The Transisition Post

It took me a while to decide what direction I might take this blog into after the initial project was over with. At first I thought I might keep the sci-fi blog alive, and then I realized that I wanted to branch off into other genres. So instead of the regimented nature that this blog has had hitherto; from this point on it will take the appearance of a more random nature. The books will be from various genres that I will choose at my whim. So for the first book of this phase, I have chosen a monumental classic that resides at the top of the list of best novels ever:  Heart of Darkness.

Heart of Darkness was written by Joseph Conrad in the late 19th century. Its story revolves around Conrad’s journey into the Congo during the infamous ivory trade of the 19th century. Conrad’s central character, Marlow–who represents Conrad–is aboard a ship telling his crewmates of his adventure up a river that flows out of the Congo. The narrative scheme is unique because it begins with a different crewmates narration of his own story in regards to the tale that Marlow is telling; a sort of narration within a narration. There are two instances within the novel where the original narrator is heard from, but basically the novel is composed of this single narration concerning Marlow’s dark journey into the Congo.

The book begins with Marlow explaining to the crew how he came about this strange and unique appointment as captain of a steamer ship. The purpose of his journey, was to find a Mr. Kurtz–an important individual who was in charge of a very lucrative ivory operation within the Congo–and bring him back to England. So Marlow sets out to accomplish this task with the utmost earnestness. As he enters this dark mass of twisted jungle, he is confronted with the realization that the jungle causes you to look inward at your self. It causes you to question your motives and the motives of those around you resulting in a dark, dreadful epiphany. Although this introspective journey shakes Marlow, he continues into the daunting tangle of forest and vines in an attempt to satiate his growing need to find this man who hides within the darkness. In the end, Marlow does find the man; he finds him engulfed within a gloom of his own creation that nearly consumes Marlow as well.

For me, the Heart of Darkness is a novel that seems to exude qualities of writing that could be termed nothing less than superb and genuinely unique. From its finely crafted prose, to its complex narrative structure, this book deserves to be labeled as one of the finest creations that the world of literature has yet to offer.

The Final Post

So this is it:  the final post. The end of the road. At first I thought I was going to end it by supplying you with another review of a sci-fi book, but then I changed my mind and went with an ending that would act more as a summation or conclusion to what I have written about hitherto. I began to feel that an explanation was needed as to why I engage in such reading material and that by supplying an explanation you may–or may not–better understand what it is that draws me to this genre. There is just something about delving into a good book and losing yourself in an entire different universe or reality. I find that the imagination is capable of wondrous things when given a little nudge in the right direction by an author that is capable of such “nudging.” Often it takes the words of an adept writer to help you unlock the potential that your own imagination holds, but once unlocked, you are able to roam free within the worlds and dimensions that only the adept has the ability to create. You are able to leave this life of routine and worry–if only for a moment–and become immersed within a tale that knows no bounds; that places no limits on the imagination, and that sets you free by breaking the veritable shackles that reality can sometimes place on the mind. I won’t sit here and try to convince you that sci-fi is the ultimate panacea for all the ills and woes that life may throw at  you; I won’t sit here and try to convince you that everyone should engage in reading this type of writing, nor will I try to convince you that you are missing out by neglecting the blissful nature that comprises this genre. I am merely trying to tell you that sci-fi, in its purest form, can steer the mind onto paths that it would have otherwise never trodden.

Wraeththu

The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where humans have ravaged the earth through war and pollution. Amidst the ruins and chaos comes a new breed of human known as the Wraeththu. The Wraeththu are a hermaphroditic offshoot of the human species that began from a single mutated human whose blood was capable of transforming humans into this new being. Through a ritual known as “inception,” these Wraeththu spread their blood to almost all human males in an attempt to dominate humans in every way, shape, and form. Such domination is facilitated by the more advanced anatomy of the Wraeththu where telepathy and telekinesis are common traits. 

Storm Constantine’s tale of a highly evolved species of humans confronts issues that deal with race; sexuality; politics, and war. Through the medium of this strange yet provacative tale, the author has created a new world where evolution has taken humanity down a different path where humans have become so much more than they ever expected or intended.

The Mote in God’s Eye

From the same collaborative effort that produced the award-winning ”Footfall,” “The Mote in God’s Eye” is an imaginative journey to the year 3017 where humans have initiated their first contact with an alien civilization. Within the setting of this fictional future, humans have learned that the key to overcoming adversities such as war and overpopulation is to leave the home planet and colonize other planets. This act of colonization alleviates the tension caused by the “rat in a cage” syndrome. The alien civilization that humans encounter, however, have lived for hundreds of thousands of years on the same planet. They have not the capability to spread out into space so their civilization consists of endless cycles in which their communities come to a peak in regards to technology and societal harmony, and then come crashing down in endless cycles of war and devastation. The “Moties,” as they have been dubbed by humanity, have sent a lone space traveler out into the depths of space in an attempt to change the relentless patterns that afflict these Moties and their societies. Will human contact break the inexorable cycle that comes between the Moties and their ability to evolve, or is the cycle too ingrained upon the society of these furry Moties? Pick it up and see.

