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Escapement (God's Clockwork #2)
Jay Lake

Paolina Barthes is a young woman of remarkable intellectual ability – a genius on the level of Isaac Newton. But she has grown up in isolation, in a small village of shipwreck survivors, on the Wall in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. She knows little of the world, but she knows that England rules it, and must be the home of people who possess the learning that she so desperately wants. And so she sets off to make her way off the Wall, not knowing that she will bring her astounding, unschooled talent for sorcery in this world of God’s Clockwork to the attention of those deadly factions who would use or kill her for it.

Jay Lake’s Mainspring was a novel full of potential that was hindered by uneven writing and execution: tasty and entertaining, but ultimately unsatisfying. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book enough to look for more. Cheerfully, everything that worked so well in the first book has been retained in Escapement, while most of the problems were corrected – resulting in a greatly improved sequel that is everything Mainspring could have been and much more…

The setting is one of the novels’ strengths, and the author does a much better job this time around at rendering his creation: a steampunk-influenced, alternate Earth set in the early years of the 20th century, where God’s handiwork is in constant indication by the giant brass clockwork that encircles the world. The setting is so much more effective here because of the more consistent manner in which the author details the novel’s environment, including many ‘exotic’ locales – Africa, England, the Equatorial Wall, Taiwan, France, Mogadishu, a city of Brass Men, life onboard an airship and a submarine, etc – but also because the descriptions are more reasoned. The world depicted in Escapement is vibrant and easy to imagine.

Character-wise, this book features three main protagonists rather than just the single hero found in Mainspring, and unlike Hethor Jacques – who may have been likable but lacked depth and emotional connectivity – Paolina Barthes, Threadgill Angus al-Wazir, and Emily McHenry Childress are characters you actually care about. They each have distinctive voices and personalities: Paolina is smart, but naïve, fuelled by youthful determination and harbouring a strong dislike towards men because of the way she has been treated. Al-Wazir is rough with language reflecting his persona – ‘fewk’, ‘Johnnie foreigner’, ‘fuzzy wuzzies’, etc – but is extremely loyal and the kind of person you want guarding your back. Childress meanwhile, is married to her job and while cultured, lacks any worldly experience and is naïve in her own way. We also get to see the characters evolve over the course of the novel as they make mistakes, sometimes act selfishly, and are forced into difficult decisions.

The story is rewarding, with complex plotting and the weaving together of several different sub-plots and themes. Convergence, of course, occurs and the pace picks up as each plot heads towards this assignation.

Finally, although Mainspring is the prequel, I believe this can be read on its own merits. There are numerous references to people and places from the first book but nothing will be missed that will mar the story. 9/10 - Adam

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Mariel of Redwall (Redwall #06)
Brian Jacques

One of the things I love about the Redwall tales is that you only have to open one to find yourself in a vivid and vicious animal civilisation. The era is set in medieval times, where apparently there is nothing more terrifying than a mouse (or shrew – take your pick) coming at you while swinging a sword. I wouldn’t want to tangle with any of the badgers either! While there are a lot of medieval tales out there, Brian Jacques has added a great twist to that theme and I have yet to find another series which so engagingly removes the human element.

These tales tie together the lives of the peaceful creatures of the Redwall Abbey, located in the Mossflower woods. While it is considered a place of sanctuary, the intricate history of Redwall is weaved from the travels of those that come and go as well as through the battles fought at its gates.

In this particular title, the mouse Mariel and her father, Joseph the Bellmaker, are sailing to deliver a bell to Lord Rawnblade, ruler of the great fortress Salamandastrom. On the way, their cargo is hijacked by the cruel sea-rat leader of Terramort, Gabool the Wild. After angering him, Mariel wakes up on a desolate shore with a knotted rope encircling her throat and no memory. She is guided to Redwall and makes friends with the hare Tarquin L Woodsorrel, the mouse Dandin and the hedgehog Durry Quill. Upon regaining her memory, she sets out to find and destroy Gabool. But during her quest, one of Gabool's captains plots to invade Redwall.

Redwall characters tend to cast type by species. Those that are ‘good’ and honourable, excepting the otters, tend to be the omnivore or prey variety (mouse, squirrel, etc), while others grouped under ‘vermin’ include foxes, stoats or rats. Each species possesses distinctive traits, tribes and mannerisms (‘Wot wot!’). Overall I found the characters lively and engaging; especially the hares, which are charming and wacky in turn. Although there are no humans present, the animals show plenty of sentient anthropomorphism and relatively little by way of natural behaviour. Additionally, the term ‘cute and cuddly’ is a foreign notion in this world.

Mariel of Redwall is fun and beautifully written, with themes of piracy, theft, treachery and standing firm for what is right. It’s pure escapism and highly recommended for the action and animal lovers out there. I doubt readers will want to stop at just one! For those who would like to read more, I would recommend the direct sequel The Bellmaker or Martin the Warrior (both titles available on special order), with whom the history of Redwall began. - Tamara

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Ender in Exile (Ender #1.5)
Orson Scott Card

Finally, 22 years after Ender’s Game was published, we get to see how Ender went from being a child overcome with guilt about the genocide he was tricked into committing, to the adult we meet some 20-odd years later. This story takes place directly between Ender’s Game and Speaker for the Dead, filling in the light-years-long gap between them due to the time dilation of space travel and relativity.

Orson Scott Card’s latest in the Ender saga deals with the usual space opera themes of colonisation, long stretches living aboard a space craft, as well as the discovery of alien artefacts - stalwarts of the genre that are all good fun. It’s not hard SF, as Card is more interested in exploring human themes, like rivalry and redemption, than theorising technological and scientific possibilities of contemporary physics or cosmology. Future technologies and everything that is highly advanced are alluded to as being the products of alien technology and never really explained. Which is kinda cool. And as always, SF’s favourite Mormon deals with spiritual themes, but due to the bigness and scope of the series, it doesn’t rankle the secular reader with preachiness.

In this novel, we see Ender transitioning and growing from a teenager into an adult. Having won the war at the end of Ender’s Game, Ender comes to realise that he can never return to Earth. Even though he is its saviour, his name and legend would do more harm than good, alarming the nations of the world, who would see him as a potential weapon for one nation to use against another. Aware of his potential to destabilise the nations of Earth, he opts to become the governor of the first colony to be established on an alien home world.

