Science/Speculative Fiction Review #13

I spend a great deal of my time every day reading speculative science fiction.  The rest of my time is spent asking the questions and questioning the answers that the science fiction I read creates. All of the stories I post contain elements of profound contemplation, varying philosophy, metaphysics, and theoretical pondering. The authors that create these stories are among my heroes in this reality, and I very much want to share them with you.   Although I read a great deal more than the stories I will post in these short reviews, I only want to share those pieces of text/audio that really stick with me and force my mind to ponder life, the universe, and everything. While I am delighted with nearly all that I read in this genre, I will make an attempt to only present the best of the best.

Writing - The quality of the writing.  I specifically rate the writing on how well it is able to convey to me the action, thoughts, emotions, etc. of the story. 

Creativity- Simply put, this rating is a measure of the degree of imagination that exists in the writing.  How unique and new was the story? Is it something I have seen done over and over again? I also factor into this rating category interesting literary techniques such as stylish ways to present chapters or different parts of the story.   

Intrigue- This rating represents the stories ability to keep me interested.  Did I get bored and have to fight my way through to the end?  Or did I lose myself and end up somewhere else entirely?

Overall- My general impression of the story. How much I enjoyed it from beginning to end, and/or how much it affected me.

Blow Ups Happen by Robert Heinlein -short story-  

     Writing 5                      Creativity 3.5                       Intrigue 3.5  

Overall 4

A story written before World War 2. The world's energy depends on the continuation of a highly unstable nuclear reactor (that's right, Heinlien wrote about nuclear technology before it was even used on a global scale). One little mistake means the obliteration of most of Earth's population. Men watch the workers just in case. Men watch the watchers just in case. And just in case, men watch the watchers watching. Needless to say, tension is very high.
Read it here.

"Dr. Silard waited unhappily for the ensuing twenty minutes until his own relief arrived. Perhaps he had been hasty. Maybe he was wrong in thinking that Harper had at last broken under the strain of tending the most dangerous machine in the world—an atomic power plant. But if he had made a mistake, it had to be on the safe side—slips must not happen in this business; not when a slip might result in the atomic detonation of two and a half tons of uranium.

The Feeling of Power by Isaac Asimov -short story- 

Writing 4.5                      Creativity 3.5                       Intrigue 4  

Overall 4

In an age dominated by computers that do all calculations, being able to do simple mental math borders on witchcraft. 


Read it here.



""Aub! How much is nine times seven?"

Aub hesitated a moment. His pale eyes glimmered with a feeble anxiety. "Sixty-three," he
said. Congressman Brant lifted his eyebrows. "Is that right?"

"Check it for yourself, Congressman."

The congressman took out his pocket computer, nudged the milled edges twice, looked at its face as it lay there in the palm of his hand, and put it back. He said, "Is this the gift you brought us here to demonstrate. An illusionist?"

Ubik by Philip K. Dick -novel- 

   Writing 5+                      Creativity 5+                       Intrigue 5+  

Overall 5+

Dick crafts a world that details the mundane and the profound; doors cost a nickel to use and the dead can be temporarily preserved within their own mind.  Ubik is the only salvation, but what is it? A zany and highly addictive story.  Get a free subscription of Ubik by following my blog.  heh.


“We are served by organic ghosts, he thought, who, speaking and writing, pass through this our new environment. Watching, wise, physical ghosts from the full-life world, elements of which have become for us invading but agreeable splinters of a substance that pulsates like a former heart.”

Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny -novel- 

   Writing 5                      Creativity 5+                       Intrigue 5  

Overall 5+

Buddhist and Hindu philosophy/characterization set in an ultra advanced, action packed world! A mythological, energy filled story that will have you gritting your teeth from beginning to end!  Because there are so many characters and profound yet potentially foreign ideas in this story, I have included a link to the wiki page which includes a surplus of information to help the reader fully experience the novel's alluring grandeur.  


"His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a god. He preferred to drop the Maha- and the -atman, however, and called himself Sam. He never claimed to be a god, but he never claimed not to be a god."

Gossamer by Stephen Baxter -short story-

   Writing 5                      Creativity 4.5                       Intrigue 4.5  

                                                         Overall 5

Read it here.

Have a heaping serving of a healthy dose of Stephen Baxter. Worm hole failure and an undiscovered alien species within our own solar system to name just a few of the themes that make this story unforgettable. Two women explore Pluto and its moon while they attempt to find a way back from the remoteness and desolation of the outer solar system.  

"Lvov had been listening to her data desk’s synthesized murmur on temperature inversion layers in nitrogen atmospheres; now she tapped the desk to shut it off. The flitter was a transparent tube, deceptively warm and comfortable. Impossibly fragile. Astronauts have problems in space, she thought. But not me. I’m no hero; I’m only a researcher. Lvov was twenty-eight years old; she had no plans to die—and certainly not during a routine four-hour hop through a Poole wormhole that had been human-rated for eighty years."



