The Grand Tour novels are a (fairly) near future series dealing with the expansion of humanity into (and eventually further than) the solar system. ThThe Grand Tour novels are a (fairly) near future series dealing with the expansion of humanity into (and eventually further than) the solar system. They don’t appear to have been written in chronological order. At the time of my writing this, some of them are very hard to come by in hardcopy format (especially the “newer” ones that I don’t own yet). I am not sure if this has anything to do with Bova’s passing in 2020 (whether there are some contractual / intellectual property issues still being resolved with the estate).
The Precipice is the first book in the Asteroid Wars sequence. This event is referenced in some of the other Grand Tour books I have read.
If you’ve read any of these novels before, you will have a good idea of what to expect. Bova gets positively preachy about environmental issues here, and was clearly an advocate for some of the ideas he puts to paper (such as looking to move industrialization away from Earth). Obviously, there are some severe technical challenges for most of what he proposes, but this is hard Science Fiction, so the author does present plausible theoretical solutions to at least some of what is going on here.
Many of the characters are recurring, having popped up elsewhere in the series. It’s also worth mentioning that Bova isn’t averse to killing off his characters, especially the sympathetic ones.
He dreamed of floating helplessly in space, slowly freezing as the Sun glowered at him.
The Precipice features a caricature of a villain (against whom everybody seems to be frustratingly powerless), and a protagonist on a self appointed crusade to save earth from itself (who is portrayed as a somewhat naïve and tragic figure, a depiction that is somewhat at odds with his previous portrayals).
Bova writes about both the advantages and pitfalls of nanotechnology, and introduces some fun ideas (eg diamond hulled space ships) as well as cool settings (eg Selene, which is a self sufficient , independent colony on the moon). And, then, of course, the asteroid belt itself.
”There is vast emptiness out there.”
Like the other Grand Tour entries, this novel features some intrigue, some cool ideas and some action/adventure. These stories aren’t difficult to dig your teeth into.
This is a battle for the destiny of humanity. Our soul will be decided by the outcome.
Hamilton's books tend to be very dense, in terms of both informaThis is a battle for the destiny of humanity. Our soul will be decided by the outcome.
Hamilton's books tend to be very dense, in terms of both information and page count. For me they tend to be a bit of a roller coaster ride, running the gamut between dislike and enthrallment.
The Dreaming Void is no exception. There were portions of the novel that I didn’t like, and then there were portions of the novels that I liked a lot. Given the fact that it is such a sprawling story with so many facets and factions, it is probably an inevitability. I will say this: I don’t think Hamilton cares.
The nest was full of enigmas, the mental poetry left behind by observers baffled by the terrible dark heart of the galaxy.
I was keen to return to the Commonwealth Universe, having really enjoyed Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained way back. I have been procrastinating, though; the idea of wading through another 1000+ page tome was just too daunting. I am therefore glad to announce that somewhere along the line the author has learnt to trim things down a bit (the Night’s Dawn Trilogy almost rendered me catatonic).
”Hello” And the Skylord answered.
As you would expect, it’s mostly good stuff. Big idea space opera with lots of ideas and tech.
I wasn’t overly fond of the dream sequences though, they read like any other medieval bildungsroman fantasy out there, and they feature quite predominantly throughout. It’s not that I don’t like fantasy (I really like fantasy), but the juxtaposition against the high-tech space sequences were a bit jarring.
All in all though, despite my gripes, everything comes together nicely. It's fairly typical Hamilton fare, so fans won't be disappointed.
Also, I should mention, the stakes in this one is quite high. 3.5 stars rounded up. Next up: The Temporal Void
[Their] planet-sized DF machines were flying into new positions. ”[They] are getting ready for the last fight,” he said numbly. “If they lose, that monster will consume the whole galaxy.”...more
All that might have impressed him once – the idea of vessels millions of years old. But now he knew a truth about these ancient hulks. You want old. I’All that might have impressed him once – the idea of vessels millions of years old. But now he knew a truth about these ancient hulks. You want old. I’ve seen old. I’ve seen ships that make most stars seem young.