Anyone who has read the other sequels to Ender’s Game will not be overly surprised by this novel, as obviously the fallout and major events have been touched upon before. Which I guess poses the question: what is the point of writing this book? Is it just a cynical cash-in? It doesn’t matter. The story itself, although familiar, is really enjoyable, with Card’s usual strong characterisation and interesting plot twists. It’s worth it just to see one of SF’s favourite sons grow up. A must for all Ender fans. And anyone who is not should go and read Ender’s Game anyway! - Geoff

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Wild Magic (Immortals #01)
Tamora Pierce

This is the first Tamora Pierce book I have ever picked up. The story is set about 10 years after the Song of the Lioness Quartet and features many of the same characters, including Alanna, George and Jonathan. As with the first quartet, this series is Young Adult, but can be enjoyed by both young kids and adults.

The story begins at a fair in Galla (a country bordering Tortall) when a young girl called Daine approaches Onua, a K’miri horse trader looking to hire an assistant to help her transport ponies back to Tortall. On her way to Corus, Daine not only meets bandits, knights and sorcerers, but mythical creatures straight from nightmares, and she realises that things in Tortall are not as normal as they seem. Immortals are breaking out of the Divine Realms of the Gods and war looms on the horizon. The only hope seems to be Daine, who has Wild Magic, a rare power that allows her to communicate with animals, plus an ability to sense nearby immortals. Training with Great mage Numair Salmalín, she is forced to test and break her boundaries, and learn to accept her gifts, almost falling into madness as she faces Griffons, Stormwings, a Kraken and a Dragon to protect her friends, both human and animal, from the armies of Emperor Ozorne of Carthak.

The feel of this book is very different to the previous series, as Daine is more vulnerable than Alanna. The writing shows this through small hints in speech and Daine’s general reluctance to discuss anything about her past, either to other characters or to herself. Her character flavours the whole story, her emotive side often winning the day as often as her aggressive side. There is not a good balance of these two traits at the beginning of the story, but it begins to even out, and Daine adjusts to living among people who accept her.

The author places several well-known mythical creatures into the text, but it’s the less well-known creatures that give a sense of danger and thought to the writing. The Stormwings and Spidrens - a mixture of human and animal - are hideous constructs that play on people’s fears, especially when opposed to the heroes.

The insight into animals is what interested me in this series in the first place. Daine’s magic allows her to communicate and understand animals on a deep level where she can lose herself in the sensations of becoming that animal. The descriptive language used by the author as she writes about these episodes makes you feel as though you’re sitting right alongside the animals. The little titbits of information give a sense of reality to Daine’s ability and will convince any animal lover of the hard work the author has put into her writing. If you love animals, magic and adventure, this is a definite must read! – Chrissi

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Dynasty of Evil (Darth Bane #03: Star Wars)
Drew Karpyshyn

The story takes up with Darth Bane and his apprentice Zannah, 20 years after the demise of the old Sith ways. With the loss to the Mind Bomb of all the known Sith Dark Side users, and a great many Jedi too, Darth Bane is left to administer his new and very different view of the Dark Side training and philosophy - the new Rule of Two.

Zannah now has the ability to challenge Darth Bane, but has yet to do so. The story revolves around the challenge in character of these two protagonists, to their duty to the new Philosophies, and the difficulties in seeing them through to fruition. Should they fail, the Sith Order will die with them.

Darth Bane is in failing health and worried that Zannah may lack the necessary skill or cunning to challenge and replace him. He seeks ways through ancient dark teachings to prolong his life long enough to complete Zannah’s training, and possibly provide him with immortality as well.

Zannah senses that Bane is hiding information crucial to her continued training and ability to take his mantle as master. Only a Sith who has taken down their own Master can become the one, true, Dark Lord of the Sith. She decides to take an apprentice herself - a fallen Dark Jedi - and to orchestrate a confrontation with Bane after their separate missions come to a conclusion, as she thinks he has already secretly replaced her with another secret apprentice.

I greatly enjoyed this third volume of Darth Bane, a rollicking adventure style of story that careens from one disaster to the next. A must read if you enjoyed the first two parts in the series - Path of Destruction and Rule of Two. The backstabbing nature of the Sith lends itself to conflict and intrigue, with layers of bad people trying to outwit one another and the good guys taking an ancillary role as padding for the story. The antagonists make Darth Bane’s struggles all the more enjoyable as he has to outwit vengeful Princesses, a cunning apprentice, a merciless bounty hunter and an assortment of Dark Cultist minions and Jedi authorities, all while trying to procure the Ancient writings that lead to a Holocron, which may provide the secret to life eternal.

The author also manages to drop hints and clues throughout the story that lead to all sorts of future twists in the story. Could Darth Bane actually be the teacher of Darth Sidious, who acquired the ability to stave off death and gain immortality? Read on, you know you want to... – CM

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The Deed of Paksenarrion
Elizabeth Moon

Elizabeth Moon is more recently recognised for her epic military space operas, rather than her fantasy fiction, but military-style fantasy is where she launched her career as a bestselling novelist 21 years ago. The Sheepfarmer’s Daughter, her first novel, is where we first meet Paksenarrion Dorthandotter and the world of the Eight Kingdoms.

The Deed of Paksenarrion is an omnibus comprising The Sheepfarmer’s Daughter, Divided Allegiances and Oath of Gold. This classic coming-of-age tale centres on the character Paksenarrion, who rebels against her father and runs away to avoid an arranged marriage. She joins a mercenary company and becomes a soldier, where we follow her on a journey from naivety to worldliness. Populated with a wide cast of characters, the land of the Eight Kingdoms bears a weighty feel of deep history, yet this epic is primarily about the journey of a single character, and grippingly so. Although often compared to The Lord of the Rings, Moon’s work leans more towards military fantasy than high fantasy. She draws deeply on her own experiences in the marines to provide a powerful picture of military life, and while such a thing would not appeal to me at all, Moon fills her world with magical creatures and powerful gods, both good and evil, as well as enough magic that, while never overpowering, offers a subtle balance to her martial themes, proving to me just how gifted a writer she is.

The plot of this tale is not groundbreaking within the context of its genre, but Moon’s strength lies in characterisation and world-building. Paksenarrion grows before our eyes from a simple farm girl with a dream to a seasoned warrior of the ‘gods of light’. While her life experiences deepen her character and make her a more complex person (Moon doesn’t shy away from the harder realities that a female soldier may face), ‘Paks’ always seems to retain an innocence of spirit that shines brightly on the page and in the mind. To my mind, this omnibus is a true classic and a worthy addition to the bookshelf of any avid reader of fantasy fiction, or even simply good fiction.

