Issue Number 55
(June 2000)
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Issue Number 55
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Book notesby Jean Weber |
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I've been working my way through a shelf of long-unread books, so some of these notes may relate to books that are no longer in print. Kevin J. Anderson (Ed.), War of the Worlds: Global Dispatches, Bantam, 1996, ISBN 0553575988 (OOP)A delightful collection of short stories by a range of well-known sf writers, each writing in the style of another well-known person (mainly, but not exclusively, writers) of 1900, taking H.G. Wells' famous radio show as the background. The book includes some quite creative interpretations of events of the time. For example, Mike Resnick writes as Teddy Roosevelt, Robert Silverberg as Henry James, Barbara Hambly as Rudyard Kipling, George Alec Effinger as Edgar Rice Burroughs (my personal favourite in the collection), Gregory Benford and David Brin as Jules Verne, and others. Greg Bear, Foundation and Chaos, HarperPrism, 1998, ISBN 0061056405The second book in the Second Foundation Trilogy, following on from Asimov's original series. (The first was Foundation's Fear by Gregory Benford; the third will be Foundation's Triumph by David Brin.) Hari Seldon is on trial for treason, and some of the robots (unknown to humans, as they were supposed to have been destroyed millennia ago) are questioning R. Daneel Olivaw's grand plans for helping humanity. Bear seems to have captured Asimov's writing style; whether this is a good or bad point is obviously a matter of opinion. I enjoyed the book, as I did the Benford volume, and I'm looking forward to the Brin. It's been years since I read the original Asimov books, and I don't think you need to have read them to follow this series, though if you have read them recently, you would probably notice many references that I missed in this book.
Order Foundation and Chaos from Amazon.com Barbara Hambly, A Free Man of Color, 1997, ISBN 0553575260 and Fever Season, 1998, ISBN 0553575279, both BantamMarketed as suspense rather than sf/f, these books should appeal to any of Hambly's fans as well as other readers. They are set in New Orleans in 1833, a time when Louisiana had a society and culture (derived from the French immigrants) which was very different from that of most people in the United States. In Louisiana, people of color might be slaves or free, and everyone had a place in society based partly on their skin tone (the closer to white, the higher their status) as well as their wealth and connections. Females, of course, had different rights from men, but they could own property and have status and power of their own. Hambly has done a lot of research on the social conventions of the times and weaves it into a murder mystery. Part of the tension comes from the attitude of the newly-arrived Americans, with their uncultured ways and their attitudes towards dark-skinned people. Hambly does a wonderful job of depicted the arrogance and stupidity of some of the whites, who would rather die than admit that a black person might know as much or more about medicine than they do. The main character, Benjamin January, trained in medicine in Paris, and has some idea of the importance of cleanliness in the prevention and cure of disease (at a time when no one really knew why this was important). During fever season, he works nights in a hospital, where some of the white physicians practice bloodletting and other treatments that are likely to prove fatal. Hambly's descriptions of some other medical practices are quite hair-raising as well as historically accurate There's also the voodoo practitioners and other people to liven the mix. I found these books most impressive and am looking forward to reading the next one, Graveyard Dust. Order A Free Man of Color from Amazon.com
Order Fever Season from Amazon.com Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, House Atreides: Prelude to Dune 1, Hodder & Stoughton, 1999, HC ISBN 0340751746, TPB ISBN 0340751754This book was written from notes and manuscripts discovered after Frank Herbert's death, and is one of three books planned to set the scene for the events in the classic Dune. The other books are House Harkonnen (due out later this year) and The Spice War (due in 2001). This book features young Duke Leto Atreides, various Harkonnens (the bad guys; you know that because of their sadistic habits), old Emperor Edrood and his heir Shaddam, Pardot Kynes (a planetologist studying Dune and the Fremen), young Duncan Idaho, various women of the Bene Gesserit and baby Jessica. If you've read Dune, many of those names will sound familiar, even if you can't remember the details. If you haven't read Dune, this is still a good story. House Atreides is also a lot easier to read than Frank Herbert's Dune; because it's much more straightforward in style; Brian and Kevin have not attempted to impose the multiple layers of meaning and events that Frank used. You won't be surprised to learn (if you don't already know) that Frank Herbert's Dune books are being reissued, so now is your chance to read (or re-read) at least the original volume. (I didn't like the others very much, but I really liked the original book and found it intriguing.)