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Science/Speculative Fiction Review #12

I spend a great deal of my time every day reading speculative science fiction.  The rest of my time is spent asking the questions and questioning the answers that the science fiction I read creates. All of the stories I post contain elements of profound contemplation, varying philosophy, metaphysics, and theoretical pondering. The authors that create these stories are among my heroes in this reality, and I very much want to share them with you.   Although I read a great deal more than the stories I will post in these short reviews, I only want to share those pieces of text/audio that really stick with me and force my mind to ponder life, the universe, and everything. While I am delighted with nearly all that I read in this genre, I will make an attempt to only present the best of the best.

Writing - The quality of the writing.  I specifically rate the writing on how well it is able to convey to me the action, thoughts, emotions, etc. of the story. 

Creativity- Simply put, this rating is a measure of the degree of imagination that exists in the writing.  How unique and new was the story? Is it something I have seen done over and over again? I also factor into this rating category interesting literary techniques such as stylish ways to present chapters or different parts of the story.   

Intrigue- This rating represents the stories ability to keep me interested.  Did I get bored and have to fight my way through to the end?  Or did I lose myself and end up somewhere else entirely?

Overall- My general impression of the story. How much I enjoyed it from beginning to end, and/or how much it affected me.





All You Zombies by Robert Heinlein -short story-

  Writing 5+                      Creativity 5+                       Intrigue 5+  

Overall 5+

A very short story concerning time travel and the webs of space-time that intertwine indefinitely. It took me a few careful read throughs to truly understand and grasp the plot. Here's a hint- there is only one character. Genius.

Read it here.


"Then I glanced at the ring on my finger.
 
The Snake That Eats Its Own Tail, Forever and Ever. I know where I came from - but where did all you zombies come from?

I felt a headache coming on, but a headache powder is one thing I do not take. I did once - and you all went away."

The Observer by Kristine Kathryn Rusch -short story-

Writing 4.5                      Creativity 4.5                       Intrigue 5  

Overall 4

A story that puts the reader into the head of a woman biologically altered to have an insatiable need to kill and destroy anything and everything, even herself. Is there any way she can return to normality, or will she be a prisoner within herself forever?


Read it here.


"No shielding, no vehicles, no nothing. Just us, dosed, altered, ready to go.

I wanted to rip something’s head off, and I did, the fury burning in me like lust. The weapons became tools—I wanted up close and I got it, fingers in eyes, fists around tentacles, poking, pulling, yanking—

They bled brown, like soda. Like coffee. Like weak tea.

And they screamed—or at least I think they did.

Or maybe that was just me."







Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke -novel- 

Writing 5                      Creativity 5                      Intrigue 5  

Overall 5

One of the most influential stories in the genre. A gigantic cylindrical object appears in our solar system and passes Earth in its trajectory. Where did it come from?  What is it?  Who made it?  Where is it going? All the inhabited planets and moons of the solar system collectively decide to send an expedition team to search the mysterious craft. What they find becomes stranger and stranger with every turn of the page. A brilliant story that pushes the boundaries of the reader's visualization. 

"The mass of Rama was at least ten trillion tons; to any spaceman, that was not only awe-inspiring but also a terrifying thought. No wonder that he sometimes felt a sense of insignificance, or even depression, as that cylinder of sculptured, ageless metal filled more and more of the sky."  








A Random World of Delta Capricorni Aa, Also Called Scheddi - by John C. Wright -flash story-

   Writing 4                     Creativity 4                      Intrigue 4  

Overall 4

A volunteer alien abductee is brought to a strange world where nothing seems to make sense. There is a reason though. There must be a reason for everything! I really enjoyed the perspective on higher intelligence this story provided. The description was fantastic as well.

Read it here.


"The Hierarch I called “Lollipop Guild” hovered naked next to me, his gleaming gray skull at armpit height. He raised a slender, shining arm and pointed, looking at me with eyes too large for his face, and deeper than outerspace. In his eyes, I saw the message:This is why.

“Why what?” I asked, teeth chattering. I had not mastered their art of speaking without speech.

In his eyes I saw a memory. The first thing I had said to them when the crystal ship had lowered itself out of the October dawn, ringing like hollow chimes, and the inhuman, solemn faces peered at me like fishermen examining a fish beneath their keel had been a question. “Why do you come to Earth?”"

The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester -novel-

  Writing 5+                     Creativity 5+                      Intrigue 5+  

Overall 5+

Gully Foyle, a simpleton shipwrecked in space and kept alive through extreme and hapless self preservation for six months, is abandoned by a passing space craft. The anger he feels spurs him to seek obsessive revenge on the commander of the space craft through any means necessary. This drive leads him on a filthy, demeaning, struggle of a journey. The characters in the story are so well fleshed, especially the main character. The main character is a hero, a villain, a murder, a savage, and a saint. It is no wonder this story has been a sci fi/speculative favorite for the last fifty years for readers all around the world.

Read it here.

"He was one hundred and seventy days dying and not yet dead. He fought for survival with the passion of a beast in a trap. He was delirious and rotting, but occasionally his primitive mind emerged from the burning nightmare of survival into something resembling sanity. Then he lifted his mute face to Eternity and muttered: "What's a matter, me? Help, you goddamn gods! Help, is all.""

