What I've been Reading

(Ratings: 10 is perfection, 5 acceptable, 1 a waste of paper)

The Diamond Age, by Neil Stephenson

Nanotech meets the Brothers Grimm in Neil Stephenson's The Diamond Age, in the form of a "ractive" (reactive) primer for young girls. Stephenson's writing is more solid than in his earlier Snow Crash, and his technology is suitably amazing -- he's pretty well defined nanotech and redefined cyberpunk in one swoop. I was enthralled by the book until the last 50 pages or so, when the pace begin to falter. The book unfortunately feels like it was "wrapped up" merely to do so, and the absence of an epilog really hurts it -- I would have liked to see the effects of the final reunion scene, not just the event itself. Even so, this is a "must read" for any cyberpunk fans.

Ratings
Ideas	10
Writing	7.5
Satisfaction	7.5

Poul Anderson's Three Hearts and Three Lions is one of the original sources of the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy game, containing the inspiration for the paladin class and the regenerating troll. It's a standard normal-thrust-into-fantasy novel, B grade stuff but fun nonetheless. It's mostly good reading a historical piece, as the quality of writing doesn't meet the advances in the genre -- I'm glad I found a copy, as it puts a bit more of my favorite game in to perspective.

Ratings
Ideas	4
Writing	4
Satisfaction	5

Citizen in Space, by Robert Sheckley

Sheckley's collections are always amusing, and Citizen in Space is no exception. It features gems from the 50s, including a tale of the son of satanists being tempted by The Accountant, a man with a Skulking Permit, and a planet where any citizen can execute the president if they're unhappy. The stories are just long enough to convey the message (and the joke) without boring, producing a book that's not so much reading as a nice snack.

Ratings
Ideas	6
Writing	6
Satisfaction	6.5

My Home Sweet Home, by Giovanni Guareschi

My Home Sweet Home is a collection of short stories by the always amusing Guareschi, focusing on his family (his wife, his son, and his daughter), and written in a distinctly tongue-in-cheek style. Guareschi is clearly not the master of his own home -- the household is run partly by his strong-willed wife, but mostly by his fiery daughter, called "The Passionara" in the early parts of the book. The tales in the book range from moral to humorous to poignant, but all are worth the reading. My personal favorite concerns Giovanni's effort to be fed one of his favorite food, with the result that he eats nothing else but it for the next several months (the story ends with him polishing off the last piece).

Ratings
Ideas	6
Writing	6.5
Satisfaction	6.5

Irrational Numbers, by George Alec Effinger

I'm normally a big fan of George Alec Effinger, but found Irrational Numbers too downbeat to be an enjoyable collection. It's a selection of shorts, including two more stories about the five directors, that all are rooted fairly deeply in the darker parts of human nature. The book is long on creepy endings, short on humor and humanity. Pass on it unless you're a maniac about reading everything by your favorite authors.

Ratings
Ideas	6
Writing	4
Satisfaction	4

Psycho Shop, by Alfred Bester and Roger Zelazny

How often do you get to read a book published after the death of both authors? Psycho Shop is Bester's last, unfinished work -- completed by Roger Zelazny, who died before it saw print. The book has nice rhythm, reminiscent of the best portions of Golem 100 and The Decievers, but a more serious bent, and much more real characters. I have little doubt it would be remembered as Bester's master work had he lived to complete it.

The book concerns a reporter of mysterious character, interviewing and working with the owner of the world's strangest knick-knack shop -- in it, people from all times can trade in parts of themselves for what they want, and more importantly what they need. A writer can get the words to describe what only he can see, an alien can trade in bodily parts, and a snake and a more-than-man can find love together. Riveting!

Ratings
Ideas	8.5
Writing	6.5
Satisfaction	7

Don Camillo has the Devil by the Tail, by Giovanni Guareschi

Guaereschi's Don Camillo series are a series of short stories about a small Italian village near the Po River, and the conflicts between its good-hearted (but hot-tempered) Catholic Priest, and Peppone, the local Communist mayor (good-hearted, but misguided). The tales are clever moral allegories, rarely insulting, always amusing. Most importantly, the "good guy" doesn't always win.

