Tpi's reading diary

Seppo Jokinen: Koskinen ja taikashow

2012-01-29T12:59:00.002+02:00

A police procedural which partly happen in my home town. A pretty nice book where a magician’s assistant commits a strange suicide. A bulk of the book happens on a ferry between Finland and Sweden. Some of the partying on the boat could well have been cut from the book, otherwise pretty readable detective story.

Valitsin tämän kirjan luettavaksi lähinnä siksi, että se tapahtuu Tampereella ja ajattelin olevan kiinnostavaa lukea tutuilla paikoilla tapahtuvasta rikoksesta. Tässä suhteessa hiukan joutui pettymään, sillä vain kirjan alkupuolisko sijoittui Tampereelle, pääosa kirjasta tapahtui ruotsinlautalla.
Kirjan päähenkilö, Komisario Koskinen on tutkinut itsemurhaa, jossa taikurin avustaja on jättäytynyt junan alle. Tätä ennen hän oli käyttäytynyt vainoharhaisesti ja oli jättänyt asunnolleen aika erikoisen itsemurhakirjeen. Koskinen jostain syystä pitää kovin kummallisena ja epäilyttävänä sitä, että nainen oli ostanut juuri ennen tekoaan suuren keittiöveitsen. Itse en oikein ymmärtänyt mikä siinä niin huomiota herättävää oli, ei se mikään kovin kummallinen ostos vainotuksi itsensä tuntevalle ole. Koskinen sitten oikeastaan sattumalta tutustuu kyseiseen taikuriin, ja jouduttuaan poliisilaitokselta lomautetuksi ja riideltyään sekopään vaimonsa kanssa päätyy laivamatkalle, jossa taikurin ja hänen uuden avustajansa on määrä esittää ensimmäistä kertaa uusi, vallankumouksellinen taikatemppu, kuoleman suudelma. Kuolema sitten pian onkin konkreettisemmin läsnä kuin piti.
Kirjan alkupuoli oli mielestäni varsin hyvä. Kiinnostavuus lässähti sitten tarinan siirtyessä laivalle aika pahasti, ja kirjan keskivaiheella oli aivan liian pitkään kuvausta laivamatkasta ja biletyksestä. Loppupuolella tarinan vauhti ja kantavuus sitten taas parantuivat, mutta loppuratkaisu tapahtui varsin nopeasti ilman suurempia mutkia tullen samalla aikalailla ”puun takaa”, ilman, että syyllisen arvaaminen edes teoriassa olisi kunnolla voinut olla mahdollista.
Kokonaisuutena kuitenkin ihan kohtalainen kirja, paremmin kirjoitettukin kuin vaikkapa Leena Lehtolaiselta viimeksi lukemani kirja, Henkivartija, joka kyllä taisi minut vieroittaa pysyvästi siitä kirjailijasta. Pitänee joskus kokeilla jotain muutakin Seppo Jokisen kirjaa, josko jokin niistä jopa tapahtuisi kokonaan Tampereella.

379 s.

The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber

2012-01-28T18:34:00.000+02:00

Another Hugo-winner. An earth size planet appears suddenly from hyperspace close to the moon and causes catastrophe all around the earth with its’ tidal forces. Soon it starts to dismantle the moon.
The events are followed from multiple viewpoints in typical disaster novel style. The book has a lot of characters from around the world and for someone like me who has extremely poor memory for names it was kind of hard to keep track of all of them, as transitions weren’t always very clear. Also, somehow the worldwide destruction didn’t really come out as powerfully as it could have come, as many of the character spent a lot time discussing subjects sometimes only tangentially connected with the disaster. The action perked up somewhat when the aliens appeared, but they played too little role to really rise the book to the higher standard. The attitudes and roles of the males and females were very old-fashionable which gave very dated feel for the book overall. Especially the beginning was fairly slow and the large cast of characters made reading pretty heavy. Much more interesting story might have been the aftermath of the catastrophe and possible contact with the super advanced aliens.
One reason why this book won the Hugo might be that some of the characters in the book were science fiction readers and several sf authors were name checked, among them Robert Heinlein and (naturally, when you are talking about entire planets which move through hyperspace) Doc Smith. Otherwise the win isn’t one of the easiest to understand and this book is clearly a below average Hugo winner. It is also perhaps the worst book I have ever read by Fritz Leiber.

346 p.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, April 2012

2012-01-26T17:18:00.000+02:00

A fairly good issue in spite of one infuriating short story. There seems to be a theme: how easy it is to misunderstand the customs of a different species. (and a subtheme: homages to classic stories if you count the Probability Zero story, “To Serve Aliens (Yes, It's a Cookbook)”, another homage is the Kevin J. Anderson's story )
And beware, there are spoilers for stories in these reviews!

The Most Invasive Species • novella by Susan Forest
Humans are studying (and colonizing) a planet with indigenous aliens. Aliens seem to mistreat their children with copious kicks, hits and bites whenever they misbehave even slightly. When the mother of one family group is killed in an accident colonists adopt the children. Soon they start to get sick… The reason is obvious, of course. The kids NEED the punishments to develop normally. A fairly nice story in spite of not too surprising end-twist. ***+
Ecce Signum • [Marrion's Kids] • novella by Craig DeLancey
A part of a series where children who have been gene modified to really care about the future are taking over the world. Some of them are being murdered by very strange and high-class assassins just when they are getting ready for a wide spread roll out of a new technology. A “Wikileaks”-story? :-) A well written and entertaining story, which isn’t very tightly connected to others in the same continuum. ***½
A Delicate Balance • shortstory by Kevin J. Anderson
Colony has run into a serious trouble as the planet wasn’t habitable for human life as it supposed to be. It can only sustain a set number of people until relief comes decades later and for every new child an older member of the colony must die. Then a sixteen-year-old girl gets pregnant and her father is the next in line to die..So stupid story at so so many levels. Oh there is no birth control for all fertile women, or compulsory sterilization for all males (and artificial insemination for the planned pregnancies). And sixteen year olds are stupid enough to have unprotected sex in THOSE conditions, don’t they have any sex ed? And it ok to demand people to suicide, but abortion is a no-no? And don’t they do any prenatal ultrasounds in THOSE conditions to find out if the fetus is even viable? And the standard method of committing suicide is to walk out into chlorine based atmosphere? If the existence would really be so on the edge, that would destroy a great amount of extremely valuable carbon-oxygen based biomass which would in invaluably for the colony. I do realize that this story is supposed to comment the unbelievable medieval attitudes in America towards sex education and abortion, but really? **
You Say You Want a Revolution • shortstory by Jerry Oltion
A mutiny occurs in some human worlds which have been politically stable for centuries. An alien gives his viewpoint on what is happening. A story which is very similar in the theme as the first novella of this issue.
Human customs how to treat children aren’t always the right ones for aliens. For example, if you are not allowed to eat your leftover children, there might be some serious consequences. ..Another nice story. ***½
Follow-Up • shortstory by Stephen L. Burns
A surgeon repairs war wounds with extremely advances nanotechnology surgical apparatus. It seems a patient comes to her more than once. A fairly nice story, but I was left wondering what the point of the story was. What was the point of the repetition? Was the whole situation just some sort of a test for the skills of the surgeon? Or are the same soldiers being wounded time and time again? I am not sure. ***+

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, January-February 2006

2012-01-23T20:55:00.002+02:00

A below average issue.

The Balance of Nature • novelette by Stephen L. Gillett, Ph.D. [as by Lee Goodloe ]
A protected area of volcanic activity is under study on a colonized planet. Some wardens of the conservation area are against all intrusions of the nature park. A really major eruption starts during the exploration trip. Not my cup of tea. A lot of too much detailed description of driving around the park. And conservationists apparently tend to turn to knife-wielding lunatics at a moment’s notice. **½
Dinosaur Blood • novelette by Richard A. Lovett
A super-rich girl and her friends are using the last gallons of gasoline on earth for a field trip on a refurbished Hummer. An alien probe observes them from the orbit pondering if the human civilization is worth saving, or has it entered a dead end as there is no more exploration going on anywhere and there is hardly anything new happening. But the girl and her friends might be on the cusp of something… maybe the humanity still has a chance. A pretty good story, or at least the first half of a story. ***½
Mop-Up • shortstory by Grey Rollins
An alien delegation has been on earth for a long time, but diplomatic negotiations aren’t going anywhere. Then one of the aliens begins to bond with the janitor of the conference building. A lighthearted piece, ok. ***
Kamikaze Bugs • [Jessie and Gus] • shortstory by Ekaterina Sedia and David Bartell
A scientist inadvertently helps to create locusts that destroy tobacco plants. Now he must help to stop them. A very short fairly lighthearted story which apparently has the same characters as in some earlier ones. I don’t remember reading those, and so the background was unfamiliar and the story didn’t really work for me. ***-
Report on Ranzipal's Plus-Dimension Carry-All • shortstory by Mark W. Tiedemann
A company sells bags which are basically bags of holding from D&D, which are larger from inside than from outside. A very short story where one malfunctions. ***-
Written in Plaster • novelette by Rajnar Vajra
The story happens in Britain in 1937. A young half Jewish boy who gets bullied in the school finds some strange pieces plaster from a forest. Even though there doesn’t seem to be any sharp edges he gets pricked by something. Later, a golem like creature appears to protect him. The story first seems to be a fantasy, but there turns out to be a science fictional explanation. Maybe a somewhat too neat an explanation. Writing was ok. ***+
Change • shortstory by Julian Flood
An alternative reality where Co2 has gone down and the climate is cooling. Practically all food has been produced on trees since ancient times and they have been cultured for centuries. I am not sure that the effect would be that, but very nice story nevertheless. ***+
"The Night is Fine" the Walrus Said • novella by John Barnes
Some kind of conspiracies, secret agents, hybrid human/AI personalities, clever murder attempts and a LOT of discussion. Everything for some fairly poorly defined reason, done by a very poorly defined secret organization. I didn’t really get into the story and didn’t care about it all although I struggled through it. **

Embassytown by China Mieville

2012-01-12T22:21:00.001+02:00

The first ”pure” science fiction novel by China Mieville.
A woman who has spent most of life travelling on the galaxy has returned to her birthplace, Embassytown. It is a town on an alien planet which specializes in communicating with very strange aliens who live on the planet. The communication with them demands special “ambassadors”; which are identical twins tweaked with genetic manipulation. The major plot point of the book is the alien language and its intricacies. It is so major plot point, that it is practically impossible to discuss it without major spoilers. Let’s say that the language aliens speak is very unique and fascinating and has major implications to the entire though process of its speakers.
The writing is excellent and complex and the plot is entertaining. The end resolution seemed slightly too easy, but it was surprising and logical. This is a very good book, but for some reason it didn’t grab me as powerfully as his “The City and the City”. Especially the beginning was weaker than the last half, and it took fairly long time before the main plot started. However, I believe that this book will very like be found as a nominee of most major awards.

368 pp.

Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, April 1976

2012-01-10T20:58:00.001+02:00

Only three stories as serial and a long fact article take a lot of space.

Rebounder • [Chap Foey Rider • 3] • shortstory by Hayford Peirce
The Galactic Postal Union has some reservations about humans as they are violent and have wars. The representative of earth turns that to a benefit. A short humorous story, nothing very impressive. **½
Transfigurement • shortstory by Bob Buckley
Some of the humans in the Mars live in domed cities, part of them have been transformed and are able to on open. The relations between the factions aren’t too good. An elderly senator tries to find the “changelings” to make some amends. A fairly readable story with a not too surprising end twist. (The changelings age very slowly and live for centuries). ***+
Quarry • shortstory by Mary H. Schaub
A scientist is perfecting his latest invention: An android assassin who can alter its appearances at will when he dies from a heart attack. The android has disappeared. A former friend of the scientist is drafted by a totalitarian government to find the android as the government wants to use it as soon as possible. A fairly nice story, with an expected end twist. (the android has been designed to fight against the government). ***

Rosa Liksom: Hytti nro 6

2012-01-08T13:08:00.001+02:00

The winner of this year’s most prestigious literature award in Finland. A nameless young woman travels through Siberia in a train. In the same cabin travels an older man, a former convict, who tells more or less disturbing stories of his past. An extremely well written story which tells about ugly and disturbing things with beautiful and poetic language.

Tämän vuoden Finlandia-palkinnon voittaja. Nimeämätön nuori nainen matkustaa 1980-luvun lopun Neuvostoliitossa Siperian halki hitaalla junalla, joka pysähtele enemmän tai vähemmän ränsistyneille asemille pitkiksi ajoiksi, jopa päiviksi kerrallaan. Hyttikaverina hänellä on venäläinen mies, joka kertoo tarinoita värikkäästä ja pääosin surkasta elämästään. Tarinat ovat melkoisia, seksiin ja väkivaltaan painottuvia, ja miehen käytös suurelta osalta vastaa hänen tarinoitaan. Junassa istumisen täyttämien päivien kuluessa henkilöille vähitellen kehittyy jonkinlainen, läheinenkin, yhteys. Kirja kuvaa kauniilla runollisella, joskus oikeastaan puhtaaksi proosarunoksi muuttuvalla kielellä ympäristön rappeutuneisuutta, likaisuutta ja kuluneisuutta, ihmisten ynseyttä. Kirja jos jokin on varsinaista rumuuden estetiikkaa, kertoo vastenmielisistä maisemista ja ihmisistä kauniisti ja kauniilla kielellä. Kielellisesi nautiskeltavaa luettavaa, juonellisesta lähinnä vahvistaa sitä kovin matalaa mielikuvaa mikä valmiiksi Neuvostoliitosta/Venäjästä ja sikäläisistä ihmisistä on. Oli tämä kuitenkin selvästi paras Finlandia-voittaja kolmeen vuoteen.
Usein ”pidän” asiavirheiden bongailusta kirjoissa. Ainakin yksi sellainen ”asiavirhe” tässäkin kirjassa löytyi: kirjan päähenkilö ihailee Siperian revontulia Habarovskin eteläpuolella. Kyseinen seutu sijaitsee osapuilleen Etelä-Ranskan leveyspiirillä, ja revontulet olisivat niin etelässä kyllä aikamoisen harvinainen tapahtuma. Siperia on aika paljon etelämmässä kuin luulisi.

187 s.

Galaxy Science Fiction, April 1953

2012-01-02T16:29:00.000+02:00

An average issue. The gender roles in most stories were more than a little quaint, the stories were entertaining nevertheless.

Made in U.S.A. • novelette by J. T. McIntosh [as by J. T. M'Intosh ]
A man sues his new wife for divorce as she didn't tell before marriage that she is an "android". (an android in this story means what a clone today means, the androids are completely human, they just are artificially grown and have a stamp "made in USA" in their navels. ) For some undefined reason androids cannot have children and that is the grounds for the divorce. in principle the androids have exactly the same rights as humans, they don't ever have to tell if they are androids or not. A pretty good story which addresses racism and intolerance. Well written, but the gender attitudes in this future are extremely fifties like. ***½
Seventh Victim • [Victim] • shortstory by Robert Sheckley
It is common and legal to murder someone if you want. The only catch is that if you want to kill someone, you must later be a voluntary victim, and it is up to you survive the murder attempt and be able to eliminate the would-be murderer. A man who has already done six murders (and survived six attempts against his own life) gets a name of his seventh victim, and it is a woman! Not fair! An amusing story with a nice end twist. A woman is very beautiful, seems to be helpless and is very afraid. The “hunter” can’t help himself and naturally falls in love with her and drops his guard. Then the woman shoots him in cold blood – it was her tenth case already. A very readable story in spite of the “slightly” old-fashioned gender roles. ****-
University • novelette by Peter Phillips (1920-)
A spaceship with multinational crew is travelling its' destination: another planet. The members of the crew are suspicious and are watching each other closely. They are apparently afraid that a member of the crew would plant a flag of his nation and claim the planet for that country. Apparently that would be an irreversible and legally binding and effective procedure for all time. The crew is then kidnapped by an advanced civilization so that humanity’s maturity could be evaluated. The result isn't a surprise. A pretty clichéd story, the writing wasn't too good. Was a struggle to read. Might be suited for reading aloud in a convention.., **-
Origins of Galactic Law • [Origins of Galactic . . .] • shortstory by Edward Wellen
Short "amusing" case studies how the law is interpreted in different galactic cultures. Better that most of the episodes in this series, but these vignettes would be better suited as space fillers between real stories. **+
Unready to Wear • shortstory by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
A part of humanity has become "amphiphious" which means they are able to leave their bodies at will. They have a reserve of very healthy are good looking bodies which can be used at will, most of time they spent as incorporeal happy beings. Those humans who haven't left their bodies consider them deserters. A fairly good story with a nice ironic tone running through it. Nice writing as could be expected from Vonnegut. ***+
The Sentimentalists • novelette by Murray Leinster
Two aliens in love stop to an outer planer of a solar system. In an inner planet is a human colony, where a man is slaving to keep his farm. The company which owns the planet is scheming to take over his farm and to force him to be a day laborer at a cut rate wage. The female observes this and starts to pity him. The male alien starts to feed the man’s mind with some nice inventions. A fairly nice story, but might have been a lot more tightly written. A fair amount of things happen in the story, but pretty slowly. ***

Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, February 1974

2012-01-01T18:17:00.001+02:00

The last story was very good; the others are fairly tied to seventies.

A Mind of His Own • novelette by Joe Haldeman

The storyhappens in a future where it is possible to buy and sell different talents. Anembittered war veteran, who has lost his both legs, has already sold his pianoplaying skills and is contemplating selling his mathematics skills. His wifearranger him to go to psychiatric treatment where he must make the rightchoices in induced dreams. He opposes the treatment and keeps making the wrong choices. The end was somewhat ambiguous. ***+
The Amphibious Cavalry Gap • shortstory by James E. Thompson
A stupid shaggy dog story about horses in submarines. *+
Violence on TV • shortstory by Glenn Lewis Gillette [as by Glenn L. Gillette ]
An engineer builds a robot with a telemetric system to take care of his infant so that he and his wife can go to the movies without a babysitter. The practicalities or even the morality of this not questioned at all. The problems are caused by a burglar/kidnapper. The writing was ok, but the author hopefully didn’t have children before (or after) writing this story. **½
Wet Blanket • novelette by P. J. Plauger
A scientist finds out that there are two different states for the universe. He is able to switch the state in one direction locally around earth, but not back again. The altered state differs in one main detail: the fission reactions of heavy elements won’t work. That causes some very divided reactions. The ending of the story was more than a little strange.***-
A Bonus for Dr. Hardwick • novelette by Brian C. Coad
A brilliant young scientist goes to work on gigantic corporation full of bright ideas and enthusiasms. He doesn’t have time for reports and detailed memos, but makes a brilliant discovery during his first three months in a firm. He gets severely reprimanded as he has failed to make his reports, and has not even shaved his mustache as the company police dictates. As a punishment he literally loses years of his life. An excellent ironic story told in very straight forward manner. The end was left very open. Would be worth of a reprint somewhere. ****

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, February 2001

2011-12-29T20:31:00.004+02:00

The theme of the issue seems to be genetic manipulation. Pity that none of the stories is really good.

The Mycojuana Incident • novella by Fran Van Cleave
A country doctor encounters some very strange fungal infection which has not been discovered earlier. He discovers (by a pretty large leap of reasoning) that a fungus designed to kill off the marijuana plants is responsible. Very soon, surprisingly soon government agents are making threats against him. Eventually, he manages the overcome both problems – the infection and government.
More than a little paranoid story. The beginning was pretty good, the last half wasn’t as enjoyable due to a clichéd mustache twirling bad guy totalitarian government agent and the plot and writing were somewhat less engaging, also. ***
Fresh Air • shortstory by Brian Plante
A colonists of a new planet must design their children to survive on atmosphere poisonous to humans. That means children and their parents can't breathe the same air. But when gene manipulation gets more sophisticated there’s a solution. Children who can breathe both atmospheres. Short story which goes for a mood, ok. ***-
The Fine Art of Watching • novelette by Allen Steele [as by John Mulherin ]
A very important secret of a drug company has been embezzled. They are very good reasons to suspect one employee, but there is no way he could have gotten the information out. A team of security experts tries to catch him. The only science fictional part was the method the industrial spy used and that really wasn’t something which would have worked well. There would have been some much work involved that someone would have noticed. ***
Or Die Trying • [Jack Sawyer's Doppelganger] • shortstory by Grey Rollins
A man has been murdered. That usually wouldn’t be a big deal, but all his personality copies have also been deleted. The detective who examines the case soon finds himself as only a computer copy, also. The crook with fairly vague motivations is caught easily. ***-
Nanoweights • shortstory by Shane Tourtellotte
Boxers use nanotechnology and other technologies and fight in stables of biotech companies. One fighter starts to suspect that his company isn’t completely behind him. A sports story. About boxing. Two negatives won’t make a positive in this case. . Writing is ok, but the subject matter is something I have no interest whatsoever. **
Mirka's Wings • [Epona] • novelette by Wolf Read
An Epona story. Kids play with their alien friends on Epona flying on some sorts of wings. One gets in a trouble as she behaves as a total irresponsible idiot. I would think that there would be some sort of age limit and/or screening before being allowed to fly.
The story has an annoying brat and pages and pages descriptions of flying. A very boring and very irritating story. **

Väinö Linna: Täällä Pohjantähden alla 3 (Under the North Star part 3)

2011-12-28T19:48:00.002+02:00

The third and final part of a novel series which covers Finnish history from the late part of 19th century to the middle part of 20th century. The main events were the rise of the right during thirties and the Second World War. The events are followed through the lives of a small rural community.

Väinö Linnan ”Täällä Pohjantähden alla” on melkoisen klassikon maineen saanut kirja. Itse asiassa kirjan maine on niin suuri, että lienee melkein pyhäinhäväistys siitä mitään moitteen sanaa sanoa. Jotain valitettavaa siitä kyllä minä ainakin löydän. Ilmeisesti tässä vaiheessa Väinö Linna oli jo niin suuri tähti, että hän ei enää tarvinnut kustannustoimittajaa. Etenkin kirjan alkupuolella oli paljon turhia rönsyjä, joilla ei ollut mitään merkitystä miltään kannalta, ja joita olisi hyvin voinut karsia. Kirjan rakenne on sinä mielessä hiukan tavanomaisimmasta poikkeava, että siinä ei ole varsinaista päähenkilöä, vaan kirjassa seurataan pienen kylän ihmisten tapahtumia enemmän kokonaisuutena, eikä siinä myöskään ole varsinaista juonta perinteisessä mielessä. Kirja seuraa historian kulkua on enemmän tai vähemmän niin kuin se tapahtui ja historian vaikutusta eri ihmisiin. Tämän viimeisen osan tapahtumat kattoivat ajan kansalaissodan jälkimainingeista toisen maailman sodan päättymiseen ja maan uudelleen rakentamiseen tämän jälkeen. Yksi koko kirjasarjan heikkous joka tuli tässäkin osassa esiin olivat liiat poliittiset palopuheet, jotka pahimmillaan ovat sivujen mittaisia. Kirjan loppu oli selkeästi alkua yhtenäisempi ja miellyttävämpi lukea. Kokonaisuutena kirja oli hienoa ajankuvaa lähihistorian tapahtumista ja koskettavista ihmiskohtaloista ja oli kyllä kovastikin lukemisen arvoinen pienistä rakenteellisista heikkouksistaan ja osittaisesta mustavalkoisuudesta huolimatta.

544 s.

