Book 7/50 : The Lost Fleet Fearless

Courageous is the third book in Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet Series. It follows the first book Dauntless, and the second book Fearless. It continues the story of Captain ‘Black Jack’ Geary as he endeavours to get the alliance fleet home through enemy territory.

While the narrative continues on, it takes sometime to get going. Campbell continues with trying to flesh out the characters. While I understand why he’s doing this, part of the charm of the first book was the fact that apart from Geary the characters were paper thin. After all this is a military sci fi book you don’t need characters to be anything more than efficient/good/team-players , sloppy/insubordinate or just plain baddies. Sometimes the scenes between Geary and Victoria are rehashes of earlier scenes in this and the other books. Like he is trying to hammer home the format of their relationship so that everyone in the class fully understands. The fleshing out isn’t all negative the series does benefit from the view into fleet politics. Loyalties are shown not to be so black and white. It turns out those that support Geary aren’t all angels and those that don’t are not necessarily idiots.

The arc plot continues as Geary’s theory on a third party involvement in the hypernet is all but confirmed. Although the interesting nugget is added that maybe they aren’t alien rather they may be a third group of Humans, as there is very little evidence either way. While the impact of Geary’s previous victories on the syndicate worlds are shown. As its hinted that his good treatment of civilians is causing a softening of feeling towards the alliance and that this may lead to a revolution as syndic civilians seem to only be kept away from open revolt by their belief that there is no alternative.

I’m still really enjoying these books, I am however getting a little bit pissed at paying full price for each book. Lets not beat around the bush here, I’m on “book” 3 and while each "book" has a distinct start and finish its one story really. Add this to the fact you can easily read each book in a few hours and the only conclusion is that these books should have been published in omnibus form.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Novel) Review

The book that launched an empire that made one woman very very rich (and deservedly so). This was not the first book I read in the series. I was a rather late convert to the books having been dragged to the 2nd film by a friend. This literary lapse is something I think I’ll always regret. How thrilling it would have been to learn of Harry's past as Harry does, to wonder at the references to you know who and He who must not be named.

There is a certain charm in rereading these books years later, older, wiser and after the series has been completed. Despite what some literary snobs might say Rowling is a very accomplished wordsmith. She manages to expertly pitch this book (and the others) right for its target audience, which we shouldn't forget is the age Harry is in each book. So for this book 11 years old, (although this will not stop older readers enjoying it.)

Philosopher's stone is a short book, especially when compared to the later books. This however is not to the books determent. Even in this early volume the stage is being set for the greater story. This without sacrificing the books narrative and its standing as a sole volume. It is a book full of mystery an intrigue that is more than fulfilled in the greater series, humour and just the right level on danger. As you’ll probably know the books get quite dark as Harry ages (the target audience age increases.)

Rowling describes the wizard world efficiently and with great effect, she has a great understanding for the needs of the narrative. She appreciates that just like for Harry the surface details of the wizarding world is more than enough to dazzle the readers in this first book. She leaves unnecessary exposition for later books when it is needed to give depth to the world she has so expertly created.

Masterpiece would be going to far for any of the potter books on their own, its only as a whole that the series becomes potentially worthy of such praise. That said had it never spawned its sequels it would still be a very good book. As the first book from an unknown author its a wonder and no surprise that it spawned such a phenomenon.

Book 6/50 : The Lost Fleet Fearless

Fearless is the second book in Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet Series. It follows the first book Dauntless and continues the story of Captain ‘Black Jack’ Geary as he endeavors to get the alliance fleet home through enemy territory. Campbell brings to ahead several background plots of his earlier book, as a wrong headed but passionate POW is freed and tries to wrestle the fleet from Geary’s hands. The fleet continues its slow acceptance of Geary’s “strange” methods, as the benefits the fleet receives from adopting a more strategic approach become apparent. We also get some nice continuation of arc plots with regards to the mystery behind the Hypernet and Geary’s suspicions of a 3rd party being involved but unseen.