Devil by the Tail is more of the same, starting with a clever story of Don Camillo disposing of an ugly statue in his church -- and being observed in the process of one of Peppone's men. In the resulting chaos, Don Camillo not only gets the statue back, but has to put it in a more prominent place in his church. Other tales include love stories, hunting stories, and more.

Ratings
Ideas	6
Writing	7
Satisfaction	6.5

My Secret Diary, by Giovanni Guareschi

Giovanni Guareschi is best known for his Don Camillo books, but has also done a number of novels based on his own life. My Secret Diary is his tale of his years spent in a German prison camp during World War II, when he was imprisoned for "unsoldierly conduct". It's his "secret diary" because his real diary -- meticulously kept and rewritten -- was too personal for public consumption. He wrote My Secret Diary based on his writings as a prisoner, approved for (and with the voice of) his fellow prisoners. The result is a funny yet bittersweet book, bringing home both the despair of being imprisoned and starving, and the importance of keeping humor and hope alive.

Ratings
Ideas	6
Writing	5
Satisfaction	6.5

Samurai from Outer Space, by Antonia Levi

Samurai from Outer Space is a non-fiction book dealing with anime (Japanese-influenced animation), aimed at people just getting in to the genre. It assumes that the reader has little experience with Japanese cultures or traditions, and explains some of the stranger conventions of anime (effeminate characters, occult Christian symbols, buddhist influences, and the like). I'm a sometimes fan of the genre, and haven't really seen much anime beyond the usual (Robotech, Starblazers, Akira), but the book still gave me many new insights into what I've seen. If you enjoy anime and aren't Japanese, this book's for you.

Ratings
Information	7
Presentation	6
Satisfaction	7

I, Claudius and Claudius the God, by Robert Graves

I'm a nut for good historical literature, and Robert Graves' Claudius books are among the best. I, Claudius tells of the youth of young Claudius, future emperor of Rome, and his survival of the intrigues of Augustus, Tiberius, and the mad Emperor Caligula. It's told in a friendly, confiding style, filled with inside details of Imperial scandals and the personal musings of Claudius. Throughout the book, Claudius' contemporaries view him as a stuttering fool and probable idiot, not worthy of attention or poison. The book eventually ends in a surprising twist (amazing considering that it's the obvious ending), as Claudius is crowned Emperor of Rome. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

The second book, Claudius the God, concerns Claudius' life as Emperor of Rome, his great works and conquest of Britain, and his eventual descent into tyranny. It also has a rather amusing series of interludes with Herod, king of the Jews, and eventual pretender to the title of the Messiah. Although this book is well-crafted and exciting, it lacks the light-hearted humor of the first book -- perhaps because it is doomed to an unhappy ending. It makes a fitting companion volume to I, Claudius, but is unmistakably not its equal.

Ratings
I, Claudius			Claudius the God
Ideas	7		Ideas	7
Writing	8		Writing	7
Satisfaction	8		Satisfaction	6.5

Meeting at Infinity, by John Brunner

Meeting at Infinity, published in 1961, foreshadows Brunner's brilliant Stand on Zanzibar with similar characters, culture, and slang ("yonderboys"). It's a decent read, dealing with the issues of dimensional travel and corporate empires. Like all of Brunner's books, the workings of the future society are rich and detailed, and the characters a good mix of the talented, the luckless, and the bad. Unfortunately, the book doesn't so much end as fizzle out -- but I'd still recommend it to Brunner fans.

