Title: Unwind
Author: Neal Shusterman
Dates Read: 1/25-1/25/2012
Date Published: 2009
Pages: 352
Synopsis: In the future, children can be "retroactively aborted" between the ages of 13 and 18. This is done by "unwinding": dividing the children into all their parts for organ donation. This is the story of three kids sent for "unwinding" who escape into a hostile world.
Review: WHY COULDN'T I STOP READING THIS BOOK?! It grabbed me and sucked me in and wouldn't let me go. Thank goodness the kids had free read today, because it meant I could read too! I think that's the only thing that kept me from being up all night! Though I wouldn't suggest this for younger teens, it is thought provoking and not as anti-pro-lifers as I suspected it would be in the beginning; instead, it's anti-all-radicals who would use a political stance to cause murder and meyhem. Well written and with engaging characters, I really loved this book.
Stars: *****/5
Keywords: SF, YA, Drama
Showing posts with label Books: SF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books: SF. Show all posts
Friday, January 27, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
06 of 2012: The People of Sparks
Title: The People of Sparks
Author: Jeanna DuPrau
Dates Read: Mid January
Date Published: 2005
Pages: 352
Synopsis: The people of Ember walk into the daylight to find they are not alone: there are scattered survivors, and the Emberites quickly learned how helpless they are to exist in this new world.
Review: Overall, this book was fairly dull. Though the last fourth had some action, a great deal of the book is taken up with the Emberites working and the people of Sparks resenting them, without any real action or drive to the novel. A section in which Lina leaves and travels to one of the old cities seems misplaced in the book. The most interesting bits are in finding out how the world destroyed itself in the first place, but even that is pretty generalized.
Stars: **/5
Keywords: Young Adult, SF
Author: Jeanna DuPrau
Dates Read: Mid January
Date Published: 2005
Pages: 352
Synopsis: The people of Ember walk into the daylight to find they are not alone: there are scattered survivors, and the Emberites quickly learned how helpless they are to exist in this new world.
Review: Overall, this book was fairly dull. Though the last fourth had some action, a great deal of the book is taken up with the Emberites working and the people of Sparks resenting them, without any real action or drive to the novel. A section in which Lina leaves and travels to one of the old cities seems misplaced in the book. The most interesting bits are in finding out how the world destroyed itself in the first place, but even that is pretty generalized.
Stars: **/5
Keywords: Young Adult, SF
05 of 2012: The City of Ember
Title: The City of Ember
Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Dates Read: Mid January
Date Published: August, 2008
Pages: 2008
Synopsis: Lina and Doon are teenagers on the cusp of adulthood. They are also part of a grand, and ultimately failing experiment to save the human race: the underground city of Ember. Now the city is dying, and no one seems to want to admit it.
Review: I think I would have adored this book if I'd read it as a kid, because I enjoyed it as an adult. Lina is an especially wonderful character, a strong female lead who doesn't need Doon to save her, but does a good bit of the saving herself! I saw the movie for this first, and it was strange to see how much simpler leaving Ember was in the book. That simplicity probably wouldn't have translated so well to the big screen, though!
Stars: ****/5
Keywords: Books: SF, Books: YA
Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Dates Read: Mid January
Date Published: August, 2008
Pages: 2008
Synopsis: Lina and Doon are teenagers on the cusp of adulthood. They are also part of a grand, and ultimately failing experiment to save the human race: the underground city of Ember. Now the city is dying, and no one seems to want to admit it.
Review: I think I would have adored this book if I'd read it as a kid, because I enjoyed it as an adult. Lina is an especially wonderful character, a strong female lead who doesn't need Doon to save her, but does a good bit of the saving herself! I saw the movie for this first, and it was strange to see how much simpler leaving Ember was in the book. That simplicity probably wouldn't have translated so well to the big screen, though!
Stars: ****/5
Keywords: Books: SF, Books: YA
Thursday, January 05, 2012
02 of 2012: "For Want of a Nail"
Title: "For Want of a Nail"
Author:
Dates Read: 1/4/2012
Date Published: Mary Robinette Kowal
Pages: Not many! - a short story
Synopsis: A Hugo-nominated short story about life aboard a generation ship when one family's historic computer shows signs of damage.
