The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
(Disclaimer: This is nether dystopian nor post-apocalyptic. However, I just love it. So here is the review, darn it!)
No author possesses a more finely developed sense of dark and silky humor than does Neil Gaiman. In the telling of this story he is at his finest. The novel examines a simple but shivering pretext: what if an orphaned toddler were to be raised by the ghostly residents of a graveyard?
The child wanders into the graveyard after the murder of his parents, where the kindly but long deceased Owens family raises him. Under the protection of the graveyard and the watchful eye of Silas, who might be a member of the undead, the boy thrives. His unique circumstances expose him to a macabre world of death, ghouls, witches, and monsters, all of which he takes in stride. When his blissful, if unorthodox, existence is threatened by the return of his parents' murderers, the boy must use his unique accumulated knowledge to survive.
Mr. Gaiman tells the story with a pitch perfect mixture of dark humor, suspenseful mystery, and genuine emotion. This novel will leave you pondering the meaning of life and the nature of love as seen through the eyes of the dead.
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Book Review: All These Broken Stars
All These Broken Stars by Aime Kaufman
(Disclaimer: This is neither a dystopian nor post-apocalyptic novel in the classic sense. However, it is one of the better sci-fi/love/survival stories I've read in a while. Hence the review here.)
This novel was very nearly the perfect combination of turbulent romance, mystery, sci-fi, and survival. The relationship between the higher-than-royalty Lilac and the down-home boy Tarver progresses at a perfectly metered pace. Initial attraction between the two is obliterated by class distinction after the space ship carrying them crashes and leaves the pair as sole survivors. The friction between the pair fades as they journey across a strange wilderness for help, as each are broken down to a basic version of themselves - a version that might find a way to love the other. The mystery of the voices, the abandonment of the planet, and their fate all culminate in an utterly shocking twist - that leads to a yet more shocking twist.
(Disclaimer: This is neither a dystopian nor post-apocalyptic novel in the classic sense. However, it is one of the better sci-fi/love/survival stories I've read in a while. Hence the review here.)
This novel was very nearly the perfect combination of turbulent romance, mystery, sci-fi, and survival. The relationship between the higher-than-royalty Lilac and the down-home boy Tarver progresses at a perfectly metered pace. Initial attraction between the two is obliterated by class distinction after the space ship carrying them crashes and leaves the pair as sole survivors. The friction between the pair fades as they journey across a strange wilderness for help, as each are broken down to a basic version of themselves - a version that might find a way to love the other. The mystery of the voices, the abandonment of the planet, and their fate all culminate in an utterly shocking twist - that leads to a yet more shocking twist.
Book Review: The Shore of Women
The Shore of Women by Pamela Sargent
This novel left me very contemplative for some time after reading the final words. In a bold undertaking as a storyteller, Ms. Sargent tells of a distant future where war-weary women have exiled men to live as savages outside the walls of women-only futuristic cities, taking reproductive material only as needed to keep the species alive. The story follows an exiled woman, Birana, who forms what is considered an impossible and disgusting bond with a man named Arvil - one of love.
The story is slow in places, but those moments reflect the monotony of life in the wild. *Spoiler* When sexual relations develop between Birana and Arvil, the author does not hold back. Her descriptions are graphic, although not gratuitous. In the end, though, the story gave me what I crave in every novel that I read: an abiding concern for the characters, and a truth to ponder that is larger than my limited world. Kudos to Pamela Sargent for such a bold story with such a profound message.
This novel left me very contemplative for some time after reading the final words. In a bold undertaking as a storyteller, Ms. Sargent tells of a distant future where war-weary women have exiled men to live as savages outside the walls of women-only futuristic cities, taking reproductive material only as needed to keep the species alive. The story follows an exiled woman, Birana, who forms what is considered an impossible and disgusting bond with a man named Arvil - one of love.
The story is slow in places, but those moments reflect the monotony of life in the wild. *Spoiler* When sexual relations develop between Birana and Arvil, the author does not hold back. Her descriptions are graphic, although not gratuitous. In the end, though, the story gave me what I crave in every novel that I read: an abiding concern for the characters, and a truth to ponder that is larger than my limited world. Kudos to Pamela Sargent for such a bold story with such a profound message.
Book Review: The Windup Girl
The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
I usually reserve five stars for stories that I greatly enjoy, or those that evoke strong emotion. By those criteria, The Windup Girl is somewhere between a three and a four on my scale. So why a five? Good question. Here goes.
This novel is absolutely jam-packed with incredible concepts - enough to make my head spin. In that respect it reminded me of William Gibson's Neuromancer, opening a new world of thought about a very plausible and well-constructed future. Calorie plagues, calorie corporations, kink spring power supplies, imperfect androids, biological manufacturing agents - the list goes on and on of novel ideas fleshed out with amazing realism by the author. All of that is set against a future Malaysian metropolis that seems so bizarre yet achingly familiar that I feel as if it is a real place, here and now. The author expertly executes the telling through multiple points of view but in a present tense that gives immediacy to the action.