Great Feuds in Medicine: Ten of the Liveliest Disputes Ever

2011-12-27T15:17:00.002+02:00

Some of the most interesting and sometimes very bitter disputes between medical researchers, starting from the opposition Harvey faced when he dared to claim that the circulation of blood doesn’t work the way ancient authorities had described and ending at the feud between Gallo and Montagnier about who really discover the HIV virus. (Well, in that case I didn’t have much sympathy for Montagnier who seems to have totally made himself a fool with his latest research involving the radio signals from DNA. See for example NeuroLogica blog.).
It seems that the recipe to produce disputes is not only to find out a new, controversial medical fact, but being extremely stubborn about it up to point being abrasive against anyone questioning the invention in anyway without worrying too much about really proving the discovery. Being too sure even while being right doesn’t seem to work too well. A very interesting and even enjoyable book.
250 pp.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact March 2012

2011-12-26T12:47:00.001+02:00

A pretty average or slightly over average issue. Most of the stories might have been longer.

"The Ediacarian Machine" by Craig DeLancey
An apparently alien probe is found embedded in ancient rock formation. A woman who found it asks help from a former boyfriend whose company specializes in microrobots. There start to examine to artifact using a virtual reality interface. The artifact is in surprisingly good condition and the power appears to be on, even after a few million years. A pretty nice story, especially the first half. The second half was weaker, but it really would have been hard to follow the setup of the story. The story could have been the first part of a novel. ***½
"Mother's Tattoos" by Richard A. Lovett
Tattoos are being used as a sort of surveillance against terrorism. The people who wield the special tattoos get a monthly stipend, while the tattoos alert officials if the detect traces of explosives or other similar things. The problem is that they are starting to be too sensitive and there are false positives. Also, what constitutes threating behavior…? A pretty good story, another one which was slightly too short. ***+
"Ernesto" by Alec Nevala-Lee
There surprising cases of people getting cured from cancer during the Spanish civil war. Those who have been healed have stayed in a monastery and have had stigmata. An interesting story. There really seems to be some anecdotal evidence for the described method for curing cancer. However, I don’t see how erysipelas could be on all limbs at the same time. Also, before penicillin that would have been very life threatening infection. Not a very science fictional story, but pretty good anyway. Too short. ***+
"Upon Their Backs" by Kyle Kirkland
A some sort of super-secret agent tries to find out the meaning of several naked bodies that are apparently in some sort of suspended animation from a strange cave. At the same time, he has some qualms about his job. Apparently the story happens in some sort of alternative future, where paper is still used for EEG registrations – in our world computerizes systems have been used for almost inclusively almost a decade :-). Somehow I didn’t really get involved in the story – neither the mystery of strange clones nor the battle of the consciousness of the main protagonist. The former wasn’t defined well enough and I couldn’t identify with the main character enough to care about his worries. Maybe a longer form might have served the story giving more background to the characterization and the plot. ***-

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, May 2006

2011-12-17T12:00:00.000+02:00

This issue was read from my cell during lunch hours and waiting for different things. A serial takes a lot of space and there were only four stories. A pretty good, above average issue.

Farmers in the Sky • novelette by Rob Chilson
A young woman has returned to an asteroid farm where she lives from the earth. She has spent several years there studying. A man who has fallen in love with her comes to visit the asteroid as a surprise. Is he going to emigrate to the asteroids? A story which has more than a little YA-vibe with some young love. Writing is ok, but pretty simple. There were some strange scenes. When a young man meets for the first time the family of his girlfriend the main discussion point is assets of her family? There is very little drama, but the story is pretty readable anyway. ***½
Lazy Taekos • shortstory by Geoffrey A. Landis
A fun little fairytale about a lazy boy with a few, about a billion or so, nanotechnology robots, a fair maiden and her evil step father. A fun short story. ***½
Slide Show • shortstory by Jerry Oltion
A man takes astronomical pictures is shocked when he hears that color slides film isn’t made anymore. He tries to do something to prevent the obsolescence of both the film stock and slide projectors. The writing is pretty good, but the premise seems pretty strange. I can’t really imagine that anyone taking astronomical pictures would have been so stuck on taking pictures using slide film even in 2006 considering the quality and possibilities the digital photography offers. ***½
The Scarlet Band • [Lost Continent of Atlantis] • novella by Harry Turtledove
Sherlock Holmes (or “Athelstan Helms”) and Dr. Watson (or “Dr. Walton”) journey to Atlantis to find why a strange religious sect is committing murders. The story happens on an alternative earth where Atlantis exists. Is seems to be a pretty large land area somewhere on the Atlantic Ocean. The Americas seem to exist also, so I am somewhat confused about the geology, but that didn’t hurt the story which is pretty nice “eye winking” Sherlock Holmes story with some pretty funny moments. Humor is nice and presented with a “straight face” which always more to my taste than shouting aloud: “This Is Funny”. The only strange thing is why the “Watson” was made to be a complete prick, especially in the beginning. ****

Galaxy Science Fiction, March 1953

2011-12-13T20:08:00.000+02:00

A very average issue with mainly very average and unsurprising stories.

The Old Die Rich • novella by H. L. Gold
Many old people die from hunger with a lot of money either on them or on banking account. Why are they not using their money to buy food? And their bank account books look very pristine and unused, but they are real - at least the deposits which have been made on them since the beginning of the century are on the banks. An actor who specializes in playing older people tries to find what is going on. Well, everyone who has ever read any science fiction naturally knows what is going on.
I had some qualms about this story before starting it: A story which is written by the editor of the magazine. In spite of this, the story was ok and didn’t suck. At least no more than an average story from the fifties. ***½
Games • shortstory by Katherine MacLean
A man who has imprisoned by the government as he doesn’t give up the secret of a super weapon he has developed somehow transfers his mind to a mind of a child. A pretty fragmentary and hard to follow story with not too good writing. **
Student Body • novelette by F. L. Wallace
A new colony has been established on a planet which according to the initial surveys was almost perfect. The planet is supposed to have a nice climate, fertile pastures and little animal life. Soon the colonists start to have a lot of trouble with different sorts of vermin which try eat food stores and edible plants. There is one (only ONE!?) scientist among the colonists who tries to find out what is going on, and tries to finds ways to fight against several sorts of animals the planet throws against the colony. A pretty ordinary story for fifties, average both in plot and writing. ***-
Secret of the House • shortstory by Anthony Boucher [as by H. H. Holmes ]
A young wife uses special spices to make impression to her gourmet husband. She uses exotic Venusian spices, but when she really wants to make an impression she has a secret: very well made food from good ingredients without any spices. Very, very fifties story in attitude, writing is standard quality. ***-
The Drop • shortstory by John Christopher
After a nuclear war a civilization has been established on other planets of the solar system and on asteroids. Earth is being used as a penal colony, from where no one returns. There is a conspiracy to overthrow authority, and a man gets sent to earth after he gets involved with the conspiracy partly unintentionally. But there is more to the conspiracy...it is a ploy to get the earth inhabited again. ***+
Horse Trader • novelette by Poul Anderson
Humans have established a “horse trading post” where different alien species can exchange ideas after negotiating what technologies or branch of sciences can be traded. The secrets of one species have been stolen and it demands retribution. The reputation of humans is at stake. A surprisingly boring story considering its fairly interesting premise, but it apparently strives for humor and doesn’t quite make it. **+

Asimov's Science Fiction, October-November 2011

2011-12-11T10:10:00.001+02:00

A large double-issue with a lot to read. A fairly average issue. Writing in most of the stories is very good,

Stealth • novella by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
“Diving in the wreck” -story. This time the story isn't about driving in a concrete ship wreck, but rather about the consequences of strange technology which has been retrieved from ancient spaceships. Military has a lot of interest for a cloaking device. Unfortunately, it seems to be extremely dangerous and people studying it tend to disappear without leaving any trace. Sometimes whole laboratories or even space stations where the experiments have been done have vanished. A woman who may have a better grasp of the tech than anyone else has been responsible for themain lab studying the cloaking tech. The story starts when the lab is being evacuated as apparently something has gone very much wrong. Then the story is told on several time levels, some covering past of the scientist, while the events after the accident are also being followed. A very good story, some parts were somewhat heavy with discussion, but very enjoyable nevertheless, however it is not among the best stories by one of my favorite authors. ****-
The Cult of Whale Worship • shortstory by Dominica Phetteplace
A first story of a new author. A scientist who studies toxoplasma wants to stop whale hunting by designing a new strain of toxoplasma which would apparently affect somehow human though patterns concerning whales. It isn’t explicitly stated what the influence would be. Would people start to like whales? Or would they be indifferent towards them? Both alternatives might have some serious consequences. Writing was ok, especially for a first timer. ***-
This Petty Pace • shortstory by Jason K. Chapman
A man gets some advice from the future. Everything doesn’t go very well, but his life is pretty good anyway. He still gets a few messages which are garbled to some degree (or are not told to the reader). He starts to suspect that his line of research and/or his decedents will eventully cause something really bad. Pretty well written story, but there some less clear things in the ending especially the reason why the man did what he did. (Sent a letter for his descendent). ***
The Outside Event • novelette by Kit Reed
An author takes part on a strange author retreat. A group of authors live very isolated life, and they are eliminated one at a time. It is supposed to be some sort of reality show at the same time (but I wonder where the cameras are - they are not mentioned, and the protagonist even learns the “reality show” angle on the second day). There is a strange and agonizing atmosphere all the time. And there is a threat of “the outside event” which might have effect to the outcome of the competition. The writing is distinctive, perhaps too much so. I am not sure got the story, especially the ending was to a certain extent unclear. **½
The Pastry Chef, the Nanotechnologist, the Aerobics Instructor, and the Plumber • shortstory by Eugene Mirabelli
A woman starts to hear Italian from the water running through the kitchen faucet. Her live-in partner - a nanotech researcher - doesn’t hear it. She asks a linguistic to listen if the sounds really are Italian. And soon the toilet starts to speak in Turkish. The story revolves around unbelievable relationships and even more unbelievable unexplained strange happenings. Overall the content and style were something I usually hate. It that was pretty much true for this story, also. ***-
Free Dog • shortstory by Jack Skillingstead
After a divorce man got his dog, but the ex-wife spreads the template of the dog on the Internet. It gets popular for a while and people have copies of the dog as nano-swarmns. He isn’t too thrilled about that. He finds a new love, the real dog gets older and the story just fizzles out. Writing is good, but there isn’t real ending. ***
My Husband Steinn • novelette by Eleanor Arnason
A story about a woman who lives on a secluded area in Iceland. He meets some trolls, and eventually befriends one. Fairly nice story, but there was a very superfluous story inside a story which had nothing to do with the main tale and could easily have removed. ***+
To Live and Die in Gibbontown • shortstory by Derek Künsken
There apparently are only monkeys on earth, most countries have a majority of one monkey species. Euthanasia of the old monkeys is commonplace and encouraged. One monkey establishes an euthanasia service which offers its’ as assassinations. One old bonobo granny hires him to assassinate her so well that she doesn’t even notice it. A pretty unusual and interesting story. ***+
A Hundred Hundred Daisies • shortstory by Nancy Kress
Climate has changed and parts of the US are dried out. Former farmers live meager life on their already foreclosed farms. A water pipe from the great Lakes is running through area. Some people are starting to fight against it. A very good story, but it is far too short. Might very well be a first chapter of a novel, now it ends far too soon. ****
The Man Who Bridged the Mist • novella by Kij Johnson
Areas of “mist” separate different parts of the world. Mist is at least partly toxic and it is something between liquid and gas. It is possible cross on special boats, but that is often very hazardous. There are also strange and dangerous things living inside the mist. An engineer comes to build a bridge over a strait filled with mist, which will be the longest bridge ever to cross an area of mist. The story tells mainly about of the life man building the bridge, about his work and love and how he changed during the years. A rather long story, which is at places more than a little longwinded. Few actual events happen during the story. The setting was pretty interesting, but we didn’t learn anything about what the mist is or about any other details of the world. There was no reason at all why the story couldn’t have been told as a straight drama and the fantasy aspects are extremely superfluous. If you want to tell that story, why set the story in a fantasyland? Writing as such was excellent, though. ***-

Analog Science Fiction and Fact January/February 2012

2011-12-06T12:54:00.001+02:00

A pretty average issue. It contains the first part of a new serial by Robert J. Sawyer. I am going to read it only when I’ll have at least three parts of the four to come.

"Listen Up, Nitwits" by Jack McDevitt
A voice from Jupiter gives some hints to Earth on the brink of war asking humanity not to destroy itself. It doesn’t agree to answer any question except by those which are asked by one man. The answers he gets aren’t some of the most believable and most of the world pretty much ignores them. A fairly nice story.***+
"Humanity by Proxy" by Mark Niemann-Ross
A history of a mechanical donkey which was first developed by the military and then was adapted for civilian use, presented in reverse order. First the invention is used by a demented old woman in 2114, then by military in 2092 and last we are shown how it was developed 2052. The first segment is very good, the second segment is fairly good, but the last and longest is far too long and boring and heavy with discussion. ***+
"Ninety Thousand Horses" by Sean McMullen
A cyberpunkish tale of an inventor who builds a rocker in Yorkshire 1899 as means to revenge his father. The story is told from the viewpoint a maid (who in reality is a spy working for the inventor's father and has a very good education in mathematics and engineering.) A very good, well written and exiting story, which is easily the best in issue. ****
"Project Herakles" by Stephen Baxter
A story which happens in the Britain in the sixties. The British army (or secret service) has created human giants by selective breeding. Those giants are REALLY gigantic and weight much more than elephants. That apparently took about two or three generations of selective breeding. At the same time a greedy magazine publisher and the king plan a coup with the support of US forces (those who are planning the coup have promised forces for the Vietnam war).Will the people rise to oppose the insurgents? I am not sure what to think about this story. Was it written with serious intent? Or is it some sort of parody of the worst pulps of the 1930s? The biological and scientific details are completely ridiculous, so horribly bad that they surely must have intentionally ludicrous. But there wasn’t any humorous “eye winking” which would have typical for a parody - or at least I couldn't find it. It might very well be a parody nevertheless for all I know. But the writing also seemed to be somewhat clumsy, and I really, really did not like this story at all. Well at least it was easy to read and finish while trying not to drop my jaw from too far from the silliness of most of the details. **-
"An Interstellar Incident" by Catherine Shaffer
A young diplomatic aide must organize a gala dinner with an alien delegation. The trouble is that aliens consider human feeding habits disgusting (cutting dead meat to pieces and putting them openly to the mouth! Disgusting!) and humans aren’t too keen about the eating habits of the aliens (releasing a lot of small live furry animals in the room and bouncing over them). With the help of a corresponding junior aide from the alien delegation they almost manage. A light story with some small stupidities. Perhaps the security would have been a tad tighter for such an event. ***
"Doctor Alien and the Spindles of Infinity" by Rajnar Vajra
A doctor alien story. A psychiatrist who specializes in alien patients first treats a very strange alien with a memory trouble, after that he is invited to another galaxy give his opinion on an important matter. An overlong story which might have benefitted if it had been split in two parts and condensed. There is far too much discussing and describing going on which doesn’t really drive the plot forward. There were some pretty good parts, but they are being overshadowed by the dull parts. ***-

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

2011-12-04T13:10:00.001+02:00

A very original book about a literary detective in alternative 1985 where Crimean war is still going on, the charge of the light brigade is recent history (and the main protagonist, Thursday Next not only took part in it but lost her brother during the charge), Dodos are popular pets, Wales is a communist dictatorship and literature is much more important than in our world, so important that there is a special branch of secret police solely dedicated to crimes involving literature. Not a very important branch, but more prestigious than ordinary police. The first editions and original manuscripts are more valuable than anything and something master criminals crave. Thursday Next is drafted to a higher branch of secret service as she is one of the few people who can identify a master thief, Acheron Hades. Their first encounter is pretty much a disaster…and soon the barriers between books and real life apparently start to weaken, at least characters seem to disappear from books and appear in the real world.
A very entertaining and amusing book with nice characters, dry humor, a lot of action and a huge amount of literary allusions – some of which I surely missed. (I haven’t ever read Jane Eyre – a book which is very important for most of the plot, but reading the Wikipedia synopsis of the book helped a lot). The world was interesting and usual, something I would like to hear more about. Everything might not have been extremely logical, but the tone was light and entertaining that it didn’t hurt. I probably must pick up the next part of the series sooner than later.

400 p.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, April 2006

2011-11-27T14:47:00.001+02:00

A pretty good, above average issue.

Boundary Condition • novella by Wil McCarthy
A space ship is recording quantum boundary effects of some sort which only can be detected using the brains of certain individuals as a sort of receptor. This might have something to do with god, religion, meditation and/or prayer. The Pope (the first American pope, Dave the first), comes to visit the space station as a surprise. There are a LOT of discussion about different things and a lot of explaining of different things. A few totally ridiculous situations happen. (The bodyguards of the pope are apparently total idiots with no sense what can be dangerous and what isn’t) The ending is sad and/or ambiguous. The writing is such is very good, but I didn’t get the point of the story. ***
Nothing to Fear But • shortstory by Stephen L. Burns
An inventor who has phobias for almost everything, tries to find a way remove all fear from people. He succeeds only too well. The story is told as a diary which was found from the ruins after a devastating fire. Very enjoyable story, but not really special in any way. ***
The Lowland Expedition • [Old Earth] • shortstory by Stephen Baxter
A part of series which happens on a planet (A far future earth?) where time passes at different speeds on different altitudes. An expedition is sent to explore lowlands where time moves much slower than on the high ground most people live. They encounter a strange town and strange woman who has metallic smell. A pretty good but simple exploration style adventure story. ***+
Lighthouse • [Kristi Land and Greg Cooper] • shortstory by Jack McDevitt and Michael Shara
A young scientist has discovered a new class of strange stars. That type of stars should not be able to exist in nature. She finds an explanation (which is about what could be expected). A well written story which uses flashback format. There isn’t much happening and there isn’t anything surprising, but nevertheless this worked pretty well as a story. ***+
Lady be Good • novelette by John G. Hemry
A story about an old and worn spaceship which has to take slightly suspect cargoes to be able function at all. The first mate rescues passengers from a ship which was destroyed by pirates and he must ultimately make a desperate choice. A very well written story with an emotional ending. There were some things to nitpick though, if two spaceships hit each other, you really are not going to see “structural beams bending”, as speeds would be so great that everything would be over in microseconds and probably so far that nothing could be seen anyway. Aside from that a rare story which made my eyes to mist for a second. ****
Numismatist • novelette by Richard A. Lovett
A pastor has been shot dead after he went on a shooting spree. A psychologist tries to find out what happened to him and why. He seems to have lived very quiet and peaceful life; why he went to the mall and tried to shoot several kids? A well written and gripping story with some emotional scenes. ****-

Galaxy science fiction February 1953

2011-11-24T22:10:00.001+02:00

A pretty average issue.

Four in One • novelette by Damon Knight
Four individuals who have been exploring an alien planet are digested by a strange creature which absorbs everything but the brains. They are able to communicate with each other, and are eventually able to take control of the creature. But as all the characters in the question are very different (a scientist, a secretary, a military man and a "moral officer" of an apparently more or less fascist style earth empire) it seems impossible to find a common goal? A pretty nice and entertaining story. ***½
Protective Mimicry • shortstory by Algis Budrys
The currency should be completely counterfeiting proof. But how there can be several exactly similar banknotes up to all stains on them? A fairly stupid story which has below average writing depending on a stupid final twist. **
Saucer of Loneliness • shortstory by Theodore Sturgeon
A flying saucer touches a young woman and then disappears. Everyone tries to find out if the saucer sent her some message. People suspect here, FBI interrogates her and puts a tail on her. She starts to send messages in the bottles on the shore. The story strives for poetic and beautiful writing and even succeeds at least for some measure. Pity that the “plot” doesn’t carry the writing – there hardly is any. **
Watchbird • novelette by Robert Sheckley
Thousands of robot planes which are able to generalize and learn are launched to prevent murder. Not only they are self-learning, they are able spread information between every unit, and soon they generalize the concept of "murder" a bit too much…Ok story, clearly below average for Sheckley. ***-
Know Thy Neighbor • shortstory by Elisabeth R. Lewis
A single girl who lives alone in an apartment and worries of not getting married - after all, she is already 27 - starts to suspect her neighbor is an alien. Well, she is right, she just is wrong about which neighbor. A pretty well and fluently written story, but the plot has holes and isn't very creative. ***-

Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny

2011-11-23T19:44:00.001+02:00

A Hugo award winner from 1968.
A book which throws the reader directly to the deep end of the pool. The book starts in the middle of action with no explanations or background information. The next chapters tell as semi-independent stories how the situation of the first chapter was set up.
The book happens on a planet which has been colonized centuries earlier. The crew of the space ship has established themselves as the “gods” of the world and has created mythology and religion which is loosely based on Hinduism. They use technology and reincarnation using a sort of mind transfer to stay in power, while the rest of the colonist stay on about medieval technology level. Any significant scientific advancement is crushed to preserve the power of the “gods”. One former crew member and former “god”, Mahasamatman (or Sam for short) wants to change that and establishes Buddhism as a rival to “god-run” Hinduism placing himself at the role of Buddha hoping to undermine rigid social structure imposed by the old “gods”. He also drafts the “demons” who were the originals inhabitant of the planet and who have been banished for centuries.
I was somewhat ambivalent about this book. Parts of it were very good, parts were written in fairly complex language which wasn’t too easy to understand (especially under fairly heavy medication against pain. A frozen shoulder is something I DON'T recommend). Perhaps a little better knowledge of religions described in the book would have made the content easier to understand. The independence of the separate chapters which happened sometimes with very long time-spans between them didn’t help and it took some time get into a new chapter with totally new situation. The book is excellent in spite of those little shortcomings I have mentioned.
304 p.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, November 2011

2011-11-19T12:01:00.001+02:00

Fairly nice issue, perhaps slightly above average.

With Unclean Hands • novella by Adam-Troy Castro
An incredibly advanced alien race which is thousands year ahead of humans is dying out. As herbivores, they are so timid that when they first encountered other species in space they just retreated and basically slowly dying from the shock as a race. For some reason they are trying to find the worst murderers mankind has and they are ready to pay practically anything for them. Why would they want them? A very good and well written gripping story. ****-
Dig Site • shortstory by Jack McDevitt
A very strange statue is found in an island in Greek. It looks very different from other statues, is in modernistic style and appears to depict a space suit or a diving suit. Writing is pretty nice, but the story ends just when it is starting to get interesting. Is it even science fiction or not? ***½
The Buddy System • shortstory by Don D'Ammassa
A pair of friends develops an AI based expert system which co-ordinates almost everything. It seems to be a success and the world seems to be a better place. Until things go wrong.. Shortish and fairly simple and not too unpredictable tale, but is very entertaining and well written anyway. ***+
Rocket Science • shortstory by Jerry Oltion
A man is waiting in a cabin of his self-made suborbital space ship for the launch. Another man who has attached weather balloons to a lawn chair causes a dangerous situation during the launch. And man on the top of the self-made rocket wonders how some people are cranks? Nice, a very short and ironic story, but the irony is spelled out a little too clearly. ***
Chumbolone • shortstory by Bill Johnson
The story goes from fixing an election with a computer system to finding intelligent radio signals from interstellar noise with the same computer system. I wasn’t too impressed, the story felt somewhat disjointed and didn’t make any lasting impression - I had trouble remembering it only after a few days. ***-
Ian, Isaac, and John • novelette by Paul Levinson
A man travels back in time to make small adjustment in a David Bowie music album. He may have also another motive. (to warn John Lennon about his coming murder). An ok story, not bad. ***-
The Boneless One • novelette by Alec Nevala-Lee
A ship which is doing biological research finds a colony of unusual biolumescent octopuses. The stop to study them, but soon the leader of the expedition is murdered and the motor of the boat is sabotaged. The first part of the story was pretty good, but the plot and even the writing seemed to decay towards the end. From a scientific viewpoint the plot was totally, totally, ludicrous. A virus which could infect both humans and octopuses with similar mental effects - no way. **+

Hannu Mäkelä: Kuperat ja koverat

2011-11-04T21:14:00.001+02:00

Continues an”autobiographical” story of a Finnish artist. The events in the book might be true, but then again they very well might not be. The book has creative language which is written mostly in stream of consciousness style.

