Jul

21

Overshoot

Posted by : atcampbell | On : July 21, 1998

Category: Uncategorized

Overshoot by Mona Clee

EIght people showed up for the discussion, including three newcomers. One regular member couldn’t attend in person due to missing her bus, but she telephoned in during the meeting to give her comments.

Overshoot is a near-future science fiction novel set on an Earth where abuse of the environment has triggered the Greenhouse Effect, producing dramatic weather and climate fluctuations that threaten the survival of the human race. The story is told by an aging lawyer living in San Francisco, interweaving events

Continue Reading

Jul

07

The Reality Dysfunction

Posted by : atcampbell | On : July 7, 1998

Category: Uncategorized

The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F. Hamilton

We had eight participants in the discussion of The Reality Dysfunction. This novel is the first in an epic space opera trilogy that features pioneers settling a wild planet, big mysteries from a dead civilization, dashing space captains, a princess, and ghosts. At 1200 pages spread over two volumes, it’s easily the longest book we’ve ever discussed (surpassing Stephen King’s The Stand).

Despite the book’s length, none of us had any trouble reading it. The characters, story and situations were compelling enough to keep us going. We liked the book’s many characters and plot threads — one person said “this is what space opera should be!” The characters are all distinctive and well-handled, although none are as morally pure as fans of Golden Age space opera might expect. In the

Continue Reading