Review: Elisha Barber by E.C. Ambrose

Review by Shellie for Elisha Barber (Book 1 of The Dark Apostle) by E.C. Ambrose

Shellie’s quick take:  A very readable, thrilling, and lurid historical fantasy set in a dark, medieval world.

Shellie’s description:  Elisha Barber is the main character who carries the title of his profession as his last name. As the title suggest he’s a barber, which during medieval times was a pseudo-doctor of sorts. This immediately brings out horrific and cringe-inducing thoughts; and this book definitely delivers. It is of course gruesome work, but Elisha has the gift of a healer and is not as barbaric as some of the other “doctors” that he is forced to work among.

When the story begins Elisha attempts to assist with the birth of his brother's child. When a tragedy occurs he’s accused of murder and is faced with the choice of working as a surgeon in the King’s war or facing death. When he travels to the battle field, Elisha doesn’t realize that he has powers that are beyond his barbering skills.

Shellie’s thoughts:   First off this book is VERY dark and can be shocking. It has details that can be considered gruesome which may not be to the liking of some readers (so potential readers are forewarned). However, the details are often medical in nature and readers who enjoy medical thrillers may like the book. I definitely did. I was completely engrossed from the first pages till the end, and even more so since it felt like I was reading a guilty pleasure. I liked the author’s writing style with gory situations only adding to the intensity of the story for me.

As a historical fantasy there are of course historical details from the 1400s England where it’s set. So there is an authentic feel to the book, even though the language is modern. However, there is no basis of historical fact for the novel. I was actually a bit disappointed to find that none of the characters are based on real people from the past. There is also a strong romantic thread, but it is certainly not a romance. I did like this aspect of the novel since the romance is twisted, which is another plus for horror and dark fantasy lovers.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy medical thrillers, horror, and especially dark fantasy, since it appears that the fantastical element becomes stronger within the second book. It’s a 3-star rating for this debut novel – I liked it. The second book has already been released in hardcover with the title Elisha Magus. I will be reading it hoping for more of the pure escapist pleasure that this first book in the series delivered.

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Mass Market Paperback | 400  Pages | 3 Jun 2014 | DAW

Review: Ringworld: The Graphic Novel by Larry Niven

Review by John for Ringworld: The Graphic Novel, Part One. Based on the novel by Larry Niven – adapted by Robert Mandell; illustrated by Sean Lam.

John’s quick take:   Niven’s classic award-winning 1970 science fiction story turned into a graphic novel.

John’s description: It is 2850 and space adventurer Louis Wu is celebrating his 200th birthday. Thanks to boosterspice he still has the physique and mental agility of a twenty year old, and he has wealth that allows him to do almost anything that he wants. But he feels like he has done it all already and he is bored.

Enter Nessus, a two-headed alien Pierson’s Puppeteer. He offers Louis the chance to join him on a mysterious and dangerous mission well beyond the boundaries of Known Space, using a secret new ship that can travel thousands of times faster than anything humans have experienced. Louis cannot refuse. They are joined by two additional carefully selected crew members, a fearsome catlike warrior Kzin and a human that has been genetically bred for good luck.

Initially they travel to Nessus’ home world where they are told that the mission’s destination is a strange ring-shaped world that circles a star. They are to explore the artificially created ringworld that is some 600 million miles in circumference and a million miles wide. The flat inner surface of the world is equivalent to some three million Earth-sized planets and it may potentially be habitable.

When their space ship crash-lands on the ringworld and they are apparently stranded, their adventures have only just begun.

John’s thoughts:   Where to start with this one? I’d have to say that this graphic novel version of a classic science fiction story has probably not been created with me in mind. I’ve read the original book and loved it – and the graphic novel can’t really add anything. Indeed, one of the great things about the original was the depth and the detail of the story. In this format there is no chance of replicating that depth and many parts of the story leap ahead far too quickly for my liking.

I’d also have to say that the graphic representation of Nessus is quite disappointing – though goodness knows he is near impossible to satisfactorily translate into graphic form. I think he is one of those creations that just works better in your imagination than it possibly can in pen and ink. Louis Wu too doesn’t jive at all with how I pictured him.

That being said it is a great story and I’m sure that many newcomers to Niven’s novel will enjoy it. I’d rate the book 3 stars and recommend it to anyone who likes science fiction in graphic novel format; I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who has read the original. Any potential readers should be warned that this is only “part one” and covers just the first half of Ringworld. It isn’t a standalone story so don’t expect any logical conclusions to the plot at the end of this book.

A closing thought – I do love some graphic novels (Watchmen and Britten and Brulightly are two of the most highly-rated books that I have ever reviewed), but reading a graphic novel version of something you’ve already read in full and loved is probably not a great idea. It seems to me that you’re always going to be left wanting more.

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Tor/Forge | July 2014 | Trade Paperback |  272 pages

Review: Pillar to the Sky by William R. Forstchen

Review by John for Pillar to the Sky by William R. Forstchen.

John’s quick take:   A science fiction novel that revolves around a seemingly fantastic concept – a space elevator that reaches from the equator to geosynchronous orbit and will help to solve many of the world’s problems. The technology is based on reasonable extrapolations of today’s science.

John’s description:   The earth is beset by a range of seemingly unsolvable issues that spell future disaster – environmental crises abound, oil supplies are dwindling causing oil prices to skyrocket, major economies are trying to overcome crippling deficits, and war is brewing in the Middle East. Meanwhile two brilliant and driven scientists have spent twenty years working on the science and engineering behind an incredible idea. They want to build an elevator that will reach 23,000 miles out into geosynchronous orbit, a project that would not only re-ignite space travel but would also help to solve many of the world’s energy problems – and ultimately help to abate environmental crises.

Gary and Eva Morgan have been quietly working under the guidance of their mentor, an ancient but revered rocket scientist who is something of a NASA legend. When they are told that the government can no longer fund their research budget, the project seems to be doomed and the Morgans are mortified. But their mentor has connections with dot.com legend Franklyn Smith, who has the vision, the immense wealth and the business savvy required to kick-start the project.

Slowly the team starts to turn the dream into a reality but they face huge odds – not just overwhelming technical challenges that need to be overcome, but also many powerful vested interests and some highly skeptical and vocal critics. The glittering goal cannot be reached without heroism, determination and sacrifice.

