Review | Mindstar Rising by Peter F Hamilton (Tor)

Title: Mindstar Rising
Author: Peter F Hamilton
Publisher: Tor UK
Format: Paperback
Pages: 448
Release Date: 17th February 2006

It's the 21st century and global warming is here to stay, so forget the way your country used to look. And get used to the free market, too – the companies possess all the best hardware, and they're calling the shots now.

In a world like this, a man open to any offers can make out just fine. A man like Greg Mandel for instance, who's psi-boosted, wired into the latest sensory equipment, carrying state-of-the-art weaponry – and late of the English Army's Mindstar Battalion.

As the cartels battle for control of a revolutionary new power source, and corporate greed outstrips national security, tension is mounting to boiling point – and Greg Mandel is about to face the ultimate test.

Mindstar Rising is Peter F Hamilton's first published novel from back in 1993 and still on of my favourites of his. I've read this novel so many times I've lost count, but with each read I still enjoy the characters and world he has created. Despite the fact that the world history and main plot details now seem dated, I still found myself enthralled in a great sci-fi detective story.

The setting of Mindstar Rising is England in the mid 21st century, specifically the areas around Rutland and Peterborough. This may not sound that exciting, but with the rise in sea levels all of the land east of Peterborough is now under a metre or two of water and the temperatures now echo those of the Mediterranean. The rise in sea level has caused a mass exodus of the low lying lands and the cities are now crowded. Add to this that the country has been under a hard left political dictatorship for the past ten years and you can start to imagine the state of the country.

While these all affect the landscape of England and the world we're introduced to, it's all a very well executed backdrop to the story Hamilton is telling. With the fall of the People's Socialist Party, the country is getting back on its feet and Event Horizon, a private corporation run by one Philip Evans, is returning to England after years smuggling technology across the borders to the people in need. Now in the strong position of creating jobs and a technological industry that will rival the best in the world, Event Horizon has a very bright future ahead. It's not until a sophisticated spoiler operation is run against it that we get into the nitty gritty of the story and meet the full cast of characters that take us along for the ride.

Greg Mandel is the main character in Mindstar Rising, a telepath who can vaguely read minds enough to see when someone is lying. He's an ex-soldier from the disbanded Mindstar Brigade, a company of officers each with their own psychic abilities gained through the implantation of a gland in their brain. Greg is scraping by after being left in the cold while the PSP ruled and as such has no sympathy for them. I like Greg, he's such an enjoyable character to read because he just doesn't mess around and is able to talk to people and assess the situation quickly and effectively. This is a good thing as we follow him for the majority of the novel while his investigations for Event Horizon start turning up some interesting things.

Event Horizon is run by Philip Evans and his granddaughter, Julia Evans, two characters that take after each other perfectly with their unstoppable goals for the company. Philip Evans is an ill old man, but Julia is young and bubbly and has more than the expected knowledge and drive for someone her age. While Philip is instantly recognisable as an old school business man who has a wealth of experience, Julia is more of a grey area as we're never too sure, at least at the start, how she will deal with situations. They both make for a formidable team, especially with their chief of security Morgan Walshaw at their side.

There are a few characters that I really did enjoy from Greg's past, but Gabriel Thompson is by far the most interesting. With a psychic ability that lets her see the future it instantly made me suspicious that Hamilton was overdoing it and making things too easy for our protagonists, although when we're introduced to her we see what this ability has on her and allows us to more fully appreciate the situation of the Mindstar veterans. Suffice to say that Gabriel is an asset to the story, but Hamilton manages to stop short of over-using her and getting all the problems solved.

While the motives for the attacks against Event Horizon are never that clear, especially as more and more information comes to light, Hamilton manages to deliver a very well paced story that gives us good amounts of action and worldbuilding while delivering and well plotted and focused novel. I still enjoy Mindstar Rising after many re-reads and if you can look past the dated political and geographical set up then you'll find yourself a great near-future investigative sci-fi tale. Highly recommended.

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

Review | Makers by Cory Doctorow (Harper Voyager)

Title: Makers
Author: Cory Doctorow
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Format: Hardback
Pages: 432
Release Date: 29th October 2009

Perry and Lester invent things. All sorts of things. Seashell robots that make toast, Boogie Woogie Elmo dolls that drive cars. They also invent an entirely new economic system. 'New Work' is a New Deal for the technological era. Soon barefoot bankers are criss-crossing the nation, microinvesting in high-tech communal start-ups like Perry and Lester's. Together they transform a country, and journalist Suzanne Church is there to document it.

