Paul Di Filippo. A Princess of the Linear Jungle. (PS Publishing 2010)
Two years since it was published, but, by diggedy, worth the wait.
Alastair Reynolds. The Six Directions of Space. Subterranean Press, 2008.
There’s a lot to like in the 83 pages, which will satify my Reynolds habit for some time, without having to invest the amount of time necessary to read his last two novels, currently sitting unread on my shelves.
James Patrick Kelly. Burn. Tachyon Publications, 2005.
It is a properly multi-dimensional story, and it may be this complexity that is unsettling as it is not that common in a lot of SF. Kelly weaves these elements together to good effect.
Ken Macleod. The Highway Men. (Sandstone Vista, March 2006.)
This is a cracking little book which will hopefully act as an introduction to SF to some readers who would otherwise not browse the SF shelves of their bookshop or library. It also deserves a wider audience, and could well appear in one of the Year’s Best anthologies next year.
Alastair Reynolds. Understanding Time and Space. Birmingham Science Fiction Group, 2005.
Well worth the read, and with a novella in the recent Science Fiction Book Club, Dozois edited ‘One Million AD’, Reynolds is very much pushing his telescope to its limits!
Alastair Reynolds. Century Rain. Gollancz, 2005.
But the quibbles aside, an engrossing read and a page-turner. Reynolds latest novel, ‘Pushing Ice’ is out in hardback, although I’ll probably wait until next year for the paperback. (You would think Gollancz would supply review copies wouldn’t you?)
Cory Doctorow. Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town. Tor, 2005.
Cory Doctorow is feted as one of the few SF writers out there promoting the
Eric Brown. Approaching Omega. Telos Publishing, 2005.
Eric Brown has been writing for more than a decade, a (very) regular contributor to
Eric Brown. The Extraordinary Voyage of Jules Verne. PS Publishing, 2005.
Whilst I have a suspicion that the 498 pages of the Mammoth Book of New Jules Verne Adventures may well never get read, I can confirm that the slimmer volume in hand was a most enjoyable read (concluding pun notwithstanding) in which Brown gives a convincing impersonation of M Verne. Certainly a better showpiece of Brown’s ability than his recent ‘Approaching Omega’
Brian Aldiss. Sanity and the Lady. PS Publishing, 2004.
A mellow, mature consideration of what it is to be human, which doubtless Aldiss, now in his eighties, feels can be done from the perspective of experience, rather than plot devices involving far-future forest worlds or generation starships.
Alastair Reynolds. Absolution Gap. Gollancz, 2005.
Over the past fortnight I’ve been indulging myself with Alastair Reynolds fourth novel ‘Absolution Gap’
Mary Gentle. Under the Penitence. PS Publishing, 2004.
Gentle’s novel ‘Ash’ published in two volumes in the USA, but as a singleton in
Stephen Baxter. Mayflower II. PS Publishing 2004
Prolific British SF writer Stephen Baxter has an increasingly impressive body of work to his
Gary Greenwood. Jigsaw Men. (PS Publishing, 2004).
Greenwood creates an alternate England : one in which the sun has not set on
Terry Bisson. Dear Abbey. PS Publishing 2003
So, a resounding recommendation from me on this one, with PS Publishing continuing their strong run of form. Read it and weep.
Peter F. Hamilton. Watching Trees Grow. (PS Publishing 2002)
This story had been waiting to be read for some time. The size and weight
Richard Calder. The Twist. (Four Walls Eight Windows 2003)
Richard Calder’s purple (at times turgidly so) prose featured regularly in UK magazine Interzone with
Paul Di Filippo. A Year in Linear City. PS Publishing, 2003.
There is more invention in this short story than I have come across in a long, long time. A shoo-in for the next Year’s Best collections.
Ian McDonald. Tendeleo’s Story. PS Publishing, 2003.
The ending sees her and her lover facing up to the alien challenge and in fact embracing it, and from their own strength rebuilding that which had been taken from them, building a new, very new!, future for themselves and for humanity.
Paul J. McAuley. Making History. PS Publishing 2003.
‘Making History’ is a more thoughtful, human story than others in the sequence, although does suffer slightly as being more of a sequence, and quite possible, the foundation for a novelisation. The ending leaves plenty of scope for future developments.
Stephen Baxter. Reality Dust. PS Publishing, 2003.
Stirring stuff, with the ending, in which the two humans stand there helpless, almost reaching the peaks of Arthur C Clarke (one to whom Baxter is often compared).
Adam Roberts. Park Polar. PS Publishing, 2003.
A bit of a head-scratcher to be honest, as the story is some way below the standard of other published by PS Publishing.
Ken MacLeod. The Human Front. PS Publishing, 2003.
All in all a story which is at times quite powerful and grittily believable, although I think the story could have benefitted from greater length.
Stephen Baxter. Riding the Rock. PS Publishing, 2003.
Thsi classy paperback (David Hardy artwork) reeks of class.
China Mieville. The Tain. PS Publishing, 2003.
A slight volume, but (especially so for those living or working in London) a disturbing, vivid one.
Adam Roberts. Jupiter Magnified. PS Publishing, 2003.
Quite a different story to the two mentioned above, with a vivid image providing an unsettling backdrop to the human reaction to the event being portrayed.