There’s considerable heft to Brin’s Uplift Universe, especially in a genre consisting of big concepts and hypothetical histories. Concepts surrounding the Galactics and the protocols for Uplift feel very concrete, or substantial. It doesn’t necessary feel like you are reading Science Fiction here (even though it obviously is exactly that); a paradox that is difficult to put words to.
Is it because of the intimacy of his novels? The focus isn’t always on the big event, but rather on characters who may, or may not, know what their contributions are in the bigger scheme of unfolding events.
Even so, this is pretty much high concept Science Fiction, and Brin doesn’t quite let you forget that the stakes are enormously high, and that the universe is enormously large.
Time would barely touch them until this fallow galaxy and its myriad star systems were awarded to new legal tenants, and the spiral arms once more teemed with commerce.
Infinity’s Shore features a bewildering array of point-of-view characters. In addition to characters carried over from Brightness Reef there are also characters carried over from Startide Rising. There is a convergence of storylines at this point, tying the Uplift Storm trilogy to the earlier Uplift novels, as we edge closer to Heaven's Reach which is the final Uplift novel.
No one can doubt that mysterious forces do exist – ancient, aloof, influential. Might we have crossed fates with some cryptic power, here in an abandoned galaxy, far from home?
What will be the final fate of Earthclan? I don’t want to go into the whole rigmarole of Uplift, patrons and wolflings at this point, suffice to say that Earthclan appears to be only surviving by craftiness, determination and pure luck so far. Juxtaposed against this, the hubris of the Galactics.
It seems that chance, or fate, or more pertinently Lady Luck, favours Earthclan.
We are caught in the slowly grinding gears of a machine more vast than we imagined. [] Sometimes I think humanity would have been better off just staying in bed.
It’s almost impossible to review Infinity’s Shore in isolation. It’s a wonderful book, but a big part of that is context. The Uplift series is a stone cold classic for good reason. High drama on both galactic and intimate scale. The concept of Uplift in itself also lends itself to some philosophical waxing that never seems out of place.
His mind filled with an image of poignant, awful beauty. A tapestry spanning thousands of years – human history seen from afar. A tale of frightened orphans, floundering in ignorance. Of creatures smart enough to stare in wonder at the stars, asking questions of a night that never answered, except with terrifying silence.
Yet again, an easy five stars. The only criticism I could level at Infinity’s Shore is that it ends on a doozy of a cliffhanger. A good thing then that I already have a copy of Heaven’s Reach.
Yet he found his heart torn by the tragic story of Homo Sapiens, the self-taught wolflings of Terra. It was a bittersweet tale, pulling from his reluctant eyes trickles of tart brine that tasted like the sea....more
The premise of this book appealed to me, and it received (mostly) rather positive reviews, so I took the plunge.
In a way this book reminded me of the The premise of this book appealed to me, and it received (mostly) rather positive reviews, so I took the plunge.
In a way this book reminded me of the old Robotech: Defenders comics that DC released in the 80s. I think there was a whopping two issues, but for some reason they stuck in my memory. Giant mechs just seem like such an 80s thing, in a good way of course.
Anyway, I digress, but not entirely without purpose. The main character in Gun Runner is a Mech Pilot. Therein also lies the main issue that I had with this novel, namely not enough Mech action and too much filler.
I might also just mention that the book occasionally comes across as a bit unpolished, and the banter between the characters just feels a bit iffy at times. If I were to speculate, I would guess it might have something to do with the fact that this is a collaboration.
Now the good bits: - Giant spaceship converted into an orbital city, - Giant critters that want to eat you, - Super soldiers with body augmentations, - Mechs!
In summary, or at least insofar as my own reading experience was concerned, the book started promising and ended strong, but there is a longish middle where things slow down considerably.
Enjoyable enough, but with lots more brawn than brains....more
Amid infinite blackness, stars blazed, diamond bright. To starboard, a nebula glimmered. The universe still existed. A bit of the tension he had not adAmid infinite blackness, stars blazed, diamond bright. To starboard, a nebula glimmered. The universe still existed. A bit of the tension he had not admitted to having drained from his body. Which of these stars were in Known Space? Not knowing made his skin crawl.