Ratings
Ideas	6
Writing	5
Satisfaction	6

Untouched by Human Hands, by Robert Sheckley

From the opening page, I knew Untouched by Human Hands was a great collection: "Damn. I have to go home and kill my wife". A perfect line, one that was probably written before the story was even begun. Sheckley's work is like that -- his stories read like they are frameworks for a concept, rather than just stories. Fortunately, his concepts are always worth reading. Untouched by Human Hands mixes demonology, first contact, thrillers, and doomed space missions, all with Sheckley's unmistakable comic touch. Sheckley is frequently listed as an influence for today's science fiction talents, and with good reason. If you've never read his books, pick a few up -- you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Ratings
Ideas	6
Writing	6
Satisfaction	7

Return to the Keep on the Borderlands [AD&D supplement], by John D. Rateliff

The original Keep is a Dungeons and Dragon classic, probably played by more people than any other gaming product. The sequel builds and expands upon this module, which has been moved to the World of Greyhawk. Unfortunately, the Greyhawk content of the module is practically nil, and the module is written more as a 4th to 6th level adventure than as a beginner's module. The quality of the adventure is acceptable, but the editing is a bit wanting, and the module is filled with humor that comes across as misplaced and inappropriate in a "serious" module. Overall, I have to rate a "thumbs down" on this product, although it's a decent starting point for Gamemasters who modify their material.

Ratings
Quality	4
Usability	4
Satisfaction	3

The Scarlet Brotherhood [AD&D supplement], by Sean Reynolds

The Scarlet Brotherhood is an AD&D game supplement dealing with the southern lands of the World of Greyhawk setting, including the Amedio Jungle, Hepmonaland, and of course the Scarlet Brotherhood. It's an excellent campaign resource -- rich in detail, but flexible enough to be used in an ongoing campaign. Sean Reynolds appears to be just hitting his stride in game design, I'm looking forward to his next product.

Ratings
Quality	7
Usability	7
Satisfaction	7

The Midwich Cuckoos, by John Wyndham

The Midwich Cuckoos is a science fiction classic, the inspiration for both of the Village of the Damned movies. It concerns a small British village that is visited by spaceships, resulting in a "lost day" for the village. This is alarming enough, but within a few weeks it develops that all of the women in the town are pregnant -- with children implanted by the aliens, like the cuckoo who lays eggs in another bird's nest. The rest of the book is a chilling horror tale, dealing with the rapid growth of the children, and their effects on the town. A must-read as example of how to make horror scary, instead of just gross.

Ratings
Ideas	7
Writing	6
Satisfaction	7

The War of Powers series, by Robert E. Vardeman and Victor Milan
The Sundered Realm (book 1)
The City in the Glacier (book 2)
The Destiny Stone (book 3)
The Fallen Ones (book 4)
In the Shadow of Omizantrim (book 5)
Demon of the Dark Ones (book 6)

The War of Powers is a lusty, barbarian-style fantasy series, reminiscent of the older style (Howard and Leiber) rather than the newer, "cleaner" fantasy series. I enjoyed it immensely -- it combines an intriguing plot, an expansive and detailed world, and a distinctive dark flavor (evil, from the beginning, holds all the cards) with a hearty dose of bloodshed and sex. The books concern a war between two sisters for the rule of a flying city, and the alliances each sister makes with dark powers to triumph -- and the catastrophic results. One sister, Morianna, serves (inasmuch) the forces of good, personified by the Wise Ones, the other sister, Synalon, is married to the Lords of Darkness. Each is aided by a variety of allies, including snow barbarians, a heroic courier, two bottled genies, and a half-dwarf/half-human sea captain. All are well-developed, particularly for the genre. I'm particularly impressed that the series managed to stretch out 6 books with bogging down -- a rare feat in fantasy. If you're looking for a departure from your usual fare, give this series a try -- the worst thing I can say about it is that it's fairly hard to find.

Ratings
Ideas	4
Writing	6
Satisfaction	7

The Dream Master, by Roger Zelazny

I normally enjoy Zelazny's work, but The Dream Master is an unfortunate exception. The subject matter is compelling -- Charles Render, the main character, is a "Shaper", a psychotherapist who treats his patients through dream manipulation. The story concerns his efforts to aid Eileen Shallot, a blind psychiatrist who wants to become a Shaper herself. Unfortunately, the story gets tangled up in abstract writing, Render's worries of suicide, and a side plot with Render's wife. Ultimately the book comes to an unsatisfactory and unfinished close, leaving it as a failed effort at experimental writing.

