Review | Diving Into The Wreck by Kristin Kathryn Rusch (Pyr)

Title: Diving Into The Wreck
Author: Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Publisher: Pyr
Format: Paperback
Pages: 270
Release Date: 24th November 2009

Boss loves to dive historical ships, derelict spacecraft found adrift in the blackness between the stars. Sometimes she salvages for money, but mostly she's an active historian. She wants to know about the past—to experience it firsthand. Once she's dived the ship, she'll either leave it for others to find or file a claim so that she can bring tourists to dive it as well. It's a good life for a tough loner, with more interest in artifacts than people.

Then one day, Boss finds the claim of a lifetime: an enormous spacecraft, incredibly old, and apparently Earth-made. It's impossible for something so old, built in the days before Faster Than Light travel, to have journeyed this far from Earth. It shouldn't be here. It can't be here. And yet, it is. Boss's curiosity is up, and she's determined to investigate. She hires a group of divers to explore the wreck with her, the best team she can assemble. But some secrets are best kept hidden, and the past won't give up its treasures without exacting a price in blood.

What Boss finds could rewrite history, cost lives, and start an intergalactic war.

Diving Into The Wreck is a book that caught my attention because of the title, cover and blurb. It sounded like something that would be right up my street and promised enough to make me wonder how and where the story would go. Although it starts off in a fairly predictable fashion (but enjoyable none-the-less), Diving Into The Wreck turned into a very entertaining and page turning read.

The story is split into three sections - the first is the finding and diving of the mysterious wreck, while the second and third follow up on the implications and information found during the first part. If it sounds like I am being deliberately vague it's because I am - going into too much detail on anything past the first section will give some of the game away and this is a story that deserves being read fresh. I will say this about the book - it's an extremely well written and thoroughly engrossing novel with some vivid descriptions while raising some very believable and serious questions.

What is especially impressive about Diving Into The Wreck is that Rusch has written it entirely in the first person. This means that what Boss knows, you know. This is a good way to put the reader into the action and allow you to get sucked into the situation. Boss is a character that is identifiable with some aspects of her personality (for instance, her privacy) and has values that are fairly straight forward, all going to give us a solid central character. The supporting cast are also introduced and fleshed out as much as the situation needs. This especially helped in keeping the pace of the novel flowing nicely without getting bogged down.

Despite how much I enjoyed the novel I had one gripe that I just couldn't shake when I finished - the ending. It's not that it isn't suited, but to me it felt as if it went against the grain of the story. However, despite this I came away from Diving Into The Wreck satisfied and pleased with the overall story. If any sequels where released (and there is plenty of scope) I would snatch them up without a second thought. I'll also be making it my business to check out more work by Rusch.

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

Cover Art | The Commonwealth Saga, French Edition by Peter F Hamilton (Milady)

Peter F Hamilton is one of my favourite authors so it was great to come across these French releases for his Commonwealth Saga from Milady. The artist is Manchu and I think he's done a very nice job indeed of capturing the scenes fairly accurately and with complete style. My personal favourite is the second one - the image of the conical ships of the Primes descending and the Motiles on the ground is great.

Plus it's great that publishers are still covering their sci-fi books with such excellent pieces of art, rather than the hooded figure that is everywhere you look in fantasy!

Review | Hyperion by Dan Simmons (Gollancz)

Title: Hyperion
Author: Dan Simmons
Publisher: Gollancz
Format: Paperback
Pages: 480
Release Date: December 2005

It is the 29th century and the universe of the Human Hegemony is under threat. Invasion by the warlike Ousters looms, and the mysterious schemes of the secessionist AI TechnoCore bring chaos ever closer.

On the eve of disaster, with the entire galaxy at war, seven pilgrims set fourth on a final voyage to the legendary Time Tombs on Hyperion, home to the Shrike, a lethal creature, part god and part killing machine, whose powers transcend the limits of time and space. The pilgrims have resolved to die before discovering anything less than the secrets of the universe itself.

Hyperion is one of the modern classics of science fiction, of that there is no doubt. This is a book that won the hugo award when it was published and spawned three sequels (one direct, two indirect, all related). Although told in a future where humanity has spread across the stars, Dan Simmons delivers a story that is influenced by19th century poet John Keats and the format follows one resembling Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. Hyperion is a literary science fiction story if I've ever read one and is arguable one of the greatest science fiction novels ever.

