Books read in June 2009, and other posts

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	These posts mostly relate to books I am reading or series I am collecting to read in order (I tend to collect the series and then read it in one block). You can see a see a list of the books I am currently seeking, as well as a list of all the books I've bothered to catalog if you're interested.


	Thu, 02 Jul 2009

Books read in June 2009

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posted at: 02:07 | path: /book/read | permanent link to this entry

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	Sun, 28 Jun 2009

Bolos 4: Last Stand

ISBN: 0671877607
Baen (1997), Mass Market Paperback, 432 pages
LibraryThing

This book continues on from many of the previous short stories, which is a nice touch. It also starts to fill in some of the historical gaps between the collapse of US society (night of the trolls), to the Concordiat Empire, to the Melconian wars. I found one story in this book pretty hard to read, but that's mainly because its about a small child risking death from basically crazies. That story was good, just a bit close to the bone for me. I liked this book, which isn't a surprise because I have liked all the others as well.

Tags for this post: book() Keith_Laumer()

posted at: 16:27 | path: /book/Keith_Laumer | permanent link to this entry

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	Tue, 23 Jun 2009

Bolos 3: The Triumphant

ISBN: 067187683X
LibraryThing

This book is a little different from Bolos 1 and Bolos 2 in that it is several short novels instead of a collection of short stories. On the other hand, they're very good short novels, and I quite liked Nike's character. I'm glad I read this book.

Tags for this post: book() Keith_Laumer()

posted at: 20:49 | path: /book/Keith_Laumer | permanent link to this entry

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	Mon, 15 Jun 2009

The Book of General Ignorance

ISBN: 0307394913
Harmony (2007), Hardcover, 288 pages
LibraryThing

I seem to be on a bit of a trivia book kick, which is at least partially motivated by getting through all my Christmas presents so I can pack them into a box and move to a different country. This book was written as part of the production of the very excellent BBC quiz show Quite Interesting and is quite a contrast from the extremely average Why Do Men Have Nipples that I just finished reading. This book feels well researched, and is on par with Why Don't Penguin's Feet Freeze, although the style is quite different (the New Scientist book offers multiple answers for each question, and is written by real scientists in the fields discussed, this book flows as one manuscript). I suspect it helps here to have seen the quiz show, because many of the other reviews I have seen online complain about the style of the book, which reads in much the same manner as Stephen Fry's commentary during the program. If you're familiar with the format, then the book flows quite nicely (whereas if you haven't, you might end up why the book jumps around so much). I really liked this book.

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posted at: 18:45 | path: /book/John_Lloyd_and_John_Hitchinson | permanent link to this entry

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	Fri, 12 Jun 2009

Why do men have nipples?

ISBN: 1400082315
Three Rivers Press (2005), Edition: 1, Paperback, 224 pages
LibraryThing

This book is pretty light weight. The font is big, and there is lots of "chrome" on the pages, which conspire to make a book which would probably be only 100 pages in a normal font more like 200 pages. The book also suffers from trying a little too hard to be funny, with numerous interruptions for the authors to tell you how terribly clever they are. Its annoying quite quickly. The answers also aren't as detailed and believable as those found to similar questions in "Why don't penguin's feet freeze? (and 114 other questions)", the New Scientist book I just finished reading. I'd say go with the New Scientist book if you're buying something, but read this if you're given it.

Tags for this post: book() Mark_Leyner_and_Billy_Goldberg()

posted at: 20:57 | path: /book/Mark_Leyner_and_Billy_Goldberg | permanent link to this entry

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	Wed, 10 Jun 2009

Isaac Asimov's Robot City: Robots and Aliens: Alliance

ISBN: 0441731309
Ace (1990), Paperback
LibraryThing

Given how disappointed I have been in other books in this series, I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The style is very readable, and the content is interesting. The plot seems more nuanced than some o f the others in the series, and the characters aren't as one dimensional either. This isn't the best book I have ever read, but it was surprisingly solid, especially given some of the poor ground work it h ad to deal with.

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posted at: 21:34 | path: /book/Jerry_Oltion | permanent link to this entry

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	Sat, 06 Jun 2009

Why don't penguin's feet freeze? (and 114 other questions)

ISBN: 1416541462
Free Press (2007), Paperback, 224 pages
LibraryThing

This book was really fun. Its a collection of 115 questions sent into New Scientist magazine, and the answers provided by other readers. Sometimes the answers and sarcastic or funny, and sometimes they are incredibly detailed. I found this book really interesting to read, and I certainly picked up some trivial to annoy my wife along the way. Excellent.

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posted at: 19:46 | path: /book/New_Scientist | permanent link to this entry

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	Thu, 04 Jun 2009

Bolos 2: The Unconquerable

ISBN: 0671876295
Baen (1994), Mass Market Paperback, 288 pages
LibraryThing

This is another collection of short stories involving Laumer's Bolo artificially intelligent super tanks. None of these stories are written by Laumer, but they are written by some very good SF authors. I enjoyed the collection, although I do think Honor of the Regiment was marginally better.

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posted at: 22:06 | path: /book/Keith_Laumer | permanent link to this entry

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	Sat, 30 May 2009

Books read in May2009

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posted at: 22:23 | path: /book/read | permanent link to this entry

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Bolos 1: Honor of the Regiment

ISBN: 0671721844
Baen (1993), Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages
LibraryThing

I'm quite partial to the idea of artificially intelligent super tanks. I think they'd simplify my social life quite a lot, for example. I'm also partial to short story collections, and this book is both of those. The short stories are written by some excellent authors as well, which certainly helps. This book continues on from The Compleat Bolo, although Laumer didn't write any of the stories in this book. The stories follow two main patterns -- long retired tanks which the locals don't trust until they save the day; and stories about active combat. I guess that means you have to like war stories for these to work for you -- the stories are quite similar to David Drake's in that regard. Excellent, quick read.

Tags for this post: book() Keith_Laumer()

posted at: 22:18 | path: /book/Keith_Laumer | permanent link to this entry

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	Fri, 29 May 2009

A Time of Omens

ISBN: 0553290118
Spectra (1993), Mass Market Paperback, 432 pages
LibraryThing

This is the sixth book in the not-very-finished Deverry celtic fantasy series. This one is pretty good, especially because it has several subplots, which makes it feel more like a few shorter books in one volume. That means you don't lose your place in a 400 page story line as you go along. I'm a fan of the intermingled plot lines style (Tom Clancy does it quite well too), and it works well in this book. This book follows a subset of the usual characters, although some of the older ones have moved on, so to speak.

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posted at: 21:08 | path: /book/Katharine_Kerr | permanent link to this entry

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	Fri, 22 May 2009

Galactic Dreams

ISBN: 0812550587
Tor Books (1995), Mass Market Paperback, 222 pages
LibraryThing

This is a relatively short collection of Harry Harrison short stories. They are:

I always do what Teddy says: what happens when we abdicate teaching our youngsters moral values to machine, and then don't test that the machine is working correctly? A short story about unit testing?
Space rats of the CCC: this story is just silly. Its a little bit like Bill the Galactic Hero in style, but also a little bit annoying. It didn't really work for me.
Down to earth: I'm sure I've read this basic plot line about a billion times, for example Hawk Among the Sparrows being just one example. This one didn't even have a good twist at the end.
A criminal act: Harrison feels strongly about population grow (see also Make Room, Make Room!). Its pretty obvious in this story, although its not as preachy as Make Room, Make Room.
Famous first words: I actually really liked this one.
The Pad - a story of the day after the day after tomorrow: seducing women is hard work for billionaires, apparently.
If: a pretty standard "don't alter the time lines" tale, with a small if predictable twist.
Mute Milton: what important discoveries have been lost through the ages through racism or accident?
Simulated trainer: this is an interesting story -- I quite like the concept, and the execution is more believable than most Harrison stories.
At last, the true story of Frankenstein: this is a good story too, with a nice twist at the end.
The robot who wanted to know: a pretty classic robot story, which could just as easily fit in an Asimov collection as a Harrison collection. I'm quite partial to robot stories, and I enjoyed it.
Bill the Galactic Hero's happy holiday: I've previous complained about the overall style of the Bill the Galactic Hero series. I think it works better as a short story than a novel, because the level of annoyance it develops in the reader is smaller. This was actually better than the novel length Bill stories that I've read so far.

Overall, a solid collection, but not startlingly good.

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posted at: 08:52 | path: /book/Harry_Harrison | permanent link to this entry

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	Tue, 19 May 2009

Deathworld Three

ISBN: 0722144180
LibraryThing

I thought this one didn't sound as good as the others, but I was wrong. Its quite different from the other two in its setting, but its still the same romping Harrison style that I like. A little bit unlikely, quite sweeping in scope, and interesting. I liked it.

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posted at: 21:39 | path: /book/Harry_Harrison | permanent link to this entry

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	Sun, 17 May 2009

Dragonquest

ISBN: 0345284259
Del Rey (1979), Mass Market Paperback
LibraryThing

This is the sequel to Dragonflight. To be honest, I think Dragonflight is a better book, although this one is by no means bad. I suspect part of my problem with this book is that I found Kylara insanely annoying (which I was meant to). Every time her character popped up it made the book hard to read until she went away again. This is a good interesting book, and I'm looking forward to the later books in the series when you find out more about the settlement of Pern.

Tags for this post: book() Anne_McCaffrey()

posted at: 18:58 | path: /book/Anne_McCaffrey | permanent link to this entry

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	Mon, 11 May 2009

Dragonflight

ISBN: 0345335465
Ballantine Books (1986), Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages
LibraryThing

This is the first book in the Dragons of Pern series, which I read a small part of as a child. Given that they're still being written, its not surprising that I'm pretty out of date on this series. This book is excellent for a few reasons -- the idea is unique and well implemented; its an amazing mix of fantasy with science fiction style justifications for the way things are; and its well written. The underlying premise is that a planet named Pern as a nearly neighbor on an eccentric orbit. When that neighbor comes near to Pern, spores from the other planet try to land on Pern. These spores breed by eating organic life, so they need to be neutralized or life on Pern will cease. There are however a few patches I had to re-read to make full sense of. I really liked this book.

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posted at: 21:02 | path: /book/Anne_McCaffrey | permanent link to this entry

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	Sun, 10 May 2009

Deathworld Two

ISBN: 0722144849
LibraryThing

This book is possibly better than Deathworld One, although I find Mikah's character intensely annoying. That's probably ok though, because he's meant to be annoying. Oh $DEITY is he successful. This was another good fun light read, the kind of Harrison I enjoy.

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posted at: 14:44 | path: /book/Harry_Harrison | permanent link to this entry

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	Fri, 08 May 2009

Deathworld One

ISBN: 0722143508
Sphere (1973), Edition: New Ed, Paperback, 160 pages
LibraryThing

This is an interesting book. Its quite Stainless Steel Rat like in approach. There is a slightly crooked male lead character, who has unusual insight. He has a beautiful female side kick, who has a strong personality of her own. The story is slightly humorous, and amazing. This is probably the most exciting book I've read in the last couple of months, and I look forward to the two others in the series.

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posted at: 09:56 | path: /book/Harry_Harrison | permanent link to this entry

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	Tue, 05 May 2009

Logan's Run

ISBN: 0553025171
LibraryThing

Its all about the distopian future novel at the moment (I just finished reading Make Room, Make Room! and Friday, both of which have a not-so-bright vision of the future). This book was turned into a movie as well, and is a lighter read than Make Room, Make Room!. The future is equally dark here though, and I think the writing technique on display in Make Room, Make Room! is better than the one used here. In places this book feels like a script outline. An example is during an escape sequence, where there is a single sentence describing how Logan escapes from a danger. There is no tension or insight -- just "Logan avoided the blah". Overall I thought this book was disappointing, with a premise that is hard to believe.

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posted at: 20:23 | path: /book/William_F_Nolan_and_George_Clayton_Johnson | permanent link to this entry

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	Sat, 02 May 2009

Friday

ISBN: 034530988x
LibraryThing

This is the first Heinlein book I have read in a long time -- since High School in fact. I read this one simply on an impulse, as the back cover description made it sound interesting. Heinlein isn't on the list of authors that I am pursuing at the moment, although I might consider changing that.

This book covers a more complicated Earth than the one we have right now, although in some ways its more simple. The main character Friday doesn't ever seem to have trouble making friends, and portions of the book are just a series of her romantic entanglements. Most of the complexities are political. The story is mostly about a journey, both physical as well as emotional, and interestingly there isn't a consistent opposing force. I suspect that might be unusual, at least for the stuff I read.

This book was good, even if the constant romantic entanglements seemed extraneous.

Tags for this post: book() Robert_A_Heinlein()