book review
Books reviews of the best science fiction stories, texts, educational texts, and journals.
BOOK REVIEW: ON A BLUE MOON: THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEYS BY WILLOW
RATING: 4/5 FORMAT: PAPERBACK The lives of a man from Earth, an alien being, and a young girl converge on a moon deep in space. A violent act is the spark that ignites incredible journeys. The moon has three human societies. In each society there is an evil presence that the man, girl, their friends, and their loved ones must confront, or flee from. In the end, life on that moon is vastly transformed. Willow is the author of ON A BLUE MOON. That tale, and the five to follow, are based on her experiences, and the accounts related to her by the many beings she has known, both human and nonhuman. Those tales are collectively THE DAUGHTERS OF FIRTH TALES. At the beginning of each tale, after the Prologue and before the first chapter, Willow and her daughter, Frither, are together and interacting. Their banter is the thread that ties the six tales together by providing an introduction to each tale, and a hint about what’s to come. Sam is the main protagonist at the beginning of ON A BLUE MOON. As it and future tales progress, Willow, Frither, and the other daughters of Firth, become the driving force. Earth, as viewed from space, is primarily blue. So is Bluemoon. Bluemoon represents a much less complex version of Earth, yet possess some of the malignant forces of our “real world”: a malicious leader of an autocratic society, a ruthless despot who has his henchmen kill anyone who dares oppose him, racism, and environmental destruction. Shadow, an alien Meddler, represents an uncontrollable force that drastically alters Sam’s life’s journey, and that of the inhabitants of Bluemoon. Similar to how forces beyond our control shape our lives on Earth. Overriding everything else, the tales are about the courage of individuals intervening to protect the vulnerable, while so many others observe but do nothing.
By Ashley Nestler, MSW6 years ago in Futurism
Everything You Ever Wanted by Luiza Sauma Book Review
Imagine a refreshing coming-of-age dystopian novel set within very dreary and dull modern-day London, depicting a protagonist living an underwhelming, relatable yet horrific existence, who decides to start her life afresh on another planet. That is the context of Everything You Ever Wanted (EYEW) in one sentence. In words, simply "unassuming yet powerful and prolific". The story is told by a young-ish depressed woman named Iris, a Digital Innovation Architect for a company, who often rolls her eyes when she tells anyone her pretentious job title and laughs at what little significance the words have in the grand-scheme of the Universe. She has a lot of complex modern wants, worries and desires, but above all she wishes her life had a greater fulfilling purpose. Her situation is one that I'm sure many of us are fairly familiar with; she feels her life in the modern world is hopeless, ungratifying, and she craves some kind of deeper satisfaction from her actions. So when the opportunity arises for her to change her state of existence completely, she jumps at it and goes to live on the planet Nyx. For the rest of us, sadly, picking up our roots and starting afresh is much more diificult. The only catch is that when she leaves, she can never return.
By Laura Watt6 years ago in Futurism
A reView about "Ender's Game"
Genius is a lonely person but walking alone will make us stronger. Born the third child in a family that both his brother and sister had participated in the test to find talent, it was Third, an "unexpected" baby but a "tool". Ender is not chosen for its appearance, not for the life it desires but it is all a plan. No family, no friends by his side, he had to learn to fight on his own. It is said that "isolation is the best environment to create" but is that too cruel to Ender? Literature has the ability to penetrate, record and deepen the most subtle changes in the human soul, thoughts and emotions. For that reason, Ender in me is clearly concerned with concerns, including anxiety, standing between the boundaries of reason and affection. That Ender is not fighting to become the best commander but fighting with himself.
By Thao Thao Tran6 years ago in Futurism
A reView about "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History"
Imagine a non-fic book in the direction of a detective novel, where the victim slowly disappears, and the culprit is increasing. More specifically, the perpetrator showed no remorse, became more and more barbaric, scary, and his skills were so skilled that he did not need to try at all. Elizabeth Kolbert was the one who wrote this tragedy in the Pulitzer Prize winning book: Friday's Extinction. What is more frightening of all is that each of us has the face of the killer, and the victim is none other than the planet, where people are still living, breathing, and working.
By Thao Thao Tran6 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'The Testaments' by Margaret Atwood. Top Story - October 2019.
“Praise be!” It has been 34 years since the controversial, and even banned novel, The Handmaid’s Tale was published (1985), and on September 10, 2019, Margaret Atwood published its sequel, The Testaments. Her latest novel has already garnered critical praise and was named to the shortlist for the Booker Prize.
By K.E. Lanning6 years ago in Futurism
'Leia, Princess of Alderaan'
As a die hard Star Wars fan I will always find new ways to learn more about the universe George Lucas created, including cosplaying as Princess Leia herself. It is one of my favorite things to do, and in order to add more to my portrayal of this great heroine, I read the book Leia, Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray.
By Erika Farrah6 years ago in Futurism
Review of Author Cixin Liu's 'Supernova Era'
Cixin Liu’s latest work, Supernova Era (launching this October & published by Tor Books), begins with a terrifying event—eight light-years from Earth, a dying star explodes into a supernova. Undetected by the world’s astrophysicists, the Earth takes a direct hit from massive waves of radiation, with disastrous effects rippling across the globe.
By K.E. Lanning7 years ago in Futurism
'Ubik' Review (Spoiler-Free)
Going into reading Ubik, all I knew was that Philip K. Dick was its author and that it was some kind of science fiction. Unlike other editions of the book, the cover of my copy shows not a spray can of the eponymous substance, but a mix of strange, colorful, clipart-y images. I was so ready to get reading what promised to be a mind-bending sci-fi tale.
By Lindsey Keefer7 years ago in Futurism
'The Lives of Captain Jack: Volume 2' Review
For fans of 21st-century Doctor Who, few characters have left an impact the way Captain Jack Harkness has. Played by the incomparable John Barrowman and introduced in 2005's "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances," he's gone on to be a sizable presence through numerous appearances, a spin-off series in the form of Torchwood, and even a mention in the 50th-anniversary special. He's also found a home on audio, with Barrowman reprising the role for Big Finish Productions since their Torchwood range kicked off in 2015. Even so, there are parts of this immortal wanderer's life left unaccounted for still, opening up new storytelling avenues. The Lives of Captain Jack offers up just such opportunities, and the second set, released in June 2019, also gives Jack a chance to do something he'd never get to do on-screen: interact with one of the Doctors from classic Who.
By Matthew Kresal7 years ago in Futurism
Thoughts on the Book 'Brief Answers to the Big Questions' (Ch. 9)
Stephen Hawking made the statement, “Intelligence is central to what it means to be human.” This statement stood out to me because I never really thought about intelligence that way, it was just something we have. I feel like it can also be central to non-human animals because there are many of them that are extremely intelligent(not my dog though he is dumb, but I love him).
By Selena Vazquez7 years ago in Futurism