John’s thoughts:  I do love the idea behind the story (and incidentally it is not a new one – Arthur C. Clarke wrote about the creation of a space elevator in his 1979 novel, The Fountains of Paradise). It involves great vision, huge technological obstacles and possible salvation from some of mankind’s most intractable problems. And yet Forstchen makes it sound like this can be done using some reasonable extrapolations from technology that is available today; he makes the idea and the story feel plausible. He also creates some interesting and three-dimensional characters, has an accessible writing style and has crafted a fast-paced and interesting plot. The technology was interesting, fascinating actually, but it didn’t clog up the read.

Where he loses me a bit is in his endless eulogizing of NASA. The book jacket does say that it is a “NASA-inspired work of fiction” so I guess I was forewarned, but I did find it a bit over the top. Certainly it would be nice to think that pure science and visionary goals can win out over blinkered politics and a short-term view of financial and business interests, but having to read so many times how great NASA was (and could be again) just proved to be a distraction from the story.

Still, I did enjoy this read and would recommend it to any science fiction fans who like their stories to be based in the near future and founded on plausible technology. I’d rate this book three stars.

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Tor Books | February 2014 | Hardcover | 400 pages

Review: Nobody Comes Back by Donn Pearce

Review by John for Nobody Comes Back by Donn Pearce.

John’s quick take: A gritty historical fiction set during the Battle of the Bulge in WWII – think an updated The Red Badge of Courage crossed with a dose of Catch 22.

John’s description:   As WWII reaches its climax, an unsettled Toby Parker is too young to enlist in the American Army but can’t think of anything else to do. To date his life has been characterized by neglect, instability and struggling to make ends meet. He manages to finagle his way into the army and after some brief training finds himself shipped off to France. It is late 1944 and Germany is struggling to hold back surging Allied forces - but Hitler decides to make one last major offensive push in the Ardennes with the ensuing “Battle of the Bulge” totally taking the Allies by surprise. After landing Toby is almost immediately thrown into a vicious battle.

Any thoughts Toby might have had about the nature of war are soon swept away. Quite apart from the terrifying and bloodthirsty engagements with the enemy, what he experiences is bewildering, confusing, totally chaotic and at times absolutely illogical. Having to learn quickly, a wounded Toby tries desperately to survive, but it is sometimes not clear if the greatest danger comes from the Germans or from some on his own side. A lifetime’s worth of experiences are crammed into just a few searing days.

A historical footnote for those that are interested - the Battle of the Bulge was the largest and bloodiest battle fought by the United States in WWII. It also severely depleted Germany's war-making resources, thereby restricting Germany’s ability to defend itself during the final stages of the war.

John’s thoughts:   This book doesn’t pull any punches about the nature of war; it is very graphic and feels authentic. Apart from the viciousness of humans, one of the overriding themes of the story is the chaos of war. For sure the Battle of the Bulge was a confusing engagement and I’m not sure if Pearce has accurately reflected that or whether he has embellished it a bit – but it certainly makes for a compelling story. The development of the Toby Parker character over just a few days is remarkable. I’ve no right to comment on whether or not it is realistic, but it certainly does ram home the awful nature of war and what it does to people.

The element of Catch 22 comes in with the idiotic behavior of some people and the bureaucratic and nonsensical orders that had to be followed. There is also some deep irony in enemies sometimes treating people better than supposed friends.

There is a lot to like about this book. It is easy to read, interesting and pulls you along. Sometimes the action almost got to be almost too much – but there again what was I expecting in choosing to read a book like this? If you like historical fiction set in times of war then I’d certainly recommend this book. I’d rate it three stars.

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Forge Books | October 2013 (first pub date 2005) | Trade Paperback | 256 pages

For more information on Nobody Comes Back please see our Incoming Books feature for November 8, 2013.

Review: The Water Thief by Nicholas Lamar Soutter

Review by John for The Water Thief by Nicholas Lamar Soutter

John’s quick take:   A dystopian tale about what happens when corporations and capitalism replace government and democracy.

John’s description:   Charles Thatcher belongs to Ackerman Brothers Securities Corporation, one of the biggest corporations in a near-future world where all governments have disappeared, to be replaced by businesses whose only concerns are making money and beating the competition. Generosity and free access to anything are believed to breed weakness and lead to laziness, so everything is for sale. Even air and rainwater have to be paid for. Image is also everything so perception is deemed to be far more important than the truth.

Charles is a Delta – not the lowest of the low but a mid-grade class. Along with many others he works in perception management, tasked with finding any information or news that might harm his employer, and spinning stories and messages that help to put his company, Ackerman Brothers in the best possible light. He is constantly striving to be promoted to executive, something which very few achieve.

Then he stumbles across some information about a woman charged with stealing rainwater and decides to embellish the story - accusing the thief of being a seditionist and revolutionary who believes in government. What he doesn’t realize is that his story might be close to the truth. Disgruntled by his life, his investigation leads him to become enamored by the woman’s cause and the possibility of life beyond the corporations. But such beliefs are deadly and dangerous as the corporations will stop at nothing to squash revolutionary thoughts and to keep the masses in line.

John’s thoughts:   This is an interesting theme for a book. Already we live in a world where corporations hold far too much political power and influence, and Soutter extrapolates this into a dystopian future where corporations have become all powerful. What might a world look like where governments no longer exist? He paints a grim picture.

Everything has a price tag and there is no such thing as social rights. Individuals are only worth what they can contribute to company profits, and if they cannot contribute anything then they are worthless –  considered a drag on efficiency and company morale. It is wrong to save money as it is only through spending that people contribute to the economy. Indeed, people are encouraged to trade their own “futures”, thereby maximizing their spending (and forever indebting themselves to the corporation which already owns them).

The problem for me was that the picture was too extreme. It’s a bit like when you read a politically oriented article or news story that has been written by someone with hardline extreme views – personally I tend to go glassy eyed rather quickly due to a lack of balance and reasonableness. For a futuristic novel to achieve maximum impact it has to be believable, even if it stretches credulity a bit; and to my mind this novel goes a little too far.

Still, it was an interesting and thought-provoking read. The story is well written and it built nicely to the climax. I have to say that the ending, though perfectly in line with the theme and the story, did leave me a bit dissatisfied. Overall I’d rate this three stars and recommend it to anyone who is a fan of futuristic, dystopian novels.

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Paperback | 248 pages | CreateSpace | April 23, 2012

For more information on The Water Thief check our our Incoming Books post for October 12, 2013.

Review: Tunnel Out of Death by Jamil Nasir

Review by John for Tunnel Out of Death by Jamil Nasir

John’s quick take:   An ambitious science fiction brain tease in which the protagonist “falls into an astonishing metaphysical shadow play”. What is real and what isn’t? What does real even mean?

