Genre: Fiction
Setting: North America
First sentence: Colin Ferguson woke up with a hangover, alone in an unfamiliar double bed.
This novel is the first in Turtledove's Supervolcano series.
Sitting under Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. That's why there are so many geysers and other geothermal effects in that area. Some geologists believe that Yellowstone is over due for an eruption.
What would happen if the Yellowstone supervolcano erupted?
That's the premise of Turtledove's novel. The author follows the members of a family as they cope with the effects of the eruption. The characters are spread out over different parts of North America from California to the Midwest to Northern Maine. As Turtledove moves from character to character, he tells the tale from each character's point of view. The characters must struggle with the ashfall from the volcano as well as the changing climate. They must also deal with their own personal issues. And to complicate things, some countries in the Middle East have chosen this time to use nuclear weapons.
I really enjoyed reading this novel. Turtledove has a writing style
which is very readable. Along the way he slips in some clever word play
and some pop culture references.
Since this is the first novel of the series, there is no conflict resolution. And it looks like things are just going to get worse. Which means I'll be reading the next book in the series soon!
Check out my eBook!
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
Harry Turtledove
One of my Favorite authors is Harry Turtledove. He is a prolific author who has written over one hundred novels. His novels cover a wide range of genres from historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and alternate history. I have read over forty of his novels.
I especially enjoy Turtledove's alternate history novels. In fact, Turtledove has been acclaimed as the Master of Alternate History. In these novels, the author changes a critical point in history and explores how history would have evolved differently.
Turtledove's writing style is very readable. He often slips clever word play into his narrative. Instead of following a main character, Turtledove follows a cast of characters. This allows him to tell the story from several different points of view.
Below are some of my favorite Turtledove novels:
The Two Georges (With Richard Dreyfuss) - A mystery story set in an America that did not experience a revolution.
The Guns of the South - Set during the American Civil War, how did the Confederate Army get AK-47s?
How Few Remain - What if the South won the Civil War? (first book of an eleven book series)
In the Balance - What if the aliens landed during WW II? (first book of an eight book series)
Days of Infamy - What if Japan had successfully invaded Hawaii after the Pearl Harbor bombing? (first book of a two book series)
Opening Atlantis - What if English explorers had discovered and colonized the continent of Atlantis? (first book of a four book series)
Hitler's War - What if Hitler had prematurely started WW II in 1938? (first book of a five book series)
I especially enjoy Turtledove's alternate history novels. In fact, Turtledove has been acclaimed as the Master of Alternate History. In these novels, the author changes a critical point in history and explores how history would have evolved differently.
Turtledove's writing style is very readable. He often slips clever word play into his narrative. Instead of following a main character, Turtledove follows a cast of characters. This allows him to tell the story from several different points of view.
Below are some of my favorite Turtledove novels:
The Two Georges (With Richard Dreyfuss) - A mystery story set in an America that did not experience a revolution.
The Guns of the South - Set during the American Civil War, how did the Confederate Army get AK-47s?
How Few Remain - What if the South won the Civil War? (first book of an eleven book series)
In the Balance - What if the aliens landed during WW II? (first book of an eight book series)
Days of Infamy - What if Japan had successfully invaded Hawaii after the Pearl Harbor bombing? (first book of a two book series)
Opening Atlantis - What if English explorers had discovered and colonized the continent of Atlantis? (first book of a four book series)
Hitler's War - What if Hitler had prematurely started WW II in 1938? (first book of a five book series)
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
The Tears of the Sun by S. M. Stirling
Genre: Fantasy, Alternate History
Setting: A fantasy version of Western North America
First Sentence: Rudi Mackenzie -
Artos the First, High King of Montival though yet to be formally crowned - finished the last crusty bite of the ham sandwich, savoring the smoky taste of the cured meat and sharp cheese, and washed it down with the last swallow in the clay crock of beer.
This novel is the eleventh in Stirling's Change series.
Twenty-five years ago and event occurred which changed life on Earth forever. The people living on or near the island of Nantucket were transported thousands of years into the past. Their struggles to survive formed the first three novels of Stirling's Change series.
