REVIEW: THE STATE OF THE ART

Cover image: Imagestate

Cover Design: Blacksheep

THE STATE OF THE ART

CULTURE BOOK FOUR

BY

IAIN M. BANKS

ISBN: 978-1-85723-030-7

Pages: 216

Publisher: Orbit

First published: 14 March 1991

This edition published: 27 May 1993

NOTE: This is a collection, but it is marked as a Culture book on Banks's website, and I'll go with what the author says .

   As usual I'll give my review of each story before saying something about the collection as a whole.

ROAD OF SKULLS

   This is a brilliant short story. It evokes a great image of the road of the title, and it may be an image that will stay with you. The story is pretty basic, but it ends in a way that wasn't expected. And that ending made me laugh. A great start to the collection.

A GIFT FROM THE CULTURE

   Wrobik Sennkil is in debt, and is given an offer he can't afford to refuse. Banks manages to put quite a lot into this tale, set in the Culture Universe. We get enough information about the main character that we understand his background, and we see his motives. There is also quite a lot of suspense involved here. This is not a bad introduction to the Culture books, should you feel the need to try out a shorter story before you go on to the novels. It works well as a short story on its own, but it is also a great story for those, like me, who enjoy Banks's Culture novels.

ODD ATTACHMENT

   This is a somewhat strange story. On the surface it's about a herder who's unhappy in love. But Banks has added another element to it that makes it so much more than that. I found it a very interesting story, and as far as Science Fiction short stories go I have to say this is among the ones I've enjoyed the most.

DESCENDANT

   A man is alone on the plains of a planet. Inside his sentient space suit he's trying to reach help. Banks manages to get across the loneliness of walking across a deserted planet beautifully. Not the most suspenseful story I have ever read, but despite guessing early on where it was going I liked it a lot thanks to Banks's great writing.

CLEANING UP

   When mysterious capsules start to spontaneously appear on earth the Americans are at the forefront of making use at what is inside them. This story is at times so surreal that it is a joy to read. Banks shows off a great sense of humor while telling an interesting story. This is great as it stands, but I would have loved to see it expanded to novel size. But that it is great enough that you don't want to leave it isn't really a shortcoming.

PIECE

   A very thoughtful story with a strong ending. A really don't want to say more about it than that you really should read it.

THE STATE OF THE ART

 

   This novella brings back Contact operative Diziet Sma from Use of Weapons. It is her retelling of what she experienced when Contact comes to Earth. Although it is revealed pretty early on in which year this happens, I'll leave it up to those that want to read this to discover for themselves when this is. It may be a surprise for those that have read other Culture books.

   We get a very detailed look at how the Culture, or more specifically Contact, approaches other civilisations here. And it adds significantly to the understanding of how the Culture operates, more so than the three Culture noels I have previously read.

   Banks also takes the opportunity here to comment quite a lot on humanity, but he avoids becoming too preachy about what he says about us. What Diziet Sma, and the rest of the Contact operatives, learn about humanity is not presented as black and white facts, but as interpretations of an alien civilisation. Something that in itself is a very interesting concept.

   This is an excellent addition to the Culture universe Banks has created, and if you have read the Culture novella and somehow missed this I urge you to do something about that at the earliest opportunity. The novella is a great standalone, but I would discourage people from from reading it before they have read at least one Culture novel. I think it is much stronger if it is an addition to the Culture rather than your first contact with it.

SCRATCH

   This is written a way that may be a bit hard to read. But if you go along with it you'll discover that there is a lot of meaning hidden in the text. A strong ending to the collection.

OVERALL IMPRESSION

   An almost flawless collection. This really showcases that Banks is truly a master of shorter than novel storytelling. The stories are varied enough that they don't feel repetitive, and the quality of them is high. Whether or not you usually read short stories and novellas, I'd urge you to pick this up if you are a SFF reader.

