A Prayer to Broken Bones

Had an enforced period of inactivity after falling over a child's toy and breaking a toe :(

I have been reading (a lot), and buying some more, in that time so updates will follow.

Of Time and Stars by Arthur C Clarke

Rarely have I read short fiction in any genre, but since I recently read a large amount of Asimov short stories I have developed a new found love of them. They fit into my lifestyle a bit more now I suppose. It is difficult to find the time to devote to 700 page epics when work and family life take up so much time.

This collection has a varied range from Hard Sci-Fi to comic capers and as a collection were a very enjoyable read. My highlights:

The Nine Billion Names of God - probably one of ACC's most famous tales and rightly so. Are computers a good thing?

Trouble with the Natives - very funny story about visiting aliens who get an impression of human life based on a radio play.

Encounter at Dawn - space travelling humans make contact with ancient civilisation.

The Sentinel - the basis for 2001: A Space Odyssey and another classic piece of Sci-Fi.

There was hardly a disappointing story among them. They all left their mark and make me think about so many things in different ways - like all good Science Fiction should do.

Smashing Pumpkins - Wembley Arena

After waiting 20 years to see Smashing Pumpkins live I finally got the chance to last night. I wasn't too sure what to expect given that Billy Corgan is the only member of the band from the original line-up left. But their new album Oceania is very good and you just never know when any tour is the last tour. It was a blisteringly hot day so a rather uncomfortable car journey wasn't ideal preparation.

In no way was I disappointed. It was a great show, mixing old classics (Cherub Rock, Today, Disarm, Zero, Tonight Tonight) blended together with some strong material from their latest offering (Celestials, Pinwheels, Oceania). They even played a cover of Bowie's 'Space Oddity'.

He even states Philip K Dick as an influence on his work, another reason to love them!

The Cosmic Puppets by Philip K Dick

How would you feel if you went back to your home town 18 years after you left it, to find out you were dead? Imagine Ted Barton's surprise when he did just that.

That wasn't the only thing that was wrong, the whole town was different, street names were not the same, buildings disappeared and no-one could recall there ever having been certain shops and businesses that Ted remembered. Except one, the town drunk, who helps Ted along the way. What Ted has inadvertently stumbled upon is a battle of intergalactic proportions played out at a micro level.

This is a short novel - the paperback version has 140 pages - and is a very early work in Dick's career. It is perhaps a more straight up story and there is a distinct lack of drug taking which almost dominates a large portion of his later works.

Almost certainly the town drunk would have been off his head on some hallucinogenic drug had it been written ten years later. This may not be as good as his later works, but there is plenty to keep the story moving along, and ultimately its an entertaining read.

Again Dick illustrates his fascination with certain parts of the female anatomy, not least the symbolism of the closing line.

The Ganymede Takeover by Philip K Dick

They say a 'change is as good as a rest' and a change is exactly what I needed.

This might not be his best (it isn't) but the change of style has been more than welcome. I must confess that it takes quite a while usually to understand what on earth is going on with most of Dick's work. This was no exception, and for most of the book I was having to flick back to see what the characters were doing, and whose 'side' they were on.

 

Although the concept was unmistakably trademark Dick, it was obvious when one author started and the other stopped, and the blend didn't always work well.

There are some great ideas in this, and the usual Dick techno speak and some humour too, but overall a story that didn't really go anywhere. I have a number of reviews that mark this out as one of his best works, but it just doesn't feel as complete as Flow my Tears, or Dr Bloodmoney.

Not sure what I will read next - I have a TBR pile with more than 100 books in it - but received a nice second hand copy of Dying Inside by Robert Silverberg today in the post. I think I might try that.

Robots and Empire by Isaac Asimov

Finally the Asimov Robot series is at an end.

I stand by my original thoughts on Asimov after reading I, Robot - he was a very clever chap. His books are full of complex scenarios relating to the 3 Laws and at times it is difficult to follow the thread of how and when 1st and 2nd law applies. He obviously knew his subject inside out. There is humour here too, but (and its quite a big but) there is little else other than long scenes of almost entirely dialogue in which the plot plays out.

There is very little descriptive or scene setting paragraphs, so much so that in my head I have almost no idea of what Solaria, or Aurora actually looks like - despite both featuring in 4 books. I read some comments that were made by Asimov about his style in which he wanted to keep his works easy to follow and clear and simple and I agree that he does keep it simple and clear, at least in Caves of Steel and Naked Sun it was simple and clear and short. Robots of Dawn and Empire are long, and become tediously long given the style of writing.

Looking back to I, Robot and all in between the ideas carry the stories along and the short stories are best of all. There was a definite sense of relief after finishing - having set a target of reading all Robots - and I shall look back on Asimov again but for now I'll be reading a variety of authors work, going back to my personal favourite Philip K Dick.

Do you remember the first time?

My first experience of Science Fiction that I can recall was Z for Zachariah by Robert C O’Brien.  This was a book that I read at school as part our English lessons; we would each take it in turns to read aloud to the class a few pages at a time. The exact date and time I am unclear of, but it was probably my first year at senior school – so that would be roughly 25 years ago.  We also read Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by the same author at around the same time – but no more on that book.

