Archives for reviews - Page 2
Sanctuary 87 by Patrick Skelton [Book Review]
Sanctuary 87: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller by Patrick Skelton My rating: 4 of 5 stars Sanctuary 87 is a pretty bleak place. In a deeply fascist future only those that can work are worth keeping alive. 'Bedside compassion' is scheduled for those that aren't expected to recover. This is US style healthcare, so curable/treatable cases still get euthanised (murdered) if they don't have a good enough job with insurance. Sanctuary 87 The sanctuaries are to protect people against solar flares, which have got significantly worse over the previous few decades. These coincide with the discovery of a rift in space in the outer solar system that allows interstellar travel to another planet with humans on it. The title sanctuary is one in the former USA. The protagonist's quadriplegic son is sent there after he loses his job as a journalist. A…
The Far Traveler: Voyages of a Viking Woman by Nancy Marie Brown [Book Review]
The Far Traveler: Voyages of a Viking Woman by Nancy Marie Brown My rating: 5 of 5 stars An awesome mix of documentary history and archaeology, to bring a character to life. Even though we can't be sure hat Gudrid was a real woman that actually existed the combination of the sagas and the archaeology give a great understanding of life in the viking period, and particularly from a female perspective. This is not a tale of warriors and raiders, but one of persuasion and influence and a hard life on the very frontiers of where humans could exist. Gudrid was born in Iceland, and went to America with Erik the Red. Later in life she went to Rome. Far Traveler I read this last year, the Far Traveler was the first book that I read in 2020 but for…
Attack Surface by Cory Doctorow [Book Review]
Attack Surface by Cory Doctorow My rating: 4 of 5 stars Attack Surface is the third in a loose trilogy that started with Little Brother. I've only read the first, Homeland passed me by. Attack Surface was readable and it stood well on its own as a story. Like the others, Attack Surface is a cautionary tale on how technology is being misused. Attack Surface The protagonist is Masha, a tech savvy woman from the bay area. She sold out and joined the DHS in Little Brother. Since then she's worked for private contractors providing surveillance know-how for governments. When we first meet her she's working both ends in Slovstakia, a semi-fictional former Soviet satellite state with a repressive regime. Her employer is giving the government technology to spy on its protesting citizens. Masha has adopted some of the protestors…
The Great Traitor by Joseph Kassabian [Book Review]
The Great Traitor by Joseph Kassabian My rating: 5 of 5 stars The Great Traitor is the second book in the Galaxy on Fire series. It picks up where Citizen of Earth left off. It's much better than its predecessor, there's less of the random chaos, and is more about making sense of everything. The Great Traitor The title is a direct reference to the nick-name that Vincent has picked up from the loyalist survivors. His involvement in the last part of Citizen of Earth has been misconstrued, perhaps deliberately, and he is seen as the guy that destroyed the central committee and Earth. At first Vincent hates the nickname. Vincent thinks that isn't fair, because he was trying to stop the weapon being used against Earth. As the story moves on Vincent grows into using it to help him…
Hollow Road by Dan Fitzgerald [Book Review]
Hollow Road by Dan Fitzgerald My rating: 4 of 5 stars Hollow Road is the start of a heroes' journey, and the first book in the Maer Cycle trilogy. We meet three protagonists, Carl, Sinnie and Finn. They've been tasked with returning the body of one of their peers to their hometown. Each of the three has been away following their chosen profession, soldiering for Carl, circus entertainment for Sinnie, and learning to be a mage for Finn. Hollow Road Our protagonists have been asked to journey back to their hometown to take their friend's body to its final resting place. They're given the task by their friend's father, a rich man who pays them handsomely, and hints at trouble on their three day journey down the Hollow Road. The source of the trouble is alleged to be the legendary…