Rapid-Fire Audiobook Reviews

Since I don't anticipate having time, in the near future, to give each of these audio books a full-blown review, I'm posting short-form reviews here.

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi.

An engaging story set in a well-realized universe. This novel is positioned as a young-adult book, but it doesn't underestimate its reader. 7.5 out of 10.

The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi.

The premise for this story, which is set in the same universe as Ship Breaker, but on the other side of the Earth, is compelling, and the worldbuilding is impressive. However, the characters weren't identifiable and the story was too slow. I just couldn't get into it and stopped about two thirds of the way in. 3.5 out of 10.

Hull Zero Three by Greg Bear.

The premise of this story is intriguing. Unfortunately, since the narrator and all the other characters have no idea of what's going on around them, the plot comes off as a muddled mess. 5.0 out of 10.

Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge.

This story is set in the same universe a Fast Times at Fairmont High, and it includes at least 5 of the same characters. Interestingly, 2 of the main characters are substantially revamped for this novel. The worldbuilding is typical of Vinge, which is to say impressive. The story is exciting, as well. 8.5 out of 10.

The WWW Trilogy (Wake, Watch, and Wonder) by Robert J. Sawyer.

An interesting story set in the very near future. The main character is so likable that I didn't mind reading from the perspective of a teenage girl. Sadly, there's a bit too much teen-girl drama. 7.5 out of 10.

Audiobook Review: The Half-Made World

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

The Setup

Felix Gilman's The Half-Made World could be described as steampunk, but instead of taking place in an alternate history with advanced steam- and clockwork-powered technology, it takes place in an alternate reality, where supernatural forces are prominent and steampunk-like technology also exists. The story is set on a continent, which I think of as an alternate North America, that is slowly being created along its westward edge. Civilized nations lie along the east coast, especially in the northeast. On the west coast, the laws of nature have not quite settled down, that the distinctions between plant and animal, the phases of matter, natural and supernatural, are not strict. Between the coasts is a vast frontier that serves as the setting for a 400-year-long war between the forces of Gun and Line.

The Line is a mechanized, industrial society ruled by a few dozen Engines, each of which is inhabited by an immortal demon. The Gun are also immortal demons of similar numbers, but they choose to inhabit pistols and rifles. Each Gun is carried by an Agent, whose speed, strength, senses, and healing are all enhanced by their masters' influence. The Line's forces number perhaps in the hundreds of thousands, while there are only as many Agents as there are Guns. The Line represents order, the Gun, chaos. But it's not that simple.

Also present on this continent are the aboriginal First Folk, supernatural not-quite-humanoids with access to their own demonic powers. The Red Valley Republic, which attempted to carve out an independent existence, was destroyed decades ago, but its presence is still felt on the continent.

The story follows John Creedmoor, Doctor Liv Alverhyusen, and---best title ever---Sub-Invigilator (Third Class) Lowry as they each set out on a mission of their own or their masters' choosing.

What I Liked

• The universe Gilman created for this story is very interesting. The nature of the demonic forces and the unfinished state of the western edge of the continent are particularly intriguing.
• The story itself is both interesting and exciting. It rarely drags.
• The writing style seems very appropriate for the subject matter.
• The characters are interesting and distinct from each other. In particular, Creedmoor is a lot more than the by-the-numbers charming rogue he could have been.
• The narrator, Tamara Marston, does an excellent job of giving the characters distinct voices and deliveries. In particular, her rendition or Marmion is enjoyable.

What I Disliked

• The pace does slow down more than I'd like sometimes, but that's usually only for a short time.

The Bottom Line

Overall, I give The Half-Made World 8.5 out of 10. It's imaginative, fast-paced, and satisfying. I highly recommend it. In particular, it seems like exactly the kind of story Alison would enjoy.

Book Review: The Dark Deeps

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

The Setup

The Dark Deeps: The Hunchback Assignments 2 is Arthur Slade's sequel to---you guessed it---The Hunchback Assignments. The novel follows the further adventures of the hunchbacked chameleon Modo on his further adventures protecting the Victorian British Empire from various steampunktastic threats.

Much of what I said in my review of the first volume applies to this story, as well.

What I Liked

• The setup is compelling.
• The plot is exciting and moves quickly.
• The protagonist is sympathetic.
• Some of the steampunkery is fun.
• There's just a hint of a love triangle.