Reviews: Consider Phlebas  The Player of Games  Use of Weapons

Links: Iain M. Banks  Orbit

REVIEW: BONESHAKER

Cover art: Jon Foster

Cover design: Jamie Stafford-Hill

BONESHAKER

CLOCKWORK CENTURY BOOK 1

BY

CHERIE PRIEST

ISBN: 978-0-7653-1841-1

Pages: 414

Publisher: Tor

Published: September 2009

On the cover:

   In the early days of the Civil War, rumors of gold in the frozen Klondike brought hordes of newcomers to the Pacific Northwest. Anxious to compete, Russian prospectors commissioned inventor Leviticus Blue to create a great machine that could mine through Alaska’s ice. Thus was Dr. Blue’s Incredible Bone-Shaking Drill Engine born.

    But on its first test run the Boneshaker went terribly awry, destroying several blocks of downtown Seattle and unearthing a subterranean vein of blight gas that turned anyone who breathed it into the living dead.
    Now it is sixteen years later, and a wall has been built to enclose the devastated and toxic city. Just beyond it lives Blue’s widow, Briar Wilkes. Life is hard with a ruined reputation and a teenage boy to support, but she and Ezekiel are managing. Until Ezekiel undertakes a secret crusade to rewrite history.
    His quest will take him under the wall and into a city teeming with ravenous undead, air pirates, criminal overlords, and heavily armed refugees. And only Briar can bring him out alive.

   Wow! Are you actually allowed to write Steampunk that isn't set in Victorian London? Kidding aside, it is actually refreshing to see some Steampunk that isn't set in London for a change. The location here is Seattle, Washington (State), USA. A city that Priest manages to make come alive very well in her novel.

   I really like the way the book opens with an "excerpt from a history book" prologue. It means there isn't the need for so much infodumping at the beginning of the book, and it also helps place the story in its historical context.
   The story itself opens relatively slow, but gives us a great introduction to Briar Wilkes and her son Zeke. Both of them are interesting characters in their own right, and Priest early on makes it clear what kind of relationship they have, something that serves to make both of them both more sympathetic and relatable.

   Priest is good at building up to the action with a look at the world in which the story is set. When things "really" start to happen, you are already well aware of the local environment. And there is enough information to get a good idea of what the status is within the larger world of this Alternate History world.

   There's quite a bit of action in this book. Priest writes very good action scenes, and she doesn't let the action overpower the storyline. They come more as an added bonus to what is already a suspenseful story.
   Much of the suspense in the novel comes from the setting and the atmosphere it provides. There is a constant sense of the characters being isolated, moth literally and figuratively. And this works very well, you understand the sense of dread that the characters feel and Priest's prose draws you into it.

   Along with writing a suspense-, and action-filled novel, Priest has also managed to find room for a couple of rather big mysteries. And she manages to delay the revelations of them for a long time without it becoming annoying , and when she eventually gives us the answers they are worth the wait.

   What made me most happy about finishing this book is knowing that there are more novels in this series that I can move on to, and I really look forward to doing that.
   This is a very good novel, it works great both for Steampunk and Alternate History fans, and I don't think Survival Horror fans will go away disappointed if they try it out either.
   A book I don't hesitate to recommend to anyone that likes a good adventure set in a vivid and realistic world. And a great introduction to Steampunk for those that haven't tried that  out yet.

Links: Cherie Priest  Tor/Forge  Tor/Forge Blog

REVIEW: JUST AFTER SUNSET

Cover photograph: Getty Images

Cover design: Keenan

JUST AFTER SUNSET

BY

STEPHEN KING 

ISBN: 978-0-340-97716-3

Pages: 353

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Published: 12 November 2008

On the cover:

   "Did you maybe leave the oven on? or forget to turn off the gas under your patio barbecue? What about the lock on your back door? Did you remember to give it a twist? Things like that are so easy to forget, and someone could be slipping in right now..."*

   A blind girl visits a dying man and saves his life...with a kiss. A crime writer is faced with a real crime - and has to draw upon his alter-ego for courage. And a young couple seek the bright lights of a nearby town - and end up playing the jukebox for eternity.

   What would you do if your everyday world were turned upside down?

   *From the author's afterword.

   As usual I'll give a short review of each story in this anthology before I conclude with my overall impression.

WILLA

   It's not east to see what this story is really about in the beginning, and when you do realise it doesn't come as a huge surprise considering who the author is. I found it a very thoughtful story about perceptions and expectations, and it is in my opinion a very good story that has some moments of melancholy beauty. It's a great start to the collection that gets you excited to read on.

