But he’s having a little trouble with a part of his equation.
Word gets around that an earthquake is coming. On the day of the predicted disaster the flaw in the equation is revealed.
Wednesday, 28 March 2018
A Slight Miscalculation by Ben Bova
Sunday, 25 March 2018
Wednesday, 21 March 2018
Escape! by Ben Bova
Here we explore a re-imagined penal system.
A young man is sent to The Center which is run by a kind-hearted director who created the facility to help inmates learn the skills needed to re-enter society.
The Center runs incredibly well with the help of an AI. Having been written in 1970 it is amazing to see how very close we are today to achieving this kind of advancement.
I found the story well told. I could see it adapted into a movie very easily.
Ben Bova's website - http://benbova.com/
Ben Bova's website - http://benbova.com/
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| Ben Bova |
Monday, 19 March 2018
Triumph of the City by Edward Glaeser - Book Report #223
How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier
Well this came as a surprise to me. When I was adding labels to this post the author's name came up as a pre-selection.
Hmm.
Yup. I've read this book before and completely forgot about it. The difference today is that I enjoyed it as an audiobook.
After reading the old post from 2015 I find that the book made the same impression on me now as it did then.
Let me lead you back to that post for a review.
Edward Glaeser's website - https://scholar.harvard.edu/glaeser
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| Edward Glaeser |
Sunday, 18 March 2018
Wednesday, 14 March 2018
RECOIL! by Micky Neilson
If you liked the first Die Hard movie you'll get an idea of the structure of the story. There is even a quick reference to the movie.
Jimmy is a young man who has been allowed to work on a new first-person shooter by a friend. He is allowed to create textures for the game, after hours at the office. One day he gets engrossed in simply playing the game in its "alpha" phase. He loses track of time and when he finally stops he discovers that the office is taken over by armed thugs.
What follows is a cat and mouse situation where Jimmy just wants to get out of danger. But then the circumstances change.
The story was a stand out in the collection.
Micky Neilson's website - http://www.mickyneilson.com/
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| Micky Neilson |
Monday, 12 March 2018
Dayfall by Michael David Ares - Book Report #222
I am a big fan of SF mysteries, which can have a wonderful twist on the noir novel.
If you're a bit of a detective fiction fan you'll love the sprinkling of classic PI names used throughout the book. That little tip of the hat made me extremely happy.
I was a little bit apprehensive when I started the book since it used an antagonist that I simply do not like - the crazy serial killer. There is something about insane characters that I just find so boring. Give me an antagonist with some real intelligence, passion and a willingness to take calculated actions and you've got a winner with me.
The opening scene establishes our main character and protagonist Detective Jon Phillips as a brash, young and dedicated police officer. Much like a good Bond movie the book starts with a chase scene and the wrapping up of a case, which sets the tone of the book.
The novel is set in a not-too-distant future, in the years following a nuclear war. Interestingly, the exchange of missiles did not occur between the US and Russia. All of this is exposition but I did appreciate the author's touch at allowing other parts of the world to play a part in the story. Far too much fiction today makes the West, and the US in particular, the center of the universe. It's just refreshing to expand the world, just a little bit.
Jon Phillips' work in the opening pages gets him noticed and sent to New York city to help in solving the case of the Dayfall Killer. Dayfall is an environmental event that has had people worried for some years. After the nuclear war the Earth was subjected to a long period of darkness as the ash made its way into the atmosphere to block out the sun for years. Now that the cloud cover is predicted to dissipate and the return of direct sunlight is anticipated, there is growing worry that the light may drive the population into a kind of frenzy. The Dayfall Killer is singled out as an example of what may happen.
Capture the Dayfall Killer in time and you may help to calm the citizens of New York.
Having just seen the movie Blade Runner 2049, I was eager to enjoy more of that kind of story. I was not disappointed. It was so much fun to see New York as it coped with a changed environment and how the society changed with it.
The story was very satisfying and believable. I kept returning to the book every chance I got. In another nod to the old detective fiction of the paperback era, the page count comes in at 286, making it a fast paced book with no contractual filler. I am glad that Tor Books took the chance on a short novel like this. It shows that they are not afraid to publish good stories without the hang up of believing that page count plays such a big part in a book purchase decision.
Oh, and the bad guy? Not insane. I loved it.
Highly recommended.
Michael David Ares' website - http://www.michaeldavidares.com/
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| Michael David Ares |
Sunday, 11 March 2018
Monday, 5 March 2018
Dead Men Run by Gregg Taylor - Book Report #221
That's why I get a thrill whenever I hear:
Once again, Decoder Ring Theatre presents another page from the casebook of that master of mystery, that sultan of sleuthing, Martin Bracknell’s immortal detective: Black Jack Justice ...I always know that I will be in good hands and that the dialog will crackle. Gregg Taylor should be a big, big star. He should be publishing books and be rolling in a big pile of cash because of it. This blog is my little way of helping him to live that life.
The novel is structured much like the podcasts, with Jack and Trix taking turns at the narration of the story. Here Jack is suspected of killing a cop and, instead of explaining the circumstances to the police, runs and hides. Only a guilty man would run.
But Trixie does not believe it. Both of them work the case on their own, which brings me to the only complaint I have of the book. Black Jack and Trixie Dixon are a team; the stories work best when they are together. Some of that great banter was missing and how they help each other to work a case was also gone.
It was still a very entertaining installment in the cannon. But now that the podcast is suspended, each book becomes much more important as it just might be the last time I get to spend time Jack and Trix.
Taylor is just as talented a novelist as he is a script writer. He has those voices so well memorized that reading the book is just like listening to a podcast.
To me the Black Jack Justice series is the pinnacle of what old-time detective fiction should be. I can't get enough of this.
Absolutely recommended. Help Gregg Taylor and buy the most expensive version of this book. Make sure he gets as much money as possible so that he can be convinced to continue writing.
Decoder Ring Theatre - https://decoderringtheatre.com/shows/
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| Gregg Taylor |
Sunday, 4 March 2018
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