder what book three will hold?

The book is dedicated to David Wingrove author of Chung Ho and co-author of the three Myst novels. He is a friend of the author.

In the beginning there is a list of the Main Characters that is an important list good to have to handle the many characters in this book. It is followed by a list of the Main Sentient Species in Humanity’s Fire, there are 18 different main races in this story.

Background

Way back in ancient times there was a cataclysmic war with a race from another universe. That race was imprisoned in the Warp Well on Darien but they left allies behind.
In this universe three colony ships where sent out from Earth, one of them ended up in the Hegemony where they become the commando soldiers and body guards of that techno-dictatorship, but their loyalty is built on a lie. The second ship ended up on a mining planet where they are kept as indentured laborer. The third ship landed on Darien, the final battle ground of that ancient war. Darien used to be a living world, a sentient world but it was deeply wounded in the war and has slowly been growing back. It became a new battleground when the legendary Warp Well was discovered there.

Worldbuilding

The worldbuilding is extensive in this series, Michael Cobley have created believable alien cultures, each are not described in detail but instead they are exemplified by the characters that represent them. There are 18 major races and numerous minor ones. Sometimes I wish the list at the beginning was a bit more extensive.

Plot

The human and Uvovo underground fight the Hegemon occupation of Darien, but other players involve themselves too. Especially Legion a technology construct that fight to free the prisoners of the Well and the Construct that strive behind the scene to gather allies to fight back. One novel and entertaining part of the story takes place inside hyperspace where ancient races live on in tiers.

Humanity fights its own fight to unite again, to free the indentured and liberate the minds of the other colony. Not much is known about the fate of Earth but it is believed lost to the Hegemony.

There are some ‘improbable’ plot twists but what do you expect from Space Opera?

Characterization

This is very much a character driven novel with an important plot. Michael’s Characters be they friend or foe are complex full entities with understandable motivation. Many of the characters makes an inner journey of self discovery as they discover the realities behind the façade of the world they live in.
Each chapter is named after the character whose point of view it presents. There are many different main characters here but to my relief their stories start to converge and merge. The first book was worse in that respect. But it works great

My View

The Orphaned Worlds is a well written, fast paced and coherent multi character novel that I enjoyed to read and had trouble to put down. The pace picks up and the novel ends in a cliffhanger. The players have been presented and the board is laid out for The Ascendant Stars in 2011. You should read Seeds of Earth before this one.

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Strength and Honor by R. M. Meluch (Tour of the Merrimack 4)

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May 192010

This is so far the last book in the Merrimack series so it was with anticipation and expectations of another good romp with the sneaky, steamy, violent and competent crew of the Merrimack and their reluctant Roman allies. And Rebeca didn’t disappoint me.

Title: Strength and Honor
Series: Tour of the Merrimack 4
Author: R. M. Meluch
Cover art: Stephan Martiniere
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: DAW 2008
Order: DAW | Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

Earth’s space forces, spearheaded by the United States, had long been at war with the forces of the Palatine Empire, a neo-Roman culture that broke away from Earth’s control long ago. But when the alien life-form known as the Hive – a biological force whose only imperative was: seek and devoure – began wreaking destruction across the galaxy, the Romans were forced to turn to Earth for help. Ceasar Magnus surrendered to Captain John Farragut – commander of the pride of the U.S. space fleet, the battle class starship, the U.S.S. Merrimack – and the period known as the Subjugation begun.

Ever since the surrender, an uneasy peace and alliance had been in force, as all humanity and their alien allies joined to battle the Hive.

When the threat of the Hive seemed to have been neutralized, John Ferragut was summoned to Caesar Magnus’ fortress to be honored. But instead, Caesar Magnus was assassinated, and Farragut and the Merrimack were lucky to escape from what could have proved a deadly trap.

Now Magnus’ son Romulus has taken control of the Palantine Empire and has had himself proclaimed Caesar, and Captain Farragut and the Merrimack are about to face their greatest challenge ever.

The forced alliance between the interplanetary Empire of Rome and the United States-led Earth forces is shattered as Caesar Romulus declares war, striking at the U.S. Deep Space base, and then following up with a direct attack against Earth. Merrimack has no choice but to retaliate with an assault on the Roman capital world of Palantine. In the midst of this chaos, the Hive renews its invasion. And even if John Farragut and his crew can survive all of this, the rogue Roman patterner Augustus – who has long been assigned to his own mission aboard Merrimack – flees the ship when war is declared, and no one knows whether he is only biding his time, waiting to meet Ferragut in a final deadly showdown.

The Author

R. M. Meluch has been publishing science fiction for thirty years. She holds degrees in communications and classical civilization, and dabbles in speaking in various languages, including Greek and Latin. At one point she traveled through Greece, Israel, and Egypt on the track of Alexander the Great. Meluch also holds a second-degree black belt in taekwondo and “plays” with electricity. She resides in Medina, Ohio, with her husband, Jim Witkowski, and their ferrets, fish, alpacas, and a Doberman.

Ms. Meluch has deep and abiding interests in Roman history, airplanes, flying, and World War II. She has stated that she is interested in good characters on the wrong side in wars or conflicts.

Background

The Roman Empire never died, it just went underground. Have you ever wondered why most scientists or intellectuals speak Latin? They are part of a secret society that eventually will break loose from earth civilization and start their own Palantire Empire. A long war commence between Palantire and Earth.

