The Sea of Rails

The 50% of my readership that has enjoyed China Miéville's writing will be glad to hear that he has yet another novel coming out this May, 12 months after Embassytown was published. The new book, Railsea, is, as the blurb indicates, a recasting of Moby-Dick into a fantasy setting. What the blurb doesn't indicate is that the book is aimed at young-adult (and older) readers. I'm looking forward to reading it.

The Hobbit Returns

As you may know, Peter Jackson is bringing an adaptation of The Hobbit to the big screen, and he's splitting the story into two films. The trailer for the first of these two movies, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, has just gone live. I must say that, after a few-year break, I am officially re-excited about the Lord of the Rings universe.

Boneshaker: The Motion Picture

Cherie Priest has just announced that her steampunk zombie adventure, Boneshaker, is being made into a motion picture. There's even a screenwriter attached already. Follow that first link for more details and this one for a few more.

Having enjoyed Boneshaker and the other stories in Priest's Clockwork Century series, I'm quite chuffed about this news.

Book Review: Tau Zero

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

The Setup

Tau Zero was published by Poul Anderson in 1970, though I didn't get around to reading it, in e-book form on my iPhone, until this spring. The story follows the crew of a Bussard ramjet on the way to colonize a planet circling a nearby star. Sadly, the plan goes awry.

What I Liked

• The scale of the story is quite grand.
• The vision of a few dozen people hurtling through intersteller space in a small, claustrophobic ship are well realized.
• Some implications of relativistic travel are interestingly explored.

What I Disliked

• The characters are not well fleshed out.

The Bottom Line

Tau Zero was a very enjoyable read. I give it 8.0 out of 10.

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.

Roland

Some of you may have heard of Ron Howard's plans to adapt Stephen King's Dark Tower series as film trilogy and a concurrently airing television series. Well, the role of the central character, the gunslinger Roland, has been officially given to Javier Bardem. So, there you go.

Venge's Revenge: Children of the Sky

Great news, everyone. Vernor Vinge has finally written a sequel to A Fire Upon the Deep and A Deepness in the Sky, two novels that sit on my top-ten list. The news addition, Children of the Sky, apparently takes place on Tines World a decade after the end of AFUTD. I can't tell you how excited I am about this news.

My only complaint about the first two books is that the titles are so similar that I have to think about the difference between the Deep and a deepness, within this universe, in order to remember which is which. Vinge's only helping me a little on this front, when it comes to the latest novel's name. Oh well.

If you are wondering why I've used the "dogs" subject tag on this post, well, you need to read AFUTD to find out.

Incidentally, Vinge's unrelated novel, Marooned in Real Time, is also among my favorites. I'm currently "reading" Rainbows End via audiobook, and just this morning, I heard a fourth-wall-breaking throwaway reference to the Tines and the Unthinking Depths. Hilarious.

Embassytown: Chapter the First

In other news about one of my favorite authors, the prologue and first chapter of China Miéville's upcoming science-fiction novel, Embassytown, are available online. I found this excerpt very intriguing; there are so many questions I want answered. I'm excited to read the rest of the book.

Scalzi News

Those of you who care about John Scalzi are probably aware of this recent news, but I thought I'd share it to be sure.

First, if you've enjoyed his books in the Old Man's War universe, you'll be interested to know that Paramount Pictures has acquired the film rights to OMW, and Wolfgang Petersen is attached to direct.

Second, on Monday, Scalzi finished a new novel set in a new universe. Details are scarce, but its on the lighter end of the spectrum of his works.

So, that's all the news that's fit to Scalzi.

Book Review: Bloodshot

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

The Setup

Bloodshot is Cherie Priest's latest novel to be published. It's not a member of any of her previous series, such as the Clockwork Century. I reviewed those stories stories here, here, here, and here. Instead, this urban fantasy story follows paranoid-but-reckless vampire thief Raylene Pendle's investigation of a secret government program, encounter with a Cuban drag queen, and interactions with not-so-adorable street urchins.

What I Liked

• The writing style is much more in keeping with what Priest posts to her blog than with what she has used in the Clockwork Century stories. The casual and funny style in this book is much more appropriate for the contemporary setting and subject matter than the somewhat Victorian style of her steampunk stories.
• The main character is likable and funny, and her various personality quirks and---some would say--flaws make her interesting.
• The plot includes a number of twists and turns that keep the reader from becoming bored.
• The pacing is very good. From just a few pages in, the story moves along sharply.
• The book is an easy, fast read. I don't mean that it's written at a grade-school level. Rather, the fast-moving story and casual writing style make the pages just fly by.

What I Disliked

• The setup is a little trite. It seems like vampires appear in 50% of the books, TV shows, and movies produced in the past four years. In particular, I feel like I've seen a vampire thief somewhere before. I may be thinking of the Angel, who is actually a vampire detective, which isn't too different. Still, as I said, Priest certainly makes the character interesting and the plot engaging.

The Bottom Line

Overall, I give Bloodshot 8.0 out of 10. It's not a challenging, thought-provoking novel, but it is a very fun read. Like all of Priest's books, as soon as I put this one down, I wanted to know when her next book was due. Fortunately for me, she's a prolific author. Ganymede, the next Clockwork Century novel, is due out later this year, as is Hellbent, the sequel to Bloodshot. Priest is currently working on Inexplicables, another story from the Clockwork Century, as well as some secret project. Ms Priest can count on me to read them all.

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. Trailer. Huh?

Does anyone else find this trend of book trailers a little strange?

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.