Order House Atreides from Amazon.com Alexander Jablokov, River of Dust, Avon, 1996, ISBN 0380778637On Mars, after 300 years, the economy is collapsing, many people are unemployed, gangs rule the corridors, and some people are trying to exploit the situation for their own purposes. Some of the problems sound familiar (squatters in abandoned homes, homeless people living on the streets —or in this case, in the corridors of underground cities), but the differences are intriguing. In many areas, a "street culture" (art, music, theatre as well as the details of everyday life like eating and sleeping) flourishes, and many people stake out living space by hanging from the walls and ceilings, rather like mountain climbers setting up camp on a sheer vertical cliff or under a protective ledge. The book follows several people caught up in the political rivalries; some of them believe they are able to control or at least influence events (and some of them are corrupt or arguably insane), while others think they are at the mercy of events (they do in fact influence events, but not because they tried to). It's a very interesting look at a society a bit different from our own. Jablokov's sense of humour intrudes at odd moments (I appreciated that), and I really enjoy stories where some of the action comes from people deciding to take matters into their own hands, making a bit of a shambles of it, and then making the best of that situation (and having to deal with a few saboteurs trying to subvert the situation for their own purposes). Some of it rather reminded me of the civil rights movement in the USA— not in the details, but in the sweep of events that get away from you. Elizabeth A. Lynn, Dragon's Winter, Ace, 1998, ISBN 0441006116It's been far too long since I've seen a new book by Elizabeth Lynn, so I was delighted to get this one. It's as good as her earlier books, I was happy to discover. The "Dragon" of the title is a shapeshifter, in a land where this ability is not uncommon, although most people don't have it. The other shifters, including birds, bears and wolves, acknowledge the dragon as king, but dragons have mostly gone from the earth. The previous dragon king died young, leaving twin boys, only one of whom has the shapeshifting gift. The boy without the gift, jealous of his brother, becomes a wizard, steals his brother's talisman (without which no shifter can change shape), and goes off to the icy wilderness to plot his brother's death. An intriguing story, set in a society just a bit different from ours (for example, in attitudes towards men and women), a habit of Lynn's that I thoroughly appreciate and enjoy.
Order Dragon's Winter from Amazon.com Elizabeth Moon, Rules of Engagement, Baen, 1998, ISBN 0671578413In this sequel to Once a Hero, Esmay Suiza is at Fleet's command school, learning how to lead and command. She's had field experience, having lead a mutiny against a traitorous commander, then saving a lot of people from the enemy, but she has much to learn. At command school, Esmay's friendship with Barin Serrano develops further, though for a long time she won't admit how she really feels about him. Meanwhile, Brun Meager, a bright, unruly, rich young woman, attempts to make friends with Esmay, but Esmay constantly misinterprets what's going on with both of them. When Brun is captured by some bad guys (a repressive religious militia group), Esmay is suspected of involvement and her offers to assist in a rescue are rebuffed. Not surprisingly, she won't take "no" for an answer; but in the meantime, Brun isn't sitting around passively waiting for rescue. Esmay reminds me a bit of Miles Vorkosigan (Lois McMaster Bujold's character), in her talent for getting into messy situations and then saving the day using native wit and some rather unorthodox methods. Given that I really enjoy Miles' adventures, it's not surprising that I like Esmay's. I'm also a big fan of strong, competent female characters, and both Esmay and Brun are in that category. Like Miles, they do heroic things, but they also have a very realistic side, unsure of their standing with people they really care about. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series, Change of Command.
Order Rules of Engagement from Amazon.com Rebecca Ore, Gaia's Toys, Tor, 1997, TPB, ISBN 0812539087A look at a potential future of the welfare state and the "work for the dole" notion. If you don't have a real job and must rely on government money, you have to spend a certain number of days a year plugged into a system where your brain is used as processing power and you have no memory of any of it. But what if some of the welfare drones actually did remember some of what went through their brains while they were plugged in? And what if some of those people compared notes, discovered a nasty plot, and attempted to do something about it? Where would they go for help? Enter the eco-terrorists, many of whom are wealthy drop-outs from the rat race. They are outside the system but have their own resources. Are they the good guys or the bad guys? I had put off reading this book for some time because my first impression wasn't favourable (just another tedious cautionary "if-this-goes-on" tale), but I should have known better. Ore writes very readable books, with interesting and sympathetic (if odd) characters, and this is one of them.