THE GINGERBREAD GIRL

   This story about a woman who runs away from her husband suddenly takes a sharp turn. What we then get is a tense suspense-filled tale that is full of action. It's the longest story in the collection, but King really draws the reader in and it is a fast read that may have you cringing at times.

HARVEY'S DREAM

   A chilling story about a man telling his wife of a dream he has had during the night. This may not seem like much to base a horror story on, but in this case it is a good basis. King really manages to accomplish much with few words here, proving that he is as much a master of short stories as he is of masonry-sized novels. -And I just loved the ending.

REST STOP

   An author on his way home hears a man beating his girlfriend/wife at an otherwise empty rest stop. This is a pretty conventional story but it has got the Stephen King twist added to it, there's another layer to it that makes it better than it otherwise could have been. A story that shows King can be good without adding any supernatural elements.

STATIONARY BIKE

   A check-up at the doctor leads an artist to take up training, and sends him down a road that may lead to insanity. While I really enjoyed this story, I I felt it was too short, and I would have liked King to have explored it in a longer format. As it stands it is a very good story that leaves you craving for more to be really satisfied.

THE THINGS THEY LEFT BEHIND

   This is a story about memories and what makes you remember. King himself says it is an idea that came to him soon after 9/11. It's a very good story, respectful without being preachy.

GRADUATION AFTERNOON

   The shortest story in this collection is a pretty strange one by King-standards. There's plenty of information given for such a short story, and we actually get a well developed background for the main character. A very good story that proves you can tell a lot with a few words.

N.

   Can you say "Lovecraftian Horror"? King has managed to create a very good modern version of some of H.P. Lovecraft's tales. If you have read Lovecraft you may not find very original, but king does it very well. And this is one story worth getting hold of for everyone who is into Lovecraft.

Note: King mentions inspiration from an earlier writer than Lovecraft in the notes. While that may be correct, I wouldn't hesitate to call this a Lovecraftian-style tale.

THE CAT FROM HELL

   A story about a hit man and a cat. It's a really good story with a slightly creepy ending. One for those who love cats, but also great for those who find cats to be somewhat creepy. Personally I love cats and thoroughly enjoyed this story.

THE NEW YORK TIMES AT SPECIAL BARGAIN RATES

   This story is about a phone call. It's a pretty standard paranormal story but King does it very well. There is also some interesting ideas in it that elevates it above other stories with similar themes. A good quick read.

MUTE

   It isn't often you get a story about a confessional in church that is this interesting. It is not really horror, in fact it is barely thriller, but as most of King's stories it still has that feel to it. I really liked this one, it's an Tales of the Unexpected-type story, and a good one at that.

AYANA

   This is a man's story about miracles. Not really my kind of story, and I didn't really feel it had much to say either. This is the weakest story in the collection. The craftsmanship is as good as the other stories but this was just not my cup of tea.

A VERY TIGHT PLACE

   The last story in this collection is the tale of a neighbour feud taken to the extreme. King is on great form here, and the story turns suitably disgusting. One of the best stories in this collection.

OVERALL IMPRESSION

   This is a great collection of short stories. For me there was only one real miss here, and if you have read a few short story collections and anthologies you'll know that it is rare that the rate of good stories is so high.

   This is of course essential for anyone who likes King. But it is also a good collection for anyone who enjoys short stories and/or horror in general. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone, and I think it is a good tarting point for anyone who has read little or no short stories too.

    I should also add that King gives us notes about each of the stories at the back. I find that interesting to read, and think that would be an extra value to both readers and anyone who writes themselves.

Reviews: The Shining, Bag of Bones, 11.22.63, Four Past Midnight 

Links: Stephen King  Hodder & Stoughton

REVIEW: DEADHOUSE GATES

Cover illustration: Steve Stone

DEADHOUSE GATES

THE SECOND TALE OF THE MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN

BY

 STEVEN ERIKSON

ISBN: 978-0-553-81311-1

Pages: 934

Publisher: Bantam Books

First published: 1 September 2000

This edition published: 1 October 2001

On the cover:

   In the Holy Desert Raraku, the seer Sha'ik and her followers prepare for the long-prophesied uprising named the Whirlwind. Enslaved in the Otataral mines, Felisin, youngest scion of the disgraced House of Paran, dreams of freedom and vows revenge, while the outlawed Bridgeburners Fiddler and Kalam conspire to rid the world of Empress Laseen (although it seems the gods would, as always, have it otherwise). And as two ancient worriors - bearers of a devastating secret - enter this blighted land, so an untried commander of the Malaz 7th Army leads his war-weary troops in a last, valiant running battle to save the lives of thisrty thousand refugees.