But a new economic system requires a whole new belief system – and there are plenty of non-believers out there. The New Work bust puts the dot.com-bomb to shame and soon Perry and Lester are out of funds and out of business. Down but not out, they go back to what they do best - making stuff. But when a rogue Disney executive grows jealous of their once more soaring popularity and convinces the police that their amazing 3-D printers are being used to run off AK-47s, things get very dark very quickly…

This brilliantly entertaining and original novel from the visionary author of Little Brother fizzes with bold ideas about the future and how our lives will look as part of it. But at its heart are three characters, Perry, Lester and Suzanne, on an unforgettable journey that will bring them together only to break them apart as they each try to discover how to live meaningfully in an ever-changing world filled with both beauty and horror – where some things really are immutable…

I've not read any of Cory Doctorow's stuff before, but after what I had heard about the acclaimed Little Brother I sure wanted to get stuck in. Makers is Cory's latest book and while he's serialising it for free on the Tor.com website (part 1 here), it's being released in the UK by Harper Voyager at the end of October. I'll be honest and say that I wasn't too sure what to expect from Makers - the blurb hints at plenty going on - so when I started reading it to find a story that was interesting and characters I could relate to I knew I was on to a winner.

Lester, Perry and Suzanne are our main characters throughout Makers and while there are others that come and go, these are the ones that are at the core of the story. Lester and Perry are two guys that are creating some cool and unique stuff with their 3d printers that they sell for a nice amount to various people around the world. Their relaxed and chilled out attitude lets them get on with their stuff and everything ticks over nicely. They don't like the corporate side of things and just want to make stuff and not get caught up in the business side of their trade, even when it becomes essential for them to do so. I especially liked this about them as it made them instantly relatable, but it also allowed Doctorow to bring in other characters that contributed to the story very effectively.

Suzanne is the journalist tasked with documenting Lester and Perry while they inadvertently pioneer the New Work economy. Because of the honest and live commentary on the comings and goings with Lester and Perry, Suzanne becomes a worldwide success on her blog. She's an honest person that does believe in freedom of speech and that what goes on should not be hidden or kept from the public. Suzanne is also a nice contrast to Lester and Perry with the way she works - it's not all laid back. I also enjoyed her interaction with the two guys and the way the relationships mature and change throughout the novel.

The whole idea put across with the New Work deal in the early parts of Makers is pretty amazing and very realistic - Doctorow is a very capable storyteller that can also bring great ideas to the table. Not only does he show how a future economy might look like, he then takes it further and shows the evolution of such an economy. The whole plot is based around the ideas and work of Perry and Lester and told through their eyes (with the occasional detour) and this works extremely well in allowing the reader relate to what they are doing and the reasons behind it. The corporate politics that come into play also show how the world is adapting to the innovative ideas and methods employed by Lester and Perry and how the trust of certain people can be betrayed for the good fortune of others.

Although Makers comes under the sci-fi banner, it's more of a study of how technology can evolve to affect everyday life in the corporate world. One of the only problems I found with Makers is its length - it could easily have been shortened and would have been much tighter for it. The central idea is hi-tech and interesting, but because of the length it is enjoyable rather than excellent. For a near future story with some hi-tech ideas then this is a novel to engross yourself in - hell, it's a damn good read regardless. Enjoyable and recommended.

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

Review | The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King (Hodder & Stoughton)

Title: The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower 2)
Author: Stephen King
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Format: Paperback
Pages: 496
Release Date: 18th August 2003
Source: Purchased Copy

Roland of Gilead, the Last Gunslinger, encounters three doors which open to 1980s America, where he joins forces with the defiant Eddie Dean and courageous, volatile Odetta Holmes. And confronts deadly serial killer Jack Mort.

As the titanic forces gather, a savage struggle between underworld evil and otherworldly enemies conspire to bring an end to Roland’s quest for the Dark Tower...

Masterfully weaving dark fantasy and icy realism, THE DRAWING OF THE THREE compulsively propels readers toward the next chapter.

And the Tower is closer...

The second book in the Dark Tower series, The Drawing of the Three, is the continuing story of Roland on his quest to the Dark Tower. Picking up where the events of The Gunslinger left us, Roland has aged by almost ten years after his encounter with the Man in Black and is faced with a huge stretch of beach which he must now travel. Not only does Roland have to face this journey with little food or water, but he is soon attacked by lobster creatures that take off fingers from his right hand after which he is inflicted with a fever that grows ever worse. But all this is just a background to the bigger picture - the doors he finds along the beach that lead back to our world and into the heads of certain individuals.

