Monthly Archives: May 2011

House of Suns, Alistair Reynolds (ACE Science Fiction, 2010; Gollancz, 2008)

House of Suns is the award winning novel by one of my favorite authors, Alistair Reynolds. As with many of his works, it combines mystery with Science Fiction in an Ultratech future with realistic Science. (For an indepth review, go to: sophyanempire.wordpress.com)
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Posted in Hard SciFi, Identity, Mystery, New Space Opera, Political Drama, Post Modern, Ripping Yarn, Science Fiction, Strong Characters, Ultratech, Unique or Imaginative World | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card (Tor, 1994)

Ender’s Game is probably the best YA book I’ve ever read. It creates the bar by which all other YA books should be measured. It never condescends to its readers and never belittles the main character as being just a kid. It is a remarkably brutal and intense Science Fiction tale that is well worth reading what ever your age (for a more indepth review go to http://www.sophyanempire.wordpress.com) Continue reading

Posted in Cycle, Identity, Military Science Fiction, Ripping Yarn, Saga, Science Fiction, Series, Stand Alone Novel, Strong Characters, Thoughtful, YA | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Revelation Space, Alistair Reynolds (Gollancz, 2000)

Revelation Space was Alistair Reynolds’ first book, and serves as the first volume of the continuing Series of the same name. It is a stand alone novel, and though in that sense, one does not feel cheated at the end as one sometimes does in the Serial form of story telling. It is, however, a remarkible opening salvo for one of the most imaginative worlds I have seen in Science Fiction, and I cannot imagine many people who like Science Fiction being able to resist the next book. (for more indepth review, see http://www.sophyanempire.wordpress.com) Continue reading

Posted in Hard SciFi, Identity, New Space Opera, Post Modern, Ripping Yarn, Science Fiction, Series, Space Exploration, Strong Characters, Thoughtful, Uncategorized, Unique or Imaginative World | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Beautiful Creatures, Kami Garcia and Margeret Stohl (Little Brown Books, 2009) {Hachette Audio, 2009; Narrated by Kevin T. Collins, featuring Eve Bianco}

Beautiful Creatures is a YA Paranormal Romance which received sixth place in the 2010 Teens Top Ten Award. God only knows why. The writing flows and is easy to follow, but the story failed on a number of levels, not least of which was the authenticity of the narrator. While it would have made a brilliant short story, novelette or maybe even novella, coming in at around 600 pages, it drags more than just a little. For a full review, go to: http://www.sophyanempire.wordpress.com Continue reading

Posted in Fantasy, Romance, Series, Urban Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, YA | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments