Tag: Science Fiction

Books

Book 286: Endymion (Hyperion Cantos #3) – Dan Simmons

Geoff W

If I’m completely honest, I expected this book to fail miserably. After the feeling of utter astonishment at the brilliance of the first two novels in the Hyperion Cantos, how could the follow-up novels remotely compare?

Thankfully, this first one was excellent. Simmons solved part of the problem by fast forwarding almost 300 years into the even further future and starting from there. As with the first two novels, Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion, this novel is told from someone who is simultaneously outside (looking back) and inside of the story, essentially revolving around them. The novel’s opening definitely put me on guard and I was very worried that I wouldn’t see any of the characters from the previous novels, but we already knew the technology existed to extend life well beyond a normal lifespan and thankfully some came back!

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Books

Book 284: The Fall of Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos #2) – Dan Simmons

Geoff W

What a follow-up! After reading Hyperion, the first in the Hyperion Cantos, I immediately moved into the second! So glad Alex gave us both of them or I wouldn’t have known what to do, or I would’ve gone out and bought it. Although the style changed from the first novel, this one was just as strong and incredibly intelligent. There are definitely spoilers after the next paragraph so you’ve been warned.

The start of this book was a bit more confusing than the first, again it starts in the middle of the story, but with different characters. Rather than immediately going back to our seven pilgrims and their stories, Simmons introduces us to Joseph Severn, another cybrid (originally a John Keats), and brings in the character Meina Gladstone, CEO of the hegemony and mentioned many times in the previous book. There are of course other characters and they all add to the amazing story, but the core group remain the same.

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30x30, Personal Project

30 x 30: #8 – One day Star Wars I-VI movie marathon

Geoff W

Star Wars DVDsI’m now 1/10th of the way through my 30 x 30 list, and have made plans for two more already (see a comedian and visit Tara in NYC). If you don’t follow me on Twitter, you missed a treat as I crazily tweeted the six Star Wars films for May the Fourth (be with you) yesterday. Towards the end of the night when I was starting to lose it I created the hashtag #SassyYoda and we discussed the idea of #SassWars, a parody and/or YouTube channel which dubs sassy commentary (a la drag queens or teenage girls) over some of the epic shade throwing scenes throughout the series. Yeah, it was a rough last hour, but I made it.

What I found most challenging about the day was how exhausting and uncomfortable it was to sit through and pay attention to six full length movies. I somehow managed to (mostly) time myself while in front of the TV and it came in at just over 12.25 hours, but with breaks it was closer to 14 hours. I seriously wonder if I listed this one in the wrong place. It’s listed under relaxing, but after yesterday, I’m thinking it should’ve been classified as physical, because by the end of the day I was physically sore and mentally exhausted.

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2014 Challenges, Books

Book 272: The Handmaid’s Tale (The Handmaid’s Tale #1) – Margaret Atwood

Geoff W

[Check out my review of Margaret Atwood’s much awaited seque, The Testaments, here.]

I can’t believe it’s been over five years since I last read this incredible novel. But thinking about it as I write this I’m not too surprised. I last read this while working on a paper for my MA and that paper didn’t go well, because I apparently didn’t “understand how to apply gender theory” and I was given the opportunity to completely re-write the paper.

I was incredibly pissed at the insult, because that’s how I took it, and I spent a lot of time rewriting the paper in such a way as to insult my professors and the program. In no uncertain terms I stated that gender theory does not preempt every other theory and that scholars needed to be incredibly careful of over-stepping their bounds. I did eventually receive a passing grade and they invited back to pursue a PhD (I declined), but it left a sour taste in my mouth.

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Books

Book 259: Zazen – Vanessa Veselka

Geoff W

After seeing this on Heather’s blog Between the Covers and seeing her recommend it to many other people over the intervening years and knowing we have similar book tastes I knew I needed to read this novel.

This was a fascinating take on (post) identity politics in a (potentially) war-torn country. It was incredibly difficult to decide how much was seriousness, criticism, sarcasm or some other commentary. I had a brief conversation with Heather about the book because I was so confused as I started reading it that I thought it might be a translation. In the end I felt Veselka did a great job but I’m still not quite sure what form of commentary she was using. The combination of the identity politics versus the environmental (both natural and manmade) issues made for a really interesting read. Veselka’s writing and story telling reminded me of a less controlled and less refined Margaret Atwood, so of course I was going to enjoy it.

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