Review: This was quite a good short story, well executed. It does have the sort of "unfinished" sense of many short stories, but it's well worth the read!
Stars: ***/5
Keywords: Science Fiction, Short Story
Author:
Dates Read: 1/4/2012
Date Published: Mary Robinette Kowal
Pages: Not many! - a short story
Synopsis: A Hugo-nominated short story about life aboard a generation ship when one family's historic computer shows signs of damage.
Review: This was quite a good short story, well executed. It does have the sort of "unfinished" sense of many short stories, but it's well worth the read!
Stars: ***/5
Keywords: Science Fiction, Short Story
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
22: Caves of Steel
Tomorrow is my first day of my new grad school program. It will be a Very. Long. Day. Indeed. @_@ This may prove once and for all that I'm utterly insane.
Caves of Steel
Isaac Asimov
Published: 1953
Yes, that's a Zune. An OLD Zune. I love my Zune, and she loves me, so don't be hatin'! :p
Why?: Only Asimov can so neatly combine his science fiction world with a decent mystery. Asimov claimed in his introduction to Asimov’s Mysteries (a fun short story collection, if you can get your hands on it out of print; my copy is on the dresser at the moment) that he wrote this book because his publisher said that two genres that could never intersect were mystery and science fiction. Asimov definitely proved him wrong, with style!
Caves of Steel is the first Asimov book I read – or listened to, actually. I was suffering with nonstop headaches, and unable to read, when I downloaded the audiobook of this novel. Audio books aren’t my favorite way to read a story, but the reader (William Dufris) did an excellent job with the voices of Baley and Daneel. The world of Caves of Steel is very real, and is an excellent introduction to Asimov’s many joined Robots novels and stories. The Three Laws of Robotics and the development of Earth’s history (or downfall, really) are well-outlined without turning into a textbook as some of Asimov’s later writing did (I’m looking at YOU, Robots of Dawn). The use of agoraphobia as the protagonist’s strongest weakness is logically introduced and well developed. Baley is also a likable dude, as is Daneel, so it’s just a fun and engaging read all around.
Photo sessions with Alfred are super special because he wants to be in my lap/face/stomach/hand/etc at all times. @_@
Gist: About three million years in the future, mankind has stretched across the universe – and left a crippled Earth behind. The billions who live crammed together in Earth’s underground cities are looked down on in disgust by the genetically superior and wealthy Spacers. When a Spacer is murdered on Earth soil, it could mean disaster for mankind’s home planet. An Earther detective named Elijah Baley is assigned to the case, assisted by an unusually tolerant Spacer named R. Daneel Olivaw.
Bonus Trivia: I would very much like to listen to the BBC radio adaptation by Bert Coules, as he was a genius at adapting the Sherlock Holmes stories for Clive Merrison and Andrew Sachs. Anyone want to toss me a copy?!
Bonus Bonus Trivia: The next book in the series, The Naked Sun, was also quite good. It introduced an adulterous relationship, though, which is a total turn off for me.
Perfect For: Ages 13+ (though the story becomes more sensual in the third book in the series, I don’t really recommend reading it anyway, for other reasons), fans of the film I, Robot, since this is in the future of that Earth.
This picture = adogable!
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Science Fiction, Mystery
Zune 80 cover came from DecalGirl.Com! I also got my Kindle skin there. They're awesometastic.
Caves of Steel
Isaac Asimov
Published: 1953
Yes, that's a Zune. An OLD Zune. I love my Zune, and she loves me, so don't be hatin'! :p
Why?: Only Asimov can so neatly combine his science fiction world with a decent mystery. Asimov claimed in his introduction to Asimov’s Mysteries (a fun short story collection, if you can get your hands on it out of print; my copy is on the dresser at the moment) that he wrote this book because his publisher said that two genres that could never intersect were mystery and science fiction. Asimov definitely proved him wrong, with style!
Caves of Steel is the first Asimov book I read – or listened to, actually. I was suffering with nonstop headaches, and unable to read, when I downloaded the audiobook of this novel. Audio books aren’t my favorite way to read a story, but the reader (William Dufris) did an excellent job with the voices of Baley and Daneel. The world of Caves of Steel is very real, and is an excellent introduction to Asimov’s many joined Robots novels and stories. The Three Laws of Robotics and the development of Earth’s history (or downfall, really) are well-outlined without turning into a textbook as some of Asimov’s later writing did (I’m looking at YOU, Robots of Dawn). The use of agoraphobia as the protagonist’s strongest weakness is logically introduced and well developed. Baley is also a likable dude, as is Daneel, so it’s just a fun and engaging read all around.