Jatkaa Hannu Väisäsen aikaisempaa muistelmakirjaa. Kun aikaisempi kirja, Toiset kengät, käsitteli lähinnä lapsuutta tämä kirja kattaa kursorisesti lukioajan Savonlinnassa ja taideopinnot Helsingissä. Ote on vähemmän elämänkerralliselta vaikuttava ja tyylilajina on enemmän anekdotaalinen tajunnanvirta, jonka todellinen elämänkerrallisuus on ehkä hieman epäilyksiä herättävää. Kirjan minä-hahmo Antero ajelehtii enemmän havainnoijana kuin aktiivisena tekijänä epämääräisestä asunnosta ja omalaatuisesta tuttavuudesta toiseen valmistuen sinä samalla kuvataitelijaksi ja pitää ensimmäisen oman näyttelynsä. Kielellisesti ja tyylillisesti tosiaan kirja vaikutti toisentyyppiseltä kuin aikaisempi lukemani osa, enkä tästä ihan yhtä paljoa pitänyt, ihan luova ja omaperäinen luettava kuitenkin.

431 s.

Analog Science Fiction - Fact March 1971

2011-11-03T16:04:00.000+02:00

This issue was read from my phone during lunch hours, so that might have hurt my concentration somewhat. A bulk of the issue is taken by a serial and there are only three stories.

The Missing Man • [Rescue Squad] • novella by Katherine MacLean
An underwater dome is destroyed in an apparent bomb attack causing a lot of destruction. A youth gang/terrorist cell is one suspect, but who did they do it? The story was felt fairly unstructured and went from a catastrophe tale to a police procedural to an engineering problem solving story to an action piece. Pretty overlong, writing as such was ok. ***
The Operator • [Federation of Humanity] • novelette by Christopher Anvil
Most women have died in a fairly new colony world. A shipload of women land there... and then there are twists and turns aplenty. A part of series and I have no knowledge of any of other parts, so there wasn’t enough back story and I didn’t get really into the story. It felt more than a little overlong. ***-
May the Best Man Win • shortstory by Stanley Schmidt
A man who has returned as a hero from an interstellar expedition is the most popular candidate for US presidency. He has some doubts, as due to time dilation he is only 34.5 and not required 35 years (when his calendar age is well past that) and almost declines. The party officials talk him over eventually. A fairly stupid story. If the candidate is so serious about such a small “technicality”, why bring it up when the votes from the primary are already being counted and not earlier? ***-

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, January 2001

2011-11-02T19:26:00.001+02:00

A fairly average issue. Not exceptional. No real stinkers except the Williamson story. I have yet to read something by him I would enjoy.

Relic of Chaos • [Hartigan O'Reilly and Gwen Chryse] • novella by G. David Nordley
A police detective who is working on a space station which is orbiting Saturn must find a sacred relic which has been stolen from Vatican. The thief is extorting the Catholic Church and demanding some very secret information. I couldn't really get into the story, as the premise sounded SO ridiculous: the relic is a common wooden box owned by Mother Theresa (the world would probably be a better place without her, anyway – preaching against birth control in India - that is lunacy if anything) so it has no real historical or other value. I would imagine that the Catholic Church has truckloads upon truckloads as valuable or more valuable relics. Why would they give a s*it for one which doesn't even sound very special in any way? There is murder and mayhem, all for that box? I really couldn't accept that. The writing itself is competent; maybe the story could have been somewhat shorter. ***+
Vibes • novelette by Laurence M. Janifer
Beings which consist of vibrating noble gas atoms are dying on a strange planet. What is killing them? A story which is written in extremely verbose and meandering style. I really didn't get it at all. It felt like a parody of something I didn't recognize, or it was supposed to be humorous and I failed to get the point. **½
Resurrection • shortstory by James Van Pelt
The crew of a generation spaceship wakes up on 100 year rotation. A girl is afraid to go to cryosleep and stays awake. A man who has been in love with her wakes up after a hundred years to find out that the love is still alive. An emotional story which has a few problems with logic. ***
Augie • shortstory by George Zebrowski
People are using AI "butlers" which takes years and years of training to work properly. And even then they may malfunction like the Angie" of this story and behave like spoiled eight year olds. Would that kind of AI helper really be worth all the trouble no matter how efficient it would finally be, I wonder. ***
A Singular Clone • shortstory by Marie Ming
A medical story in the best James White / Sector general style. How to cure cancer from protoplasmic life form who is fragile, can't tolerate any anaesthetics and shoots poison as involuntary reflex against pain. A pretty nice story, only downside was that there was no background for the characters at all. It felt like a middle piece from a larger story arch. ***
The Nth Step • novelette by Jack Williamson
Continues the story from Dec 2000 Analog. The clones return to earth only to find that all humans have disappeared. I couldn't really get into the story. Writing felt longwinded, not very good, the story telling was detached and not compelling. The ending just fizzled out.**-

Galaxy Science Fiction January 1953

2011-11-01T20:24:00.000+02:00

Not too bad issue, amusing tales which are quaintly old fashionable.

The Defenders • novelette by Philip K. Dick
The ultimate war has been going on for seven years. Americans have retreated to subterranean habitants while very intelligent and sophisticated robots wage the war above on the earth which has turned to an inhabitable wasteland. A group of soldiers would like to see the earth by their own eyes. The robots are very reluctant to allow that as the radioactivity is very lethal for humans. Or so they say. If I say that the story ends with very positive and optimistic way, it is easy to guess what is happening in the world above the caves. ***+
Teething Ring • shortstory by James Causey
An alien anthropologist who is doing field work on an American suburb makes a mistake and thinks that earth is much more advanced than it is. He leaves a neural amplifier behind him and an infant uses it. It is a pretty ineffective model though, it only cubes the iq score… nice little amusing simple tale reminiscent of Sheckley. ***
Life Sentence • shortstory by James V. McConnell [as by James McConnell ]
A man has murdered his wife and her lover. It was first murder for years and society finds a new way to punish him: it won't let him die. As frail and old, he has one more new year’s day without even knowing how long he has spent in a hospital. A fairly good story which strives for literate writing - doesn't quite make it – but is not bad. ***
The Inhabited • novelette by Richard Wilson
An alien invader inhabits minds of different people and likes it a lot. Until it goes to the mind of a schizophrenic and finds it is not able to get out and such people would trap his people if they were to invade. A fairly good story, very “oldstyle” but still entertaining. ***+
Prott • shortstory by Margaret St. Clair
A man is studying strange creatures resembling a poached egg. They appear in the space when the space ship travels at a certain speed. He manages to make telepathic contact with them, and they send strong messages about “-ing the –“, without really specifying what that means. The story is presented as a diary which has been recovered from space. The man has decided never to return to earth so that the aliens won't find the way there. Of course he doesn't manage. Not much point in this story, or I wasn't able to find it. **½

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

2011-10-31T17:22:00.001+02:00

The film which is based on this book is probably more famous than the book itself. The main plot was very familiar - I have seen the movie several times and the movie plot follows the book almost in verbatim except for a few scenes which have been dropped out of the movie (apparently they would have been too complicated to shoot). At the end of this edition, there are also some unconnected scenes from the “second part” of the book. (Unfortunately, that can’t be published as the writing is supposed to be done by Steven King and he hasn’t written it yet). The book has a framing story which tells how William Goldman heard these stories as a child. When he hunted down the book as an adult, he found that there were some boring bits besides the good parts as his father had omitted the boring bits while telling the story. Then he decided to abridge the story by removing all the boring bits, and was able to produce something even his son loved. However, there were a lot of legal difficulties with the curator of the original author’s estate, which all were eventually settled. All that is totally fictional, as fictional as the basic plot probably everyone knows: The Story of the True Love (+ some exiting action) where a beautiful girl falls in love with a farm boy who ends up as a pirate while his love of life is courted by the evil prince of the realm, who is plotting the assassination of his bride to be.
The book is as good as the film; the writing is warm and witty. There are lot of action, a lot of humor, a lot to love in this book.

416 pp

Galaxy Science Fiction July 1952

2011-10-25T19:47:00.000+03:00

A pretty good issue.

Star, Bright • novelette by Mark Clifton
A single dad is taking care of his daughter, who turns out to be a Bright, a kind of new step in evolution. She is much more intelligent that her father by the age of four or five, even though her dad is a “Tween” (something between the normal people and Brights). She learns soon to communicate telepathically and contacts another Bright child, whose parents soon “happen” to move to next door. The powers of the kids rise with a fast rate, until they apparently get trapped to another dimension. A well written and very good story in spite of a fairly worn premise. ****
Wailing Wall • [Marco 4] • shortstory by Roger Dee
A ship is stranded on a planet where humans used to be slaves of another species. The society seems to be very strange. That idea sounds a lot better than the story actually is. A lot of fairly pointless discussion several things which pretty poorly connected with the subject matter and a sudden ending. Pretty mediocre story. **
Dumb Martian • novelette by John Wyndham
A man who has taken a job on an asteroid for five years buys a Martian girl or his companion. He gets soon bored with the stupid “mart” and occasionally batters her and treats her overall very badly condescendingly. A scientist comes to visit them and treats the “stupid mart” as a real human woman, which of course irritates the hero immensely. The scientist soon disappears after an "accident" . The Martian seems to be so stupid that she doesn't really react to that at all, at least it seems so.. A very good story, there was somewhat too much exposition at some places, but otherwise very entertaining and well written story. Something Astounding would never have published: an alien beating a human. ****-
Shipshape Home • shortstory by Richard Matheson
A science fiction author and his wife have found a real deal: a furnished apartment with extremely low rent. The apartment house has very creepy looking janitor, and the wife starts to suspect that he has some sort of sinister plans. And she claims that there are some sorts of engines at the basement. It shouldn't be hard to guess what is going to happen. Not too surprising plot. Loose writing, there is far, far too much arguing and discussing between the author and the wife about the same thing with even same words. The worst story of the issue.**-

Analog Science Fiction and Fact December 2011

2011-10-22T11:40:00.000+03:00

A fairly good issue, seem to be somewhat above the average.

Ray of Light • novelette by Brad R. Torgersen
A strange alien space ship arrived and deposited millions of mirrors in space which block the sun. The last humans live at the bottom of ocean tapping geothermal heat. A daughter of the main character has disappeared. A very good story about hope, well written, could have been somewhat longer. ***½
Turning It Off • shortstory by Susan Forest
Everything has ”safeties” which prevent practically all sorts of accidents. Even people have safety systems which prevent accidents by falls etc. But they also dampen the sensitivity of skin. Two teenagers find a way to turn off their safety systems and experiment a little. A fairly good story, could have been slightly longer. ***+
Freudian Slipstream • shortstory by Brad Aiken
A scientist how is travelling to a colony world works while on suspended animation on a cure for a disease which threatens the existence of the new world. Somewhat confusing first, but most thing did make sense eventually. ***
Hidden • shortstory by Kyle Kirkland
A genetic treatment which makes someone extremely intelligent has been available for some time. There is a slight problem; those have the treatment usually go destructively mad before they are thirty. One supergenius has taken over a military installation, which has an experimental extremely powerful bomb. An attorney who has some experience with supergeniuses is drafted to find out what is going on. Not too bad, background probably more interesting than the story itself. ***
Art for Splendor's Sake • shortstory by Dave Creek
Continues a series where humans are trying to help two alien species coexisting on a planet which will be turned inhabitable by solar emissions (or something) in a near future. There are some schisms between the species, there is some tension among humans and so on. A fairly light piece. ***-
The Impossibles • novelette by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
A story from the “Disappearance Artist” universe. A young attorney is working on a court which handles interspecies affairs. The work is very stressful and there never are any cases where you could get an acquittal, at best you can make some slight plea bargains on the punishment. The attorney gets a case where a pregnant young female is going to be punished for theft by cutting away her hand, most certainly killing her in the process. A very good, well written and enjoyable story. There will probably be more stories involving the same main character, at least I hope so. ****
Not for Ourselves Alone • novelette by Charles E. Gannon
Aliens are approaching Jupiter after annihilating a human colony on the Barnard’s star. An international group faces them mainly in order to gather some intelligence and if possible to delay their attack agains the earth. A LOT of info dumping and details of orbital mechanics, otherwise an adequately presented fairly ordinary story about heroism. The attack is prevented far far too easily in about two lines at the end of the story.***-

Alexander McCall Smith: Kalaharin konekirjoituskoulu miehille

2011-10-17T17:15:00.001+03:00

A mma Ramotswen “mystery”. Not much detecting here. A light book where problems tend to solve themselves. A depression can disappear between books by itself, there are no really unfortunate events at all anywhere. A slightly better than the previous book, I might even pick up the next one in the series at some time.

Mma Ramotswe romaani. Etsiväntyö jää kirja kirjalta vähäisemmäksi tässä sarjassa. Kirjassa kuvataan lähinnä tavallista elämänmyönteistä elämää Botswanassa. Tällä kertaa ongelmina on kilpailevan etsiväntoimiston ilmaantuminen, etsivätoimiston sihteerin mma Makutsin rakkaushuolet ja perustama miehille tarkoitettu konekirjoituskoulu sekä mma Ramotswen ja hänen kihlattunsa kasvatuslapsen huono käytös. Kuten vähän pelkäsin, kihlatun, J.L.B. Matekonin masentuneisuus on kadonnut yhtä äkillisesti kuin se ilmaantuikin. Todennäköisesti ottolapsen käytösongelmat ovat seuraavaan kirjaan mennessä samanlaisesti sormianäpsäyttämällä kadonneet. Suhteellisen naivia, äärimmäisen hyväntahtoista, mutta elämänmyönteistä kerrontaa, jota on nopea lukea, etenkin kun kirjat ovat kovin lyhyitä. Sen verran paremman tuntuinen kuin edellinen osa, että en ihan vielä taida sarjaa hylätä, vaan luen seuraavankin osan taas kevyenä välipalana raskaampien kirjojen välissä.

285 s.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact October 2011

2011-10-08T08:38:00.000+03:00

A pretty good issue for most part.

Of Night • novelette by Janet Catherine Johnston
A story of a spaceship which seems to be haunted. Told as a campfire tale by unknown women who just happens to stroll to a camping place. After the crew (everyone, nobody stays on the ship) visits a planet the ship seems somehow strange and eventually people start to disappear. A few first pages were pretty good (in spite of the story inside a story structure which seldom works very well) but then the story went sharply downhill. It is supposed to be fairly common that spaceships have lunatic crews who abandon their ships without even the pilot staying behind? Doh.
The story falls fairly badly apart towards the end and writing seems to go in a worse direction. **
The Last of Lust • shortstory by Jerry Oltion
Scientists find out where lust is located in the brain and how to turn that off. Religious fanatics manage to turn off lust in everyone in the world. That leads to some unforeseen consequences. Pretty nice story. ***½
The Bullfrog Radio Astronomy Project • shortstory by Brad R. Torgersen
A man who runs a small community FM radio stations gets on offer that cannot be refused: he'll get all the funding he needs if he lends his signal o rich eccentric neighbor who wants to send it to space through a giant radio telescope he has built. It seems like a pretty good deal until the aliens appear...some problems with plausibility, otherwise an entertaining story which could have benefitted from considerable expansion. ****-
The Lycanthropic Principle • shortstory by Carl Frederick
A professor gets his email spammed by some extremely rude spam. He asks help from an internet whiz working in the same school, who claims to be werewolf. A pretty nice and entertaining story. ***½

Energized by Edward M. Lerner

2011-10-05T20:40:00.002+03:00

A novel which was published as a serial in Analog. There will be spoilers in this review, so be aware!

A group of Russian terrorists hijacks an American power satellite and uses its microwave transmitter to destroy alternative energy establishments. Russians have a near monopoly of the oil production and can ask about any price they want for their oil. They want to ruin the reputation of the power satellite, stop its use and harm the alternative sources of energy. So that they can have a monopoly of oil production, and ask any price they want. Wait, didn't they already have those? Yeah, but they are eeevill Russians. The plot of the book was an extremely black and white story with unreasonably mad Russians. Who cares about climate chance and alternative forms of energy, let’s destroy everything so we can hike the oil price for a little while. I was expecting that there would have been some sort of twist and the stupid evilness of the bad guys would have been some sort of clever ruse, but no such luck.
There was at least one very stupid mistake: a radio astronomer (who really should know better) thinks that aurora borealis might be visible in the sunlight and the daylight only "sometimes" washes them away. I would be extremely surprised if anyone has ever seen northern lights at daytime. They are fairly dim at the best and hard to see even at night time near cities as even moderate light pollution overcomes them.
The writing wasn't too good. I started to read this straight away after the Snow Queen (which had very eloquent writing) and the effect was pretty jarring and took some time to get used to “slightly” less literate writing style. At the beginning of the story there were too much exposition and too detailed explaining of everything, and the end had too long action scene. As a whole, some condensing might have served the story.

app. 340 pp. (a little over 100 000 words, I believe)

Analog Science Fiction and Fact December 2000

2011-10-01T08:29:00.002+03:00

One of the less good issues. Almost all stories are below average.

The Ultimate Earth • novella by Jack Williamson
A group of clones who live in the moon have apparently seeded earth with new life after some sort of catastrophe. Millennia have passed and a new generation of clones travels to earth. Earth is a pastoral world with very strict population control with near immortality. Then a colony ship which supposed to go to a new colony returns. The colony has been destroyed and all life there has disappeared. As there is no room for the clones on earth, they take part to an expedition to find out what happened to the colony. Very little is found out there.
The story starts from nowhere and ends nowhere. There is very little real content, the writing is pretty bad and characterization is appalling. It is totally unbelievable that this story won a Hugo. It is probably by far the worst Hugo winning novella I have read. **
Snowball in Hell • novelette by Brian Stableford
Some sort of radical group is using some sort of genetic tweaking to produce human offspring from some farm animals, for example from pigs. A raid to faculty goes wrong resulting to shootings and a fire. One of attacking force is rescued by a girl whose parents were pigs, and who seem to be very humane in all ways. Ridiculous genetics and writing in par with science. **+
It's the Thought That Counts • shortstory by Jerry Oltion
Two visitors on alien planet are trying to bypass some trade regulations by asking for Christmas presents.It backfires, of course. Short and pretty stupid story. **
The Missing Mass • [Draco Tavern] • shortstory by Larry Niven
A Draco tavern story. A discussion with aliens about the missing mass in the universe. Worse than average Draco story. **
Among the Wild Cybers of Cybele • novelette by Christopher L. Bennett
Robots which were sent on an alien planet to prepare for human colonization didn’t turn themselves off as they were supposed. Instead they have evolved to various sorts of “animals” filling several evolutionary niches on the planet. There are some arguments which are more valuable, the real life forms they are replacing or th new mechanical life. Not very convincing ones. The best story in a mediocre issue. ***-
Eden Tag • novelette by Stephen L. Burns
A small moon colony and its sheriff face an attack by terrorists. The tone of this story felt a little strange – it couldn’t decide if went for comedy, action or drama. It didn’t really as any of them, mainly it light-hearted. A light hearted story about terrorism? **½

Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge

2011-09-27T15:17:00.001+03:00

A book that follows the main plot of the Snow Queen fairy tale. This version happens on a planet where both summer and winter lasts over hundred years. The planet is a part of the galactic trade routes only during the winter; during the summer the black hole which is used for FTL and is situated nearby the planet is in a position which makes it impossible to use and there is no contact with the rest of the galaxy at all.
The planet is always ruled by a queen. Now the rule of the winter queen is nearing its end. To extend her power, she has planted several clones among the summer people. Only one of them has survived, a girl named Moon. She and her cousin, her lover, were separated while she became a Sibyl, a mythical seer who is revered by the summer people, but is despised and feared by the more technologically inclined winter people. By accident Moon ends up in the outside world, while the winter queen takes interest on Moon’s cousin Sparks. Sparks ends up as a lover the winter queen, and seems to have forgotten his earlier life as a nature loving summer. It takes years before Moon is able to return. She still loves Sparks and hopes to win him back. In spite of appearances, this book is pure science fiction. Everything which might seem mystical has a science fictional explanation.
A very well written book with nice characterization and rich language. The only character that really didn’t come alive was Sparks, who felt very cardboardish when compared with the well-described female characters of the book. It seemed that he was mainly used as a more or less simpleminded boy-toy by the two main characters. I wonder if that was intentional “comment” which was purposefully made by the author, considering how females are often used in science fiction. Anyway, a book which well deserves the Hugo award it won 1981.

560 pp.

Galaxy March 1952

2011-09-25T08:02:00.000+03:00

Somewhat above average issue, the stories are ok, but perhaps a little past their time.

The Year of the Jackpot • novelette by Robert A. Heinlein
Strange things start to happen – people are behaving in surprising manner and the tensions are rising everywhere. One scientist, a statistician who analyzes trends believes that all trends are going in the worse direction at the same time and will bottom down in a few months. He runs to mountains with a girl (who he met earlier when she took away all her clothes in the middle of a street and who later for some hard to understand reason fell in love with him). After they have settled to live on the mountains (there are some small problems, like a nuclear war on the outside world) the sun goes nova. The writing is pretty good, but I really didn’t get the real point of the story if there was any. Things just happen and everything ends badly.
Manners of the Age • shortstory by H. B. Fyfe
People have no social interaction at all, have a lot of robots to take care of their needs and have contact with each other via a TV system. A man finds out that a woman lives in a nearby mansion. He decides to visit her in person. As they haven't interacted with other people in years, they have no social graces at all and irritate each other’s immensely, but they manage to have (off screen) sex nevertheless. The man then returns to his mansion after filing a marriage.
The 7th Order • shortstory by Jerry Sohl
A robot who is the seventh order of being comes to earth to evaluate if it is a good and safe place to produce more robots of the seventh order. Humans as lesser beings would be workers in that project. If the robot cannot be stopped, he will call the invading force. If he is stopped, earth will be written off as a dangerous place and will not be bothered again. The robot is able to read all minds inside a circle of dozens of miles, so stopping it won’t be so easy. The story reminds me of a Spider Robinson story which is based on more or less on the basic premise. A somewhat old fashionable story, but all right.
Catch That Martian • shortstory by Damon Knight
A "Martian" is on loose. Or at least noisy and irritating people start to find themselves partly dislocated from this universe, and are partly transparent and totally silent. An investigator is trying to find who is doing that, but ends up as one of the victims. Nothing really surprising, writing is fairly mediocre. Some tightening would really have served the story.

Galaxy Science Fiction, February 1952

2011-09-09T17:26:00.000+03:00

An average issue for Galaxy at that time.

