Author: Elizabeth Bear
Pages: 352
Year Published: 2004

Elizabeth Bear’s debut novel is an interesting mix of old-school cyberpunk and space opera, complete with a dystopian society, hard-edged postmodern gangster types, an amoral antagonist and starships. However, in mixing two subgenres of science fiction together, Bear also attempts to play with the story’s structure, which doesn’t always work. In all, Bear’s debut is an interesting mix of some well-worn genres and conventions, but isn’t as strong as it might have been.

The novel begins almost full-bore cyberpunk. We’re introduced to Jenney Casey, aka Maker, an ex Canadian Armed Forces pilot, cyborg, and now sometime surrogate mother to a pack of gangsters in Hartford, Connecticut. When one of her “boys” overdoses on “the Hammer,” a super-drug intended for special forces soldiers, Casey begins to investigate who brought it to Hartford. Along the way, an old commanding officer, still in the Canadian Army, Colonel Valens, begins to recruit old friends and associates of hers for a new, cutting edge VR program which will eventually center around a very reluctant Casey.

Although, at first, it does read like a homage to cyberpunk (in its themes, not as a pastiche of Gibson), there is a legitimate space opera story which gets introduced pretty early and develops as the book progresses. However, the book is clearly part of a larger narrative (ala Lord of the Rings) and a main complaint would be that the smaller narrative arc is so gentle the reader could very easily miss it. These days, if you want to tell a large story, stronger subplots are commonly accepted as a norm to keep the reader moving.

Bear also chooses to switch between first person and third person narration. When the chapter is focused on Casey, everything is told from her point of view. Everything else is told from the third person, including scenes where Casey may be in the room, but not part of the narrative focus. It’s an interesting technique, but Bear’s implementation jarred me occasionally from the book.

I did find the story compelling enough that I’ll definitely try the next book, Scardown, further down the road. Bear’s debut is strong and not everyone can produce a Neuromancer right out of the gate. I’ve got firm faith she will get stronger as the story progresses. For its flaws, Hammered is a welcome addition to my bookshelf and one of the better science fiction novels I’ve read in years.

-K

Author: Stephen R. Donaldson
Pages: 480
Year Published: 1992

Here’s where the story really begins. Forbidden Knowledge takes everything from The Real Story, treats it as prologue and Donaldson really begins to explore the character and personalities of Morn, Nick and Angus.

Along the way, we’re introduced to an alien race called the Amnion, who apparently have humanity completely terrified they will invade and take over. This, of course, doesn’t stop humans from doing business with the Amnion in the black market. Just that in addition to everything else, this alien foe looms like a Sword of Damocles.

We’re also introduced to more characters from the UMCP: Min Donner, Hashi Lebwohl, and Warden Dios. As I mentioned in the review for The Real Story, the saga is supposed to play out using themes from Der Ring des Nibelungen. If you look closely at the three names above, you can get a glimpse of what that really means.

Forbidden Knowledge is a faster paced book than The Real Story. However, it does have its moments where the exposition gets a bit out of control and you’re waiting for something to happen. I’d also say about 80% of the novel takes place on one set. This surprisingly gets really old when you’re imagining characters in locations. Other than that, the book is a good continuation of the Gap Cycle.

-K

Author: Stephen R. Donaldson
Pages: 229
Year Published: 1991

In Stephen R. Donaldson’s The Real Story, we are introduced to a trio of main characters that are the heart of “The Gap Cycle,” his science fiction pentalogy: Morn Hyland, an officer with the United Mining Companies Police; Angus Thermopyle, a smuggler and pirate known for his hatred of everything; and Nick Succorso, another pirate, but from the Errol Flynn school of piracy with charisma to match his martial skills.

The Real Story is the introductory volume for a five book novel. We’re given the characters and a set of events which ends up with “hero” and “damsel” together while the “villain” rots in jail. However, in its original form, the story is very simple, taking only a few pages. As it gets re-examined, details emerge which make it more complicated and subtle. Not everyone fits into the little pigeonhole as nicely as people would like to believe.

Donaldson, as he explains in the book’s afterword, is attempting to set up a character study. Over the course of the novels, if he’s done his job, we should see all three begin to shift to another role as the events of the story play out. In other words, we should have drama instead of melodrama as the characters change. All of this while he re-tells a version of the story behind Wagner’s opera Der Ring des Nibelungen.

It’s a short read and accomplishes its main goal: establishing the milieu and characters for the later books. While reading it I couldn’t help think it was the opening act. The main action comes later while we learn who’s who and what’s what. Donaldson is a good enough writer that the rest of the series will definitely go into the queue. However, the caveat is still there. If you’re expecting a lot, buy the first two books and read them together.

Other participants in the “52 in 52″ meme who reviewed books recently include:

• Heliologue reviews Richard K. Morgan”s Broken Angels.

-K