Slaughterhouse-Five

There are so many books that I could put on this blog; so many favorites; so many wonderful gems, that it becomes difficult to choose amongst them. I think back on the books I’ve read; the scenes they create in my head, and the enjoyment I have derived from experiencing each and every one. No list of favorite sci-fi books would be complete, however, without Kurt Vonnegut’s masterpiece that is Slaughterhouse-Five. 

More often thought of as literature, Vonnegut’s “anti-war science fiction novel” is the ultimate expression of one man’s discontent with that vile aspect of humanity that is war. Set within the context of a war-torn German city known as Dresden, a tall, slender POW known as Billy Pilgrim has become  “unstuck in time” thus causing him to travel back and forth, through time, to different periods of his life. And while this time traveling is taking place, Billy is also abducted by an alien species known as the Tralfamadores, who take him to their planet and put him in a zoo in an exhibit with a B-movie porn actor from Earth named Montana Wildhack. Although the book is littered with tidbits of ridiculously funny humour, its message is driven home nonetheless, by the heartfelt conviction that this author entertains in regards to the horrific nature of this historically documented bombing–during WWII– of the city of Dresden.  Billy’s travels take him to his future; his past; other planets; other realities; he ultimately returns, however, to this tragic scene of war where death and destruction loom over him like a blackened cloud.

I always enjoy a good Vonnegut read because of his unique writing style coupled with his superb ability to critique those aspects of our society that are in need of critiquing. Although this book is considered a sci-fi novel, I don’t think that is the reason I chose to put it on this list. I think I chose it because I feel that it is an important read for those individuals who oppose the insanity that is war. I think the notion of war has become so intertwined with the notion of existence that it is hard for people to imagine an existence without it. We need individuals of genius, such as Vonnegut, to remind us how ridiculously insane war is and that the notion of war is not an inherent aspect of the human condition, but a blackened stain on the moral character of all humanity.

As my digression has proved to move me away from chatting about sci-fi, I hope you will forgive my ranting and raving in regards to the despicable nature of that most vile aspect of humanity:  war.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaughterhouse-Five

Ilium

Ilium is the first book in an epic sci-fi tale that incorporates the great Greek story of Homer–comprised of the Iliad and the Odyssey–that is the Trojan War. An ancient battle that has been committed to the annals of history is being recreated by genetically altered beings that come from Earths distant past. Far off on the planet of Mars, great Greek gods–or so they deem themselves–are perched atop one of Mars’ high peaks witnessing this great battle that includes characters such as the great Achilles; the great Hector; the great Ajax. Occasionally intervening, they play the role of the gods of old in order to satisfy their appetite for entertainment. Thomas Hockenberry, a pedagogical figure from the twenty-first century, is brought back from the dead by these “omnipotent” beings in order to study and witness this great battle. And as if that wasn’t enough, far off in the distant reaches of space, there exists sentient robots that are detecting strange quantum flux emanations originating from Mars that are actually being caused by the “great gods” themselves.

Once again Mr. Simmons bestows upon us a gem that melds history and fiction into a fantastic tale of unimaginable originality. Accurate to the letter with his depiction of the events concerning the Trojan War, this book is further proof that Dan Simmons deserves the title of sci-fi author extraordinaire.

Hyperion

I have not the words to describe the creative intensity that resides within the pages of this book. The contribution that Mr. Simmons has offered to the sci-fi community, in the form of this masterpiece, is the equivalent of what Beethoven offered the music world with his 9th symphony.

Simmons takes us into the distant future where humans have colonized space in an attempt to spread themselves to every corner of the galaxy. Facilitating this diaspora is a technology known as the farcaster. It connects all these discrete planets with portals that enable humans to traverse the galaxy instantaneously. Controlled by a very powerful form of artificial intelligence, the farcasters remain a mysterious aspect of human society that appears to most as a boon, but will be realized by a few as the bane of the human species.

Amongst the innumerable planets that comprise humanity’s collective colonization of space, lies a single planet that will influence the course of the galaxy:  Hyperion. Mysteriously, the colonizers of Hyperion are being slaughtered in a most unusual manner that causes a great deal of trepidation for the governing body of humanity. The suspect in question is a monster of razors and steel known as the Shrike. Some think it is from the future; some feel it is from the past. Others just fear the indiscriminate manner in which it kills–slaughters. 

This is the setting in which Mr. Simmons tale unfolds. A setting where seven pilgrims journey to a planet known as Hyperion, to discover how their own stories are connected to this mysterious juggernaut of death known as the Shrike. There have been other pilgrimages; other pilgrims. But no surviving pilgrims with a story to tell. No, these pilgrims are special; some will survive, and the repercussions of their actions will stretch to the far reaches of space.

