The Scifi-punk Bookfeed

A Cinematic Hacker Apocalypse! Zer0es by Chuck Wendig, published August 2015 by Harper Voyager I was hooked right from the start. It had me on the edge of my seat, hurtling forward as the cast of unique but tech savvy young folks are defined and herded up into a secret facility. The author's created still currently relevant ideas about hackers and artificial intelligence. I think too many things are done with the best of intentions but without the foresight or insight as to what effects they will have. That's something I took away from this book, besides the sheer entertainment value! (which is turned up to 11!) ***SPOILER The artificial intelligence plays the nemesis of our protagonists. ***  But our ragtag band of protagonists with big attitudes, and serious hacker skillz don't know what they are dealing with, and they must discover what is behind the madness that is spreading, in which humans are turned into almost zombie-like automatons, and what is the dark influence o...

 Grand Sci-Fi worthy of the Hall of Fame! Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, published 2013 by Orbit Books How can I begin? This impressive book won the six of the biggest awards in Science Fiction publication in America, Britain and Japan. (Nominated for many more) It is my opinion that winning all the awards was absolutely deserved, and it is deserving of even more.  Welcome to my new favorite galactic empire! I’m a big fan of Dune and Star Wars and such. This book details a fascinating culture of conquerors and the conquered, and hints at rich cultures elsewhere in the galaxy. The moralities are complex and we are not given a simplistic good vs evil. It’s complicated and this universe is more interesting because of it.  Information and backstory is carefully and slowly doled out on a need to know basis, as two different timelines begin the novel, later to converge. Which is why I thought it started slow. I really wasn’t sure I would be happy with this story after the fir...

This Cyberpunk Political Thriller will leave you reeling and thinking! Infomocracy by Malka Older, published June 2016 by Tor.com Books Picture a world where a Google-like corporation has grown so large it IS the entire internet. A world where global video surveillance is pervasive, and many consider innocuous. A world that in order to seek peace most nations have disappeared and micro-democracy has taken hold: the entire globe is fractured into pockets of population who can vote for any ideology that they choose. The lines of division visible only in your feed. Cities still exist but every few blocks the laws and attitudes may change.  This massive corporation is called Information. Information controls not just the Internet but is the arbiter of global politics, sovereign nations have mostly been abandoned for groups of 100k citizens voting for a plethora of global political parties. Each party employs secret agents who “campaign” for voters. There’s deceptions, public misinforma...

Check out this Space Opera in all its majesty! To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini, Published September 2020 by TOR Books This massive book is Space Opera in all its Space Opera trope glory! This is my first Paolini book, I say that to inform other readers of my ignorance of Mr. Paolini's style previous to this book. But I was engaged and the action keeps coming fast and furious. Like a certain classic Space Opera, the story is loaded with religious / mystical overtones and certain characters sole purpose seems to be to spout mysterious phrases and encourage our protagonist with popular philosophy. Our protagonist along with a motley band of smugglers set forth on an epic quest to save the galaxy, by means of finding an object of great power. Our reluctant heroes are pulled along via alien visions and pushed into fulfilling an enormous destiny. Humankind face a possible extinction-level threat, and only one person can save them! This is not fully a "chosen one...

 Sci-Fi Trilogy's Massive Conclusion! Light of Impossible Stars by Gareth L. Powell, published February 2020 by Titan Books This is Powell's action packed and stunning conclusion to the Embers of War trilogy, a space adventure epic in scope and vision. According to Wikipedia, a "Space Opera" is charaterized by: " space  warfare, melodramatic adventure, interplanetary battles, chivalric romance and risk-taking."  The Embers of War trilogy may share some similarities with that definition: space warfare, interplanetary battles, risk-taking, for example. The adventure is, I would say, quite intense and grounded in realistic choices and emotions. Powell writes excellent and deeply felt characters, and does not shy away from tragedy or the death of viewpoint characters amidst terrible conflict. But melodramatic? No. Also, the few bits of romance sprinkled lightly in these books I would not classify as chivalric, but modern. So is it Space Opera. No, it's bet...