Science Fiction Books > B Science Fiction Books > J

Emphasises the meaning of the word

Advantages: Homegrown talent
Disadvantages: None

Joe Donnelly is an author I came across recently, who I would say is the British version of a mixture of Stephen King and Richard Laymon. He predominately sets his stories in small towns or villages in Scotland where legends and myths abound. His writing style is excellent and he manages to describe scenes so vividly, you almost feel like an eyewitness to events, rather than just a reader. This book is set is a small town called Arden, that is ...
...It is written in the first person of a guy called Ryan, who grew up in Arden and is now returning to write a novel. Along the way he meets up with his childhood friends, and memories that have been buried, start coming to the surface, along with some terrifying incidents that make him realise that all is not well in the quiet little town of Arden. Definitely one that you’ll stay up very late too read, although maybe it’s not such a good idea reading ...

Pobs 12.02.2001 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Bane - Joe Donnelly

Oh! Bug, er Bugs!

Advantages: Suspence, Murder Mystery story
Disadvantages: Strange to some

...hundred fold, man size to bug size, equals a reduction in mass by eight million. There have been books and films of persons reduced in size. The Disney film from 1989,"Honey I've shrunk the kids", 1971 Lindsey Gutteridge's 'Cold war in a Country Garden' and 1977 'Manalone' by Colin Kapp. In the first two, humans are reduced in size, but retain their full intellect. Good film, good special effects but very poor science. In Colin Kapp's book people ...
...Here after some time the people start to loose their intellect as the brain is a simpler organism in its reduced size. In this story the people retain their size and experience by direct neural coupling. This may not be as far fetched as it sounds. Have you ever heard of Waldo’s? This term was introduced by Robert Heinlein in his book 'Waldo' back in 1950. G Harry Stein used the idea in his book series 'Warbot' in 1988. And you will have seen the ...

Coloneljohn 04.04.2005 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Bug Park - James P. Hogan

Good Gritty SF

Advantages: Good Gritty Hard SF
Disadvantages: Won't appeal to Space Opera fans

This book was a very welcome breath of air. I read it in two sittings on the same day. The story concerns a young man who when found guilty of a crime is given the choice to remain on Earth in prison or accept permanent exile to Mars, and a lifetime of hard work. The story is a mix of pioneering and revolution, written in a very concise hard SF manner which I enjoy. I can see this book appealling to fans of Babylon 5, as it shares a certain amount ...

sjm6 14.08.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Birth of Fire - Jerry Pournelle

Sheer Hell at Holiday Home in Cornwall

Advantages: One of the best ghost / horror stories of modern times
Disadvantages: May be difficult to track down

The title of the book is “The Vanishment”, this is one that Ciao have got wrong. A “Vanishment” is a particular type of disappearance where not trace of the disappeared person is found and no apparent reason , and the assumption is that they have been abducted by malign spirits, fairies or goblins, never to be seen again. This was the first Jonathan Aycliffe novel I ever read, and the one that got me and several friends hooked ...
...me pick it up but I’m pleased I did, because it introduced me to one of the best ghost story / horror writers producing today. He also writes excellent political thrillers as Daniel Easterman, and I normally hate political novels. On of the problems with reviewing this particular book is how to make you want to read it without giving away the plot, but I’ll give it a go. Peter and Sarah Clare’s marriage is going through a bad time ...

mikeydred 25.05.2001 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Books The Vanishment - Jonathan Aycliffe

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
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Consorts of Heaven - Jaine Fenn