Double Standard • shortstory by Alfred Coppel
A man is using a fake ID and masks to get on a space ship to which he could not be accepted because of his genetics. He is caught soon after liftoff by women who is the gender more suited to space travel. Have seen better writing - and very often. **
Conditionally Human • novelette by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
As very strict population control (based on genetics) is being enforced pets which are modified either to have a higher intelligence or to resemble human children are popular. A man who is responsible for the district pound has to find run away pets and often put down "surplus" ones. As can be imagined this can be a stressful job. Especially his wife (who of course is at home even though they haven't and can't have children) has many qualms about the work ( it apparently comes as a surprise to her...). A mutant strain of pets has been released by accident. The restrictions on the growth and intelligence aren't working as they should. What to do when "a pet" looks like a two year old girl, and is on the intelligence level of about a five year old and "it" should be put down? ***½
Dr. Kometevsky's Day • shortstory by Fritz Leiber
Moons of Mars and Jupiter have disappeared. And there are a lot of people who are claiming to be "gods". Feels like a very old-fashionable story and finishes far too easily ( all the planets of the solar system are camouflaged space ships hiding from the enemy who is now approaching, and the ships must fight or escape - destroying earth and all the other planets while doing so. It happens that the bad guys have stopped being bads, and everything is nice and good...**
Fresh Air Fiend • shortstory by Kris Neville
A man is suffering from debilitating disease on a foreign planet. A woman is tending him, but unfortunately she is very stupid, it is hard to give her instructions. About as appalling it sounds. Writing as such is ok, but otherwise pretty bad at all levels. It doesn't even seem to be written as an ironic piece.**-

The Mind's Eye by Oliver Sacks

2011-09-08T16:33:00.001+03:00

This book continues the series of interesting neurological case studies. This time the emphasis is on visual perception and sight.
The book describes some interesting cases, among others a musician who lost her ability to read sheet music, but was ably play from memory, and a man after a stroke lost his ability to read written text, but was still able to write (without being able to read his own writing!). The last part of the book describes Sacks’ own experiences when he lost his sight from his better eye.
The first half wasn’t as good as his earlier books. The writing felt somewhat more complex but at the same too “loose” and it was not as entertaining as the earlier books. The latter half was better and very personal. There was one pretty bad irritant in this book: there were a great number of footnotes, on some pages there was more text on footnotes than in the body text. And many of the footnotes were very redundant and little would have been lost if they were omitted.

As a whole a pretty interesting book, but probably worst book by Sacks I have read.
260 pp.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact September 2011

2011-09-04T12:05:00.001+03:00

A serial takes lot of space from this issue. Otherwise below average issue.

Therapeutic Mathematics and The Physics of Curve Balls • novelette by Gray Rinehart
A boy with a malformed skull living on a freak show (in the 1930s) is a mathematical whiz kid, and is able to read minds and influence thoughts. He is maltreated by the owner of the freak show (I wonder why he isn't able to influence him?). He runs away to see a baseball game. There are some good ideas in the story, but it is far too short to explore them properly. And there is the baseball, always a turnoff for me...**1/2
Hostile Environment • shortstory by Emily Mah
Two teenagers on a Mars colony manage to get in trouble more than once. They have an accident while driving surface vehicles and they suspected from a foul play. A pretty simple story where children seem to be behaving below their age. Writing was ok. ***
The Chaplain's Assistant • shortstory by By Brad R. Torgersen
There apparently has been a human invasion of a hostile alien planet. It has failed completely, but a few survivors of the invading fleet live in a sort of reservation where they are studied by insectoid aliens, most of whom seem to have lost interest. It might be only a short while before the aliens destroy the survivors. One day an alien visits a small church some of the humans have built. Apparently the alien have no concept of religion at all. Is that something which could be so interesting for the aliens they will think that there might be something to be learned from the humans. Average story with old and irritating trope: “no religion” = “cold and evil”. ***+
Asteroid Monte • shortstory by Craig DeLancey
Humanity has joined a sort of galactic community. The more barbaric species (like humans) are often used for police work. A human who has broken some rules is drafted to a very elite police force. His first mission is to examine the smuggling of a potentially dangerous machinelike life form. The background of the story feels very interesting, but the plot and resolution of this story (the first of a series?) wasn’t anything really special. ***-
Helix Of Friends • novelette by Carl Frederick
An experiment in some sort of mind melding using some sort apparatus as help leads to a discovery of alternative worlds, as an imaginary friend of a child turns out to be something more. A small nice twist in the middle of the story, but otherwise something which could have been published in Astounding during Campbell’s Dianetics phase. Writing is on about the same level, also. **-

Darwinia: A Novel of a Very Different Twentieth Century by Robert Charles Wilson

2011-09-04T07:59:00.002+03:00

Europe is overnight replaced with a strange land with strange plants and strange, most often poisonous animals. The geography is the same, but no trace of any human habitation remains. After a short period of puzzlement there is a scramble for new territory and resources. The main character is a photographer who takes part on an ill fated expedition to mountains which used to be called the Alps. The expedition finds a strange artificial structure before they are attacked by unknown villains. The few survivors keep a very low profile after their return, especially after some very unusual visitors contact them..

The later half of the book is pretty different from the beginning. There turns out to be strange factions fighting age old battles and the people find themselves drafted to take part of the fight. And by the end of the book things turn out to be very metaphysical and the world itself might not be what it appears.
The idea of the book is pretty good, and the first half is excellent. Unfortunately the second half is much worse. It covers a very long time – decades - in fairly sketchy manner and and even the final battle is over in a few pages and is described in very detached manner.

320 pp.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact July-August 2011

2011-09-01T11:00:00.001+03:00

I read this issue weeks ago, but haven't had time to write the review. Stupidly I hadn't made any notes about stories, either – and had some real trouble remembering the details of some of them. That naturally tells something about the quality of those stories, also. Two goods ones, others less so.

Coordinated Attacks • novella by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Practically all leaders of the moon are assassinated or at least tried to assassinate with a very strange poison. A police officer investigates the crime. Her examination of an earlier crime (which almost ended very badly for her and her partner) is followed on another time level. There is a connection between those events, but a fairly loose one. A well-written story, but somehow not so well structured as it could have been. The ending was also a bit too open. ****-

Jak and the Beanstalk • novelette by Richard A. Lovett
A young boy wants to climb to the orbital elevator when he grows up. It takes some planning and maneuvering, but when he is a young man, he gets his chance. It is only 35,786 km vertically...
Surprisingly good story, but there a little too much (perhaps unneeded) drama at the end. ****-

A Witness to All That Was • shortstory by Scott William Carter
A married couple with serious issues find a lone robot from a desolate planet. The robot has a story to tell. Writing was fairly good, but the plot felt very familiar with some echoes from Star Trek TNG:s “Inner Light”. ***

Death and Dancing in New Las Vegas • shortstory by Ernest Hogan
Some extremely confusing happenstances in Mars. Some sort of band is supposed to perform on Martian city. I didn't get the story at all, or at least couldn't recall any real details when writing the review.. Apparently, it was supposed to be funny. **

One Out of Many • novelette by Kyle Kirkland
A brain stimulator which is supposed to be safe might have some unforeseen consequences after all. But why a legendary character, a possible crime lord, is interested in it and kidnaps a member science regulations bureau? A lot happens in the story and not everything in it is very logical. The world is fairly strange – you must wait in a line to get access to information databases and you are not supposed to take notes. Some pruning of some details or expansion might have served the story. ***-

The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head: A Psychiatrist's Stories of His Most Bizarre Cases by Gary Small

2011-08-28T09:49:00.001+03:00

A collection of unusual cases from the practice of American psychiatrist, varying from a naked young woman standing on her head on the emergency ward to a slowly progressing dementia of a colleague. All cases are solved very neatly and quickly by the author, while most of his fellow doctors tend to be arrogant fools. Pretty interesting as such, but gives an impression that psychotherapy is a fast process which is most often based on a clever insight of the therapists. The book was entertaining to read in spite of a great amount simplification of the process.

267 pp.

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin

2011-08-24T21:23:00.002+03:00

The long waited installment of perhaps the best fantasy series there is or have ever been.
The story continues partly in parallel with the earlier book and deals with those characters who were not featured in it.
As usually, the story is seen from multiple viewpoints, perhaps from too many. For some reason there seemed to be a fair amount of fluctuation of quality between different chapters. Some of them (especially the most Reek/Theon chapters,) were extremely good, some less good, or seemed even superfluous.
As a whole, this book felt more than a little like a middle part of a series: the pieces are being set up for the more important events in the later books and the Real Events will happen sometime later. Well, there were some moving and surprising turns of the plot, but even they seemed to be more cliffhangers for the rest of the series and the consequences were not explored at all, and practically all characters were left to hang on cliffhangers. This was not the best book on the series, and it seems that GRRM has reached that point in his career that he doesn’t have to use an editor anymore. There are a fair amount of things which could have been condensed and even removed resulting in a more satisfying and entertaining book, not to say that this wasn’t one.

1040 pp.

Katja Bargum: Kutistuva turska ja muita evoluution ihmeitä

2011-08-14T09:53:00.002+03:00

Excellent and entertainingly written book about the basic principles of evolution. Something every creationist should read, but probably wont.

Viihdyttävästi kirjoitettu johdatus evoluutioon ja sen perusmekanismeihin. Kirja lähtee evoluution perusmekanismeista ja päätyy siihen kuinka ihmiskunnan itsekkyys (joka on evolutionaarisesti ymmärrettävää) vaarantaa koko maailman. Loppupuolella ehkä mennään hiukan liiankin moralisoivalla puolelle. Parasta kirjassa ovat kuvaukset evoluution erikoisista ratkaisuista, mm tilanteissa joissa evoluutio on johtanut lajeja umpikujaan suosimalla yksilön selviämistä lajin selviämisen asemesta. Evoluution logiikka ja mekanismi selitetään kirjassa erittäin hyvin ja selkeästi. Jokaisen sekopää kreationistin lukulistalle tämä kuuluisi, tosin ei taida siitä olla pelkoa.

317 s.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact March 2006

2011-07-29T11:37:00.001+03:00

A serial takes a lot of space. Pretty average issue.

The Little White Nerves Went Last • novella by John Barnes
A formed leader of some sort of military or espionage organization is woken inside another man's mind, so that important information can be retrieved. Most of the story is a story inside a story, a tale what happened to him as a very young boy ( mind eating robots attacked the planet) the framing story was a lot less interesting as the nested tale. ***+
The Skeekit-Woogle Test • shortstory by Carl Frederick
A slow and asymptomatic viral infection makes people more creative. A scientist who discovers that wants to be infected as he doesn't consider himself to be creative at all. A fairly nice idea, but execution didn't really work. I found it hard to believe that someone who has been studying synesthesia wouldn't recognize it when he himself has it. ***+
Wildlife • shortstory by Henry Melton
A nature photographer goes to the moon to take some pictures of the landscape there. He finds out that there is some ”wildlife” there, also. A simple, short, story. ***-
Playhouse • [Draco Tavern] • shortstory by Larry Niven
A Draco tavern story. The aliens have some difficulties with their stasis equipment and unload a bunch of alien children from different species to the Draco tavern. Some of them with some fairly unusual habits. Ok, average or above average story. ***
Wasting Time • novelette by Grey Rollins
A professor has some trouble keeping his office plants alive. Then the whole outside wall of his office crumbles, later when the workers are building a new wall it explodes. What might be causing that? Pretty good story, probably the best in issue. The sinister implications of the invention which was made in the laboratory in the next building are are also at least mentioned. ***½

Reijo Mäki: Kolmastoista yö

2011-07-28T11:57:00.001+03:00

A detective novel about a PI working in Turku. Probably worst I have read in this series. The book has some serious problems with an overcrowded plot involving KGB sleeper agents, mafia hit men, nuclear weapons and bisexual love triagles.

Vares romaani. Tällä kertaa Vares kohtaa useampiakin entisen Neuvostoliiton ja nyky isen Venäjän sleeper- agentteja, oma osuutensa juonessa on myös mafialla ja ydinaseilla, epätoivoista biseksuaalista rakkaustarinaa unohtamatta. Ja Vareksella tietenkin kauniita naisia ja olutta riittää. Kovin suuri uskottavuus ei Vares-kirjoissa ole mikään perusvaatimus tavallisestikaan ollut, mutta tässä kyllä mentiin uskottavuudessa kaikkien järkevien rajojen yli. Kirjassa oli runsaasti vauhdikkaita tapahtumia, mutta niiden järkevyys kyllä oli siinä ja sinä. Useampia sarjan kirjoja olen lukenut, mutta tämä taitaa kyllä olla heikoin. Jotenkin kirjoitustyylikin oli jäykempää kuin muissa sarjan kirjoissa. Jonkinasteinen pettymys, joka tuntui vähän välityöltä, mutta menihän tämä kirja hyvin kevyenä ja nopeana kesälukemisena.

362 s.

Galaxy Science Fiction October 1953

2011-07-25T22:30:00.003+03:00

A serial takes a lot of space. The short stories are clearly below average.

The Model of a Judge • shortstory by William Morrison
An extraterrestrial with impeccable taste judges a pie making contest. I wonder what the point of the story is supposed to be? **-
The Carnivore • shortstory by Katherine MacLean [as by G. A. Morris ]
Aliens show themselves after humanity has destroyed itself in a war. Aliens are herbivores and very timid, and are afraid of the warlike humanity. The end twist is something that could be expected - aliens have sterilized all remaining humans so that there can be no more so dangerous creatures.***-
With a Vengeance • shortstory by J. B. Woodley
A short story about a new American emperor, who as a young man wanted to by a newspaperman, but couldn't as his writing was so atrocious. Now he has a job for the editor who fired him.... The best story in the magazine, but still fairly mediocre. ***
Origins of Galactic Etiquette • [Origins of Galactic . . .] • shortstory by Edward Wellen
Short stupid vignettes of misunderstandings between Galatic races. The premise might be good, but the stories are overlong and really, really stupid and badly written. Supposed to be funny, but isn't. **
At the Post • novelette by H. L. Gold
Gambler's wife is in a mental hospital because of catatonic schizophrenia. He and some of his friends starts to suspect that she is able to travel to the future. As that would be really valuable for some whose main interest is gambling on horse races, he tries to get into the same state as his wife. It turns out that she isn't traveling to the future – she is working with aliens who want to preserve some of humanity's most important aspects before mankind destroys itself. A pretty bad story which is badly written. **-

My Hugo award votes 2011 part 4: Short Stories

2011-07-24T22:25:00.001+03:00

“For Want of a Nail” by Mary Robinette Kowal
A family on generation ship saves all important data through an AI personality. Apparently it is so poorly constructed that a dropping it shakes a wire apart from its socket, and prevents it from accessing the long term memories. And apparently those who developed the system were brain dead and didn't plan for any backups. Well, that accident reveals that not only the system is poorly constructed and poorly fault tolerant, it is extremely poorly programmed as well - someone with dementia can hack the system so badly it can not be restored. The writing is ok and strives for emotion, but the premise and logic are so horribly bad, that irritation over those prevented any possible emotions.
“Ponies” by Kij Johnson
A young girl has to bring her pony (with wings, a horn and ability to speak) to a party where the pony has to lose two of the skills. All metaphor, nothing else. Very short story,
“The Things” by Peter Watts
John Carpenter's The Thing from the monsters point of view. Naturally he(it?) has motivations and goals of his own, and doesn't consider himself as on monster or as a "bad guy" ( or as an individual at all as matter of fact). A fairly good story, very well written, but somewhat too derivative.
“Amaryllis” by Carrie Vaughn
A kind of postapocalyptic story about a future where there are strict quotas for everything, from fishing to getting children. A fishing group is led by a woman who originally has been born without valid permits and there some resentment against her for that reason. Another fairly good story, probably best of bunch. Not that it means much.

The average quality was probably the worst in this category. Once again I wonder how these stories managed to be nominated. Where is for example “Red Letter Day” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (the winner of Analog's reader survey), which is by far better story than any of these? Two of the stories were fairly good, two were so bad or irritating that I am going to place them below “no award”.

1. “Amaryllis” by Carrie Vaughn
2. “The Things” by Peter Watts
3. No award
4. “For Want of a Nail” by Mary Robinette Kowal
5. “Ponies” by Kij Johnson

My Hugo award votes 2011 part 3: Novelettes

2011-07-22T23:09:00.001+03:00

“Eight Miles” by Sean McMullen
A steampunk story from Analog? Is this a first? A balloonist gets an interesting offer from a nobleman in 19th century Britain. The nobleman has found a strange woman, who is very lethargic and passive, and clearly is not a human. He assumes that she comes from the highlands of Tibet, and uses the balloon to get higher up to thinner air.
“That Leviathan, Whom Thou Hast Made” by Eric James Stone
A Mormon missionary is working to convert aliens who live on the sun and are made from plasma. He has made some converts, but then a one of them has bad conscience about a sexual act.
A well written and good story, in spite of having a totally despicable main protagonist, who is trying to brainwash aliens to totally alien (to them) ideology. That point isn’t really discussed in the story; apparently the author doesn’t recognize the ethical problems. Personally, I think that all missionary work has some very racist connotations: OUR religion is so much better than YOUR religion.
“The Emperor of Mars” by Allen M. Steele
A bride of a man who works in a Mars colony dies in a car accident on earth. He soon starts to believe that he is the emperor of Mars and all classic sf about mars is true. Excellent and entertaining story.
“The Jaguar House, in Shadow” by Aliette de Bodard
I read this story earlier when it was published in Asimov's. i didn't get it them. Now I tried to reread it, but I got it even less. Some sort of intrigue told in reverse cronological order in some sort of alternative world where the great indian kingdoms of middle and south America weren't destroyed.
Plus or Minus” by James Patrick Kelly
A youngster who has been genetically modified for interstelar travel ( she is able to go hibernation) has more or less run away home and is working on some sort of space freighter. They have an acident, and inevitable conclusion happens. Well written but very ordinary and predictable story. I wonder why this was nominated?

Most of the nominees in this category were competent and even enjoyable, and I really liked of “The Emperor of Mars” and ”Eight Miles”. They were both competent and good stories, and it was fairly hard to decide which of them is the better one. I might well change their order before the final voting. The worst two were also easy to find; in both cases I really don't understand why they were even nominated. I didn't really hate either one, so I am not going put them below the ”no award”.

1. “The Emperor of Mars” by Allen M. Steele
2. “Eight Miles” by Sean McMullen
3. “That Leviathan, Whom Thou Hast Made” by Eric James Stone
4. “Plus or Minus” by James Patrick Kelly
5. “The Jaguar House, in Shadow” by Aliette de Bodard

My Hugo award votes 2011 part 2: Novellas

2011-07-21T23:38:00.001+03:00

”Troika” by Alastair Reynolds
A former cosmonaut of the Second Soviet state has escaped from the prison he is apparently kept in order to prevent him from telling the secret of his last flight: He wants to tell something to an old woman who lives in a nearby town. He was visiting a strange artifact which arrived at our solar system apparently from nowhere. All the members of the crew went more or less mad. The story is told alternating on two time lines. The mid-section was little slow, but otherwise the story was very good.

“The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers beneath the Queen’s Window” by Rachel Swirsky
A tale of a witch or sorcerer who was killed by treason, and is brought back to life several times during centuries. Excellent, poetic and well written story, even better that Swircky's last year's nominee.

“The Maiden Flight of McCauley’s Bellerophon” by Elizabeth Hand
A story of a fabled flying machine which was supposed to be flown before the Wright brothers, and about a replica made from it. Well written, but the science fiction content is fairly minimal and it is limited to the end of the story, where some irritatingly unexplainable things happen.

“The Lifecycle of Software Objects” by Ted Chiang
A story about AI pets which must be trained carefully (at least as carefully as “normal pets”) . First they were a popular fad, but when the amount of training needed become obvious, most people gave up on them. But a few were so fond of their pets that they kept training them for years. Slowly, the pets got better and better - to at least to some degree. Well written story, but then the ending seems only to whimper out - there is no real “bang” there.

“The Sultan of the Clouds” by Geoffrey A. Landis
Two visitors come to a colony on Venus which floats on air at an altitude where pressure and temperature are tolerable. That altitude on the whole planet is filled with such colonies, which are ruled more or less autocratically. The future head of the most important ruling family shows a great deal of interest towards a female visitor, while the male one gets involved with underground guerrilla movement. An entertaining and good story, but it is fairly standard science fiction.

All novellas were good this year, there wasn’t a single one I didn’t like for at least for some degree. Rachel Swirsky’s novella was even better that her nominee last year and it something which was very easy to place to the first place. The second place was also very clear - Chiang’s stories have always been good. This story wasn’t one of his best ones, but it was excellent nevertheless. The last three stories were harder to put in any order, I liked all of them about as much. They were all competent, nice stories, but they didn’t have anything really special, just “ordinary” good science fiction stories which would have needed something “special” to be really awardworthy.

My votes will be in this order:

1. “The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers beneath the Queen’s Window” by Rachel Swirsky
2. “The Lifecycle of Software Objects” by Ted Chiang
3. “The Sultan of the Clouds” by Geoffrey A. Landis
4.“Troika” by Alastair Reynolds
5.“The Maiden Flight of McCauley’s Bellerophon” by Elizabeth Hand

My Hugo award votes 2011 part 1: Novels

2011-07-20T17:57:00.000+03:00

Most of the Hugo nominees this year are part of a series. The Dervish House was the only one which either isn't the first book of a trilogy or isn't part of an established old series. I didn't really, really love any of the nominees, not the way I liked the City and the City last year. There was just one book I would hate to see to win the award, but I am afraid the that will be the one which will get the Hugo this year - I am speaking about Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis. That book will be the only one I am going to place below "no award" in my ballot.

It was fairly easy to decide the order of the other books. I didn't love the Dervish House, but the writing was clearly better than in any of the other nominees and it was clearly the best book even if I didn't personally love it. Also, as it isn't part of any series I find that it is more "Hugo-worthy" than any of the other nominees. The second place goes to the "Feed" for pure entertainment value that book has. The order of the next two places was a bit more difficult to decide, but I believe the The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms deserves to award more than the Cryoburn which was a disappointment to a degree.

My voting order will be:

1. The Dervish House by Ian McDonald
2. Feed by Mira Grant
3. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
4. Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold
5. No award
6. Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis

The Business of Science Fiction: Two Insiders Discuss Writing and Publishing by Mike Resnick and Barry N. Malzberg

2011-07-20T08:13:00.003+03:00

A series of discussions which were originally presented on the sfwa's newsletter which concerns almost all aspects of publishing and writing (and selling) science fiction in the USA. I have no intention ever doing that, but I found the discussions to be interesting anyway. Sometimes Barry N. Malzberg seemed to be more than a little clueless, especially concerning self-publicity and the role of ebooks and internet. Mike Resnick had a more sensible and direct approach. The book was fairly fast and enjoyably to read, but as the original essays were apparently published in a span of several years there was more than a little repetition.

275 p.

Cryoburn by Lois M Bujold

2011-07-17T22:01:00.001+03:00

I have read a few of earlier Miles Vorkosigan books and I have enjoyed them. However, I haven't read all of them, and there was a fair amount of back-story missing between what I have read and this latest tale. Miles is an auditor who is examining a planet where cryocompanies are ruling. Local laws allow the companies use the voting rights of the people who have been "frozen" and consequently most power is in the hands of said companies. One company is planning to expand on the Barrayar empire's area, and Miles wants to find out if it has any ulterior motives.
The book starts straight from action. Miles is lost on the catacombs which are filled with preserved people. He has escaped a kidnap attempt, but is dizzy and hallucinating from the effects of the knockout gas. He is rescued by a young boy who has run away from home. It turns out that his mother has been kidnapped by a cryocompany and “frozen” apparently for made-up reasons. Why? And is there any connection to

The beginning of the book was very good, writing was fine and entertaining, and the plot moved at good pace. For some reason everything seemed to go in the wrong direction as the book progressed. The writing seemed to be somewhat rambling and too much space was used on two cute kids and their pets. Not the best in the series, but it still was an enjoyable book to read.

448 p

Analog Science Fiction and Fact June 2011

2011-07-17T11:04:00.002+03:00

The first part of a serial takes a lot of space. An average issue.