The Drawing of the Three takes Roland and puts him firmly in an unknown situation, with some very interesting results. Thrown into our world is a completely different experience for Roland and we see this immediately with his conversations with people he encounters. What is worse is the fact that as he's taking over the body of someone else to do it and putting himself in danger in the process. However, King does a good job with Roland and lets us see more of his character and personality through these situations. Roland may be a stranger to these places, but he sure isn't stupid and knows what needs to be done - and how.

The interaction between Roland and the people he must communicate with is great. As the title suggests, there are three doors he must enter in order to draw his three. The first of these is Eddie Dean, a junkie and native New Yorker. Eddie is an interesting character because of his flaws and the fact that he isn't just another doped up waster. He has something special about him but has been led into the wrong situations in the past which has ended him up in some serious trouble. The second door leads to Odetta Holmes and Detta Walker, one woman with split personalities. Roland senses the difference in these two immediately - one is kindly while the other is vicious, all of which goes back to an incident in their childhood. Not only this, but Odetta/Detta has lost her legs and is bound to a wheelchair which does not help Roland in is journey across a difficult terrain. The last door leads to Jack Mort, a man whose private life is in stark contrast to his successful career. He is a murderous man behind the false front, pushing innocent bystanders into traffic, trains and anything else he can get away with without notice.

It's difficult for me to say too much about the encounters that Roland has with these people with really spoiling the story, but King has weaved a very impressive story here. Many fates are intertwined and the repercussions of the events here are going to be felt for a while to come. The interactions between the characters, specifically with Roland, is very interesting and we get to see more of what makes Roland such a formidable person, and not only through his fighting. There is always a sense of danger throughout The Drawing of the Three and I never once felt the story was playing it safe, all of which made the pages turn all the quicker. Some of the twists here work very well and although hinted at during the story I didn't fully appreciate the impact until the end, which has left the story open to progress at a good strong pace.

The Drawing of the Three is another reason to pick up this series and is a strong novel in its own right, although even at book two you must have read the first installment to fully appreciate many of the events. Highly recommended.

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

Cover Art | Helsreach by Aaron Dembski-Bowden (Black Library)

This is the cover for Helsreach, a Warhammer 40,000 novel, by due out next year by Aaron Dembski-Bowden from Black Library. Seriously cool stuff going on here and based on the cover alone I want to read it! This really couldn't come at a better time either, I'm currently reading Cadian Blood by Aaron and absolutely loving it. If the writing in Helsreach is half as good I'll devour it in no time!

Review | Fast Ships, Black Sails edited by Ann & Jeff VanderMeer (Night Shade Books)

Title: Fast Ships, Black Sails
Author: Ann & Jeff VanderMeer
Publisher: Night Shade Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 256
Release Date: 15th October 2008

Do you love the sound of a peg leg stomping across a quarterdeck? Or maybe you prefer a parrot on your arm, a strong wind at your back? Adventure, treasure, intrigue, humor, romance, danger--and, yes, plunder. Oh, the Devil does love a pirate--and so do readers everywhere.

Swashbuckling from the past into the future and space itself, Fast Ships, Black Sails, edited by Ann & Jeff VanderMeer, presents an incredibly entertaining volume of original stories guaranteed to make you walk and talk like a pirate.

Come along for the voyage with bestselling authors Naomi Novik, Garth Nix, Carrie Vaughn, Dave Freer, Michael Moorcock, and Eric Flint, as well as such other stellar talents as Kage Baker, Sarah Monette, Elizabeth Bear, Steve Aylett, and Conrad Williams--all offering up a veritable treasure chest of piratical adventure, the likes of which has never been seen in the four corners of the Earth. Highlights include a brand-new Garth Nix Sir Hereward & Mr. Fitz novella, as the two clever ne'er-do-wells storm the sea-gates of the scholar-pirates of Sarkoe.

If ever you had a yearning for adventure on the high seas, now's the time to indulge it, with Fast Ships, Black Sails. You'll return with a sword shoved through your sash, booty in a safe harbor, and beer on your breath. We promise.

I like pirate stories, they have this quality about them that instantly draws me to them. I'll be honest and say I don't read half as much as I should do when it comes to this subject, but what I have read in the past has always given me that warm feeling inside that I get when I really enjoy something. It's not only books that do this, films also find their way into the house at some point or other, and nothing beats a good old pirate story. So, a collection of such stories should be something I would enjoy more than anything else, or at least I thought so. Fast Ships, Black Sails hit the mark on a few occasions, but on others it didn't come close...