For the last 20-odd years, Moon has been asked by her faithful followers if she will be writing any new Paks books. She has said many times that she does not have any new Paks stories to write, but she has embarked on a new journey in the world of the Eight Kingdoms, the first book of which is Oath of Fealty and looks to pick up where The Deed of Paksenarrion left off. The information I have suggests Paks’ presence in the story, although we’ll see her through the eyes of different characters.

I love re-reading this tome as much as I did the first time around and I can’t wait to read the forthcoming Eight Kingdoms instalments! – Mark

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Earth to Hell (Journey to Wudang #01)
Kylie Chan

When we left Emma in the Dark Heaven trilogy, she had survived Simon Wong (aka 122) and lost Leo and John (Xuan Wu) – but she had managed to save Simone, and escape the Demon King with the eventual promise that John would return to her. Now eight years in the future, Emma has had to step up to help manage the Northern Heavens and run the Wudang school, whilst hiding her true nature from her students and retainers.

This particular novel is based around getting Leo back after eight years. We follow our characters through Heaven and Hell as they try and convince Leo to accept immortality and rejoin them in the mortal plain. Plans go awry when the Leo held in Celestial Hell is proven to be a fake, and a desperate search ensues. It seems that after Simon Wong was destroyed, his closest demon consorts continued their experiments – and it’s up to Emma and Simone to stop them, with help from Michael, Bai Hu, Kwan Yin, Jade and Gold along with a many more ‘new’ and old Shen (immortals).

There have been many changes to Kylie’s writing style – the most obvious being the increase in general description through the main body of the story, with less being told from one character to another. As can be expected, there is a lot of reintroduction in the first few chapters – which is especially important, considering that well-known characters from Dark Heaven have been brought back and have undergone drastic changes since the last book. Nevertheless, the story rushes quickly to the conflict within these chapters, preventing the story from seeming slow-paced. There is still much delving into ancient Chinese texts, which Chan uses to provide her characters with depth – most noticeably, offering insight into John’s past and true nature, and explaining some of Simone’s strange quirks. There is a moderate amount of fighting, but it is confined mostly to the Shen, and observed by Emma rather than experienced by her. This is a departure from her previous novels, but at the same time is completely understandable, in light of Emma’s imprisonment by Simon Wong at the end of Blue Dragon.

All around this was an amazing read. Just a reminder to readers that Earth to Hell is not book four of the Dark Heavens trilogy; this is book one of Journey to Wudang, and it is something completely new and different. I think Kylie is off to another great start for this trilogy and I can’t wait for the next one to come out! – Chrissi

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Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake #01)
Laurell K Hamilton

In a world full of sparkly vampires and their lovelorn girlfriends, I can’t help but wonder if the Twilight-inspired trend towards impossible romances aimed at teenagers is just so unassailably saccharine that it will soon self-destruct. What then of vampires? What is left of the former savage, soulless entertainment which vampire-lovers fear to lose? In short, when the Twi-hards depart for the next sparkly trend, what will capture the readers who still want vampire-action – and who want vampires that aren’t just a big bunch of sissies? (Sorry Edward, but you got nothin’ on Jean Claude. Or any of the Black Dagger Brotherhood for that matter!).

I can recommend none other than the necromancer/federal marshal/occasional nymphomaniac Anita Blake and her vivid, unapologetic adventures with man or beast, dead or alive. I have one main reason for this: her writing style has yet to be equaled in Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance. Yes, there are many imitations – but Anita is the original tough-bitch heroine operating in a world where the living and the dead have to live alongside each other. Like the popular True Blood/Sookie Stackhouse books, the vampires in this world are out of the coffin – so every aspect of human life has changed in order to incorporate them, which of course can lead to problems. Add to that a menagerie of shape-shifters, a vampire master in love with Anita, and Anita’s own bottomless rage – and you have one very explosive and interesting set of books. Hamilton is unmatched in her blood-soaked, vivid descriptions, razor-sharp attitudes and her complete inability to shy away from difficult subjects. A lot may change during this series, but one thing remains the same: whatever the problem, Anita looks it in the eye, sizes it up and shoots it in the face without a blink.

In fact, Anita’s hard-boiled toughness is one of the features that make this series race along at such an exciting pace; the stories are engrossing, and to date no one writes a paranormal romance like her. And they absolutely must be read in order, so start at book one or don’t start at all. Also, in recommending Anita Blake, there is a very strict 16-and-over caveat (maybe even 18, if the teen in question is the sheltered type), as there are certain things you just don’t want a person under 16 reading. This becomes especially true when Anita discovers the life-giving sexual force of the ardeur and its many repercussions – but that isn’t until the later books. However, Guilty Pleasures is completely devoid of the unfortunate smuttery that casts a shadow over some of the later titles.

Guilty Pleasures is excellent, and an inspiration to the genre! Paranormal Romance, my genre of choice, would not be where it is now without the five-foot-tall half-Latina who always had a gun on her somewhere. Go Anita! – Sofia

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Boneshaker (Clockwork Century #01)
Cherie Priest

This is the first book in the author’s proposed Clockwork Century series, albeit a completely self-contained story.

Briar Wilkes’s 16-year-old son, Zeke, decides to brave the hazardous walled city formerly known as Seattle. Briar must follow her son to rescue him. What occurs is a two-viewpoint-standard quest narrative. Briar wants to find her son. Zeke is looking to clear his father’s name (but also seems to be craving a rite of passage).

Briar’s husband (and Zeke’s father) was Dr. Leviticus Blue. 16 years ago, his ‘Incredible Bone-Shaking Drill Engine’ was put together for a group of Russians who wanted to quickly extract gold from the frozen tundras of Alaska. An unexpected test-run resulted in a churned-up downtown Seattle… and the release of a toxic yellow gas from the bowels of the earth – otherwise known as ‘Blight’. This toxic gas will (at best!) kill you, and at worst… turn you into a ‘rotter’.

Like all good zombies, the author’s rotters are hungry and unstoppable. These ones are also fast.

To make things worse, some shady entrepreneurs have found a way to refine Blight into an addictive substance known as ‘lemon sap’.

The cast of characters which the pair encounters in their separate travails through Seattle are lively and fun. From Rudy, who claims to be an invalid from the Great Rebellion (this world’s analogue of the American Civil War), the armour-clad Jeremiah Swankhammer (a name to conjure with), through to the sinister Dr. Minnerecht.