Citizen-Astronaut • novelette by David D. Levine
A blogger takes part on a Mars mission. He was supposed to have a free access to all information, even to the negative facts, but he soon finds that everything isn't something that should be told publicly. ***+
Take One For The Road • shortstory by Jamie Todd Rubin
The only surviving astronaut from a failed Mercury mission shares some beers with a younger neighbor and tells the true story of what happened. More mundane story I was expecting with not necessarily most believable plot points. ***
Stone Age • shortstory by Alastair Mayer
Archeologists make a major discovery on an alien planet only to find that grave robbers get it from them on a gunpoint. But there are some strange low radioactive readings still coming from the grave...A short story with not very believable plot. ***
Kawataro • novelette by Alec Nevala-Lee
A scientist who is visiting a remote and isolated Japanese village faces a monster from local legends. Another fairly mundane story which first seemed to be a horror or fantasy, but turns out to be a borderline science fiction with somewhat too neat resolution. ***-

Feed by Mira Grant

2011-07-08T23:42:00.001+03:00

Another Hugo award nominee.
I believe this was the first book about zombies I have ever read.
A new disease which appeared when two genetic treatment for separate diseases accidentally combined. It is dormant in everyone and in every warm bodied animal which weights over certain limit. When someone who is carrying the virus dies (that means everyone) he reanimates as a zombies who is extremely hungry for any animal protein. And any contact with any bodily fluid of a zombie also wakes up the dormant virus causing a viral amplification and the person who has been bitten turns to a new zombie usually in under an hour. A massive trauma to brain prevents that in a classical zombie movie manner. The book has lot of references to zombie movies, for example George Romero is hailed as one of the saviors of the humanity as people who had seen his movies instantly knew how to fight against the hordes of undead. All this has happened years before the events of the book, when the book happens things have stabilized more or less and the zombies are a known threat.

The book is told mostly in fairly light, sometimes tongue in cheek manner. For example one of the heroes is called Shaun, and another ( a blond girl) has a nickname “Buffy”.
The heroes of the book are bloggers who are blogging especially about zombies, but they are dealing with other newsworthy subjects, also. The book starts when they get invited to follow the presidential campaign of a promising candidate. And the campaign trail turns out to be a lot more than they were expecting...

This book has a strong young adult vibe. The heroes are young, hardly out of their teens and they are smart, brave and resourceful. Most adults are more of less clueless. The plot is pretty entertaining and fast moving, but there are some zombie sized plot-holes. There really was no reason for the bad guy to do what he was doing, I can't really see what he thought he would gain by playing his cards that way he did. Also, the threat of the zombies seems to be overplayed with ever present blood-tests, as it is stated in the novel that 2653 persons lost their lives by zombie attacks on the previous year. This is around 7-8% of people who lose their lives on traffic accidents in the US every year.

I also wonder why the main hero is using ergots and codeine for migraines. Have the more effective medications been forgotten?

A “side-effect” of the zombie plague is a total resistance against all forms of cancer (and common cold has also disappeared – come to think about that, if only 2600 people lose their lives for zombies yearly, the net effect of the zombie menace seems to be very heavily positive .-) ) and because of that smoking isn't frowned upon anymore. In reality the cardiovascular effects of the smoking are much more important as a whole than the cancer and removing that threat would certainly not make smoking cigarettes safe.

But is spite of a few fairly stupid points the book was enjoyable and entertaining, a fluently written very fast read which felt shorter that the stated 592 pages. This book is also supposed to be a start of a trilogy, but as in case of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K.Nemisin I think that the story was finished in sufficiently satisfying manner in this first volume and I have no compelling urge to read the next part of the series. About Hugo: this seemed a somewhat light book for that award.

The Dervish House by Ian McDonald

2011-06-29T23:12:00.002+03:00

A second book by Ian McDonald I have read. The book is stylistically similar to Brazyl which I read a few years ago; the writing is very descriptive and heavy with adjectives. The writing itself is very good, but I am not a great fan of this writing style where the style and descriptions are more important than the plot. Not to say that the plot in this book would be insignificant or poor. Ian McDonald seems to place his books on varied countries which are less commonly used in science fiction or in English fiction in general. This time the book happens in the fairly near future Istanbul which could even be considered as a main character of the book.

The book starts with a terrorist attack which seems to be failed – only the woman herself who detonated a bomb died. There seems to be some unusual interest for some of the survivors of the attack, especially for one man who starts to have extremely realistic hallucinations.
Another plotline deals with a hunt for the mystical mellified man – a man who has been mummified with honey, and is supposed to have mythical healing properties. And third plotline deals with emerging nanotechnologies. The connection with those main plot-lines seemed first fairly marginal at the beginning and the book was fairly confusing with many different characters but all things converged fairly well by the end of the book.

I found one stupid mistake - I seriously doubt that it would be possible to make a plea bargain or pay bail in Turkey. Especially plea bargaining is a typical practice which happens only in countries with common law type of justice system; and it is practically unknown in countries with more developed or sensible legal systems. I couldn't either find any evidence that it would be possible to pay bail in Turkey.

Most of the plot lies, and last hundred pages were really entertaining. However, I believe that I prefer Brazyl to this book. The beginning of this book was somewhat too slow and disjointed, and it took too much time to really get inside the events. By the way, somehow the book felt a lot of longer than 410 pages.

I have now read three of the Hugo nominated books. So far none of them has been something really worth of the award. This has probably been the least bad so far.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact June 1971

2011-06-19T13:08:00.002+03:00

A fairly nice issue. A serial takes a lot of space. Read from iPhone during lunch-breaks.

Glory Day • [Telzey Amberdon] • novelette by James H. Schmitz
A telepathic woman is kidnapped with some of her friends and other people who happened to be on the same spaceship. A potential ruler of one planet was on the same ship, and the kidnappers what him to delinguish his power. Felt pretty similar that an earlier "Telzey Amberdon" story I have read. Telzey is kept as a prisoner in a large house with extensive gardens around it. Fairly ok, but there wasn't really much of suspence as Telseys psi-powers are so formidable that there apparently isn't anything she coudn't face. ****+
The Swan Song of Dame Horse • shortstory by Theodore L. Thomas
A drug addict doesn't get high with his dose as he is supposed to. He goes after his pusher, but that doesn't really help. A scientist has developed something that might stop drug addiction once and for all. There are problems with the story, there were a few very jarring changes of viewpoint. And the plan the scientist had was in part fairly impressive for something in a story this early (genetic engineering), but how he was implementing it wasn't really logical (not to mention unethical). ***
The Habitat Manager • novelette by William E. Cochrane
A spaceprobe lands on another planet (to Mars apparently, sent by humans). All life of the planet works in unison to evaluate the probe, and to prevent it from finding the abundance of life on the planet. The idea is fairly good, but the alien characters are somewhat too human in spite of the external differences and the story is very badly overlong. **
With Friends Like These . . . • shortstory by Alan Dean Foster
This story was the reason I picked up this issue: I read a description of it from rec.arts.sf.written.
It is a pretty much ultimate Campbellian story where humans are by far better in everything than any alien race. Humans very narrowly lost a war thousands of years ago and they were confined to earth beyond an impenetrable barrier. But now a new very savage race has risen which is threatening all civilized planets of the galaxy and an expedition has been sent to find out if the very savage human race still exists and if it would be able to help in the fight. The landing party finds a very pastoral place where simple folk are tending farms with horses. Of course, appearances can be deceiving...Pretty fun story. I am fairly certain that it was written purposefully to press John W. Capbell's buttons. ****+

The hundred thousand kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin

2011-06-12T14:57:00.001+03:00

The second Hugo nominated book I have read this year. The book was pure fantasy. I am not usually too keen on fantasy as I prefer pure science fiction, but this book was surprisingly readable in spite of that.

The world is ruled by a powerful family who has been able to enslave the gods of the realm to help them to maintain power. The daughter of the ruler, who was supposed to inherit the power had abandoned her position about twenty years before this story. She had married a minor nobility and moved with him to a desolate and unimportant province. After she was murdered, her daughter, Yeine, has been asked to appear in the court. To her surprise, Yeine hears that she has been selected as a contender for the throne. The are two other nominees who aren't too happy to hear that there will be more competition. But it is more complicated than that... And the captive gods have their own plans, also.

The first half of the book was excellent, especially the first few chapters (this seems to be common for the first books). The main character was interesting and original, especially on the first half of the book. For some reason she seems to turn stupider during the story. This might partly be due to the fact that I didn't like the later half story as much as the beginning – there was too much paranormal romance and too many plots going on. The writing also seemed somewhat clumsier. This is the first part of a trilogy. However, I feel that story was fairly well finished in satisfying matter as it is and I don't have any urge to read the last parts as the most relevant questions were answered in satisfying manner.

412 pp.

All Clear by Connie Willis

2011-05-30T16:00:00.002+03:00

The second part of the series. This review will contain some spoilers, so beware!

I was hoping that this continuation would have better that the first part, but I had to be disappointed. The same faults were evident. A lot of space is spent on constant worrying and going from one place to another while accomplishing nothing. Also, the characters seem as stupid as earlier - they often withhold crucial information from each others for no good or sane reason. ”Oh, I can't tell that, they would worry”.

They are constantly forgetting that they are time travelers and what the sequence of events in future Oxford was doesn't really matter; for example they remember at last possible time that another historian visited the same time period years before in the “oxford time”. Doh.

There are some really stupid small subplots. Pages are spent on worrying one characters lost jacket. “Oh, you'll get a cold without it”. No wonder that the character who lost his jacket faked his own death later on, apparently to rid himself of those two whining women – at least no other good reason was stated.

The characters are constantly worrying that they'll change the world, but they are constantly making decisions which certainly would change the path of history without any concern at all.

There are anachronisms, apparently they are traveling on subway lines which built thirty years after the war (at least according to some British reviews). And I cringed every time they talked about V-1 and V-2 bombs. I really don't believe that they were called that during the war in Britain, especially why anyone would call V-1s V-ONEs before there even were any V-2 type of rockets?

And I am still wondering what is the point of time tourism? The characters were supposed to be historians, but they don't seem to have any kind of research plan whatsoever beyond “I'll go to see what the blitz looked like”.

The ending, especially the reason why the “drops” weren't working was extremely stupid and illogical. The time space continuum apparently has a conscious mind?

I find this even worse book that the first part, probably because I was expecting that the story would have gone in a better direction. This was the first Hugo nominee I have read this year, and this will certainly be below the “No award” on my ballot.

656 pp.

Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner

2011-05-26T23:12:00.004+03:00

Another Hugo award winner.
I approached this book with some reservations, as I had tried to read this book years ago never getting beyond page ten, and I have seen this book mentioned on at least one or two lists of unreadable sf novels. I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself enjoying most of the book. It isn't one of the most readable novels around and it takes some time to get used to it.
The books tells about a fairly near future (from a sixties point of view) when overpopulation is rampant, unemployment is more common than working, crime and terrorism are everyday fear, genetic manipulation is either a threat to human existence or the last way enabling the survival of the human race. The story is told on several segments. Some of the chapters, titled ”continuity” tell the main plot line of the novel, some of the chapters ”Tracking with Closeups ” present glimpses to the life of other charters living in the world, most of them are unconnected to the main plot. In addition there are chapters called ”context” which give background information of the world, including chapters from popular and scholarly books discussing the world and finally fourth style of chapters are those called The Happening World are flashes of the world, for example short news headlines. The unusual structure took some time to get used to, but it worked very well. The main plot line dealt with a fictional African country called Beninia which seems too good to be true. No crime, no racial prejudice, no hate crimes. Another plot line deals with a supposed major breakthrough in genetic engineering. The plot lines weren't as important as the vividly described world and I found that the most interesting segments were “Tracking with Closeups”, which dealt mainly with the background. They presented very interesting glimpses to an interesting world. The writing was fine and interesting, and even the fair amount of made up words didn't hurt. This book was really a pleasant surprise.

650 pp.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, November 2007

2011-05-14T08:57:00.001+03:00

A fairly good issue, the most of the stories were fairly light-hearted.

Murder in Parliament Street • [Jaggers and Shad] • novella by Barry B. Longyear
A pair of detectives investigates a murder of a pigeon. The pigeon was a human wearing a pigeon “suit”. His work was to keep real pigeons off the statues. One of the detectives is a duck. As one might guess this was a slightly lighter story. A nice story, a tad overlong, too many movie references which all weren’t even funny. ***
These Are the Times • novelette by John G. Hemry
Time travellers journey to American revolutionary war. In fact that is so popular an era, that there is abundance of visitors. There is some romance between two travellers, some excitement from a deranged traveller who tries to change past. Nice and entertaining, nothing really deep, but enjoyable. ***½
Yearning For the White Avenger • shortstory by Carl Frederick
Not really science fiction: A well-trained parrot “translates” dog “speak” to human language. The pair helps a young boy with an abusive father. A nicely written entertaining and even moving story, which could have been somewhat longer. ****-
The Suit • shortstory by Bud Sparhawk
When the clothes function as computers, and control eating habits, communications with other people’s clothes and the outside world, you shouldn’t wear a poorly functioning suit with software which hasn’t been updated. A light, humorous story, writing ok. ***+
Permission to Speak Freely • shortstory by David Walton
A machine which enables a physician really feel what the patient feels enables easier and more accurate diagnosis. A very nice concept, but the conflict in the story is slightly forced and the ethical considerations were slightly overblown. ***½
The Paradise Project • [The Paradise Project] • novelette by H. G. Stratmann
A young couple has been selected for a trip to Mars, when aliens move that planet closer to the Earth orbit and change it gravity and atmosphere to more suitable for humans. They travel there and find an alien construct. A part of a series. I still wonder why that clueless pair was selected – they are supposed to about thirty, but they behave like irritating sixteen year olds who are less mature than average. The writing isn’t my favourite either. **

Analog Science Fiction and Fact March 1976

2011-05-01T08:22:00.004+03:00

A Dune serial takes most of space. Otherwise a slightly below average issue.

Field Test • [Bolo] • shortstory by Keith Laumer
An automated tank with a self-aware AI is used in a battle for a first time despite some reservations. It wins the battle against insurmountable odds, as fights ”for the honor of the regiment”. An overlong story with too much exposition first, and then with a boring description of battle, and everything leading to ”shaggy dog” -like last line. **-
Blessing in Disguise • shortstory by Herbie Brennan
A Muslim-like sect has a ”real” messiah, and a pilgrim is traveling to visit him. The messiah is a result of selective ”breeding” campaign, to ”pilgrim is a brain washed assassin whose goal is to murder the figure head. Writing was ok, maybe a longer form would have been better suited for the story. ***
A Penny's Worth • novelette by Stephen Robinett
A lawyer takes a case involving a battery. A young man walked into a house of another and beat him badly. He claims that he doesn't remember anything about the assault, and didn't even know the man he beat. The beginning of the story was pretty good, the ending was somewhat overlong, and the plot decayed too much. ***

Analog Science Fiction and Fact May 2011

2011-04-25T18:03:00.002+03:00

Average, or somewhat above average issue.

Tower of Worlds • novella by Rajnar Vajra
The story begins when a man is facing execution. How and why aren't known. Suddenly, he seems to start transforming to a reptile, and manages escaped as he suddenly gains a set of very impressive skills, among other ability to stretch his body through unbelievably small openings. After that, he encounters strange creatures, diabolic plots and almost endless action (except for a very long stretch of exposition). The beginning of the story was excellent, but then it decays to pretty mindless action. The story feels more like fantasy than science fiction. (when an immortality treatment is reversed the person turns to a withered corpse - feels more like a magic spell than a scientific treatment). The first fifth was a solid four star story, the rest with all the exposition and boring action felt like a two star story. ***-
Boumee and the Apes • shortstory by Ian McHugh
Intelligent elephants and the first humans encounter each other, and a war leading to genocide seems imminent. A pretty good story, but I found unclear if the story was supposed to happen in an alternative past, or in the "real" past and the smart elephants were ultimately wiped out by the humans. The odds for that happening seemed fairly bad...***½
The Wolf and the Panther Were Lovers • shortstory by Walter L. Kleine
A kind of "tall tale" of a card hustler who came to a small wild west town. He encounters a pair of intelligent wolf and puma, and wonders if he is being scammed in one way or other. Pretty good, maybe somewhat too short a story. ***+
The Old Man's Best • shortstory by Bud Sparhawk
A pair of bored asteroid workers decide to brew some beer to lighten their days. They encounter a score of difficulties which they are able solve, but usually very poorly. A very light story without any deeper meaning, ok read. ***
Ellipses . . . • novelette by Ron Collins
An author start to wonder why his neighbors have a few freshly dug grave-like mounds on their backyard. He starts to investigate and finds himself as a prisoner. Pretty good start for a story - where is the rest of it? Very entertaining anyway. ****
Blind Spot • novelette by Bond Elam
A detective examines an extortion case. A formula for a memory wipe has been stolen. The examination can be slightly hard when everyone, eventually including the man who was extorted seems to have lost their memory. A pretty good story. ***+

Märta Tikkanen: Emma ja Uno : rakkautta tottakai

2011-04-22T09:16:00.004+03:00

A “lovestory” of the grandparents of a renown Finnish author. The story is mostly based on letters they exchanged during their fairly short marriage. Uno, the husband, was arrogant bastard, Emma, the wife, was a naïve country girl who later had to cope with taking care of half a dozen children. The story is told with very detached way with a narrative voice which is outside of the events.

Puolisoni piti tästä kirjasta hyvin paljon, ja sen takia otin sen omaankin lukupinooni.
Kirja kertoo Marta Tikkasen isovanhempien “rakkaus”tarinan. Kirja pohjautuu pitkälti säilyneisiin kirjeisiin ja osaltaan suvussa säilyneeseen perimätietoon. Emma oli viaton kartanontytär, joka ihastui silmittömästi vanhempaan, sivistyneeltä vaikuttaneeseen herrasmieheen. Unoa kiinnostaa ainakin odotettavissa oleva perintö, jota hän hehkuttaa kirjeessä omalle äidilleen. Sivulauseessa sentään muistaa mainita, että morsian on myös terve. Nopeaan tahtiin syntyy iso lauma lapsia, joita Emma hoitaa ja Uno viettää pääosan ajastaan Ruotsissa kansanopistoissa opettamassa ja kansanvalistustyöstä luennoimassa. Emmalle hän ei kirjeitä kirjoita, liittääpä kuitenkin äidilleen kirjoittamiin kirjeisiin terveiset puolisolleen. Emma kirjoittaa Unolle päin viikoittain ikävöiviä kirjeitä. Erohan siitä sitten lopulta tuli, suhteellisen lyhyen avioliiton jälkeen. Ihmetyttämään hiukan jäi, missä vaiheessa tämä pari sen puolen tusinaa lasta oikein ehti siittämään, sen verran etäiseltä vaikuttava suhde oli. Ja mikä oikein oli taustalla Emman niin suureen hullaantumiseen, sillä aikamoiselta ylimieliseltä ku*ipäältä Uno vaikutti - tosin taisi olla aika normaali 1800-luvun korkeamman sosiaaliluokan mies.
Koko kirja kerrotaan ulkopuolisen havainnoijan näkökulmasta. On olemassa paljon siteerattu kirjoitusohje: “show, don’t tell“. Tämä kirja ei noudata tätä ohjetta, vaan koko kerronta perustuu siihen, että vain kerrotaan mitä tapahtui. Henkilöiden mielenliikkeitä korkeintaan arvaillaan, ja sitäkin vain harvakseltaan. Sinällään tässä kerrontaratkaisussa on omatkin puolensa, mutta jotenkin kovin ulkokohtaiselta tarina tuntui, ja olisin itse kaivannut persoonallisempaa otetta.

250 s.

Galaxy Science Fiction January 1952

2011-04-13T20:45:00.004+03:00

The first part of Demolished Man takes about half of the magazine. There are classics among the rest of the stories.

Dead End • shortstory by W. Macfarlane [as by Wallace Macfarlane ]
Consciousness can be transferred to a “pseudo-life” body, which is otherwise perfect, but has no creativity at all. And the real humans are becoming extinct…Also, eating in public is considered horribly indecent. I really didn’t get why those two totally unrelated ideas were combined in this story. The writing was average. **-
The Girls from Earth • novelette by Frank M. Robinson
The colonies have few women, as many of the men have left the earth in search of adventure. The earth has a surplus of women. As men can’t make food, wash clothes or clean houses, and the ultimate goal of all women is to get as good a man as possible (and if they don‘t succeed in that mission, they turn to bitter spinsters who will want to forbid everything), things aren’t going well. Laughably old fashionable attitudes. **½
The Furious Rose • shortstory by Dean Evans
A man is facing execution (or rather personality stripping). His wife is going has a compulsory divorce after that act. There is some pointless ritual of giving a red rose for the victim before the execution. I didn’t really get the point of the story if there was any. The writing wasn’t too good, either. *½
The Addicts • shortstory by William Morrison
A couple lives on an isolated asteroid tending an important space beacon. Rock eating creatures of some sort have invaded the asteroid and there seem to be no chance of long term survival. The husband is using a drug that removes all troubles (supposedly having no effect at all to rational brain functions), and is almost looking forward to his death. The wife tries to convince her husband that without the drug he might be able to find a way to get rid of the creatures. There is a way: they give the “happy pills” for the aliens, and they practically line up to be shot. Felt a little like something by Sheckley, but worse. ***-
Hallucination Orbit • novelette by J. T. McIntosh [as by J. T. M'Intosh ]
Being alone in space causes "solitosis". That is a kind of psychosis with clearly defined hallucinations of different sorts. Ord has spent months on an asteroid, and he has been visited by several beautiful women, and he has always been able to find out that those have been only hallucinations. The latest beauty‘s spaceship seems surprisingly real. Could she be real? (yeah, she is, but she isn’t beautiful, she is an elderly doctor, who has come to check Ord’s health - her looks was the hallucination). ***

Liza Marklund: Prime time

2011-04-10T20:24:00.001+03:00

A nice “detective” story about a newspaperwoman solving crimes. A popular TV anchorwoman has been murdered, and the best friend of Annika Bengtzon is among the suspects. Annika also faces some domestic difficulties. Very fluent and enjoyable mystery.

Annika Bengtzon dekkari, mukavaa hyvin kirjoitettua viihdettä tähän stressin keskelle.

Annika selvittää kuuluisan ja iltapäivälehtien kansissa viihtyneen TV-toimittajan murhaa. Murha oli tapahtunut eristyneessä hotellissa tehdyn kuvaussession päätteeksi, ja mahdollisia syyllisiä on klassiseen dekkarityyliin rajallinen määrä, ja useimmilla oli motiivi päästää juontaja päiviltä. Yksi mahdollisista syyllisistä on Annikan paras ystävä, joka antaa murhaan selvittämiseen tavallista henkilökohtaisemman sävyn. Tuttuun tapaan rinnakkaisina juonina kulkevat Annikan perhe-elämän ja työpaikan ongelmat. Annikan ja hänen miehensä suhde rakoilee taas kerran, ja kun Annika joutuu lähtemään töihin juuri ennen sovittua yhteistä Juhannuksen viettoa miehen pinna kiristyy pahasti. Työssä taas lehden päätoimittaja vaikuttaa olevan hukassa, siinä määrin että lehden toimituspäällikkö (?) ryhtyy omiin toimenpiteisiinsä asian suhteen. Molemmissa asioissa kirjan lopussa vaikuttaa valo pilkistävän tunnelin päästä.

Aika hyvä dekkari, selvästi parempi kuin vaikka saman kirjoittajan Paratiisi (jossa ilmeisesti kirjailijalle tärkeän asian herättämät tunteet heikensivät kirjan kirjallista laatua). Hyvin kirjoitettua, sujuvaa tekstiä, jota oli miellyttävä lukea. Käännöskin on ilmeisesti nappiin onnistunut.