What I Disliked

• Most of the technology in the book isn't too unbelievable, even if it's almost a century ahead of its time. This is steampunk, after all. There is one piece of "tech" that is more fantasy than science fiction, and its presence annoyed me.
• The narrator is just as whiny as she was last time around.
• Once again, the antagonists' actions don't seem sufficiently motivated.
• This book feels more like a a kid's book than some of the other YA fiction I've read recently.

The Bottom Line

Overall, I give The Dark Deeps 7.0 out of 10. It's entertaining, but far from great.

Audiobook Review: The Hunchback Assignments

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

The Setup

The Hunchback Assignments is a young-adult steampunk adventure that follows Modo, a deformed orphan with some extranormal abilities, as he is raised and pressed into the service of Queen and country. The story combines elements of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

What I Liked

• The story is fun and fast-paced.
• The protagonist is very relatable.
• Some of the ideas in the story are very compelling.

What I Disliked

• Some of the technology is rather ridiculous. Yes, this is a steampunk story, but the "regular" steampunkery doesn't seem as well-grounded as in, say, the stories of theClockwork Century or the Leviathan trilogy. In addition, there is some mystical "life force" or some such, which might be at home in a fantasy novel, but seems out of place here.
• Several of the characters---Mr. Socrates and Dr Hyde, especially---are very stereotypical.
• The actions of the antagonists seem poorly motivated.,
• Of the young-adult novels I've read recently, this one feels the most like a kid's book. Somehow, the factors I mentioned above combine to give that impression.
• The narrator, Jayne Entwistle, does a good job of making the characters' voices distinct, but her own voice is rather whiny and annoying.

The Bottom Line

Overall, I give The Hunchback Assignments 7.0 out of 10. It's entertaining, but a little juvenile.

Audiobook Review: Fast Times at Fairmont High

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

The Setup

This novella by one of my favorite authors, Vernor Vinge, explores life in a near-future junior high school where the abilities to adapt and to work in a team are emphasized over the more traditional accumulation of knowledge.

What I Liked

• This story contains a very realistic and believable near-future society.
• Several interesting technologies and societal developments are investigated.

What I Disliked

• Some major plot elements are left unresolved.

The Bottom Line

I give Fast Times at Fairmont High 8.0 out of 10. It's far from my favorite of Vinge's work, but it is still an entertaining and thought-provoking story.

Audiobook Review: The Alchemist and The Executioness

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

The Setup

The Alchemist and The Excecutioness is two novellas written by two authors---Paolo Bacigalupi and Tobias Buckell, respectively---that share the same fantastic universe created by the two authors together. In this universe, magic can be practiced by anyone---though some are more adept with it than others---but using magic brings bramble, a virtually indestructible vine that poisons or kills those it touches. Thus, in this world, magic is illegal, except for officially sanctioned government use. The first story follows an alchemist---surprising, I know--working to find a nonmagical method of killing the bramble, while the second follows...well, a female butcher, actually.

What I Liked

• The universe. These two authors have created a fascinating setting for their stories.
• The stories. Both plots are interesting, though the second may be better than the first.
• The characters. Both main characters are believable and relatable, despite the fantastic setting.
• The voice acting. Both narrators----Jonathan Davis and Katherine Kellgren, respectively---do an excellent job of animating their characters.

What I Disliked

• I really have no complaints about these stories.

The Bottom Line

Overall, I give The Alchemist and The Executioness 8.5 out of 10. I highly recommended it to fans of "relatable fantasy."

Audiobook Review: Kraken

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

The Setup

Kraken: An Anatomy is the most recent novel from China Miéville. The author has stated that he wants to write a novel in every genre. This book is firmly in the urban fantasy genre, though it is also a dark comedy. Yes, comedy in a Miéville book. Seriously.

The plot is kicked off when the preserved carcass of a giant squid, Architeuthis dux, is stolen from a London museum of natural history. The squid's curator, Billy Harrow, finds himself sucked into a hidden world of exotic religions and magical gangsters.

What I Liked

• The universe. Once again, Miéville creates a complex and richly detailed world in this novel.
• The plot. The story is interesting and moves along quickly.
• The characters. Dane Parnell and Cath Collingswood, in particular, are fun.
• The cults. The varied and various niche religions, most notably the central Church of God Kraken, are entertaining.
• The comedy. The jokes in this story are played very dead-pan. Given that the plot centers on the investigation of a mystery, the book reminds me somewhat of Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, but the gags are much more subtle and infrequent.
• The shout-outs. Popular works of science fiction and fantasy are explicitly referenced throughout the book, none more so than, perhaps surprisingly, Star Trek. There's one passage about three quarters of the way through that calls out every major SF&F series, including both Buffy and Angel. It's enough to make a fanboy like me squee aloud.
• The narrator. John Lee does his usual amazing job of bringing the characters to life. I can't say enough about this man's voice acting.