I can’t explain to you how exciting it is to read this book. I’ve read it five or six times and it gets better every time. There is just so much packed into this series of books that you just can’t take it all in with one reading.  Aside from the creativity genius that this work represents, there is a strict standard in regards to the accuracy of the research that goes into writing a book of this magnitude. For example, one of the pilgrims is a cybernetic robot who has been implanted with the persona of John Keats, the Romantic poet from the early 19th century. Not only does the author incorporate this historical character into his book, but he incorporates his poems and physical descriptions of this poet with strict, unflawed accuracy. And how about the knowledge pertaining to science that is needed for an undertaking of this sort. You would have thought that the author had a doctorate in astronomy as well as physics. There is just so much I can say about this book, but in order for you to truly understand the universe of Hyperion, you have to pick it up. So do yourself a favor:  PICK IT UP!!!!!

The Saga of Seven Suns

Kevin J. Anderson’s, The Saga of Seven Suns, is an excellent depiction of a fictional future where humanity has established societal connections with an alien race known as the Ildirans. The Ildirans have provided humanity with the ability to travel at the speed of light, but due to the violent tendencies that the humans exhibit, the Ildirans use caution when dealing with this new species. In an effort to colonize as many planets as possible, the human race employs this new technology and begins a new era of space exploration. During this new phase of exploration humanity stumbles across evidence of an ancient alien race that has left behind technology that is wondrous and unimaginably destructive. They use this new technology in order to create planets from the materials found in gas giants. The ingenuity of this process of planet building, however, proves to be catastrophic when humanity realizes that the process used to create planets is actually destroying a very powerful, and very ancient race of beings; beings that dwell within the center of these gas giants. Inadvertantly, humanity starts an interstellar war with these beings known as Hydrogues that will have political repercussions with the Ildirans as well. 

I feel this book is an example of politics on an interstellar scale. Long gone are the days when humanity just fought with themselves over petty borders and insignicant tracts of earth. This book places humanity in a true political conundrum that involves multiple species of aliens; interstellar war; interstellar commerce; and interstellar colonization. The author labels this as a space opera and I think I have to agree with him. (Although I have only read the first book, I plan to read the other six when I get a chance.)

Footfall

An interesting read by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle that pits humanity against an alien invader that sport snouts much like the elephant:  in fact they look like elephants. The book is written in a manner that screams realism. If we were to be invaded by aliens tomorrow, this is the way it would be historically chronicled.  Niven and Pournelle begin the tale with our government in a frenzy over the newly discovered crisis of alien invasion. But it’s so much more than that. The book goes into great detail concerning the manner in which our government operates; the chaotic nature in which it tries to solve problems; and the solutions it arrives upon despite its somewhat sloppy methods. As the authors depiction of our government and its obfuscating processes are written with flawless accuracy, their knowledge of scientific matters is equally impressive. And it is this descriptive accuracy of our society and its inner workings that place this book on my list of top ten favorites. 

All in all I feel that what the authors have crafted here is a typical example of the inexorable force that is humanity’s will to survive against all odds. Their defeating of the aliens is humanity at its (whoops I just ruined the ending, but I guess that is my choice since it is my blog–you’ll still love the book though) best. When we come together as a whole–instead of separating ourselves with borders and ideologies–we come to realize that we share a common bond with each other that can unite us.

Calculating God

When we think of sci-fi stories we often think of the clichéd phrase, “Take me to your leader.” Robert J. Sawyer’s aliens, however, ask the first humans they encounter to “Take [us] to a paleontologist.” (For those of you who don’t know what paleontology is, it is the study of ancient life.) The paleontologist that one alien–whose name is Hollus– is introduced to is named Tom Jericho. Tom Jericho, who is an atheist, is to help the aliens in their quest for information/data concerning the existence of God.  They travel through space searching for the answers to this all-encompassing question:  does God exist?  During their search for answers on Earth, Hollus develops a friendship with Tom–who later is diagnosed with cancer–and it is through this relationship that both alien and human discover new aspects of their character that change their view of reality. As I do not want to spoil the ending for you, it concludes on a scale that is  grand and in a manner that is enlightening. What I liked about this book is that it forces you to question reality as you see it–whether you’re an atheist or a believer. I loved the uniqueness of its storyline, and how it told the story in a manner that was both realistic and humorous. 

Now that I have said my piece, what do you think–from what I have told you–about aliens searching for such metaphysical truths? Do you think that the beliefs of aliens would include conceptions of an all-powerful creator, or is that unique to humans?  Or do you think that this novel sounds completely ridiculous? Even if you do think it sounds absurd and nonsensical, I still suggest it to you because it is rather humorous.