The SHIVA Syndrome, Alan Joshua, Champagne Books, 2015
Beau Walker is a brilliant psychological researcher with a strong dislike for military authority. He is practically forced onto a military aircraft by Burton Grimes, the source of his dislike. Along with several other eminent scientists, he is taken to what was a secret research facility near Moscow.
Something happened to cause the total destruction of the facility and the nearby town, at the cost of several thousand lives. Whatever the cause, this was not a "normal" explosion. The crater from a normal, even nuclear, explosion would not be still growing. A normal explosion would have blown the nearby trees, outward, not inward. A normal explosion would not create a time warp inside the crater. After investigating the best they can, the group gets back on the plane.
They are taken to a Very Top Secret research facility inside a mountain in the California desert. Experiments are being conducted in parapsychology, with the intention of creating people who can, for instance, set off explosives from a great distance away, or perform cutting-edge genetic engineering, with their minds. That is what the Russian facility was doing. At the exact moment "it" happened, an American nuclear-powered space shuttle in orbit vanished, and several other such anomalies happened all over the world. Back in California, the same complex is conducting research to create extremely lethal toxins (not just "regular" Ebola, but "super" Ebola), and genetically created hybrid super soldiers, with an explosive device implanted in their necks, in case of death.
The group manages to escape, along with Adena, the first psychic test subject, and her two children. Of course, the military will not let them go so easily. On several occasions, the children show that they are the next step in human evolution. The final confrontation takes place in an abandoned town in Nevada.
It is not easy for any author to sustain the reader's interest for almost 500 pages, but this author does an excellent job at it. It covers a number of subjects, from psychology to physiology to government conspiracy to santeria. Much of the book is very technical (the science can get a bit overwhelming), but the last part turns spiritual. This is a gem of a book, and is very much recommended.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Tesseracts Seventeen
Tesseracts Seventeen, Colleen Anderson and Steve Vernon (ed.), Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, 2013
Here is another compendium of weird stories from north of the border, in Canada.
A new mother can't leave her baby alone for a second, out of fear that The Wall will devour the child. It's a creature that creeps along walls, looking like a shadow, and with very sharp teeth. On the other side of The Wall is a land of torment straight from Hell. Another story looks at the difference between people who are spiritual without believing in a specific religion, and those who are absolutely sure of the infallibility of religious doctrine, for instance, without being spiritual. What if all newborns are genetically tested, and the "non-believers" are killed?
A doll tells a little girl a story about vultures who go down chimneys, and kidnap little children as they sleep. They are taken to the deep, dark Underground, where the goblins live. The "lucky" ones are cooked and eaten, and the "unlucky" ones are sent to the mines as slaves. A young man visits his grandfather's grave, which now has an interactive video of Grandpa (the software needs some diagnostic help). He also burns his worthless Ph.D. in Education, because there no longer are any live school teachers.
All over the world, strange spheres appear and tell people "touch me and you will get twenty thousand dollars" (or win a cow, or save one hundred acres of rainforest, etc.). Their prizes come due in sixty days. Do they actually get their prizes?
As usual with this series, this is a first-rate group of stories. They are not specifically science fiction, or fantasy, or horror, but somewhere in the middle. They are the sort of tales that could easily be on a TV show like The Twilight Zone. It is very much worth reading.
Here is another compendium of weird stories from north of the border, in Canada.
A new mother can't leave her baby alone for a second, out of fear that The Wall will devour the child. It's a creature that creeps along walls, looking like a shadow, and with very sharp teeth. On the other side of The Wall is a land of torment straight from Hell. Another story looks at the difference between people who are spiritual without believing in a specific religion, and those who are absolutely sure of the infallibility of religious doctrine, for instance, without being spiritual. What if all newborns are genetically tested, and the "non-believers" are killed?
A doll tells a little girl a story about vultures who go down chimneys, and kidnap little children as they sleep. They are taken to the deep, dark Underground, where the goblins live. The "lucky" ones are cooked and eaten, and the "unlucky" ones are sent to the mines as slaves. A young man visits his grandfather's grave, which now has an interactive video of Grandpa (the software needs some diagnostic help). He also burns his worthless Ph.D. in Education, because there no longer are any live school teachers.
All over the world, strange spheres appear and tell people "touch me and you will get twenty thousand dollars" (or win a cow, or save one hundred acres of rainforest, etc.). Their prizes come due in sixty days. Do they actually get their prizes?
As usual with this series, this is a first-rate group of stories. They are not specifically science fiction, or fantasy, or horror, but somewhere in the middle. They are the sort of tales that could easily be on a TV show like The Twilight Zone. It is very much worth reading.
