Category: Reviewed

Polished Performance — Alastair Reynolds

By 5t4n5

Polished Performance -- Alastair ReynoldsAvailable in Made to Order: Robots and Revolution — Anthology.

A really good story set aboard a sleeper ship that is flown and managed by robots while all the wealthy humans sleep the long cold sleep.

But something goes wrong with the cooling system for the sleepers and the robots become worried that they’ll be core wiped to cover up the mess when they get to their destination.   Thus begins the cunning plans of the robots to avoid annihilation.

Next up in Alastair’s literary journey is Plague Music, which is actually a Revelation Space story set in Chasm City.

Bye for now.

Alastair’s Page

#scifi #alastairreynolds

What Lot’s Wife Saw — Ioanna Bourazopoulou

By 5t4n5

What Lot's Wife Saw -- Ioanna BourazopoulouI read this soooo many years ago and decided to put it away for a few years before reading it again.   But the years came and went and finally i jumped in and did it.

And yes, i enjoyed it totally again.

It’s a rather strange book dealing with authoritarian rulers and their lackeys, but what happens if the lackeys decide to do something unexpected?

Set in a colony on where the Dead Sea used to be before it overflowed and flooded all the Mediterranean’s surrounding countries.   The colony now mines the special, addictive, purple salt that was sealed down beneath the ground and sells it to the rest of the world.

The authoritarian 75, based in Paris, own the colony and have a global monopoly on the salt it produces.   They have sealed it off from the outside world and only keep in contact with the governor via a green box delivered by a special ship. the governor, in turn, instructs his 6 lackeys to do his bidding.

And then, one night, things all change.   The governor’s 6 lackeys send 6 letters to the 75 explaining what happened and they in turn bring in Phileas Book, a constructor of strange crosswords for The Times to decipher the chaotic letters and to work out what the truth is and what really happened in the colony.

It’s a really strange story and quite unlike anything else i’ve read, but it is totally enjoyable and has a great ending.

Bye for now.

Ioanna’s Page

#fantasy #ioannabourazopoulou

Quicksand — Junichiro Tanizaki

By 5t4n5

Quicksand -- Junichiro TanizakiThis is written by the author as though a desperate housewife is telling him personally about her affairs and marriage problems.

I gave up about a third of the way in, i couldn’t take it any more.

If you’re the kind of person that likes reading about chaos in other people’s relationships then it might just suit you, but that’s not my thing at all.

Awful main character.

Bye for now.

Junichiro’s Page

#5t4n5 #japan #junichirotanizaki

Before Your Memory Fades — Toshikazu Kawaguchi

By 5t4n5

Before Your Memory Fades -- Toshikazu KawaguchiThe third book in the Before The Coffee Gets Cold series, and what a great book.

If you haven’t read any of this series yet then i really, whole heartedly, suggest you get back to the beginning and give them a go.   The time-travelling-chair-in-a-cafe really is such a great story telling device, especially with the rules that come along with it.

And it’s in those rules that the stories shine.   The main one being that you cannot change anything in the present by going back to the past.   This rule really does sort the wheat from the chaff and creates stories that are deep and meaningful for all of us.

This third book takes us away from the first cafe to another cafe in Japan with it’s own chair and ghost.   The owner has gone away so some of the crew from Tokyo have taken over because only a female over the age of 7 years, from their family, can pour the coffee.

A lot of this book is about death, and how we all deal with the death of a loved one, and the ending is incredible: Toshikazu really nailed the ending, it’s so perfect and so moving.   It’s not often that my eyes get soggy at the end of a book, but this one did it perfectly.   While the whole book is really good, it’s only when you get to the ending that you realise that it’s all been about building up the ending, where Toshikazu brings everything to a perfectly sharp focus.

And don’t forget, the next book in the series, Before We Say Goodbye, is coming out in September 2023, so be sure to put that in your diary.

Bye for now.

Toshikazu’s Page

#scifi #japan #toshikazukawaguchi

The Midnight Library — Matt Haig

By 5t4n5

The Midnight Library -- Matt HaigA bit of a strange book.   I like the idea of being stuck in limbo, just on the edge of death, and going through all your regrets and considering what you could have done differently; how it might have all worked out if only you’d gone for that cup of coffee, or hadn’t quit the band, etc..   But what i don’t like at all is why it had to be dumped into the parallel/multiple universe twaddle.   Parallel/multiple universe twaddle is just twaddle and it really doesn’t need promoting.

