REVIEW: DUNE BY FRANK HERBERT

Published by Sterling, 2013. Original, 1965. Leather Bound Barnes and Noble Edition, 585 pgs

      In this visionary work of Science Fiction, we open on the Duke of Atreides, his concubine Jessica, and their son Paul. Preparations are under way to leave their homeland in Caladan and journey to the Arrakis planet of Dune, previously ruled by the brutal Harkonnen regime. On this new planet, they will experience peril at every turn from the evil Harkonnens, a traitor from within, and the harsh physical landscape where water is scarce and giant sandworms roam among the precious spice commodity.  
      As in most created worlds, it takes me an hour or two of intense concentration, occasional notetaking, and @100 pages to become invested in the story. This was no different. This novel was published fifty years ago, has been made into a movie and sci-fi channel series, and been discussed thousands of times. I don't think I'll have any earth shattering observations, so will just share what I loved and what was slightly problematic for me.
       There are so many things to appreciate with the construct of the story. The world-building is incredibly detailed, with rich history for all groups of people. The precarious balance of power is fascinating and keeps the tension/suspense element present! I love the concept of any novel that explores the scarcity of a certain commodity, and how that can change people's daily lives. In this case, spice and water. The desert and structure descriptions were simply fantastic.
      I thought the writing was good in most parts, like this observation: "Always before, Staff had ended on an incisive air. This meeting had just seemed to trickle out, worn down by it's own inadequacies, and with an argument to top it off." Quite succinct, and really highlights the mood. I was a big fan of the italicized portions at the beginning of each segment (often written by Princess Irulan), which provided history and often great foreshadowing for the book.
      I think this had one of the most incredible villains. I liked the grotesque physical descriptions that were excellently repulsive! Specific examples would be "thick purple hands" "copious jowls" and "baby-fat hands".  ICK.
        I had some trouble with all the prophecies, legends, and visions that came to Paul and his mother. While I loved the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood element, some dreams went on too long and I wanted the action to move forward without a confusing/muddled dream sequence. Some of the descriptions seemed nonsensical and rambling, and became tedious to me. The visions always seemed fevered, but perhaps that is explored more in book two...or maybe I just need to concentrate and reread.  
       I can see why it is a landmark of Science Fiction and I'm pleased that I had the experience of reading such a beautiful edition. While I appreciated the imaginative work and rich world building, I'm not sure I'll be continuing with the series at the moment. I'm glad that this sufficed as a standalone, but that I'll be able to find plenty of material if I choose to return to this world. I recommend to anyone who wants to read a classic in the genre!

REVIEW: THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS BY URSULA K. LE GUIN

Published by Ace, 2010 (first published in 1969). Paperback, 304 pgs

I was lucky enough to buddy read this with a fellow Booktuber, Otavio from the Galilean Library. I have heard nothing but great things about this science fiction award winner for ages. This is also my first Ursula K. Le Guin novel. The reader primarily follows Mr. Ai, who is an envoy sent to planet Winter (specifically the nation Karhide, city of Erhenrang) in hopes of forming an alliance between the Ekumen (his people) and Gethenian people. The book opens on a parade held in the capital city of Erhenrang to celebrate the completion of an arch, where we meet King Argaven briefly. We also meet Estraven, the Prime Minister of Erhenrang, whose narrative quickly becomes entangled with Ai's in a jumbled mess of power plays and general strife. Sorry for all the names, but it's that type of book so you need to know what you're getting into!

From the beginning, you can feel the political tension and tip-toeing that Ai experiences in his mission. Le Guin has created a rich and thorough world with detailed history, geography, and beliefs. I liked the cold weather setting. It is so bitter and varied that the inhabitants have over sixty terms to describe the type of snowfall. That's my kind of place (no, I'm not being sarcastic!) Give me all the snow! Her commentary on society, particularly how urban structure affects us (advanced vs. developing regions) is accurate to what many people in various nations feel today. There is some great dialogue on patriotism being more about fear than love in the beginning of the story. She addresses the role of religions in these places, and how being gender neutral hinders yet also expands their capacity as human beings. She packs quite a bit in the 304 pages! 

My favorite part was the evolving relationship of Estraven and Ai. I don't want to say more because their development is a key part of the story. My least favorite parts were some of the interludes. While they provide additional anecdotes on culture, I found certain ones (like "An Orgota Creation Myth") that just felt tedious and a little confusing. However, I suppose a lot of traditions are shrouded in myth and don't make a ton of sense.

This is a book that would benefit from a reread due to all the nuances in political strife and culture. I can certainly understand why this book was an achievement, and am happy to soundly recommend it to all science fiction lovers. My rating of three versus four stars was strictly a personal preference, and I can't even pinpoint what I'd have the author change to make it better. It just didn't resonate as strongly with me as I'd hoped. For whatever reason (mood, plot, pacing), I found myself zoning out and being a little anxious to finish. I've also been reading slower this month due to distractions so that could be part of it. I appreciate Le Guin's mastery of the genre and can see why she is held in such high esteem.

