Bel, Cels and Phil Re-Review

The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells

reviewed by Belinda Hamilton

I was given the opportunity to read a book last week that I wasn’t overly sure about. I am not usually one for reading books in e-book format as I like to have a physical product in my hand to make a proper judgment on.  It was a pleasant surprise to be blown away by an incredible tale of survival and political intrigue. It impressed me so much that the format blended into the background and ended up not making one ounce of difference to my opinion of the story.

Moon thought he was the last of his kind. To avoid terminal loneliness he hides his second form and lives with groundlings in his own version of a groundling shape. He is constantly being found out and shunned by the tribes he adopts. It isn’t until he is discovered in his winged form once again, and is chained for the dreaded Fell to eat alive, that he is rescued by a stranger. Stone is his savior and offers him a place amongst his colony. Moon, being the suspicious creature he is, waits for the truth to come out and for this new community to continue the trend and shun him. The truth however, is not what Moon was expecting.

Martha Wells weaves this tale with threads of gold. The character dynamics are meaty and believable. I liked the natural humor that pops up in the most unsuspecting places.  The political intrigue is not overdone or tasteless; an you can’t even really fault the ethical angle of the Fell. If I had to pick one fault with the story, I would have liked to feel more ingrained in some of the settings. Though most of the description was magnificent and rich, I still felt like one or two scenes needed a smidge more description to have me completely hooked.

This is one of the most entertaining explorations of Darwin’s theory I have read for a really long time. Thank you, Martha, for proving me wrong; books in electronic format can read just as well as a paperback.

The Cloud Roads– Martha Wells

Published March 1, 2011, by Night Shade Books

Various formats, 300 pages

[intlink id=”6133″ type=”post”]Read Krista’s review of this book[/intlink]

Mole Hunt by Paul Collins

reviewed by Phil Coss

From the towering floating metropolis of Arcadia to the lone backwater station of Reema’s End, Mole Hunt is going to keep you glued to your chair hungering for more with every turn of the page. This is Paul Collins’ latest book, the first part of a trilogy in the sci fi/speculative fiction genre.

Maximus Black is the story’s central figure, though he’s far from a hero. Though a genius, this eighteen year old RIM cadet is a ruthless, manipulative psycopath bent on total domination of the whole galaxy. And through his ingenuity and with the help of a mysterious alien creature known as the Envoy, he just might get what he wants.

However all is not lost. There is another star agent in RIM hot on his tail in the pursuit of revenge and justice. She is none other than Anneke Longshadow, Black’s moral opposite and equal genius. It’s not often that one encounters a female hero just as complex and driven as the antagonist. Once RIM (Regis Imperium Mentatis) detected a traitor in their midst,  Anneke is dispatched to bring this enemy to justice.

The way Collins brings this story into focus with such creativity and imagination is breathtaking. The universe these characters live, breathe and fight in is so convincing that you see yourself in the middle of the action ready to jump into the battle. The most intriguing part of this story is the way it develops: the events unfold from one character’s point of view and then the other’s in the following chapter, giving the reader the full scope of what transpired and how.

What I like the most about this story is the author’s inventiveness. The imaginary technology is detailed and explained so clearly you forget it’s not real. And it saves the skin of these two a few times as well!

I had a lot of fun reading this book and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh approach to the sci fi genre. The trilogy is pitched to a 12+ male audience, though I’m sure the real readership of this story is much, much wider. Be sure to add this story and Book 2: Dyson’s Drop to your “to read” list! I guarantee you won’t put it down.

[intlink id=”6031″ type=”post”]Read Bec’s review of this book[/intlink]

[intlink id=”6023″ type=”post”]Read Bec’s interview with Paul Collins[/intlink]

The Name of the Star- Maureen Johnson

reviewed by Cels Jansink

I originally picked this book up off the shelf simply because it has a cover quote from Cassandra Clare (author of The Mortal Instruments), but after a quick look at the blurb I knew I had to read it. The return of Jack the Ripper! What more could one crime loving girl want?

Rory Deveraux finds herself leaving her small, eccentric Louisiana town and heading off to London to finish High School. An adventure in itself- what with getting her head around all the English slang and trying to conquer hockey before it conquers her. The last thing Rory imagined was finding herself the only witness in the new Ripper case. Not that everyone believes her – not even CCTV has captured his image. It certainly seems the most feared and elusive serial killer in British history is prowling the streets of London again. And Rory is in his sights.  So is it a copycat out for attention, or something far more sinister- or even a mix of both?

This novel is just pure gold. It is so enthralling you will fight with yourself over putting it down. The plot is fresh and fast, the scenes written so vividly you feel like you’re walking the streets of Whitechapel or freezing your butt off on the hockey field. The cast of leads are all realistic and even our heroes are brought down a peg or two with the spotlight shone on their flaws and secrets.

Even if you have never heard of Jack before, the history of the original murders is interwoven with our current storyline, so there is no chance of being lost. The scenes can become a little harrowing and disturbing at times, but considering the subject matter this is to be expected.  It isn’t overly graphic,  but it certainly falls within the more mature end of the YA bracket. The paranormal aspect does go some way to softening the blow and adds a few extra giggles along the way.

This is the first in a new series “Shades of London” and I am certainly eagerly awaiting the next instalment.

The Name of the Star- Maureen Johnson

Harper Collins

372 Pages

ISBN 978-0-00-743226-4

September 29 2011

Author info: http://www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com

[intlink id=”6566″ type=”post”]Read Krista’s review of this book[/intlink]