Wednesday, May 30, 2001
Dark Passions, Book One
by Susan Wright
This is the first book I'd like to toss in the Elbe River without any real passion. It's not evil, it's not heretical, it's just dull. The background of the tale stems from the original Star Trek series on TV. In an episode called "Mirror, Mirror", Captain Kirk and three other crew members found themselves in an alternate universe where everyone was cruel and selfish. The story follows the quartet's attempts to get back home and maintain their cover without compromising their morality. Years later, the series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine did a sequel, titled "Crossover". This was less a morality tale than a chance for the actors of the series to ham it up playing bad guys. Dark Passions is a two novel prequel to the latter episode. It lacks the moral dilemma of "Mirror, Mirror", as well as the broad acting of "Crossover". It even lacks the eroticism hinted at by the title and cover illustration. (A trio of lether clad, female Trek characters.) What's left is a rather bland tale of political manuverings and the slight pleasure of catching the similarities between the alternate universe and the "real" one. Do yourself a favor and pass this one by.
LibraryThing link
This is the first book I'd like to toss in the Elbe River without any real passion. It's not evil, it's not heretical, it's just dull. The background of the tale stems from the original Star Trek series on TV. In an episode called "Mirror, Mirror", Captain Kirk and three other crew members found themselves in an alternate universe where everyone was cruel and selfish. The story follows the quartet's attempts to get back home and maintain their cover without compromising their morality. Years later, the series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine did a sequel, titled "Crossover". This was less a morality tale than a chance for the actors of the series to ham it up playing bad guys. Dark Passions is a two novel prequel to the latter episode. It lacks the moral dilemma of "Mirror, Mirror", as well as the broad acting of "Crossover". It even lacks the eroticism hinted at by the title and cover illustration. (A trio of lether clad, female Trek characters.) What's left is a rather bland tale of political manuverings and the slight pleasure of catching the similarities between the alternate universe and the "real" one. Do yourself a favor and pass this one by.
LibraryThing link
Wednesday, May 23, 2001
Approaching Oblivion
by Harlan Ellison
If I had this book in front of me, I could tell you all about it. But I don't, so I really don't know what to tell you. That's how inspiring this book has been to me. I mean, it's Ellison, so it's guaranteed to be good waiting room material at the very least. (Unless you're a SF fan who hates Ellison's guts as well as everything he's ever written.) I can tell you that I truly enjoyed reading it -- I just couldn't tell you exactly why. No one story has lodged in my memory as a reason for you to read the book. (Unlike, say, "Grail" in Stalking the Nightmare or the excellent "Jeffty is Five" from Shatterday.) So I'll be honest and not try to overrate the book by bumping it up a rating. Mr. Ellison gets plenty of good press without me.
LibraryThing link
If I had this book in front of me, I could tell you all about it. But I don't, so I really don't know what to tell you. That's how inspiring this book has been to me. I mean, it's Ellison, so it's guaranteed to be good waiting room material at the very least. (Unless you're a SF fan who hates Ellison's guts as well as everything he's ever written.) I can tell you that I truly enjoyed reading it -- I just couldn't tell you exactly why. No one story has lodged in my memory as a reason for you to read the book. (Unlike, say, "Grail" in Stalking the Nightmare or the excellent "Jeffty is Five" from Shatterday.) So I'll be honest and not try to overrate the book by bumping it up a rating. Mr. Ellison gets plenty of good press without me.
LibraryThing link
Labels: HarlanEllison, WaitingRoomMaterial
Wednesday, May 16, 2001
Lord of Light
by Roger Zelazny
Good book. I enjoyed reading it. Not much else to say about it really. The premise is that long ago, a group of spacefarers from Earth landed on a planet and settled there. Over the years they have set up a sheltered society, based loosely on the Hindu religion. Many of the original crew, the First, still live by transferring to new bodies. They have assumed the role of the Hindu pantheon, aided by technology and cultivated psychic powers. One party of the First want to keep the status quo by restricting the commoner's access to technology. They manage to take control and get a firm grip on things. One of the other party, Sam, wants to liberate the oppressed normals. The book documents two attempts he makes to do that. (The book had two copyright dates, so I suspect that the novel is an expansion of an earlier story.) As I said, I enjoyed reading it, but it did not excite me too greatly. Perhaps if I was better versed in Hinduism I'd have appreciated it more. Maybe not. However, I would definitely want to finish the book if I picked it up in a waiting room, so I'll rate it check it out.
LibraryThing link
Good book. I enjoyed reading it. Not much else to say about it really. The premise is that long ago, a group of spacefarers from Earth landed on a planet and settled there. Over the years they have set up a sheltered society, based loosely on the Hindu religion. Many of the original crew, the First, still live by transferring to new bodies. They have assumed the role of the Hindu pantheon, aided by technology and cultivated psychic powers. One party of the First want to keep the status quo by restricting the commoner's access to technology. They manage to take control and get a firm grip on things. One of the other party, Sam, wants to liberate the oppressed normals. The book documents two attempts he makes to do that. (The book had two copyright dates, so I suspect that the novel is an expansion of an earlier story.) As I said, I enjoyed reading it, but it did not excite me too greatly. Perhaps if I was better versed in Hinduism I'd have appreciated it more. Maybe not. However, I would definitely want to finish the book if I picked it up in a waiting room, so I'll rate it check it out.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut
Wednesday, May 09, 2001
Time Tunnel
by Murray Leinster
This is a nice little time travel tale about a group of people who have a "time tunnel" between 1804 and 1964. (that was the present back when the book was written) It's not one of the great novels of science fiction, but it got me through a flight from Chicago. Anyway, the scenario is this: One of the protagonists, Harrison, has found evidence of a time traveller, a certain Messieur de Bassompierre, who had been writing of advanced technology to the scientific minds of the early 19th Century. Harrison gets in contact with an old professor of his who has created the time tunnel and they attempt to find this de Bassompierre in Napoleanic France and stop his meddling. There are the usual problems of paradox and a bit of romance thrown in. The tale is not overly exciting nor overly boring. 'Tis truly among the best in waiting room material.
LibraryThing link
This is a nice little time travel tale about a group of people who have a "time tunnel" between 1804 and 1964. (that was the present back when the book was written) It's not one of the great novels of science fiction, but it got me through a flight from Chicago. Anyway, the scenario is this: One of the protagonists, Harrison, has found evidence of a time traveller, a certain Messieur de Bassompierre, who had been writing of advanced technology to the scientific minds of the early 19th Century. Harrison gets in contact with an old professor of his who has created the time tunnel and they attempt to find this de Bassompierre in Napoleanic France and stop his meddling. There are the usual problems of paradox and a bit of romance thrown in. The tale is not overly exciting nor overly boring. 'Tis truly among the best in waiting room material.
LibraryThing link
Labels: WaitingRoomMaterial
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