   As in Gardens of the Moon this is a complex story. Erikson again presents us with several story threads and a large cast of characters, some of which will be familiar from the first book, but many which are new.
   The different storylines are all part of the whole, and sometimes they weave together - often in unexpected ways. It can be hard at times to follow everything that is going on. There is just so much happening to keep track of. But Erikson is good at rewarding the reader, as the story progresses more and more of the overall events are revealed.
   There's is also a strength in the way it is difficult to get a good idea of what is going to happen, and in some cases it is even hard to get a good grip on what is happening at that moment. I for one was several times surprised by events both large and small, and there are some twists that really will take you by surprise.

   Arguably the main storyline in this novel is the one with the 7th Malaz Army and the refugees it leads. This storyline is a gruelling march through a land that is often unforgiving, not only for the characters but also for the reader.
   Erikson has written some of the best battle-scenes ever put on paper. He really shows he has a knack for pulling you into the action, and you shouldn't be surprised if you find yourself with your heart in your throat as the battle rages on the page.
   This storyline is also a draining one, I found myself emotionally exhausted by the time it reaches its conclusion. In many ways the end is as brutal for the reader as it is for the warriors. If you are at all capable of feeling empathy for fictional characters this is a story that will stick with you.

   The world we are presented here is very real, it doesn't feel as much worldbuilding as it feels like history. The reader will learn a lot more about the setting as the story progresses. And, to me at least, it didn't really feel like it is a made-up world. Erikson has managed to make the Malazan world come to life very vividly, and even with a weaker story it would be a compelling place to visit.
   We also learn more about the magic of the world, and about the ever-present gods. And I liked that Erikson manages to give the reader a lot of information without it ever feeling like he is resorting to infodumping.

   I can't deny that I loved this book. And I see it as a very good example of how Epic Fantasy can be done very well. There's characters and a story here that will drag you in, and complexity and realism that will keep you going.
   But I have to say that this book takes commitment. I had a few days break about 200 pages into, and it took a while to get back into it. So I suggest that you give this book everything you got as a reader, if you do it will reward you and take you on one hell of a journey.

Review: Gardens of the Moon

Links: Steven Erikson  Bantam Books/Transworld Books

REVIEW: USE OF WEAPONS

Cover design: Blacksheep

USE OF WEAPONS

A CULTURE NOVEL/

CULTURE BOOK THREE

 BY

IAIN M. BANKS

ISBN: 978-1-85723-135-9

Pages: 411

Publisher: Orbit

First published: 13 September 1990

This edition published: 26 March 1992

The man known as Cheradenine Zakalwe was one of Special Circumstances' foremost agents, changing the destiny of planets to suit the Culture through intrigue, dirty tricks or military action.

The woman known as Diziet Sma had plucked him from obscurity and pushed him towards his present eminence, but despite all their dealings she did not know him as well as she thought.

The drone known as Skaffen-Amtiskaw knew both of these people. It had once saved the woman’s life by massacring her attackers in a particularly bloody manner. It believed the man to be a burnt-out case. But not even its machine intelligence could see the horrors in his past.

   This is the third in the series of Culture novels. And as the others this is technically a stand alone novel. Even though I came late to Banks' Culture and am reading them in publication order, I find it refreshing that he has chosen to not make an endless series, but instead tells different stories set in the same universe.
   There is a steady trickle of information about the Culture here, and reading them in order will give you a feeling that the world(/universe) is growing, much like you would get in a Fantasy novel when the characters travel to different areas of the map.

   This time we get the story of "super-spy" Cheradenine Zakalwe, a character it is very easy to write off a "outer space James Bond". Comparisons to Bond are almost inevitable, and I noted it myself, but I felt that this was a much more realistic portrayal of such an agent. And there certainly is much more to Zakalwe than just being a Bond clone.

