New books ninety to one hundred and one (October)
Thus beating my initial target in ten months instead of twelve. (And I'm only a fortnight behind on the write-ups, too.)
90) Trick or Treatment? (Simon Singh, Edzard Ernst). A sensible, rational book that examines the evidence for "complementary and alternative medicine", reaching the conclusion (fairly obvious to anyone paying attention to the real world, rather than webternet frothing or newspaper 'debate') that some kinds of "CAM" are appropriate for treating some conditions (but are often oversold as panaceas by their advocates) while many don't work at all. The advocates of the latter, funnily enough, range from genuine (but sadly mistaken) believers to deliberate frauds preying on ill people. The front cover quotes the Daily Mail describing the book as "definitive - if controversial"; controversial only with people who make money selling CAM that doesn't work, oddly enough.[borrowed]
91) Going Under (Justina Robson). The third part of the series that started with (69) and (74), which continues to improve with each book. The porn and Sue-ism have now essentially departed, and the protagonist faces some interesting and difficult situations. I still don't feel any particular sympathy with any of the characters, but they're not actively problematic and the story and writing are both good.[Library]
92) The Android's Dream (John Scalzi). The first thing of Scalzi's that I've read. He has a good reputation, and I can see why. A book about robots, aliens, human identity, scientific dilemmas, and... sheep. Great fun, in a bouncy personal-action sci-fi way.[Library]
93) The Time-Traveller's Wife (Audrey Niffenegger). The story of a woman who spends her whole life waiting for Mr Right, with the unusual twist that she really does know who Mr Right is - and that he will turn up and marry her. Well written and enjoyable; I can see why it won awards, even if no aspect of it is particularly groundbreaking. Also, as an afterthought, it's interesting to see a book about a time-traveller that's written largely (about 2/3, at a guess) from the point of view of the primary non-time-travelling character.
94) The Reality Dysfunction (Peter F Hamilton). A vast book filled sci-fi space opera stuff. The writing isn't bad, but the problems are many. Some - most notably the apparent anthropocentrism, and the fact that the author appears to use sex scenes as a substitute for character development - are countered in later volumes, but some aren't. In particular, I found the author's violent (but probably unconscious) homophobia both disturbing and offensive, and that (while less obvious after the first book - mostly because they lack the continual sex) is a running sore throughout the trilogy. (There are problems with the depiction of female characters, too, but nothing to compare with the sole non-heterosexual.)
95) Counterfeit World (Dan Galouye). An interesting, gratifyingly complex book about the problems of artificial intelligence - both definitional and moral and ethical - as well as some nice work on questions like whether it's possible to distinguish reality from simulation - and whether it really matters. I'll be looking for other stuff by the author.
96) Brontomek! (Michael Coney). For the first few chapters, I wondered how this had won a "best novel" award, but I did come round to it. The eponymous big machines only turn up a couple of times, and are frankly irrelevant to a really quite interesting (and cynical) book about identity, humanity, slavery, and corporate ethics. Worth reading, if you can find a copy.
97) The Neutronium Alchemist (Peter F Hamilton). Which resolves some but by no means all of the problems I had with the first one (without introducing any new ones), and is slightly smaller but still a humungous wodge of a book. I'm really not sure I would recommend the trilogy to people, simply on the basis that there are plenty of well-written books out there that have caused me far less desire to thwap the author round the head with a copy of his own substantial work.
98) Shadow of the Torturer (Gene Wolfe). "The Book of the New Sun" is widely held to be one of the classic decaying-high-tech-universe fantasy novels, and in some ways I can see why. Unlike (48), this is Wolfe at his (famous) best; well written, involving, and memorable. But the story of Severian's journey from apprentice Torturer"Seeker for Truth and Penitence" to Autarch does seem to me to be telling in ways that the writer never intended. If this was the only thing of Wolfe's I'd read, I'd be uncertain whether the powerful misogyny was that of the author or the - self-admittedly self-centred - narrator, but it isn't, and I'm not (although, to be fair, I think it might be intentionally emphasised here). The four novels that make up TBotNS are worth reading, but with caution, because of this attitude.
99) Claw of the Conciliator (Gene Wolfe). Probably the best of the four, overall; the interplay between the characters is interesting, and there's plenty to learn about Severian's world. Provided you can cope with having to read about WolfeSeverian's assorted lust objects all the time, of course.
100)Sword of the Lictor (Gene Wolfe). Not as good as the first two, but with slightly less of their weaknesses, as well as less of their strengths.
101)Citadel of the Autarch (Gene Wolfe). Which comes to a reasonably satisfying ending, but is probably the weakest of the four novels nonetheless given how much it flops in the middle.