For the rest of the planet, the laws of physics were drastically changed. Almost all technology created after the Industrial Revolution were rendered useless. The struggles of humans to survive and adapt to a new reality form the plot of the next three novels in the series.
In the ensuing four novels, the plot follows characters born after the change event. They trek across the North American continent to the island of Nantucket. There they encounter powerful supernatural forces. And Rudi acquires the magical Sword of the Lady. In these novels we learn that there is an evil which wishes to destroy the powers of good. As Rudi Mackenzie and his band return to Montival they gather warriors to join them in the fight.
In this novel, the focus of the plot has returned to the Kingdom of Montival. Rudi is now recognized as the High King. He possesses the powerful Sword of the Lady. It is believed that the sword will give Rudi and his followers an advantage in the decisive battle against the evil Church United and Triumphant (CUT) and its evil prophet. Montival is marshaling all of its forces to fight against the evil CUT. And even the most skeptical leaders of Montival have come to realize how truly evil and supernatural the CUT and its prophet are.
The first half of this novel was a struggle for me to get through. The novel is heavy on exposition as the author reintroduces us to a host of characters who have been waiting in the wings for the last four novels of the series. In the last half of the story, the action picks up, and the book becomes more enjoyable to read.
Stirling uses a third person omniscient point of view to relate the story. One of his devices is to reveal not only the thoughts of his characters but their inner self-talk. He uses this device to deliver much of the exposition. I found this device to be somewhat distracting.
The author moves back and forth between characters. He also has his characters relate in flashbacks action that occurred when the focus of the plot was on the quest for the sword. For me, the large cast of characters and the number of flashbacks made the plot a bit confusing at times.
Stirling can be heavy on detailed description. I found the detailed descriptions of entrees and side dishes at every meal, of each character's apparel, of the many heraldic coats of arms, and of the swept out and beflowered fireplaces (including a list of every bloom on display) in each baron's solar to be unnecessary.
I didn't dislike this book. For me this novel felt like a set up for the finale. The author is putting all his characters in place for the final battle. And, I will be reading the next book to find out what happens next.
If you are interested in this book, I suggest you go back to Dies the Fire and read the books in order.
Check out my eBook!
Setting: A fantasy version of Western North America
First Sentence: Rudi Mackenzie -
Artos the First, High King of Montival though yet to be formally crowned - finished the last crusty bite of the ham sandwich, savoring the smoky taste of the cured meat and sharp cheese, and washed it down with the last swallow in the clay crock of beer.
This novel is the eleventh in Stirling's Change series.
Twenty-five years ago and event occurred which changed life on Earth forever. The people living on or near the island of Nantucket were transported thousands of years into the past. Their struggles to survive formed the first three novels of Stirling's Change series.
For the rest of the planet, the laws of physics were drastically changed. Almost all technology created after the Industrial Revolution were rendered useless. The struggles of humans to survive and adapt to a new reality form the plot of the next three novels in the series.
In the ensuing four novels, the plot follows characters born after the change event. They trek across the North American continent to the island of Nantucket. There they encounter powerful supernatural forces. And Rudi acquires the magical Sword of the Lady. In these novels we learn that there is an evil which wishes to destroy the powers of good. As Rudi Mackenzie and his band return to Montival they gather warriors to join them in the fight.
In this novel, the focus of the plot has returned to the Kingdom of Montival. Rudi is now recognized as the High King. He possesses the powerful Sword of the Lady. It is believed that the sword will give Rudi and his followers an advantage in the decisive battle against the evil Church United and Triumphant (CUT) and its evil prophet. Montival is marshaling all of its forces to fight against the evil CUT. And even the most skeptical leaders of Montival have come to realize how truly evil and supernatural the CUT and its prophet are.
The first half of this novel was a struggle for me to get through. The novel is heavy on exposition as the author reintroduces us to a host of characters who have been waiting in the wings for the last four novels of the series. In the last half of the story, the action picks up, and the book becomes more enjoyable to read.