368 s.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact November 2000

2011-04-04T18:58:00.001+03:00

A fairly average issue.

Swarming Korolev • [Mike and Linna] • novelette by Dave Creek
Mike Christopher tries to find out why an insectoid alien species with an apparent hive mind has invaded a space habitat, and how it would be possible to defeat them. An above average stories in this series. ***+
Blood Oath • novelette by Pete D. Manison
The asteroid habitats are at war with earth. Those earth citizens who live on the asteroid belt must prove they allegiance by shooting a prisoner of war. A pacifist immigrant (who has lived on the asteroid most of his life) is facing deportation which probably will kill him as he isn't going to kill anyone. A pretty good story with a twist in the end, not very logical twist, but an emotionally satisfying one. ***½
Crow's Feat • shortstory by John G. Hemry
An author travels back in time to meet Shakespeare. As usual, he isn't what was expected. (he considers that his plays are worthless "mid-list" works which aren't worth anything). Fairly worn out idea, execution is all right. ***
Check Flight • novelette by Michael F. Flynn
A part of series involving a female space pilot trainee. A lot of boring technical details of space ships and a crisis which happens during last few pages. The writing was ok, but otherwise fairly dull story. ***-
Tired • shortstory by Michael Bishop
The car tires have artificial intelligence. Perhaps somewhat too much of an artificial intelligence. Very short humorous story. ***
Funny Furry Fellows • shortstory by Mia Molvray
Humans and an alien race have some disagreements on an alien planet. I didn't really get this story. **
Kaddish for the Last Survivor • shortstory by Michael A. Burstein
The last survivor of the Holocaust is dying. That is a huge media event and makes a granddaughter reconsider some of her own choices. Feels like a fragment of a larger story. ***
Starstruck • shortstory by Grey Rollins
For years there have only been computer animated characters in the movies. One director decides to use real persons and causes a new fad in film-making. And his female lead is very attractive, and a friend of director falls for her. And that's about it. A very short and simple story, well told but too little “meat”. ***-
Dangling Conversations • [InterstellarNet] • novelette by Edward M. Lerner
The real message from an another star has finally been discovered. The story concentrates on political wrangling the message causes, and political and religious opposition for sending a reply. Ending is somewhat too neat. Otherwise more interesting that it might sound.***½

Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper

2011-04-03T12:36:00.003+03:00

A fairly well known and apparently fairly respected book. I picked this up because John Scalzi is going to publish a ”reboot” of this series and I wanted to find out what is so special about it.
A man is prospecting for rare jewels in a forest on an alien planet owned by a private corporation encounters fuzzy cute aliens and makes friends with several. The company controlling the planet gets very worried, because if the planet is found out to have sentient life the government will take over the planet and the company will lose its' lease. The bulk of the book is about preparing to the trial which will determinate if the fuzzies are sapient or not. Eventually the matter is decided in extremely easy, almost in deus-ex-machina way.

The writing is fluent and easy to read, but the characters are very black and white, and some attitudes are more than a little questionable. Even after the fuzzies are non-surprisingly shown to be “people” and sapient creatures, the “good guys” treat them as little more than as very nice and revered pets.

If I had read this when I was eleven, I would probably have loved this really, really much. Now it feels fairly childish and seems to be aimed for very young audience, clearly for younger kids than for example Heinlein's juveniles are. I wonder why this book needs a ”reboot”. Well, I might think otherwise if I had read this when I was eleven...

252 pp.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, April 2011

2011-03-28T19:26:00.001+03:00

A fairly nice issue. Nothing really good, but no real stinkers, either. I haven’t received my subscription copy yet, so I bought an electronic copy from Fictionwise.

Hiding Place • novella by Adam-Troy Castro
Another part of stories involving a special investigator (with some problems of her own) investigating an unusual crime. Who is the guilty party, when the person who committed a murder later get involved in a mind melded triplet where it isn't possible to differentiate individuals any more. A pretty nice story. ***1/2
Ian's Ions and Eons • novelette by Paul Levinson
A man travels back in time to change the results of a presidential election. He succeeds, but finds out that the cut rate price of a trip doesn't include all the frills. Fairly good, but slight condensing night have been nice. ***+
The Flare Weed • shortstory by Larry Niven
A pretty good Draco tavern story. A tale of an intelligent "plant" that needs a solar flare to live and reproduce. Above average draco story. +++1/2
Two Look at Two • shortstory by Paula S. Jordan
A nice elderly couple living on countryside meet a nice and polite pair of aliens. A very simple story, but very smoothly written with nice, fluent language. ***1/2
Blessed Are the Bleak • shortstory by Edward M. Lerner
Virtual people are coming more and more common, they seem to be surpassing the living humans. And the economy is suffering, living is more expensive and there are more and incentives to be a virtual being. Told from a viewpoint a young man who has some reservations about what is happening. Writing was good, but a bit fragmented style.***
Remembering Rachel • shortstory by Dave Creek
In middle of important negotiations between moon and earth officials a bride on main negotiator is murdered. A mystery story which depends on far too many future technologies in both the method of crime and in solving the puzzle to be really captivating. ***+
Quack • shortstory by Jerry Oltion
A skeptic scientist and a homeopath join forces when they try to proof or disproof homeopathy for good. Very stupid story, there is more than ample proof of the inefficiency of homeopathy. Might have worked as a probability zero story. Writing is smooth, typically for Oltion. ***+
Balm of Hurt Minds • novelette by Thomas R. Dulski
Insectoid aliens have arrived. They have bestowed gifts for mankind, the latest being a perfect sleeping tablet. At the same time many people are starting to have hallucinations...well written, probably somewhat too condensed story. The subject matter would have supported a longer form. ***1/2

Hannu Rajaniemi: Kvanttivaras

2011-03-27T13:12:00.004+03:00

The first book by a Finnish author which has been written in English and which has gotten fairly wide recognition. Not something to be read when you are stressed out and have problems with concentration due to sleep deprivation. A lot of strange terms and with a complex structure. A very interesting read, however.

Ensimmäinen suomalaisen englanniksi kirjoittama teos, joka on saanut merkittävää julkisuutta ja menestystä.
Sellainen kirja, jota ei ole tarkoitetu luettavaksi univelkaisena, väsyneenä ja stressantuneena, ja osittain siksi tämän lukeminen onkin kestänyt aika pitkään. Kirja sisältää enemmän kuin tarpeeksi outoja termejä, ja lukeminen vaatii melkoista keskittymistä.

Kirjan sankarina on mestarivaras, joka kirjan alussa on vankilassa. Hänet vapauttaa sieltä salaperäisen naisen ja älyllisen avaruusaluksen parivaljakko, joilla on mestarivarkaan taitojen arvoinen tehtävä.

Tästä alkaa vauhdikas meno, jossa on välillä vaikea pysy mukana, sillä kirja on suoranaista värikkäiden termien ilotulitusta. Mieleen välillä kyllä tuli tämä XKCD:n pilapiirros kylla aika elävästi...mutta kaikesta huolimatta kirja oli kyllä hyvin lukemisen arvoinen ja kiinnostava. Kielessä tosin mielestäni kyllä oli paikoitellen jonkinlaista jähmeyttä tai persoonattomuutta, en teidä onko tämä alkuperäistekstistä, käännöksestä vaiko vain keksityn terminologian runsaudesta johtuvaa.

Juonen perässä en ehkä ihan koko aikaa pysynyt, mutta se ei pahasti menoa haitannut.

Tapahtumapaikkaa jäin hiukan miettimään. Nimellisesti kirja tapahtuu tulevaisuuden Marsissa. Mutta aika moni asia selittyisi paremmin jos ajattelisi, että tapahtumat ovatkin kokonaan virtuaalisia, tietokoneessa tapahtuvia. Ehkäpä kirja tapahtuu samassa maailmassa kuin Charless Strossin Accelerando, kun koko asteroidivyöhykkeen sisäpuolinen massa on muuttunut tietokoneiksi joissa elää määrätön määrä virtuaalista elämää, joka ei enää ”oikeista” ihmisistä välitä tai niitä edes muista, ja jäljelle jääneet ”oikeat” ihmiset elävät Jupiterin paikkeilla myös enemmän tai vähemmän tietokoneisiin siirtyneinä. Aika monet asiat kirjassa selittyisivät paljon paremmin jos asiat todella ovat näin..

440 s.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact February 1976

2011-03-21T23:07:00.002+02:00

A fairly average issue. Most of the space is taken by a Dune serial.

A Martian Ricorso • shortstory by Greg Bear
An expedition to Mars has had some problems, the communications have been broken down and they are going to have problems leaving the planet. And then the Martians appear. The seem to evolve extreme fast and they aren‘t at least completely co-operative. I am somewhat divided with this story. On other hand it is technically well written, but on the other hand it is very detached and almost everything that happens is just told, little is shown. ***
The Better Mousetrap • shortstory by Hayford Peirce
An inventor designs a perfect mousetrap which has some very implausible consequences. An ironic story that doesn’t really work. **½
The Winnowing • shortstory by Isaac Asimov
Thematically related to the above story. Overpopulation has reached its limits and something must be done. A scientist has developed a disease which kills a certain percentage of people painlessly and doesn’t harm others. The powers that be want to use the virus, but the scientist has more than a few reservations. ***½
A Matter of Pride • novelette by Kevin O'Donnell, Jr.
American pilots are kept as prisoners on a North Korean prison camp. The Koreans use a disease which strips the prisoners from their strength as a mean of control. The escape seems impossible if you only have strength to walk a few hundred meters at a time. But there is a way.. Fairly obvious way. A story stuck to a cold war era. Writing was ok and it was probably the best in this issue. ***½

Galaxy Science Fiction, December 1952

2011-03-14T21:24:00.003+02:00

Homesick • shortstory by Lyn Venable
The first expedition to another star returns. The astronauts are really eager to escape their confined ship.It turns out that they have become allergic to almost everything. A simple nice story with some interesting structural tricks (which I spoiled with this review).
The Reluctant Weapon • shortstory by Howard L. Myers
An extremely powerful ancient civiliazation has abandoned a sentient weapon. Much much later another alien race wants to use it against humans. The weapon must first familiarize itself with someone who belongs to the enemy and a human male, who has been snatched at random from earth is brought to it. What is almost invitable happens. A fairly clumsy story.
The Leech • shortstory by Robert Sheckley [as by Phillips Barbee ]
A creature that is able to convert matter to energy and energy to matter at will threatens earth. No wonder Sheckley didn't use his own name on this. Pretty stupid and mediocre story. I wonder why the creature enjoyed “the rich energy” of attacks against it, as even the energy of nuclear weapons would be totally insignificant compared energy gained from even the smallest direct matter-to-energy conversion.
Cost of Living • shortstory by Robert Sheckley
There are a lot of nice work saving machines available. And you can get them on credit on very affordable terms. You don't have to sign off more than thirty years of your children's future earnings for the dept. A minor Sheckley, but still good and timely.
The Deep • novelette by Isaac Asimov
All life on a planet which rotates a dead sun has retreated underground. When even the internal heat of the planet is dying, the inhabitants try to find a new world. They use a sort of mental projection to evaluate if Earth would be a suitable place and if the inhabitants are worth of co-operation. Unfortunately, the original inhabitants have some extremely disgusting habits: they take personally care of their children, they even know who they parents are and they have not even rudimentary telepathic skills. Clearly there can be no contact whatsoever with such creatures. An average Asimov.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact September 2007

2011-03-12T21:57:00.004+02:00

I have read this issue from my phone during lunch breaks . Fairly average quality.

Some Distant Shore • [Mike and Linna] • novella by Dave Creek
Mika and Linna, a pair of explorers have arrived to see the destruction of an entire solar system. Members of several alien races have also come to study planets which will be destroyed by a rogue star which happens to strays through the system. The face several crises which ultimately have very serious consequences. Fairly nice story, tad overlong.
Stranger Things • [Bill, Greg and the Couch] • novelette by E. Mark Mitchell
The barriers between different alternative realities break and several different versions of the same people start to appear. And everything escalates to a ridiculous degree. Pretty nice, more amusing than most of the “humorous” stories in this issue.
A Plutoid By Any Other Name . . . • shortstory by Richard A. Lovett
A short short story what might be caused when Pluto isn't called a “planet” anymore. Mildly amusing.
Palimpsest • shortstory by Howard V. Hendrix
The ultimate e-mail spam prevention method leads to some unforeseen side-effects. A story that acknowledges Clarke's Nine Billion Names of God. A very contrived way to explain the ultimate effect the plan has.
Ginger Ear and Elephant Hair • novelette by Uncle River
A story about the old bad times when scientists “Ginger Eared” elephants. Extremely, extremely preachy, practically unreadably preachy story about the dangers of western lifestyle and gene engineering with all the subtlety of hitting your head with a sledgehammer. And badly written, also.
Vertex • [The Black Hole Project] • novella by C. Sanford Lowe and G. David Nordley
The black hole project stories culminate. The project is nearing completion, and if everything goes well a micro black hole will be created. That should have numerous applications and might even enable faster than light space travel. However, not everyone wants that the project succeeds. And as apparently there are no security arrangements of any kind, some problems are to be expected. A lot of viewpoint characters. Pretty much similar standard as the other stories in this series.

The Gorgeous Blogger

2011-03-12T07:49:00.006+02:00

Kiitän Taikakirjaimet -blogia The Gorgeous Blogger -tunnustuksesta. Vastaus on hiukan viivästynyt, sillä viimeiset vajaat pari viikkoa ovat olleet erittäin hankalia ja ikäviä. Isompi firma jonka ”alihankkijana” yritys, jossa itse työskentelen, on toiminut, irtisanoi sopimuksemme varoittamatta ilman mitään neuvotteluja. Yhtiön oletuksena on/oli, että siirtyisimme jatkossa ilman mitään kompensaatioita työskentelemään suoraan sen alaisuuteen, mitäs siitä meidän firmastamme, ei sillä merkitystä vaikka se joutuisi lopettamaan toimintansa. Onneksi olen sellaisessa asemassa, että voin hyvin vapaasti valita työpaikkani, eikä minulla ole mitään syytä miksi jatkaisin sitten jatkossa nykyisessä työpaikassani, työskentelemässä tuon ”petollisen” isomman yrityksen hyväksi. Mutta mietittävää ja järjesteltävää on ollut todella paljon. Lisäksi samana päivänä kuin sain töissä tuon ilmoituksen kotona alkoi pesuhuoneen remontti, ja sekin on aiheuttanut ovat, ei ihan vähäiset vaivansa.Mutta ihan kivan valonpilkahduksen tuo tunnustus viikkoon antoi. Eteenpäin en nyt osaa kiertopalkintoa jakoon laittaa.

1.Milloin aloitit blogisi?
Olin pitänyt lukupäiväkirjaa Librarythingissä jo puolisentoista vuotta. Ajattelin, että blogi-muoto olisi vapaampi, ja voisi joskus kirjoittaa muutakin kuin pelkkiä kirja-arvioita. Osittain muistiinpanojen tekeminen on ihan oman muistin tukemista. Etenkin novellit unohtuvat helposti, jos niistä ei ole kirjoittanut jotain pientä yhteenvetoa.

2.Mistä kirjoitat blogissasi, mitä kaikkea se käsittelee?
Blogi on aika puhdas lukupäiväkirja. Kirjoitan arvion kaikista kirjoista ja scifi-lehdistä jotka luen. Tai ainakin melkein kaikista, sarjakuvia on jäänyt useampia bloggaamatta, mm. Girl Geniusta, Buffy Season seveniä, Don Rosaa jne.

3. Mikä seikka tekee blogistasi erityisen verrattuna muihin?
Varmaankin vanhojen scifi-lehtien arviot. Olen kiinnostunut pulp-scifistä ja -lehdistä, ja kerään Analog- ja Galaxy-lehtiä. Ensinmainitusta tällä hetkellä minulla on vuodesta 1948 alkaen vain kahta numeroa vajaa täydellinen kokoelma. Tämä osa syytä miksi kirjoitan paljolti englanniksi. Ei ehkä ole kovin järkevää kirjoittaa suomeksi arviota lehdestä, jota Suomessa mahdollisesti ei ole kenelläkään muulla. Lisäksi jotenkin tuntuu luonnollisemmalta kirjoittaa aina samalla kielellä millä on lukenutkin.

4. Mikä sai sinut aloittamaan blogin kirjoittamisen?
Halusin ihan omaksi huvikseni ja muistikuvien tueksi listauksen kirjoista mitä olen lukenut.

5. Mitä haluaisit muuttaa blogissasi?
En ole mikään kielinero ja haluaisin, että englantini olisi parempaa.

Analog Science Fiction - Science Fact January 1976

2011-03-07T22:56:00.004+02:00

A serial Children of Dune takes the major part of the magazine and there are only three short stories.

The Perfect Cop • shortstory by H. H. MorrisLaw enforcement power is given to robots. They are totally incorruptible and have total knowledge of all laws. Unfortunately, they are somewhat too perfect, and practically the entire population of the city is thrown into a jail. Pretty ok humorous story. ***+
Seven is a Birdsong • shortstory by Charles L. GrantA postapocalyptic world where androids and diseases are feared. There is nothing really interesting. I read this a few days ago and it is a struggle to remember anything about this story. **
Angel • shortstory by Herbie Brennan A religious crank preaches nonsensical religion involving Venusians and Atlantis. But the nonsense in interspaced with military secrets. That might represent a severe security leak. What to do? A small surprise in the best cold war spirit in the end. ***

Analog Science Fiction and Fact October 2000

2011-02-27T13:34:00.006+02:00

Pretty average issue.

The Taranth Stone • novelette by Ron Collins
Aliens find a human artifact and try reverse engineer it. They also discover that their world is threatened by an extreme climate change. A somewhat too short story, I didn’t like the writing for some reason. ***-
Mask of Terminus • shortstory by Sean McMullen
A future where a near immortality has been achieved. Procreation is naturally very strictly controlled and DNA-scans are commonplace to screen out non-licensed inviduals. The story felt somehow fragmentary and it was not entirely clearly written. ***-
Graveyard Shift • shortstory by Kathy Oltion
Strictly speaking not science fiction at all, more like a straight mystery. Laboratory technicians get some really, really strange results when they are analyzing samples from a young man who have died recently. Less surprising ending than I was expecting - there was just a simple murder done by autopsy assistant. ***+
Friday, After the Game • shortstory by James Van Pelt
A sport story. About American football. The starting point wasn’t to enticing, but the story was fairly nice. Practically all contact sports have disappeared, as everyone is afraid of contagions after a few lethal epidemics. Games are played on virtual simulators and everyone is “equalized” to level the playing filed. A few kids want to try playing on real. ***½
The Nechtanite and the Inforat • novelette by Catherine Wells
A librarian and students reading in the library are teased by a very arrogant and abusive tattooed man who belongs to a secretive warrior cult. It turns out that he has a reason why he is behaving that way. (Students are so used to remote learning that they need something to bind them together and give them self-confidence). ***
"Put Back That Universe!" • shortstory by F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre
A man (a criminal) travels back in time to the beginning of the universe. And he is chased by a time cop.
A humorous story where the humor doesn’t really work. **
The Perfumed Heart • novelette by Charles L. Harness
A patent lawyer takes care of a case where a very beautiful android tries to patent a perfume she has invented. But is she a person who can be an inventor? A nice story, but not too surprising in any way. ***+
His Hands Passed Like Clouds • novelette by Rajnar Vajra
A man with a clawed hand has a very peculiar uncle Joe, whose touch seems to heal the hand. Later the same uncle heals the feet of the protagonist by a single touch. At the same time something very strange is found from a bottom of a lake - something almost like a sunken spaceship.
There are some factual stupidities (apparently the uploading something on the internet commonly changes the content of the file, and the disease which was supposed to cause the hand deformity of the protagonist as a child occurs in reality only on middle aged or older people), but otherwise nice, not very original story, probably the best in issue. ***½

Ron McLarty: Polkupyörällä ajamisen taito - The Memory of Running

2011-02-20T13:28:00.001+02:00

An overweight and miserable Vietnam veteran bicycles through American on a journey of self-discovery. Easy and fast readable novel. The first book by this author. There are some narrative problems, and the first chapter is much more polished that later ones, but pretty enjoyable book anyway.

Smitty on lihava, huonokuntoinen Vietnamissa haavoittunut elämässään epäonnistunut lähes alkoholisoitunut vanhempiensa luona vielä nelikymppisenä asuva mies jolla ei ole ystäviä. Hänen vanhempansa kuolevat liikenneonnettomuudessa. Käydessään läpi vanhempiensa tavaroita, hän löytää isälleen osoitetun kirjeen, jota tämä eläessään ei ollut ehtinyt vielä saada. Kirje on ilmoitus siitä, että hänen vuosia kateissa ollut sisarensa on löytynyt kuolleena toiselta puolelta maata. Oikeastaan puolittain vahingossa Smitty lähtee vanhalla polkupyörällään ajamaan Yhdysvaltojen halki hakemaan siskonsa ruumista.
Matkallaan hän kohtaa monenlaisia ihmisiä, ja mikä tärkeintä itsensä. Kirja on aika tyypillinen matkasta kertova teos, jossa matkustaminen toimii vertauskuvana elämälle ja elämänmuutokselle. Kirja on kirjoittajansa esikoisteos, ja se huomaa paikoitellen tietynlaisena kömpelyytenä. Vaikuttaa myös siltä, että ensimmäistä lukua on viilattu viimeisen päälle; se vaikuttaa sujuvammin ja paremmin kirjoitetulta kuin muu kirja. Ihan nopea ja viihdyttävä kirja, joka ole ei mitään ”suurta” tai yllättävää kirjallisuutta, mutta jossa on mukavan elämänmyönteinen mutta haikea sävy.

381 s.

The Big Time by Fritz Leiber

2011-02-19T18:11:00.002+02:00

Another Hugo award winner. A very short book, more of a novella than a novel.
Two mystical sides, the Spiders and the Snakes are fighting. No one really knows what they are, or why they are fighting. The soldiers of the war are recruited from different eras. They are constantly changing the past, present and future to ensure that their side wins. Why they should win – they have no idea at all. The events happen in ”Big Time” which is a sort of grouping area outside of time used for recreation, regrouping and healthcare purposes. The workers who live there also come from different eras. Little of the war is shown, most of the story is presented as discussions between different characters while the ponder the meaning of their life and the purpose of the war they are fighting. There is sort sort of crisis or mystery they face at the final half of the book, but the solution to that is a disappointment as it is completely based on made up technology and there wouldn't have been any way a reader might have figured out the solution. The writing is very good, but as the plot is almost nonexistent I am somewhat ambivalent about the book.

171 pp.

Astounding Science Fiction May 1959

2011-02-13T10:02:00.002+02:00

A fairly average issue – worse that the other 1959 issue I have read.