90) Trick or Treatment? (Simon Singh, Edzard Ernst). A sensible, rational book that examines the evidence for "complementary and alternative medicine", reaching the conclusion (fairly obvious to anyone paying attention to the real world, rather than webternet frothing or newspaper 'debate') that some kinds of "CAM" are appropriate for treating some conditions (but are often oversold as panaceas by their advocates) while many don't work at all. The advocates of the latter, funnily enough, range from genuine (but sadly mistaken) believers to deliberate frauds preying on ill people. The front cover quotes the Daily Mail describing the book as "definitive - if controversial"; controversial only with people who make money selling CAM that doesn't work, oddly enough.[borrowed]
91) Going Under (Justina Robson). The third part of the series that started with (69) and (74), which continues to improve with each book. The porn and Sue-ism have now essentially departed, and the protagonist faces some interesting and difficult situations. I still don't feel any particular sympathy with any of the characters, but they're not actively problematic and the story and writing are both good.[Library]
92) The Android's Dream (John Scalzi). The first thing of Scalzi's that I've read. He has a good reputation, and I can see why. A book about robots, aliens, human identity, scientific dilemmas, and... sheep. Great fun, in a bouncy personal-action sci-fi way.[Library]
93) The Time-Traveller's Wife (Audrey Niffenegger). The story of a woman who spends her whole life waiting for Mr Right, with the unusual twist that she really does know who Mr Right is - and that he will turn up and marry her. Well written and enjoyable; I can see why it won awards, even if no aspect of it is particularly groundbreaking. Also, as an afterthought, it's interesting to see a book about a time-traveller that's written largely (about 2/3, at a guess) from the point of view of the primary non-time-travelling character.
94) The Reality Dysfunction (Peter F Hamilton). A vast book filled sci-fi space opera stuff. The writing isn't bad, but the problems are many. Some - most notably the apparent anthropocentrism, and the fact that the author appears to use sex scenes as a substitute for character development - are countered in later volumes, but some aren't. In particular, I found the author's violent (but probably unconscious) homophobia both disturbing and offensive, and that (while less obvious after the first book - mostly because they lack the continual sex) is a running sore throughout the trilogy. (There are problems with the depiction of female characters, too, but nothing to compare with the sole non-heterosexual.)
95) Counterfeit World (Dan Galouye). An interesting, gratifyingly complex book about the problems of artificial intelligence - both definitional and moral and ethical - as well as some nice work on questions like whether it's possible to distinguish reality from simulation - and whether it really matters. I'll be looking for other stuff by the author.
96) Brontomek! (Michael Coney). For the first few chapters, I wondered how this had won a "best novel" award, but I did come round to it. The eponymous big machines only turn up a couple of times, and are frankly irrelevant to a really quite interesting (and cynical) book about identity, humanity, slavery, and corporate ethics. Worth reading, if you can find a copy.
97) The Neutronium Alchemist (Peter F Hamilton). Which resolves some but by no means all of the problems I had with the first one (without introducing any new ones), and is slightly smaller but still a humungous wodge of a book. I'm really not sure I would recommend the trilogy to people, simply on the basis that there are plenty of well-written books out there that have caused me far less desire to thwap the author round the head with a copy of his own substantial work.
98) Shadow of the Torturer (Gene Wolfe). "The Book of the New Sun" is widely held to be one of the classic decaying-high-tech-universe fantasy novels, and in some ways I can see why. Unlike (48), this is Wolfe at his (famous) best; well written, involving, and memorable. But the story of Severian's journey from apprentice Torturer"Seeker for Truth and Penitence" to Autarch does seem to me to be telling in ways that the writer never intended. If this was the only thing of Wolfe's I'd read, I'd be uncertain whether the powerful misogyny was that of the author or the - self-admittedly self-centred - narrator, but it isn't, and I'm not (although, to be fair, I think it might be intentionally emphasised here). The four novels that make up TBotNS are worth reading, but with caution, because of this attitude.
99) Claw of the Conciliator (Gene Wolfe). Probably the best of the four, overall; the interplay between the characters is interesting, and there's plenty to learn about Severian's world. Provided you can cope with having to read about WolfeSeverian's assorted lust objects all the time, of course.
100)Sword of the Lictor (Gene Wolfe). Not as good as the first two, but with slightly less of their weaknesses, as well as less of their strengths.
101)Citadel of the Autarch (Gene Wolfe). Which comes to a reasonably satisfying ending, but is probably the weakest of the four novels nonetheless given how much it flops in the middle.