So, yes, I did not absolutely love this story, nor did I shed tears over the darkness of it. But this novel stretched my brain, and for that I will never forget it.
I usually reserve five stars for stories that I greatly enjoy, or those that evoke strong emotion. By those criteria, The Windup Girl is somewhere between a three and a four on my scale. So why a five? Good question. Here goes.
This novel is absolutely jam-packed with incredible concepts - enough to make my head spin. In that respect it reminded me of William Gibson's Neuromancer, opening a new world of thought about a very plausible and well-constructed future. Calorie plagues, calorie corporations, kink spring power supplies, imperfect androids, biological manufacturing agents - the list goes on and on of novel ideas fleshed out with amazing realism by the author. All of that is set against a future Malaysian metropolis that seems so bizarre yet achingly familiar that I feel as if it is a real place, here and now. The author expertly executes the telling through multiple points of view but in a present tense that gives immediacy to the action.
So, yes, I did not absolutely love this story, nor did I shed tears over the darkness of it. But this novel stretched my brain, and for that I will never forget it.
Book Review: All the Light We Cannot See
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
(Disclaimer: This is neither a dystopian nor post-apocalyptic novel. In fact, it is not even science fiction. However, the novel is so good that I felt compelled to review it here. By the way, it just won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, so I'm not alone in my opinion!)
The title of All the Light We Cannot See is much like the novel itself: it is a simple picture with layers of meaning. The story unfolds in a series of short snapshots of the lives of various characters, primarily involving the protagonists Werner and Marie Laure, in the years leading up to the invasion of Saint-Malo, France during August of 1944. The genius of the vignettes and the title are the tight connection the author creates between the pair before they ever meet, many of the connections coming as a surprise to the reader. The writing is dense with metaphor, but not in a pretentious way. Mr. Doerr wrote the story over a ten year period and the writing reflects it, aged like a fine wine to a perfect blend of metaphor and flow. The ending may seem a bit anti-climactic when compared to the typical story arc of a novel, but it is necessary in order to send a meaningful message: that we are the sum of our experiences, and that every life leaves a mark on every other life, regardless of the brevity of the contact.
Highly recommended!
(Disclaimer: This is neither a dystopian nor post-apocalyptic novel. In fact, it is not even science fiction. However, the novel is so good that I felt compelled to review it here. By the way, it just won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, so I'm not alone in my opinion!)
The title of All the Light We Cannot See is much like the novel itself: it is a simple picture with layers of meaning. The story unfolds in a series of short snapshots of the lives of various characters, primarily involving the protagonists Werner and Marie Laure, in the years leading up to the invasion of Saint-Malo, France during August of 1944. The genius of the vignettes and the title are the tight connection the author creates between the pair before they ever meet, many of the connections coming as a surprise to the reader. The writing is dense with metaphor, but not in a pretentious way. Mr. Doerr wrote the story over a ten year period and the writing reflects it, aged like a fine wine to a perfect blend of metaphor and flow. The ending may seem a bit anti-climactic when compared to the typical story arc of a novel, but it is necessary in order to send a meaningful message: that we are the sum of our experiences, and that every life leaves a mark on every other life, regardless of the brevity of the contact.
Highly recommended!
Book Review: The Martian
The Martian: A Novel by Andy Weir
My reading of The Martian was one long-running reaction of, "How did Andy Weir research this much material?" The answer in a moment. The reason for the question is this: the story follows the desperate struggle of astronaut Mark Watney to survive alone on Mars, and the main character applies countless implementations of chemistry, biology, physics, and math to ensure survival. Sounds boring, right? Wrong! The story moves so swiftly from one edge-of-death experience to the next that I found myself rooting for principles of science and Watney's brain to pull him out of the fire again and again. And despite the grim circumstances, the story is told with an abundance of gallows humor, both from Watney's perspective and the perspective of those on Earth trying to rescue him.
So what about the question? How did the author research this much material? Easy. His entire life has been devoted to a fascination with science, space, and planning a Mars expedition. In other words, Mr. Weir has prepared for decades to write this novel. The result is a miracle that makes Robinson Crusoe and Hatchet look like child's play. This novel is destined to be a classic!
My reading of The Martian was one long-running reaction of, "How did Andy Weir research this much material?" The answer in a moment. The reason for the question is this: the story follows the desperate struggle of astronaut Mark Watney to survive alone on Mars, and the main character applies countless implementations of chemistry, biology, physics, and math to ensure survival. Sounds boring, right? Wrong! The story moves so swiftly from one edge-of-death experience to the next that I found myself rooting for principles of science and Watney's brain to pull him out of the fire again and again. And despite the grim circumstances, the story is told with an abundance of gallows humor, both from Watney's perspective and the perspective of those on Earth trying to rescue him.
So what about the question? How did the author research this much material? Easy. His entire life has been devoted to a fascination with science, space, and planning a Mars expedition. In other words, Mr. Weir has prepared for decades to write this novel. The result is a miracle that makes Robinson Crusoe and Hatchet look like child's play. This novel is destined to be a classic!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
The Difference Between Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic Literature
My favorite sci-fi sub-genre is post-apocalyptic science fiction, with
dystopian literature coming in a respectable but distant second.