What propelled me through the text was the author’s ability to imagine all of the gee-gaws and accessories of her Clockwork world. There are airships (along with air pirates) and steam engines, opium analogues and mechanical limbs. Everything feels like it’s covered in greasy soot. The world’s textures are delicious and deep – I look forward to seeing what happens in the next instalment! - Adam

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Flash Forward
Robert J Sawyer

I’ve been enjoying the TV series based on this book, but it’s been so long since I read it that I was a bit hazy about the characters. So I decided to re read it, and I was happily reminded why I love this author…

The story starts late April 2009, underground, near Geneva at CERNs Large Hadron Collider. Two scientists, the older Lloyd Simcoe and the younger genius Theo Procopides, are counting down until their experiment – recreating the energy levels that existed within the galaxy nanoseconds after the Big Bang – takes effect. They hit zero and then….nothing. They all wake up (what they work out is) minutes later, all having had weird ‘dreams’: seeing themselves looking much older, hovering cars, strange flags, or in Theo’s case – blackness. It takes them a while to realise that what has happened (in later days, named the ‘Flash Forward’) wasn’t just at the lab, but world wide. It was a global disaster. Millions died. Cars, planes and trains crashed, people drowned or had fatal falls. With the cacophony of chatter that surrounds the event, Lloyd and Theo determine that it took place at precisely the same time as their experiment, which they realise is to blame for the disaster. They also realise that everyone saw a couple of minutes of their lives: 20 years, six months and two days in the future.

What follows is an account of how humanity deals with the loss and destruction of the initial event, and then comes to grip with what they saw. Arguments begin about self will and whether the future is set or changeable. In Lloyd’s vision, he wasn’t married to the woman he is currently engaged to. Do they still get married? Theo saw nothing and begins to receive information from people reading about his murder. If he can work out how/when it happens, can he avert his early death? Some people had great insight into the future economies – what companies were worth owning shares in and what companies weren’t (Microsoft immediately goes bankrupt after the event – and lets just say McDonalds doesn’t deal in fast food anymore). Half the world was asleep. Their visions were of – sleep. So people in these regions are at a distinct disadvantage. Debate begins about performing the experiment again (with fair warning for all), but should it be done at the opposite time so that those who missed out the first time get to experience it this time?

There is loads of science in this – especially of various theories within the field of physics – but it is nicely integrated and accessible to the reader. I love the way Sawyer brings it all back to the characters and humanity on whole. The story isn’t so much about the Flash Forward as how people deal with it – the disappointments and joys of knowing their potential future lives. It’s an interesting mental exercise. To be honest, I’m not sure that I’d like to know anything about my future (I like surprises!), but that’s just me. - Steph

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Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #02)
Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games (Pb $18.99) was hands down the best young adult title of this year. I read my eyes out and I’m finally starting to feel like it will be less hard work now that she has two brilliant books and not just one. Be warned though: this review says very little about the plot (as I wouldn’t spoil it for the world) – it has to be read to be believed!

Catching Fire is the utterly brilliant, breathlessly paced sequel to the Hunger Games, and its plot, writing and action can be summarised into one word: INCENDIARY.

Collins is vividly descriptive but never dull, and manages to write the dramatic without steering into the melodramatic. Those who read The Hunger Games will recognise that the consequences of victory were never going to be good. But in this latest instalment, the consequences become painfully clear, and Katniss and Peeta are caught in the middle. They are symbols of defiance, victims of their victory, and role models and rebels all wrapped into one. They only survived because they stuck together… So what happens when the Capitol insists on maintaining the farce that may drive them apart? Even more importantly, what could be happening on the borders outside the Capitol’s control? Even while these questions are answered, Collins does a brilliant job of raising more questions still. The rules of the Game have changed for the first time in years and on every page there is the quietly lingering threat of things to come. Catching Fire is much more ominous, deadly and calculating than its predecessor, but Collins handles the tension beautifully. It’s a testament to her skill as a writer that the whole novel can be so utterly engrossing from start to finish.

For me, it’s quite hard to believe at times that these two brilliant books are firmly categorised as ‘young adult’ fiction. Clearly this is because we experience the story through the eyes of Katniss and her straight-forward narration. She is a teenage heroine who I have the highest respect for, because she is a hunter who kills without a blink of an eye. Yet beneath her calm and dignified mask, Katniss also feels heartache, fear and loss. She cannot waver, she must survive, and I love her quiet will of iron. The Hunger Games were never a game, and especially not now that the stakes are so high. The Districts around the Capitol are a powder keg and Katniss’ defiance could be the spark… and I cannot wait to see the inferno that will barely be contained in the next book! I can’t fault Collins writing, and especially not her pace. Perhaps it’s the combination of subject matter and style that makes her so compulsively readable and difficult to put down; whatever it is, it’s a magic that she possesses in spades!

From the very first book, Suzanne Collins’ plot and writing style compelled me to read like a woman possessed, and I feel oddly dizzy at the thought of the third book which feels so excruciatingly far away. Perhaps my reason for so highly recommending Catching Fire is so that lots of other people can suffer the wait with me… But I won’t know until you all read it, so hurry up! – Sofia

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The Vampire Lestat (Vampire Chronicles #02)
Anne Rice

These days, it seems you can’t cross the street without being hit by a vampire! John Polidori and Bram Stoker may have first staked them down in the 1800’s – and current writers like Charlaine Harris and Laurel K. Hamilton continue to redefine them – but for me, Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles series will always be what comes to mind when I think of the undead. And the second novel, The Vampire Lestat, is in my opinion the best of the bunch.

This instalment is the tale of Lestat’s existence prior to ‘unlife’ right on through to 1980’s rock stardom. As a poor but noble aristocrat living a Spartan existence in 18th century France, he must hunt to feed his parents. Coming to despise the bare halls of his family home, the precocious youth takes the first opportunity he gets to run away with the theatre. He experiences the thrills of big city life in Paris, only to be dragged back home by his family. But escape his family he does… only to turn his back on mortal life forever!

The story then follows Lestat’s embrace of the unlife, guided by the ancient and weird vampire Magnus. Through new eyes, Lestat describes the world he now sees as a ‘savage garden’ (sadly being the inspiration for the loathsome 1990’s pop group of the same name). For the next 200 years, Lestat embarks on a search for the truth behind his immortal existence. He encounters various other vampires, such as the Vampire Armand (can I make Antonio Banderas into a vampire?) – an enigmatic and brooding character who sets Lestat on the cold trail of Marius – the oldest known vampire. Fast-forward to the year 1984… the age of MTV. Lestat arises from torpor with the ambition of becoming a famous rock star and outing all vampires in one fell swoop!

