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tanithryudoI decided it was way too hot for me to go to the bookstore today, so I decided to browse the Baen Free Library instead. Found two pretty good reads that I thought I'd recommend...
Digital Knight, by Ryk Spoor
This was one of the better urban fantasy novels I've read since Mercedes Lackey's SERRAted Edge series. In fact, I think it's better than most other urban fantasy in that it does a great job of balancing the supernatural with technology. Too many urban fantasy novels tend to take the stance that science is but a poor tool used by either well-meaning-but-close-minded scientists or the Frankensteinian mad geniuses, and which is either case pales to the awesome might that is wild and mysterious magicks. And the few times that science *is* usually showcased to be effective against the supernatural... well, how technologically advanced is a crowbar of cold iron or a wooden/silver bullet? Digital Knight, on the other hand, makes an honest effort at coming up with truly cutting edge solutions (in terms of both technological devices and scientific problem solving) to powerful supernatural problems, without downplaying either the opportunities of science, or the powers of the supernatural. For that matter, Digital Knight probably does far better than most of Hollywood's fare in promoting a pro-science and pro-technology stance, without either being obvious about it, or being one-sided on the issue (the bad guys, after all, are not idiots; technology is a tool that doesn't distinguish between the virtues of its wielders).
Enough about the theme. There's plenty of other reasons I like the book. The characters, for one, were memorable and well written. The main lead *may* have a few hints of Gary Stu-ism in him... but truly, his accomplishments, great as they are in retrospect, were written well enough that they are believable for the character (and his foes). The main female lead, IMO, could use a little more characterization, but what we do see of her leaves a fairly good impression. The other main character, the ancient vampire Verne, is perhaps the most memorable of the characters. If it weren't from the problems I'd have with the rest of the in-story setting, I'd almost be tempted to make a visit in the YvtW-verse. ^_-
The pacing and progression of the story is also very nicely done, IMO. There are 6 chapters to the novel, and each slowly eases the reader deeper and deeper into the world of the story. Also, many of the chapters can be stand alone stories, though the intrigue in the later chapters only become more clear and convoluted at the same time in the context of the earlier ones. Another nice thing is that the content of the chapters are arranged so that you'd have one world-shaking climax in one, and the next would have a less dire conflict or even just a chapter of background setting/discovery, before the chapter after that dumps the reader back into the deep end once again. This method of organization, I think, works pretty well.
When I read the first chapter, my thought was - "oh, it's a detective horror story". Then in chapter 3, "um, okay, I can see where the outright fantasy comes in". And then in the next chapter, "geez, when you pull the world out under from the human characters, you think you could give us readers a bit of warning too?"
All in all, I'd highly recommend this book to anyone interested in urban supernatural intrigue (which I think is a better genre tag for it than fantasy by itself). The movie "Underworld" could only *wish* it bore even the palest similarities to the corresponding elements in Digital Knight.
Planets of Adventure, by Murray Leinster
This is actually more of an anthology book, except written by the same author, than a self contained story. It has 21 chapters, but actually contains 7 standalone stories of various length.
The first 12 or so chapters are actually a novella-length story called "The Forgotten Planet". Which after a fairly interesting (but by no means plot-neccessary, IMO) prelude to set things up except for the last part - a ship being wrecked on something of a "nightmare planet" of monstrous creatures (and by monstrous I'm referring more to size than the truly alien), and its human inhabitants being reduced to the level of savages within a few generations - is mainly about the savages rediscovering what it is to be human at the most basic levels (tool making, cooperation, community organization, etc.).
I only skimmed most of the novella outside of the first few and last few chapters. The main problem I have with it is that the narrative suffers from a serious lack of show, not tell. Well, part of the problem may be that the savages didn't have a very advanced language system. But I think there was simply too much expositin and narrative explanations in the story which bogged down the pacing of the actions and events. From some of the shorter stories later on in this novel, I think that the author might do better to stick with short stories.
Chapters 13-16 were my favorite parts of the book, and consisted of 4 stand alone short stories collectively titled "The Planet Explorer". Each story had little to do with the previous. The only thing they had in common was the main character, an official/inspector of the technical aspects of an interstellar community/corporation, whose job it is to check and certify planetside launching/docking facilities. Of course, the character, Mr. Bordman, seem to be cursed with an interesting life, and very often is it that his inspections go right. In fact, dire circumstances quite often force him to use his expertise in areas not much connected to his job (but certainly for the benefit of self-preservation). As a character, Mr. Bordman is certainly not without his flaws, especially in personality. However, it's still interesting to read about his newest Eureka moment which saves the day.
Chapter 17 - "The Anthropological Note", is a somewhat... not quite funny, more like ironic story wherein the lady anthropologist gets her data and the villain gets his comeuppance. Saying any more will spoil the story, which isn't long to read at all.
Chapter 20 - "Regulations" is another ironic story of villainous comeuppance. My only quibble is that the villain in this case is far too, well, unstable and psychopathic... for me to believe that he actually passed whatever psychological exams that should be required for someone in his job.