Hyperion is a story that follows a group of characters on what is considered to be the final pilgrimage to the Time Tombs on the planet of Hyperion on the eve of what could be interstellar war between the Hegemony and the Ousters. This is a fairly simple premise and the page time dedicated to this particular thread is minimal when looking at the book as a whole. What really makes Hyperion an outstanding novel are the collection of stories that are interspersed within this framework. Not only that, but Simmons is very effective at writing these stories in different styles that suit each story.

The Priest's Tale is the story of Father Paul Duré as told by Father Lenar Hoyt and is one where religious beliefs are put to the test, although it also a mystery that has some very interesting answers; The Soldier's Tale follows Fedmahn Kassad, a well known soldier and has plenty of action and some interesting revelations; The Poet's Tale is Martin Silenus's story, and is of his struggle with his muse; The Scholar's Tale is a heart breaking story of a unique disease contracted by Rachel, Sol Weintraub's daughter, and his plight to help cure her; The Detective's Tale follows Brawne Lamia as a new client, a cybrid by the name of Johnny, hires her to help discover why he was killed, but has far more wide reaching implications; The Consul's Tale is a love story told over decades that shows how history can affect loyalties and opinions in the present.

Frankly, Hyperion is a stunning book that gives the reader so much to enjoy. Not only that, but Dan Simmons has created a believable universe that holds many questions and fascinating details. My only criticism of Hyperion is that it has a non-ending, but with a direct sequel to read you'll have plenty to enjoy when you pick it up. For a science fiction novel that delivers a thoughtful and extremely well told story you won't find anything better than Hyperion.

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

Cover Art | Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton (Tor)

Above is the new cover for the paperback release of Nights of Villjamur, although the below blurb is from the hardcover release:

Political intrigue and dark violence converge in a superb new action series of enthralling fantasy.

An ice age strikes a chain of islands, and thousands come to seek sanctuary at the gates of Villjamur: a city of ancient spires and bridges, a place where banshees wail the deceased, cultists use forgotten technology for their own gain and where, further out, the dead have been seen walking across the tundra.

When the Emperor commits suicide, his elder daughter, Rika, is brought home to lead the Jamur Empire, but the sinister Chancellor plans to get rid of her and claim the throne for himself.

Meanwhile a senior investigator in the city inquisition must solve the high-profile and savage murder of a city politician, whilst battling evils within his own life, and a handsome and serial womanizer manipulates his way into the imperial residence with a hidden agenda.

When reports are received that tens of thousands of citizens are dying in a bizarre genocide on the northern islands of the Empire, members of the elite Night Guard are sent to investigate. It seems that, in this land under a red sun, the long winter is bringing more than just snow . . .

I actually quite like this cover, it's definitely one of the better character covers that are about nowadays. So far the covers for Mark's work all have a slightly different style, but the covers for the hardbacks are both nice and I'm hoping the style stays the same for any future releases in the series, while the paperback is definitely suited for that market.:

Left to right: Nights of Villjamur HB, City of Ruin HB and Nights of Villjamur PB

Cover Art | Gardens of the Sun by Paul McAuley (Pyr)

The Quiet War is over. The city-states of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, founded by descendants of refugees from Earth's repressive regimes, the Outers, have fallen to the Three Powers Alliance of Greater Brazil, the European Union, and the Pacific Community. A century of enlightenment, rational utopianism, and exploration of new ways of being human has fallen dark. Outers are herded into prison camps and forced to collaborate in the systematic plundering of their great archives of scientific and technical knowledge, while Earth's forces loot their cities and settlements and ships, and plan a final solution to the "Outer problem."

But Earth's victory is fragile, and riven by vicious internal politics. While seeking out and trying to anatomize the strange gardens abandoned in place by the Outers' greatest genius, Avernus, the gene wizard Sri Hong-Owen is embroiled in the plots and counterplots of the family that employs her. The diplomat Loc Ifrahim soon discovers that profiting from victory isn't as easy as he thought. And on Earth, in Greater Brazil, the democratic traditions preserved and elaborated by the Outers have infected a population eager to escape the tyranny of the great families who rule them.

Meanwhile, in the outer reaches of the Solar System, a rag-taggle group of refugees struggle to preserve the last of the old ideals. And on Triton, fanatical members of a cabal prepare for a final battle that threatens to shatter the future of the human species.

After a conflict fought to contain the expansionist, posthuman ambitions of the Outers, the future is as uncertain as ever. Only one thing is clear. No one can escape the consequences of war—especially the victors.

Here's the cover for Pyr's release of Paul McAuley's Gardens of the Sun, due in March 2010. It follows the very excellent style that was used for the release of The Quiet War. I like it, quite a lot.

