Book Review/Podcast episode: The Crack in Space by Philip K Dick

The Crack in Space by Philip K. Dick

Paperback, 202 pages

Published January 2012 by Mariner Books (first published 1966) This PKD presents a multi-verse story long before that has become old hat. There are some clumsy outdated attempts to be progressive that 55 years later sound cringey. A few really good moments but not a stronger book in the PKD catalog.

Dickheads Podcast episode recording soon. I will post here.

Book Review: Million Mile Road Trip by Rudy Rucker

Million Mile Road Trip by Rudy Rucker

Hardcover, 476 pages

Published May 2019 by Night Shade

The release of a new Rudy Rucker novel is always an exciting thing. Considering that this is his first one since 2013's amazing life after death novel Jim and the Flims I was super excited. Famous for his math and computer science Rudy Rucker is a founding of the original Cyberpunk gang and has been writing bizarro science fiction since before Bizarro was a genre. But this book is not all we have to be excited about. Nightshade is also doing matching cover editions for 9 other Rucker releases so you can collect the whole set.

If you are unfamiliar with Rucker's style he is a totally one of a kind author whose super intelligent and hype-weird fiction can not be compared to anyone. I know that sounds like Hyperbole but I promise you a Rucker novel can not be confused for anyone else. There is a level of weird creativity that has a flavor that can't be compared to any existing style. Rucker almost always has his tongue firmly planted in his cheek, also nothing is too weird or goofy.

Living and surfing in the Santa Cruz area for many years Rucker starts this novel in a town that is Rucker's NorCal fictional town, his Castle Rock. This from the beginning is a neat little look at this town and the odd-ball surf community that feels like it is based off people he knows. You hear the waves crashing on the shore, and almost feel the sand collecting in your shoes as you are giving a narrative tour of the setting.

The main characters Villy and Zoe are teenagers but this book is not a YA novel. Villy and Zoe make the decision they are leaving home and just want to travel. They are better than average fictional teenagers, they have the naturally annoying traits that come with a young brain, but it is clear they are special characters who you believe could go on this epic journey. They intend to just drive Villy's purple whale (Station Wagon) on a road trip with no real plan. Things change when Zoe uses her tuba to open a portal to a different dimension.

This is Mappyworld a flat land on millions of connected worlds inhabited by living flying saucers. All this is done in a station wagon jacked up on monster truck tires and alien technology. I have listened to and read many interviews with Rudy Rucker over the years and he often talks about playing with the power cords of science fiction. While there are hints of this, most notably in the alien invasion and flying saucers.

The journey is a fun one that will have you scratching your head wondering where Rucker goes to come up with these ideas. The writing of the strange stuff is one thing, but Rucker creates characters we care about and a journey we are invested in. The book felt a little long to me, but I have to admit that I was reading it during a trip home to Indiana for my father's funeral. I might not have been in the best state to read it. That said the humor was welcome and the distraction better.

I hope to get Rudy on Dickheads to talk about this book soon.

Book Review: Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke

Heaven, My Home(Highway 59 #2) by Attica Locke

Hardcover, 295 pages

Published September 2019 by Mulholland Books

I first heard about this book from a really good Fresh Air interview, once I was interested in the book I put a hold on the book at the library. I don't know how I missed the fact that the book was the second in a series. I probably would not have gotten this book if I had known that certainly, I would have made an effort to read the first book, but it came in my holds and decided to read it anyways. I suppose there could be an argument that I missed out on aspects of this book, so just consider that when reading this review.

Heaven, My Home is a mystery about the disappearance of Levi King. He is the 9-year old son of a white supremacist that I understand was a key figure in the first book. Our main character is a Texas Ranger Darren Matthews. He is coming off an investigation that left his career in jeopardy. His marriage is in tatters, his shady mother has the gun used in a (justified?) murder hidden from him. So when Levi's Dad, the man Darren put in prison asks for his help finding his boy that is when the mystery begins.