Larry Niven was my introduction to grand old hard science fiction, especially with novels like Ringworld and The Mote in God's Eye (which was co-written with Jerry Pournelle and actually takes place in the latter’s CoDominium universe, as opposed to Niven’s Known Space universe).
I really liked Ringworld. I remember when reading it at the time, just how impossible it was to try and imagine what I was reading. Walls 1,000 miles tall? What would that even look like? Not to mention the horizon…
Betrayer of Worlds is touted as “the Prequel to Ringworld”, but more than that it is book four in the “Fleet of Worlds” series. That’s to say, you really can’t just read this as a standalone prequel, you need to read the whole series, starting with Fleet of Worlds. Some readers may disagree with me (this is, for example, the book where we first meet Louis Wu), but for the reader to appreciate the plot I would not advise reading it in isolation. The series is quite good, so you may as well read them all, and in order.
I am subtracting a star here for a very specific reason. From the outset of the series the authors have provided ample reason to dislike the Puppeteers (those manipulative gobshites). The fact that the plot is mostly driven by Puppeteer politics occasionally left me cold. Much like the attitude of the New Terrans, I couldn’t give two hoots what happened to the Concordance.
Even so, it is a lot of fun. I thought this one wasn’t quite as convoluted as some of the other entries in the series. I found it well paced and read through it quite quickly.
Proof of past Concordance ruthlessness lay along the Fleet’s path, not many years’ flight ahead. The alien artifact was enormous; [they] could not fail, in time, to discover it. Without a doubt, they would send an expedition to explore the ring world. They must never learn of Hearth’s prior involvement there.
Given the penchant of the Puppeteers to manipulate and connive behind the scenes, the culmination of events in Betrayer Of Worlds is somewhat ironic.
Now: I am at a bit of a crossroads. Should I re-read Ringworld and its sequels and risk tainting the golden hue of nostalgia? Or should I just jump right into Fate of Worlds, which supposedly wraps up both storylines (of the Ringworld arc as well as the Fleet of Worlds arc). ...more
I can already see I am going to be the odd one out here. Of all Clarke's novels, this was apparently the author's favourite. Interesting, I would haveI can already see I am going to be the odd one out here. Of all Clarke's novels, this was apparently the author's favourite. Interesting, I would have thought it would have been one of those that he felt compelled to write sequels for (2001: A Space Odyssey / Rendezvous with Rama). Anyway, the values at the core of this novel was probably close to his heart.
In all aspects scientifical and philosophical, there is much here to enjoy, and Clarke manages to capture the melancholy of a humanity that has lost their home system to a nova very well.
However, there is something wrong with this novel. And, in fact, it is the same thing that is wrong with the world in many respects. The people. I just didn't identify with too many (if any) of them, and frankly, straight out disliked a handful of them.
And there it is. A good book, it is the master after all, but with some caveats. This won't be a problem for all readers, so probably best to take this whole review with a pinch of salt.
I think I was first introduced to this type of thing with Jack Campbell's (or John G. Hemry's, if you prefer) Lost Fleet series (Dauntless) and the StI think I was first introduced to this type of thing with Jack Campbell's (or John G. Hemry's, if you prefer) Lost Fleet series (Dauntless) and the Starfire series by David Weber & Steve White (Crusade). A nod should probably also go to Walter John Williams' Dread Empire's Fall (The Praxis). All of these I highly recommend, by the way.
Ian Douglas is, arguably, a staple in the Military Science Fiction genre, and it was inevitable that I would start reading his works.
One could probably argue that there are certain conventions that a reader needs to embrace in order to fully appreciate or enjoy this genre, but hot-doggity-dog it can be a lot of fun. Sprawling space battles, all kinds of interesting aliens and tech, strategy and tactics, beating the odds, fist pumping. You're either going to like this, or you're not, and that's just fine.