Photo sessions with Alfred are super special because he wants to be in my lap/face/stomach/hand/etc at all times. @_@
Gist: About three million years in the future, mankind has stretched across the universe – and left a crippled Earth behind. The billions who live crammed together in Earth’s underground cities are looked down on in disgust by the genetically superior and wealthy Spacers. When a Spacer is murdered on Earth soil, it could mean disaster for mankind’s home planet. An Earther detective named Elijah Baley is assigned to the case, assisted by an unusually tolerant Spacer named R. Daneel Olivaw.
Bonus Trivia: I would very much like to listen to the BBC radio adaptation by Bert Coules, as he was a genius at adapting the Sherlock Holmes stories for Clive Merrison and Andrew Sachs. Anyone want to toss me a copy?!
Bonus Bonus Trivia: The next book in the series, The Naked Sun, was also quite good. It introduced an adulterous relationship, though, which is a total turn off for me.
Perfect For: Ages 13+ (though the story becomes more sensual in the third book in the series, I don’t really recommend reading it anyway, for other reasons), fans of the film I, Robot, since this is in the future of that Earth.
This picture = adogable!
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Science Fiction, Mystery
Zune 80 cover came from DecalGirl.Com! I also got my Kindle skin there. They're awesometastic.
Monday, August 29, 2011
21: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 4
Due to internet issues, this post has been back-dated!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Vol. 4
Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird
Published: 1989
Why?: Can you tell I was born in the early 80’s? I fell in love with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, which was much cuter and fluffier than the original comics. The TMNT comics were a part of the 1980s black and white comic wave, and they’re much edgier than the old cartoon, but still with a sense that the authors know what they’re dealing with here is giant talking ninja turtles.
I had on the wrong setting and totally messed up the cover shot. Whoopsie.
Many of the early TMNT comics were collected into four main compilations; of the four, this is the best, though reading the others is the best way to understand the entire story. Much of this storyline was adapted into the first TMNT movie, which was admittedly more “adult” than its target audience (I remember, as a child who grew up in a no-cussing household, being uncomfortable with the number of times Raphael screamed “Daaaamn!” in the movie!).
The original Eastman and Laird compilations aren’t available new anymore, largely because of the break-up of the original creators, but they can be found used. These stories have a special feeling that later stories, largely written by Eastman alone, lacked. Although TMNT is pretty cliché these days, it was groundbreaking and fun for it’s time. (Also, my little nerd is still alive in my heart, it’s true!)
Gist: During a Christmas celebration at April’s house, Leonardo is nearly killed while traveling alone in the middle of the night. After April’s apartment and store are trashed, they escape to an old farmhouse, where each of the brothers has to come to terms with everything that’s happened. This is the first book to really establish separate personalities for the four boys, which would develop more as the comics progressed.
Screwed up settings = moody action shot?
Bonus Trivia: TMNT gave rise to a number of imitators and parodies, involving everything from mutant rabbits to hamsters. For more info, see my geektastic post here.
Perfect For: 13+, people with a strong sense of nostalgia
Genres: Fiction, Graphic Novel
Keywords: Adventure, Science Fiction, Drama
The gritty 80s style art really riveted Gomez's attention. Yes, yes. Definitely!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Vol. 4
Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird
Published: 1989
Why?: Can you tell I was born in the early 80’s? I fell in love with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, which was much cuter and fluffier than the original comics. The TMNT comics were a part of the 1980s black and white comic wave, and they’re much edgier than the old cartoon, but still with a sense that the authors know what they’re dealing with here is giant talking ninja turtles.
I had on the wrong setting and totally messed up the cover shot. Whoopsie.
Many of the early TMNT comics were collected into four main compilations; of the four, this is the best, though reading the others is the best way to understand the entire story. Much of this storyline was adapted into the first TMNT movie, which was admittedly more “adult” than its target audience (I remember, as a child who grew up in a no-cussing household, being uncomfortable with the number of times Raphael screamed “Daaaamn!” in the movie!).