REVIEW: SEVENEVES BY NEAL STEPHENSON

Published by Morrow, 2015. Hardcover, 861 pgs

     What would you do if you knew the world was ending in two years? What preparations would be made to ensure a genetic legacy through the survival of a few? "Send the best and brightest to space" Stephenson says. This is the most visionary and epic book I've ever read. A mysterious "Agent" from space has broken the moon into fragments that are colliding with each other at an alarming rate. Scientists have studied these fragments from afar and agree that in a few years there will be a White Sky (cloudy debris whiteout), followed days later by Hard Rain...which will effectively be trillions of meteors striking the earth for centuries, decimating every living thing and turning the Earth into a molten wasteland.

    The book is divided into the before, the handling of the catastrophe (political and engineering wise), and a period 5000 years in the future where the seven space races are trying to rebuild planet Earth for habitation. This is an insanely oversimplified explanation, but the process of building structures for survival is one of the incredible parts of the reading experience- so I don't want to detract by sharing details of the journey.

     The majority of the book deals in heavy technical science. The attention to detail is fascinating, even though by the middle I was feeling a bit worn out with some info-dumps. There was a particular 10 page section that could have just said a thermal shield fell off and wasn't protecting some vital material on the spacecraft. Those instances were frustrating, and felt like a chance for Stephenson to show off what I'm sure was an incredible amount of research...but it still didn't detract from my overall enjoyment.

     Due to the apocalyptic nature of the book, the story focuses more on the "How" and "Why" than the "Who". These people need to solve the most serious problem imaginable.You will not find heavy character development, even though there are a few set characters we follow through 2/3 of the story. I think Stephenson is more than capable of developing wonderful characters, but for the purpose of this book it needed to take a backseat- with the human capital being discussed in terms of reproduction and genetic traits instead of extensive social backgrounds and relationship drama. I still thought there were nuanced characters, and even humor- but it certainly doesn't dominate the story line. These nerds in space have a job to do, and they are on a bit of a schedule. This is obviously a depressing time, and the characters have achieved victory if they've simply advanced the space station and surrounding arklets in some way (even when succumbing to radiation poisoning, equipment failure, or a million other accidents).

    I recommend to anyone who loves science, world-building, problem solving, and doesn't mind a long narrative where the character development is secondary to an epic main plot. I think Stephenson is fantastic. Seveneves was incredibly memorable and I can't wait to read more of his work.

REVIEW: OTHERLAND VOLUME ONE: CITY OF GOLDEN SHADOW BY TAD WILLIAMS

 Published by Daw books, 1996. Mass Market Paperback, 780 pgs
Goodreads Description
This is a massively complex science fiction novel with many characters and locations. The third person narrator focuses on five main characters who have all experienced some kind of loss or trauma-which is mysteriously driving them to search for a golden city they've only glimpsed in dreams. The narrative switches back and forth between the real world and the virtual reality experience. 

I was excited to read this book on the recommendation of a wonderful fellow YouTuber, Brock from Let's Read. I was even more interested when I realized this was published in the 90's- I find it fascinating to see what author predictions on society and technology have already come true in today's day and age. The intense gaming culture, Sim creation, and technology "pads" (eerily similar to our I-pads) used in this book struck me as startlingly accurate predictions in how we often live now. Of course there are scary elements in how these have gone too far, but that only makes the book experience more nerve-wracking in realizing it is within the realm of possibility that technology and wealth can be misused.

I found the Sim creation process interesting. By plugging into the net, someone can create an avatar that compensates for what they don't have in the real world- strength, beauty, a different gender, all with the click of a few buttons. VR sims can have animal faces or be simple blobs, making conversations near impossible to decipher due to lack of normal body language- namely facial expressions. The existence of this world brings to light the need humans have for real contact, no matter what technology.

I liked !Xabbu's storyline the best, especially how Williams included some info and stories on the aboriginal peoples of South Africa, the Bushmen. He is a great support to Renie while she is dealing with her home and professional struggles. Paul Jonas's storyline was certainly the most confusing for me- and I ended up Wikipedia-ing the last few chapters of the book to make sure I had understood the cliffhanger ending.

I will be continuing with this series, I'm just not sure when. Williams has a great mind, and the threads he has woven in between all these stories is impressive, but sometimes felt a bit much. I would really sink my teeth into a particular story, then something seemingly random (which I realize won't be as we get more info with the following books) would pull me out of the story and it felt frustrating. Particularly, around page 642 there is a desert scene with an Aghori man, who begins talking about Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva....and I was desperately wanting to get back and hear more about our main character's plight.

However, I must take into account that I was trying to finish this book by a particular time, so the last 100 page effort was perhaps more difficult than usual. Also, science fiction is new to me and I'm not adept at understanding all the science jargon. I can understand the appeal of this series, especially with the emphasis on computer science and it's seemingly limitless applications. I think I would need to read the next installment to put some puzzle pieces together...but a pretty good start. Certainly memorable, and one that would benefit greatly from a reread.

   1/2 stars