Book Log 47/2017 Gavin Smith: The Bastard Legion #1 (Was The Hangman's Daughter)

I read this as an e-book with its original title, The Hangman's Daughter.

I tried, oh how I tried to read this book. It seemed to tick all my boxes when I read the blurb, but I kept having to take a 'rest' from it. I stopped after the first chapter, then thought I'd been a little hasty and forced myself to read on, but now I'm 28% into it and not enjoying spending time with sociopathic Miska. (I'm not generally against sociopathic characters in principle, but Miska was maybe too cold and self-serving.)

I keep feeling that something is about to unfold, but if it hasn't unfolded yet then ... sorry, I'm done. The writing flows smoothly and the worldbuilding is good, but I'm reminded that not all books are for all people and this one is simply not for me. Don't let me put you off reading it. There are loads of four and five star reviews on Goodreads, so it's obviously well liked by others. It would be unfair of me to give it a star rating.

Booklog 48/2017 Richard Ellis Preston Jr: Romulus Buckle and the City of the Founders – Pneumatic Ze

My second steampunky airship novel in under a month and my brain is still comparing the two. Set in postapocalyptic (snowy) Southern California, after a repulsed alien invasion, Buckell and his ragtag crew of the Pneumatic Zeppelin must rescue their kidnapped leader/clan chief, Balthazar Crankshaft, from the City of the Founders. Beset by human enemies, alien beasties and geography itself, Buckell and his crew must brave poisoned wastelands, forgewalkers and steampipers. 

The Pneumatic Zeppelin is a complex machine, fourteen stories high, yet Robyn Bennis’ The Guns Above had more technical detail. (I’m not saying that’s necessarily an advantage.) There’s still a lot (and I mean a LOT) of lush description in here, which makes it a great intro to the series, but the plot is a single strand rescue mission, albeit with twists and turns. There’s a lot of potential in this world, though the description of the ship’s bells and whistles slows the pace a bit, especially in the beginning. It’s setting-driven, so the characters didn’t grab me as much as I hoped they might. (Romulus Buckle, Balthazar Crankshaft, Katzenjammer Smelt are a bitt OTT as far as names go, aren’t they? Very Cartoony) However I think this is a series that will grow if the author can invest as much in his characters as he can in his tech.

Booklog 49/2017 Karen Traviss: Going Grey – Ringer #1

This is a near future techno-thriller featuring illegal science, military contractors, family values and ethics.

When Ian Dunlop’s gran dies, suddenly and unexpectedly, the teen is faced with a problem. Ian is either going nuts or he has a talent that will make him the target of huge corporations, and he doesn’t know enough about the world or himself to make a plan. Luckily the first people to find him are a pair of private military contractors, Mike Brayne and Rob Rennie, with resources, connections in high places, and a conscience.

Mike and Rob, though coming from opposite sides of the Atlantic, and opposite branches of the magic money tree, are buddies in the way that has been forged by military comradeship. Ms Traviss has always been able to get under the skin of the common (and uncommon) soldier. Though the pacing of Going Grey is measured, it never loses interest, and I leaped straight from this to the sequel, Black Run.

Booklog 50/2017 - Karen Traviss: Black Run – Ringer #2

I read this immediately I’d finished Going Grey. It continues the story of private military contractors, Rob Rennie and Mike Brayne, and Mike’s adopted son, Ian Dunlap, a genetically engineered teen sought by the biotech company that thinks they own his genes. Though the Braynes won the first round, they’re waiting for the company to make another move against Ian.

When Rob’s son and ex, back in England, are threatened by an unseen stalker, Rob goes into overdrive. Both Rob and Mike have families to protect and Ian’s unique chameleon skills could prove useful, but neither man wants to put him at the sharp end if things get dangerous. Ian proves difficult to keep down, however. He’s learned a lot from his two mentors, the main thing being that if you have friends, you make sure you have their back.

 You can class this as a near-future thriller, or military SF, but the characters are the heart of the story. Another hugely enjoyable book from Karen Traviss. I was disappointed to note that the third book, Sacrificial Red, won’t be out until 2018.

Movie of the Week: Victoria and Abdul

Judi Dench is always worth watching and she's obviously the go-to actor when there's a Queen Victoria role on offer. In this case it's the story of Victoria's later years, after the death of Albert, and after the death of John Brown (also filmed with Judi Dench as 'Mrs Brown'). Abdul became Victoria's friend an teacher - her munchi - much to the horror of the rest of the Queen's household, her advisors, politicians and - especially, Bertie, her son and heir. Based on a true story, the munchi was with the queen for the last 17 or 18 years of her life. Abdul Karim came from India as a servant and became her friend, opening her eyes to India. Abdul, played by Ali Fazal, winningly handsome, is a much more engaging proposition than images of the real Abdul. Eddie Izard does a good turn as the blustering Bertie. Judi Dench, is, of course, outstanding. I swear I could watch that woman read the telephone directory!

