Science Fiction Books > B Science Fiction Books

One of his best

Advantages: A non-Culture book from one of the very best of Sci Fi authors
Disadvantages: None really... unless you don't like science fiction!

...great too, but I adore Against A Dark Background! I had been getting used to the concept of the Culture and I enjoy the culture novels the best of all of them generally. However, it was good to read a non-culture book of his and Against A Dark Background has become my favourite so far... although Use of Weapons comes close! The story is based on Sharrow... a former member of a personally attuned combat team. She is also being hunted by the Huhsz, ...
...Lazy Guns. A weapon so powerful that they could destroy the world or worse! They blamed Sharrow for the destruction of the only other Lazy Gun in existence and are determined to not only kill Sharrow, but also to claim the final Lazy Gun for themselves. And so begins a roller coaster of a race to find the last Lazy Gun whilst also uncovering plots within plots. As with all Banks' books, it is very cleverly written and something new and unexpected ...

poodu 02.01.2002 · Read full review
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Review of Against a Dark Background - Iain M. Banks

Armageddon's Children

Advantages: A new series of the Knight of the Word
Disadvantages: Ends on a cliffhanger

For those people who love the Knight of the Word series this book's for you. Fifty years from now, the world is a very different place, after years of demons of the Void hunting humans and Knights, there are only scatterings of humanity left. Thousands live in highly fortified strongholds, and demons have taken over. The lead character is Logan Tom, a knight of the word. The Knights of the Word are on a quest to rescue a group of young people who ...
...no longer crippled when they receive their staff as John Ross was in previous Knight of the Word books they are, however still haunted by dreams, dreams of their recent past. While Logan is making his slow way toward the Gypsy Morph from the last book in the Knight of the Word series who is, of course, the world's only hope, another Knight, Angel Perez, is sent via a tatterdemalion, to find the Elves. ...

beds410 27.12.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Armageddon's Children - Terry Brooks

Closer to Heaven

Advantages: Great character building
Disadvantages: A little slow paced for my taste

Fantasy and science fiction are genres that mesh well together. Some authors have written successfully across both genres, but not usually in the same story. Jaine Fenn has managed to combine both in one book and it's an interesting read. One night, a stranger is found lying unconscious in a bog just outside the village of Dangwern. He appears to have come from nowhere and, apart from a strange piece of cloth lying near his naked body, there is nothing ...
...Unfortunately, this includes the stranger himself, as he is suffering from amnesia and has no idea even where he is, much less how he came to be there. Fortunately for Sais, as he is nicknamed, the boy who finds him is "sky touched". This means he is soon to travel to the City of Lights to be tested to see if he is worthy of being a consort of the goddesses. The village elders permit Sais and the boy's mother Kerin to accompany him to see if anyone ...

Soho_Black 19.12.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Consorts of Heaven - Jaine Fenn

It is not just about football!

Advantages: It's very funny, and oh so true!
Disadvantages: None

The Disc, for those who don't know, continues to float in space, supported by the elephants who ride the back of the great swimming turtle A'tuin. The Hub about which the planet spins is a centre of great magic, and best avoided if you want to live a happy and contented life. At the outer perimeter is the great circle sea which unendingly streams over the rim into the void, which is best avoided if you want to continue to live at all. Most Discians ...
...Smeems, for instance, is the Candle Nave at the Unseen University. He has to worry about keeping the candles not just alight, but properly melted, artistically, gothicly, dribbled, as it were. Of course, there's Trevor to help. And there's Nutt. With two t's. Trevor Likely has a tendency to skive off work whenever possible, and to kick a tin can around. His dad was a legend. Nutt is… well, no-one's quite sure what Nutt is, even him. Goblin isn't ...

hiker 07.12.2009 · Read full review
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Review of The Unseen Academicals - Terry Pratchett

From Dead to Worse

Advantages: Good read
Disadvantages: Lots of threads, can be confusing

...A failed attempt of takeover from werewolves in another area results in Alcide becoming the new packleader. This, however, comes with a price which is the death of a few weres in the community including the previous packmaster Patrick, Maria-Star, Alcide’s girlfriend. As for the vampires, the explosion in the vampire summit results in the loss of various main personnel in Queen Sophie’s court and the King of Nevada, Felipe, grabs the opportunity. ...
...Louisiana apart from Eric and his gang. Eric surrenders to the new regime and manages to keep his area. And with Sookie saving the King from the attack of the Sophie’s last surviving child, Eric is slowly gaining the trust of the new King. And as for our heroine Sookie, a surprise meeting with her great-grandfather Niall reveals her heritage of being part-fairy. This completes Andre’s discovery of Sookie having fairy blood. And also explains the ...

medgenie 21.11.2009 · Read full review
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Review of From Dead to Worse - Charlaine Harris