The other stories weren't of much note, at least in my opinion. But I definitely recommend the "The Planet Explorer" arc, at the very least, as a decent read in this novel.
Digital Knight, by Ryk Spoor
This was one of the better urban fantasy novels I've read since Mercedes Lackey's SERRAted Edge series. In fact, I think it's better than most other urban fantasy in that it does a great job of balancing the supernatural with technology. Too many urban fantasy novels tend to take the stance that science is but a poor tool used by either well-meaning-but-close-minded scientists or the Frankensteinian mad geniuses, and which is either case pales to the awesome might that is wild and mysterious magicks. And the few times that science *is* usually showcased to be effective against the supernatural... well, how technologically advanced is a crowbar of cold iron or a wooden/silver bullet? Digital Knight, on the other hand, makes an honest effort at coming up with truly cutting edge solutions (in terms of both technological devices and scientific problem solving) to powerful supernatural problems, without downplaying either the opportunities of science, or the powers of the supernatural. For that matter, Digital Knight probably does far better than most of Hollywood's fare in promoting a pro-science and pro-technology stance, without either being obvious about it, or being one-sided on the issue (the bad guys, after all, are not idiots; technology is a tool that doesn't distinguish between the virtues of its wielders).
Enough about the theme. There's plenty of other reasons I like the book. The characters, for one, were memorable and well written. The main lead *may* have a few hints of Gary Stu-ism in him... but truly, his accomplishments, great as they are in retrospect, were written well enough that they are believable for the character (and his foes). The main female lead, IMO, could use a little more characterization, but what we do see of her leaves a fairly good impression. The other main character, the ancient vampire Verne, is perhaps the most memorable of the characters. If it weren't from the problems I'd have with the rest of the in-story setting, I'd almost be tempted to make a visit in the YvtW-verse. ^_-
The pacing and progression of the story is also very nicely done, IMO. There are 6 chapters to the novel, and each slowly eases the reader deeper and deeper into the world of the story. Also, many of the chapters can be stand alone stories, though the intrigue in the later chapters only become more clear and convoluted at the same time in the context of the earlier ones. Another nice thing is that the content of the chapters are arranged so that you'd have one world-shaking climax in one, and the next would have a less dire conflict or even just a chapter of background setting/discovery, before the chapter after that dumps the reader back into the deep end once again. This method of organization, I think, works pretty well.
When I read the first chapter, my thought was - "oh, it's a detective horror story". Then in chapter 3, "um, okay, I can see where the outright fantasy comes in". And then in the next chapter, "geez, when you pull the world out under from the human characters, you think you could give us readers a bit of warning too?"
All in all, I'd highly recommend this book to anyone interested in urban supernatural intrigue (which I think is a better genre tag for it than fantasy by itself). The movie "Underworld" could only *wish* it bore even the palest similarities to the corresponding elements in Digital Knight.
Planets of Adventure, by Murray Leinster
This is actually more of an anthology book, except written by the same author, than a self contained story. It has 21 chapters, but actually contains 7 standalone stories of various length.
The first 12 or so chapters are actually a novella-length story called "The Forgotten Planet". Which after a fairly interesting (but by no means plot-neccessary, IMO) prelude to set things up except for the last part - a ship being wrecked on something of a "nightmare planet" of monstrous creatures (and by monstrous I'm referring more to size than the truly alien), and its human inhabitants being reduced to the level of savages within a few generations - is mainly about the savages rediscovering what it is to be human at the most basic levels (tool making, cooperation, community organization, etc.).
I only skimmed most of the novella outside of the first few and last few chapters. The main problem I have with it is that the narrative suffers from a serious lack of show, not tell. Well, part of the problem may be that the savages didn't have a very advanced language system. But I think there was simply too much expositin and narrative explanations in the story which bogged down the pacing of the actions and events. From some of the shorter stories later on in this novel, I think that the author might do better to stick with short stories.
Chapters 13-16 were my favorite parts of the book, and consisted of 4 stand alone short stories collectively titled "The Planet Explorer". Each story had little to do with the previous. The only thing they had in common was the main character, an official/inspector of the technical aspects of an interstellar community/corporation, whose job it is to check and certify planetside launching/docking facilities. Of course, the character, Mr. Bordman, seem to be cursed with an interesting life, and very often is it that his inspections go right. In fact, dire circumstances quite often force him to use his expertise in areas not much connected to his job (but certainly for the benefit of self-preservation). As a character, Mr. Bordman is certainly not without his flaws, especially in personality. However, it's still interesting to read about his newest Eureka moment which saves the day.
Chapter 17 - "The Anthropological Note", is a somewhat... not quite funny, more like ironic story wherein the lady anthropologist gets her data and the villain gets his comeuppance. Saying any more will spoil the story, which isn't long to read at all.
Chapter 20 - "Regulations" is another ironic story of villainous comeuppance. My only quibble is that the villain in this case is far too, well, unstable and psychopathic... for me to believe that he actually passed whatever psychological exams that should be required for someone in his job.
The other stories weren't of much note, at least in my opinion. But I definitely recommend the "The Planet Explorer" arc, at the very least, as a decent read in this novel.