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Science/Speculative Fiction Review #11

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I spend a great deal of my time every day reading speculative science fiction.  The rest of my time is spent asking the questions and questioning the answers that the science fiction I read creates. All of the stories I post contain elements of profound contemplation, varying philosophy, metaphysics, and theoretical pondering. The authors that create these stories are among my heroes in this reality, and I very much want to share them with you.   Although I read a great deal more than the stories I will post in these short reviews, I only want to share those pieces of text/audio that really stick with me and force my mind to ponder life, the universe, and everything. While I am delighted with nearly all that I read in this genre, I will make an attempt to only present the best of the best.

Writing - The quality of the writing.  I specifically rate the writing on how well it is able to convey to me the action, thoughts, emotions, etc. of the story. 

Creativity- Simply put, this rating is a measure of the degree of imagination that exists in the writing.  How unique and new was the story? Is it something I have seen done over and over again? I also factor into this rating category interesting literary techniques such as stylish ways to present chapters or different parts of the story.   

Intrigue- This rating represents the stories ability to keep me interested.  Did I get bored and have to fight my way through to the end?  Or did I lose myself and end up somewhere else entirely?

Overall- My general impression of the story. How much I enjoyed it from beginning to end, and/or how much it affected me.





The Ender's Game Series 

         by Orson Scott Card

Ender’s Game -novel- 

   Writing 5                       Creativity 4                       Intrigue 5+  

Overall 5

The novel that began a saga and a revolution in sci fi. Despite its grandeur and allure, you will realize after reading more of the series that it is a mere prologue to a universal epic. The Ender's Game Saga has a following the size of a small nation, and a universe filled with characters seemingly as tangible as our own family and friends. Earth has been attacked by an alien race that looks like giant insects. People refer to them as the 'buggers.' Andrew 'Ender' Wiggin is a child watched from birth by an international governmental organization to be raised and trained in space to save the world from a future onslaught. A novel packed with emotion that asks some of the biggest and most important questions regarding life and ethics.




Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind 

   -novels-

Writing 5+                       Creativity 5+                       Intrigue 5+  

Overall 5+

Three separate novels that can be seen as three parts to an epic tale. These novels take place 1000's of years after the events of Ender's Game, and focus on Ender and his eventual family. Due to traveling throughout the galaxy at relativistic speeds, Ender and his sister Valentine have literally been transported through time. The novels focus on the potential eradication of several new species, the classification of new species, religion, the reality of life, the universe and existence, and the possibility of seemingly impossibly alien creatures living harmoniously together in the galaxy. A breathtaking, heart wrenching set of novels that force you to fall in love with the various characters and worlds you meet.




Ender’s Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, 

Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant 

  -novels-  

 Writing 5+                       Creativity 4                       Intrigue 5+  

Overall 5+

Like the previous stories that focus on Ender himself, these 4 books can also be grouped together into one epic story. The protagonist in the "shadow series" is a minor character from Ender's Game named Bean. Bean is undoubtedly the smartest human that has ever lived, and is arguably not human. Ender's Shadow depicts Bean's experience as a toddler, living as an orphan on the violent, sordid streets of Rotterdam. It then shows his experience in battle school, meeting and learning from the infamous Ender. The next 3 novels take place directly after the events of Ender's Game and focus on the ensuing wars that occur on Earth. The most powerful weapons in the world are the hyper intelligent, incredibly talented children trained in battle school and every nation wants to use them. These books discuss battle tactics and political scuffles in depth, and really show off Card's knowledge of history and the art of war. Tragedy, drama, romance, and completley fluid/dynamic characters. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire ride.




Shadows in Flight -novella- 

Writing 5                       Creativity 5                       Intrigue 5 

Overall 5

A short story written this year about the future of Bean and his children.   It takes place after the Earth is unified and Bean departs on his final journey.  It takes place as a sequel to Shadow of the Giant.  A story that left me intrigued and in tears after finishing it. I actually listened to the audio version of the story.  It is extremely well done with all 4 characters being read by a different person. Card is in the process of writing another novel that links the 'Ender Series' with the 'Shadow Series' called Shadows Alive. This short story left me salivating in anticipation for its release. 

Ender in Exile -novel- 

Writing 5                       Creativity 4.5                      Intrigue 5 

Overall 5

This story serves as a sequel to the Shadow Series and a prequel to Speaker for the Dead.  It ties up a lot of loose ends and unexplained questions that were left in both story arcs. The story also delves more into the minds of characters like Hyrum Graff, who ,despite their vital importance, were left on the outskirts of Card's descriptions in the other novels.  It begins directly after Ender destroys the formic home world, and documents Ender's journey to multiple colonies.  Ender even has a chance to confront Bean's lost child that was only touched upon at the end of the Shadow Series.  Although it would make chronological sense to read this book after reading the first novel, Ender's Game, I don't think the reader would be able to appreciate it unless they had read much more material in the whole of the series.  I recommend reading this novel last to truly connect with the plot, themes, and characters.  A well deserved and needed addition to the series as a whole! 

I have included a link to the wiki page for the entire Ender's Game Saga for a better understanding of the chronology, characters, ideas, events, and other short stories/novels that are able to stand-alone from the rest of the series.  

Click here for the wiki.