What I Disliked

• The universe. The rules by which magic operates in this universe struck me as somewhat arbitrary and inconsistent, what Nick would call Want-'em Mechanics. I realize that magic is, by its nature, mysterious and nonsensical, but the world Miéville created for this book seems somehow less cohesive than the equally magical one he invented for Perdido Street Station.
• The Londocentrism. Although I enjoy the way the author's affection for London comes through in this book, I can't help but feel that he thinks London is the center of the universe. There are many instances where "London" or "the city" is used as a synonym for "the world."
• The comedy. Although a number of the gags are quite amusing, many of them are delivered so sparsely and seriously that they either go unnoticed or fall flat.

The Bottom Line

Overall, I give Kraken 8.0 out of 10. It's my least favorite Miéville book so far, but it's still an impressive act of creation.

Audiobook Review: The City & The City

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

The City & The City is the second audiobook written by China Miéville that I've read in as many weeks. Below is my review of it.

The Setup

The novel takes place in two small, fictitious European city-states: Besźel and Ul Qoma. These two countries are distinct, with different governments, cultures, and languages, but they share the same geographic space. The citizens of each country are trained from an early age to "unsee" and "unhear" the citizens of the other. The only way to legally travel from one to the other is to pass through the the official border crossing. The greatest taboo in these cities is "breach," the act of overtly ignoring the sovereignty of the two nations.

Miéville has said that he wants to write a novel in every genre. The City & The City is his entry into the mystery genre. Its story follows, in first person, the investigation of the death of a young woman. The crime, as you might expect, is not as simple as it first appears.

Interestingly, unlike, as far as I can tell, the rest of the author's work, this story contains no science-fiction or fantastic elements, beyond the mere existence of such impractically constrained metropolises.

What I Liked

• I found the concept fascinating, and the author does an amazing job of exploring the premise and following it to its logical conclusion.
• Although the story takes place in the real world and in contemporary times, the level of worldbuilding is on par with that in Perdido Street Station. The geographies and cultures of the two cities are richly realized.
• The plot---the investigation of a crime---is quite interesting, though, for me, it takes a backseat to the setting as far as my interest is concerned.
• The narrator, John Lee, does just as amazing a job with this book as he did with Perdido. each character has his or her own voice and accent. Even his American accent is quite good. His Canadian seemed a little dodgy, though; it sounded almost Scottish to me.

What I Disliked

• You know, I really can't think of anything I disliked about this story. I was somehow expecting a fantastic element, but, I don't think this story needs one.

The Bottom Line

Overall, I give the audiobook of The City & The City 9.5 out of 10. It is an interesting story set in a fascinating world and brought to life by an impressive voice actor. What's not to love?

Audiobook Review: Dreadnought

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

The Setup

Dreadnought is the fifth and most recently published work from Cherie Priest's steampunk-plus-zombies alternate-history universe known as The Clockwork Century. The stories in the Clockwork Century take place in North America in 1880 or thereabouts. The Civil War is still ongoing, thanks to the support of the Confederate States of America by the United Kingdom and the Republic of Texas. The Republic is a wealthy and technologically innovative country due to the discovery of fossil petroleum many years before the real-world date.

The stories, both published and forthcoming, from this universe are as follows:

• "Tanglefoot", a short story published in 2008. It's available online and in an anthology called Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded. I encourage you to read it.
• Boneshaker, a novel published in 2009. This book tells of the accidental release of zombigenic gas in Seattle, in the Washington Territory, and the ramifications for members of one family that happens to be central to the bigger story. Boneshaker seems to have been Priest's breakthrough work, taking her from modest success to the vanguard of steampunk. I gave this book a 7.5 out 10, but, given how it has stuck with me, I've since cranked that rating up to 8.0.
• Clementine, a novella published in 2010. This book relates the piratical theft, re-theft, and attempted re-re-theft of one example of that quintessential steampunk conveyance, the airship. Clementine was published by Subterranean Press, unlike Boneshaker and Dreadnought, which were published by Tor. Subterranean seems to have printed too small a number of these books, and it is sold out everywhere. It's certainly not available in my new favorite format, audiobook. See the Clockwork Century FAQ for a full explanation. Thus, I have been unable to get my own copy of this book to read. However, it's just been released in Kindle form, so I'll be tackling it as soon as I finish my current book.
• "Reluctance," a short story published in the zombie anthology The Living Dead 2 in September 2010. This is the story that Priest read for us at Dragon*Con. I found it quite enjoyable, and having the author read it to me was a nice bonus.
• Dreadnought, a novel published in 2010 and the subject of this review. This book tells the story of nurse in a Confederate army hospital and the transcontinental journey she undertakes.
• Ganymede, a novel due to Tor on November 1 and is expected to be published in 2011. This story follows the interactions of airship captain, a female Union spy, and a...wait for it...submarine. Priest has been reporting on her progress with the book, and it looks like she may be late. You can hardly blame her. As you can tell by the above list, she's been quite busy over the last couple of years writing stories in the Clockwork Century, and she has also written some other stories as well.
• Inexplicable, a novel scheduled to be published by Tor in 2012. This book will be set in Seattle and involve both zombies---fairly expected by now---and at least one sasquatch---not so expected. If we're lucky, we'll see a zombie sasquatch by the end.

I should point out that the stories in this universe are essentially stand-alone. They have overlapping characters, but one can read them in any order with no significant loss of understanding or enjoyment.

Disclosure

After seeing Cherie Priest at close range during her panel* and reading at Dragon*Con, I find that I like her and want her books to do well. My personal affection for her might lead me to be enthusiastic about her work and to give this novel a better review than I otherwise would.

What I Liked

• Dreadnought gives readers of the Clockwork Century their first glimpse of the war at the center of this universe. The scenes in the Confederate hospital are grim, as you might expect, but also gripping.
• The plot is fast-paced. One of my not-favorite aspects of Boneshaker was that if seemed to drag just a bit at times. Dreadnought barely stops for breath after it gets going.
• The central character, Vinita "Mercy" Swackhammer Lynch is an almost inhumanly strong character but is somehow still believable and relatable.
• Airships, walkers, train engines equipped with heavy weaponry, and zombies. What's not to love?
• The narrator of this story, Kate Reading, brings the text to life. She does not match John Lee's ability to produce seemingly limitless voices and accents, but she does a solid job. In particular, the voice she uses for the protagonist seems just about perfect to my ear. My only complaint related to her is that she tends to draw out the word at the end of a sentence or clause in a way that sounds almost like a whine to me.

What I Disliked

• The last chapter and a half felt somewhat tacked-on. In my opinion, those who have read Boneshaker will find this epilogue-like segment of the book almost entirely superfluous, and those who haven't will find it hurried and too expository. There's a point a little before the end of the penultimate chapter that I feel would make a better end to the story. That being said, I did enjoy the particular two quotations on which the story ends.

The Bottom Line

Overall, I give Dreadnought 8.5 out of 10. By following Boneshaker with an even better novel, Priest has solidified her grip on the tittle of "high priestess of steampunk," as given to her by The Seattle Times. Perhaps the most succinct way to express my feelings about this book is this: I'm excited to read Clementine. If you like steampunk or zombies or Civil War fiction, you should look into this novel.

Update: OMG pwnies! Cherie Priest tweeted about this review and about why our blog's address had her worried. My carefully considered response to this devlopement is this: Squee!

* I don't think that a single person can hold a panel, but that's what the event was called.

Audiobook Review: Perdido Street Station

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

The Setup

Perdido Street Station, China Miéville's second novel, is probably his most famous, and it is the one that introduces the fantastic world of Bas-Lag, where humans are just one of many sapient species and where magic---called thaumaturgy---and steampunk technology exist side-by-side. Bas-Lag is also the setting for The Scar and Iron Council. Perdido Street is set specifically in the city-state of New Crobuzon, which is ruled by a corrupt government and inhabited by a mostly miserable populace.

I don't want to say too much about the plot, but I will say that numerous seemingly unrelated threads are followed throughout the novel, and they all come together in the end. On the whole, I'd describe the story as a horror thriller.