Expiration Date
Expiration Date, Nancy Kilpatrick (ed.), Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, 2015
Many things in life have an ending or an expiration date. It can range from the food in your refrigerator, to the finish of a horse race, to the stopping of a stop-watch, to the end of a person's life. That's what this group of new stories is all about.
Stuck in that split second before dying (or not dying) in an auto accident, a woman gets to see how her family will survive, both with her and without her. Fascinated by death from an early age, a woman becomes an EMT to get as close to death as possible. She learns that when a person's time has come, getting in the way, and bringing them back to life, is not a good idea. Death makes several appearances in this book.
A group of present-day ghost hunters gets a little too close to the ghost of Lizzie Borden and her axe. A young boy is visiting his very sick younger brother in the hospital; the younger brother's life expectancy is down to minutes. Does he tell his younger brother what he really thinks, that there is nothing after this life, except blackness and decay? On the other hand, does Older Brother tell Younger Brother that he is going to nice place full of green grass, where he will meet his deceased grandparents?
When a person dies suddenly, like in an auto accident, is there someone nearby to help them get to the Other Side, or do they have to find their own way? There are a couple of stories about people who, from the outside, look to be in an irreversible coma, but, on the inside, they are very much alive.
I enjoyed reading this book. All of the stories are excellent; some of them actually reach the level of Wow. Only a couple of stories get into actual horror. Death will affect everyone eventually; these tales provide some possible ways that it will happen. This is highly recommended.
Many things in life have an ending or an expiration date. It can range from the food in your refrigerator, to the finish of a horse race, to the stopping of a stop-watch, to the end of a person's life. That's what this group of new stories is all about.
Stuck in that split second before dying (or not dying) in an auto accident, a woman gets to see how her family will survive, both with her and without her. Fascinated by death from an early age, a woman becomes an EMT to get as close to death as possible. She learns that when a person's time has come, getting in the way, and bringing them back to life, is not a good idea. Death makes several appearances in this book.
A group of present-day ghost hunters gets a little too close to the ghost of Lizzie Borden and her axe. A young boy is visiting his very sick younger brother in the hospital; the younger brother's life expectancy is down to minutes. Does he tell his younger brother what he really thinks, that there is nothing after this life, except blackness and decay? On the other hand, does Older Brother tell Younger Brother that he is going to nice place full of green grass, where he will meet his deceased grandparents?
When a person dies suddenly, like in an auto accident, is there someone nearby to help them get to the Other Side, or do they have to find their own way? There are a couple of stories about people who, from the outside, look to be in an irreversible coma, but, on the inside, they are very much alive.
I enjoyed reading this book. All of the stories are excellent; some of them actually reach the level of Wow. Only a couple of stories get into actual horror. Death will affect everyone eventually; these tales provide some possible ways that it will happen. This is highly recommended.
Mike Mars Flies the X-15
Mike Mars Flies the X-15, Donald A. Wollheim, Paperback Library, 1961
Part of a series, this adventure novel is about the very early days of the American space program.
Everyone is familiar with Project Mercury, the beginning of America's journey into space. But no one is familiar with Project Quicksilver, a secret program to plant the American flag on the Moon. Mike Mars, one of the astronauts in the program, has been dreaming about going into space since he was a boy. Rod Harger, another of the astronauts, has a very different motivation. All he cares about is the fame and glory (and money) that will come from being the first man in space. His rich father hires a thug names Cahoon, and sends him to Edwards Air Force Base in California to do what he can to ensure that Rod is the first in space.
The X-15 is the state of the art in spaceplanes, and any attempt at sabotage is a bad idea, because before every flight, every square inch of the X-15 is checked, and re-checked. After each of the astronauts gets a chance at flying the X-15, which takes off attached to the wing of a B-52 bomber, Mike is chosen to pilot the first flight to the edge of the atmosphere.
Meantime, a storehouse on the edge of the base is broken into, and a Sidewinder (heat-seeking) anti-aircraft missile and launcher is stolen. Johnny Bluehawk, another of the astronauts and a full-blooded Native American, investigates. He gets knocked out and thrown in the back of a truck. Next thing he knows, he is in Nevada, near Las Vegas. The course the X-15 will take back to Edwards is known in advance, so the missile is set up near one of the radar stations over which the X-15 will have to travel. The intention is to blow Mike, and the X-15, out of the air. During a major brawl between Johnny and Cahoon, the missile is launched. Does Johnny make it back to Edwards in one piece?
Considering when this novel was published, when manned spaceflight was considered insane, this is pretty good. It's a very quick read, and will bring the reader back to those hallowed days of yesteryear.
Part of a series, this adventure novel is about the very early days of the American space program.