The original Eastman and Laird compilations aren’t available new anymore, largely because of the break-up of the original creators, but they can be found used. These stories have a special feeling that later stories, largely written by Eastman alone, lacked. Although TMNT is pretty cliché these days, it was groundbreaking and fun for it’s time. (Also, my little nerd is still alive in my heart, it’s true!)
Gist: During a Christmas celebration at April’s house, Leonardo is nearly killed while traveling alone in the middle of the night. After April’s apartment and store are trashed, they escape to an old farmhouse, where each of the brothers has to come to terms with everything that’s happened. This is the first book to really establish separate personalities for the four boys, which would develop more as the comics progressed.
Screwed up settings = moody action shot?
Bonus Trivia: TMNT gave rise to a number of imitators and parodies, involving everything from mutant rabbits to hamsters. For more info, see my geektastic post here.
Perfect For: 13+, people with a strong sense of nostalgia
Genres: Fiction, Graphic Novel
Keywords: Adventure, Science Fiction, Drama
The gritty 80s style art really riveted Gomez's attention. Yes, yes. Definitely!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
04: Sphere
Ahhh all the flooring is now beautifully replaced! But oh, so difficult because *gasp* the wireless was unplugged and behind stuff and there was no internet access! HOW CAN I SURVIVE LIKE THAT?!
Luckily, it's back on now. Phew. I was starting to get the shakes!
I'll have to get pictures later because most of my books are in boxes. Heh. They just finished up the office today.
Sphere
Michael Crichton
Published: 1987
Why?: In some ways, Sphere is similar to Crichton’s most famous work, Jurassic Park (a novel I also confess to enjoying): a group of scientists finds itself in an unusual situation. Sphere has a more likable cast, though, and I especially loved Norman, the psychiatrist. Norman has the feel of being a nice dude, an everyman. He’s not a dramatic or romantic leading man, but that’s where he appealed to me. There are also a good collection of strong female characters, given the science he offers for women surviving best in low pressure or dark situations. The story is plenty exciting and interesting, to boot, though cerebral. While this story is science fiction, and incorporates the science theory of the time as his other novels do, the feel of the novel is more that of a thriller. It delves into the human psyche in a fashion not unlike the Polish classic Solaris, but more successfully.
Gist: Years ago, psychiatrist Norman Johnson wrote a plan for dealing with the possibility of alien life on Earth. He never expected to actually be called to deal with the problem, much less deep underwater. Along with a team of scientists, he must explore a long-abandoned deep sea vessel of obviously alien origin.
Perfect For: 13+, SF fans, fans of the Abyss
Bonus Trivia: Sphere was the eleventh work on Crichton's turned into a film (1998). They combined Norman with a skeevy off-screen professor in a way that turned me off to the movie. All in all, it is generally considered one of the worst adaptations of Crichton's work, along with Congo.
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Science Fiction, Adventure, Drama
Luckily, it's back on now. Phew. I was starting to get the shakes!
I'll have to get pictures later because most of my books are in boxes. Heh. They just finished up the office today.
Sphere
Michael Crichton
Published: 1987
Why?: In some ways, Sphere is similar to Crichton’s most famous work, Jurassic Park (a novel I also confess to enjoying): a group of scientists finds itself in an unusual situation. Sphere has a more likable cast, though, and I especially loved Norman, the psychiatrist. Norman has the feel of being a nice dude, an everyman. He’s not a dramatic or romantic leading man, but that’s where he appealed to me. There are also a good collection of strong female characters, given the science he offers for women surviving best in low pressure or dark situations. The story is plenty exciting and interesting, to boot, though cerebral. While this story is science fiction, and incorporates the science theory of the time as his other novels do, the feel of the novel is more that of a thriller. It delves into the human psyche in a fashion not unlike the Polish classic Solaris, but more successfully.
Gist: Years ago, psychiatrist Norman Johnson wrote a plan for dealing with the possibility of alien life on Earth. He never expected to actually be called to deal with the problem, much less deep underwater. Along with a team of scientists, he must explore a long-abandoned deep sea vessel of obviously alien origin.
