Genre: Science Fiction
Setting New York, 2060 AD
First Sentence: Sweat is pouring down his face and pricking his eyes, as he rounds the corner at 7th Avenue and immediately collides with a middle-aged woman's shoulder.
I downloaded this book for free on my Kindle. I was intrigued by the concept of a science fiction - noir mix. What I read was the first 6 chapters of an unfinished novel.
Interestingly, the story is written in third person present point of view. This makes for some oddly worded sentences.
Because this story is so short, there is little character development. I did not understand the main characters' motivations.
For me, this book turned into a little sci-fi spacer between historical fiction novels.
2060: On the Run
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Thursday, February 21, 2013
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Dreamland by Kevin Baker
Genre: Historical Fiction
Setting: New York, 1910
First Sentence: I know a story.
In this novel, Kevin Baker transports the reader to the New York of 1910. Baker weaves several plot lines together to create a complex tapestry depicting life in that era.
Tammany Hall controls the city. Even the mayor is a puppet for corrupt politicians. Factory workers put in long hours in squalid sweatshops for low pay. Gangsters and criminals roam the city looking for easy prey. Homeless children sleep in alleyways. Prostitutes, con men and corrupt policemen are everywhere. As one character in the novel says, "Everyone has a racket in this town."
Baker contrasts the struggle of life in the city with the fantasy world of the Coney Island amusement parks. He describes how each summer the people of the city come to shrug off their cares and embrace the hedonistic pleasures of the parks.
To tell his story, Baker uses a large cast of interesting characters. Each character has a unique point of view.
Some of Bakers memorable characters are:
Essie who escapes the drudgery of work in a sweat shop by having an affair with a gangster hiding out in Dreamland.
Kid Twist who came to America by walking across Europe and stowing away in ship bound for New York.
Big Tim Sullivan who is a corrupt Tammany politician. He controls saloons, gangsters, and the Mayor of New York.
The Great Head Doctors from Vienna who are Sigmund Freud and his protege Carl Jung. They give a European perspective to the chaos of New York.
Trick the Dwarf is the narrator of the story. Trick sometimes enters regular society by passing as a young boy. He experiences the best and worst times of the Dreamland amusement park.
For me, this novel was a long slow struggle to finish. I kept reading because I wanted to find out how Baker resolved the plot lines. Spoiler Alert - He doesn't. He brings the story to an end, but there is no great climax. And perhaps that is the point. In real life not all of our plot lines are resolved. We may escape reality for a while, but life goes on.
This novel is a very well written historical novel. Although it was slow reading, I enjoyed it.
Dreamland
Check out my e-book!
Setting: New York, 1910
First Sentence: I know a story.
In this novel, Kevin Baker transports the reader to the New York of 1910. Baker weaves several plot lines together to create a complex tapestry depicting life in that era.
Tammany Hall controls the city. Even the mayor is a puppet for corrupt politicians. Factory workers put in long hours in squalid sweatshops for low pay. Gangsters and criminals roam the city looking for easy prey. Homeless children sleep in alleyways. Prostitutes, con men and corrupt policemen are everywhere. As one character in the novel says, "Everyone has a racket in this town."
Baker contrasts the struggle of life in the city with the fantasy world of the Coney Island amusement parks. He describes how each summer the people of the city come to shrug off their cares and embrace the hedonistic pleasures of the parks.
To tell his story, Baker uses a large cast of interesting characters. Each character has a unique point of view.
Some of Bakers memorable characters are:
Essie who escapes the drudgery of work in a sweat shop by having an affair with a gangster hiding out in Dreamland.
Kid Twist who came to America by walking across Europe and stowing away in ship bound for New York.
Big Tim Sullivan who is a corrupt Tammany politician. He controls saloons, gangsters, and the Mayor of New York.
The Great Head Doctors from Vienna who are Sigmund Freud and his protege Carl Jung. They give a European perspective to the chaos of New York.
Trick the Dwarf is the narrator of the story. Trick sometimes enters regular society by passing as a young boy. He experiences the best and worst times of the Dreamland amusement park.