Ratings
Ideas	6.5
Writing	4
Satisfaction	3.5

Encounter Near Venus, by Leonard Wibberly

Wibberly is most famous for his satiric masterpiece, The Mouse that Roared. Encounter Near Venus is one of his children's books, and a brilliant demonstration of how to write children's literature that isn't insulting, and that appeals to adults as well. Encounter is filled with enticing imagery, clever allegory, and a smattering of words that will challenge even an adult's vocabulary -- exactly the sort of book I most enjoyed in early reading years. It details four children's trip to a moon of venus with their eccentric uncle, wrapped up in a retelling of the Garden of Eden, and a coming of age for both the children and the alien entities known as lumens (superficially similar to fireflies). If you have children, and can find it, this one's a winner.

Ratings
Ideas	4
Writing	6
Satisfaction	7

Those Gentle Voices, by George Alec Effinger

Although I'd rate it a good read, Those Gentle Voices felt curiously unfinished to me. It's one of George Alec Effinger's (an author I cannot recommend highly enough) earliest books, about humanity's first contact with a primitive human-like planet. The book evolves into a fascinating riddle of who's directing whom, and comes to an intriguing in, with characters from one of Effinger's best shorts introduced towards the end. However, it also left me wondering about the final fates of several of the earlier characters, and I think it could have used another 50 or so pages.

Ratings
Ideas	6
Writing	4
Satisfaction	6

Interstellar Empire, by John Brunner

Like many other science fiction authors, John Brunner tried his hands at the "Swords and Spaceships" genre -- hi-tech travel combined with low-tech cultures. The result is Interstellar Empire, about the future collapse of a human galactic empire -- built upon the foundation of starships left by an ancient race. It's fairly typical fare for the genre: lots of action and love, but not a lot of philosophical meat. I enjoyed it, but found it unchallenging for a Brunner.

Ratings
Ideas	3
Writing	4
Satisfaction	5

The Rule of the Door, by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.

Lloyd biggle, Jr. is a hopelessly obscure science fiction author of considerable talent. The Rule of the Door is a collection of his shorts, centered around human psychology. The initial story, "The Rule of the Door", is an uplifting piece about the problems of finding a truly evil human -- not dissimilar from the final piece, "Wings of Song", about the heartbreak of trying to bring back the past. In general, the stories range from good to excellent, and if you can find a copy, pick it up! It's a rare and quality read.

Ratings
Ideas	8
Writing	6
Satisfaction	7.5

The Changewinds, by Jack L. Chalker

The Changewinds is a trade edition of Chalker's trilogy of the same name. My first comment is that apparently Baen is getting sloppy -- the printing was ladden with typos, mostly obvious typesetting errors rather than author errors. Beyond that, it's standard Chalker fair: lots of body alterations, strange magical curses, and a mathematical logic to the wizards of the world. It tells the story of two teenaged girls who are transferred to the "base" of the universe (sort of an Amber-in-reverse), and dragged into a war between Boolean, a "good" wizard, and his arch-enemy, Klittichorn. The two are lost in the wilderness, and in their two-year journey to reach Boolean learn the limits of themselves and their respective views on life. This book made me realized that I'm a bit weary of Chalker's style -- although I like him as an author, this book largely treads ground that he's gone over before, and I'm not certain I'll purchase any of his newer series. Even so, if you aren't overdosed on Chalker (I own 40 Chalker books, and count him as one of my favorite authors), I give it a moderate recommendation. The writing shows improvement, and the setting is original, but too many of the elements are reused.

Ratings
Ideas	5
Writing	6
Satisfaction	4

The Whole Man, by John Brunner

The Whole Man is a trio of Brunner shorts, rewritten into a cohesive whole. It tells the story of Gerald Howson, the world's greatest curative telepath, as crippled in body as he is great in mind. Like most of Brunner's books, it is a thinking piece: Howson is used as a vehicle for communicating Brunner's thoughts on the ego, motivation, and the ultimate goodness of people in specific, despite the ills we perpetrate en masse. I recommend this book highly -- it's not a earthshaking book, but it may well affect the way you see your own life.