Then they meet a new threat a race of hungry space faring insects that eats everything biological that comes their way. The Hive onslaught forces the old enemies to an uneasy peace to fight the new threat.

Now they believe the threat from the Hive over.

Worldbuilding

The neo-Roman culture flesh out quite well in the story but is a bit stereotypical at times. I like the way we get to see more of old earth’s political mesh up and that it still is divided into countries with different cultures and agendas.

Plot

Caesar is dead and his son Romulus seems determined to start the war with Earth all over again. Captain Ferragut and Roman patterner Augustus suddenly end up on different sides in the conflict and both have orders to eliminate the other if war is declared. But Augustus have another agenda.

Then the Hive starts stirring in unsuspected places.

War is a risky business which some of the Marines experience first hand in and out of enemy hands. Life is just a circus sometimes.

Some of the twists and last minute saves might be a little bit unlikely but, this is Space Opera, what do you expect?

Characterization

Rebeca has a delightful and endearing ability to create lovable and colorful characters like Captain Farragut and his Roman liaison Augustus. Dialog is also one of her strengths.

The Roman Caligula twist is excellent and there is one or two steamy relationships stories in there too.

My View

In this story revenge is the new black. Characterization is an important part of my enjoyment when I read, and I am very happy that I found Rebeca M. Meluch (I hate that female writers have to hide their sex to sell more books) that write characters I can love and root for. Strength and Honor is a healthy mix of military action, mystery, humor and sex. It was a fast and fun read. I can warmly recommend this book and this series to any lover of military science fiction with strong characters.

Extra

Read excerpt

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SGU 1.16 – Sabotage

TV Series No Responses »

May 112010

Chloe, Mathew and Eli is left behind when Destiny starts to cross the void between galaxies.

Young is not a happy commander, he has to reinstall rationing and abandon all hope to rescue the ones left behind, deal with personal failure and T.J’s pregnancy. You feel his emotional pain as he watches himself in the mirror, deciding not to shave before facing the crew. He isn’t forgiving himself it seems.

Rush discovers that they all are going to die of old age before reaching the next galaxy, Destiny have been trying to conserve energy for a reason. The jump will be five percent short, leaving Destiny to drift powerless for thousands of years before it reaches their destination. Their bones will be dust long before that, he state.

Amanda Perry is the only one able to help them repair the ship in time according to Rush, but she is paralyzed from the neck down. She also has a history with Rush. Lt James is the first one to use the much hated stones but she can’t stand it. Camile Wray takes her place.

Camile wants to go home. Her girlfriend is creped out you can tell, imagine someone else with the mind of your loved one. I am not sure I would have kissed them.

Rush and Amanda walk around the ship like two starstruck teenagers. I can understand Amanda’s delight in being able to move and eat by herself for the first time since she was nine. Rush clearly has feelings for this woman.

An explosion shakes the ship out of FTL, one of the drives is damaged. The transit disturbs the mind stone connection and Lt James experience short time memory loss. Considering what happens later I wonder if the aliens somehow spoofed the stones signal here? Staying connected to the mind of Lt James without her knowing it? They where able to intercept a stone transmission before. Lt James dream about being locked in a dark room, so she don’t sleep much. Could this be something going back to the attack on the gate planet?

Franklin, the guy who became comatose after using the command chair where also affected by the transit. He seems almost lucid now.

They get the scare of their life when someone dial in on the Stargate, but it’s just Eli, Chloe and Mathew coming back. That was an anticlimax. No expansion on their experience on the planet? They discover aliens on the planet they just left when they dial back. Is it only me that find that suspicious? At least they arrived after the explosion.

They seems keen of doing a rock video kind of sequence in every episode now? food stinks, people shave, run and make moonshine and drink.

The robot is a bit of a disappointment, it repairs the engine and bypass the damage.

Of course Amanda tries to sleep with Rush before she leaves. What is it with these body switchers? It creeps me out that they feel free to use the bodies they borrow to sleep around. Luckily TJ walked in on them.

The explosion in the engine was probably a sabotage by the aliens to disable the ship and signal their position to them. Or is Rush mind affected? Chloe seems to have memories from her short imprisonment in the aliens mind reading machine. Rush was there much longer.

The Aliens reappears and commence to attack Destiny. Young write his will and prepare to sit in the command chair when Franklin speaks and asks to sit in the chair, strapped in he tells the others to go and a mist starts to fill the chair and they jump to FTL at the last minute.

Amanda says an emotional goodbye to Rush before leaving. Young and James open the command chamber only to find the chair empty. Where is Franklin?

Sabotage was a good episode, it would have been great but for the abrupt ending of the two episode left-behind arc, that felt just wrong, it might have it’s explanation in later episodes but here it felt too simple. I have all respect for the writers, but why didn’t they expand on the stranded people, cancel the cripple and put Amanda Tapping on?

So what’s next? A total reset as they leave that galaxy behind? Next episode is called Pain and is about something they brought along from the last planet.

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Snippet 37 for Mission of Honor by David Weber (Honor Harrington 12)

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May 072010

MoH-snippet 36: Chapter 10: Rear Admiral Michael Oversteege goats Vice Admiral Gloria Michelle Samantha Evelyn Henke, Countess Gold Peak as she is planing a particularly sneaky war game.

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