We Didn't Do Anything Wrong, Hardly • shortstory by Roger Kuykendall
Two kids build an antigravity spaceship from crap and capture a Russian spy satellite. A rather naive and silly story. ***-
Cum Grano Salis • novelette by Randall Garrett [as by David Gordon ]
A large research team is studying a planet when an accident destroys their food stores. (apparently practically all food is stored in the same place, very smart). They are facing a certain death by hunger, as it will months before their ship comes back. All fauna in the planet is poisonous in one way or another. But one man seems to be able to eat a native fruit which kills everyone else. A kind of problem solving story. Not very interesting as the solution is extremely clearly spelled out from the beginning. Writing was average, simple but readable. ***
History Repeats • shortstory by George O. Smith
A man and an intelligent dog are visiting the main planet of the milky way, which controls most of the commerce. Corruption is the normal way of handling most things. They try to find a girl who is missing. The setting seems to be interesting, but the story itself is pretty shite and badly written. **-
Operation Haystack • novelette by Frank Herbert
A devastating war has been fought centuries ago. It starts to seem like the lost partly has been quietly gaining influence and is planning to take over of the government. A member of some sort of special ops unit who has survived an almost fatal wounding is sent to investigate the plot in undercover. Very strange and old old-fashionable attitudes (only men can be successful in politics) with other stereotypes, also - otherwise not too bad. ***+
Disturbing Sun • shortstory by R. S. Richardson [as by Philip Latham ]
A story that is presented as a discussion between two scientists. The sun apparently periodically emits rays that cause mental instability. An extremely dry story that just describes things. Could be considered as some sort of “What if?” thought experiment. **
Hex • novelette by Laurence M. Janifer [as by Larry M. Harris ]
A young beautiful witch works as a social worker. She makes horrible hexes against people she is helping, for example she might give them a compulsion to stop loafing on welfare and get a job. One old woman tries to fight back, but there a little she can do. Very good and amusing story. ****-

Galaxy Science Fiction Semtember 1952

2011-02-11T17:59:00.002+02:00

Fairly average or below average issue.

Delay in Transit • novelette by F. L. Wallace
A secret agent travels to an obscure planet to meet an important scientist. Halfway through he is stranded to a fairly obscure planet when his traveling papers are stolen. He is carrying some sort of very powerful AI type of neural attachment. The story starts pretty well, but turns out to be very overlong and boring. **
The Snowball Effect • shortstory by Katherine MacLean
A sociology professor proves that sociology is useful as a science by designing rules for a knitting club. The rules make the club work perfectly and make it possible to expand. But the system is somewhat too perfect... Very good entertaining story, easily best in the issue. ****
Today Is Forever • shortstory by Roger Dee
The aliens offer the secrets of immortality, but only for a select few. “Hilarity” naturally ensues. Nothing really new, not especially well written. **½
The Moons of Mars • shortstory by Dean Evans
A man sees a Martian boy who whistles a nice tone. He tells that he learned the tone from his mother. That is strange as Martians never have any ear for tones. A simplistic story which apparently tries to speak for tolerance, but manages to have some racist overtones when it is looked from today's point of view. **
Tea Tray in the Sky • shortstory by Evelyn E. Smith
A young man visits a big city. He has some trouble adjusting as there are a lot of alien races, all with their own customs, and by interstellar laws everyone must abide with ALL customs of other sentient species. A story that is probably more timely now than it was when it was written. **+
The Mousetrap • shortstory by Gordon R. Dickson
A man wakes up on an idyllic planet nearby a cottage with an ample store of food and entertainment tapes. He has no recollection at all about what has happened. It turns out that this is a plan of an extremely ruthless earth government to capture aliens to dissect. Surprisingly, the story doesn't pay any attention to complete immorality of that sorts of actions, but rather the end “twist” is that the man in question must spend the rest of his life in isolation to prevent any alien epidemics. Writing was pretty nice. ***+
The Altruist • novelette by James H. Schmitz
A colonel working in his office discovers that there invisible people living in the world. Not much happens, writing is below average. **-

Resistance by J.M. Dillard

2011-02-08T20:08:00.003+02:00

Another media tie-in. After reading two Star Trek book within a few month, I believe that I won’t be touching this stuff for some time. For decade or so.
I got this book from a friend who had liked it a lot. I wasn’t too fond of it, in fact I think this was a fairly lousy book.

The Enterprise meets with the Borg, again. Picard starts to hear the voice of the Borg collective. He goes against them against the direct command from the Starfleet. The Borg cube is being finalized, and it is just a matter of hour before the new queen is awoken, and the cube start its way to destroy earth. It turns out that the only way to combat them is that he turns again to Locutus. For some reason the cube is conveniently manned only with a skeleton crew and most of the drones are hibernating. ( I wonder who is finishing the building of the cube). The writing style of the book is very irritating. There is a lot of exposition of earlier events, and there is A LOT of internal monologue where characters reminisce of old events and mull over what is happening for them. Sometimes everything stops for several pages worth of this. If all that fluff would have cut away, this might have been a pretty interesting story, but it would have been just of novella after that, not a novel. That isn’t the only thing which is wrong with the book. The writing isn’t too good, the characterization has some severe problems, there are far too many superfluous references to the episodes of the TV-series, probably only for the more enthusiastic fans sake.

306 pp.

David Bodanis: E=mc2 : maailman tunnetuimman yhtälön elämäkerta / E=mc2: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation

2011-02-06T13:09:00.004+02:00

Very interesting book about the most famous formula in the world. A fairly light book which covered many subjects, sometimes with somewhat too cursory look, but nice, fast, book to read nevertheless.

Tarina maailman tunnetuimman yhtälön historiasta ja merkityksestä. ”Päähenkilö” on luonnollisesti Einstein, mutta tarina alkaa jo satoja vuosia aikaisemmin, nykyaikaisen luonnontieteellisen tutkimuksen kehittymisestä, ja päättyy atomipommin kehittämiseen ja sen merkitykseen. Kirja on hyvin luettava ja viihdyttävä, mitään erityistä uutta se ei minulle varsinaisen tieteellisen taustan tasolla tarjonnut, mutta henkilöhistoriana ja luonnontieteen historiana kirjalla oli kyllä annettavaa. Paikoitellen olisin toivonut hiukan perusteellisempaa ja syvemmälle menevämpää lähestymistapaa, nyt monia mielenkiintoisia henkilöitä ja tapahtumia ohitettiin hyvin nopeasti. Onneksi perusteellisempaa tutustumista varten kirjasta löytyy hyvä viiteluettelo.

379 s.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact September 2000

2011-01-30T16:38:00.003+02:00

Fairly average or slightly above average issue.

Identity Crisis • novelette by Kevin J. Anderson
People are able to chance bodies by some sort of PSI-power nearly everyone has apparently suddenly acquired. The story follows two friends, one who is working for police and another who is renting out his body for people who don't want to endure a painful operation or for some other reason want out of their own body for a while. A very disjointed story which would have right at home on Campbell's Astounding during his lunatic years. Writing was fairly clumsy. **
Night Voices • shortstory by Stephen L. Burns
A night time radio host gets a call from an alien whose space ship has crashed nearby. He (she/it?) has something pretty serious to tell. Excellent story. ****
Cloud Sky City • novelette by Alexis Glynn Latner
A researcher is studying a myth of an ancient city: Her flyer is damaged, and she must try to get back to base by herself. She meets some of the original colonists what live very harsh and secluded life. One man thinks that she is a reincarnation of his recently deceased wife, and captures her. Nothing really impressive, but the writing is nice, though. ***
Executive Committee • shortstory by Alan L. Lickiss
The project of building the Earth has some managerial problems. A very short mildly amusing story consisting of letters between different project managers. **½
Playmate • shortstory by Charles L. Harness
A scientist badly shaken by a death of his wife tries to find out a cure for multiresistant bacteria. Fairly trivial and average story. **½
Reflections • shortstory by Jayge Carr
A daughter (or a clone) of the empress of everything journeys to a small, practically unknown, planet. She is supposed to find useful merchandise apparently as some sort of proof for her abilities. There are naturally some complications. A pretty good story, feels more like a starting point. The more interesting story would happen after this episode. ***½
The Great White Way • novelette by Laura Frankos
Two co-workers who a big time fans of musicals create a VR-simulation where the greatest heroes of the best known musicals face each other. The author apparently loves musicals, and the description of the characters and of their battle is somewhat too detailed. The writing was ok, as a whole not a bad story. ***+

Mikko Rimminen: Nenäpäivä

2011-01-29T11:35:00.003+02:00

Last year’s Finlandia award winner. A lonely middle-aged woman starts to pretend to be taking opinion polls and goes from door to door asking inane questions. The book is written in a stream-of-consciousness style with a lot of made up words and extremely long sentences. Being inside a mind of a very stupid and irritating person soon gets pretty tiring.

Tämän vuoden Finlandia palkinnon voittaja. Jo toinen kerta peräkkäin, kun lähinnä tajunnanvirraksi luokiteltava romaani voittaa. Viime vuonna Uunissa kerronnan hitaus toimi oikeastaan tehokeinona. Tämä kirja tuntui osapuilleen yhtä vauhdikkaalta. Kirjan ”sankari” on Irma, keski-ikäinen luuseri, joka saa jostain päähänsä esittää mielipidekyselyiden tekijää saadakseen kontakteja tuntemattomiin henkilöihin. Vähitellen tämä kontaktinhaku alkaa muistuttaa enemmänkin vainoamista.

Kirja on kirjoitettu kokonaan erittäin omaperäisellä tajunnanvirtatekniikalla, ja se on selvästi luovan ja taitavan kirjoittajan tuotosta. Mukan on värikkäitä onomapoeettisia ja muuten erikoisia keksittyjä sanoja. Eri asia onko koko ajan vastenmielisemmäksi muuttuvan, tyhmän henkilön, tajunnanvirran seuraaminen mitenkään kiinnostavaa. Kaikkeen kuluu kappalekaupalla yhtenä pötkönä kirjoitettua tekstimassaa, jopa dialogi on pääosin yhteen kirjoitettua tajunnanvirtana. Varsinaisia tapahtumia kirjassa on kovin vähän, ja pääosa niistäkin on lähinnä voimakasta myötähäpeää aiheuttavia. Kielellisesti kirja on luova, mutta kyllä tästä ”keisarin uudet vaatteet” fiilikset päällimmäisiksi jäivät. Tosin tämä ei ehkä minun kirjani kyllä muutenkaan ole, sillä minulle lukiessa juoni on kieliasua tärkeämpi. Tietysti on tärkeää, että kirja on hyvin kirjoitettu, mutta hyvän juonen vuoksi olen valmis antamaan aika paljon anteeksi, kun taas hyvä pelkkä hyvä kieliasu ilman juonta ei oikein riitä.

339 s.

Galaxy Science Fiction August 1952

2011-01-22T08:27:00.003+02:00

A serial takes a lot of space. Otherwise fairly average issue.

Surface Tension • [Pantropy] • novelette by James Blish
The adventures of microscopic men on another planet. They are planning to explore things outside of their world, but they have to overcome a serious obstacle - the surface tension above the ponds they live in. Somewhat old fashionable, but still readable story.
Proof of the Pudding • shortstory by Robert Sheckley
The last man alive is able to create and destroy things by his though - at least he thought that he is the last human, until a beautiful woman appears. A nice story, as most thing by Sheckley are.
Education of a Martian • shortstory by Joseph Shallit
A girl from earth has fallen in love with a Martian. Her father is a racist, thinking that Martian scum isn't good enough for his daughter. She doesn't think so and considers the Martians perfect, philosophical race. She is going to be surprised...well, in reality she should have picked those personality traits beforehand.
Yesterday House • novelette by Fritz Leiber
A man is sailing on far islands. He happens land on an island, where a beautiful young woman lives. She seems to be stuck on past, reding thirty-year-old newspapers, and is tended by two old women. The solution lies in an unfortunate death, cloning, sibling rivalry and unfulfilled love. A partly childish sentimental and partly stupid story, the writing could be worse.

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

2011-01-18T21:45:00.001+02:00

Memoirs of a successful celebrity chef, and some background about what happens behind the scenes in restaurants. The book contains the best or second best quote ever: "Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, and an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food. "
For the most part, this is a very entertaining and fascinating book. Anthony Bourdain certainly has lived an interesting life, both in a good way and in a “bad” way. He has been interested in food since he was nine and had a revelation during a family trip to France. He studied later at The Culinary Institute of America, and later worked at several restaurants while using copious amounts of drugs and alcohol. Later he cleaned his act and became the chief chef of an important restaurant and celebrity chef. He tells his life story in very frank and unembellished way and gives really fascinating details about how a professional kitchen works.

320 pp.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact March 2011

2011-01-17T17:51:00.001+02:00

A nice issue, clearly above average.

Rule Book • novelette by Paul Carlson
Very developed robots are becoming more common. They can take care of household chores, even be partly responsible for childcare. They are threatening to replace workers in industry, also. The story is somewhat disjointed covering Halloween trick-and-treating and ridiculing a clueless politician. Writing was nice, but it might have been split into two parts and expanded a bit. ***+
Falls the Firebrand • shortstory by Sarah Frost
Very clueless exploration team is studying a new planet where aliens help them out. Writing is very fine, but but... the rain is almost unfamiliar for planetary explorers? ***+
Hiding From Nobel • shortstory by Brad Aiken
A group of men who met on a summer camp a boys meet again. When they were young they had an adventure with unfortunate consequences. Or so they thought. Another story where writing is pretty, but the storyline isn't one of the most believable around. ***+
Julie is Three • shortstory by Craig DeLancey
A seven -year-old girl has survived a car accident which killed her parents. She is still in a hospital under observation, when a doctor starts to pay attention to her somewhat unusual behavior. The title is apparently a play on the famous story by Theodore Sturgeon (which I read just a short while ago). Another good story. The story could have been a bit longer. ***½
Astronomic Distance, Geologic Time • shortstory by Bud Sparhawk
Poetic and bittersweet story spanning geological times following one man and his decadents and a space probe launched by a faraway long dead civilization. Nicely written story going more for the mood than plot. ***½
Taboo • shortstory by Jerry Oltion
If you are practically immortal, haven't seen or been in any contact with your daughter for more than a century (and you can't even really remember anything detailed which has happened more than about fifty years ago), is the incest taboo still valid? Pretty good story.
Betty Knox and Dictionary Jones in the Mystery of the Missing Teenage Anachronisms • novelette by John G. Hemry
Two people from the future have transferred their consciousnesses to their young counterparts of themselves who are still in school. They are trying to stop epigenetic changes the widespread use of chemicals have caused in the future. A few other time-travelers have disappeared without any trace. Is there some force working against the plan? A very good and enjoyable story- ****-

Analog Science Fiction and Fact July-August 2007

2011-01-16T17:18:00.003+02:00

A fairly good issue, some good stories. However, a few not so good ones, also.

Quaestiones Super Aelo et Mundo • novelette by Michael
How the natural laws might have been discovered much earlier? A well written story as such, but extremely boring. Just several characters are discussing and deriving the most basic laws of physics. Nothing really happens. ***-
The Last of the Weathermen • shortstory by Richard A. Lovett
The local weather predictions turn out to be not local enough,when a former weather man is on a hiking trip on the mountains. A very good story with some fairly good predictions and some anachronisms. The speculative fiction percentage isn't very high and the story would have worked almost as well as a straight contemporary drama. *****-
A Time for Lawsuits • [Little Monsters] • novelette by Amy Bechtel
A "little monsters" story. A vet has more than enough problems. This time the problems deal with unknown animals are fairly minor in comparison with others, including a few pending lawsuits. A well written very nice story. The speculative content was fairly minor. ***½
The Caves of Ceres • novelette by Joe Schembrie
An operator space delivery service meets a young woman who is trying to find her father's mine. Pretty bad story on many levels. The beginning is fragmentary. The characterization is pretty bad. The writing isn't too good. The plot is fairly stupid with some very stupid plot details: making wine on an asteroid doesn't raise any
eyebrows until the end, and one character is supposed to have tasted that probably highly poisonous brew! **+
Jimmy the Box • shortstory by Scott Virtes
A vending machine develops self-awarance. A very simple short story which has no real surprises. Writing is ok. ***
Political Science • shortstory by C. W. Johnson
A professor is capture by homeland security as he practices practically forbidden "French " sciences like radio-astronomy or cosmological research about the Big Bang. That is just "a theory", so it can't be worth anything. What's worse he claims that aliens have sent a message that claims that soon starting vacuum energy project will cause a catastrophe. Nice, maybe a bit too short story which is uncomfortably close to what the US might be after prolonged conservative far-right fundamentalist rule.***½
Do No Harm • shortstory by John G. Hemry
A new space ship which is based on advanced AI is being tested. It turns out that the AI is too well designed as it first gets an epileptic seizure, then a tumor and later it develops an autoimmune disease. A fairly stupid premise, why would someone design an AI so poorly? The writing isn't too good either. ***-
Loki's Realm • [The Black Hole Project] • novella by C. Sanford Lowe and G. David Nordley
Happenings on a colony orbiting a nearby star. Several more or less unconnected problems, some involving an interconnected mission to create a black hole. Somewhat too long and fractured story. ***
Bringing It All Back Home • [Bubba Pritchert] • novella by Bud Webster
Bubba Pritchert gets an offer from a museum to fetch the first lunar rover from the moon with his flying saucer. Nice, humorous entertaining story. A little bit tightening might have made it even better. ****-

Counting Up, Counting Down by Harry Turtledove

2011-01-09T17:45:00.003+02:00

A fairly nice collection containing mostly different sorts of alternative reality tales. Some stories were excellent, some really didn't have any real point, except something was different compared with the “real” world.

Forty, Counting Down • (1999) • novella by Harry Turtledove
”Other half” of the story which concludes this collection (and which I have already read). A forty years old man returns in time to mend his relationship with a girlfriend he had when he was twenty. Later the same girl was his wife, still later she became his ex-wife. I think I prefer the viewpoint of the young man. The forties version is so irritatingly clueless about most things. Well written, very entertaining story. ****
Must and Shall • (1995) • novelette by Harry Turtledove
Lincoln was killed in a battle. The North won the civil war, but treated the Confederacy as a conquered nation. 100 years later there are still very high tensions between the former enemies, there is guerrilla fighting on the mountains, and general hostility against damnyankees. Fairly good story, not as good as the first in the book. ***½
Ready for the Fatherland • (1991) • shortstory by Harry Turtledove
The second world war ended in a stalemate. Nazis control Serbia, the Serbs rule and persecute the Croats. British spies have a mission on Serbia. Ok story, feels more like a scene in a larger story. ***
The Phantom Tolbukhin • (1998) • shortstory by Harry Turtledove
Another story with drawn out Second World War. A Russian squadron raids the Nazi occupied east-Europe. A battle description, not much else. ***-
Deconstruction Gang • (1992) • shortstory by Harry Turtledove
An academic who has trouble finding a teaching job joins a deconstruction crew. Nice word-play, a one-joke story. **1/2
The Green Buffalo • (1991) • shortstory by Harry Turtledove
Triceratops in the wild west. There is no really any other point. **+
The Maltese Elephant • (1995) • novelette by Harry Turtledove
Maltese Falcon retold. The Mccuffin is a Maltese elephant,a real one. They didn't die out in this reality. I didn't really get what was the point of the story, the plot is pretty much the same. A well written story, but fairly pointless. ***-
Vermin • (1993) • novelette by Harry Turtledove
A religious colony lives on a planet which is infested with lice. They especially love a local intelligent species. A woman asks for a scientist living on a research base to get rid of the lice. They do, but very predictable results. Extremely clueless scientists, otherwise pretty good story. ****-
Ils Ne Passeront Pas • (1998) • novelette by Harry Turtledove
Trench warfare of the first World War is interrupted by something strange. Alien invasion? Lot is left open in this short segment-like story. A writing and story-telling are fine, but this seems like the first chapter of a novel. ***+
In This Season • (1992) • novelette by Harry Turtledove
Jewish families in WW2 Poland meet a golem and a Chanukah miracle. A pretty good, but somewhat oversentimental story. ***½
Honeymouth • (1990) • shortstory by Harry Turtledove
Unicorns would be the ultimate mounts on the battleground, if there wouldn't be one obvious flaw. Battleready troops usually aren't virgins. But why one man, who goes from one whorehouse to another, and enjoys considerable popularity among wenches, is able to ride an unicorn? The tittle is an obvious clue, something I got immediately. Nice story anyway. ***½
Myth Manners' Guide to Greek Missology #1: Andromeda and Perseus • (1999) • shortstory by Harry Turtledove
Some ironic word play and parody contrasting Greek myths and some modern day people and phenomenon. Left me pretty lukewarm, but I probably didn't get all references. **½
Goddess for a Day • (1995) • shortstory by Harry Turtledove
A girl in ancient Greek plays Pallas Athene to help a returning tyrant to get back to power. There is a slight fantasy event in the end. There isn't much to it. ***+
After the Last Elf is Dead • (1988) • shortstory by Harry Turtledove
The dark Lord has won, the last elf has been killed and last pieces of resistance are being wiped out. A very good story with expected but logical outcome. ****-
The Decoy Duck • (1992) • novelette by Harry Turtledove
Some sort of high fantasy happenings. I couldn't get on to it at all, as there was practically no exposition at all.**-
The Seventh Chapter • (1997) • shortstory by Harry Turtledove
The rules of a monk brotherhood clearly states “”No brother shall be permitted to entertain women”. How it is possible that in one branch the relationships between local women and the brothers seem to bit fairly “warm”, and the abbot denies any wrongdoings even under a truth potion. Pretty nice story, even though I got the twist early on. ***½
Twenty-One, Counting Up • (1999) • novella by Harry Turtledove
A “mirror image” of the first story. The same plot, seem from the viewpoint of the young man. I prefer this version, but the difference is pretty small. Pretty good pair of stories. ****+

416 pp

The Disappeared by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

2011-01-08T12:27:00.004+02:00

I have liked most of Rusch's short fiction I have read. This was her first novel I have read and it probably won't be the last.

Humanity has spread on space, but isn't alone. There are many alien races, all with their own idiosyncrasies. The interstellar agreements state that all crimes are handled in the trial system of the planet where the crime was committed. And some judicial systems are often pretty strange and the definition of the crimes are not always something humans would think. So, perhaps he must give up his first child or face ritual slaughter for something which is unintentional and from a human viewpoint minor misdemeanor. Those finding themselves in that position often use the services of one of several “disappearance service” to get a new identity. There will always be risk of getting caught.

The law enforcers in the moon are facing several crisis at the same time. Alien bounty hunters from more than one race have caught up with some disappeared at the same time. They have two kidnapped (legally “kidnapped”, their parents have been condemned for their crimes in an alien court) children at their hands, and at the same time they must investigate a spaceship containing very bloodily killed humans and one escaped possible fugitive. And some extremely irritated aliens.

A very smoothly written and entertaining book which has some well-described characters. The background was already familiar to me from shorter fiction and worked very well in longer form, too. Unfortunately, it seems to kind of hard to get the next part in the series: used copies cost 110 pounds in Amazon.uk, and there is no ebook version. There are ebooks of some other parts of the series in the Amazon's US store, but they are not sold outside of USA. I might have to look into some grayer markets... Cluelessness seems to rule in ebook markets.

374 pp.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact May 2000

2011-01-07T19:16:00.001+02:00

Some fairly nice stories, some less so. Average or slightly above average issue.

The Debt • [Haley and Taylor] • novelette by Bud Sparhawk
Prospecting in Io. Some sort of volcanoes bring up volatiles and mineral from the deep parts of the moon. Automatic systems are going to replace humans in this work. A lot of discussion and exposition, fairly little happens before the end. Very boring story to read. **½
Pathways • [Mike and Linna] • shortstory by Dave Creek
A mystery style of story. A man has been murdered. There are only two possible suspects – his wife, and an alien who consist of an unintelligent symbiont and from smaller intelligent part. Some very contrived ideas. ***-
Sheena 5 • [Manifold] • shortstory by Stephen Baxter
A modified squid is sent to space as a part of a project to bring an asteroid to near earth orbit. The squid might have been made to somewhat too intelligent... A very good story, I might have to dig up the novel which is based on this premise. ****-
The Horse Raiders • novelette by Kij Johnson
Different human tribes live on an alien planet. Horses are very important for them. A few member of one are slaughtered by another. One young woman and a child survive as captives. A well written and good story. More stories on this setting would be interesting. ****
One Thousand Years • shortstory by Pauline Ashwell
Time travel is used to speed terraforming a planet (go a million or so years back in time, spread algae, return to see the results). A fairly average story, mainly because there is a lot of exposition and there a lot of things happening, so everything feels very rushed. Considerable expansion might have been useful. ***
Any Mother's Son • shortstory by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
A woman travels forward in time and finds out that her son is responsible for legislation which allows mercy killings for people suffering from certain illnesses. She reacts to that pretty badly, even surprisingly badly. Every time and every situation have pretty much their own morality, after all. Good writing, good thought provoking story. ****+
Agape Among the Robots • novelette by Allen Steele
Two groups compete in trying to develop anthropomorphic robots for home use. The robots are behaving in a very strange way, sometimes when they are supposed to behave in friendly manner they tend to smash things against people and each other. Turns out they are learning things by example and they are misunderstanding some fine points. Pretty smoothly written, but otherwise not too impressive story. ***

Blackout by Connie Willis

2011-01-06T09:19:00.007+02:00

I haven't been a great fan of the time travel books by Connie Willis. As I am afraid that her new books will end on Hugo award short list, I decided to read this book already to get it over with. In part I was pleasantly surprised, on the other hand this book had all same faults I have usually disliked in her books. And it was a nice read while visiting London. My hotel was just across to St Pancras which was mentioned several times.