Like the last book its very pulpy, but enjoyable. Campbell tries to flesh out some of his characters, and introduces (possibly ill advised) love interests to the mix. For which I’ll withhold judgment for now, but I think as the characters are very 2d anyway its possibly an empty process. That said the action is very engaging and again a good way to spend a few spare hours.

7/10

Challenge update.

8 weeks in 6 books down. I’ve used all my surplus time already! I have to average a book a week for the next 44 weeks. Thankfully I’ve got another 4 of these books to go which should take 5 days at the most.

Book 5/50 : Altered Carbon

A book by Richard Morgan.

Altered Carbon is a book that Amazon has begging me to read for years now. It seemed that every time I’d go to book recommendations I’d always dismiss it, and I have no idea why. I’m sure if it wasn’t for this challenge it would stay forever on my recommended but dismissed list. Well it turns out Amazon was right.

Altered Carbon introduces us the former UN Envoy Takeshi Kovacs. Kovacs lives in a society where people can upload and download from their (and other peoples’) bodies. Due to slow space travel the only way to travel from one planet to another at any speed is to be transferred electronically and re-sleeved (be put into a body) when you arrive. That is where the UN Envoy Corps come in. They are specialists trained to cope with the need to adapt to any situation they might find on transmission to a new world, and not to relay on the abilities of the body as they never know what the next body is going to be. Kovacs split from the Envoys corps following a harrowing war, and has been scrapping a living using his skills for crime. Following his capture early in the book, he is “released” thanks to the machinations of a centuries old man to investigate his apparent suicide. What follows is as excellent a Sci-Fi thriller story as I have read, it easily stands up to the Greg Mandel books (high praise indeed.)

I'd rate this book as 7.5/10. Again highly recommended!

Book 4/50 : Join Me

Join Me is a book by Danny Wallace. I like Danny Wallace’s books, he has the ability to instil a lot of fun into even humdrum events. Join Me is one of Danny’s first books and documents one of his (many) “Boy Projects.”

After the death of an Old Swiss Man, an event that Wallace informs us is at the heart of all great stories. This old man happens to be Danny’s great uncle, it comes to Danny’s notice that his uncle had once had a dream of creating a commune. A dream that dramatically failed and is ridiculed by his surviving relatives, that is except for our worthwhile author/narrator. His great uncles dream instantly wake his “boy project” powers. Powers that he has been keeping dormant for the good of his relationship. Danny decides to try and fulfil his uncles dream by simply asking people to “Join Me” in a local paper. That’s where the ride begins and why he describes this story as “how I started a cult by accident.”

Join Me is a very good read and I highly recommend it. Wallace’s righting style is very engaging and he also writes with deep sensitivity of less jovial matters. This is the 2nd of his books I have read which I seem to be reading in quite a chaotic fashion, while this did not spoil the book, as this is non-fiction there are obviously matters of his personal life that evolve through his books.

I rate this book as 7.5/10 worth reading.

Book 3/50 : Moab Is My Washpot

Moab Is My Washpot a mini review.

I'll start this mini review by stating for the record I'm not a biography person. I like my narratives fictional. That fact stated if any book breaks this rule it is this one.#

Moab is my Washpot is an Autobiography of famous "actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter, film director, and a director of Norwich City Football Club"(~wikipedia)Stephen Fry. It details some very formative events of his early life.

As you would expect from Stephen the writing is impeccable and its easy to get lost in the events he describes even when he breaks the fourth wall (what is the literary version of breaking the fourth wall?) he only drags you back to his Apartment. He cleverly tells his candid tales in a form were it could be a frank discussion with friends, tears and all. It seems quite a cathartic experience for him, and I hope it was. As he says unlike other biographies (auto or not) this is less a finger pointing quest of a hero to succeed against all odds, but Stephens heartfelt apology for anguish he caused those who cared about him and a story in which he sees himself as more of an anti-hero.

As a description of teenage angst it is easily the equal of masterpieces such as The Catcher in the Rye. Though i would love to use the real life example of his redemption from the edge, as proof of the benefit of social justice over social revenge as espoused by the tabloids. Though I'm not overly sure he would appreciate my politicising of his personal triumphs and demons.