Order Gaia's Toys from Amazon.com Spider Robinson, Callahan's Legacy, Tor, 1996, ISBN 0812550358Even if you're not a follower of Robinson's Callahan series, you will enjoy this book—assuming you like the sort of wacky, pun-filled writing that Robinson does so well. This book is a novel, not a collection of short stories, but it features the usual assortment of weirdos, aliens and time travellers that inhabit all the Callahan books. And no, I won't tell you whether Mike Callahan himself turns up again or not. I will tell you that Robinson is one of the few punsters whose puns I thoroughly enjoy.
Order Callahan's Legacy from Amazon.com Spider Robinson, Lifehouse, Baen, 1997, ISBN 0671877771This book is not in the Callahan series. It does feature some sf fans, who first get ripped off in a scam that was tailor-made for them (who else would believe a time-traveller story so easily?) and then use their knowledge and talents to combat the real time travellers. I can think of dozens of people who could have been the prototypes for the fans in this story, and I laughed all the way through it.
Order Lifehouse from Amazon.com Robert Sawyer, FrameShift, Tor, 1997, ISBN 0812571088Pierre Tardival has a fatal genetic disease, which will age and kill him in his mid-thirties. He works long hours on human genome sequencing, partly in the hope of discovering some way to cure himself. He is being stalked by someone who wants to kill him somewhat sooner. He won't allow his wife Molly (a partial telepath) to have his child, but eventually agrees to having her become pregnant by IVF. Since the cost of the process is beyond their means, they enlist the aid of Pierre's boss, an older researcher, who provides the sperm and does the fertilization. Things get rather more interesting after the child is born, as the sperm donor insists on taking a major interest in the child's development. The girl, Amanda, seems bright and intelligent but cannot speak. Fortunately she and her mother are able to communicate by telepathy, but others outside the family treat Amanda as if she were retarded. One of the potential problems of human genetic research is the likelihood that insurance companies and others will use the information to discriminate against people with a greater genetic risk of developing disease—if legislation does not prevent this discrimination. Pierre's situation is a classic one, as until he is tested, he only knows the odds of his having inherited the disease; after he is tested and finds out he definitely has it, he has no chance of getting a health or life insurance policy, for example. (Had he tested negative, he would not have a problem.) This book explores this dilemma. Meanwhile a whole lot of other stuff is going on, some of which seems a bit irrelevant to the story at first, but it all comes together at the end. Sawyer manages to make a lot of important points about our society and beliefs, while still telling a gripping science fiction story.
Order FrameShift from Amazon.com Charles Sheffield, Aftermath, PB, Bantam, 1998, ISBN 0553577387 and Starfire, TPB, Bantam, 1999, ISBN 0553378945In 2026, Alpha Centauri becomes a supernova, causing various disasters on Earth, including excessive heat (direct damage is mainly in the southern hemisphere) and rain, and the destruction of all microchips on Earth and in nearby space. More serious problems are expected in 2053. These novels had far more emphasis on people than I expect from most "hard sf" writers, but Sheffield is always good at characterisation. There's plenty of physics, too, and Sheffield is also good at finding ways to make his "expository lumps" fit into the story when he needs them. His main protagonists include the survivors of the first Mars expedition, who arrive back at Earth not long after the disaster and discover that none of the contingency plans for problems on their return and landing had considered the complete loss of all microchips. Fortunately, the crew members are resourceful and manage to find a way to land on Earth, where the survivors are promptly captured by the followers of a religious cult. Other main protagonists include Dr Oliver Guest, who is in "judicial sleep" on a 600-year sentence for murdering 18 teenage girls; the President of the United States and various other politicians and their staff, who are either trying to hold the country together and get vital services functioning again, or seeking ways to gain power by exploiting the situation; and three people (Art, Dana and Seth) whose lives depend on an experimental medical treatment that is no longer available to them. One really nice touch in Aftermath was the number of people who bring "obsolete technology" (including cars and aircraft) out of their basements and garages and get them working again. If you want an excuse for all that junk you've been accumulating because you might need it someday, you should really enjoy that aspect of the book. And of course, who's driving those obsolete cars? The 70- and 80-somethings, who remember how to use them. Obviously, Earth survives the crisis of 2026, because Starfire covers the crisis of 2053, when another, much worse, onslaught is due from Alpha Centauri. This time the problem is charged particles, rather than radiation, and the solution is to build a huge shield in space, to deflect the particles. In addition to the engineering difficulties, the project faces sabotage from people with a different agenda, who would be happy to see the poor and non-white people die, so the wealthy, white people can clean up the mess and have the Earth to themselves afterwards.