Everyone is familiar with Project Mercury, the beginning of America's journey into space. But no one is familiar with Project Quicksilver, a secret program to plant the American flag on the Moon. Mike Mars, one of the astronauts in the program, has been dreaming about going into space since he was a boy. Rod Harger, another of the astronauts, has a very different motivation. All he cares about is the fame and glory (and money) that will come from being the first man in space. His rich father hires a thug names Cahoon, and sends him to Edwards Air Force Base in California to do what he can to ensure that Rod is the first in space.
The X-15 is the state of the art in spaceplanes, and any attempt at sabotage is a bad idea, because before every flight, every square inch of the X-15 is checked, and re-checked. After each of the astronauts gets a chance at flying the X-15, which takes off attached to the wing of a B-52 bomber, Mike is chosen to pilot the first flight to the edge of the atmosphere.
Meantime, a storehouse on the edge of the base is broken into, and a Sidewinder (heat-seeking) anti-aircraft missile and launcher is stolen. Johnny Bluehawk, another of the astronauts and a full-blooded Native American, investigates. He gets knocked out and thrown in the back of a truck. Next thing he knows, he is in Nevada, near Las Vegas. The course the X-15 will take back to Edwards is known in advance, so the missile is set up near one of the radar stations over which the X-15 will have to travel. The intention is to blow Mike, and the X-15, out of the air. During a major brawl between Johnny and Cahoon, the missile is launched. Does Johnny make it back to Edwards in one piece?
Considering when this novel was published, when manned spaceflight was considered insane, this is pretty good. It's a very quick read, and will bring the reader back to those hallowed days of yesteryear.
Friday, July 3, 2015
Fat Girl in a Strange Land
Fat Girl in a Strange Land, Kay T. Holt and Bart R. Leib (ed.), Crossed Genres Publications, 2012
Many science fiction stories are about tall, square-jawed adventurers boldly exploring the galaxy. The women in such stories are the female equivalent of tall and square-jawed. This anthology looks at a very under-served part of the population - fat women.
A woman in Guatemala dreams of becoming the first female luchador, until she discovers a greater calling that is much closer to home. A midwestern soccer mom, nicknamed Flux, refuses to wear the new spandex outfit given to her by her superhero colleagues. A team is being sent to a far-away planet that is in the middle of being terraformed. They will be working practically non-stop for months, so they need every bit of bodily fuel that they can get. That is why they were instructed to put on a lot of weight before they leave.
Most of Earth's population has emigrated to a new planet, Terra Nova, because Earth is dying. Among those who are left is a teacher at a special school for fat kids. Also fat, she makes the long trip to Terra Nova, but is detained and sent back to Earth. Mary Beth's friends have their own spaceship, for quick jaunts to Mars or the Moon. She is asked to get out of the spaceship, because she is too heavy. With help from a local junkyard, she attempts to build her own spaceship. It is not a short or cheap process. Does she succeed?
This is a pretty good group of stories from a marginalized point of view. Some of the stories were better than others, but this book is still worth reading.
Many science fiction stories are about tall, square-jawed adventurers boldly exploring the galaxy. The women in such stories are the female equivalent of tall and square-jawed. This anthology looks at a very under-served part of the population - fat women.
A woman in Guatemala dreams of becoming the first female luchador, until she discovers a greater calling that is much closer to home. A midwestern soccer mom, nicknamed Flux, refuses to wear the new spandex outfit given to her by her superhero colleagues. A team is being sent to a far-away planet that is in the middle of being terraformed. They will be working practically non-stop for months, so they need every bit of bodily fuel that they can get. That is why they were instructed to put on a lot of weight before they leave.
Most of Earth's population has emigrated to a new planet, Terra Nova, because Earth is dying. Among those who are left is a teacher at a special school for fat kids. Also fat, she makes the long trip to Terra Nova, but is detained and sent back to Earth. Mary Beth's friends have their own spaceship, for quick jaunts to Mars or the Moon. She is asked to get out of the spaceship, because she is too heavy. With help from a local junkyard, she attempts to build her own spaceship. It is not a short or cheap process. Does she succeed?
This is a pretty good group of stories from a marginalized point of view. Some of the stories were better than others, but this book is still worth reading.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
We Are the Destroyers
We Are the Destroyers, D.K. Lindler, First Life Publishing, 2014
Environmental degradation and over-consumption are destroying Bel'lar's home world. A growing movement among the people is to adopt the Syn (synthetic) lifestyle, to practically live on synthetic chemicals. The minority Organs (organic) want Bel'lar to take a ship called Light Traveler, and a small crew, to the semi-mythical planet blue/white planet. to see if it is suitable for colonization.
