A few (old) words on Eye of the Labyrinth, the 2nd book in the Second Sons Trilogy by Jennifer Fallon; a series I had a rather ambivalent relationship with at the time of review. This was a free review copy from the publisher... I don't think I'd have picked up the book/series otherwise.
Ok, let’s get the important part out of the way from the beginning. If you’ve read the first book, or my review thereof then be advised that this book is infinitely better than the first instalment, so much better that it’s nearly readable and enjoyable. Yes, that's faint praise. Jennifer Fallon still uses co-incidence as the main plot driver, and the ‘bad soap opera feeling’ of the first book is still here, but in contrast to ‘The Lion of Senet’ we’re getting a developing story, with the elements that made the first book nearly unbearable to read toned down a lot.
The book picks up with Morna Provin, Dirk’s (the main protagonist of the series) Mother, being arrested at the funeral of her former husband who protected her from the Lion of Senet. Now she is to have her sentence for treason (death, in case you were wondering) - which was put on hold per Wallin Provin’s request - fulfilled, and be burnt alive at the next Landfall festival. Dirk, meanwhile, is still in Mil with the Pirates who hide the fugitives from the Senetian rule, trying to learn the secret of the next ‘Age of Shadows’ from Neris Veran, who figured it out in the first place, and went mad over it (and the drugs he used to drive himself on). Finally, after some more of the usual incredible co-incidences that seem to happen all the time in this world, he decides to go to Omaxin and learn the secret that gives ultimate power on this world for himself, only accompanied by Tia Veran, Neris’ daughter, who doesn’t trust him one iota…
Odd and the Frost Giants was written for World Book Day 2008, and isNeil Gaiman's, er, how do I count the books, graphic novels etc? Let's say he's got a good number of books (and awards) to his name, and if you haven't heard of the author of such classics as the Sandman series, Coraline (now a movie), Stardust (also a movie) etc then you must have spent quite some time on some remote pacific island indeed!
This is a very slim volume, so I shall keep this short (ie shorter than the story). Odd is a Viking boy, who walks on a crutch due to a crippled leg; When one year the winter doesn't end, and the tempers in the village's shared Great Hall become increasingly frayed he runs away into the forest, to his dead father's old cottage. There he encounters three Norse Gods (Loki, Thor, and Odin, nevertheless) in animal form, who tell him that they have been tricked out of Asgard by a Snow Giant, and are trapped in this world (Midgard) and in animal form. And so Odd goes on a quest with these Gods to re-gain Asgard...
Time Travel, Sex, and philosophical questions... The Man who folded himself has been described as the ‘ultimate time travel novel’. It was written by David Gerrold, an award-decorated writer (including the excellent Star Trek Episode ‘The Trouble with Tribbles’). It's a fascinating treaty on time travel, resolving the Time Travel Paradox, and asking questions about having sex with yourself. No, really.
The story begins with Dan telling us about his Uncle Jim, who brought him up, and who pays for his upkeep during University, and what Jim is trying to teach him about Life, and Money. And then Uncle Jim dies suddenly, leaving him – instead of the 143 Millions he talked about - a belt and a manuscript. Now, things are rarely as they seem… the belt is a timebelt, ie a belt that can move you through time, and the manuscript has its interesting points, too. So Dan reads at least part of the operating instructions on the belt (he’s an unusual lad, isn’t he?) and sets off in time, jumping one day ahead into the future. Where he meets himself. Which comes as a bit of a shock… When they go out to the races together (with tomorrow’s paper, natch) they call themselves Dan and Don, and claim to be twins. And during the story there’s more of them, sorry, him. Dan, and Don, and Danny, and… all the same person. Or are they?
Lavie Tidhar has self-published a short story called The School on his own blog.
The School has a go at a number of right-wing mindsets, thought patterns, and associated SF authors who use them in their books. I found it neither subtle nor very clever; but, as some commentator pointed out, a good long look at who us pushing what unsavoury theory in SF might well be overdue, so I give Lavie credit from that point of view; and cannot fault him for trying and pointing at something a lot of people frequently would prefer to ignore.
Also, whilst this was turned down by major publications for SF short stories because some people got cold feet at the implicatinos of publishing the names named - yes, it might well be, and I could see why, but I don't think that this is unpublishable, and that thus the tag line of The Story They Wouldn't Publish is overly melodramatic.
But make up your own mind - the story, in full, can be found here.
Inversions is the 6th book in Iain M. Banks' (note the middle initial – this is by the SF writer. Apparently...) Culture series. And, of all the Culture books I've read (I'm one short of the full cycle as it stands today), this is the one I least enjoyed.
The structure of the book is quite simple – it follows two protagonists, Oelph (general helper for Vosill, the King's physician), and DeWar (bodyguard to General UrLeyn), in alternating chapters. These are purportedly diaries, and are framed by a Prologue and Epilogue, also by written by Oelph, and displaying some of the bigger picture the actual story is set in.
Norman Spinrad's Novellette Quarantine has been rejected by the New Yorker, by Asimov's SF Magazine, by Analog, and by others, apparently. And so Norman decided to start an experiement, and sell it in downloadble format(s), for a minimal cover price ($3) from Barnes and Noble and from Amazon.
His reasoning for this, and the reaction of his fans, can be found here on his blog.
I haven't bought & downloaded the story (yet?)... The question asked is valid, though: how much are we willing to part with for our reading matter, all the more so for short fiction? Or are we too used to getting it all for free by now? Answers on a postcard, please...
Odd and the Frost Giants