As for this particular book, which is the second entry in the Star Carrier series: I don't want to go into plot details, because frankly, you already know how this goes (and that is why you're here). Suffice to say, I enjoyed it. It was what I expected, which really says it all (if I had expected it to be a book I wouldn't like, I wouldn't have read it).
I did knock one star because it wasn't quite as exciting as Earth Strike (which, might I add, opened with a battle scene that took up a third of the book, so it set the bar really high). ...more
- it reaches out it reaches out it reaches out it reaches out -
A positive progression, all in all. I was curious to see where the authors would take - it reaches out it reaches out it reaches out it reaches out -
A positive progression, all in all. I was curious to see where the authors would take this series after the events of Abaddon's Gate, which really opened up the playing field.
He stood on the skin of the ship, rooted by his mag boots, shifting gently like seaweed on the ocean floor. To his right, New Terra’s terminator seemed to inch across its vast ocean. To his right, the shuttle stood half a kilometer out, looking small and forlorn against the vast night. His strike force stood around him, craning their necks, in awe of the massive emptiness all around. He was almost sorry to pull his attention back to the small, vaguely intimate necessities of violence.
This wasn’t exactly what I expected, but that’s not a bad thing. While the action is confined to a single planet (in orbit and on the surface), there was enough going on to keep me happy. Cibola Burn is actually balanced quite well in terms of adventure and intrigue, with characters that (for a change) didn’t mostly annoy the hell out of me.
He felt a chill start at the base of his spine and slowly climb his back. The hairs on his arms stood up.
Even though it is much more subtle, and therefore not so immediately apparent, Cibola Burn shares at least some similarities with a novel like Redliners, or Deathworld 1, or almost anything by Neal Asher (The Skinner et al) – that’s to say, it deals with a planet that turns out to be a pretty hostile environment, and with the secret at the heart of the matter.
Red in tooth and claw. Deadly and uncaring. Vast, unpredictable, and complex as anything she could imagine.
Add in some knuckle-whitening Space sequences and loads of human drama, and you have a winner on your hands. This series has proven to be immensely popular, and it is easy to see why. The characters are identifiable, and the “Sci Fi” isn’t so over the top, or high concept, that it is unrelatable. The authors seem to have really found a sweet spot where this kind of thing is concerned.
The door to the compartment vanished, torn from the container in one massive blow. On the other side stood a nightmare.
I particularly liked the closing sequence of the book. Mysterious alien ruins? H.R. Giger inspired set-pieces? Yes please....more
Hm. So this wasn't too shabby (it's a good series to be fair), but The Sagittarius Command didn't blow my hair back in the same its predecessor (Wolf Hm. So this wasn't too shabby (it's a good series to be fair), but The Sagittarius Command didn't blow my hair back in the same its predecessor (Wolf Star) did.
Possibly, part of the problem is the fact that, by this point, all the shipboard action against the Gorgons are starting to feel a bit same-y. Also, given the specific way that the previous novel ended, it didn't feel like The Sagittarius Command did a hell of a lot to move the story forward. By the last page, the status quo feels a lot the same as it did in the previous novel.
The positive aspects that I should point out is the way that the author continues to mess with the reader's head (given the way the chronology of the story was rebooted at the end of The Myriad) and the backstory revelations that flesh out some of the main characters and adds context to their actions and interactions.
I'm giving it 3 although 3.5 is probably closer to being an accurate rating. It is just that Wolf Star was really, really good, and I expected more of the same....more
For the next several seconds, the combat was a confused blur of fast-moving ships, black space, and fireballs. Twice, her Starhawk AI intervened to thFor the next several seconds, the combat was a confused blur of fast-moving ships, black space, and fireballs. Twice, her Starhawk AI intervened to throw the ship one way or the other to avoid hurtling pieces of whitehot debris. She saw her CPG beam spear through an oncoming Toad just ahead, and then the sky lit up with an eye-searing explosion, pelting her outer hull with highvelocity bits of shrapnel. Warning tones sounded in her ear as gravitic missiles locked on and accelerated toward her. Sand canisters thumped into the void, blocking the enemy thrusts. Ahead, two massive battlefleets engaged….