What I Liked

• One of the hallmarks of good science fiction or fantasy is rich worldbuilding, and this book has that in spades. The world of Bas-Lag and the city of New Crobuzon are excellently realized, with awe-inspiring variety and equally impressive detail.
• Miéville's writing style is almost poetic in its imagery.
• The plot is exciting, and the characters are varied and interesting.
• The audiobook's narrator, John Lee, does a spectacular job bringing the setting, story, and characters to life. He uses a distinct voice and accent for essentially every speaking part in the book. There are a handful of one-scene characters who all have essentially the same working-class British accent, but the twenty or more recurring characters are all very distinct. Amazing.

What I Disliked

• The plot takes a little while to really take off. Once it does, though, it doesn't slow down until the end.

Cautions

• This book is grim. The story starts out depressing and just goes downhill from there. That feature is not a deal-breaker for me, but if you are in the mood for a light-hearted romp, look elsewhere.

The Bottom Line

I'd give this audiobook a 9.5 out of 10. Miéville's worldbuilding and imagery are unassailable, and Lee's voice-acting only enhances the experience. I can't believe I waited this long, after Nick's and Alison's recommendations, to "read" this novel.

Audiobook Review: The Life of Pi

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

I recently finished the audiobook version of The Life of Pi. Here's my review.

The Setup

The book follows a young Indian boy, Pi, through his youth in India, as the very spiritual son of a zookeeper, and his somewhat...complicated relocation to Canada. The story is told mostly Pi himself and partly by a writer chronicling the central character's life.

What I Liked

• The plot. The central story of the book is quite engaging. Both Part 1 and Part 2, which are very different, are interesting.
• The central, and principal, character. I found Pi to be quite sympathetic.
• The voice acting. The actor who provided the voice of Pi (and all the characters he meets) did an excellent job.
• The zoological content. The author clearly did his animal-behavior research.
• The imagery. The book is filled with very evocative imagery.

What I Disliked

• Some parts of the book feel a little...awkward.

The Bottom Line

Overall, I give The Life of Pi 7.5 out of 10. It's certainly an unusual book, and an interesting one, to boot.

Audiobook Review: Metatropolis

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

A few weeks ago, I finished the audiobook Metatropolis, and here is my review.

The Setup

Metatropolis is an anthology of novellas written by Jay Lake, Tobias Buckell, Elizabeth Bear, John Scalzi, and Karl Schroeder. Scalzi also edited the book. One feature that sets this anthology apart is that all the stories take place in the same universe, one that was collaboratively built by all the authors. Another unusual feature is that the compilation was conceived as an audiobook. The stories are read by two famous audiobook narrators and three Battlestar Galactica veterans.

The title gives some clue to the shared universe of these stories. The novellas take place sometime in the middle of the Twenty-First Century, when the nature of cities is changing, evolving into something new. The final story, in particular, shows how even the words we use to describe cities may have to change to keep up.

What I Liked

• The plots of the five stories are all very engaging. They are all distinct, but, since they take place in a single imagined universe, they feel like components of a single whole. The last story was easily my favorite; listening to it was a mind-expanding experience.
  
• The future envisioned in this book is realized thoroughly. The details really bring the world of the book to life for the listener.
• The voice acting is top-notch. All of the narrators do excellent jobs of not simply reading but acting the stories. For example, each narrator gives each character his or her own voice.
  

What I disliked

• The first story contains a character with a poorly justified, almost supernatural ability to charm the other characters. I just didn't buy it.
  

The Bottom Line

Overall, I give Metatroplis 8.5 out of 10. I really enjoyed this audiobook, and I recommend you download it or buy in on CD. You can even read it, if you want to be old-fashioned. If my recommendation is not enough for you, you might be interested in reading Scalzi's reasons you should buy it.

Audiobook Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2004)

To help pass the time during our roadtrip to Chicagoland, Alison and I listened to the audiobook of Mark Haddon's 2004 novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which she had downloaded to her iPod. The book is told from the perspective of a 15-year-old autistic boy as he investigates the death of his neighbor's poodle. I've been a fan of fully produced "radio dramas" for some time, but this was my first time listening to an audiobook. I quite enjoyed it.

What I liked:

• The writing style effectively conveys the unusual thought patterns of the protagonist.
  
• The voice actor narrating the novel did an excellent job of acting, not just reading.
• The story was quite interesting.
• I always enjoy hearing British accents and vernacular.
  

What I disliked:

• Literally 90% of the sentences in the book start with the same word: "and." I realize the author wrote this way to emulate the style of the main character, but it still irritated me to no end.
  

Overall, I give this audiobook 8.5 out of 10. I recommend it.