purplecthulhu

Anathem Neil Stephenson
Pirate Sun Karl Schroeder
The Quiet War Paul McAuley


Night Sessions Ken MacLeod

Excellent book set in a world where people have given up on religion. Unfortunately people aren't the only people with an interest. Recommended.

Half a Crown Jo Walton

Concluding novel of the 'small change' series in which Britain made peace with Nazi Germany in the early 40s and a quasi-fascist government took over. It's now 1960 and the cracks are beginning to show. While I love this series and what Jo's done I felt this was the weakest of the three, mainly because Carmichael, the only character common to all three books, doesn't demonstrate the experience and sheer nastiness of 10 years as head of the British secret police when he and his closest are threatenned. Somone who willingly admits that innocents caught up in a riot are going to be sent to death camps would not bat an eyelid at threatening the families and friends of those who imprison, or threaten, his loved ones. This rather spolit the plot for me but the book, like the rest of the small change series, is beautifully observed and very good read. I only wish I could believe our secret police would be so principled and our people prepared to stand up for right, even after 19 years of oppression.

Mind Over Ship David Marusek

Sequel to the astounding Counting Herads. Continues the story started in the earlier book, but not really as good. Therte's less seen of the overall future culture Marusek has invented and rather more plot than in CH which is a pity as his vision in the earlier book was massively impressive. This would still be a good book on its own, but we know he can do better. I look forward to his next where I hope his imagination will fly to a new workd and bring new wonders.

Black Man Richard Morgan

I can now see why this won the Clarke. A very imressive book which keeps a lot of the pace and action of earlier Morgans, but which has rather more discourse. He's been trying to say something with all his novels and his voice is getting clearer here. If I were to fault it at all, there's a little too much tell in this, but i'm not sure how he could have done it another way. Recommended.