Review of The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood My rating: 5 of 5 stars A brilliant book which is perfect for the times we live in. It’s message is that humanity through action or inaction will destroy itself. The book mainly concentrates on genetic engineering but has society slowly decaying from lack of resources in […]
Review of Death Most Definite by Trent Jamieson
Death Most Definite by Trent Jamieson My rating: 4 of 5 stars Set in Brisbane (where I lived for five years so I was familiar with much of the settings), it’s a horror novel with some wit. The reluctant hero Steve is a “pomp”. The souls of the recently departed must pass through a pomp […]
Review of Datura Highway
Datura Highway by Daniel King My rating: 5 of 5 stars Daniel King has written an exciting fantasy/psychological thriller that kept me guessing – and hoping – until the very end. It’s a novel with an original plot, which is hard to do these days. It begins with the main character, Daniel, finding himself in […]
Review of Years Best Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy Volume 2
Hi all, This is the best of the three volumes I have read in the Year’s Best Australian Science Fiction & Fantasy. I had thought volume one (2005) was good, but that was mostly based on the stunning first story, Singing My Sister Down by Margo Lanagan. I felt a bit let down by volume […]
Review of Cat’s Cradle
Kurt Vonnegut certainly has his own quirky writing style, a really warped view of reality. I would say Cat’s Cradle is less in touch with reality than Slaughterhouse Five. Cat’s Cradle is written in a tone amused at the strangeness of human beings and the way they interact with the world. Unfortunately, I was never […]
Review of Solar by Ian McEwan
Hi all, I have not read any other Ian McEwan novels. I gather his other novels are serious dramas, whereas Solar was more of a tongue in cheek comedy. I never laughed out loud, but none the less I found it amusing as the pompous, insular, brilliant and sometimes inept main character schemed his way […]
Science fiction year in review.
Books I read a few more books last year than in the 2009, including my first ebook on a Kindle. I try and mix my reading up by rotating genres: science fiction, fantasy or horror and than something non-genre. Usually I am reading a speculative fiction anthology or magazine too. I also read the odd […]
New year’s resolution – no to $5 or less ebooks.
Hi all, My news year’s resolution is not to download any ebook that is priced below $5. This includes any book requesting a donation. A lot of my posts last year were about the potential for free and ridiculously cheap ebooks to destroy the publishing industry, so I will only download ebooks where the author/publisher […]
Review of Timesplash by Graham Storrs
I enjoyed this novel by Australian Graham Storrs. It is about terrorists going back in time and causing mayhem, resulting in ripples in time. These ripples splash through to the present causing havoc capable of destroying cities. After a friend of Jay’s dies at a timesplash gig, he becomes a policeman who is seconded by […]
Media’s standards are slipping.
Hi all, I have been marvelling at the incompetence of the media lately. I have noticed technical and intellectual stuff ups all over the place. Last night I was watching the local Prime news and for the third time in recent weeks the bulletin had blackouts and ads breaking in during news stories. Last night […]