Stirling uses a third person omniscient point of view to relate the story. One of his devices is to reveal not only the thoughts of his characters but their inner self-talk. He uses this device to deliver much of the exposition. I found this device to be somewhat distracting.
The author moves back and forth between characters. He also has his characters relate in flashbacks action that occurred when the focus of the plot was on the quest for the sword. For me, the large cast of characters and the number of flashbacks made the plot a bit confusing at times.
Stirling can be heavy on detailed description. I found the detailed descriptions of entrees and side dishes at every meal, of each character's apparel, of the many heraldic coats of arms, and of the swept out and beflowered fireplaces (including a list of every bloom on display) in each baron's solar to be unnecessary.
I didn't dislike this book. For me this novel felt like a set up for the finale. The author is putting all his characters in place for the final battle. And, I will be reading the next book to find out what happens next.
If you are interested in this book, I suggest you go back to Dies the Fire and read the books in order.
Check out my eBook!
Sunday, May 12, 2013
The Time Baroness by Georgina Young-Ellis
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction
Setting: England in the year 2120, and in 1820.
FYI: Some adult content.
First Sentence: July 25, 2119 - The lace tablecloth was almost real beneath my fingers.
This novel is the first in Young - Ellis's Time Mistress series.
Our main character, Cassandra Reilly is a time traveler. In this novel, she travels 300 years back into the past to England in 1820. Since she is a big fan of Jane Austen's novels. She chose to arrive at this time because it is a few years after Jane Austen's death. Cassandra's plan is to immerse herself in the England of that time, and gather scientific data about English life and society.
As Mrs. Cassandra Franklin, she moves into a large country estate. There after she meets the staff and the neighbors, and she begins to join the local society. But after a few months, Cassandra's life settles into a dreary and somewhat lonely routine. Until she meets Mr. Benedict Johnston. Mr. Johnston is a dashing young bachelor who has purchased a nearby estate. In order to protect his inheritance he needs to demonstrate to his parents that he can behave in a mature manner. And he needs to find a wife.
Cassandra and Mr. Johnston (Ben) share a mutual interest in music. Their time together playing duets blossoms into love. Ben asks Cassandra to marry him. Cassandra cannot because she is due to return to 2120 in just a few months. So, they begin to have a secret affair.
Life gets more complicated with the arrival of James, Cassandra's son from the future. When James gets in trouble with the law, Cassandra must find a way to help him return to the future.
Can Cassandra balance her son's safety, her love of Ben, and the proprieties of English society without revealing her time traveling secret?
This type of novel is not my usual reading fare. Yet, I enjoyed reading it. There were more descriptions of dresses, decors, and dinners than I find in my usual reading choices, but the descriptions did not slow down the plot.
This novel is a unique blend of three genres: Historical Fiction, Romance and Science Fiction. I think that fans of all three genres would enjoy reading this novel. I did!
The Time Baroness
Check out my eBook!
Setting: England in the year 2120, and in 1820.
FYI: Some adult content.
First Sentence: July 25, 2119 - The lace tablecloth was almost real beneath my fingers.
This novel is the first in Young - Ellis's Time Mistress series.
Our main character, Cassandra Reilly is a time traveler. In this novel, she travels 300 years back into the past to England in 1820. Since she is a big fan of Jane Austen's novels. She chose to arrive at this time because it is a few years after Jane Austen's death. Cassandra's plan is to immerse herself in the England of that time, and gather scientific data about English life and society.
As Mrs. Cassandra Franklin, she moves into a large country estate. There after she meets the staff and the neighbors, and she begins to join the local society. But after a few months, Cassandra's life settles into a dreary and somewhat lonely routine. Until she meets Mr. Benedict Johnston. Mr. Johnston is a dashing young bachelor who has purchased a nearby estate. In order to protect his inheritance he needs to demonstrate to his parents that he can behave in a mature manner. And he needs to find a wife.
