Category Archives: science fiction

Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said by Philip K Dick

Posted on by

Flow My Tears, the Policeman said was the last book by Philip K Dick before his VALIS incident. The book is one of my personal favorites. It shows Dick’s growth as a writer, as the book is better written than a lot of his work in the previous decades. His earlier novels are mostly plot centric with Dick’s wonderful thoughts and ideas driving those book forwards. As the 1970s started, Dick was better using his talent and the writing quality became better and better. When combined with his amazing ideas it is clear to see why this book was a Nebula nominee and won the John W Campbell award. So, what is the book about?

Continue reading →

Maps in a Mirror by Orson Scott Card

Posted on by

Maps in a Mirror is a collection of previously published short stories by Orson Scott Card. While Card is mainly known for his Ender Wiggin series of books, he was a prolific short story writer before moving to novels. These stories cover science fiction, horror and even philosophy. And with 46 stories (and close to 700 pages) there’s a story in there for everyone.

Continue reading →

For The Win by Cory Doctorow

Posted on by

For The Win by Cory Doctorow is another polemic novel, this time about economics and unions. Doctorow isn’t my favorite writer, but his stories are well paced and well written. There is rarely any confusion about who the characters are and what they are doing. But Doctorow has a habit of dropping in a chapter which reads like it came out of a textbook when he wants to introduce a topic. Unlike other books which work the school lesson into the plot, Doctorow just puts in a chapter which covers the topic and drops you out of the novel. So how was the economic text novel.

Continue reading →

Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card

Posted on by

Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card was the first in a new series of novels in the Ender’s Game universe. The original short story turned book had made a hero out of a small boy who was a better tactical leader then anyone before him. The story then followed Ender as he spread out through the universe and did good deeds and wrote books and I lost interest somewhere in the 3rd book. Card then decided to write more about Ender’s time in Battle School, so he picked a character that was familiar to Ender fans, but hadn’t been developed much, Bean. So Ender’s Shadow follows Bean from his early days until the events at the end of the original Ender’s Game. Card sets Bean up as smarter and better than Ender, but without Ender’s leadership charisma. So how does the book fit into the Ender Universe? NOTE: Spoilers within

Continue reading →

True Names by Vernor Vinge

Posted on by

True Names by Vernor Vinge is on of the first great Internet books. Before Neuromancer was published, Vinge, more than anyone else, created the metaphors and views that were used in the early days of the Internet. Vinge is more of a futurist than a science fiction writer. His greatest strength is seeing the future and how people will interact with it. And in True Names, Vinge started writing about the future event that he would later name The Singularity. So what exactly is True Names about?

Continue reading →

The Sagan Diary by John Scalzi

Posted on by

The Sagan Diary by John Scalzi is a novella set in the Old Man’s War universe. It has an interesting history, which Scalzi documents in the introduction. Orderwise, this book sits between The Ghost Brigadesand The Last Colony. It is significantly different than any of Scalzi’s other book in style and tone. Is it worth tracking down?
Continue reading →

New Syfy fall shows

Posted on by

Syfy sent out a press release talking about it’s new lineup of shows. A couple that might be interesting.

By the production company that makes the Stargate shows:

BALL & CHAIN
After months of emotional tumult, Edgar and Mallory call their relationship quits. As they say their final goodbyes, the ex-lovers are nearly hit by a meteorite that, it turns out, imbues them with extraordinary powers. Unfortunately, the powers only work when they are in close proximity to each other. Though the last thing they want to do is stay together, they’ll need to try if they hope to overcome the newly arrived other-worldly forces that threaten to destroy them and anyone else who gets in the way.

And by the team that wrote Underworld: Rise of the Lycans:

ORION
National Treasure meets Firefly in this swashbuckling space opera about an adventurous female relic hunter and her team as they hunt down — and sometimes steal — valuable and powerful objects to sell on the black market, all while staying one step ahead of the bounty hunters hot on their heels.

Singularity Sky by Charles Stross

Posted on by

Singularity Sky by Charles Stross is a fun combination of a strong AI and a espionage novel. Stross takes us years into the future where an advanced being has change the path of humanity and set down rules that humanity can not break. The book deals with the impact of technology on civilizations that try to suppress technology.

Continue reading →