Review | Mirror Space by Marianne de Pierres (Orbit)

Title: Mirror Space
Author: Marianne de Pierres
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Paperback
Pages: 432
Release Date: 5th November 2009

Araldis is still under occupation by hostile forces, and with the Orion League of Sentient Species seemingly unable - or unwilling - to help, Mira Fedor is forced to turn to the mercenary captain, Rast Randall, if she is to save her planet.

But while Rast's contacts may be free of political constraints, what they lack in red tape they more than make up for in ruthlessness. As some of their hidden strategies are revealed, others become even more opaque. Why have the philosophers of Scolar been targetted? How far does the Extropist influence extend into Orion space?

From Lasper Farr, the Stain War veteran and ruler of the junk planet Edo, to the Sole initiates at Belle Monde to Rast herself, everyone is pursuing their own agenda. But are they really separate goals?

Or are events rushing to a single, terrifying conclusion . . . ?

Mirror Space is a book I've been eagerly awaiting this year. So far the Sentients of Orion series has gone from strength to strength with the slow build up in Dark Space (review) to the full space opera of Chaos Space (review). What I was really hoping for in Mirror Space was a story that not only continued the events from Chaos Space, but also added more to the mix and started answering the questions that had been building up throughout the previous two novels. What I got was exactly that, but delivered in such a way that fulfilled and exceeded all my expectations while adding some interesting things to the mix.

Once again Marianne splits the book up into sections that follow various characters, each in different situations after the dramatic ending of Chaos Space. Mira has been taken by the alien Extropists and effectively held prisoner on one of their planets; Rast and Jo-Jo are on Insignia, although they are split up from the biozoon during the story; Tekton and Thales find themselves, rather coincidentally, on the junk planet of Edo that is ruled by Lasper Farr; Trin, Djes and the survivors on Araldis are moving from island to island hoping to find a safe haven. Suffice to say that these individual stories are now coming slowly together for the grand finale in Transformation Space, something that is clearly evident by the way Mirror Space finishes.

One thing I will say about this series is that it's been one build up after another. Marianne has cleverly laid clues in Dark Space and Chaos Space as to the direction of the story and it's now paying off extremely well. The central focus is once again on Mira, this time with her unborn baby which is something that the Extropists are very interested in studying due to the ability that allows her to fly a biozoon. Although Mira's storyline is the main one throughout the series it was the one I found least enjoyable this time around. It's not that it's bad, just that the other plot lines are such good reading. Tekton and his quest for the quixite throw up some interesting scenarios, while Thales truly seems like a lost puppy thrown into a situation he has no idea how to handle. While the sections following Rast and Jo-Jo are interesting, it's the discoveries made by them and Insignia that ultimately throw more light onto the situation surrounding the invasion of Araldis. I found myself enjoying the story of the Araldis survivors again this time around, with their travels enjoying mixed fortunes and Trin starting to be accepted by some as their leader.

Not only do we continue to follow interesting and gripping story lines, Marianne shows us how she can create vivid and memorable locations. The Extro planet we visit with Mira is amazing and completely alien while Edo, the junk planet, is great and completely believable. While Marianne has created a realistic setting she has not done so through excessive world building or explanations. The story flows along very nicely and the pace doesn't falter at all, even during the slower sections where we're not quite sure what's going to happen, although the final few scenes are particularly memorable and left me wanting more.

I only really have one gripe with Mirror Space, although this is something I suspect will come to the fore mainly in the last book. Sole, the god entity, is almost completely off the page during the story. While a lot of what goes on indirectly relates to it, we don't have any progression as such for that storyline. It's not a huge problem at all, but one that is noticeable.

Despite the one issue I had, I really can't say how pleased I am with Mirror Space. Not only has it improved once again on its predecessor, it offers a more refined and thoroughly enjoyable space opera experience. While the series may ultimately hang on the finale in Transformation Space and the answers it will reveal, Mirror Space has once again shown that the Sentients of Orion series is one that deserves your attention and that Marianne is a writer worthy of praise. Highly recommended.

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk

Cover Art | Xeelee Omnibus by Stephen Baxter (Gollancz)

Stephen Baxter's epic sequence of Xeelee novels was introduced to a new generation of readers with his highly successful quartet, Destiny's Children, published by Gollancz between 2003 and 2006. But the sequence of novels began with RAFT in 1991.

From there it built into perhaps the most ambitious fictitious universe ever created. Beginning with the rise and fall of sub-quantum civilisations in the first nano-seconds after the Big Bang and ending with the heat death of the universe billions of years from now the series charts the story of mankinds epic war against the ancient and unknowable alien race the Xeelee.