Order Aftermath from Amazon.com
Order Starfire from Amazon.com Bruce Sterling, Distraction, 1998, Bantam, ISBN 0553576399I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which takes place in 2044. Sterling's extrapolated some bizarre situations, lifestyles and events from trends in today's USA. As the quotes on the cover say, it's a provocative, hilarious, thoughtful, inspired political thriller, mixing science (particularly biotechnology), politics, economics, and sociology into an almost surreal but oddly believable and serious tale. I laughed out loud a lot, sometimes at the unexpected turns of events, and sometimes at the cutting observations made by one or another of the characters. For example, there's the scene in which the military (at a base whose funding has been cut off) have put up a roadblock on a nearby highway and are running a bake sale. Although a "donation" in exchange for food is theoretically voluntary, it's obvious to all that if you want to get past the roadblock anytime soon, you need to dig into your wallet. The plot's rather convoluted, so a summary is difficult. I won't try. But I will urge you to read this book. You'll enjoy it, even as it makes you think.
Order Distraction from Amazon.com Cherry Wilder, Signs of Life, Tor, 1996, ISBN 0812553969Several groups of humans are stranded on a planet when their transport ship breaks up. Rivalries among these people lead to problems on the ground, power struggles, deaths, and accusations. Meanwhile another (considerably larger) group of humans has been on the planet for generations and has a well-developed culture adapted to local conditions. Some of the locals, on a fishing boat, find some of the newcomers. Opinions differ on both sides about the ways these two groups will or should deal with each other. It's an interesting sociological study, which I greatly enjoyed, as I enjoy all of Wilder's work. I just wish she produced more of it!
Order Signs of Life from Amazon.com Kate Wilhelm, Defense for the Devil, Mira, 1999, ISBN 1551666286Wilhelm has written several mystery/suspense books featuring Barbara Holloway, a lawyer who is far more interested in justice for the powerless than in prestige or money. She tends to get emotionally involved with her cases, which leads her into extra investigation and, occasionally, personal danger when she gets too close to exposing serious corruption. In this book, Barbara agrees to help Maggie Folsum collect back child-support payments from Maggie's abusive ex-husband Mitch Arno. When Mitch is found murdered and his brother Ray is accused of the crime, Barbara is drawn into the family drama and agrees to represent Ray. Soon the bad guys who were really behind Mitch's murder are after Barbara. This is a fast-moving story with believable characters and events which, like many of Wilhelm's books, often leaves this reader gnashing her teeth with sympathetic frustration at the characters' difficulties in dealing with "the system."
Order Defense for the Devil from Amazon.com Kate Wilhelm, The Good Children, Fawcett Crest, 1998, ISBN 0449004554Another suspense novel from Wilhelm, who does this sort of thing very well indeed. The four McNair children's mother has a mysterious past, a fear and loathing of people, and a vagueness that gets worse when her husband dies in an accident at work. The children cover for her, doing the shopping, paying the bills, forging her signature on checks and notes to the school. When their mother falls from a ladder and dies, the children bury her in the yard (they live well out in the country on a large property) and continue living as they have been. No one in the town is surprised not to see the mother, because she rarely went out in public anyway. A few things were more of a challenge: when the oldest boy needs a driver's license, he needs a parent to go with him. So the oldest girl dresses in her mother's clothes and acts in the reclusive, suspicious way her mother did; they get away with it. The youngest boy, Brian, claims his mother is still around and talks to him. When the others get old enough to go away to college, or jobs, he refuses to leave the property, because he had made a promise to his mother. A brilliant musician, he is otherwise a very troubled child. As the other children try to cope with their changing lives and Brian's obsession, and make sure their secret isn't discovered, they begin to seriously question how their mother died and whether one of them might have killed her. Suspicions grow, driving them apart. Then Brian has a seizure and ends up in a mental institution, where he is kept drugged into passivity. The other children (now young adults) must rally around to protect Brian and get him out of the institution if at all possible. A compelling story, each step of which makes perfect sense at the time and comes back later to haunt the characters. Order The Good Children from Amazon.com
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