Science Fiction Books > R Science Fiction Books

Terry Pratchett lied to me!

Advantages: Terry Pratchett's childish younger borther?
Disadvantages: Poor central character, broken writing style.

While waiting for the next Terry Pratchett instalment I had a look around for someone with a similar style. On the back of this book Pratchett himself claims Rankin to be "One of the rare guys who can always make me laugh" so what more recommendation does a Pratchett fan need? Cornelius Murphy is the stuff of epics; he is rather annoyed that no one else seems to realise this. As such he is the only one not surprised when he becomes employed by a ...
...screws left after you put the toaster back together? And how does the thermos flask know whether to keep something hot or cold? Good old-fashioned British comedy is what this novel aspires to be. Full of comedy sketches it reads like a Monty Python show and as such is somewhat hit and miss. Cornelius's epic journey seems to be an excuse by Rankin to place him into sitcom situations such as a street riot, a hostage situation and a Monastery. Amusing ...

dididave 25.02.2004 · Read full review
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Review of The Book of Ultimate Truths - Robert Rankin

The sweet smell of success

Advantages: Not too many running jokes, clever use of themes
Disadvantages: The end is fairly inevitable

Knees Up Mother Earth is a well-produced insight into the sort of writing Robert Rankin is able to produce when he's on form. Continuing well with a set of characters who came to fruition seven-or-so books previously, the author manages to weave a plot not devoid of nonsensical calamity, but also ripe with good humour and clever story-telling. Although Rankin can have a tendancy to run with an over-abundance of obvious running gags, getting lost ...
...hilarious happenings along the way, Knees Up Mother Earth lodges itself firmly amongst the higher echelon of Rankin-produced humour, in this writer's opinion. Whether you've read the rest of the series or not, this is as good a place as any to start, or just to join in again. ...

robcauson 26.09.2006 · Read full review
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Review of Knees Up Mother Earth - Robert Rankin

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
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Review of The Sparrow - Mary Doria Russell

SiFi gets personal with Chasm City

Advantages: Fast paced, action packed, complicated
Disadvantages: Sometimes too complicated. Lacking some periferal character detail.

...the often rancid, often sterile Chasm City. Indeed it is a marriage of both Good and Evil, sanity and insanity, the dirty and the clean which septate with dramatic distinction the sometimes confusing shifts in plot, location and time. Much like some sort of cart running away from any form of user screeching around corners to the point, but not over it, of a spillage. In some ways it is the charm of this that there is little time for stability or ...
...Any criticisms can come in the form of the lack of peripheral character development, as many of them seem just hollow in comparison to Tanner and the other main individuals. And the oddly rigid form of first person narrative which is not wholly successful. A great and enjoyable read, complicated and fast paced. Much fun will be had for SiFi/Fantasy lovers and those who just want a good Adventure with twists and turns galore! ...

Karath 02.12.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Chasm City - Alastair Reynolds

He's Not Selling Any Alibis

Advantages: A decent, entertaining piece of fiction
Disadvantages: None really, but a little strange -ooooooooh

...sure it’s very nice. Certainly the picture Robert Rankin paints of it in his novel, “The Antipope”, depicts an extremely interesting place to visit - full of places of interest and colourful (to put it mildly) local characters. I’m guessing the book is set in the very early seventies, the only clue we get is that two pints of “Large”, the preferred local draught, costs 10/6 (10 shillings and sixpence – ask ...
...that one of the central characters has been dead for a few hundred years the exact timing of the novel's “present day” seems a trifle irrelevant. Much of the action takes place in The Flying Swan, a local pub run by Neville, the part-time barman. Although never actually stated, we are left with the impression that Neville has been, and will be, a fixture in the bar for many years. Two of his work shy regulars, John O’Mally, a drunken ...

Thamisgith 18.02.2003 · Read full review
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Review of The Antipope - Robert Rankin