Along the way it examines questions of physics, the nature of reality, the evolution of mankind and its possible future. It looks not just at the morality of war but at the morality of survival and our place in the universe.

This is a landmark in SF.

I've never read the Xeelee books by Stephen Baxter, but with this upcoming omnibus I definitely plan on picking it up. One problem - it's a 900 page beast! Being released next March by Gollancz in a spine breaking trade paperback and much more suitable hardback, it contains Raft, Timelike Infinity, Flux and Ring. A must for any science fiction fan!

Review | Cadian Blood by Aaron Dembski-Bowden (Black Library)

Title: Cadian Blood
Author: Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Publisher: Black Library
Format: Paperback
Pages: 352
Release Date: 5th October 2009

When the Imperial shrine world of Kathur is blighted by Chaos, the brave Guardsmen of Cadia are sent to reclaim it. The plague of Nurgle has set in deeply on the planet, forcing the Cadians into battle with an innumerable legion of the infected. In the midst of battle, Captain Parmenion Thade is thrust into an unlikely commanding role. Yet, he cannot imagine what lies ahead on Kathur, and just how important it will be to ensure victory there.

When I first heard of Cadian Blood I knew I just had to read it. Not only was it set in the Warhammer 40K universe (which I am loving more and more), but it was a W40K book with zombies in. I love zombie stories, but I was very curious about how this was going to fit in the Warhammer setting, although I did have some ideas. Suffice to say that although it did what it said on the tin and gave the reader some zombie vs imperial guard action, it also gave an excellent story that wasn't constrained in any way and used the subject matter to expand the general premise.

Debmski-Bowden doesn't hang around with Cadian Blood and jumps straight into the action on the planet of Kathur. This is both a good way to introduce the main antagonists of the story, to bring our characters into the fold and also demonstrate just how capable he is at close fought battles, tactics and descriptiveness. It's through these descriptions that he paints a gloomy picture of the shrineworld of Kathur and the conditions that the imperial forces are facing. More than once I stopped to re-read some of the sections to fully appreciate the fighting going on. Yes, it may all be chainswords on las guns taking down hordes of the infected, but this isn't simply a hack and slash novel - it has a story and good progression, both of plot and characters.

Although we're immediately introduced to the ground fighting troops and their experiences against the infected, we start to see more behind the enemy than just the fodder. When we get the odd force of chaos thrown into the mix the action cranks up a level and the intense rush that accompanies it comes through clearly on the page. It is clear from the start that something is not quite right on Kathur and it is through the eyes of Thade and his men that start digging to find just what the problem is.

Speaking of Thade and his men, these guys are a throughly bad-ass squad, raised to fight and are extremely good at what they do. This is where the story splits me slightly - with a squad as good as this in a situation that, although pretty dire, has a fairly predictable outcome (i.e. the good guys are going to win) I struggled to see where any real peril or danger would come from. Granted, towards the end the events unfold to cast a huge shadow over Kathur that seriously shake things up, but this seemed a bit too late in the day to cause any continued feeling of real threat throughout the novel. Dembski-Bowden does disadvantage his soldiers through limited use of weapons so that the landmarks of the shrine world remain relatively unaffected, but I never truly felt that the threat to the men was that grave.

Despite this one point I thoroughly enjoyed Cadian Blood. Not only did it live up to expectations, it surpassed them many times. The story was much more than I originally thought it would be and it expanded the Warhammer 40K universe a little more for me. This is the sort of book that once you pick up won't be put down easily, and for its length it delivers a great story with a lot packed in and much to admire. Highly recommended!

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

Cover Art | Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding (Gollancz)

Frey is the captain of the Ketty Jay, leader of a small and highly dysfunctional band of layabouts. An inveterate womaniser and rogue, he and his gang make a living on the wrong side of the law, avoiding the heavily armed flying frigates of the Coalition Navy. With their trio of ragged fighter craft, they run contraband, rob airships and generally make a nuisance of themselves.

So a hot tip on a cargo freighter loaded with valuables seems like a great prospect for an easy heist and a fast buck. Until the heist goes wrong, and the freighter explodes. Suddenly Frey isn't just a nuisance anymore - he's public enemy number one, with the Coalition Navy on his tail and contractors hired to take him down.

But Frey knows something they don't. That freighter was rigged to blow, and Frey has been framed to take the fall. If he wants to prove it, he's going to have to catch the real culprit. He must face liars and lovers, dogfights and gunfights, Dukes and daemons.

