Gradisil

Gradisil

Adam Roberts/Pyr/2007

I was hooked on this book from the first couple of pages. It certainly lives up to the cover description of 'high concept science-fiction". Spanning multiple generations, it tells the story of Gradisil (named for Yggdrasil, the World Tree of Norse mythology), her immediate family and the political and military struggle she wages to establish a nation in "the Uplands", as the loose collection of Earth orbiting habitats is called.

The future technology is well thought out, as well as the directions humanity itself might take. The characters are excellently executed and thoroughly believable. There is plenty of depth to their actions, illustrated where necessary by well-constructed 'train of thought' chapters.

The author, a respected academic, has produced a valuable addition to the canon of print-worthy science fiction. Even the most ardent non-fan of the genre should find plenty in this book to keep them turning pages.

I've seen some reviewers complain about the language of the book, where letters are dropped, or even invented. However, as an indicator of the evolution of language, it is sensibly and sensitively done.

Contact Zero

Contact Zero

David Wolstencroft/2006/Onyx

I am familiar with the tv series 'Spooks', which I have seen on BBC. What I particularly enjoyed about the show was that most of the agents were pretty much ordinary young men and women, who experienced the usual growing pains both within their work and in the world at large. This book is somewhat similar.

I found the story engaging, and the flashbacks were timed and executed well. The plot worked on a number of layers, and spanned the globe from Brazil to Thailand and all points in between.

The book opens with a number of young agents meeting death in a variety of locations and methods. Some of the surviving members of the 'blown' worldwide network set out in search of safety.

I'll be looking out for any other books by Wolstencroft, as I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Mister Roberts

Mister Roberts

Alexei Sayle/2008/Sceptre

For his maniacal performances, in my formative years, Sayle probably earns the title of "My Favourite Liverpudlian". I wasn't sure what to expect from his novels, having seen his more recent television offerings, which, while informative and inciteful in their own way, couldn't quite hold my attention the way his comedy did.

I finished Overtaken over the course of a single night, and enjoyed it thoroughly. I'm working my way through 'Mister Roberts' and will finish this particular stint with Weeping Women Hotel.

The same wit and off-the-wall imagination that I expected from my memories of his comedy flowed through the books. The eponymous 'Mister Roberts' is a fine example of Sayle's inventiveness - a technologically advanced human-sized body suit designed to be used by aliens. This artifact is then the focus of the central plot of a fast-paced and intricate tale.