Perfect For: 13+, SF fans, fans of the Abyss
Bonus Trivia: Sphere was the eleventh work on Crichton's turned into a film (1998). They combined Norman with a skeevy off-screen professor in a way that turned me off to the movie. All in all, it is generally considered one of the worst adaptations of Crichton's work, along with Congo.
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Science Fiction, Adventure, Drama
Friday, July 22, 2011
02: Who Killed Captain Kirk?
I wasn't planning to introduce a comic so early, but yesterday StarTrek.Com announced a crossover event between Star Trek and the recently unbooted Legion of Super-Heroes - the one comic series I love to distraction. I'm sure it'll be corny and possibly horrible but I don't care! I'm still at ubergeek excitement level at the moment!!
Who Killed Captain Kirk?
Peter David, Tom Sutton, and Ricardo Villagra
Published: 1993
It finally started raining down here, and now the grass needs cutting every five seconds or so.
Why?: I enjoy impressing people, from time to time, with my knowledge of Dante’s Inferno or one of the lovely speeches from Cyrano de Bergerac. I remember quoting such a speech at a dinner where a kind woman commented on how nice it was to meet young people (I was a teen at the time) who are versed in the classics. I didn’t tell her I knew the scene because of Barclay’s recitation of it during the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Nth Degree.” Nor am I likely to confess that I learned the levels of hell from reading Who Killed Captain Kirk in jr. high school! (Just as a note, I do have a degree in English lit now, so my nerdiness has grown)
See?! Into hell!
The Star Trek comics might not be great works of literature, but this storyline is a heckuva lot of fun. Not only does it take you through the levels of hell courtesy of an ill telepath, but it also comes with a murder mystery that ties back to the original series. This is certainly the best of the comic stories I know of, and a guilt-free, fun read for an afternoon.
AND EGADS all of the comics are available on DVD-ROM for SEVEN WHOLE DOLLARS on Amazon. It's a bit of a pain to navigate, but it's still fun!
Gist: Someone has murdered Captain Kirk – at least for a short time. As he recovers, the crew searches for answers. Hampering the investigation are an unusual wedding, a seriously ill telepath taking over the ship, suspicion among the crew, and the discovery of an abandoned Klingon child.
Quote: So! I finally got the last word again. ~Leonard McCoy
Perfect For: Trekkies, ages 12+
Bob the Shaved Pom was determined to look totally doofy in his book shot. Dooooofy doofy doofy!
Genres: Fiction, Graphic Novel
Keywords: T.V. Tie, Science Fiction
Who Killed Captain Kirk?
Peter David, Tom Sutton, and Ricardo Villagra
Published: 1993
It finally started raining down here, and now the grass needs cutting every five seconds or so.
Why?: I enjoy impressing people, from time to time, with my knowledge of Dante’s Inferno or one of the lovely speeches from Cyrano de Bergerac. I remember quoting such a speech at a dinner where a kind woman commented on how nice it was to meet young people (I was a teen at the time) who are versed in the classics. I didn’t tell her I knew the scene because of Barclay’s recitation of it during the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Nth Degree.” Nor am I likely to confess that I learned the levels of hell from reading Who Killed Captain Kirk in jr. high school! (Just as a note, I do have a degree in English lit now, so my nerdiness has grown)
See?! Into hell!
The Star Trek comics might not be great works of literature, but this storyline is a heckuva lot of fun. Not only does it take you through the levels of hell courtesy of an ill telepath, but it also comes with a murder mystery that ties back to the original series. This is certainly the best of the comic stories I know of, and a guilt-free, fun read for an afternoon.
AND EGADS all of the comics are available on DVD-ROM for SEVEN WHOLE DOLLARS on Amazon. It's a bit of a pain to navigate, but it's still fun!
Gist: Someone has murdered Captain Kirk – at least for a short time. As he recovers, the crew searches for answers. Hampering the investigation are an unusual wedding, a seriously ill telepath taking over the ship, suspicion among the crew, and the discovery of an abandoned Klingon child.
Quote: So! I finally got the last word again. ~Leonard McCoy
Perfect For: Trekkies, ages 12+
Bob the Shaved Pom was determined to look totally doofy in his book shot. Dooooofy doofy doofy!
Genres: Fiction, Graphic Novel
Keywords: T.V. Tie, Science Fiction
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