Just before their hurried departure, just missing a mob of rampaging Syns, a beautiful mystic and seer named Ry Sing gives Bel'lar a horrifying vision. Long, long ago, Bel'lar was the Great One, the religious leader on a world called the Planet of Abundance. It faced a similar over-consumption crisis. His advisers convinced him the purifying the planet was the only option. It wasn't until it was too late that Bel'lar realized that "purifying" the planet involved using several nuclear weapons buried around the planet to kill everyone. Even worse, scripture says that he is destined to do it again.
After visiting the blue/white planet, with an unscheduled stop at its smaller, red, dead planetary neighbor (the Planet of Abundance), Bel'lar and crew head home to tell the people what they have found. Because of time dilation, nearly 350 years have passed since they left. Their world is on the verge of environmental collapse. The air and water are full of synthetic chemicals. There are no fish or animals left. Genetic modifications from the Syn lifestyle have made the population fat, hairless and stupid. The few Organs who are left are forbidden to leave their compound on pain of immediate death by the Syns.
An entire religion grew up around Bel'lar during his absence. A competing religion has grown up around a man named Quasar, leader of the Organs, and de facto ruler of the world. Bel'lar is to be forced to publicly recant (he has no interest in being another Great One), so that the people will have no choice but to worship Quasar. A short distance away is another planetary purification device. Does Bel'lar "purify" another planet? Is there anyone worth saving?
Personally, the first half of the book, when the crew visited the two planets, felt a little too new age-ish. The second half of the story, when they were back home, was much better. It will give the reader a lot to think about, and it is still worth reading.
Environmental degradation and over-consumption are destroying Bel'lar's home world. A growing movement among the people is to adopt the Syn (synthetic) lifestyle, to practically live on synthetic chemicals. The minority Organs (organic) want Bel'lar to take a ship called Light Traveler, and a small crew, to the semi-mythical planet blue/white planet. to see if it is suitable for colonization.
Just before their hurried departure, just missing a mob of rampaging Syns, a beautiful mystic and seer named Ry Sing gives Bel'lar a horrifying vision. Long, long ago, Bel'lar was the Great One, the religious leader on a world called the Planet of Abundance. It faced a similar over-consumption crisis. His advisers convinced him the purifying the planet was the only option. It wasn't until it was too late that Bel'lar realized that "purifying" the planet involved using several nuclear weapons buried around the planet to kill everyone. Even worse, scripture says that he is destined to do it again.
After visiting the blue/white planet, with an unscheduled stop at its smaller, red, dead planetary neighbor (the Planet of Abundance), Bel'lar and crew head home to tell the people what they have found. Because of time dilation, nearly 350 years have passed since they left. Their world is on the verge of environmental collapse. The air and water are full of synthetic chemicals. There are no fish or animals left. Genetic modifications from the Syn lifestyle have made the population fat, hairless and stupid. The few Organs who are left are forbidden to leave their compound on pain of immediate death by the Syns.
An entire religion grew up around Bel'lar during his absence. A competing religion has grown up around a man named Quasar, leader of the Organs, and de facto ruler of the world. Bel'lar is to be forced to publicly recant (he has no interest in being another Great One), so that the people will have no choice but to worship Quasar. A short distance away is another planetary purification device. Does Bel'lar "purify" another planet? Is there anyone worth saving?
Personally, the first half of the book, when the crew visited the two planets, felt a little too new age-ish. The second half of the story, when they were back home, was much better. It will give the reader a lot to think about, and it is still worth reading.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
No Place on Earth
No Place on Earth, Louis Charbonneau, Doubleday, 1958
In the year 2240, Earth is ruled by the dictatorial Population Control Corps, which keeps the world in a state of constant famine. Petr Clayborne's father, Jack Clayborne, was a senior figure in the Underground, the only political opposition, but was executed when Petr was a child. Petr has no interest in following in his father's footsteps.
Petr is in PCC custody, and is being interrogated, with pharmaceutical help. Members of the Underground are given a false tooth with a liquid memory obliterator, instead of cyanide, if they are caught. Petr has used his fake tooth, and the PCC has supposedly developed a drug to reverse the obliterator. Captain Hartung of the PCC, a romantic rival for the affection of Petr's wife, Alda, is convinced that Petr knows the location and destination of a secret submarine which is about to slip out of the PCC's surveillance.