I would give Moab is my Washpot 8.5/10. A very good read. Also at less than £3 its a bloody bargain.


The Challenge Update

So I'm back from Cyprus. I took 4 books with the express intention of getting a proper handle on this challenge. Unfortunately this book demanded I take my time with its consumption and it was the only book I managed to finish.

Book 2/50 : The Lost Fleet Dauntless

The Lost Fleet: Dauntless a mini review.

Jack Campbell real name John G. Hemry is a retired Lieutenant Commander from the US Navy. This really comes across in his writing. His prose is pulpy, and the universe he creates has some logical flaws that he has to cover through character exposition. This is easily countered by his exquisitely crafted space battles. He describes battles between large fleets of ships spread across distances that make the travel time of light a problem, with such detail and so believably you wonder if he hasn't actually been involved in such battles. His navy background is also easy to see as his thoughts on duty, honour and the necessity of following orders are very large parts of the plot.

This is my first delve into the Military Science Fiction subgenre and it was very enjoyable. Its not going to win any literary prizes and its most definitely the first book in a series (as nothing much is concluded,) but its a very good read. Rating 7/10.*

The Challenge Update

Just into week 2 and 2 books down. Helped in no short order by reading this book in less than 24 hours.

*I'm being necessarily harsh.

Book 1/50 : Surface Detail

So Surface detail a mini review.

I'd give Surface detail 8.5/10. As you would expect from Iain Banks the prose is fantastic this really is the acceptable face of Science Fiction literature. Iain's M books (his Sci-Fi books) could easily join his main stream non M books on English Literature courses. What's more it obvious he has great fun with his characters, The Mind who controls/is the General Offensive Unit "Falling Outside The Normal Moral Constraints" is well Generally Offensive but ultimately great fun and though proudly eccentric deeply moral. The story is engaging and thought provoking. Where technology can transfer your mind on death to a virtual reality Heaven, its just as easy to create virtual Hells. The plot centre's on a young women revented (brought back to life,) after her murder at the hands of her owner. With a war in the virtual Heavens, over the virtual hells, threatening to spread to the real. The future of the virtual hells may just pivot on her decisions.

If you aren't familiar with the culture books, this isn't the place to start. The Player of Games is the best place to start.

The Challenge Update

Well into week one and it's going to get harder from here. It's took me a week to finish this book. Time to take my finger out.

Dune Messiah(Novel) Review

Following on from my review of Dune last week. I thought i'd continue on with the next novel in the saga, Dune Messiah. Its important to remember that he Author the great Frank Herbert saw Dune Messiah as the fourth book to the dune novel. In essence making both novel part of one larger story. That said there is a distinct break in the story..

..Its tweleve years since Paul Muad'Dib (Atreides) lead the Freeman to victory over the Emperor and his Sardaukar. Paul now presides over the greatest empire ever known, after the Freeman Jihad he set in motion has waged across a large majority of human space. Despite his political and personnel power, Paul struggles to limit the destruction caused by the religion built around him. A religion ,that some think, no longer needs their living God to be quite so living. Paul struggles with the knowledge that he has caused so much death, but his prescience tells him this was the lesser of evils and that the future could still lead to humanities extinction if he cannot find the right path.

Meanwhile the Bene Gesserit, Spacing Guild and Tleilaxu resent that Pauls Empire usurps the power they had in the previous Imperium. They set their conspiracy to topple Paul and return themselves to power, but are all members of the conspiracy happy to return to the status quo or do they play for a greater prize?

Over the years my love for Dune Messaih has grown somewhat. When I first read it I was young and resented what I saw as sad ending for Paul. Over the proceeding years and the many many rereads I came to agree with Herbert the typical Superman isn't a very good character. Arguably Paul is a rather more fleshed out superman than your son's of Krypton or your Spidermans. Rather than being born with powers or as a result of some accident Paul gains his prescient powers through a ”painful and slow personal progress”. Also Paul isn't the exception to the norm the guild and Bene Gesserit both have members with limited versions of his prescient gift and in the Freeman and Sardaukar we have a large number of normal people who through training have gained almost superhuman fighting skills. This is where Herbert excels himself he presents his superman with trails that really stretch his abilities and where a perfect ending is impossible. In essence Paul is no longer a superman just a great man and a true Messiah.

