STARTER VILLAIN

 

STARTER VILLAIN

By John Scalzi

A Tor Paperback

279 pgs

 

It’s hard not to applaud writer John Scalzi’s imagination and radical sense of humor. Having read several of his sci-fi titles, he’s someone unwilling to be Pidgeon holed. From straight action adventure with futuristic military combat to diplomatic insanity among alien races who communicate emotions via flatulence. Scalzi isn’t about to be pigeon holed. 

Charlie Fitzer, an out-of-work journalist, is barely making ends meet as a middle-school substitute teacher in a suburb of Chicago. That all changes when an uncle he barely knew, Jake Baldwin, dies and leaves him a strange inheritance. Via a lovely young lady named Morrison, claiming to be his uncle’s assistance, Charlie learns that his very rich relative was in actuality a villain. But not just any run-of-the-mill bad guy. No sirree, Uncle Jake was one of those super villains often found in the pages of James Bond novels. 

The weirdness doesn’t end there. Morrison informs Charlie that Jake was one of many such super villains; all of whom now want to meet him and determine if he is any kind of viable threat to their current nefarious schemes. Then there are the genetically created intelligent cats who act as spies and the augmented dolphins capable of sabotaging an enemy’s fleet or naval bases. 

From his boring life in Barrington, Illinois, to that of Super Villain trainee on a secret base located on a private Caribbean island, our hero’s journey is one of non-stop suspense and danger every step of the way. There does exist the possibility of a pot of gold at the end of it, but first Charlie has to stay alive to enjoy it. “Starter Villain” is wacky, hilarious fun well worth your attention. John Scalzi really is one of a kind.

SHARPE'S STORM

 

SHARPE’S STORM

By Bernard Cornwell

Harper

346 pgs

 

This being the 24^th novel in the Richard Sharpe series of historical fiction by Bernard Cornwell featuring the exploits of an English soldier during the Napoleonic Wars. Though often written out of sequence, Sharpe first appeared as a private of the 33^rd Regiment of Foot in “Sharpe’s Tiger.” Through his courage and fighting prowess, he constantly gets promoted up the ranks as well as becoming a personal favorite of Lord Wellington. In the end he’s a lieutenant in “Sharpe’s Waterloo.” 

Most readers will know of the character via the popular British ITV televisions series starring Sean Bean in the role. 

In “Sharpe’s War” we encounter a Major Sharpe caught up in the 1813 Invasion of Southern France by British forces at the same time the French army was being devastated in their Russian winter campaign. Sharpe is as ever doing his best to keep himself, and his men alive, as the troops fight across a terrain of twisted riverways. And if that wasn’t enough responsibility for him, he’s ordered by Lord Wellington to both escort and guard, a navy admirable wishing to witness the fighting up close. 

As ever, Cornwell’s prose is lean and authentic. His knowledge of military ploys and maneuvers during actual combat mesmerizing. He puts his reader in the thick of things dodging musket balls and slashing razor honed bayonets. All making “Sharpe’s Storm” a welcomed new entry into this superb series.

PROJECT HAIL MARY

 

PROJECT HAIL MARY

By Andy Weir

Ballantine Books

478 pgs

 

While still in high school, we learned the various sub-genres of science fiction. Most fell under one of two umbrellas: hard science or science fantasy. In the latter camp you had the space sagas of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Leigh Brackett and Edmond Hamiling. What fans often labeled space operas. In the other camp, writers with authentic science backgrounds were Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov and many others. As a teenager we had no problems enjoying both. As we matured, we began to favor the fantasy stuff. Why? Because most of the current hard science novels we read were poorly written. The writers knew their science but fell short of using it in compelling tales with characters and plots that we could warm to. 

Along comes Andy Weir, a software engineer who knows both real science and how to tell a damn good story. “Project Hail Mary” concerns a discovered threat to our sun. Something is weakening its power and if it continues, all life on earth is in danger of complete extinction within a few short decades. As the world’s leading scientists and astronomer wrestle with the problem, they learn other stars in our universe are suffering the same malady. All but one, the sun of the Tau Ceti system. 

All this comes about because of a brilliant young scientist turned high school teacher named Rayland Grace. It is Grace who ultimately learns of the cosmic infestation that is negatively impacting stars. But why isn’t this happening to Tau Ceti? Is there something about that particular star making it immune to the cosmic infestation? Quickly the governing bodies of Earth realize mankind’s only hope of survival is to send a team of astronauts on a suicide mission to Tau Ceti to learn the secret of its immunity and get that information back to Earth. The plot is suspenseful, our hero believable and then comes Weir’s biggest surprise, the alien Grace encounters when arriving at Tau Ceti.  

How two different intelligent lifeforms meet, learn to communicate and then being to work together to save their respective home worlds is fantastic. “Project Hail Mary” is one of the best science fiction adventures we’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Page after page, Weir took us on a journey of wonder set against the backdrop of an endless space we’ve only just begun to explore. This book is an inspiration to all those young men and women who’ll one day look to the stars and dream. We loved it.