I like this book because it’s essentially the tale of a country boy making good in the big smoke – only with the romance of frilly shirts and endless nights of abandon in all manner of exotic locations. The friendships which Lestat establishes continue to resurface over the ages, providing the only continuity in his long unlife of debauchery. Lestat’s character is vivid and passionate, searching for meaning behind the strange and perverse existence which he has embraced. Rice’s imagery is lush and colourful, really bringing life to the places and the people who she describes. After almost a quarter of a century, The Vampire Lestat is still required reading for vampire fans, and for those who are just looking for an engaging read. - Geoff

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The Poison Throne
Celine Kiernan

It sounds idiotic, but I swear it’s harder to write a review about a book you really, really love, but here goes…

Set in Medieval Europe, this story begins with Wynter Moorehawke and her (ailing) father Lorcan. When they return to court, it quickly becomes apparent that things have changed since they were sent north. The cats (which Wyn used to care for) don’t speak telepathically to humans anymore. To acknowledge the ghosts will have you hung from the gibbet. And Wyn’s two childhood friends Alberon (the heir to the throne) has been absent for some time, whilst Razi (the bastard son of the King) is now training to be a physician and has returned from his travels with his companion Christopher – who is a bit of a philanderer and who immediately rubs Wyn the wrong way.

The kingdom is in quiet turmoil. As younger men, Lorcan and the King Jonathan fought in a civil war, removing from power a king who had systematically tortured the people and ruined the land. It was an unenlightened era. Yet King Jonathan, who ru ed wisely and gently, is now committing the same offences. The people are unhappy and the land is suffering. With questions arising about the loyalty of Alberon and his prolonged absence from court, King Jonathan uses underhanded and cruel methods to force Razi to step into his halfbrother’s place – even though it is the last thing Razi wants. Court intrigue abounds. Attempts are made on Razi’s life, and even Lorcan, who has always been King Jonathan’s friend, becomes a pawn. As the story unfolds, Wyn and Razi become pawns themselves. Forced into difficult situations, they are driven into actions against their will, keeping up appearances for self-protection – or more often to protect those they love. Ultimately sacrifices are made…

Part political, part mystery, and part love story, The Poison Throne had me completely engrossed. This is one of those rare novels for young-adults, which crosses almost seamlessly into adult fiction. Kiernan does an extraordinary job of drawing the settings (I swear I was walkin the halls or using the hidden tunnels of the castle!) and developing the characters without getting lost in detail or wordiness. With one of the smallest cast of characters in a book I’ve read in ages, I just fell in love with them all! The fact that the characters were forced to make impossible decisions, when they themselves were only teenagers, just broke my heart. This is a story about relationships, love, duty, and about doing what is hard because it’s right….

The sequel is due very early next year, and it’s just about killing me to wait. The Poison Throne has been the highlight of my reading year, and it’s still on my never-getting-smaller “to be read” pile… because I’m going to do the unthinkable and read it again! - Steph

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The Age of Ra
James Lovegrove

The year is 1922. Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter, with the discovery of the long lost tomb of a forgotten minor pharaoh, change the course of archaeological history. The glimmer of gold uncovered for the first time in 3,200 years causes madness for all things Egyptological to reach a fever pitch. All around the world, people are awestruckby beautiful ancient Egyptian objectsonce more brought out into the light. It s here that James Lovegrove’s alternate reality deviates from our own.

The sudden interest in Egyptology provides the ancient gods with just the opportunity they need to make their move. The Egyptian pantheon strikes out at the other gods and godly pantheons, annihilating them in a storm of divine fury, before dividing up the world between them.

Fast forward to the present, and the world is wracked by war as millions of followers of the gods engage in constant conflict to satisfy the whims and ancient vendettas of their divine masters. Gifts of ‘divine power’ have superseded most conventional weap nry; the dead are embalmed and made to fight in battle; priests hold the most important positions in the political and military arenas; armies are mobilised not for resources, power, or differing beliefs – but by divine decree read in the entrails of sacrificial animals.

Lt. David Westwynter, a British soldier and loyal follower of Osiris and Isis, finds his way to Freegypt – the one place on Earth that the gods have chosen not to meddle. Here he finds himself caught in the machinations of an upstart revolutionary, the Lightbringer, who works towards uniting Upper and Lower Egypt and waging war upon the gods who bring only death and destruction to their loyal worshippers.

As David battles internally between his faith in the gods and his faith in mankind, externally he battles in the bold and increasingly dangerous missions against the human servants of the godly powers surrounding Egypt. Unable to return to his countrymen, he must decide whether or not to help the enigmatic Lightbringer in his struggle agains mankind’s oppressors.

But with the entirety of both the worlds of men and of gods against them, how can they hope to succeed? - Matt

New

Saturn's Children
Charles Stross

Charles Stross is a distinctive voice among today’s wave of ‘New British SF’ writers, but he also knows his history. This book is dedicated to the classic authors Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov, and the ghosts of both (especially Heinlein) can be felt in this latest effort. The combination of sex and violence clashes somewhat against the deep philosophising on identity and purpose - though Stross’ sense of humour and Freya’s rollicking adventure transcend the feeling of a bizarre cross-genre hybrid. This is one of Stross’ more accessible novels and I appreciated the author’s numerous nods towards his influences.

This is a future in which all our 1950’s dreams have become reality; extraterrestrial colonies, far-flung space exploration, fast moving spaceships. But for one slight hiccup: humankind is extinct, and our robotic heirs have taken our place. And they squabble just as much as we ever did.

As the last in a line of femme sexbots, obsolescent Freya was made to mimic humans and human feelings, and she feels the nightmare qualities of this dystopian future all too keenly. She is a slave to the whims of aristo robots, and when she unwittingly angers some of ‘her betters’, Freya must run for her survival. To facilitate her escape, Freya is hired to transport an illicit package to Mars, and in doing so becomes involved in schemes and counter-schemes by those who are attempting to really control the entire solar system. During the course of delving into these schemes, we are treated to a scintillating tour of the Solar system, from Mercury all the way out to the Oort cloud.

The concept and themes of person and legacy, of creating and relying on slaves, of the morality of owning sentients - robots or otherwise - is fascinating. The world-building of a robot civilisation that outlasts man, building on mankind’s past and reaching into the future, is also intriguing. The aspect of the story which deals with various robot factions wanting to work with biological matter to perhaps re-create man is also interesting - though this is perhaps some of the weakest plotting of the story.

