Title: Absorption (Ragnarok volume one)
Author: John Meaney
Publisher: Gollancz
If you like a bit of fantasy wrapped in some hard sci-fi then this is for you. What better than a bit of Norse mythology (Ragnarok), heroes seperated in time and space and some definate hard sci-fi concepts to get the story going.
This is the first part of the Ragnarok series and I got the bug. I'll be on the hunt for more as they come my way.
Several heroes are brought out in the book and their characters fleshed out individually, some more than others. They all see the 'black shadow clouds' around some people while no-one else can, and it becomes apparent as the book progresses that the heroes will at some stage be brought together to perform certain deeds. This never quite happens in the first installment, but the story is enough in itsself to introduce you to everyone and some depth and background the the intended universe that will stage the rest of this story.
There are some fairlt radical ideas, not new I hasten to add, but the way the author has drawn them here makes you sit up and take notice.
Like Arnie once said "I'll be back!"
Showing posts with label action. Show all posts
Showing posts with label action. Show all posts
Tuesday, 6 September 2011
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
The Way of Shadows - Brent Weeks
The Way of Shadows - Night Angel Trilogy
Author: Brent Weeks
Publisher: Orbit
I picked this book up on a slow day, and ended up putting it down several hours later. The plot cracks along at a fair pace and provides a few twists and turns along the way, and the inevitable cliffhanger that leaves you wanting to go out and read the next book in the series.
The characters are well enough rounded out with Kylar (the hero) and Durzo Blint (his master and trainer) and a supporting cast of .... well a few too many characters to be honest. I kept having to work out who was who among the more minor characters. But that is a minor defect in a fantastic story.
Kylar wants to be a wetboy and the only way he can do this is to apprentice himself to Durzo Blint the best and most experienced wetboy in the city. The reasons why he does this I'll leave for you to discover when you read the book, suffice to say that he gains more than he expects, loses more than he wants and cannot have what he always wanted.
Read it or he'll be round to pay you a visit.
Author: Brent Weeks
Publisher: Orbit
I picked this book up on a slow day, and ended up putting it down several hours later. The plot cracks along at a fair pace and provides a few twists and turns along the way, and the inevitable cliffhanger that leaves you wanting to go out and read the next book in the series.
The characters are well enough rounded out with Kylar (the hero) and Durzo Blint (his master and trainer) and a supporting cast of .... well a few too many characters to be honest. I kept having to work out who was who among the more minor characters. But that is a minor defect in a fantastic story.
Kylar wants to be a wetboy and the only way he can do this is to apprentice himself to Durzo Blint the best and most experienced wetboy in the city. The reasons why he does this I'll leave for you to discover when you read the book, suffice to say that he gains more than he expects, loses more than he wants and cannot have what he always wanted.
Read it or he'll be round to pay you a visit.
Monday, 20 July 2009
The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
The Da Vinci Code
By: Dan Brown
From: Corgi
A cracking good read - not a total stretch or something that will go down as a future classic, just a good solid read. Mainly based on assertations made in several books, this story is the lumping together of all of these stories into one cohesive conspiracy.
This is a cliffhanger book, not fact or accuracy. There is literary licence taken, forgiveable in this case, to keep the story moving. Each chapter is designed to draw you deeper into the story making it un-put-downable.
The characters are somewhat poster-like in their two-dimensionality. The baddies are, well especially bad and you root solidly for the good guys.
The film of the same name based on this book does not do the story justice - it is accurate - it just lacks the character, if it is possible, that the book has.
By: Dan Brown
From: Corgi
A cracking good read - not a total stretch or something that will go down as a future classic, just a good solid read. Mainly based on assertations made in several books, this story is the lumping together of all of these stories into one cohesive conspiracy.
This is a cliffhanger book, not fact or accuracy. There is literary licence taken, forgiveable in this case, to keep the story moving. Each chapter is designed to draw you deeper into the story making it un-put-downable.
The characters are somewhat poster-like in their two-dimensionality. The baddies are, well especially bad and you root solidly for the good guys.
The film of the same name based on this book does not do the story justice - it is accurate - it just lacks the character, if it is possible, that the book has.
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Angels and Demons - Dan Brown
Angels and Demons
By: Dan Brown
From: Corgi
Leave your brain behind for some pure escapism. A lot of what is portrayed in this book is just what the book is - fiction.
What Dan Brown does well is tell a story, provoke some critisism from the right places, enough to generate controversy and let publicity do the rest.
The story takes place before The Da Vinci Code and is a much darker story. A long hidden society has struck and there is a race against time to stop murder and destruction.
A cracking pace, suspense on each page, obstacles to overcome, lies and conspiracies. A tailor made combination for a blockbuster, and you are not disappointed.
I have to argue with some of the scientific claims made in this book, yes it is fiction, but it is presented in such a way as to make it seem like fact. This is a comon trick used by the author, surround a questionable fact with lots of real facts to prop it up and soon you can't see the fiction for the facts.
The parts concerning CERN concern me. If enough people now believe even half of the bad fiction printed in the book, then years of scientific endeavour are all for naught. Not only is it bad writing, it is dangerous to present fiction as fact without clarifying what is and isn't possible.
I consider myself intelligent and had to check some of the facts to see if they were possible or had even taken or would be taking place.
Still, all in all a good holiday read.
By: Dan Brown
From: Corgi
Leave your brain behind for some pure escapism. A lot of what is portrayed in this book is just what the book is - fiction.
What Dan Brown does well is tell a story, provoke some critisism from the right places, enough to generate controversy and let publicity do the rest.
The story takes place before The Da Vinci Code and is a much darker story. A long hidden society has struck and there is a race against time to stop murder and destruction.
A cracking pace, suspense on each page, obstacles to overcome, lies and conspiracies. A tailor made combination for a blockbuster, and you are not disappointed.
I have to argue with some of the scientific claims made in this book, yes it is fiction, but it is presented in such a way as to make it seem like fact. This is a comon trick used by the author, surround a questionable fact with lots of real facts to prop it up and soon you can't see the fiction for the facts.
The parts concerning CERN concern me. If enough people now believe even half of the bad fiction printed in the book, then years of scientific endeavour are all for naught. Not only is it bad writing, it is dangerous to present fiction as fact without clarifying what is and isn't possible.
I consider myself intelligent and had to check some of the facts to see if they were possible or had even taken or would be taking place.
Still, all in all a good holiday read.
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