This time the historians from Oxford travel to second World War Britain to observe the Blitz and Dunkirk evacuation. There are some unspecified problems and some of the historians must start their travel with fairly little preparation, and in some cases travel to other times they were first planning. As usually the ”future” parts of the book are extremely badly imagined and the events are very chaotic. Luckily this fairly little part of the book happens in the future Oxford.

Most of the book happens in 1940. (there are some parts which happen a few years later, but they feel extremely separate from the other events, and for some reason the person at that time is forgotten before the halfway of the book and that plot thread is just dropped.) There are a few people at the same time period studying different aspects of Britain at that time. (I wonder if those three or four people are the ONLY ones ever to travel that period of time? That would be surprising and strange) They are having real trouble, as the “drops” which function as portals in time are not working, and they are afraid that they may have inadvertently changed something in the past,even if it is supposed to be impossible.

The things I dislike about Connie Willis are very well presented in this work. The characters have endless discussions about various things which usually have only a very minimal connection with the main plot. They mull over things endlessly and spend pages and pages pondering over mundane things. A lot of time is spent by the characters looking of each other, For some very strange reason they seem to consider the leader of the time travel department, Mr Dunworth, in extremely high esteem, even though in all books he has turned out to be extremely unorganized and not too bright a person. Well, none of the characters seems to be too bright, as they behave in many instances in extremely stupid way, so maybe this is a case where a one-eyed man is the king of the blind people...

In spite of all the faults, I enjoyed this book in some perverse way. The writing was easy to read and fluent, even though the endless discussions at places started to irritate more than a little. At least it was better that the “Doomsday Book” which I practically hated. Probably because this book had so few episodes which happened in the ridiculously badly described “future” Oxford. With some copy-editing (cutting the discussions, some of the wandering back and forth, making the characters somewhat less stupid) this might have been a very good book. Then it might also have been possible to publish this book in one volume. Now the story suddenly ends, just when things start to be interesting.

512 pp.

Galaxy Science Fiction November 1952

2011-01-05T18:49:00.003+02:00

Pretty varied issue – Asimov's novella was pretty good, but many of the shorter stories are pretty much past their due date.

The Martian Way • novella by Isaac Asimov
A Martian colony is threatened by a politician from earth who wants to stop space flight as it spends the water of earth. It would take only about million years to spend almost one percent of all water in the worst case scenario. The colony has its own approach. ****
Warrior Race • shortstory by Robert Sheckley
A spaceship has run out of fuel and must stop on a primitive planet to find reserve fuel left behind years ago. Too bad that the primitive aliens consider that fuel dump as a sacred site and are ready to fight to protect it. Their method of fighting is somewhat unnerving - they suicide until the enemy is unnerved. A nice story, about average for Sheckley. ****-
Sugar Plum • novelette by Reginald Bretnor
The Victorian manners are in style. A man buys a planet and plans to bring his Property there. The planet has an strange effect - it relaxes inhibitions. For extremely small amount. A light story with not much of a point with fairly mediocre writing. **-
A Thought for Tomorrow • shortstory by Robert E. Gilbert
A man is in a mental hospital. He imagines that he can travel in time and space. His treatment is very brutal, and then the inevitable happens. Another boring and predictable story. **
The Altar at Midnight • shortstory by C. M. Kornbluth
A man is having a drink. Another with a face full of broken veins comes in. He takes him under his wing and treats him very well. There is a minor, very minor twist. Short, fairly pointless story. **-
The Misogynist • interior artwork by Karl Rogers
A man starts to suspect that women belong to an alien race. A story with one - not too good – joke. **+
Runaway • shortstory by William Morrison
A boy escapes from his school to stowaway on a spaceship. A very simplistic story which isn't saved by a fairly meaningless end twist: the boy isn't human, he is an android. **
Command Performance • novelette by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
A suburban housewife seems to have it all - a nice home, a well to do husband and a couple of beautiful children. When she starts to hear a voice in her head, she first thinks that she is losing her mind.
A mind reading / mutant story with unsurprising ending, but is pretty well written and entertaining. ***½

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, January-February 2011

2010-12-18T13:01:00.002+02:00

A large double issue with fairly average stories, not among the best.

At Cross Purposes • novelette by Juliette Wade
A team which is terraforming a new planet encounters aliens. Several humans are killed by mistake. The survivors are apparently taken as prisoners. What do the aliens want? A story which is very well written and the viewpoint of aliens is truly alien. The downside of the story is the extremely clichéd leader of the humans, who is an irritatingly stupid clueless idiot, who is a “company man” to the unrealistic end. ***+
The Unfinished Man • novelette by Dave Creek
Two men meet on a stormy planet. The one who has been living on a planet is already old, and another is apparently supposed to persuade him to leave the planet. The discuss things and there is a dangerous incident. And that is about it. I have read one or two stories involving at least one of the characters, but I haven't really any recollections of them. I am about 100% sure that I am not going remember this story after two weeks, either. **+
A Snitch in Time • shortstory by Donald Moffitt
Time travel used in criminal investigation. A retiring policeman wants to solve a crime which has bugged him for all his career. He manages, in a way. The story doesn't really work for me, there is nothing really surprising or interesting. **½
Some of Them Closer • shortstory by Marissa Lingen
A terraformer returns to earth from a job. She has spent a few years of subjective time, but several decades have passed on earth. She has some trouble adjusting. Writing is ok, but the is somewhat too short and practically nothing is told of the world she is lives. The end is very clichéd. Has there ever been a story which is based on a similar premise that doesn't end like this? ***-
Enimga • novelette by Sean McMullen
An expedition has traveled to a strange planet - one which seems to be completely covered by a city according to remote reconnaissance. The crew consists of human-animal chimeras who have carefully calculated amounts of wolf or rat to produce the best possible research team. They are connected to clone bodies on the earth, and when they die, their consciousness will "jump" to those. The solar system where the planet is has been cleared of everything at the radius of two light years, and the structures on the planet seem to be billions of years old. What is the purpose of that structure? Good and well written story. ****-
The First Conquest of Earth • shortstory by David W. Goldman
The earth is being invaded. But the invaders surrender as soon as there is any resistance. But the galactic law has some very detailed terms concerning the roles of invaded and conquered planets. And those are not so simple... Fairly good story, not the best in its class (amusing tales of an alien invasion). ***+
Stay • novelette by Stephen L. Burns
The earth has been invaded by dog-like aliens. They have exterminated all humans and they have uplifted the dogs. Dogs resemble humans, are able to speak. The human minds have been used as templates for dog minds, and they have retained some knowledge and memories of the dead humans. A part of former US is ruled by a ruthless dictator (a dog, naturally). He has made an interesting offer and a representative of the president arrives to meet him. A very far fetched story, maybe somewhat too farfetched. Writing was ok and the plot was interesting. ***½
Non-Native Species • shortstory by Janet Freeman
Aliens have created the ultimate biological weapon which is so powerful a predator that it has taken over their own home world. So how to find out the best way to destroy it? Spread it all over the galaxy, of course! One has been dropped on Australia, and an alien is tracking it to find out if there is something which will kill it. Writing was ok, premise slightly stupid, and the story felt a bit hurried. A slightly longer form might have been a good idea. ***½
The Frog Prince • novelette by Michael F. Flynn
A man with multiple personalities has been kidnapped and is being transported to another planet in a spaceship. The spaceship has been used for smuggling and the original owner of the ship is hiding in concealed areas. The hero must find out where his priorities are. I didn't really get the first story in the series. I believe I liked this somewhat more, but it really wasn't my cup of tea. ***-
The First Day of Eternity • novella by Domingo Santos
A generation ship has arrived to a habitable planet after spending several generations traveling from the earth. The planet has some ingenious life, and it turns out that the colonists will face some dangers. The main plot of the story is pretty good and logical. However, the writing isn't too good. There is a lot of exposition where things and events are just told interspaced with only a few short scenes where something is really shown. There are also some very stupid errors. It is mentioned that the generation ship is totally sterile and there are no bacteria at all. I really don't believe that humans would survive without bacterium flora in the bowel. And at least goats would never survive without their bowel bacteria, they are ruminating animals, after all. Also, how are they making cheese without any micro-organisms? And at the end of the story, when a ship is accelerating away from the plane they can see the planet shrinking. To see that the planet turns “to a dot” in manner of minutes would demand so high acceleration rates (and some sort of gravity control) that there would be no need for generation ships as it would take only a few years to cross interstellar distances. The writing wasn't impressive either, but that might partly be due to the translation. ***-

Alexander McCall Smith: Siveysoppia kauniille tytöille / Morality for Beautiful Girls

2010-12-11T17:23:00.002+02:00

I have enjoyed the earlier parts of this series. I wanted to read something light. This was something realy light, very short, book, very easy read. Fairly little happens. I don’t remember that the earlier parts contained SO much SO naive philosophying.

Mma Rawotswe-kirja. Aikaisemmat osat olen lukenut pari vuotta sitten, nyt ajattelin yhden osa tätä sarjaa lukea kevyenä välipalana. Sellaisena se oli ihan hauska, ja tosiaan kevyt. Nopea luettava, jo ihan sekin vuoksi, että on kovin lyhyt kirja – mahtaako täyttää edes romaanin määritelmää sanamäärällä arvioituna, vai onko paremminkin kyse pienoisromaanista (tai ”novella” kuten englanniksi sanotaan). Leppoisaa kerrontaa, jossa mma Rawotswe ratkoo ihmisten ongelmia, tosin kovin montaa tapausta kirjaan ei mahdu, lähinnä maatilalla tapahtuneiden myrkytyksien salaisuus ratkeaa. Hänen avustajan tosin samaan aikaan ratkoo kauneuskilpailun ehdokkaiden moraalisuutta, joka tosin on aika ärsyttävän mustavalkoista. Vaikuttaa siltä, että sarjan tason on selvästi laskemaan päin, ainakin tämän kirjan perusteella. Aika paljon tilaa, sivukaupalla, tässä kirjassa kuluu erittäin naiviin filosofointiin. ”Pitäisi ottaa muut ihmiset huomioon”. No shit, Sherlock. Myös Mma Rawotswen sulhasen, J.L.B. Matekonin masennus tulee aikalailla ”puun takaa”, eikä edellisissä kirjoissa ole mitään viitteitä asiasta. Toivottavasti sairaus ei sitten jatkossa parannu samanlaisella sormien napsautuksella kuin se alkoi.

285 s.

The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold

2010-12-09T22:03:00.003+02:00

I have had this book for a long time on my shelf. I haven't started it as I haven't been able to decide in which order to read this series. The writing order and the chronological order aren't the same. And I have a few books of the series, but not all of them, so it has been hard to know what would be a good starting point. However, have read a few of the Miles Vorkosigan stories from the Analog years ago, I thought that it doesn't really matter what the “correct” order would be - I can start for example from this book.

345 pp.

A Hugo award winning novel.
Miles Vorkosigan is a son of Aral Vorgosian, one of the most important men on Barrayar. Barrayar is a somewhat isolated planet, which has been gaining power and influence recently. Due to toxic attack against his mother, his bone development is stunted, and he is very short. In spite of that, he has finished his military training at the beginning of this book.

He gets his first post to a faraway island as a weatherman. The life there is extremely boring and nothing much happens. He just is almost killed by a prank which goes wrong, he finds a dead body from a water drain and he takes part on a near mutiny against tyrannical and obviously fairly lunatic commander of the post. The last causes some problems, as mutiny is something that can not be completely overlooked, even when committed for a good purpose, especially by someone in such a high position. To be out of sight for a while, he is employed for intelligence purposes, but there are a few complications, naturally.

This was a very entertaining book, at places laugh out funny. Well written, and an easy and fast read. On the other hand, there was nothing really “special” or unusual about it which would have made it a really A Hugo worth novel. But it makes me look forward to reading other parts of the series.

345 pp.

Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? by Neil Gaiman

2010-12-06T17:34:00.002+02:00

I have had this comic book as a PDF-file since spring, as I got it as a part of Hugo-award voter's package. I didn't read it before voting as I really don't like to read things from a computer screen. Last week I bought an IPad, and decided to test how it works for reading comic books. It turns out that it works really beautifully in this purpose. The screen is clear, the colors are beautiful and it was very easy and comfortable to use.
I haven't read too many Batman comics, only a few of the most famous ones (The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke). I have read few of "normal" stories. This graphic novel was a really pleasant surprise. The Batman has died and there is a wake for him. His friends and enemies tell stories about him and about how he died. The stories are all different and contradictory. The story is excellent, moving and has some real surprises, is very creative, the drawings are excellent. If I had read this before voting, this well might have been my first choice.; even though I haven't read any of the other stories yet. This album had a few other unusual Batman stories in addition to the name story – but they really suffered in comparison. The first, black and white one, where Batman and Joker are "actors" acting in a comic strip was ok, others (I am not even sure if there were one of two others) weren't really impressing at all.

1001 MAD Pages You Must Read Before You Die (Crammed Into 864 Actual Pages)

2010-12-04T09:27:00.000+02:00

A collection of comics from the Mad magazine spanning last fifty years. This collection supposedly represents ”the best” of Mad, but actually very varied bunch of strips. The emphasis is far too much on the movie parodies. I have never thought that they represent the best content of the magazine, and especially the parodies of thirty-year-old movies are mainly uninteresting. One interesting fact is that the quality of drawing seems to go to the worse direction, especially in the latest strips; some of them are really amateurish in execution. The same effect can be seen in the quality of writing, only somewhat less so. Probably not a book I am going to keep. If I suddenly got an urge to read some Mad-magazine style of humor, I can dig up my old magazines from the attic.

Galaxy Science Fiction October 1952

2010-11-30T22:15:00.003+02:00

Uneven issue. The lead novella is excellent, other stories less so.

Baby Is Three • novella by Theodore Sturgeon
An adolescent boy comes to psychiatrist's office. He wants to remember what he has done and why. The main story is told in flashbacks. He turns out to belong to a very special group of very special children. They are a “gestalt” who is still growing up. Extremely good and well written story, which is basis for one of the best science fiction novels of all time, More Than Human. ****½
Zen • shortstory by Jerome Bixby
A research team finds a living alien from an asteroid. The asteroid is a remnant of the fifth plane which exploded thousands of years ago. The race is incredibly tough and is able to survive in the vacuum indefinitely. One surviving specimen - male - had been found earlier, and that one is traveling with the expedition. The newly discovered alien is a female. A pretty predictable outcome happens. ***-
Wait for Weight • shortstory by Jack McKenty
A research project is trying to find a perfect rocket fuel. There is a four dimensional answer. Pretty boring story, nothing really special in it. **+
Halo • novelette by Hal Clement
There are some sort of being living between the stars, who cultivate organic molecules on planet for food. A youngster has been responsible for taking care of solar systems, and has failed spectacularly: he managed to explode the fifth planet, and by doing that has created an obstacle that can not be passed. An average story that suffers from two dimensional thinking: if there is an asteroid belt in the plane of ecliptic, it should be extremely easy to approach from “up” or “down” direction. ***-
Tree, Spare That Woodman • shortstory by Dave Dryfoos
Extremely strange story. There are alien mind reading trees invading cabins on an alien planet. Not too well written and pretty confusing story. **+
Game for Blondes • shortstory by John D. MacDonald
An alcoholic has killed his wife by drunk driving. He continues to drink, but has some very strange delirious visions. Another confusing story with some time travel elements. **+
A Little Oil . . . • novelette by Eric Frank Russell
The third extrasolar expedition is returning. The two earlier ones have disappeared without a trace. The third one has had some trouble, also. They have lost several crew members, and hardly have enough to run the ship on the way home. There are severe tensions among the crew when they are approaching the point they should be able to see the sun. Are they going to the right direction? And some of the crew are behaving pretty strangely...Ok story, nothing special, the end twist was fairly lame. (one crew member was a famous clown to keep the morale up). **½

Bring the Jubilee by Ward Moore

2010-11-27T08:57:00.003+02:00

One of the best known alternate reality books of all time. The south has won the civil war, the former USA consists of northern states, and is poorly developed country which is exploited by the rich Confederacy and the European empires. The technical development has gone different route – there are no internal combustion engines (that was unlogical and poorly explainable – internat combustion engine was a mainly European invention, and the major invention leading to it were made only a few years after the civil war ended, so it is unlikely that any “ripple effects” of the different outcome of the war would have had any effect), there is no electric illumination and no heavier than air aircrafts. The most state of art technologies are rare steam powered cars owned by the very rich and dirigibles. Racism is norm, especially in northern states. Blacks are “encouraged” to move away, most of the Jews and Orientals have been killed in ethnic cleanings, and some of the survivors have moved to independent Indian territories.

A poor young man from countryside wants to study at university. Unfortunately, he won't be accepted to any, and anyway, the norther universities aren't worth much, there is no funding and even less interest. However, he is invited to a private “school” where intelligent people can study what they want. As the school is self sustained, the duties of most scholars include farm work. He becomes an expert in the history of civil war. At the same time, a bright but unstable female scientist has developed a time machine. The historian has some doubts about a few details of the battle where the victory for the southern states was determined, and he decides to go back in time to see how the battle really was fought. Accidentally he changes the outcome of the battle and creates our reality.

The book is written in a nice old fashionable writing style which is a pleasure to read. The writing style reminded me more than a little Julian Comstock, this year's Hugo award finalist. The book has many ideas, but too few of them were examined in detail, as the main protagonist spent most of the book first working on a bookshop, and later he was living secluded life on a isolated villa/school, and the outside world wasn't really seen at all. In spite of that the book was very fascinating and well worth of reading.

189 pp

Leena Lehtolainen: Henkivartija

2010-11-24T21:19:00.003+02:00

An extremely unbelievable book which isn't too well written. The author is one of the leading mystery writers of Finland, and her former books have been much, much better. A extremely stupid female bodyguard has some problems with Russian criminals, makes love with a handsome double or triple agent, and has some very hard to believe encounters with different people.

Tämä arvostelu tulee sisältämään runsaasti spoilereita. Jos et ole lukenut tätä kirjaa, suositellen että et lue arvosteluani. Tai tarkemmin ajatellen, ehkä kannattaa kuitenkin lukea tämä arvostelu mieluummin kuin kirja.

Yleensä olen pitänyt Leena Lehtolaisen kirjoista, ja olen lukenut varmaan ne kaikki. Ihan suurilla odotuksilla tätäkin sitten aloitin. Pettymys oli aika paha.

Kirja kertoo naispuolisesta henkivartijasta, Hilja Ilveskerosta, joka lapsellisen pikaistumisen vuoksi eroaa tehtävistään. Myöhemmin samana iltana kun hän yrittää sopua työnantajansa kanssa, hän onnistuu tulla huumatuksi. Ja liikenainen jonka vartijana hän toimi on kuollut, ammuttu. Ovatko hänen enemmän tai vähemmän hämäräperäiset liiketuttavansa syyllisiä tähän tekoon? Vai onko Hilja itse tappanut huumattuna entisen työnantajansa?

En ole ikinä lukenut yhtään Harlekiini-sarjan kirjaa. Tämä kirja on osapuilleen sellainen, jonkalaisia olen ajatellut Harlekiinit-romaanien olevan. Ei erityisen hyvin, varsin yksinkertaisella kielellä kirjoitettu, epäuskottava ja naurettava juoni, runsaasti romantiikkaa ja seksiä, joka sekin on enemmän tai vähemmän epäuskottavaa, ja onnellinen loppu, jossa sankaritar saa urhean alfa-uroksensa. Hilja on muka käynyt kovatasoisen henkivartijakoulun New Yorkissa. Mitään hän ei siellä näytä oppineen, muuta kuin ajoittain liiallisuuksiin menevän paranoidisuuden. Paitsi tietysti silloin, kun pitäisi olla vähän paranoidinen. Hän tekee koko ajan aivan tolkuttoman älyttömiä virheitä ja ratkaisuja. Erotaanpas kesken työtehtävää äkkipikaisesti viimekädessä älyttömän pienen syyn takia. Poistetaanpas viesti, joka voisi olla todistamassa ulkopuolisen murhaajan olemassa olosta. Rakastutaanpas noin vain ensisilmäyksellä mieheen, joka on todennäköisesti parhaimmillaan pahiksien vakooja, ja pahimmillaan tullut likvidoimaan Hiljan itsensä turhana todistajana ja silminnäkijänä.

Juonenkäänteet kirjassa ovat myös täydellisen naurettavia, ja vain pahenevat loppua kohden. Jotenkin Suomenlahden kaasuputki (joka vie kaasua Saksaan) pahentaa Suomen energiariippuvuutta Venäjästä. Ja pahis oligarkki, joka vastustaa putken rakentamista, saadakseen öljynsä varmemmin kaupaksi aikoo sabotoida hanketta radioaktiivista isotooppia mereen levittämällä. Logiikkaa tässä kyllä jää pahasti auki, mitäs haittaa sen isotoopin levittämisellä muka kaasuputken laskemiseen olisi? Uhkailukin tyyliin: ”Ostatte minulta öljyä tai tuhoan meren” ei ehkä ihan uskottavalta vaikuta. Enkä kyllä ole kuullut, että öljyn kaupaksi saamisessa ylivoimaisia vaikeuksia olisi ollut muutenkaan.
Hyvin erikoisia sattumia tapahtuu koko ajan parhaaseen deus-ex-machina tyyliin. Juuri kun Hilja on menossa vapauttamaan siepattua kansanedustajaa, niin sieppareiden huvilalle on sattumalta tilattu ilotyttö, joka sattumalta ajaa kolarin matkalla, ja sitten sattumalta Hiljaa luullaan kyseiseksi ilotytöksi, ja sattumalta ilotytön ”työasuun” kuuluu mm. lasso, jolla on helppo pääpahis sitoa, ja sattumalta huvilallle on jäänyt jonkin transvestin jäljiltä seksikkäät kengät, jotka ovat niin isot, että Hilja ase mahtuu niihin.
Muitakin virheitä kirjaan mahtuu, poistaapa Hilja yhdessä vaiheessa yksittäisiä valokuvia CD-ROM levyiltä. Mitähän se Read-Only-Memory mahtoikaan tarkoittaa?

Tekstikin on jotenkin paljon yksikertaisempaa, ja vähemmän nautittavaa kuin aikaisemmissa Leena Lehtolaisen kirjoissa. Mikä idea tässä romaanissa oikein oli? Joissain ammattiarvioissa taidettiin miettiä sitä onko kirja parodia. En tiedä tekeekö se, että hyvä kirjailija kirjoittaa huonon kirjan, kirjasta parodian.

355 s.