Harry

This book has more novel ideas and settings from one paragraph to the next then most sf&f authors manage to squeeze out in the course of an entire tome. This book is some combination of a drug induced hallucinatory vision with Alice in Wonderland, yet manages to pull off a clear hero journey's plot. In contrast to the formulas and tropes of most books I read, this 2-decade old book is fresh, original, and compellingly crazy.

An example of a completely transparent allegory / fable (intentionally so). The analogies are obvious and unsubtle. For me, that sucked the life out of this story, for others, it may be compelling and stylish; goodness knows, it is well-written. Yes, I understand, this is a style. The ending skews to a super-powered deus-ex-machina style resolution as well, which felt cliché.

I needed a break from regular reading, a quick read with which the brain could just coast along - and Star Trek tie-in books are always a good choice for that niche. I knew Joe Haldeman had penned a few, Haldeman being on the top shelf of the best of serious sf grand master writers. So, this seemed like a good choice. Oh boy. Well. Haldeman pretty much phoned this one in. Characters spout all their cliche lines and phrases, even when it seems out of context - it feels like Haldeman's editors gave him a to-do list which he dutifully checked off. Oddly enough, at the same time, many of the our beloved characters often act very much out of character. And, to add the final insult, he rehashed the super-being plot with almost eye rolling sameness – even to the point of referencing as a aside (with a wink) one of the TOS episodes with super beings (in a footnote, no less). Finally, Haldeman literally cuts and pastes a passage from James Blish's novelization of Amok Time - to fill out his required word count perhaps? Well, I hope the author met his rent payment or got his new dishwasher with this dashed-off work. Not unpleasant but unsatisfying.

A book that is at its core YA even if it's not marketed as such (perhaps because of the swearing?). It certainly satisfied my library fetish, and its setting is its greatest pleasure. The author is skillful in his twists and turns and reveals, done in a satisfying way. I also liked the blurring and suggestive fantasy-that's-actually-sf setting, always clever. However, the tinge of ‘young people rise about their oppressive cultural system' is getting kind of old for me, although the book picks up a bit away from that, it did weaken it for me. That, and -warning- the book ends on, if not a cliffhanger, certainly a suspended note - reminding you that this is a 3-book series with more to come that you have to buy. Or not.

An historical novel about an 18th century sea captain who comes into possession of an infant Indian rhinoceros, Clara, and tours with the now beloved animal throughout Europe. This is a dual narrative, paired with a story about a contemporary historical researcher unveiling the mysteries of Clara's story from the 1700's while discovering the focus of her own life (think, oh say, the movie Titantic). It works. This is based upon actual history of which we know very little. The narrative picks up steam as it goes, including a little mystery, of course. But for me, the best parts were, first, the dip into the lives of the 1700's, the dangers of ocean travel, the risks of sickness, the lavishness of royalty, but secondly, and most of all, the depiction of the bonds that are possible between humans and animals. A delight for animal- and history-lovers (or both).