During the drug injections, Petr relives his life. Alda's father, who may or may not be a senior figure in the Underground, does not approve of their relationship, because of Petr's unwillingness to join the Underground. Alda and Petr are married in a bureaucratic process which bears a strong resemblance to spending a day at the DMV. They decide to have a child before they are authorized to do so, something which is very illegal. Petr eventually finds the Underground, which agrees to help them escape in the above-mentioned submarine. But, at every pickup point in New York City, the PCC is waiting. The only possible explanation is that there is a "mole" in the Underground. Does Petr reveal the sub's location to Captain Hartung? Do Alda and Petr escape via the Underground? What does the Underground know that could destroy the PCC's hold on power?
This one is pretty good. It is very "1984"-ish in that a loyal citizen slowly turns into an enemy of the state. It's a pretty "quiet" story in that there is very little violence until the end. For those who like reading dystopia stories, this is well worth reading.
In the year 2240, Earth is ruled by the dictatorial Population Control Corps, which keeps the world in a state of constant famine. Petr Clayborne's father, Jack Clayborne, was a senior figure in the Underground, the only political opposition, but was executed when Petr was a child. Petr has no interest in following in his father's footsteps.
Petr is in PCC custody, and is being interrogated, with pharmaceutical help. Members of the Underground are given a false tooth with a liquid memory obliterator, instead of cyanide, if they are caught. Petr has used his fake tooth, and the PCC has supposedly developed a drug to reverse the obliterator. Captain Hartung of the PCC, a romantic rival for the affection of Petr's wife, Alda, is convinced that Petr knows the location and destination of a secret submarine which is about to slip out of the PCC's surveillance.
During the drug injections, Petr relives his life. Alda's father, who may or may not be a senior figure in the Underground, does not approve of their relationship, because of Petr's unwillingness to join the Underground. Alda and Petr are married in a bureaucratic process which bears a strong resemblance to spending a day at the DMV. They decide to have a child before they are authorized to do so, something which is very illegal. Petr eventually finds the Underground, which agrees to help them escape in the above-mentioned submarine. But, at every pickup point in New York City, the PCC is waiting. The only possible explanation is that there is a "mole" in the Underground. Does Petr reveal the sub's location to Captain Hartung? Do Alda and Petr escape via the Underground? What does the Underground know that could destroy the PCC's hold on power?
This one is pretty good. It is very "1984"-ish in that a loyal citizen slowly turns into an enemy of the state. It's a pretty "quiet" story in that there is very little violence until the end. For those who like reading dystopia stories, this is well worth reading.
Alive Souls: Inception
Alive Souls: Inception, Elena Yulkina, Amazon Digital Services, Inc., 2015
Maya is your average teenager, but not really. She can read minds, and she can control fire with her mind. She knows that she is not like her classmates in school. One night, she asks, out loud, who is she and where did she come from. Then she gets the answer.
Maya suddenly finds herself in a well-lit ballroom with lots of expensive-looking paintings on the walls. It is also full of people. She is suddenly hugged by a younger man who treats her like his long-lost daughter, which she is. It seems that Maya is a real princess who was sent to Earth to get her out of the way. All of the inhabited worlds have been fighting a long-running war against the Darkness. They have been holding it off, as best they can, while waiting for Maya to become old enough, and powerful enough, to fight the Darkness single-handedly (scripture says so).
Maya can't go back to Earth, because there is too much chance of her being found by the Darkness. Her twin sister, Varvara, takes her place. She can't stay where she is, on a planet called Zabir, for the same reason. Maya is sent to another world, called Udas. A young man named Mayvert volunteers to go with her, as her bodyguard, but he does not do a very good job of it. There are several narrow escapes, including Maya being burned at the stake as some sort of monster, and walking out of the flames, totally unhurt. Did I mention that Maya and Mayvert are able to grow actual, working wings? Does the Darkness come to Udas to find Maya?
This is a short novel, less than 100 pages, but it is surprisingly good. It works as a teen/young adult tale. It also works as a fantasy story, with interesting possibilities for future stories. It's well worth reading.
Maya is your average teenager, but not really. She can read minds, and she can control fire with her mind. She knows that she is not like her classmates in school. One night, she asks, out loud, who is she and where did she come from. Then she gets the answer.
Maya suddenly finds herself in a well-lit ballroom with lots of expensive-looking paintings on the walls. It is also full of people. She is suddenly hugged by a younger man who treats her like his long-lost daughter, which she is. It seems that Maya is a real princess who was sent to Earth to get her out of the way. All of the inhabited worlds have been fighting a long-running war against the Darkness. They have been holding it off, as best they can, while waiting for Maya to become old enough, and powerful enough, to fight the Darkness single-handedly (scripture says so).
Maya can't go back to Earth, because there is too much chance of her being found by the Darkness. Her twin sister, Varvara, takes her place. She can't stay where she is, on a planet called Zabir, for the same reason. Maya is sent to another world, called Udas. A young man named Mayvert volunteers to go with her, as her bodyguard, but he does not do a very good job of it. There are several narrow escapes, including Maya being burned at the stake as some sort of monster, and walking out of the flames, totally unhurt. Did I mention that Maya and Mayvert are able to grow actual, working wings? Does the Darkness come to Udas to find Maya?
This is a short novel, less than 100 pages, but it is surprisingly good. It works as a teen/young adult tale. It also works as a fantasy story, with interesting possibilities for future stories. It's well worth reading.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Only Superhuman
Only Superhuman, Christopher L. Bennett, Tor Books, 2012
In the early 22nd Century, Mankind has expanded into the Asteroid Belt, allowing people to set up all sorts of societies. A major issue is the attitude concerning genetic and cybernetic modifications of people. Earth and its nearby colonies banned such practices many years ago, but, in the Belt, anything goes.
Emerald Blair is one such "mod." Inspired by old-time comic books, she and other mods join together to form the Troubleshooters, policing the Belt as best they can. Emerald had a difficult home life, and strongly believes in not taking another human life, if at all possible.
The Troubleshooters work for a powerful man named Gregory Tai, who feels that all the separate Belt societies (or, at least, the major ones) should be politically united, under his leadership. Emerald has a falling out with her colleagues, and meets an equally powerful man named Eliot Thorne. If there is such a thing as the "father" of genetic modifications, it's Eliot Thorne. He is also very handsome, and his daughter, Psyche, is beyond gorgeous. He is putting together a major conference, so that several of the major Belt societies can form an alliance. Emerald sees the rest of the Troubleshooters engage in some very questionable behavior (the Thorne's have convinced Emerald that Gregory Tai is the "enemy").
Are Eliot's motives really as innocent as they sound? Is Psyche more than just Eliot's daughter? Does Emerald rejoin the Troubleshooters?
Inspired by comic books, this novel is pretty good. It feels plausible, both scientifically and socially. On the good, or bad, side, there is a lot of sex in this book, maybe a little too much. Yes, this book is worth the time.
In the early 22nd Century, Mankind has expanded into the Asteroid Belt, allowing people to set up all sorts of societies. A major issue is the attitude concerning genetic and cybernetic modifications of people. Earth and its nearby colonies banned such practices many years ago, but, in the Belt, anything goes.
Emerald Blair is one such "mod." Inspired by old-time comic books, she and other mods join together to form the Troubleshooters, policing the Belt as best they can. Emerald had a difficult home life, and strongly believes in not taking another human life, if at all possible.
The Troubleshooters work for a powerful man named Gregory Tai, who feels that all the separate Belt societies (or, at least, the major ones) should be politically united, under his leadership. Emerald has a falling out with her colleagues, and meets an equally powerful man named Eliot Thorne. If there is such a thing as the "father" of genetic modifications, it's Eliot Thorne. He is also very handsome, and his daughter, Psyche, is beyond gorgeous. He is putting together a major conference, so that several of the major Belt societies can form an alliance. Emerald sees the rest of the Troubleshooters engage in some very questionable behavior (the Thorne's have convinced Emerald that Gregory Tai is the "enemy").
Are Eliot's motives really as innocent as they sound? Is Psyche more than just Eliot's daughter? Does Emerald rejoin the Troubleshooters?
Inspired by comic books, this novel is pretty good. It feels plausible, both scientifically and socially. On the good, or bad, side, there is a lot of sex in this book, maybe a little too much. Yes, this book is worth the time.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
The Occasional Diamond Thief
The Occasional Diamond Thief, J.A. McLachlan, Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, 2015
On his deathbed, Kia's father, an interstellar space trader, entrusts to her a diamond from the planet Malem. The problem is that it is very illegal for any off-worlder to possess a Malemese diamond; the penalty is death. In order to get away from an unpleasant home life, Kia engages in the occasional theft to get money to pay for translator school.
Kia is caught by Agatha, part of the Order of Universal Benevolence; sort of like the religious police. Kia is sent to Malem, as Agatha's translator. Malem is a cold, wet planet, in great contrast to Kia's dry, arid home world. Malem recently got over a plague which may, or may not, have been started by Malem's planetary neighbor. Among the thousands of casualties was the Queen's young daughter. She blames Kia's father for not reaching the planet quickly enough with the necessary medicine.