It's going to take all his criminal talents to prove he's not the criminal they think he is ...

Retribution Falls was released earlier this year by Gollancz and was a great read (see my review here). The cover for the book (above) is pretty impressive and is a great indication of what to expect. However, Gollancz have decided to mix it up a little for the mass market release due next April:


Thoughts? Personally I quite like the text change and closer look it presents, though I'm not too keen on the bluish background to the text. Good for the mass market, but the trade and hardcover suit having the cleaner style.

If you've not read this one yet I seriously suggest picking it up - it's a blast to read!

Review | The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert VS Redick (Gollancz)

Title: The Red Wolf Conspiracy
Author: Robert VS Redick
Publisher: Gollancz
Format: Trade Paperback
Pages: 480
Release Date: 1st February 2008

The Chathrand - The Great Ship, The Wind-Palace, His Supremacy's First Fancy - is the last of her kind - built 600 years ago she dwarves all the ships around her. The secrets of her construction are long lost. She was the pride of the Empire. The natural choice for the great diplomatic voyage to seal the peace with the last of the Emperor's last enemies.

700 souls boarded her. Her sadistic Captain Nilus Rose, the Emperor's Ambassador and Thasha, the daughter he plans to marry off to seal the treaty, a spy master and six assassins, one hunderd imperial marines, Pazel the tarboy gifted and cursed by his mother's spell and a small band of Ixchel. The Ixchel sneaked aboard and now hide below decks amongst the rats. Intent on their own mission.

But there is treachery afoot. Behind the plans for peace lies the shadow of war and the fear that a dead king might live again. And now the Chathrand, having survived countless battles and centuries of typhoons has gone missing.

This is her story.

Since starting to read more fantasy this year there have been a few novels that get good recommendations from sources I trust. The Red Wolf Conspiracy by debut author Robert V.S. Redick is one that falls into this category and has come to my attention now because of the release of the sequel, The Rats and the Ruling Sea. Whenever a series gets a new addition talk of the previous books comes up and I was pleased to hear what I did - enough to make sure that I had the first book read and ready for the sequel upon its release. Well, not quite, but almost! What I found in The Red Wolf Conspiracy was a book that gave me what I enjoy in fiction these days - interesting characters, a great setting and world building, and a story that has a depth to it that gives the reader much to think about.

The first thing I have to talk about is the setting, and specifically the Chathrand - look at the cover above and it will give you an idea of the sheer size of this thing. The Chathrand is a character in its own right and is the last of the Great Ships. The descriptions that Robert VS Redick uses when talking of the Chathrand are superb and bring some great visualisations, although he does not bog down the story with unnecessary passages, everything we read has a purpose and we learn about the ships along with the characters.

With the Chathrand used for a supposed voyage of peace between two empires - Mzithrin and Arqual - that have a long and bloodied history, we have many different characters and races on board for the journey. Among these is Captain Rose, the former captain chosen once again to run the ship, although to the disdain of many people due to his violent history. We also have Thasha, daughter of the Arqualian Emperor's ambassador, who is due to marry into the Mzithrini to cement the peace everyone is hoping for. Perhaps the main character of the novel is a young tarboy by the name of Pazel Pathkendle, the son of a traitor and in possession of a unique gift that allows him to understand any language when it is spoken - very helpful on a ship where many are spoken.

Redick handles the characters with flair and allows the meetings and exchanges between them to show more than simple story progression. We get to find out more of the history of Alifros, what preconceptions and prejudices that certain characters and countries have, and also what motivates the characters. I know this is something that should be done in every good novel, but Redick manages to build characters that are relatable and enjoyable while never losing sight of the wider picture.

Some of the other things I found I enjoyed with The Red Wolf Conspiracy were the more typical fantasy elements. Magic is practiced and spells are imparted with great effort involved, while the hint at another world elsewhere is made clear when relating to one particular character. We also have many creatures, from the tiny Ixchel to the huge Augrong, that populate this world which Redick has created. We also have 'woken' animals, those that have gained sentience, and although this is interesting, it does raise some questions on how and why this happens. Still, the world of The Red Wolf Conspiracy is truly amazing and has much to admire.

I would say that picking up The Red Wolf Conspiracy has left me wanting much more of what Robert V.S. Redick has to offer. Luckily I can jump straight into The Rats and the Ruling Sea and continue to follow this great journey. Only problem I have now is the waiting until the third book is released - blast these fantasy writers and their multiple volume stories!!

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