So I’ll come right out of the blocks and just say it: fully the first third (or more) of this novel is taken up by a single military engagement (and its direct aftermath, which includes Search and Rescue operations) in a distant star system. As such, it’s very clear right from the outset what sort of story this is. Military Science Fiction in distilled form.
Nothing remained now but rock and glass. From up here, he could even see places where the rock had run liquid, bubbled, then frozen in mid-boil. There was a high background rad count now, though the EM screens were keeping most of the hard stuff out. In the darkness, parts of that landscape now glowed with an eerie, pale blue light. The capacity for technic intelligence to devastate a world was shocking, nightmarish.
I’m not entirely sure why, but for some reason I expected this to be fairly low-tech, near future affair, probably limited to the immediate solar system. Not the case at all. When the novel opens humanity has already colonized a decent number of star systems and have entered into trade with alien races. After declining to become a subservient client race of the Sh’daar empire (who have a thing about technological advancement and possible threats to their empire), and not adhering to a subsequent trade embargo, all hell breaks loose.
Speaking of technological advancement, there is some cool stuff going on here. I especially enjoyed the sequences dealing with the Starhawk space fighters, but there are all kinds of next-level weapons of mass destruction and self-repairing / defensive technologies on display, to ensure that destruction levels can be maintained at optimum level.
Another flight of gravfighters howled through the thick air, following the Rattlers. These were Navy Starhawks, their black outer hulls shifting and morphing as they passed, preparing to transition from atmospheric flight to space. A kilometer from the Marine perimeter, they brought their noses up, then accelerated almost vertically, punching through the orange-red overcast. A moment later, four mingled sonic booms echoed and rumbled across the plain.
You may have surmised, by reading the above, that this is one of those “Navy in Space” type Military Science Fiction stories. And it is. But this is one of the authors I find myself gravitating towards when I have a Military SF itch to scratch. I enjoy the real time (on the fly, so to speak, ho ho) inclusion of technical and scientific details, as well as die additional tactic and strategic viewpoints of the various role players.
There’s a technique that the author employs here, that is similar in principle (although not in execution) to a technique he employs in Star Marines. I’m mentioning this because I particularly enjoy the importance that velocity and energy plays in these encounters. The author occasionally treats the war engagements like physics challenges, and he clearly gives some thought to how extremely high speeds over extremely high distances can affect how events may play out.
To be honest, this is probably a 4 star book, but I enjoyed the hell out of it: I liked the protagonists, the tech was awesome and the battles were nail biting affairs. So I am just going to throw the maximum number of stars at it and go see if I can get hold of the next entry: Center of Gravity...more
This could be a novel approach, no pun intended. I can’t recall whether I have read any other Military Science Fiction nove“Corpsman! Corpsman front!”
This could be a novel approach, no pun intended. I can’t recall whether I have read any other Military Science Fiction novels written from the perspective of a Corpsman (or Medic). They are probably out there, should anyone care to enlighten me.
It isn’t uncommon for Science Fiction stories to be heavy on science. There is, after all, a reason for the classification. If you’ve read some of the author’s other books, you’ll know he likes to include lots of technical details about weaponry and armament, as well as the physics of combat in space and in other inhospitable environments. Now add anatomy, physiology and biochemistry to the mix, then you have a good idea of what Bloodstar is about.
After a slow(ish) burning first third, the pace picks up nicely. Even though this is a bit of a departure from the author's other series', it had enough of the same hallmarks for me to enjoy it. Lots of stealth tactics in this one, as well.
His screaming was probably less from actual pain at this point than it was from realization: the sheer, mind-ripping horror of seeing a piece of yourself burned away.
Obviously, loads of action. Douglas writes action really, really well.
The focus here is on infantry based (or ground) combat, and since the novel occasionally deals (in loving detail) with battlefield injuries, there are some scenes that made me squirm more than a little bit. If you’re squeamish just bear that in mind.
