A science fiction blog featuring science fiction book reviews and with frequent ramblings on fantasy, computers and the web.
New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with up to 3 books in the different SF/F subgenres.
Today’s spotlight shines on Lee Collins!
Lee’s novels include:
New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with up to 3 books in the different SF/F subgenres.
Today’s spotlight shines on Alex Hughes!
Her debut novel is Clean published by Roc.
Here’s the cover copy…
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REVIEW SUMMARY: Important to the dystopian genre, but a difficult and often boring read.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: The diary of a member of the OneState who begins to question his life and the virtues of the state, due to the attention of a rebellious woman.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: interesting ideas, historical significance
CONS: unsympathetic characters, disjointed narrative, scarce descriptions
BOTTOM LINE: Many of the themes and plot points used in We are also used in the more readable – and more famous – 1984.
D-503, builder of the INTEGRAL, the space ship that will bring the OneState to the stars, starts this missive with the intent of including it in the propaganda transported by the ship. But his treatise on the virtues of the OneState gets hijacked when the mysterious I-330 crosses his path. Suddenly his writing is more about dreams and hopes than the realities of life and the happiness brought by a lack of freedom.
New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with up to 3 books in the different SF/F subgenres.
Today’s spotlight shines on Col Buchanan!
His books are:
New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with up to 3 books in the different SF/F subgenres.
Today’s spotlight shines on Sharon Lynn Fisher!
Sharon’s debut novel is:
REVIEW SUMMARY: One of this reviewer’s first forays into gritty SF. It was a good enough experience that it won’t be her last.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A former repossession specialist hides out from his old co-workers who’d like to repossess his artificial heart.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Fascinating protagonist with very interesting life, great narrative style
CONS: Some crass scenes, light world-building
BOTTOM LINE: A decent amount of action and a fascinating crew of characters make Repo Man a worthwhile read.
The unnamed protagonist of Repo Men (originally published as Repossession Mambo) is typing his memoirs on an old Underwood typewriter in an abandoned hotel. Once a level five repo man, charged with repossessing the artificial organs of those who stopped making payments for the Credit Union (and others), he’s now on the run, having his own artificial organ and unable to pay the extremely high interest rates.
New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with up to 3 books in the different SF/F subgenres.
Today’s spotlight shines on Christopher Buehlman!
Winner of the 2007 Bridport Prize in Poetry and author of several plays, his novels are:
New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with up to 3 books in the different SF/F subgenres.
Today’s spotlight shines on Gretchen McNeil!
Her books are:
REVIEW SUMMARY: Heavy on the world building, this dystopian novel is unique.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Three hundred years after being put into cryogenic freezing, a man is awakened into a world where humans have become incorporated, buying and selling pieces of themselves, and others.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Fully realized dystopian world, thought provoking, interesting characters
CONS: Problematic decisions by characters, black & white thinking
BOTTOM LINE: A slow read but a thought provoking one.
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New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with up to 3 books in the different SF/F subgenres.
Today’s spotlight shines on Warren Hammond!
His books are:
New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with up to 3 books in the different SF/F subgenres.
Today’s spotlight shines on Douglas Hulick!
Hulick’s debut novel is Among Thieves published by Roc.
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REVIEW SUMMARY: An early soft apocalypse novel that portrays how humans react to natural disasters but without the annoying kids modern films seem to require.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: When a virus wipes out grasses, the world slowly succumbs to anarchy. The novel follows the journey of several London families to a place of safety in the countryside.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Well-developed characters; thought provoking; realistic; tense.
CONS: Several disturbing scenes implied.
BOTTOM LINE: This novel proves that sometimes the scariest possible futures are caused by natural disasters rather than war.
New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with up to 3 books in the different SF/F subgenres.
Today’s spotlight shines on Adam Christopher!
Mr. Christopher’s books are:
New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with up to 3 books in the different SF/F subgenres.
Today’s spotlight shines on Daniel Suarez!
His books are:
REVIEW SUMMARY: This book is reminiscent of many things: X-Files, James Bond, X-Men, without being any of them, because it’s written from the bureaucrat’s point of view.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Letters found in the jacket pocket of a newly awakened amnesiac woman explain she has a choice: to escape a dangerous life, or to impersonate the woman she was in a secret government organization of people with supernatural abilities.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Amazing world-building, fast-paced, tightly plotted, interesting protagonist, subtle underlying humour
CONS: Some situations are hard to believe given the circumstances
BOTTOM LINE: If you like mysteries and intricate world-building, pick this up.
New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with up to 3 books in the different SF/F subgenres.
Today’s spotlight shines on Saladin Ahmed!
Known for his short stories and poetry (he was a finalist for both the Nebula and Campbell Awards), Ahmed’s debut novel is Throne of the Crescent Moon published by DAW (revieewed here).
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New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with up to 3 books in the different SF/F subgenres.
Today’s spotlight shines on Christopher Farnsworth!
Christopher’s books are:
REVIEW SUMMARY: It’s easy to understand how this novel won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards when it came out and remains such a highly regarded classic today.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: What begins as a 2 year tour in the military for William Mandella, extends for millennia due to the effects of special relativity associated with fighting in space.
MY REVIEW:
PROS: Clear, concise writing; hard SF; relatable protagonists; interesting worldbuilding; exposition was limited and was worked into the story.
CONS: We’ve already passed the book’s future.
BOTTOM LINE: If you haven’t read this yet, you should. And if you’re hesitant to read hard SF, this is a good introduction to the subgenre.
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New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with up to 3 books in the different SF/F subgenres.
Today’s spotlight shines on Jonathan Howard!
His books are:
New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with 3 books or less in the different SF/F subgenres.
Today’s spotlight shines on Hillary Jordan!
Her books are:
