Category: Misc

BotM Picks – November 2016

On By KirstyIn MiscLeave a comment

Apologies that this post is a bit late this month! Here are the groups picks for November 2016.The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman, and Armada by Ernest Cline. We also have a super special Sci Fi Month pick (Especially for Sci Fi Month hosted by Rinn over at Rinn Reads)  for November which is Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. Continue reading “BotM Picks – November 2016” →

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Sir Lancer Recommends – Episode #4

On By Paul WalshIn Misc2 Comments

Hello again Dragons and Jetpackers! Welcome to episode #4 of Sir Lancer recommends.

What I have for you this time is a Trilogy, and the start of another trilogy. First I am going to recommend a set of books which I read a couple of years ago. That would be the Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks. I was reminded of this trilogy as I have recently begun read The Lightbringer series by that same author, which is also looking like it will be fantastic. Continue reading “Sir Lancer Recommends – Episode #4” →

Review of The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu ( by our member Niles)

On By Paul WalshIn Misc2 Comments

205188721967: Ye Wenjie witnesses Red Guards beat her father to death during China’s Cultural Revolution. This singular event will shape not only the rest of her life but also the future of mankind.

Four decades later, Beijing police ask nanotech engineer Wang Miao to infiltrate a secretive cabal of scientists after a spate of inexplicable suicides. Wang’s investigation will lead him to a mysterious online game and immerse him in a virtual world ruled by the intractable and unpredicatable interaction of its three suns.

This is the Three-Body Problem and it is the key to everything: the key to the scientists’ deaths, the key to a conspiracy that spans light-years and the key to the extinction-level threat humanity now faces.

 

 

Image result for four stars rating

The Three Body Problem is a hard science fiction novel by Chinese author Cixin Liu or Liu Cixin, I have seen it written both ways and I am not familiar with the Chinese protocol for names. It was the winner of the 2015 Hugo Award and was nominated for the 2014 Nebula Award, so it had to be good – right? Well, maybe at one time, but as of late it seems as if the awards – all awards – have become politicized and not necessarily the best entry is chosen. But that is a discussion for another time. At the very least, I thought The Three Body Problem deserved at least a chance to prove itself. While I do not think the novel was worthy of an award, I did find it had some merit and well worth the read.
 
The story takes place in China, and the beginning deals with the cultural revolution of the 1960’s. I must admit that I know very little of China’s history, or what life is like in China at all, and I found the history lesson fascinating. I could not see the relevance of these seemingly disjointed segments, but by the time the novel ended everything fell into place. In fact, the main plot line did not become evident until shortly after the halfway point of the novel. But after the slow start, things picked up fairly nicely and became more interesting to me.
 
The characters, with the exception of the astrophysicist Ye Wenjie and the police detective Shi Qiang, were flat and one-dimensional. The dialog seemed clipped and at times forced, but I am giving the author the benefit of the doubt due to translation restraints. I can sympathize with Ye Wenjie but cannot justify her betrayal. I feel her logic was flawed by equating a stronger civilization with a superior one. I did like the character of Shi Qiang. He was abrasive and somewhat uncouth, but he was very smart among all the scientists and felt real to me.
All things considered, I give this read 4 stars. As someone with a math and science background, I enjoyed the reading the hard science. I can see where it may not appeal to all readers, but I think there are enough other items that will appeal to lovers of the genre. The premise was believable and it was interesting to speculate how humanity would react to another civilization and how the people separated into different camps. I always thought humans would line up to protect their world, but I can see how some people may have become disillusioned with our society. I do not feel this work is worthy of receiving an award, but it still has something to offer sci-fi fans.
                                                                Niles P. Jacobsen

Review of Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (Members Review by Milou)

On By KirstyIn MiscLeave a comment

Andrew “Ender” Wiggin thinks he is playing computer simulated war games; he is, in fact, engaged in something far more desperate. The result of genetic experimentation, Ender may be the military genius Earth desperately needs in a war against an alien enemy seeking to destroy all human life. The only way to find out is to throw Ender into ever harsher training, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when it begins. He will grow up fast.

But Ender is not the only result of the experiment. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway almost as long. Ender’s two older siblings, Peter and Valentine, are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. While Peter was too uncontrollably violent, Valentine very nearly lacks the capability for violence altogether. Neither was found suitable for the military’s purpose. But they are driven by their jealousy of Ender, and by their inbred drive for power. Peter seeks to control the political process, to become a ruler. Valentine’s abilities turn more toward the subtle control of the beliefs of commoner and elite alike, through powerfully convincing essays. Hiding their youth and identities behind the anonymity of the computer networks, these two begin working together to shape the destiny of Earth-an Earth that has no future at all if their brother Ender fails. Continue reading “Review of Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (Members Review by Milou)” →

Character Profile – Sam Vimes from Discworld (My Favorite Character)

On By Paul WalshIn Misc4 Comments

Character Name –Sam Vimes (Sir Samuel Vimes Duke of Ankh )

Book / Series they appear in –

Sir Terry Pratchetts Discworld , Primarily the Guards series of books but he crops up in several other later books as a background character later on.First introduced in Guards Guards, he is the lead in a lot of the books that follows and at his absolute best in Night Watch. Continue reading “Character Profile – Sam Vimes from Discworld (My Favorite Character)” →