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Good Reading : April 2012
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sci-fi / fantasy woM word of mouth Burnt Ice Steve Wheeler What a delight it is to discover another member of the pantheon of top-notch space opera writers. Think Neal Asher’s ‘Polity’ space crossed with Peter F Hamilton’s ‘Night’s Dawn’ trilogy and add in a huge dash of very original tech, creatures and engineering science, and that gives you a bit of an idea about the breadth of Burnt Ice. Marko is part of a small military squad that is used by the Administration for very black operations throughout the Sphere – humanity’s primary area of influence in the galaxy. These soldiers are very different from your everyday ground pounders; armed with the latest secret tech and weaponry, they are a specialist group of engineers who apply their not inconsiderable brainpower, as well as firepower, to resolve situations. While they are a band of true brothers (and sisters) bonded in the crucible of combat, each one holds many secrets from their past; secrets which some in the Administration hierarchy will kill for – that is, if the Games Board (which licenses and markets all conflict across the Sphere) doesn’t get them first. Wheeler has produced an intriguing tale. This first book in a series is awash with little clues about our heroes and the covert forces that exist across the Sphere, and features excellent world-building, fantastic characterisations and tortuously devious plotting. It looks like it’ll be a wild ride! Voyager $29.99 e Reviewed by Brooke Walker A Crown Imperilled Raymond E Feist The armies of the kingdom of Great Kesh continue to advance inexorably against the unprepared Kingdom of the Isles forces. Strange powers seem to be manipulating the leaders of both sides while the neutral Kingdom of Roldem, stuck between the major combatants, seems also to be affected by a similar malaise. Spy networks have been struck down seemingly overnight and the spymasters are forced into hiding. King Gregory of the Isles is in failing health and still hasn’t announced his heir, while in each of the three nations a minor noble has quietly risen unchallenged from obscurity to a position of unparalleled power and authority that threatens those countries’ thrones. Pug the Magician, delving deeper into the mystery of who is really behind this conflict, is unaware that one misstep on his part will result in the deaths of millions – and he’s about to take that step I found a number of the conflicts in this volume a tad disappointing, filled with deus ex machina moments and ineffectual enemies, easily vanquished by our heroes. Nevertheless, mystery abounds, love blossoms, skulduggery flies about on swift feet, magic bolts fly left and right and the absolutely gobsmacking double climax in this penultimate episode of the Chaoswars almost left me speechless – bring on the finale, I say! Voyager $39.99 e Reviewed by Brooke Walker Blue Remembered Earth Alastair Reynolds All forms of violence have been eradicated in this solar system, where governments are phobic about artificial intelligence and the all-seeing Mechanism watches over almost everything. Although the author subtly questions this Orwellian dystopia, most of the time it takes a back seat to the main narrative, wherein he takes a slightly different tack (compared to his previous books). He doesn’t posit massive technological advances in this mid-22nd-century take on Earth and the solar system. His focus is on people, national entities, relationships and, ultimately, a quest saga whose ending will turn mankind on its ( proverbial ) head. When the undisputed matriarch of the powerful Akinya family dies in her lunar habitat, she sets her prodigal grandchildren on a quest around the solar system that not only pits them against the ruling interests in their family’s corporation, but brings them into conflict with several national and special-interest bodies who all want a piece of the Akinyas. Although a tad slow in starting, this became an unputdownable and compulsive read that stands alone as an intriguing tale while also setting the scene for the next in the series. Gollancz $32.99 e Reviewed by Leslie Lightfoot BZRK Michael Grant Troubled teens Sadie and Noah are thrust into a covert war that is taking place all around them and even inside people. On one side, the Armstrong twins seek to turn all humanity into a perfect hive mind, for whom eternal peace reigns and individuality is a thing of the past. On the other side is a ragtag collection of young individuals determined to stop them. The battle is fought across two worlds – the macro (the one we’re all familiar with) and the micro, where tiny biots and nanobots can rewire the human mind from the inside. The novel is lightning-paced and poses fascinating questions that highlight the dangers of technology in the wrong hands. The diverse and strikingly real characters are also a strength and they are often used to portray moral ambiguity – does belief in a cause justify evil actions? Unfortunately these characters aren’t yet fully explored in this first novel in a trilogy. Although aimed at young adults, this story will also appeal to older science fiction fans, but the extreme gore, graphic violence and other adult content may be too confronting for younger readers. The book also forms part of a larger transmedia story told across blogs, games, web comics and phone apps. So if you get hooked on the novel you’ll find plenty more to explore. Egmont $24.95 e Reviewed by Chris Brennan April 2012 main good reading ApRil 2012 33 April 2012 main WOM_32_33_c.indd 33 7/3/12 9:13:38 PM
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