If you've read Dune you will probably have read this but if not you really really must.

The Kat's Bookshelf - Open.

Recent visitors may have noticed the new links at the top of the page. The newest of these are "The Kat's Bookshelf".

Its still a work in progress but is a catalogue of the many books that I currently have stashed across 2 houses, 1 caravan, work and in friends possession. Its got quick links to reviews for those books iI have reviewed and links to purchase them if you want.

I've separated the books out into read, reading and to read. Also I have a wish-list that might come in handy for anyone that wants to buy my presents.

It's by no stretch of the imagination finished, and will take some time to finish but it's already around 100 strong and growing fast. Feel free to have a look, more info on every book is available courtesy of Amazon on the "Buy this book" links.

Dune (Novel) Review

What can I say about Dune and further the Dune Saga? Dune is a masterpiece! Dune is un-filmable! Dune is the cause of literally millions of lost man hours every year as fans argue about the smallest details, and if the books published after his death should be counted as Canon (the answer is no!!!!) Dune is single handedly responsible for increased demand for Cinnamon!

In this review I won’t be touching any (more) of the contentious subjects and will be reviewing the first Novel in the Dune Saga, the original, the best….Dune.

Dune is a Novel by Frank Herbert. It was first published in 1965, it won both Hugo and Nebula Awards in 1966. It is the far future, where personnel shields that are impermeable to all but the slowest blow make the weapons of choice blades and poisons. A secretive guild controls all interstellar travel. A future were society has rebuilt itself from a great Jihad against the use of machines in to tightly controlled Feudal Empire.

Into this arena steps Paul Atreides teenage son of Duke Leto Atreides. Paul's father is instructed by the Emperor to take control of the planet Arrakis, the unique source of the valuable spice Melange. This will mean Pauls Family replacing their arch-enemies the Harkonnens, but is everything as it seems for "A popular man arouses the jealousy of the powerful." and Paul's father is a popular man. Meanwhile Paul's mother Jessica is brought to task by the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, of which she is a member, who ordered her to bear only daughters. The Bene Gesserit have been controlling key bloodlines for generations in the hope of breeding a Kwisatz Haderach a super-being. Meanwhile on Arrakis a people known as Freman await their prohisied "voice from the outer world" who will lead them to there freedom.

The novel is comprised by three books, the First book "Dune", The second book "Muad'Dib" and the final book "The Prophet". I don't want to spoil it by going into to much detail, as it truly is a must read. It easily stands up with other classics of literature. Herbert thought every single little detail of the story out, and it really shows.

Herbert disliked the idea of the Übermensch "The bottom line of the Dune trilogy is: beware of heroes. Much better rely on your own judgment, and your own mistakes."- Frank Herbert, and although at first Dune seems a story of the rise of such an Ubermensch, on closer examination it becomes a man's struggle with his own destiny, or in Pauls case "Terrible Purpose". Where as the follow up Dune Messiah is an exploration of the limitations of ultimate power "There exists a limit to the force even the most powerful may apply without destroying themselves" and "People call it a power, a gift. It's an affliction!". Herbert always saw Dune Messiah as the fourth book of the Dune novel. Making the story not a story of the rise of a superman but the story of a man as he falls into than tries to escape the trap that is godhood "His curse lay in the fact that he saw the cage."