All-in-all, an easy read… And although it’s not my favourite Stross, even a weaker story by this author is something I enjoy. 7/10 - Adam

Classic

The Praxis (Dead Empires Fall #01)
Walter Jon Williams

“All that is important is known. It governs all who live in the empire, and is ultimately inescapable.” So decrees the Shaa, rulers of the known universe. This wonderful space opera offers a fresh appearance to an old idea. Rather than reigning triumphant, humans are mere bit players within a huge starspanning empire that is run by nearimmortal overlords: the Shaa. They rule with utter domination, and any who defy their dominance or their decrees against certain technologies are faced with unrelenting obliteration. The Shaa share their empire with their fellow slave races: Naxids, centaur-like reptiles; the Terran humans; Torminel, nocturnal hunters; Lai-Own, a race of flightless birds; Cree; Daimong, with their melodic voices and peeling rotting flesh; and the Yormak.

Within this empire of various races, an order of dominance has been constructed, with the Shaa masters at the apex, and everyone else below. When the last Shaa rulers tire of the never-ending sameness of the existence which they themselves created and thus elect suicide, the factions and politics of their supposedly happy servants explode into civil war: it always does!

We view this grand opera through two contrasting perspectives. Lord Gareth Martinez is an upper class rural elite, who is trying to better his family standing in the empire through the manipulations of marriage and politics. At the other extreme end of the social spectrum, we meet Caroline Sula, a drug-addicted street girl of the lower classes, who is suddenly given the opportunity to impersonate a wealthy, socialite party girl.

This tale feels so gritty in the backwardness of the technology, and the way in which the battles are described in intricate detail. We get the feeling of old-style Victorian warring with high-tech computers and nuclear weapons… with the addition of social and political intrigue often dictating how the battles are played out, thus deciding who will win before the players even enter the theatre of conflict!

The mixed up feeling between the main characters and their unconventional styles of warfare - socially, politically and militarily - leave little room for the tryst that eventuates between them. Nor do the twists and turns in the story, which kept me turning page after page, wanting more! This is a wonderful trilogy: opening with The Praxis, continuing with The Sundering (Pb $18.95) and concluding with Conventions of War (Pb $19.95). - CM

New

Confessor (Sword of Truth #11)
Terry Goodkind

During high school, I had plenty of free time on my hands. One day I was so bored that I grabbed my brother’s neglected copy of Terry Goodkind's Wizards First Rule (Pb $19.99) and stumbled headlong into a fantasy epic, the likes of which I had not seen since Raymond E Feist's Magician (Pb $24.99).
Absorbed by the humanity of the characters, the vast scope of the world, the visceral intimacy of the scenes of battle, I tore through the series as might one of Goodkind's own underworld beasties - and I have the worse-for-wear paperbacks to prove it. But then I hit a roadblock. At my local bookshop, I was informed that book five was yet to be published! And so began the long wait, slowly absorbing each book as it was released, re-reading the series multiple times over, until...
It has been 14 years since we started our journey with Richard Cypher and Kahlan Amnell, but now that journey has finished. Confessor, the third book of the Chainfire Trilogy and the eleventh and final book of the Sword of Truth is the long awaited climactic ending of this epic series.
Terry Goodkind does the seemingly impossible. The complexities and loose ends of the ten preceding novels are all neatly tied up and, although Confessor leaves room for expansion in the future, the story is by no means incomplete... (I'm looking at you, Lord of the Rings!)
Trying to summarise, without spoilers, this final book in the series is quite difficult, so if you absolutely do not want to know what awaits you, I recommend you stop reading now.
Whilst the evil Emperor Jagang's forces continue to bear down inexorably on the last remaining obstacle in their path to complete the conquest of the known world, our heroes are caught within their midst. Richard's allies do their best to deal with their converging problems without his leadership, but all relies on Richard finding a way to counteract an evil magic set into motion in the novel Chainfire (Pb $21.99).
Confessor is rife with references to the previous novels. In particular, many events tie directly to Wizards First Rule, giving a fantastic sense of 'coming full circle'. Some may feel that this novel flies by far too quickly, but I am sure this is an effect of the excitement inherent in seeing such a well constructed piece of art nearing completion.
If you have been following the series, you will no doubt enjoy this last instalment. If you are new to the Sword of Truth, or are thinking about picking it up, then what are you waiting for? - Matt

Classic

Cordelia's Honor (Vor #1 & #2)
Lois McMaster Bujold

This is an omnibus of the first two Vor books (Shards of Honor and Barrayar) in chronological order. With the release of a reference book on the series and the author working on a new novel, I got all nostalgic and, even though I really don’t have the luxury of re-reading stuff, I had to start the series again.
Set in the far future, Captain Cordelia Naismith is the commander of a survey team for the Betan Expeditionary Force. She comes from an extremely liberal planet. On an expedition, she and one other crew member are the sole survivors of an attack by a group of Barrayarans, an extremely conservative, militaristic, patriarchal society that has only just come out of a long period of isolation. The Barrayaran captain, Aral Vorkosigan (Vor is the prefix given to the elite ruling class), also universally known as the ‘Butcher of Komarr’, has been left behind on the planet, a victim of mutiny. Cordelia is captured by Aral, but the two make a deal that they will work together to get themselves off the planet and, in the process they fall in love. They succeed, but even bigger problems await them as they get to Aral’s ship and Cordelia makes it back to Beta Colony. She is later forced to leave Beta and escapes to Barrayar, where she and Aral, now retired, marry. Their quiet life doesn’t last long, as the Emperor is dying and names Aral the Regent for the six-year-old Prince. Attempts on their lives begin, one of which results in Cordelia, now pregnant, being exposed to a gas attack, the cure for which has a negative effect on her growing foetus. In the midst of dealing with their baby being gestated in a uterine replicator and undergoing experimental treatments to reverse the damage done, the couple have to deal with a plot to overthrow the Regent and Prince.
The Vor series, and this book in particular, is an obvious starting point in one of the best space operas around. The author excels at developing and fleshing out her characters. Even the supporting characters have depth. Whilst I never forget how much I love the character of Miles, I’d forgotten how cool and tough Cordelia is. She would have to be my favourite science fiction heroine.