Cassandra and Mr. Johnston (Ben) share a mutual interest in music. Their time together playing duets blossoms into love. Ben asks Cassandra to marry him. Cassandra cannot because she is due to return to 2120 in just a few months. So, they begin to have a secret affair.
Life gets more complicated with the arrival of James, Cassandra's son from the future. When James gets in trouble with the law, Cassandra must find a way to help him return to the future.
Can Cassandra balance her son's safety, her love of Ben, and the proprieties of English society without revealing her time traveling secret?
This type of novel is not my usual reading fare. Yet, I enjoyed reading it. There were more descriptions of dresses, decors, and dinners than I find in my usual reading choices, but the descriptions did not slow down the plot.
This novel is a unique blend of three genres: Historical Fiction, Romance and Science Fiction. I think that fans of all three genres would enjoy reading this novel. I did!
The Time Baroness
Check out my eBook!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Redshirts by John Scalzi
Genre: Science Fiction
Setting: In space aboard the spaceship Intrepid, and on Earth.
First sentence: From the top of the large boulder he sat on, Ensign Tom Davis looked across the expanse of the cave toward Captain Lucius Abernathy, Science Officer Q'eeng and Chief Engineer Paul West perched on a second, larger boulder, and thought, well, this sucks.
It's kind of a joke to fans of the Star Trek television program; being part of an away team was often very dangerous. Especially to an extra wearing a red uniform.
In this novel, the author explores the red shirt experience from the redshirts' point of view.
The redshirts on the spaceship Intrepid have noticed that when certain senior officers lead away teams, a redshirt crewman often dies. The redshirt who dies is usually new to the crew, has little backstory and often does not have first name.
In an act of self-preservation, the veteran crew members hide when a senior officer is assembling an away team.
Crew members have also noticed that senior officers act strangely when the ship in in a crisis situation.
One of the redshirts reaches a remarkable conclusion: they are characters in a poorly written science fiction television program that is a rip-off of Star Trek.
The red shirts decide that instead of waiting for their turn to die, they need to take control of the narrative of the program. They do this by traveling in time back to present day Earth. There they contact the actors who portrayed them, the producer of the show, and most importantly, the head writer.
This is where Scalzi's narrative gets really strange. For me, the actions and motivations of the characters, got really confusing. In my opinion, Scalzi started with an interesting premise, and lost it in the last half of the story. Scalzi does pull it together at the end for an interesting conclusion.
Tacked on to the end of the novel are three short stories from the redshirt universe. Here Scalzi explores the experiences that three"real people" had after interacting with the redshirts. The first is written from the first person point of view, the second from second person, and third from third person. These stories were interesting to read and gave the book a unique ending.
If you are a fan of Scalzi, you'll want to read this book. If you're new to Scalzi, read some of his better novels such as Old Man's War. Come back to this book after you've read some of is best.
Redshirts
Old Man's War
Check out my eBook!
Setting: In space aboard the spaceship Intrepid, and on Earth.
First sentence: From the top of the large boulder he sat on, Ensign Tom Davis looked across the expanse of the cave toward Captain Lucius Abernathy, Science Officer Q'eeng and Chief Engineer Paul West perched on a second, larger boulder, and thought, well, this sucks.
It's kind of a joke to fans of the Star Trek television program; being part of an away team was often very dangerous. Especially to an extra wearing a red uniform.
In this novel, the author explores the red shirt experience from the redshirts' point of view.
The redshirts on the spaceship Intrepid have noticed that when certain senior officers lead away teams, a redshirt crewman often dies. The redshirt who dies is usually new to the crew, has little backstory and often does not have first name.
In an act of self-preservation, the veteran crew members hide when a senior officer is assembling an away team.
Crew members have also noticed that senior officers act strangely when the ship in in a crisis situation.
One of the redshirts reaches a remarkable conclusion: they are characters in a poorly written science fiction television program that is a rip-off of Star Trek.
The red shirts decide that instead of waiting for their turn to die, they need to take control of the narrative of the program. They do this by traveling in time back to present day Earth. There they contact the actors who portrayed them, the producer of the show, and most importantly, the head writer.