Kia learns that she cannot, for instance, go into a local tavern and say that she found the diamond lying on the ground. Diamonds are passed down from one generation to another, with the recipient keeping it for their entire life. She has to find its rightful owner. A young child contracts the plague. The requirement is that she is quarantined, alone for seven days, in the Plague House, a stone house in the middle of a swamp. At the end of that time, she either walks out of the House cured, or someone goes in to get her dead body. Agatha volunteers to enter the Plague House to take care of the child, even though it means almost certain death. While she is in there, Kia begins to get the idea that the High Priest is using the Plague House, and what it represents, to mess with the facts, and keep the people on edge. It involves Agatha not leaving the Plague House alive. Does Kia find the diamond's rightful owner? Does Agatha survive the Plague House?
This one is really good. It's easy to read, and very well written. Having a main character of color certainly helps. This is recommended for teens, and adults.
On his deathbed, Kia's father, an interstellar space trader, entrusts to her a diamond from the planet Malem. The problem is that it is very illegal for any off-worlder to possess a Malemese diamond; the penalty is death. In order to get away from an unpleasant home life, Kia engages in the occasional theft to get money to pay for translator school.
Kia is caught by Agatha, part of the Order of Universal Benevolence; sort of like the religious police. Kia is sent to Malem, as Agatha's translator. Malem is a cold, wet planet, in great contrast to Kia's dry, arid home world. Malem recently got over a plague which may, or may not, have been started by Malem's planetary neighbor. Among the thousands of casualties was the Queen's young daughter. She blames Kia's father for not reaching the planet quickly enough with the necessary medicine.
Kia learns that she cannot, for instance, go into a local tavern and say that she found the diamond lying on the ground. Diamonds are passed down from one generation to another, with the recipient keeping it for their entire life. She has to find its rightful owner. A young child contracts the plague. The requirement is that she is quarantined, alone for seven days, in the Plague House, a stone house in the middle of a swamp. At the end of that time, she either walks out of the House cured, or someone goes in to get her dead body. Agatha volunteers to enter the Plague House to take care of the child, even though it means almost certain death. While she is in there, Kia begins to get the idea that the High Priest is using the Plague House, and what it represents, to mess with the facts, and keep the people on edge. It involves Agatha not leaving the Plague House alive. Does Kia find the diamond's rightful owner? Does Agatha survive the Plague House?
This one is really good. It's easy to read, and very well written. Having a main character of color certainly helps. This is recommended for teens, and adults.
Friday, June 26, 2015
Tarzan and the Madman
Tarzan and the Madman, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Canaveral Press, 1974
These are harder times than usual for the Lord of the Jungle.
Someone who calls himself "Tarzan" has been kidnapping girls and women from the local tribes, never to be seen again. It is causing Tarzan's usual allies, both human and animal, to turn their backs on him. The latest kidnap victim is Sandra Pickerall, a white woman from Scotland. A couple of bounty hunters are very interested in the reward offered by Sandra's father for her safe return. They certainly won't ignore the reward for delivering Tarzan, dead or alive, also to Sandra's father. As an added complication, there is a tribe of cannibals in the area who are best avoided at all costs.
Sandra is rescued from the cannibals by Tarzan, and he is shot, and severely injured, by one of the bounty hunters. In their travels, the bounty hunters discover that the cannibals wear lots of gold jewelry. A person can almost see the dollar signs in their eyes; there has to be an incredible gold mine somewhere nearby. Meantime, "Tarzan" rescues Sandra from the bounty hunters, and takes her to the top of a high mesa, where God rules in real medieval castle. He isn't really God, just the leader of a group of Portuguese soldiers. Sandra is very uninterested in becoming a goddess.
Later, "Tarzan" rescues Sandra from the Portuguese, after learning the truth about them. As time goes on, she begins to have feelings for him. She realizes that he is not insane or a psychopath, but an average guy with a case of total amnesia. When the Tarzans meet, can Sandra keep Tarzan from killing "Tarzan?" The bounty hunters find the mine, with chunks of gold just lying on the ground. Do they make it back to civilization with their new riches?
This is a lesser-known, but pretty good part of the Tarzan series. It's easy to read, with plenty of action, and will keep the reader entertained. Yes, it's worth reading.
These are harder times than usual for the Lord of the Jungle.
Someone who calls himself "Tarzan" has been kidnapping girls and women from the local tribes, never to be seen again. It is causing Tarzan's usual allies, both human and animal, to turn their backs on him. The latest kidnap victim is Sandra Pickerall, a white woman from Scotland. A couple of bounty hunters are very interested in the reward offered by Sandra's father for her safe return. They certainly won't ignore the reward for delivering Tarzan, dead or alive, also to Sandra's father. As an added complication, there is a tribe of cannibals in the area who are best avoided at all costs.