New

Storm Dragon
James Wyatt

The Prophecies were old when humans first began to forge their civilisation. Said to give meaning to the past, guidance to the present and to predict the future – a future of the world’s remaking – a future in which Gaven d’Lyrander has unwillingly become the most important player.
Scion to one of the great Dragonmark Houses, whose heirs have the chance to manifest a dragon-like birthmark of great power at puberty, Gaven spent most of his time exploring dark caves looking for valuable dragonshards in the depths of the earth. But in one dragonshard he found more then he or his House were looking for and it invaded his mind, filling him with the most intimate knowledge of the Prophecies a human had ever held. His resulting delirium escalated to all-out madness, and his ravings lead to exile from his House and a life sentence in the island prison of Dreadhold, where he manifested the highest and rarest potential of all Dragonmark Houses, a Siberys Mark.
While Gaven is all but lost in his own mind, a daring rescue springs both himself and his cell neighbour out to a higher calling. Now on the run, the verses of the Prophecies begin to find fulfilment and sanity begins to reclaim its hold on Gaven’s mind. Now he must try to make sense of the visions that plague him waking and sleeping, and figure out the true intentions of his so called ‘rescuers’. For Haldren, a general from the Last War and Gaven’s former inmate, has joined forces with a Dragon who wishes to use the draconic prophecy to attain godhood.
The world of Eberron has been overlooked by most as just another generic medieval fantasy world made for players of Dungeons & Dragons. This is unfortunate because I have found it is much more than that. Eberron is a world that pushes the boundaries of the traditional settings that its sibling Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms tend to embrace. In this world, a world almost bordering on ‘steam-punk’, arcane magic has been applied like science and massive, towering cities defy gravity and elemental-powered airships cross the skies. Its history has been marked by extra-planar incursions, some of which have caused massive devastation and others that are as accepted and as frequent as the seasons. The books explore vibrant, diverse cultures that are scarred by a cataclysmic ‘Last War’ and united in a commitment to keep history from repeating itself, while various organisations and Great Houses look to the ruins of Goblin and Giant empires for powerful secrets and forgotten magic, and one of the greatest mysteries of the world are the Draconic Prophecies.
The books carry a contemporary, yet distinctly fantasy, feel to them and are packed with adventure and mysticism that is the hallmark of entertaining and fast-paced writing. I really enjoyed this book and am slowly exploring others. – Mark

Classic

The Witching Hour
Mayfair Witches #1
Anne Rice

Neurosurgeon Rowan Mayfair unknowingly comes from an ancient family of witches (going back generations) whom have been both protected and haunted by an almost god-like figure named Lasher. Each generation, one witch takes Lasher’s powers and they either thrive or are driven insane, depending on whether they are in control of Lasher, or he is in control of them. Rowan’s mother was one of these witches and she is catatonic because of her madness. For her own protection, as a small child Rowan was taken from the tight knit family group in New Orleans, adopted out and made a life of her own in San Francisco. Rowan feels she has a special gift to heal patients at an almost cellular level, but after some of those patients died she worries that she also brings death. Then, when she is out sailing she rescues a drowning man, Michael Curry. They return to their own lives, but Michael is a changed man – he has a psychic power now that he didn’t have before. He withdraws from everything, hiding in his home until one day he is given a file that is essentially the history of the Mayfair family by the current head of a secret organisation called the Talamasca who observe and record them. He is told that Rowan is the current heir of the family, but that she is completely unaware of this. Haunted by dreams and half memories he heads to his hometown of New Orleans, eventually finds Rowan, and their romance begins. Rowan is the strongest Mayfair witch to have been born (due basically to selective breeding and incest) and with the death of her mother she is supposed to be the next link with Lasher – who wants physical form and has special plans for her. Their meeting was no coincidence and Michael is required for Lasher’s plans to come to fruitition.
This is a big, chunky book and will be something that you either love or hate. Rice’s almost biblical “and X begat X who begat X…”, working her way through the generations and history of the Mayfair witches can be a bit plodding at times, but I just loved the history of this unusual family. There are a lot of characters and Rice is quite descriptive, which I can sometimes have a bit of a problem with, but I had such a feeling of being in New Orleans (or the plantations or wherever the current witch was living), the old houses, the carnival – it was fantastic. In this case, I’d call the writing rich. The story jumps around it the family timeline and some of the story threads don’t meet until later in the book (or in later books), but I just felt compelled to read. This is an almost epic historical/horror novel and it had me from the beginning. - Steph

New

The Dreaming Void
Peter F. Hamilton

The Dreaming Void is the first novel in Peter F Hamilton's new epic space opera series. Offering something old and something new, Hamilton returns to the world of the Commonwealth which he started in the books Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained whilst expanding his repertoire in an interesting and entertaining sub-plot.
Thousands of years have passed since the devastating Starflyer War ended. The Commonwealth (a human hegemony) has recovered and continued its expansion across the universe with many more planets being colonised and alien species discovered. One of the more important discoveries that the Commonwealth has made is a blackhole-esque object known as the Void. According to the information gathered by the Raiel, an ancient and wise alien species, the Void is in fact an artificial object which has been expanding at an alarming rate. Its origins and its purpose are unknown, but it is clear that the Void is something the galaxy can do without. The Commonwealth is desperate to halt the Void's expansion as it will destroy the universe if it continues. Currently, the Void's expansion has been temporarily stabilised before a more permanent solution can be found. A group that shares the Commonwealth's interest in the Void, but not its concerns, is the Living Dream. A religious cult, the Living Dream believes that its enigmatic leader Inigo has entered the Void to make contact with the inhabitants within. Before his disappearance, Inigo broadcasted his ‘dreams' over a universal network, dreams which depicted the lives of the Void's inhabitants. Followers of the Living Dream are keen to embark on a pilgrimage into the Void to join their leader and the utopia-like world that has been seen in the dreams. As preparations begin for the pilgrimage, the Commonwealth has to decide how to stop the pilgrimage, as such mass interaction with the Void will trigger a dangerous and unstoppable expansion of the Void.
Another figure who is interested in tracking down Inigo is Aaron. Aaron suffers from amnesia, but his current possessions, genetically-boosted body and flashbacks hint at a past life where he was a secret agent. Along with an unexplainable need to find Inigo and the more pressing concern of having people trying to kill him, Aaron hopes that Inigo has the answers to his past and the keys to his future.
One interesting sub-plot is the story of Edeard. An inhabitant of the Void, Edeard resides in a fantasy-esque world which is unaware of the highly advanced world outside the Void. Through Inigo's dreams, we follow Edeard's journey as he trains to be a city guard and developing his immense telekinetic and psychic powers. This fantasy sub-plot is one of the highlights of the novel and shows the author's continuing development as a writer.
It's great to return to the world of the Commonwealth, as there are countless things for Hamilton to explore. In Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained, the Commonwealth was an already well-developed world, but Hamilton continues to improve on it with new characters and ideas. Old characters such as Paula Myo (one of the most interesting characters that Hamilton has ever created), the genetically developed ‘perfect cop' returns to join the madness of tracking Inigo. However, readers who have not read the previous two books should not have any problems with The Dreaming Void.