For me, this novel was a long slow struggle to finish. I kept reading because I wanted to find out how Baker resolved the plot lines. Spoiler Alert - He doesn't. He brings the story to an end, but there is no great climax. And perhaps that is the point. In real life not all of our plot lines are resolved. We may escape reality for a while, but life goes on.
This novel is a very well written historical novel. Although it was slow reading, I enjoyed it.
Dreamland
Check out my e-book!
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Sharpe's Prey by Bernard Cornwell
Genre: Historical Fiction
Setting: England and Denmark, 1807
First Sentence: Captain Henry Willsen of His Majesty's Dirty Half Hundred, more formerly the 50th Regiment of West Kent, parried his opponent's saber.
This novel is Cornwell's fifth, chronologically, in his Sharpe series.
At the beginning of this novel, Lt. Richard Sharpe is in a deep depression. He has lost the love of his life. He has lost most of his possessions. And, he has abandoned his duties as quartermaster of the 95th Rifles.
Although he is a good soldier, Sharpe still seeks the respect due to him as an Army officer.
As luck would have it, he encounters Sir David Baird. Sir David is in need of a man like Sharpe. In Sir David's words Sharpe is a thug - a hard bitten ruthless soldier who knows how to kill.
So Sharpe is off to Denmark. His duty is to protect Captain John Lavisser and 43 thousand guineas of British gold. Captain Lavisser is on a secret mission to try to bribe the Prince of Denmark to hand over the Danish fleet to prevent the French from obtaining it.
What the British government officials do not know is that Captain Lavisser is a traitor. When he gets to Denmark, he intends to kill Sharpe and keep the gold for himself. What Lavisser doesn't know is that Sharpe is not an easy man to kill.
The plot follows Sharpe as he escapes death, rejoins the British forces, and seeks revenge against Lavisser. Along the way, he meets and falls in love with the daughter of a Danish secret agent.
The British attack of Copenhagen provides the backdrop to the exciting climax.
Will the British succeed in taking the Danish fleet?
And will Sharpe once again prove that he is the ultimate English soldier?
In my opinion, this novel is a satisfactory episode in the life of Richard Sharpe. Sharpe is a complicated hero. At times, he is a hard bitten, lethal soldier. At other times he can be a tender lover. For me, this makes him a believable character.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next novel in the series.
Sharpe's Prey
Check out my e-book!
Setting: England and Denmark, 1807
First Sentence: Captain Henry Willsen of His Majesty's Dirty Half Hundred, more formerly the 50th Regiment of West Kent, parried his opponent's saber.
This novel is Cornwell's fifth, chronologically, in his Sharpe series.
At the beginning of this novel, Lt. Richard Sharpe is in a deep depression. He has lost the love of his life. He has lost most of his possessions. And, he has abandoned his duties as quartermaster of the 95th Rifles.
Although he is a good soldier, Sharpe still seeks the respect due to him as an Army officer.
As luck would have it, he encounters Sir David Baird. Sir David is in need of a man like Sharpe. In Sir David's words Sharpe is a thug - a hard bitten ruthless soldier who knows how to kill.
So Sharpe is off to Denmark. His duty is to protect Captain John Lavisser and 43 thousand guineas of British gold. Captain Lavisser is on a secret mission to try to bribe the Prince of Denmark to hand over the Danish fleet to prevent the French from obtaining it.
What the British government officials do not know is that Captain Lavisser is a traitor. When he gets to Denmark, he intends to kill Sharpe and keep the gold for himself. What Lavisser doesn't know is that Sharpe is not an easy man to kill.
The plot follows Sharpe as he escapes death, rejoins the British forces, and seeks revenge against Lavisser. Along the way, he meets and falls in love with the daughter of a Danish secret agent.
The British attack of Copenhagen provides the backdrop to the exciting climax.
Will the British succeed in taking the Danish fleet?
And will Sharpe once again prove that he is the ultimate English soldier?
In my opinion, this novel is a satisfactory episode in the life of Richard Sharpe. Sharpe is a complicated hero. At times, he is a hard bitten, lethal soldier. At other times he can be a tender lover. For me, this makes him a believable character.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next novel in the series.
Sharpe's Prey
Check out my e-book!
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