Herbert also explorers the issues of the Decline of Empire's. With the rich tapestry he builds of the Empirieum we see an Emperor clinging to power, beset on all sides by intrigues and plans. Forced into actions he does not want to take in the possible futile attempt to keep his throne. Also Nature and nuture while Paul is the product of selective breeding and the Freman/Sardaukar are the product of immense selection pressures, it is made quite clear that what they are is as much from their training as their genes. That training was a large influence on a mind choosing hyper-alertness over unconsciousness when stressed. "Unlike previous superheroes who acquire their powers suddenly and accidentally, Paul's are the result of "painful and slow personal progress." "

I can not recommend Dune enough. If i could only read one book for the rest of my life Dune would be the book i chose. The only thing wrong with Dune is the saga was never finished, Herbert died before writing the 7th novel). I quite like that however, as it gives the same feel to the last book as the first that you are actually looking into another universe. The story doesn't start with Dune neither does it end with Chapter House Dune. We are simply dipping into an on going history. Like a flower seen from a moving train, it grew before we saw it and will continue growing long after.

*For those that need closure, their is the fan fiction released jointly by his Son Brian and Kevin J. Anderson. I intend on reviewing them at some point, they are fun in their own rite but the quality just isn't there and they take far to many liberties with the story. That really isn't a criticism of those books they just pale in the light of the original works, even Herbert's own sequels never seem quite to attain the majesty of the first two books.

Pandora's Star Review

Pandora's Star is a Novel by Peter F Hamilton. It was originally published in 2004.

After a very cool prolog, Hamilton sets up the confederation universe very effectively while wasting no time getting into the plot. What a universe he paints, the introduction of wormholes and longevity treatments to a late 21st century society allows humanity to spread over hundreds of planets. Connected quite interestingly by the lord of all rail networks(trains and wormholes). The almost unlimited opportunity for expansion added to longevity creates an ultra capitalistic society where single Patriarchs/Matriarchs control dynasties with power over the productivity of large sections of humanity, and the socialists aren't happy about it(Damn right to.). That said humanity in the whole seems happy with the arrangement leading to something of a golden age. Until a 5th rate academic on a frontier world observes the near instantaneous enclosure of two stars, and sets a course of events in to action that may lead to humanity's very extinction. Hamilton current undisputed Space Opera champion of the world doesn't neglect his roots( which are thrillers with a Sci-Fi twist for those who don't know.) With the intriguing character of Paula Myo he expertly intertwines a thriller element. Is all as it seems? Why are humanities leaders so keen to investigate the enclosure?

Hamilton's prose is fantastic, he weaves his story with so much detail that sometimes its easy to get lost in his descriptions. Its only on a second (or subsequent) read do you find the real thought that Hamilton has put into his work. Like the master of his art that he is, a seemingly throw away line of description actually foreshadows future plot points. Giving re reads those fun parts where you go “Wait a minute.....that's....no way.” Being a weighty tome (1152 pages) I haven't got round to re-reading Pandora's star, until recently. Don't get me wrong I have reread sections over the years and its highly likely I did indeed re-read the whole book prior to the release of the 2nd book Judas Unchained in 2005(my memory fails me though.). Its only been me getting my sweaty little hands on the audio-book that has enabled me to re “read” the book in full the customary two times it seems I need to really pick up on the nuances. Like other books of the same high pedigree, Pandora's star gets better with every read/listen. Giving up more detail and texture that may have been missed in the head long rush to find out what happens next.

In conclusion this book is highly recommended, but be warned it is the first of two books in the series and the follow up series set in the same universe brings the total pages to somewhere in the region of 5000. If you start reading this book it will lead to you losing an appreciable amount of your life over the next 6 months, but its well worth it.

The Kat's Amazon Store is open for business.

Some of my more regular readers may have noticed the Amazon adverts plastered all over the site. Unlike the google ads these aren’t pay per click adds, I only get revenue from these when people click them and buy products from Amazon. A bit of a trade off as the conversion rates are much lower but the revenue is proportionally higher.

A few days ago I decided to create an aStore (Amazon Store) of my very own. I started to collate my favourite products and placed them on my aStore. These are mostly things I have bought from Amazon in the past and highly recommend. At the moment its mainly books and (my new obsession) audiobooks, but the store will grow over the next few weeks to include more.

Hopefully it’ll give me the push to write the reviews I’ve been planning on writing for ages now. Watch this space.

You can find my aStore here. Or by using the banner add at the bottom of the page.