Ratings
Ideas	7
Writing	8
Satisfaction	7

The Wicked Cyborg, by Ron Goulart

Most of Ron Goulart's books are clownish, and the The Wicked Cyborg is no exception. It's an update of the classic "lost heir" children's story, with the hapless child locked away on a remote estate, and fed only bread and water. He eventually finds his late uncle's robot, Electro, and repairs and reactivates him. The story leaps ahead to a predictable conclusion after this -- with some laughs along the way. Overall, I found The Wicked Cyborg disappointing, especially compared to the other Barnum System books. It reads like a mis-marketed children's book, and lacks the adult appeal of Heinlein's work in that vein.

Ratings
Ideas	4
Writing	5
Satisfaction	4

A Whiff of Madness, by Ron Goulart

A Whiff of Madness is a delightful romp, set in Goulart's Barnum System (a group of planets, each crazier than the last). In it, a roving reporter for the Muckraker seeks to unmask the notorious Phantom of the Fog, aided by a breast-obsessed reporter, a beautiful princess, and a highwaywoman who wants to reform. Although it's fairly racy, the book manages to stay this side of PG-13 -- and it's one of the best books for laughs I've read this year.

Ratings
Ideas	4
Writing	5.5
Satisfaction	6.5

The Logan Trilogy, by William F. Nolan

I first read Logan's Run in 1983, when I was in the hospital with an eye injury. I enjoyed it a fair bit, and was surprised years later when I found out there were two other Logan books, Logan's World and Logan's Search. All three are notably superior to the movie (which I did enjoy), opting for a hefty dose of introspection and morality mixed in with non-stop action. Of the three, I enjoyed Logan's World the most. Nolan's style had matured considerably in the decade between the first and second books, and the story had a more believable texture to it. The third book, Logan's Search is entertaining enough, but the idea had become a bit played out -- it reads as more an afterthought to the series, rather than a sequel.

Ratings
Logan's Run			Logan's World			Logan's Search
Ideas	7		Ideas	7		Ideas	6
Writing	5		Writing	6		Writing	6
Satisfaction	6		Satisfaction	7		Satisfaction	5

The Seeds of Time, by John Wyndham

The Seeds of Time is another Wyndham collection, of his more experimental stories. While all of them are interesting, they lack the polished quality of the stories in Consider Her Ways. Most of the stories come off a bit a simplistic -- the experimentation is more in style than in resolution. I did enjoy this book, particularly because I read it just after his other collection -- I'd recommend Wyndham fans take them as a group, reading this book second.

Ratings
Ideas	5
Writing	5
Satisfaction	6

Consider Her Ways and Others, by John Wyndham

"Consider Her Ways" is a uniquely disturbing time travel/bodily displacement story by John Wyndham, most famous for the science fiction classic The Day of the Triffids. It details a world in which the male population has been wiped out by a rogue virus, and the surviving women have built up a world around female liberation, and an ant-like hive design (the source of the title is a biblical quote about the ant queen). The book is filled with several other stories, ranging from uplifting to amusing to wistful sadness. All of the stories are oriented around either time travel or mind swapping, and are worth the time if you can find a copy.

Ratings
Ideas	7
Writing	5
Satisfaction	7

Manshape, by John Brunner

An intriguing book in the humanity-returns-to-the-stars vein: a future Earth is recontacting old colonies via a new technology called "the Bridge System". Manshape is an essay on the importance of goals to our well-being, and the danger of grand designs (the Bridge System) overshadowing individualism and personal achievement. Another fascinating idea by John Brunner, although of only average quality for him.

Ratings
Ideas	8
Writing	7
Satisfaction	6

Phaid the Gambler and Citizen Phaid, by Mick Farren

Another futuristic story set in a post-holocaust wasteland. In this case, the great disaster was caused by human decline -- mankind lost control of the machines they had created. Farren creates an interesting universe, although his villain's powers are a bit too reminiscent of Darth Vader. A fun read, but not recommended to less voracious readers.

Ratings
Ideas	5
Writing	5
Satisfaction	5.5