John’s description:   Set at some point in the future, the story revolves around Heath Ransom who is a very special kind of private investigator. He is a former police psychic and machine-enhanced “endovoyant” who is able to travel into etheric worlds in order to answer puzzles and to track down missing people.

Ransom is hired to find the consciousness of an extremely rich but comatose old woman and to try to bring it back to her body. However, while trying to track her down in the etheric world he finds a terrifying, dark vortex. Falling through the vortex he soon finds himself inhabiting the body of a young man who has just been poisoned by his girlfriend. This in turn leads him into an ever-darker investigation involving government conspiracies, mutants, corruption, torture, self-aware artificial intelligence, androids and attempted immortality.

In deadly danger himself, Ransom starts to jump back and forth between the two worlds. He then finds out that much of what he thought was real is in fact artificial and as paranoia and conspiracy abounds, he starts to doubt his own sanity.

John’s thoughts:  Where to start? Well, it is a very interesting idea on which to base a novel. I like how it started and was quickly pulled into the plot. Soon, however, two things started to happen. Firstly, I started to hit some dense pieces of text that were so full of obscure words and complex ideas that I didn’t comprehend them even after a few re-reads. There weren’t loads of sections like this, but there were enough to make it a difficult read. Secondly, as the novel progressed, the underlying (and interesting) story almost disappeared into the background, seemingly having become just a vehicle to explore some complex concepts and ideas.

Nonetheless I stuck with it as Nasir did create an interesting future world and I did like many of his ideas. Sadly, for me the underlying story didn’t come to any sort of satisfactory ending; in fact I really disliked how the novel ends. Having spent so long building details and ideas, I think the ending is rushed and a bit glib.

Part way through the book I thought this was going to be a four-star read, but having lost the plot (almost literally) and not liking the conclusion, I’d only rate this three stars. Who would like it? Well the jacket references Philip K. Dick, as do some other reviews that I saw out there. If you like Dick’s ideas and world view, this book might well appeal to you.

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Tor Books| May 2013 | Hardcover | 304 pages

Jamil Nasir's third novel, Tower of Dreams, won France's top science fiction award, the Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire, and was runner up for the Philip K. Dick Award for best science fiction paperback published in the United States.  His short story “The Nomalers” won a first prize in the Writers of the Future Award.

http://www.jamilnasir.com/

Review: Redshirts by John Scalzi

Review from John for Redshirts.

John’s quick take:   What starts out as a clever and humorous science fiction story turns into something a bit too clever and a bit less funny.

John’s description:   I’m not spoiling the plot by telling you that this story is one long (and convoluted) riff on Star Trek. In Star Trek stories redshirts are the lowly ensigns who accompany the senior officers on missions and who have remarkably short life spans - while the senior officers themselves always survive in order to go on many more future missions, some portion of the redshirts always come to a sticky end.

In this novel a group of lowly new ensigns on the Universal Union ship Intrepid are the focus of the plot. They soon figure out that something is amiss and that statistically speaking far too many of their colleagues and peers have ended up dying. Meanwhile, crew members who have been around just a bit longer go to ridiculous lengths to avoid the senior officers and their off-ship missions. The newbies come up with a very whacky theory as to what might be causing their plight. The theory is so crazy that our heroes start to think that they themselves must be slightly crazy, but now the plot takes the first of several mind-bending twists.

I can’t say too much without giving away spoilers, but suffice to say that as the ensigns struggle to figure out how to survive, we quickly descend into time travel, doppelgangers and metaphysics.

John’s thoughts:    The plot is based on a very interesting premise – though I still can’t tell you about the basic idea without making myself a turkey. Be prepared for a Mobius strip-like logical flow that will exercise your grey matter as you try to work out the possibilities and ramifications of what is going on. I found myself giving up and just going with the flow.

But did I enjoy it? Well I did to begin with, but as things become more and more twisted I started to feel like I was on a bit of a mission to make it through to the end, rather than actually getting a kick out of the read. And I did find that as the implausibility factor increased, so my enjoyment levels diminished.

Also, I am a bit undecided about how the book ends. Basically after the main story comes to a sort of a conclusion, there are three separate codas from the perspectives of three of the minor characters. It’s a neat idea and I really like the final coda, but I didn’t like the first of the three and found the second one a bit so-so.

So overall it’s a great premise for a story and I got a few chuckles from it, but in the end I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I thought I was going to. I do suspect that there will be some very divided opinions over this one. Personally I’m glad that I read it and I’d rate it three stars, despite some of the things which didn’t quite work for me. If you like convoluted science fiction stories written by someone with their tongue firmly in their cheek, then this one is for you.

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Tor Books; January 2013; Trade Paperback; 320 pages.

Review: Who Was Dracula? by Jim Steinmeyer

A review by Shellie for Who Was Dracula? Bram Stoker’s Trail of Blood.

Shellie’s quick take:

A historical telling of how Bram Stoker’s 100 year old cultural icon – Dracula - was created and became the character that holds awe even today. This book goes into some of the significant happenings going on around the creation of the novel Dracula.

Shellie’s description:

Vampire fascination is not going to go away. We can see that in the popularity of books and cinema that include vampires. Interest in the novel Dracula, even a 100 years beyond its publication, proves this well. In the non-fiction book Who Was Dracula? author Jim Steinmeyer attempts to enlighten and dispel some long held ideas about who the character was, who Stoker based his character on, how the novel was created, and some intriguing historical details surrounding Stoker at the time.

It appears that Steinmeyer wants readers to believe that Dracula was not entirely based upon Bram Stoker’s boss Henry Irving (many Dracula scholars believe it was). In fact the character is influenced by some famous individuals and events that Stoker came across in his life. These include Oscar Wilde, Walt Whitman, Jack the Ripper and many more.

Less surprisingly, Steinmeyer believes that the mythology we have built around vampires is based upon what Bram Stoker created. He also states that Dracula became a powerful mystical figure a long time ago – indeed he says that Dracula was a revered pop cultural icon 100 years ago. So Vampire love is not new.

Shellie’s thoughts:

This was not an all-encompassing read for me; I felt compelled and intrigued in some parts but a bit lost in others. Generally, I find non-fiction historical books a bit hard to read, but I gave this a go because I loved the novel Dracula and feel that the character Stoker created is an exceptional and memorable one.  So naturally I was curious as to what influenced Bram Stoker when he was writing this popular novel.

There are a lot of meaty historical details around a variety of characters and Bram Stoker’s connection to them, as the author attempts to support his theories. This pulled me in and kept me reading, but at times I felt like I was reading more about Henry Irving (Bram Stoker’s boss and a popular actor and theatre owner) than I was about the novel Dracula or Stoker himself.