Movie of the Week: Kingsman 2 - The Golden Circle

I've been looking forward to the second Kingsman outing, not least because Harry Hart/Galahad (Colin Firth) is back despite having 'died' in the first movie. Well, you can't keep a good Kingsman down. (That's not a spoiler, he's on the poster.) This time Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and Merlin (the ultra-reliable Mark Strong, not playing a villain) end up in the USA with an organisation called Statesman when the Kingman organisation in the UK is effectively destroyed. The two organisations go after drug queen, Poppy, in the depth of the jungle, while she holds the world to ransome.

Harry's return to duty is well played.

There's plenty of action and violence, though much of the action is OTT and hardly credible, which makes it more comic-book and less credible, but still fun to watch (if you can call putting a man through a mincing machine fun).

I guess we'll have to wait until Kingsman 3 to find out whether a favourite character is really gone, this time.

Movie of the Week: Blade Runner 2049

The original Blade Runner is so iconic that Blade Runner 2049 was marked on my calendar months ago, not least because Harrison Ford was reprising his role as Deckard. Ryan Gosling, plays Officer K, working for LAPD as a blade runner, and this time obviously a replicant himself. Replicants now are new models, designed to have no desire for independence and no tendency to rebellion.

Yeah, right! Slaves never want their freedom, do they?

The film's pacing is measured. There's a long build up and K lives a solitary lifestyle, accompanied only by Joi (Ana de Armas) a holographic AI with an independent personality.

When K 'retires' an old style replicant way outside of the dismal city, he discovers a long buried secret that eventually leads him to the maker of his implanted memories, and to an aged Rick Deckard, missing for thirty years.

Yes, Ford only appears in the latter section of the film, and to be fair, that's where all the interest lies. That's not to say Gosling isn't perfectly good as K. but Ford is a genuine scene stealer, a camera magnet, and finding him is all we've been waiting for. All I can say is, it was worth the wait.

We got a bittersweet ending. Is there enough of a loose end for a third movie? Maybe.

My new book - let me show you

Nimbus, the third and final book in my Psi-Tech trilogy is out now from DAW. I can't believe I waited ten whole days to post it here. I've been busy doing the kind of things that you do when a new book comes out - writing guest blog posts, doing interviews for web sites and generally trying to publicise it without being obnoxious and yelling BUY MY BOOK! (Even though that's what I mean.)

In actual fact what I should be doing is yelling BUY MY TRILOGY! because Empire of Dust, Crossways and Nimbus, are three sections of a continuous story.

But, hey, this isn't a hard sell. Buy it and read it if you like space opera, psionics, little guys fighting big corporations, space battles, personal conflicts, mysterious aliens and a touch or romance. If that's not your thing, then steer clear.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who read either Crossways or Nimbus as a first introduction to the Psi-Tech universe. I'm too close to it all to judge whether they can be read as standalones. I hope they can. I think any reader would quickly pick up what was going on.

Not read any of them yet?

Well...

In a galaxy where the megacorporations are more powerful that any individual government, and ambitious executives play fast and loose with ethics in order to secure resources from the colonies, where can good people turn for help? The megacorps control the jump-gates, using implant-enhanced telepaths, psi-techs. They have these psi-techs trapped with unbreakable contracts, lacking for nothing—except freedom.

But there are some free psi-techs who have escaped the megacorps. Reska (Ben) Benjamin and Cara Carlinni lead the Free Company, based on the rogue space-station, Crossways; and there are rumours of Sanctuary, a place that takes in runaway psi-techs and allows them to disappear quietly.

The megacorps have struck at Crossways once—and failed—so what are they planning now? Crossways can't stand alone, and neither can the independent colonies, though maybe together they have a chance.

But something alien and very, very dangerous is stirring in the depths of foldspace. Something bigger than the petty squabbles between megacorps and independents. Until now, humans have had a free hand in the Galaxy, settling colony after colony, but that might have to change now that the Nimbus is coming.

So there you have it. If you do read it, then I always appreciate honest reviews on Goodreads or your own blogs or websites, facebook or twitter. If anyone out there would like to host a blog post or an interview for me, you can contact me via my writing website.

Here's what I wrote over on my other blog at https://jaceybedford.wordpress.com/2017/10/03/happy-book-day-to-me-2/