Scientists who bang on about god being nonsense who then claim that every time we make a decision a whole new universe if formed are obviously more deluded that people who believe in god – and that’s pretty deluded.

Schroedinger’s cat is not neither alive nor dead, it’s not stuck in a quantum state in between.   It’s either dead or alive, one or the other, you can’t have both.   Locking it in a toxic box and pretending that it’s neither of either until you open the box is just the most ridiculous thing to come out of science.   Yes, if a tree falls in the woods and you don’t hear it does still make a rather big noise, ask the fox.

That said, if you just read the book as about someone stuck in limbo, in that timeless moment just before death, then it’s a really good book.   It just doesn’t need the twaddle.

Bye for now.

Matt’s Page

#fantasy #matthaig

Born to Run — Christopher McDougall

By 5t4n5

Born to Run -- Christopher McDougallAs a bare foot runner myself i’ve been meaning to read this book for a very long time, but it just kept on sitting in my to-read pile always being overlooked for some exciting fiction to read instead.   But now, finally, i dived in and got it read.

And it’s really good.   Christopher has a way of writing that is just captivating and really takes the reader into the depths of the Copper Canyons to meet the Tarahumara and to experience a world that was left behind a long time ago.

To be able to look back in time in this way with the Tarahumara and to see just what super healthy, wonderful, running machines, Natural humans truly are when they’re not pampered by modern appliances and poisoned by modern diets.

This book is a must for anyone who runs, especially for anyone who is even thinking about taking up running, and also for anyone remotely interested in Human evolution and what makes a Homo sapien so special amongst all other animals.

So if you haven’t read it yet, just do so.   It’s wonderfully written and a super page turning read meeting some really interesting characters (all true life characters) along the way.   It’s not only a great read but a great journey.

And, having enjoyed his writing soooo much, i’m now very much looking forward to reading Christopher’s other books.

Bye for now.

Christopher’s Page

#gettingfitter #roads #transport #fitness #health #running #christophermcdougall

Shadow Captain — Alastair Reynolds

By 5t4n5

Shadow Captain -- Alastair ReynoldsI tried, i really did, but i just can’t take any more and i’ve given up on this stupid trilogy.   It’s all too much young adult for me and, worse than that, it’s not even very good young adult.   It’s just totally unbelievable nonsense.

A child is playing silly games with grown ups, the grown ups know the child is playing silly games with them but they keep letting the child have its way even though the child is probably going to get them killed.   Yeah, right!

Alastair should stick with what he does best, sci-fi for intelligent grown ups.

So, unfortunately, my quest to read everything by Alastair Reynolds has come to an end.   I’m not reading the rest of this trilogy unless someone pays me £1000.

So, skipping ahead, the next book in Alastair’s literary arsenal is Permafrost.   Let’s hope he’s back to normal and it’s as good as his usual stuff.

Bye for now.

Alastair’s Page

#scifi #alastairreynolds

The Molecule of More — Daniel Z. Lieberman and Michael E. Long

By 5t4n5

A rather interesting book all about dopamine, and how it controls us and shapes our world.

Me thinks everyone should read all the books they can about neurotransmitters, this being a fairly good one.

The annoying thing to me is that while there’s quite a lot of discussion on how our genetics affect out dopamine levels and responses, there is a complete lack of discussion on epigenetics, as though they have no influence whatsoever.   There’s also a complete lack on how diet and lifestyle affects dopamine and other neurotransmitters.   So while this is a fairly good look at dopamine in general, i wouldn’t take it all at face value because there’s simply too much left out, IMHO.

But lots of people just want to blame the genes they were given and take the “It’s not my fault” path, so maybe this book is written for them.

Bye for now.

Daniel’s Page Michael’s Page

#5t4n5 #danielzlieberman #michaelelong

Revenger — Alastair Reynolds

By 5t4n5

Revenger -- Alastair ReynoldsNot the greatest story Alastair has ever told.   It’s all very young adult-ish stuff, and it’s really not anything like what i love about Alastair’s usual sci-fi.

But, i suppose, every writer may wish to have a try at some YA stuff occasionally.   I just really hope that Alastair doesn’t ever do it again, thank you.

I mean, let’s be serious, a child who isn’t even old enough to leave home, escapes and takes on the system’s most feared and devastating pirate?   Really?   And adults just fall over themselves to do her bidding?

But, as i’m committed to reading the whole of Alastair’s writings, i must continue with this farcical trilogy and see where it leads.

So next up it will be Shadow Captain.

Bye for now.

Alastair’s Page

#scifi #alastairreynolds