YOU ARE NOT A GADGET is the 21st Century's AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH, shining a bright light on the dark side of Web 2.0, "open culture" and the dehumanizing effects of technology for technology's... more
YOU ARE NOT A GADGET is the 21st Century's AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEATH, shining a bright light on the dark side of Web 2.0, "open culture" and the dehumanizing effects of technology for technology's sake. Jaron Lanier is a thought-provoking genius and his manifesto is a must-read, especially for my digitally minded publishing colleagues.
I've been looking for good fantasy and sci-fi novels set outside of the usual Euro-centric mythologies forever, and Crystal Rain has the goods! Tobias Buckell seamlessly weaves elements of Caribbean... more
I've been looking for good fantasy and sci-fi novels set outside of the usual Euro-centric mythologies forever, and Crystal Rain has the goods! Tobias Buckell seamlessly weaves elements of Caribbean and Axtec history, culture and mythology throughout the fabric of his intriguingly anachronistic world, populates it with a diverse and fascinating cast of characters, and delivers an engaging page-turner that had me ready to jump right into the sequel, Ragamuffin.
Amongst several great characters, perhaps the most fascinating is the reluctant villain, Oaxctyl, the god-fearing Aztecan spy charged with capturing, John DeBrun, the novel's hero and key player who has no memory of his past or why he's such an important figure in a story that's been unfolding for centuries.
Calling The Black Minutes, Martin Solares' debut novel, a "quixotic adventure" is an understatement; it features a compelling cast of colorful characters and his loose, almost stream-of-consciousness... more
Calling The Black Minutes, Martin Solares' debut novel, a "quixotic adventure" is an understatement; it features a compelling cast of colorful characters and his loose, almost stream-of-consciousness style reminded me a bit of Richard Price's excellent Lush Life. I'm not sure if it's a real genre, but halfway through I began referring to it as Tropical Noir, though Solares' emphasis on vivid characters and imagery over plot makes it all feel more literary than you'd typically expect from noir.
A great, if somewhat challenging read, and recommended for fans of literary detective novels.
Great steampunk e-anthology deftly weaves poet kings, mad science, immortality and revenge.
I didn't love reading this on the Kindle, though; frustrated by an inability to easily jump back and forth... more
Great steampunk e-anthology deftly weaves poet kings, mad science, immortality and revenge.
I didn't love reading this on the Kindle, though; frustrated by an inability to easily jump back and forth into the loosely threaded stories, or to even know how far from the beginning or end I was in any particular story. It actually made it difficult to write a more in-depth review.
If they offered it POD, I'd buy it in a second.
A bizarre, brutal mix of noir and fantasy that hits all the right notes; leaves you breathless, wanting more. I can't really do FINCH justice, so read Hindmarch's review which sums up my own thinking... more
A bizarre, brutal mix of noir and fantasy that hits all the right notes; leaves you breathless, wanting more. I can't really do FINCH justice, so read Hindmarch's review which sums up my own thinking on it: wordstudio.net/thegist/?p=1668
Thoughtful, thought-provoking, and still relevant and believable nearly 20 years after it was first published, Parable of the Sower is speculative fiction at its best. Butler delivers a classic... more
Thoughtful, thought-provoking, and still relevant and believable nearly 20 years after it was first published, Parable of the Sower is speculative fiction at its best. Butler delivers a classic that's part coming-of-age tale, part alternative-future-historical fiction, all excellent, compelling storytelling. READ IT!
The first 2/3rds are a wonderful roller coaster of intriguing characters, clever dialogue and plot twists, but the final third nearly comes off the rails under the weight of its intricate time-travel... more
The first 2/3rds are a wonderful roller coaster of intriguing characters, clever dialogue and plot twists, but the final third nearly comes off the rails under the weight of its intricate time-travel underpinnings. Powers mostly pulls off a satisfying conclusion, staggering across the finish line, but it's not quite as compelling as it could have been.