Her combat armor would serve as a kind of rough-and-ready body cast, immobilizing her spine while I tried to move her. Tried to move her. That was the operative phrase. I was up against a major logistical problem now.
I will say that the author kept me invested in the outcome of each case, and in the plot in general. Often the challenges are as much about the physics and logistics of the specific situation, as the treatment of the wound(s) inflicted.
The issue opened some fascinating aspects of philosophy, not to mention medical ethics. For a start: is there such a thing as a soul?
I found it to be a pretty tense book, that starts revealing some unexpected layers toward the latter chapters. As an added bonus, it ends quite strong, and not in a way I would have expected or predicted.
“Welcome to the Passage of Night!”
In the end the novel surprised me. It has a dash of the old school, and it isn’t just a gore-fest. The technical details can be a bit overwhelming, I suppose, although it didn’t bother me.
The Galaxy was already a dark and scary place; it’s just become a bit darker, a bit scarier, and just a bit lonelier....more
He felt as though he was on the edge of a colossal revelation – wondrous or terrible, he couldn’t say.
Good start to a trilogy (series?) with a promisi He felt as though he was on the edge of a colossal revelation – wondrous or terrible, he couldn’t say.
Good start to a trilogy (series?) with a promising premise. A bit like a far future Expanse on enhancement drugs (and more “Space Opera”). Also: a quicker read than the page count suggests.
Away into the void where nobody would ever find them. There was always more void. It was the universe’s greatest resource and you could mine it forever and never run out.
Although there are a handful of POV characters, the focus is undoubtedly on the Intermediary, Idris. And what may an Intermediary be? I’ll nick a description from the glossary provided in the novel: Intermediaries [are] surgically modified navigators who can pilot ships off the Throughways, developed as weapons against the Architects during the war. and to add to to that, Throughways [are] paths constructed within unspace by unknown hands, joining habitable planets. Without a special navigator, ships can only travel along existing Throughways.
Sounds good to me.
Inside him something had woken that had slept since the war. It sent fire through his veins, and he both loved and loathed the sensation. This was what made him a monster and a war-ender.
No reason not to really enjoy this if you like Space Opera that deals in both big battles and big questions. I should also mention: some cool aliens.
He was the mote in the mind of God, lost in that labyrinth of mirrors and moving parts.
The Polity series is certainly one of the best out there. It has just about ever”Run to your ship. You cannot survive here.”
Once more into the breach.
The Polity series is certainly one of the best out there. It has just about everything you could ask for: big battles, big tech, big cosmos, big bad, big boom, etc. An edgy Hard Space Opera with trimmings of Military Science Fiction, Cyberpunk and Horror. I mean, come on, what’s not to like? The snarky war drones and ships are only the icing on the cake.
If you haven’t read any of this yet: it is like Iain M. Banks' Culture novels on crack cocaine, or Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn Trilogy trimmed of all the fat.
Then it started.
Polity Agent is the fourth and penultimate novel in the Agent Cormac sequence (in which the story has just gotten bigger and the stakes higher with each instalment). While there are other Polity novels that can be read as stand-alones, these ones really have to be read in sequence, and it is particularly obvious in this entry. Asher is here starting to really bring the threads together and setting things up for the grand finale. We finally learn more about key characters like Horace Blegg and Dragon, and the enigmatic Makers. Not to mention the nasty Jain Tech. I daresay Polity Agent is so good it may actually succeed in isolation (on some levels), but as part of the bigger picture it really shines; the action here is also much more widespread, and on a bigger scale, than the previous novels in the sequence.
It’s just a bit awkward to try and review a book like this, while at the same time telling people to go back and start at the beginning (Gridlinked): if you’ve made it this far you certainly won’t be disappointed. Suffice to say, I think this is one of the best so far, hopefully that sums it up.
The entire craft rippled, emitted a tearing crash, and bucked as if someone had taken hold of the very fabric of space and snapped it up and down like shaking dust from a carpet.
Asher is pretty damn dependable. Line War looks set to be a doozy!
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