I have enjoyed science fiction, speculative fiction, and fantasy all my life—especially when the plot includes a ‘David and Goliath’ theme, as these books do. My science teacher introduced me to science fiction in fifth grade, and I have read these genres constantly since then. Not surprisingly, most of my novels and short stories deal with these same themes and genres. They entertain me, they are creative, and they make me think.
This novel is not as well-known as others, but it should be. I’d describe it as a dystopian thriller set slightly in a future where technology has become part of every single aspect of life. Detective Carl Dremmler is tasked with the complexities of investigating a murder by an advanced AI assistant (which should not have been possible).
This fast-paced and thought-provoking story addresses the themes of human autonomy, morality, and the dangers of technological advancement. The writing is excellent, with its premonition of where we might be heading and some of the issues we might encounter. It is thrilling and enjoyable.
The silicon revolution left Dremmler behind but a good detective is never obsolete.London is quiet in 2039—thanks to the machines. People stay indoors, communicating through high-tech glasses and gorging on simulated reality while 3D printers and scuttling robots cater to their every whim. Mammoth corporations wage war for dominance in a world where human augmentation blurs the line between flesh and steel. And at the center of it all lurks The Imagination Machine: the hyper-advanced, omnipresent AI that drives our cars, flies our planes, cooks our food, and plans our lives. Servile, patient, tireless … TIM has everything humanity requires.…
This was one of my favorite SF books from the last five years. Cloning technology has reached the point where a new body can be grown and brain info transmitted, enabling lengthy travels to explore other star systems. Six crew members aboard one of the ships wake up to find their previous bodies murdered.
The novel weaves together science fiction and murder mystery (a whodunit) while exploring ethical and philosophical themes of cloning and identity. The characters are well done, most of them have some secrets, and the plot is imaginative and complex. The confined setting aboard a spaceship heightens the tension. Some wonderful reveals and surprises kept me guessing until the end. I highly recommend this Hugo Award-winning novel for its entertainment and thought-provoking presentation.
In this Hugo nominated science fiction thriller by Mur Lafferty, a crew of clones awakens aboard a space ship to find they're being hunted-and any one of them could be the killer.
Maria Arena awakens in a cloning vat streaked with drying blood. She has no memory of how she died. This is new; before, when she had awakened as a new clone, her first memory was of how she died.
Maria's vat is one of seven, each one holding the clone of a crew member of the starship Dormire, each clone waiting for its previous incarnation to die so…
I love science fiction which incorporates skilled protagonists against larger forces—the David/Goliath theme. Part of a space opera series about a political and military family from two different planets, there is political intrigue, battles, and an epic story.
Though technology and space play a role, the character development and portrayal are excellent: complex, realistic, and relatable. The protagonist, Miles, is brilliant but physically flawed. Much of the story is a well-written mystery as Miles, on an ambassadorial visit to a foreign planet, tries to uncover the culprit and purpose of a murder and the politics behind it. At the same time, he must try not to get caught by his hosts or punished by his own government, since he is only there as a representative. Highly recommended!
When the Cetagandan empress dies, Miles Vorkosigan and his cousin Ivan are sent to Cetaganda for her funeral as diplomatic representatives of Barrayar. Upon arrival, the two men are inexplicably attacked by a servant of the late empress. When the same servant turns up dead the next day, Miles and Ivan find themselves in the middle of a mystery. Miles tries to play detective in a strange, complicated, and deceptively alien culture, while lascivious Ivan manages to get himself involved with several noble females at the same time, a diplomatic no-no of the first order. As the plot thickens, it…
I have enjoyed Kuang’s books—her careful research into every topic with protagonists who struggle to fit in and experience mistreatment. The characters are relatable, and while the technology and magic add uniqueness, it is really a story about humans. Like her other novels, this one is an imaginative “alternative history” involving science and magic.
Set in China’s often inhuman activities of the 20th century, the protagonist is a young peasant girl sent to a military academy. There, she experiences mistreatment because of her skin color and low social status, but she has the magical skills of a shaman. (Kuang implies that magic may be merely an unknown science.) Together with a military teacher who sees her value, they seek to find a way to avoid a coming war.
Winner of the Reddit Fantasy Award for Best Debut 2018
'The best fantasy debut of 2018' - WIRED
A brilliantly imaginative epic fantasy debut, inspired by the bloody history of China's twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic.
When Rin aced the Keju - the test to find the most talented students in the Empire - it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn't believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin's guardians, who had hoped to get rich by marrying her off; and to Rin herself, who realized she…
This is a well-known book (and the film even more so), but I read it when it was first published, and it captured me. The basic plot is not uncommon (lone figures fighting against an overpowering and oppressive government), but Collins placed it in a fictional world with enough similarity that we could see our own world becoming this way. The setting is that of a lottery in which teens are sent to battle to the death for the honor of their district.
Themes of the elite versus the common people, human survival, and the human condition are explored throughout. The film is fairly faithful to the book, but like most adaptions, much detail, meaning, themes, and background are diminished or left out, making the book a must-read.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. But Katniss has been close to death before - and survival, for her, is second nature. The Hunger Games is a searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present. Welcome to the deadliest reality TV show ever...
My book is a thought-provoking novel that offers a rich exploration of the human condition. It is both intellectually engaging and emotionally resonant. The thematic depth and philosophical reflections are its greatest strengths. Set in the near future, when gene editing, bioengineering, and selective breeding stretch the limits of ethics and legality, a man, a woman, and a young boy are caught up in a heavily funded project based on the theories of a brilliant geneticist.
But bio-research firms, Big Pharma, military organizations, governments, and black marketeers see it as a way to become wealthy and powerful. Kidnappings, mystery, political intrigue, murder, and attempts to save the boy drive the plot as it explores themes of meaning, ethics, and human relationships.
I lived in Latin America for six years, working as a red cross volunteer, a volcano hiking guide, a teacher, and an extra in a Russian TV series (in Panama). Having travelled throughout the region and returning regularly, I’m endlessly fascinated by the culture, history, politics, languages, and geography. Parallel to this, I enjoy reading and writing about the world of international espionage. Combining the two, and based on my own experience, I wrote my novel, Magical Disinformation, a spy novel set in Colombia. While there is not a huge depth of spy novels set in Latin America, I’ve chosen five of my favourites spy books set in the region.
This book is a spy novel with a satirical edge which will take you on a heart-pumping journey through the streets, mountains, jungles, and beaches of Colombia. Our Man in Havana meets A Clear and Present Danger.
In the era of ‘fake news’ in the land of magical realism, fiction can be just as dangerous as the truth...
Discover Lachlan Page’s Magical Disinformation: a spy novel with a satirical edge set amongst the Colombian peace process. Described by one reviewer as “Our Man in Havana meets A Clear and Present Danger.”
Oliver Jardine is a spy in Colombia, enamoured with local woman Veronica Velasco.
As the Colombian government signs a peace agreement with the FARC guerrillas, Her Majesty’s Government decides a transfer is in order to focus on more pertinent theatres of operation.