   Banks actually give us two stories in this novel, the main linear plot and a side-plot consisting of the story of Zakalwe. These two narratives work very well together, instead of taking attention away from each other they serve to give more depth, and the "B-story" doesn't feel like it is thrown in to increase the page-count, as is sometime the case.
   Both plots keep building up suspense as they progress, and this keeps up the level of suspense as you are reading. And you are rewarded with a reveal that, to me at least, was pretty mind-blowing.

   All in all this is a great book. Both the characters and the story is very interesting and the Culture setting just gets better the more you read about it. I can see the reason that Banks is hailed by many as the master of Space Opera.
   This is a great book for fans of Science Fiction, and the Culture series makes a good start to written SF for those who like SF movies but have never gotten around to reading Science Fiction.

Reviews: Consider Phlebas  The Player of Games

Links: Iain M. Banks  Orbit

READING HIGHLIGHTS OF 2011 AND PLANS FOR 2012

   This is a bit late. I was planning to post this on New Years Eve, but my internet has not been cooperating (again).
   The list below is not a list of "best books published in 2011", it's a list of what I feel are the highlights of what I have been reading in 2011, so some of the books were published some years back. Anyway, here we go:

READING HIGHLIGHTS OF 2011

GJENFERD by Jo Nesbø

This is the latest of Nesbø's Harry Hole books, it was published in Norwegian on 9 June 2011. The English (UK) edition is out 15 March 2012 and is called Phantom (, see here for more info on UK edition).

I love Nesbø's books and this was no exception. If you're reading his books in English you have a treat coming.

GARDENS OF THE MOON and DEADHOUSE GATES by Steven Erikson

After reading these two books, I can't help but wonder why it took me so long to get started on this series. I plan to read the rest of the books this year.

Review

VEGAS KNIGHTS by Matt Forbeck

This was fun and action filled, and I found it to be great entertainment. 

Forbeck was a new author for me, and I look forward to reading more of his books.

Review

EMBEDDED by Dan Abnett

This is actually the first Military Science Fiction novel I have read, and if this is representative for that genre I'll certainly read more of it.

Abnett was also a new author for me, and I'm eying several of his books for later reading.

Review

DISSOLUTION by C. J. Sansom

Historical (Medieval) Crime. I love history, and especially the Medieval period, so this book was perfect for me. I'm going to read more of Sansom's books in the future.
I would never have known this book existed if Amanda Rutter hadn't sent it to me as part of her World Book Night sharing. And I owe her a big thank you for that.

Thank you very much, Amanda!

THE ADAMANTINE PALACE, THE KING OF THE CRAGS AND
THE ORDER OF THE SCALES by Stephen Deas

These books are great Fantasy books. Anyone who doesn't hate dragons should read them. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Deas is another new author for me, and I will definitely seek out his other books.

BONESHAKER by Cherie Priest

This book falls into the Steampunk category. Unlike most Steampunk, it is set in the US or to be more specific, Seattle.
I thought this was great and look forward to reading the follow-up books.
This is becoming quite the trend in this post, but this is a new author to me, one I will be following.

HARBOR by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Swedish set psychological horror. A great book.
Blah, blah, new author etc...

Review






   Other authors who might as well be on this list (, but didn't make it because I felt it was long enough already); Sam Sykes, Mark Charan Newton, Gail Carriger, M. D. Lachlan, Blake Charlton, Robin Hobb/Megan Lindholm, K. W. Jeter, Stephen King and K. J. Parker.

   You may notice that I haven't reviewed all of these books. The reason is my internet has been really crappy in 2011, but most of the books mentioned will get reviewed as soon as I can get to it.

PLANS FOR 2012

   I plan on getting an internet connection that works when I want to use it and not when it feels like it, so I can get back to blogging more regularly.

   As for reading, my goal is to read at least 100 books this year, and I plan to review all of them

   I hope 2012 turns out to be a great year for all of you :-)

THE HOBBIT TRAILER

   Nice to finally see a trailer. It doesn't really show much, but what it does show looks really good. Really looking forward to the movie now!