Sandra is rescued from the cannibals by Tarzan, and he is shot, and severely injured, by one of the bounty hunters. In their travels, the bounty hunters discover that the cannibals wear lots of gold jewelry. A person can almost see the dollar signs in their eyes; there has to be an incredible gold mine somewhere nearby. Meantime, "Tarzan" rescues Sandra from the bounty hunters, and takes her to the top of a high mesa, where God rules in real medieval castle. He isn't really God, just the leader of a group of Portuguese soldiers. Sandra is very uninterested in becoming a goddess.
Later, "Tarzan" rescues Sandra from the Portuguese, after learning the truth about them. As time goes on, she begins to have feelings for him. She realizes that he is not insane or a psychopath, but an average guy with a case of total amnesia. When the Tarzans meet, can Sandra keep Tarzan from killing "Tarzan?" The bounty hunters find the mine, with chunks of gold just lying on the ground. Do they make it back to civilization with their new riches?
This is a lesser-known, but pretty good part of the Tarzan series. It's easy to read, with plenty of action, and will keep the reader entertained. Yes, it's worth reading.
Thursday, June 25, 2015
The Genius Dilemma
The Genius Dilemma, Dustin Grinnell, CreateSpace, 2014
This novel is about an attempt to artificially enhance the abilities of the human brain.
Richard Powell is the CEO of Cerebrical, a high-tech company that has created Trillium, a serum that it says will create geniuses. To get much-needed venture capital financing, the company needs a well-known neuroscientist as its public "face." Alan Price is a world-renowned Stanford researcher who has fallen on scientific hard times after switching to the "dead end" of investigating Alzheimer's Disease. The venture capital meeting does not go well.
The US military has a secret unit called Project Genesis. Sophisticated computer algorithms are used to predict which politicians, or rebel leaders, around the world are going to pose a threat to America in the future. They are then assassinated before they can do anything. Project Genesis is very interested in Trillium, and it is administered to the members of the team. It really does increase their IQ by a lot, but, naturally, there is a huge and unpleasant side effect. A member of the team kills the other members, and takes off on what he is convinced is a mission to keep America safe.
The latest victim of Project Genesis was Nassir Lwazi, the president of Kenya. He was a tyrant who pitted the two main tribal groups against each other. The whole country is on edge, just waiting for the spark to start a civil war (can anyone say "Rwandan Genocide, Part 2?"). Thomas Amani is a student at Harvard who does not know that Lwazi was his father. He feels compelled to go to Kenya to bring peace, even though he has no idea what he is going to say. The surviving member of Project Genesis is totally convinced that Amani is just as much of a tyrant as his father. Therefore, Amani must die, along with the American President, who is there as part of the "peace process." Can he be stopped? Is there any way to reduce the influence of the side effect? Can Trillium lead to a cure for Alzheimer's Disease?
This story works really well. It works as a regular political thriller, and the scientific part feels very plausible. I am not sure why the book was printed with every line double spaced, making it twice as thick as necessary, but it is still a first-rate piece of writing.
This novel is about an attempt to artificially enhance the abilities of the human brain.
Richard Powell is the CEO of Cerebrical, a high-tech company that has created Trillium, a serum that it says will create geniuses. To get much-needed venture capital financing, the company needs a well-known neuroscientist as its public "face." Alan Price is a world-renowned Stanford researcher who has fallen on scientific hard times after switching to the "dead end" of investigating Alzheimer's Disease. The venture capital meeting does not go well.
The US military has a secret unit called Project Genesis. Sophisticated computer algorithms are used to predict which politicians, or rebel leaders, around the world are going to pose a threat to America in the future. They are then assassinated before they can do anything. Project Genesis is very interested in Trillium, and it is administered to the members of the team. It really does increase their IQ by a lot, but, naturally, there is a huge and unpleasant side effect. A member of the team kills the other members, and takes off on what he is convinced is a mission to keep America safe.
The latest victim of Project Genesis was Nassir Lwazi, the president of Kenya. He was a tyrant who pitted the two main tribal groups against each other. The whole country is on edge, just waiting for the spark to start a civil war (can anyone say "Rwandan Genocide, Part 2?"). Thomas Amani is a student at Harvard who does not know that Lwazi was his father. He feels compelled to go to Kenya to bring peace, even though he has no idea what he is going to say. The surviving member of Project Genesis is totally convinced that Amani is just as much of a tyrant as his father. Therefore, Amani must die, along with the American President, who is there as part of the "peace process." Can he be stopped? Is there any way to reduce the influence of the side effect? Can Trillium lead to a cure for Alzheimer's Disease?
This story works really well. It works as a regular political thriller, and the scientific part feels very plausible. I am not sure why the book was printed with every line double spaced, making it twice as thick as necessary, but it is still a first-rate piece of writing.
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