I did enjoy the book and in the end would say that Who Was Dracula? is for anyone who is interested in the elements that create a character such as Dracula; anyone interested in the historical situations that surrounded Bram Stoker and influenced him; and those interested in the reasons why it is still so popular 100-plus years after its publication. 3 stars for this intriguing historical book.

*A note to readers: if you are planning on reading this book you may want to read a few other things first – including Dracula, The Picture of Dorian Grey, Leaves of Grass and the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  It does contain some spoilers for these classics. Alternatively, be prepared to skip a bit here and there so you can still enjoy these great books to the full.

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336 pages | 04 Apr 2013 | Tarcher

Review: Eyes to See ~ by Joseph Nassise

A review written by John.

John’s quick take: A very dark urban fantasy about a grieving father who gives up his natural eyesight in order to see things differently.

John’s description:  Once upon a time, Jeremiah Hunt seemed to have everything – a well-respected job that he enjoyed, a beautiful wife with a high-powered career, a nice house and, above all, a daughter that he adored. Then one night his young daughter simply disappeared from his house and all attempts to find her come to nothing. Hunt becomes increasingly obsessed with the search and ceaselessly chases down every clue and piece of information, keeping up the search long after everyone else has given up hope. Eventually his obsession causes him to lose his job, his reputation and eventually his wife; but still Hunt is driven to keep looking.

Then one day he decides to undergo an arcane ritual, causing him to lose his normal sight in exchange for an ability to see “that which is unseen”. Now he can see all manner of ghost and spirits – and to his great shock the world is full of them. He is convinced that somehow his new gift will help him to find his daughter, but his life becomes ever more bizarre. He takes on odd jobs chasing away unwanted spirits that are haranguing the living, and also uses some of his skills to help out the police.

A series of brutal murders that he helps to investigate seem to be somehow linked to his daughter’s disappearance, and soon Hunt is sucked into a battle with an ancient and evil force. What can he find out about his daughter’s fate? Might she still be alive? With a mixture of blindness, special sight and obsession, he is lured towards a dreadful finale.

John’s thoughts:   This was my second dive into the fantasy genre in the last few weeks – a genre that doesn’t normally attract me. While there is much in here that will appeal to fantasy fans, I must admit that my attention was wandering by the time I’d got halfway through the book. I guess I can only take so many ghosts and ghoulies and this story is full of them. Not to mention witches and magick.

It is clear from some other reviews that I saw that many readers do rate this book highly and I can see why. The plot was interesting, the writing was tight and fast-paced, the Hunt character is certainly intriguing and the story is hard boiled and dark in extremes. Throughout it all Hunt’s pain and anguish ooze from the pages. If those things all sound good to you and you like urban fantasy, then you should jump right in. It’s just not quite my cup of tea.

I’d still rate the book three stars, as it is well written and imaginative. (It’s also got a terrific cover).

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Eyes to See (The Jeremiah Hunt Chronicle -Volume 1 of 3) by Joseph Nassise

Tor Books; October 2011; Hardcover; 320 pages.

Review by John: AN UNMARKED GRAVE ~ by Charles Todd

A review written by John for (An Unmarked Grave: A Bess Crawford Mystery ~ by Charles Todd)

John’s quick take:

A murder mystery whodunit featuring a plucky nurse-cum-detective, set in England and the battlefields of France during the First World War.

John’s description:  Bess Crawford is a frontline nurse, serving in aid stations just behind the trenches during the grim battles of the First World War. She is also the daughter of a highly respected and well-connected Army Colonel – hers is a family that is steeped in military history and traditions.

It is early in 1918 and to add to the horror of war, the Spanish influenza epidemic is sweeping through the region, leaving behind a trail of destruction and death. Bess and her colleagues, already exhausted and close to breaking point, now have to deal with a huge influx of sick and dying soldiers that have been struck down by the disease.

Then in the midst of the madness, the body of an officer is discovered among the piles of dead waiting to be buried in mass graves; but he has been neither shot nor infected by the contagion – he appears to have been murdered. But before Bess can report the murder, she too falls sick and for a long time her life hangs by a thread. When she finally recovers, she discovers that the only other witness to the murdered officer’s body has reportedly committed suicide and the officer’s wife has received official notification that he died in battle. Bess is determined to seek justice, but with no body, no other witnesses and no-one but her aware that a crime has been committed, how can she identify and find the murderer among the killing fields of the Western Front? As she sets out to solve the mystery, she soon becomes a target for the unknown killer.

John’s thoughts:  This is definitely a book for whodunit fans, which is a category I don’t normally fall into, but the unusual setting drew me to the book. My grandfathers both served in the First World War, and like many whose close relatives experienced it I am fascinated (and absolutely horrified) by the madness of this terrible war. Needless to say anything set during that period has a good chance of grabbing my attention. And it did, because Todd does a good job of capturing some of the circumstances and atmosphere and conveying what it was like for people who were caught up in the war. So far so good.

Where I struggled a bit was with the storyline and the main character – it just didn’t feel realistic or authentic. The notion of an upper-class woman serving as a nurse on the frontline, able to frequently travel to England and back, fighting off attackers and roving the Western Front trying to solve mysterious murders just didn’t ring true for me. But perhaps that is the point and that An Unmarked Grave is intended as a piece of escapism. If that is your preference and you enjoy stories about amateur sleuths trying to solve heinous crimes, then this one is for you. The setting is unusual and certainly makes for a dramatic backdrop. So personally I’d rate this book three stars; it was an entertaining book and an enjoyable read that I’m sure many fans of the murder mystery genre will rate more highly.

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1/2/2013; Trade PB; Harper Collins.

This book review is included in and part of a book tour please link to our tour host - TLC’s site via the badge.

For more information about the two authors who combine to make Charles Todd link to the authors' website and their Facebook page. You can also take a look at the book trailer if you are so inclined.

For more reviews on this particular book here's TLC’s tour schedule for An Unmarked Grave.

Review: Cash Out ~ by Greg Bardsley

Review by John for Cash Out ~ by Greg Bardsley

A madcap caper set in the unlikely location of Silicon Valley – an ordinary guy tries to cash out while everyone else seems determined to try and stop him.

About:   Dan Jordan thinks he’s a pretty ordinary guy – an ex-journalist who happened to find himself working as a speechwriter for the CEO of a Silicon Valley startup. The company grows like gangbusters and Dan’s stock options become worth over a millions dollars. But he has to be still employed by the company on the day when his stock becomes eligible for cashing out; and now he is counting down the last few days.

He despairs about the Silicon Valley culture and lifestyle/work-style; he really doesn’t fit in and dreams of using the money to drop-out with his wife, hoping to move to the California coast and to live a life they’ve always wanted. He just has to hold on for those last few days.

The trouble is that there is an ever-growing mob of people who seem to be doing everything possible to stop him reaching that milestone – including a gang of nerdy IT kidnappers, a muscle-bound corporate security hit-man, ultra-competitive “colleagues” and a long list of others I can’t describe without spoiling the plot. Contrastingly, in theory Dan has helping him out a sociopathic neighbor and a friend from school days who happens to be a professional cage-fighter. Funny thing is that at times it sure doesn’t feel to Dan like they are helping him at all.

Meanwhile his marriage is in danger of crumbling and he cannot recover from a simple medical procedure which becomes ever-more embarrassing and painful during this stressful romp. Nevertheless, he just has to hold on for a last few days!

John’s thoughts:   This is a light-hearted easy read, very much in the style of a farce where everything that can go wrong seems to do so; and then some. Bardsley creates some delightfully whacky characters, my favorite being the totally gross guy who is a lodger with the sociopathic neighbor; and the neighbor himself is a fabulously weird creation.  As for the main character himself, you certainly start out feeling highly supportive of Dan, though as the story progresses and one crazy dilemma follows after another follows after another, the plot becomes so far-fetched that I stopped thinking of him as a real character and just went along for the humorous ride.

Is Silicon Valley really like this? Well, Bardsley has “done his time” there, having worked as a speechwriter and ghostwriter for Executives, much like Dan Jordan – so he has certainly used his real-life experience as a launching pad for this story and the characters in it. Exaggerated? Of course, but that’s what makes it fun.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes a bit of modern slapstick or to those who have worked in the tech industry and enjoy poking fun at some of the odd characters and culture found there. I’d rate this light-hearted read three stars.

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(Harper Perennial ; October 2012; Trade Paperback; Pages: 400)

For more about the author Greg Bardsley see his website: http://gregbardsley.com/

Review: The Immortality Factor ~ by Ben Bova

Review by John for The Immortality Factor ~ by Ben Bova

A thought-provoking novel on the possibilities, rights and wrongs of stem-cell research and associated medical science.

About:  The Marshak brothers are both brilliant doctors - Arthur focusing on leading-edge research and Jesse focusing on trying to help poor and disadvantaged sick people. While Jesse goes on to win a Humanitarian of the Year award, Arthur covets the Nobel prize.

Arthur is now head of a research laboratory, pushing back the boundaries of medical knowledge and techniques. In particular he and his team are making great strides in working out how to regenerate limbs and organs – and in the process have caused great angst among many religious groups, conservatives and people concerned about ethical and moral aspects of the research. Most importantly, as far as the arc of the story is concerned, Arthur’s own brother becomes opposed to the research.

In order to try and clear the way ahead for his work, Arthur manages to convene a “science court”, designed to help the scientific community pass judgment on the validity of the research. Inevitably the court sessions become something of a circus, straying far beyond the scientific issues and attracting the attention of powerful lobby groups, politicians and the media.

As the court proceedings come to a head, the story examines the conflict and dynamics between the brothers, some of the troubling aspects of the research and the corporate goings on in the company that owns Arthur’s laboratory.

John’s thoughts:  This is great subject matter and the plot is nicely teed up, but somehow the book never quite took off for me. The main problem was the characters – they felt a bit two-dimensional and some of their motivations and actions just weren’t quite believable. In particular the relationship between the brothers and the woman they both love just didn’t feel realistic.

I do like the way that the story explored various aspects of the controversial subject matter, but even then some issues are brought up but never come close to any sort of resolution or meaningful debate, a case in point being animal experimentation and vivisection. In most instances Bova made it quite clear what his views were on issues, but on the use of animals in research I have no idea what he thinks.

I’d never read a Ben Bova novel before, and he had come highly recommended, so I was a bit disappointed with this read. It was still ok, but I was expecting so much more. I’d say this is one for Bova lovers and anyone with an interest in issues around stem-cell research. I’d rate it three stars.

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Tor Books; August 2012; Trade Paperback; 480 pages (original publication -April 2009.)

Ben Bova is a prolific author (he has written and been included in 124 books) and just celebrated his 80th birthday. For more on Ben Bova link to his website: http://www.benbova.com/

Review: Where Demons Fear to Tread ~ by Stephanie Chong

Review by Shellie for Where Demons Fear To Tread ~ by Stephanie Chong

The first in a sexy paranormal romance series where an ancient and darkly handsome demon meets a gorgeous fledgling angel. Their attraction is so strong that there is only one thing that will save them both. Bet you can guess what that is!

About:  Serena St. Clair embodies beauty, love and purity. She is blonde and virtually flawless. As a new angel, learning the ropes and saving souls on earth, she is given her first assignment to help a famous and misguided movie star from falling into the depths of hell. In the process she follows him to “Sin City” Las Vegas, in order to protect him. There she bumps into the extremely alluring, evil, and dark master demon Julian Archer. In Vegas he is a hotel casino owner where debauchery is the key activity for every guest. It’s a way to meet his goals of assisting humans in loosing their souls on their road to hell.

Julian is smitten with Serena; but he eats young lovelies like her for breakfast and throws them into a hell of insanity afterward – it’s an easy and pleasurable game for him. But Serena has other ideas, even though her attraction to him is undeniable and almost irresistible. And then, of course, there is drama, sex, and light violence as the two face-off in a battle for their souls. The question is: who will win?

Thoughts:  This is a tale of good versus evil with some very sexy scenes (fairly explicit ones). With this dichotomy of black and white morality there are some distinct and polarized characters in Where Demons Fear to Tread. Perhaps this is a plus for a variety of readers, especially those who enjoy a world that is simply contrasted. This was a bit of a problem for me. I prefer complicated characters, and stories with “grey” morality themes.

On the plus side this was an easy and quick read. I think Stephanie Chong is a clear writer, who does not leave the reader in any doubt of her story line or leave any room for confusion with the world she’s created. It’s also her first novel. So, I am also thinking that there is room for her characters to develop? With that said, I am going to read the second in her Company of Angels series to see where she takes Serena and Julian and what other characters the author introduces into the series. Besides, this is romance and it’s supposed to be light, fun and not too complicated.

I would recommend this novel for paranormal romance readers who like a traditional story line in their reads and also readers who like clear evil versus good contrasts, but also enjoy sexy explicit romances. It’s a 3 star in my opinion.

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The Company of Angels Series:

• Where Demons Fear to Tread (#1) - Paperback, 358 pages; August 2011; Harlequin MIRA
• The Demoness of  Waking Dreams (#2) - Paperback; 400 pages; Sep 2012; Harlequin MIRA

For more information on Stephanie Chong please take a look at our guest post which was published last year. In the post she writes about her world building for the series, which could be helpful for readers who are doing NaNoWriMo. It’s a short and easy to read post.

Review: All Seeing Eye ~ by Rob Thurman

Review by Shellie for: All Seeing Eye ~ by Rob Thurman

A dark, fast paced, paranormal novel that’s jam packed with action and snarky dialog. I am thinking it’s for fans of Dean Koontz (but with attitude).

About:  Jackson Lee is a psychic. A damaged and sarcastic psychic with a hundred pound piece of lead on his shoulder. This is understandable as Jackson’s attitude reflects his very rough childhood - an abusive drunken step-father; knowing that his favorite little sister has been murdered; the subsequent deaths of his entire family (except for his psychopath sister); and then spending his teen years in a group home (one where only brutality and cunning keep the boys alive). It’s no wonder he’s extremely bitter.

But things are looking up for Jackson due to his strong will to survive. He now has a legitimate business doing psychic readings and calls himself – the “All Seeing Eye”; which is the dark truth for Jackson, since he has the the gift (or curse) of knowing that whoever he touches will provide him with a complete vision of that person’s entire life. Every sordid detail. The viewings are so overwhelming that in order to cope he has become a loner, who must wear gloves and long sleeves (even in the sweltering Georgia heat where he lives) to prevent contact with people and objects.

When the scientist brother of an old group home friend shows up on Jackson’s door, pretending to look for a reading from a “real” psychic but then kidnaps him and takes him to a military research facility, the drama escalates. Really escalates.

Thoughts:  This was a fast and absorbing read with an interesting, damaged, and snarky character – Jackson Lee. I enjoyed the drama and most of the back and forth smart dialog, although it did get to be a bit much at times. Jackson has a continual stream of comments supporting his ability to “smart-arse” his way through all his interactions, and he tells everyone off.

I enjoyed the writing style of Rob Thurman and found it to be extremely readable. However, in addition to the strong snarky factor, I was a bit disappointed with what I felt was not enough solid explanation for the paranormal technology/science that was part of the research facility where most of the story takes place. But these small niggles will not prevent me from reading another book by Rob Thurman. The book is mostly well fleshed out and I did breeze through it’s almost 400 pages quickly, and have to note that it is decidedly intelligent. I also liked that there are several psychopathic characters in the novel which the author develops interestingly.

Recommended for anyone wanting a fast paced, escapist read with paranormal and dark aspects. It felt similar to a book I read by Dean Koontz years ago, which I enjoyed a lot. It had that same nebulous paranormal factor that was not completely explained but satisfying. I give this book 3 stars. I am thinking that All Seeing Eye will have sequels, since Jackson Lee’s special abilities could lead to more interesting predicaments.

Content info: This book has dark themes, lots of strong language and violence, which may be bothersome to some readers.

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380 pages; July 31st 2012; Pocket Books.

Rob Thurman is the New York Times bestselling author of the Cal Leandros series. For more visit her website: http://www.robthurman.net/

Review: The Twenty-Year Death ~ by Ariel S. Winter

Review by John for: The Twenty-Year Death ~ by Ariel S. Winter

A unique three-in-one pulp fiction crime saga.

About:  This is three separate murder mystery stories in one book - each story set ten years apart; each featuring the same two characters, which binds the stories together; with each story written in a different style, mimicking three classic crime writers (Georges Simenon, Raymond Chandler and Jim Thompson).

Clotilde Rosenkratz seemed to be destined for success and for a time was on the verge of becoming a big Hollywood star - though for public consumption her name was changed to Chloe Rose. Her husband Shem was a writer, once acclaimed but slipping inexorably downwards, his situation not helped by being an alcoholic.

Malniveau Prison - In 1931 Clotilde and Shem are living in a small town in France, when a body is found in a gutter. The investigating detective eventually finds out that the body is that of Clotilde’s father. What is unusual is that the man is supposedly locked up in a local prison, and no escapes have been reported.

The Falling Star - In 1941 Clotilde/Chloe is co-starring in a Hollywood movie, but she is nervous and convinced that someone is following her. When a hardboiled private eye is hired to investigate, things quickly become complicated and brutal murders ensue.

Police at the Funeral - In 1951 Shem has hit rock bottom, and is desperate to somehow claw his way back upwards. The death of his first wife seems to present some sort of opportunity, but he soon finds himself with blood on his hands and suspicious police investigating him. Meanwhile, Clotilde’s bleak situation is becoming even bleaker.

John’s thoughts:  I think that this is a clever idea which the author executes well.  Considering that it’s his first novel you have to admire his chutzpah for shooting for such an ambitious plot(s). The three stories are stylistically very different, and while I’ve not ready anything by any of the three influential writers (Simenon, Chandler and Thompson), others have given Winter high marks for his ability to channel their style and tone.

Did I enjoy the read and would you? That seems highly dependent on whether or not you enjoy the three original authors and their respective styles. I’d give a thumbs up to the first story, thought the second one was pretty good, and found the third to be a bit so-so. The main problem for me with the final story was that Shem Rosenkratz (the central character) is a total jerk – I always have a hard time with novels and genres that have distinctly unlikeable people as the “heroes”.  I resonated a lot more with the main characters in the first two stories and consequently enjoyed them more.

Overall the novel is fast-paced and easy to read; the book actually has over 650 pages but it certainly didn’t feel like it. But I think, a saga like this calls for a strong ending and I wasn’t crazy about how the final story wound up. So, on balance I’d rate the book 3 stars and would recommend it to anyone who likes pulp crime fiction and/or usage of unusual literary techniques.

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Titan Books; Hardback: 672 pages; August 7, 2012.

For about the author see his website: http://wetoowerechildren.blogspot.com/

John is fussy about the endings in the books he reads. Do you have an element that consistently makes or breaks a book’s ratings for you?

Review: Energized ~ by Edward M. Lerner

Review by John for: Energized ~ by Edward M. Lerner

An exciting futuristic techno thriller – how can an asteroid racing towards Earth be used to help solve the world’s desperate energy crisis?

About:  In the near future a catastrophe has left a large part of the world’s remaining oil reserves radioactive and unusable, plunging the Middle East into chaos and wrecking much of the world’s economy. Russia is left as the last major power able to export oil and gas, and it’s determined to exploit that new-found geopolitical dominance.

When an asteroid appears from deep space headed in the general direction of Earth, the US hatches a bold plan to pull the asteroid into Earth orbit and to mine it to help create a whole new source of energy – raw materials from the asteroid are to be used to build huge solar power satellites, which will then beam energy back to the US. The US sees it as a last chance to fix its ruined economy and to prevent political servitude; others are absolutely determined to see the plan fail.

Things seem to be going well – the asteroid is successfully tugged into orbit; manned stations and factories are built on the asteroid, and the first huge “powersat” is built. But before it can go live, NASA has to convince everyone that the technology is foolproof and safe; after all, if a system beaming huge amounts of power back to Earth goes even a tiny bit astray, the consequences will be horrendous. Even if it works perfectly, what if it were used as a weapon rather than a power source?

Marcus Judson is a NASA contractor playing a key role in the final tests and approval process, though he’d never imagined that might entail having to travel to the asteroid. As the testing comes to a head, so too does a complex and devious plan to prevent the program’s success.

John’s thoughts:  This is an extremely clever idea for a novel – well thought out and well-constructed. Whether or not it would be technically feasible I have no idea, but reading the book you certainly get the sense that it could be. Lerner is clearly someone steeped in technology that loves to create storylines around technical extrapolations and theories that might just work.

There are some wonderful big ideas in here – harnessing the power of asteroids, mining them for raw materials, creative ways of breaking our dependence on oil, and how best to harness the full power of the sun. These ideas are mixed in with a strong plot involving political tensions, personal relationships, career scientists (a strange breed!) and plenty of thrills.

So the book has a lot of positives and I enjoyed the read. For me the thing that held it back a bit where the characters – they sometimes felt a bit two-dimensional and some of their actions and interactions were a bit stretched. But despite the somewhat implausible characters I’d still recommend this book to anyone who likes good somewhat futuristic techno thrillers. It’s worth reading for the neat ideas alone! I’d rate the book 3 stars.

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Tor Books; 7/17/2012; Hardcover; 336 pages.

For more about Edward Lerner see his web page: http://www.edwardmlerner.com/

Review: Fallen (audio) ~ by Lauren Kate

Review by Shellie for Fallen ~ by Lauren Kate (audio)

The first in a popular young adult/middle grade romance series about a teenage girl who is required to reside at a boarding school for troubled youths. But the students are not normal delinquents – they are fallen angels.

About:  Luce is seeing things that her parents and the other adults in charge (teachers and the police) think are not real. That she appears to be responsible for the death of a fellow classmate (he burned to death) does not help either.  It’s understandable that Luce is required to attend a school for damaged teens, a boarding school called Sword and Cross. 

Luce is depressed at her apparent bad luck, lost in the old school’s halls where she does not quite fit in with the other students. She feels conflicted about her responsibility for her classmate’s death, and is also experiencing things that are out of the normal but that she knows are real – even though no-one else believes. She misses her mom and dad and the students at the boarding school are not very nice to her. When she meets Daniel, she cannot forget him and has trouble understanding why he likes her one minute then ignores her the next. Soon she finds that Daniel is not what he appears and that they have a past which is way more complicated that she could ever imagine.

Thoughts:  This is my second go at this book. This time I listened to it in audio and enjoyed it. The reader has a pleasant young adult voice which I found easy to listen to. I abandoned the print version of the book in its arc format several years ago because it did not draw me in during the first several chapters. However, in its audio version I had no trouble completing the story.

As a person with a degree in education, I thought the book felt like a great one for middle-grade girls. It was easy to listen to, has light romance, and I would mark it as a “clean read” for early teens and pre-teens. There are some Christian and reincarnation themes which may be of interest to some, and just enough horror to keep most young readers interested.

Although I enjoyed the audio book, I personally do not feel a big desire to complete the other books in the series (there are another 5) and therefore give the book a 3 star. An enjoyable listen that I would recommend for tween girls, their parents and teachers looking for an intriguing dark romance for their female children/students.

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Read by Justine Eyre; Listening Library; 10 hours, 56 minutes; December 2009.

This completed series includes a prequel and 4 sequels. For more information about the author and her books link to Lauren Kate’s website: http://laurenkatebooks.net/

Review: The Broken Universe ~ by Paul Melko

A review by John for: The Broken Universe (Universe 2) ~ by Paul Melko

A highly creative and unusual science fiction thriller that spans a multitude of parallel universes and revolves around a whole host of doppelgängers.

About:  John Rayburn has come into possession of technology that allows him to travel into parallel universes – and finds that there are a multitude of them; some similar to his own and some very different. In the similar universes he often finds that there are different versions of himself and his closest friends. These doppelgängers are like identical twins; they are the same in almost every way with only subtle differences marking them apart. But just occasionally, the differences are more fundamental.

John, his friends and a group of their doppelgängers set up the first transdimensional company, exploiting minor differences between technologies, products and events in the multiple universes in order to build a business empire. But their travels and exploits in the multiverse start to garner unwanted attention from other transdimensional travellers.

At first it is the Alarians who cause the Johns and their friends the most trouble. They have been trapped in a single universe and they are desperate to get their hands on John’s multiverse travelling technology. But just as the Johns seem to be getting the upper hand with the evil Alarians, the mysterious and all-powerful Vig appear on the scene, and they appear to be hell-bent on stopping anyone from travelling between universes.

John’s thoughts:  It’s always nice to come across a plot which is totally different from anything you’ve ever read before, and The Broken Universe is just that. It’s different, highly imaginative, creative and fun. The story includes some really neat concepts about the “multiverse” which makes for a nice twisty storyline.

I really like the idea of John and his friends setting up business with their “twins” from multiple universes, and seeing how the almost identical groups interact with each other. So high marks for creativity, uniqueness and a complex plot.

Where it fell down a bit for me was with the villains in the story – they were a bit two-dimensional and not very believable. While John and his close friends were well-developed characters, their foes were like something out of a comic book. This led to some of the main events and action sequences being a bit unsatisfying somehow.

Nonetheless I enjoyed the read and loved some of the ideas that Melko developed. I’d rate this as 3 stars and recommend it to anyone who likes a classic science fiction read.

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Tor Books; June 2012; Hardcover; 384 pages.

This book is the second in a series. The first book is The Walls of the Universe, which was nominated for the Sturgeon, Nebula, and Hugo Awards in 2007.

Here is a bit about the first book in the series via the publisher’s blurb:

John Rayburn thought all of his problems were the mundane ones of an Ohio farm boy in his last year in high school. Then his doppelgänger appeared, tempted him with a device that let him travel across worlds, and stole his life from him. John soon finds himself caroming through universes, and, when the device breaks, unable to return home. John settles in a new universe to unravel the machine’s secrets and fix it.

Meanwhile, his doppelgänger tries to exploit the commercial technology he’s stolen from other Earths: the Rubik’s Cube! John’s attempts to lie low in his new universe backfire when he inadvertently introduces pinball. It becomes a huge success. Both actions draw the notice of other, more dangerous travelers, who are exploiting worlds for ominous purposes.

For more about the author Paul Melko link to his website: http://www.paulmelko.com/

Review: Written in the Ashes ~ by K. Hollan Van Zant

Review by John for:  Written in the Ashes ~ by K. Hollan Van Zandt (2011)

Historical fiction with a touch of mysticism – set in Alexandra with an uncivil mixture of Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilization.

About:  It’s the 5th century, and as the Roman empire collapses there is turmoil in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. For centuries it has been the world’s greatest center of learning, epitomized by its fabulous and legendary Great Library, but now the city is plagued with unrest caused by religious factions. In particular the powerful Bishop, Cyril, is on a mission to convert or root out non-Christians; and all forms of Paganism are declared illegal and punishable by death.

The Great Library is used to opening its arms to learned people of all backgrounds and religions and Hypatia, its amazingly talented headmistress, does not appreciate the Bishop and his intolerant priests. Likewise, many of the city’s elders are used to worshipping their traditional old Gods and some are not prepared to bow down to the new order.

Into this volatile situation comes Hannah, a Jewish shepherd girl who has been kidnapped and sold as a slave to Alizar, an Alexandrian Alchemist. Aided by her fabulous singing voice and musical talents, she becomes involved with the Library, the Temple of Isis and a group of people determined to protect their rights and freedoms. Finally she must undertake a dangerous quest to the lost oracles of Delfi and Amun-Ra to find the Lost Tablet – the only thing that could help protect the pagans and the Great Library. But as tensions rise in the old city, time is quickly running out.

John’s thoughts:  There are many things about this book that I like. It’s set in a time and place where the ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilizations are intermingling, and that makes for a fascinating backdrop. While I’ve always been interested in history, until recently (when I read “Cleopatra: A Life”) I knew little about Alexandria, and the more I find out about it the more intrigued I become – what an amazing city it was. Van Zandt then uses Alexandria and the turmoil of the time as a factual foundation for a story that helps to shed light on some dark deeds. It’s primarily storytelling rather than history, of course, and isn’t intended as a history book – nonetheless, I did learn a lot. The book was another reminder of some of the horrors that have happened as a result of religious dogma gone wild.

It’s an interesting story that weaves together history, adventure, a quest, a bit of mysticism, some strong female characters and a touch of romance - the story covers a lot of ground. I did find it somewhat sprawling and felt at times that there was too much in there; consequently the pace dropped off a bit. Personally I would have preferred some tighter editing and a lesser page count. Nonetheless this was an enjoyable read. If you enjoy historical fiction with a touch of the mystical, this one is for you. It’s also the first in a series, so there is more to come. I’d rate the book 3 stars.

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July 6, 2011 | Balboa Press | Hardcover | 448 pages.

Bio: K. Hollan Van Zandt has always loved libraries, oceans, ancient history and migrating birds. Her mentor, novelist Tom Robbins, instilled in her an abiding love and respect for language.She lives in Southern California, and dreams of a home in Greece. This, her first novel, took ten years to complete.  You can also find out more at her website; and her book group on Goodreads.com.

Here’s a link for the book’s trailer: http://youtu.be/4D3Gxf5AIjs

This book review is part of a blog tour, hosted by Virtual Author Book Tours. For more information on this tour for K. Hollan Van Zandt link to the website via the badge below:

Thanks for reading.

Review: This Perfect Day ~ by Ira Levin

This Perfect Day ~ by Ira Levin; Pegasus Books (2010). 

Originally published in 1970, this is a classic adult dystopian novel that portrays a frightening future in which a pseudo-government medicates its citizens and regulates all behavior, creating a hive like community. Everyone is equal and its adherents chant: "Christ, Marx, Wood and Wei led us to this perfect day".

About:   “Chip” (Li is his real name and one of four names for every man given by the society) is a member of a “perfect” society where the members are semi-sexless, have no discernable race and exist through genetic modification. They live a day-to-day drone like existence where men do not have to shave, women have no breasts, they all wear identical coveralls, eat cakes and drink coke for every meal, and everyone gets along.

When Chip decides what he really wishes to do with his life and expresses it out loud as a youngster, his desires are superficially quelled as unacceptable and is told he is to have the career chosen for him by the government for the good of the whole. Then one day his internally conflicted self meets up with a group of members who have figured out how to avoid taking their weekly scheduled meds. When Chip joins them temporarily, he finds he has never felt more alive and decides he wants to live this way everyday.

This is just a glimpse of what happens to Chip, because things become decidedly more involved as the story continues. 

Thoughts:  I enjoyed this classic novel – even though it did not completely absorb my interest for the entire novel since I did a fair amount of skimming; a key sign that the novel was not going to be a big favorite. It felt like the first part of story, detailing Chip’s life in this medically created  “utopian” society, went on a bit longer than needed for me. It did pick up in the second part of the novel and I do think that the story line is an intriguing one, and supports the fact that the book is often considered a corner-stone classic for the genre and included with the likes of 1984 and Clockwork Orange.

It also stimulated several questions – because as in all dystopian, this society is not as idyllic as it appears. I found I started asking myself: Who or what is leading and monitoring this society? What is their reason behind creating this pseudo-utopia? And are these leaders as altruistic as it first appears?

Recommended to anyone who enjoys social science fiction where a society has gone askew or indeed to anyone who plans to write one. So if you’re interested in a read that may be a bit chewy, or you would like the answer to the above questions, this will be a great story for you. For those not interested in reading the book, but who have a curiosity about the plot there is a complete summary (with spoilers) at its Wikipedia page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Perfect_Day.

So I give This Perfect Day a 3 stars. I would have considered it torture as a teenager forced to read it in a high school literature class, like when I read 1984, but as an adult it was quite a decent read with a complex and surprising plot.

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This Perfect Day was written in 1970 and won the Prometheus Award soon after it was published. Ira Levin, its author, passed away in 2007 and also wrote other books now considered classics - The Boys from Brazil, Rosemary’s Baby, and The Stepford Wives. The novel has been consistently re-published over the years with a variety of interesting covers. This latest publication makes the book available in e-book format.

I will be including this book in The Basics Challenge where I explore speculative fiction and Fill in the Gaps.

Thanks for reading.