Tag archives for Science fiction - Page 6
Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /var/www/html/themself/wp-content/themes/mesocolumn/lib/functions/theme-functions.php on line 502
Book Review – Cronix by James Hider
Cronix by James Hider My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is near future post human science fiction. The premise is that humanity works out how to upload consciousness to virtual worlds and this results in amazing breakthroughs of scientific knowledge and an effective end to death. Almost everyone chooses to join the exodus from fleshy existence to living eternally in the comfort of virtual worlds. The story is set several hundred years after the break through. Told from multiple points of view, including flashbacks to the pre uploading memories of one of the protagonists. It takes a while to build to sound engagement because you need to get engaged with each of the viewpoints, but when you get there you really are engaged. There is a clear sense of a believable future world, it sort of makes sense given…
Book Review – The Martian by Andy Weir
The Martian by Andy Weir My rating: 5 of 5 stars Last night I finished reading 'The Martian'. I can completely understand why it was voted the best science fiction book of 2014 by goodreads users. It's an engaging rollercoaster of a story. The main character is left behind on Mars when his mission is scrubbed because of a massive storm that threatens to destroy their ascent vehicle. The wind blows part of the comms array into him, knocking him unconscious and destroying the bio-monitor in his suit. The rest of the crew believe he is dead and take off before the wind blows over their ship. Artist concept of a Mars sample return mission (Photo credit: Wikipedia) This is a story of overcoming incredible odds to survive, and you are left almost to the last page wondering whether or not he is going to…
Book Review – Far Orbit compiled by Bascomb James
Far Orbit: Speculative Space Adventures by Bascomb James My rating: 4 of 5 stars This modern science fiction anthology is in the classic style, with a positive feel and no dystopias, at least not in a grim pass the razor blades sort of way. I really enjoyed the collection and there are authors in there that I need to go and see what else they've written. I bought this anthology because I am thinking about submitting stories for publication, and I saw an article that there would be a follow-up anthology called Apogee from the same anthologist. Also I like reading science fiction, and short stories are easier to read when I'm studying (and I'm in the middle of B203, which is a real monster). Having read the anthology I was inspired, I've outlined a story and written a couple of thousand words towards…
East End Explosions
I've been exploring the world of Perfects with some friends by running a roleplaying session with the Full Moon games group playing the senior officers of a police counter-terrorism group. More details on Operation Hawkeye. I couldn't resist writing some press stories as a result of the session. East Ended! Brave cops foil GM terror group in dawn raid. Silverton residents were woken by automatic gunfire and a bomb blast as terrorists fought off a police raid. Brave officers stormed through a hail of fire to take out the terrorists. One terrorist was confirmed killed by police, although not before two officers were wounded. Another is believed to have blown themself up in a suicide bombing. Commander Coalfield, the Counter Terror Chief, called on citizens to lookout for accomplices to the GM terrorists that may have escaped. Forensic teams are scouring the…
Crisis Point
I'm done editing Crisis Point, my military science fiction novella. Although I'd previously released it I got some feedback from people and I also re-edited it to apply the lessons I'd learnt from having studied creative writing. So this version is a better one than the earlier version, and it is shorter too. It also has the opening scenes of the re-written Perfects in it too. Here's the blurb: Why is rolling news showing footage of US Marines holding off an armed assault on the White House? Where have the Secret Service taken the President and why has the Vice President invoked the 25th Amendment? Why has US Space Command mobilised its strategic reserve and put it into orbit? Crisis point is a stand alone novella set in the same world view as Perfects (due 2015) and tells the story…