 

I haven’t thought about Z for Zachariah in a long time – and the memory was stirred by this blog - but I got to thinking why I always come back to this genre, what is it that appeals to me, what has influenced my reading habits. I have spent long periods of time away from Sci-Fi (years at a time) but always seem drawn back to it.

Z for Zachariah is classed as post-apocalyptic fiction (a sub-genre in Sci-Fi), and I have read a number of these stories over the years  -The Stand, The Road, The Postman, I am Legend, Swan Song to name a few – and there are many more on my TBR pile.

This book in particular fascinated me, and it’s possibly the lone survivor element that stirs a perverse desire to experience that feeling of being on your own after some catastrophic event. I don’t remember if it was any good, but I do remember that the valley in which they found themselves had a weather system all of its own which meant they were unaffected by the fallout of Global Nuclear Apocalypse– which sounds pretty daft – but the text is aimed at early teens I would suspect.

What I didn’t realise was Robert C O’Brien died before completing the book. It was finished by his wife and daughter from notes he left. I will have to try eBay for a second hand copy and re-read again for old times’ sake and see if I can spot the differences in style.

The Sun Shining on the Bookshops of East Sussex

Having spent a sun drenched week in and around Hastings at the beginning of June I would reflect on (and review) the quality of the bookshops that I visited during the stay. This was not a book buying trip - and thanks to my wife and kids however I was allowed the luxury of browsing around numerous bookshops - in between eating ice creams and building sand castles.

I had done some research before we went and had in mind one particular shop I wanted to visit in Eastbourne the rest were all an added bonus.

Hastings

I visited Albion Books twice and bought 7 books in total. The Science Fiction section was good and there must have been 400-500 and most priced around £1.50. All the books appeared to be in good condition and was happy with the quality, however the shop is very cluttered, with untidy stacks of books all over the floors and in front of shelving making it almost impossible to see the full selection.
If the shop had been busier it would have been a nightmare to navigate.

Bexhill-on-Sea

We hadn't planned on visiting Bexhill so was lucky to stumble across Bestsellers. The shop was very well laid out and again had a healthy selection of Science Fiction.

Purchased 4 books in very good condition for £5 - can't complain.

Eastbourne 

I had read about Camilla's on line before visiting, but was still amazed at the sheer amount of books on sale. I spent more than an hour here, but could have spent several more. The volume of books does mean that they are stacked everywhere. Upstairs, ground floor and downstairs - Science Fiction were on the stairs!

A very large selection of Science Fiction again, and were in neat stacks. I rummaged through them all and selected 8 at a cost of £12. I could and perhaps should have bought more - but I had to budget for ice creams too!

There was a difficult moment when several stacks lost balance and tumbled onto the stairs - no-one came running so I can only assume it happens a lot. The plus side of this was i found a book that i had missed when the towers collapsed.

I only wished i lived closer to visit more often.

Tome bookshop - only a pebbles throw from the seafront - is a very well stocked and laid out bookshop. The Sci-Fi section was not that extensive - but big enough - they did however have a large collection of old Penguin classics - which I picked out 2 John Wyndham novels. I think from memory they advertise all second hand paperbacks at £2 each.

In all 21 classic (or old - probably not all classic) Sci Fi books, spent around £30 and many pleasant hours. When can I go again?

R is for Rocket

I can only imagine what it must have been like growing up in the forties and fifties - particularly in America - with the anticipation and excitement of rockets blasting into space, the great unknown with infinite possibilities.

I am only half way through this collection of stories, but they are a real treat. I just wish I could have experienced these stories as 12 year old boy during this time.

This Preface is probably one of the most moving I have read in a while. Perhaps I missed this when I was growing up, but with 2 young boys of my own I can watch in wonder as they discover Rockets and Space and Planets for the first time, and maybe, just maybe Life outside our own.

The Robots of Dawn

Written almost 30 years after The Caves of Steel and The Naked Sun this novel starts to link the other major works of Asimov (Empire and Foundation). There is also a nod to the past with mentions of Susan Calvin and reference to Andrew Martin (Bicentennial Man) which having read all the short stories prior to this was not lost.

Sex is a prominent theme throughout, and is often dealt with only in dialogue in a very cold and sterile way. This comes about when the clash of cultures and practises collide (Earth, Aurora and Solaria) where living arrangements are all very different.

Elijah is called to Aurora by the eminent Roboticist and politician Han Fastolfe - whom we all met in Caves of Steel. The 'murder' this time is of a Humaniform robot in his service. By his own admission Fastolfe is the only person who could have killed the robot in the manner in which it was killed, but he vehemently denies doing it.

So Elijah has to solve the puzzle yet again. This time he is in the middle of political muddle, as Fastolfe's opposition are rocking the boat, Fastolfe is in favour of settling new worlds using humans (in the same way Earth settled the 'Spacer' planets). Whilst the Robotics Institute of Aurora wants to use Humaniform robots to do the settling first. The only problem is Fastolfe is the only Spacer who has made these type of robots and the blueprints are all in his head.

Overall this book is OK, and I can see where this will link the other Worlds of Isaac Asimov. However it was hard going, and a bit too one dimensional. Had it not been for the final 20 or so pages I think I would have been deeply disappointed with this one. The closing stages do however set up the possibility of an interesting final instalment. On to Robots and Empire then.