In their introduction Ann and Jeff VanderMeer say how they were surprised at the breadth and difference of stories they received for the anthology. I can certainly agree with them on that point - there are many stories that are not your typical pirate tales. While this is a good thing for the sake of diversity, I found that some of the stories just didn't live up to the potential of the anthology and it left me disappointed because of this fact. However, the stories in here that I did enjoy were excellent and showed just how such a diversity can help a collection like this.

Some of my favourites were: Boojum by Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette, a story of space age pirates aboard a sentient starship; Castor on Troubled Waters by Rhys Hughes, an amusing story of one man telling a tale to his two friends in a pub; Araminta, or, The Wreck of the Amphidrake by Naomi Novik, a tale of a woman using magic to turn herself into a man when the ship she is aboard is attacked by pirates; The Adventures of Captain Black Heart Wentworth: A Nautical Tail by Rachel Swirsky, a great story looking at two pirate rats in love with a cat; The Whale Below by Jayme Lynn Blaschke, a story of a ship stumbling on the remains of a whale with three mysteriously empty ships surrounding it.

I did enjoy other stories in this anthology, but those were the highlights for me. There were a few that I just didn't care for and couldn't really tell you much about them as they didn't stick in my mind much at all once I'd finished them. I'd have to say that this is a collection of stories that have split me down the middle when it comes to my thoughts on the whole anthology. Those that I enjoyed were top notch, but those I didn't felt like a waste of my time. Is this an anthology I'd recommend? Well, yes, but with reservations.

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

Cover Art | Under The Dome by Stephen King

On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when -- or if -- it will go away.

Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens -- town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing -- even murder -- to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out.

Under The Dome is the new novel by Stephen King due for release in the US & UK on November 10th. As you can see above, both the US (1st image) and UK (2nd image) follow a similar theme, but I think the US is by far the superior cover. Have a look below for the full wrap-around dust jacket for the US release!

Review | Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (Tor)

Title: Ender's Game
Author: Orson Scott Card
Publisher: Tor
Format: Paperback
Pages: 336
Release Date: February 2002

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

Ender's Game is another classic of the genre that I found myself drawn towards recently. I'm always hesitant when it comes to reading such praised novels and always wonder whether or not I'll come away disappointed. Luckily enough I found that wasn't the case with Ender's Game. A novel that can pull you along at such speed while delivering some thoughtful ideas is a joy. Not only did Ender's Game manage this, it also put across a great story with very entertaining characters.

The story is one mainly of Ender, although there are some sections where we have a look his older brother and sister - Peter and Valentine - and what they are doing since Ender left. Ender is a great character that is enjoyable to read while he is also one that can be sympathised with. The situation he is in puts extreme pressure on his abilities and those in charge of the battle school make nothing easy on Ender, forcing him to understand that if he cannot do things by himself he will get no help from adults. The friendships that he makes take on a different role as the story progresses and the implications of such are interesting to a child of his age, not that he is ever treated as a child.

The whole idea of the battle school and the games that are involved within it are excellent. I thought the way in which it was handled was good and the introduction of the battle room, along with the games that can be played, gave the story a solid centre around which to expand. I love tactical games and can easily waste hours of my time away at them so I would love to see something like the zero gravity battle room in action. The way in which Ender changes the way the game is played by introducing new tactics shows how far it goes to deciding the winner. However, the unfair treatment of Ender goes to show what lengths people will go to when they want something badly enough and the effect it has on those involved, an interesting subject for children so young.

Speaking of the age of the children in Ender's Game - this is the only place I found myself in the situation of not quite believing what the story was telling me. The children at battle school are aged from 6 up and their behaviour seems a little too old for them. I fully understand the reasoning behind it, but to make it truly realistic they would need to be from 10 up - try and picture a 6 year old doing what they do in battle school and it feels wrong. The same goes for the sections looking at Peter and Valentine - kids doing politics at their age did stretch the imagination a little.

Despite these little problems with Ender's Game I thought it was an excellent book. Not only did give some memorable characters, it also looked at what the human race is capable of when it faces something it fears can destroy it. Without a doubt this is one of my most enjoyable reads of the year and I would recommend it to anyone - with the above reservations. Now just to hope the sequels live up to the standard set here...

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com

Peter F Hamilton Interview

I've just had an email from Peter with the links to the two videos that cover the recent Q&A session he did with his publisher, Pan Macmillan. Enjoy!