Embassytown

As my reviews may indicate, China Miéville is perhaps my favorite recently discovered author. A pair of synopses of his upcoming novel, Embassytown, have hit the internet. As a lover of well-developed extraterrestrials, I think it sounds very intriguing. How about you?

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."

Book Review: Clementine

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

The Setup

Clementine is the second long-form work in Cherie Priest's zombie-infested, alternate-history-Civil-War universe known as the Clockwork Century, coming after Boneshaker but preceding Dreadnought. The story is stand-alone, though its characters and locations overlap with those of the other works. The book is a novella, rather than a novel, because Priest wanted to write a book for Subterranean, but Tor had right of first refusal for any works over 60,000 words. One drawback to this deal is that Subterranean only published a small number of copies of the first printing---a hardcover---which instantly sold out. A paperback will be published next year, but that was too long for me to wait. Thus, I read this novella in Kindle form on my iPhone.

"OK, but what's it about?" I hear you ask. The story follows dirigible pirate Croggon Hainey as he attempts to reclaim his rightfully stolen airship, the Free Crow, from those who wrongfully stole it from him. The plot also follows former Confederate spy and current Pinkerton detective Maria Isabella Boyd in her efforts to ensure that the dirigible, newly re-christened the Clementine, reaches the destination intended by its new owners.

What I Liked

• Dude, airships. It was gratifying to read a Clockwork Century story focused on the steampunkiest of vehicles, the dirigible.
• The characters. The two main characters I described above, particularly Ms Boyd, are interesting and compelling.
• The plot. The story is entertaining. I especially enjoyed the way Hainey's story intertwines with Boyd's.
• The pacing. The story moves along very quickly. It never drags, as I feel Boneshaker does at a few points. For example, the story wraps up quickly after the resolution of the main plot line, without an extending winding down. I'm guessing this speed is a direct result of the necessity to keep the book under 60,000 words.
• The crossover. The plot crosses over with another Clockwork Century story in a way I didn't expect but enjoyed.

What I Disliked

• The duration. As I said, the brevity of the book keeps the story moving, but it also means that there isn't room to follow any side stories or explore the universe of the Clockwork Century as much as I'd like.

The Bottom Line

Overall, I give Clementine 8.0 out of 10. So far, I'd say Dreadnought is my favorite work from the Clockwork Century, but this one is a satisfying read.

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.

Book Review: Behemoth

(This review contains no significant spoilers for Behemoth but some minor spoilers for Leviathan.)

The Setup

Behemoth is the sequel to Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan, which I reviewed, in short form, early this year. As such, it's a young-adult novel that takes place during an alternate-history World War I. On one side of the war are the Clanker powers, lead by Germany. The Clankers have advanced steampunk---or more precisely, Dieselpunk---technology: walkers and other mechs. On the other side are the Darwinists, lead by Britain. The Darwinisth technology is even more alternate than the Clankers'. In this universe, Darwin not only developed a theory of evolution by natural selection, but also discovered the "chains of life" and kicked off a bioengineering revolution leading to "fabricated" life forms far more advanced than the transgenic tomatoes available in our grocery stores in 2010: whale-zeppelins, hydrogen-sniffing dogs, parrot-lizards, krakens, and fléchette-defecating bats.

As is typical of young-adult books, the main characters are teens. One is a Scots girl masquerading as a boy to serve in the Air Service. The other is a prince, and not just any prince, but the son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. As you might expect, the prince's parents are killed at the beginning of Leviathan, and the rest of that book, Behemoth, and, presumably, the forthcoming Goliath, follow the repercussion of this murder, as the world hurtles toward and enters the largest war ever sen.

What I Liked

• As I've mentioned, I enjoy steampunk, and Dieselpunk is just as much fun while being perhaps more believable. And walkers shaped like olifants? How cool is that?
• The fabricated creatures in the book's universe are arguably more creative and interesting than the mechs.
• The two main characters are well-developed, though I find myself more interested in and sympathetic toward Deryn, the masquerading Scotsgirl.
• The adults in the story aren't entirely incompetent or uninteresting, as they are in many teen-targeted fiction. In particular, I'd like to know more about Dr. Barlow, the "lady boffin."
• The plot is interesting and very fast-paced. The book is a pretty rollicking ride from cover to cover.
• The illustrations by Keith Thompson. There's approximately one drawing per chapter, and I think they help bring the story to life. They are slightly stylized, which seems appropriate.

What I Didn't Like

• The plot is a little straight-forward. I mean, it's not always obvious what's going to happen next, but I would like there to have been twists and turns.

The Bottom Line

Overall, I give Behemoth 8.0 out of 10. It's a well executed sequel to Leviathan, and a successful one, too. Successful how? I'm already excited about reading Goliath.

Short Story Review: Tanglefoot

(This review contains no significant spoilers.)

The Setup

"Tanglefoot" is the first work published in Cherie Priest's Clockwork Century universe, which is also the setting for Boneshaker and Dreadnought. The story is either a short story or a novelette, depending on which web page you read.

What I Liked

• It's steampunk. By know, regular readers should know that I loves me some steampunk.
• The story is interesting and moves quickly.
• It is, to quote Jayne Cobb, creepifyin'.

What I Didn't Like

• The action's of the story's antagonist don't seem very well justified. OK, that's a rather small nit to pick, given the nature of this story, not to mention its length. But still.

The Bottom Line

Overall, I give "Tanglefoot" 8.0 out of 10. It's good fun. And, by the way, a creepy way to spend an hour, in bed, with the lights off, reading on your phone while your wife slumbers.