The Long Earth

The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter is a fresh take on the idea of parallel worlds.  Mankind discovers the ability to 'step' into a string of alternate earths.  Some people are natural steppers, like Joshua Valienté, while others have to rely on an invention called a 'stepper'.  The discovery quite literally opens up endless new options for the expansion of humanity.

The idea of mankind's expansion into space is one that has been thoroughly explored (pardon the pun).  Sci-fi books tend to focus outwardly on the solar system and wider universe.  So I appreciate the unique approach to an oft used concept.  The second book, The Long War, is already out and I look forward to reading it as well. 

Redshirts

Redshirts by John Scalzi starts off as an off-kilter sci-fi exploration story.   The starship Intrepid traverses the universe to discover new civilizations and make contact with new worlds with the crew having madcap adventures along the way.  If that sounds vaguely familiar, that's because it is.  Patterned loosely after Star Trek, the story even takes its name from the crew members that die - the redshirts. Not to spoil the ending, but Redshirts breaks the proverbial 4th wall and ends up far from where it begins.  An homage or sorts, this book is a very witty and refreshing look at (or examination or even deconstruction of?) the sci-fi genre. 

The Future's so Bright

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu is funny, sad, touching, and thoroughly entertaining.  With shades of The Hitchhiker's Guide mixed with a little bit of The Time Traveler's Wife and a portion of Slaughterhouse Five on the side, this book is an entertaining jaunt through time and space.  A quick read for sure, yet for all its brevity, it packs a powerful amount of humor, angst, and metaphysics.

Book Review: Cloud Atlas

I read this book because I'd seen where it is being made into a movie with an all-star cast.  The sources I read spoke very highly of the source material, so of course I had to read it.  This is a truly fascinating narrative which weaves back an forth through several centuries, both past and future.  It could be pigeon-holed as sci-fi, but it actually transcends the bounds of the genre.  A must read for any lover of good stories.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Book Review: The Triptych

The Triptych by J. M. Frey

I was not not very into inter species sex, so I stopped this one about one third of the way through it. Not sure how this made it onto anyone's “Best of 2011” lists.

Book Review: Among Others

Morwenna and her twin sister used to talk to the fairies.  When her mother loses her grip on reality she is sent from Wales to England to be cared for by her father.  She is sent to boarding school.  She is a outsider both in her new home and at her new school.  Noticing she is an avid reader, the school librarian recommends a weekly book discussion group which meets at a local library.  She makes new friends and finds refuge in this book club
I love this book for so many reasons.  One reason is that it defies classification.  Is it fantasy or sci-fi?  Is it just a straight forward novel?  I'm not sure which leads me to another reason.  The narrative is never clear as to whether or not Mori really sees fairies and interacts with them or is she delusional?   This is a bittersweet tale of the end of childhood and so much more.  I recommend this one.

Among Others by Jo Walton

Book Review: The Wall of The Universe

John Rayburn meets a curious stranger who says that he is John, but from another universe.  Believing this other version of himself, John leaps into a new universe.  The remainder of the book chronicles his and the other John's universe hopping activities.  This book was good enough - light sci-fi fare suitable for the beach or a plane ride.  But nothing to get super excited about.  Pulp fiction lives on.
The Wall of The Universe by Paul Melko

Book Reviews: Catching Fire, Mockingjay

The Hunger Games introduced us to Katniss Everdeen and the world of Panem. In the second and third books of the series, Suzanne Collins advances the narrative with a lot of action and a fair number of surprises. We learn much more about the world Katniss inhabits - more about Kastniss' life, Panam's history and the current state of things outside of District 12.

Catching Fire brings us back to the Games. Mockingjay takes us further into Panem. As a follow up to a phenomenal first book, The Hunger Games, there was danger these two books might not equal this original. But both deliver and neither disappoints. There is a lot of action, suspense and excitement. Collins has penned a series of page turners which beg to be read. These books hold their own against anything else on the shelves.

Thumbs up!