Book Reviews
Review: “Calculating God” by Robert J. Sawyer
If you read science fiction, you have to read Robert J. Sawyer. That’s all there is to it.
Calculating God explores such mundane questions as “Was the universe designed by an intelligent creator?” “Is there a God?” “Does he influence the affairs of man?” “Why is there life in the universe?” Sawyer’s answers are the most imaginative you will ever read.
Review: “Dust” by Joan Frances Turner
In Dust we get to experience zombie matters from the eyes of the source, as it were, and what a strange experience it is. The undead are not romanticized in this novel, so you might not want to eat before or during your reading session. Nausea may ensue.
Review: “The Last Dragon” by Jane Yolen & Rebecca Guay
Wow, I really don’t know where to start with this review. Do I begin with the beautiful art of Rebecca Guay, or wax poetic on the enthralling story crafted by Jane Yolen?
Review: “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” by J. K. Rowling
It’s pretty sad when you’re 33 years old and the highlight of your year is when the next new children’s book is finally out on the market. Deciding to skip the ridiculous lines and midnight “parties,” I pre-ordered my copy online, and only had to chew the tablecloth for four hours from when I woke up at eight o’clock, till the postman finally delivered my book at noon on Saturday.
And, just like last I did with Order of the Phoenix, I forgoed (forgew? forwent?) everything, and did nothing but read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (stopping for the occasional bathroom break) until I finished Sunday afternoon.
God, I love being a geek.
Review: “Darwin’s Paradox” by Nina Munteanu
Nina Munteanu weaves a good story that has some large concepts peppered through it. The story does have warts but they are easy enough to gloss over and dig into the main story. There are some nice twists and turns and rabbit holes to follow the tale down. I hope that future books have more about the world, the citizens who inhabit it, and the politics of city states.
Review: “Bitten” by K. L. Nappier
I am not familiar with Nappier’s previous work, so the Beast mythos was new to me. And I found myself reading on so that I could understand the rules involved in her take on the werewolf legends. Hunters David and Max had managed, within the first chapter, to bring an “incarnation” of the Beast. Usually, one stops once the werewolf is dead. But not in this universe.
Review: “Woken Furies” by Richard K. Morgan
Waiting to meet a friend for lunch the other day, I stood outside a restaurant in Manhattan’s TriBeCa with my face buried in Woken Furies, the latest book from Richard K. Morgan. The restaurant manager spotted me reading and approached me eagerly: “Is that the new Takeshi Kovacs?” The funny part is, this was the second time I’d been approached by a rabid fan while reading one of Morgan’s books.
Review: “Jump Start” by Gary Carter
All in all, though I think the book is flawed, I wanted to keep reading. I wanted to see how the story ended, which is a lot more I can say about other books I’ve reviewed.
I feel a bit flummoxed when it comes to rating this book. I enjoyed reading it, I don’t deny that, but the entire time I’m also thinking how much better it could be. Since I’m torn down the middle, I’ll tear the rating down the middle as well.