Why?
Because I'm fascinated by the behavior of people when the thin veneer of civilization is stripped away, and all hope is lost. What remains is a true glimpse of humanity at its worst and best, and the question "what makes us human" leaps to the forefront of existence.
For the past several years, dystopian literature has been hot, especially with young adults. Many readers remain confused about the subtle difference between dystopian literature and post-apocalyptic literature. Allow me to explain my interpretation of the difference.
A dystopia is a society where societal perfection or societal transcendence is obtained at the expense of something else. That "something else" could be a devalued class of people, the loss of a fundamental freedom, or the surrender of some aspect of human nature. Literary dystopias often arise through a slow process of societal change, or more abruptly as the result of some cataclysm. In either case, the dystopia represents society in a stable state, albeit a state most of us find appalling in some manner.
Post-apocalyptic literature, on the other hand, focuses on the instability during and/or following a cataclysmic event that shatters society both in form and headcount. During the story, whatever society exists is typically small, isolated, and highly threatened. Often there is little or no hope for any meaningful future. Although it is true that post-apocalyptic events can lead to the formation of dystopian societies, it is the immediately endangered nature of the society that interests me as a reader.
For example, I picked up Hunger Games in an airport years ago before it became a global phenomenon, because it is exactly the type of story that grabs my attention. Hunger Games is a dystopian story because it describes a stable but imperfect society that has sacrificed morality and most of the population for the comfort of a few. However, as a lover of post-apocalyptic stories, I wanted to know "how." How did this society emerge? What happened to create such a place? The story offers few clues, other than hints of a war.
I preferred the very poetic Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. The survivors of a zombie-plague apocalypse huddle together in a small community surrounded by a chain-link fence, unaware of other survivors. Pretty hopeless, right? Despite that hopelessness, a small band of teenagers venture into the unknown with a vague hope that there must be something better "out there."
So ... it may come as no surprise that I wrote a pair of post-apocalyptic novels. Write what you like; write what you know - right? My other stories are not of that sub-genre, but I suspect that I will revisit it later. My current PA novels are found at the link below.
I'll leave you with this. The best example, in my opinion, of an utterly hopeless situation where survivors soldier on is the short story "A Pail of Air" by Fritz Leiber. It's available free on-line by the original publisher, Baen books. If your tastes mirror mine, then do yourself a favor and read it at the link below.
(Note - there is a short Preface, but the story starts at the line "Pa had sent me out to get an extra pail of air." Good opening line!)
Why?
Because I'm fascinated by the behavior of people when the thin veneer of civilization is stripped away, and all hope is lost. What remains is a true glimpse of humanity at its worst and best, and the question "what makes us human" leaps to the forefront of existence.
For the past several years, dystopian literature has been hot, especially with young adults. Many readers remain confused about the subtle difference between dystopian literature and post-apocalyptic literature. Allow me to explain my interpretation of the difference.
A dystopia is a society where societal perfection or societal transcendence is obtained at the expense of something else. That "something else" could be a devalued class of people, the loss of a fundamental freedom, or the surrender of some aspect of human nature. Literary dystopias often arise through a slow process of societal change, or more abruptly as the result of some cataclysm. In either case, the dystopia represents society in a stable state, albeit a state most of us find appalling in some manner.
Post-apocalyptic literature, on the other hand, focuses on the instability during and/or following a cataclysmic event that shatters society both in form and headcount. During the story, whatever society exists is typically small, isolated, and highly threatened. Often there is little or no hope for any meaningful future. Although it is true that post-apocalyptic events can lead to the formation of dystopian societies, it is the immediately endangered nature of the society that interests me as a reader.
For example, I picked up Hunger Games in an airport years ago before it became a global phenomenon, because it is exactly the type of story that grabs my attention. Hunger Games is a dystopian story because it describes a stable but imperfect society that has sacrificed morality and most of the population for the comfort of a few. However, as a lover of post-apocalyptic stories, I wanted to know "how." How did this society emerge? What happened to create such a place? The story offers few clues, other than hints of a war.
I preferred the very poetic Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. The survivors of a zombie-plague apocalypse huddle together in a small community surrounded by a chain-link fence, unaware of other survivors. Pretty hopeless, right? Despite that hopelessness, a small band of teenagers venture into the unknown with a vague hope that there must be something better "out there."
So ... it may come as no surprise that I wrote a pair of post-apocalyptic novels. Write what you like; write what you know - right? My other stories are not of that sub-genre, but I suspect that I will revisit it later. My current PA novels are found at the link below.
I'll leave you with this. The best example, in my opinion, of an utterly hopeless situation where survivors soldier on is the short story "A Pail of Air" by Fritz Leiber. It's available free on-line by the original publisher, Baen books. If your tastes mirror mine, then do yourself a favor and read it at the link below.
(Note - there is a short Preface, but the story starts at the line "Pa had sent me out to get an extra pail of air." Good opening line!)
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