Science fiction set in Nigeria gets two doses of otherness, both from the human society and from the effects of alien invasion. This is an excellent debut novel, perhaps a little unsure of itself in terms of the science and sometimes a little uncomfortable in the use of nonlinear narrative, but with compelling characters and an excellent plot line. I’ll look out for the sequel.
3/5. Finished Saturday 29 December, 2018.
(Originally published on Goodreads.)
A voyage-to-another-star novel that embraces the distances travelled, and all that entails. A set of missions are sent out that will take generations to reach their destinations and return. On the way their society evolves in ways that the original missions planners both expect and don’t.
This is a book focused on the evolution of human groups and the ways that space travel and dislocation would affect them – and indeed would affect the society left behind. There are unmistakable echoes of Marion Zimmer Bradley’s short story The Climbing Wave in how the stay-athomes forget (and refuse to be impressed by) returning space travellers; and of Joe Haldeman’s Forever War in how those travellers would be left behind by technological progress, cementing their perceived irrelevance.
4/5. Finished Friday 21 December, 2018.
(Originally published on Goodreads.)
A work of fiction so convincing that the first question the author is asked is, “Is it real?” It tells the (imaginary) story of a murder in a history of (allegedly) found objects, manuscripts, evidence statements and trial reports. The fact that it’s set in a real place (Culduie in Wester Ross, looking out towards Skye and Raasay) adds a further layer of realism. It’s a classic anti-hero styling, with the protagonist becoming more sympathetic the more is revealed about his less than complete honesty and the enormity of his crimes, that go way beyond what he himself admits. A gripping read.
5/5. Finished Saturday 24 November, 2018.
(Originally published on Goodreads.)
3/5. Finished Saturday 17 November, 2018.
(Originally published on Goodreads.)