Classic

Keeping it Real
Justina Robson

A Quantum bomb exploded in 2015 on earth... and everything changed.
Nobody knew about the other parallel universes, until it was too late. And now the different dimension that are separated by the thin veil of reality are merging and new realities are starting to emerge, and agencies are cataloging.
Special agent Lila Black used to think herself pretty, successful, and escaped from her hometown and a life that was going nowhere ... fast. She joined the attache of the Government Embassy to the Elven realm, while also being on secret assignment to collect information, an assignment which led to the Elves torturing her with magic. Left barely alive, she was.... rebuilt.
Lila is now a Cyborg, part machine, part woman... mostly machine and, as she likes to describe herself - all attitude!
There are parts and processes happening in the machinery that even she is unaware of, and everybody is listening in, even to her private thoughts. She is a walking arsenal of potential death and destruction... and looking hot. She has AI controls and safeguards that can drop in program without her control. She has no idea any more where she ends and the tech begins. But being bought and owned by the Agency has its own problems too. So her decisions regarding her life are now limited and getting more out of her control with every new realisation about her predicament. Life, even half life... is becoming problematic.
This was the first cyberpunk novel that I really enjoyed. It was such a thrill to read and to be cliched, I couldn’t put it down and used any excuse to escape back into it.
Robson’s characterisation of the races is very believable and her skill in creating believable worlds, by blending what we think we know with what she paints for us in her words, leaves you wanting to know more, teasing tasters that kept me asking more questions with every answer.
The tech-talk is fabulous and kept me fascinated, much akin to anime/manga work like Ghost in a Shell and Appleseed. And all the fantasy delving into racial traits is like a fresh walk through the Plainscape series from TSR, with the impossible, but highly believable, interactions in what we think is the real world. It is so like here and now... with a twist. The way she writes is just so captivating that it’s a pity I read her work faster than she can get the next one on the shelves! - CM

New

The Riven Kingdom (Godspeaker Trilogy #2)
Karen Miller
In Miller's Empress of Mijak we readers were thrust into the brutal and unforgiving sands of Mijak, through the eyes of Hekat, a peasant who became a slave, a slave who became a warrior, a warrior who married a warlord and became the Empress. If you have read Empress, you ought to examine the cover of The Riven Kingdom and see if there's something very familiar about a certain man...
In The Riven Kingdom, readers are introduced to a powerful, but vulnerable, island kingdom called Ethrea. It is a peaceful and wealthy monarchy ruled by King Eberg, who is dying and has no male sons to carry on his bloodline. He has a daughter though, Rhian, proud, strong and noble, who will not be forced to do as the Church commands. At the same time, a broken man is being nursed back to health and, across the ocean, a vicious army is amassing and preparing to destroy or conquer everything in its path.
Miller carefully intertwines the Church and State, creating a volatile political situation which mirrors our own world's blurred lines of morality. She also makes subtle social commentary in contrasting the resolute faith of the ‘peasants' of Mijak against the machinations of the Church in Ethrea. The devotion of the savage people of Muijak gives them strength as a people, and every action they make is for the glory of God. The Church of Ethrea is a political and social vehicle of power for the stability of the nation.
Despite creating two lands utterly different from each other, Miller skilfully reveals how the face of evil can lurk behind many different masks. The writing has a compelling edge and Miller again demonstrates her knack for character's dialogue contrasted against their inner thoughts. Also she has created an utterly lovable character in Dexterity Jones, a recently widowed toy-maker, who is ‘haunted' by his dead wife, Hattie. He still loves her dearly and she serves him as sort of spirit guide. It is a testament to the author's skill in characterisation that Jones' portions of the story are such a pleasure to read.
There's just something about Miller's writing that is very appealing and easy to read. Once it was in my hand, the chapters of Empress of Mijak just flew by, so I was compelled to read the next one to find out what would happen. Hekat has become more unstable, dangerous and even more madly ambitious, convinced she sits in the God's Eye and that she should rule the world. Those who haven't tried Empress should not simply skip to The Riven Kingdom, as you would be depriving yourself of the savagery and grandeur of that story. I am very much looking forward to immersing myself in Hammer of God, the third instalment in this excellent series.
Sofia

Classic

Market Forces
Richard Morgan
If you think about it, most of the speculated visions of our future in science fiction are often bleak or feature dystopic societies. Richard Morgan is one of the main culprits and all of his novels should come with a bottle of hard liquor: there is a need to down a stiff drink after reading Morgan's speculations of a hard future. In Market Forces, Morgan takes us to a not-too-distant future, where global corporations have become intensely bloody, and road rage has become the norm.
In 2049, major corporations have moved into the lucrative field of conflict investment. Financial support is given to groups or parties who plan to overthrow a government and the corporations receive a percentage of a state's GDP when the new government is successful.
Such greed has meant that the divide between the rich and the poor has never been greater. Whilst the poor are living in segregated ghettos, the rich are living it up and zooming around on empty motorways (due to insanely high fuel prices). The motorways are also the place where bids between rival companies are made for contracts: instead of having the best sales pitch, rival executives duel it out to the death in their modified European cars to win the contract.
Chris Faulkner is the new star at Shorn Associates. Having grown up literally on the wrong side of the tracks, Faulkner is desperate not to return to where he came from and will do anything to hold on to his new-found wealth and power. As Faulkner begins contract renewal negotiations with an ageing Colombian dictator, Faulkner must be ruthless to ensure that the deal is sealed and, more importantly, that he stays alive.
Full of faults and offered a chance at redemption, Faulkner is your classic anti-hero. But does Faulkner want redemption or is he addicted to living life on the insane edge? As the business side of work becomes more ruthless and cutthroat, and his relationship with his wife and loved ones suffers, we see Faulkner's soul slowly being destroyed.
For all the politics and social commentary that Morgan throws around (a reading list is given in the novel), the story actually flows at a breakneck pace. It is a credit to Morgan's writing style that he can comment on the greed of global corporations and mix it in with Mad Max-esque ultra-violence without any clashes in style or pace. The tone of the novel is over the top - ultra-violence, insanely greedy suits and pitch-black bleakness for the majority creates a safe distance between fact and fiction. However, it is easy to imagine society getting out of hand quickly and playing out like Morgan speculates here.