Reviews of Science Fiction Books »

Learning to fly...

Advantages: Great story, good characters
Disadvantages: -

...style and story telling all the more remarkable, as a hidden talent becomes unveiled. The story follows close the journey of Father Emilio Sandoz, a Jesuit with a facility for language, and an emptiness in his soul. Set in the near future when near-earth space travel has become if not commonplace at least not unusual, people are regularly mining the moon and asteroids for minerals and fuel. Sandoz is assigned to a mission near one of the big radio ...
...post discovers a signal from the nearby star system of Alpha Centauri, the process toward the journey begins. While nations debate and plan an exploratory trip, the Jesuit order (well known historically for missionary work) get their own trip underway, with a crew of Jesuits and laypersons each with differing expertise (one in musicology, as the transmission seem musical; and so forth). The process for travel is one that is inventive – essentially, ...

frkurt 03.11.2004 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The Sparrow - Mary Doria Russell

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Lost world - lost opportunity

Advantages: More of the same, pacey action
Disadvantages: Basicaly a less-good rehash of Jurassic Park

...I had expected to read the sequel, so, having a few hours to kill travelling, I picked up The Lost World. Oops. Instead of picking up where the first book had left us - dinosaurs migrating into the mountains of Central America - this wanders off in a totally unexpected direction - the 'secret lab' island that was apparently the flip side to the shiny science showcase of the original island. I deduce from other people's comments that this is a follow ...
...feel that having had the one blockbuster success, this was intended to hone the formula - another dinosaur infested island, another mixed bag of scientists drawn together by circumstance, and two more young kids, including a precocious dinosaur mad boy for the film audience to identify with. Actually it's the kids that grate most - crow-barred in to the story as they are: at least the kids in the first book had a plausible reason for being there, ...

Ariel 11.07.2001 · Read full review
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Review of The Lost World - Michael Crichton

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Before the dinosaurs........

Advantages: Unique idea of a threat from beyond
Disadvantages: Some of the lanuage a little dates now

...regarded by many to be the fore runner for one of science fictions greatest ever writers. Released in 1967 this novel firmly established a formula and framework to which Michael Crichton has stuck to, with massive success ever since. The first book by this author I read (predictably) was Jurassic Park, shortly before the film came out. I loved it even more than the film itself and so saught out other works by Mr. Crichton. Trying to be thorough ...
...This book is brilliant in the way it makes every single reader ask 'what if...?'. The science involved is scarily realistic and also explained to a point where even a layman can understand it, a tactic Crichton has continued to use in his subsequant bestsellers. The plot of this book involves a rogue satellite which has been collecting samples from space, only to come crashing down to earth in the small town of Piedmont. The military moves in to ...

pdoyle007 27.04.2004 · Read full review
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Review of The Andromeda Strain - Michael Crichton

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The Wolverine Files - A comprehensive & visually impressive book

Advantages: Well presented and packed with information, facts and great original artwork.
Disadvantages: Can't really find any faults with this book !

In 1974 the character "Wolverine" made his debut into the Marvel Universe on the last page of Hulk #180 ... and these days Wolverine has become a well loved character. Over the years he became a regular and popular member of the X-Men line up and with a vast number of his own comics and graphic novels the character's popularity quickly grew. This year saw the first Wolverine movie hit the silver screen ... and with a sequel already planned it would ...
...to come. The Wolverine Files is a fantastic book which presents the complete story of Wolverine. With an impressive hardback slipcase (with Wolverine's trademark claw marks cutting through it) this book is presented as a series of files assembled by intelligence officers at Marvel's "Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law-Enforcement Division" [S.H.I.E.L.D.] The files chronicle the complete history of the character "Wolverine" and ...

jedimastergray73 21.07.2009 · Read full review
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Review of The Wolverine Files - Mike W. Barr

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Worth reading

Advantages: great for all ages to read
Disadvantages: possibly slow to start

I picked this book up at a train station when it first came out. It was a gift for my Girlfriend, I had never heard of it before and got it for her to read on the plain on her way to china. 2 years later I picked it up again on her recommendation and didnt put it down again until I had finished reading it. This story is the first in a series called "The Chronicles Of Ancient Darkenss" and follows the adventures of a young boy orfan in the forrests ...
...brings to life a world long forgotten and a way of life for the hunter gather tribes of the time that compels me to go and live in the woods for a while just to see how I would get on. I think this story could take over from the likes of Tolkein and Rowling to become one of the best adventures for both children and adults. I hope they make it into a film but I hope they do it well. ...

pgeemus 09.01.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Wolf Brother - Michelle Paver

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