This is where Scalzi's narrative gets really strange. For me, the actions and motivations of the characters, got really confusing. In my opinion, Scalzi started with an interesting premise, and lost it in the last half of the story. Scalzi does pull it together at the end for an interesting conclusion.
Tacked on to the end of the novel are three short stories from the redshirt universe. Here Scalzi explores the experiences that three"real people" had after interacting with the redshirts. The first is written from the first person point of view, the second from second person, and third from third person. These stories were interesting to read and gave the book a unique ending.
If you are a fan of Scalzi, you'll want to read this book. If you're new to Scalzi, read some of his better novels such as Old Man's War. Come back to this book after you've read some of is best.
Redshirts
Old Man's War
Check out my eBook!
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Roman Games by Bruce Macbain
Genre: Historical Mystery
Setting Ancient Rome in the first century AD.
First Sentence: A brassy sun beat down on the barren rock that for six weeks and four days had been Flavia Domitilla's prison.
This novel is the first in Macbain's Plinius Segundus series.
It is the time of the emperor Domitian. He is a cruel and unpopular ruler. Just before the annual Roman Games, one of his informers is found murdered in his bed. According to Roman law, when a slave owner is murdered in his home, his slaves are tortured and executed. This is to prevent slaves from even considering the killing of their owner.
Enter our main character Plinius Segundus, or as we know him in English, Pliny the Younger. Pliny is a lawyer. His specialty is probate law. Unwillingly, he has been pressed into service as vice-prefect of Rome. It is in this capacity that Pliny is asked to look into the slaying of the informant.
Most Roman officers would make a cursory review of the facts, torture the slaves, and make their report. But Pliny's sense of justice leads him to actually investigating the case. He feels that torturing and executing the slaves is unfair and unjust. So, he tries to solve the case in a way that might save the slaves from their horrible fate.
Pliny does not know that the murder he is investigating is part of a much larger political conspiracy. There are those who are plotting the assassination of the emperor himself.
Can Pliny solve the mystery, save the slaves, and avoid being on the wrong side of the impending political upheaval?
This novel was an enjoyable read. The author is well-versed in Roman history, and it shows. His knowledge and research allow him to create a realistic and believable setting for his story. The author has included several characters who were actual historical figures. And, the plot of the novel meshes with historical fact.
I liked the book and I look forward to reading the second novel in the series.
Roman Games
Check out my eBook!
Setting Ancient Rome in the first century AD.
First Sentence: A brassy sun beat down on the barren rock that for six weeks and four days had been Flavia Domitilla's prison.
This novel is the first in Macbain's Plinius Segundus series.
It is the time of the emperor Domitian. He is a cruel and unpopular ruler. Just before the annual Roman Games, one of his informers is found murdered in his bed. According to Roman law, when a slave owner is murdered in his home, his slaves are tortured and executed. This is to prevent slaves from even considering the killing of their owner.
Enter our main character Plinius Segundus, or as we know him in English, Pliny the Younger. Pliny is a lawyer. His specialty is probate law. Unwillingly, he has been pressed into service as vice-prefect of Rome. It is in this capacity that Pliny is asked to look into the slaying of the informant.
Most Roman officers would make a cursory review of the facts, torture the slaves, and make their report. But Pliny's sense of justice leads him to actually investigating the case. He feels that torturing and executing the slaves is unfair and unjust. So, he tries to solve the case in a way that might save the slaves from their horrible fate.
Pliny does not know that the murder he is investigating is part of a much larger political conspiracy. There are those who are plotting the assassination of the emperor himself.
Can Pliny solve the mystery, save the slaves, and avoid being on the wrong side of the impending political upheaval?
This novel was an enjoyable read. The author is well-versed in Roman history, and it shows. His knowledge and research allow him to create a realistic and believable setting for his story. The author has included several characters who were actual historical figures. And, the plot of the novel meshes with historical fact.
I liked the book and I look forward to reading the second novel in the series.
Roman Games
Check out my eBook!
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