This novel is a very rich mystery with more levels than I expected when the book started. My experience with east-Texas fiction is entirely from Joe R. Lansdale - who is an author with a very serious distinct voice. He is just regional to that part of Texas as Stephen King is to Maine. It was nice to read another voice from the region. That weird off-beat humor of Lansdale is something I had begun to associate with the language of the region. That said Locke is a powerful writer who is very talented at characterization and timing. The reveals of the story are all handled perfectly.

There is one scene in prison when Levi's Dad begs Darren to help him and it is a very powerful dramatic scene that was my favorite moment of the whole book. Once the final act comes and the depth of the mystery is revealed you will be glad you picked up this book. A great socio-political mystery from an author I intend to read and follow despite mystery not being my main genre.

Book Review: The Last Astronaut by David Wellington

The Last Astronaut by David Wellington

Paperback, 400 pages

Published July 2019 by Orbit

This is only the second Wellington novel I read. I enjoyed Positive which I thought was pretty fresh as a Zombie novel can be at this point. That was almost four years ago and I told myself I was going to read more from the author but it wasn't till I saw this book on the shelf at the library that I did. I didn't read the back cover I went into it about as cold as I could. I knew generally that it was Science Fiction of course and assuming that Wellington was a horror guy I expected the book to go in that direction.

It is hard to talk about what I like about this book without getting into spoilers from late in the narrative. The Last Astronaut is going for a Gravity meets horror kinda thing but I don't want to be reductive about the things that I think are very creative and original. It is also firmly in the sub-genre of big dumb object science fiction most famously done in Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke. As an entry in that sub-genre, this novel really goes cool places.

This is an interesting time to have a big dumb object novel as we just had our first in reality object named Oumuamua discovered traveling in and speeding out of our solar system. So give Wellington credit for having the first purely Oumuamua inspired novel that I am aware of. It is also interesting that Wellington is addressing the rise of the private space industry and presents a pretty negative view of the future of NASA - at least as a space flight program. Keep in mind NASA does a lot of other things. As a big space nerd, I really liked that Wellington took all this stuff very seriously and he clearly did his research.

He took liberties with the science a few times but nothing major and I was along for the ride for the most part. This novel is an entertaining cross-genre hybrid that I wasn't sure I was going to like early on. The narrative itself gets stronger as it goes. I thought the early pages felt rushed. The prologue about the Mars mission could have been something that was legendary and off-screen so to speak. It was funny after an entire chapter of building up how impossible and hard the training would be it is skipped over and never mentioned again. That was jarring for me and took me out of the story.

That is OK because the second half was much better and completely won me over. If you want to know nothing and trust me so far here is the part of the review that I am switching to spoilers.

It is the story of Sally Jansen a NASA astronaut whose life is thrown into turmoil when she fails and loses a crew member on an aborted Mars mission. Years later she is given the mission to quickly train and lead a crew to a huge alien object and make contact. All the mission stuff is exciting and suspenseful. All of it is taunt and well written. There are fun interplay and politics involving the government and the private space program.

The twist is well earned and what makes the book. OK, LAST WARNING. The object is not a spacecraft they enter but the body of a giant alien. This reveal is really well done and makes the horror moments really pop. I think the title and subtitle on the cover give a false impression, as this to me is a pure Sci-fi Horror novel. The strength is how the original of a horror concept is at the heart of the final act.

Overall I think this is a four out of five experience, that started off rough and got better. I am glad I read it and will continue to follow Wellington.

Book Review: This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

This Is How You Lose the Time War

by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Hardcover, 201 pages

Published July 2019 by Gallery / Saga Press

Sometimes when I review a book I have to give a hyperbole warning. I try to point out warts on near-perfect just to show I am still thinking critically, I mean some I am reviewing books by authors I know and like as people. I don't know either author of this outside enjoying some of their social media presence. I can certainly see reasons why someone would not enjoy this book but hot damn if I don't think this is one of the best books of the year genre or otherwise.

I mean this is a genre book. It is finely written enough to be enjoyed and loved beyond the genre ghetto as say China Mieville or Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow was. Not just as Science Fiction but as literature that said the concept is such that the genre bonfides are undeniable. That concept, by the way, is just the tip of the iceberg of cool gee-whiz ideas. Hemmingway's Iceberg theory of writing is put to amazing use here.

This is How You Lose The Time War is a novel about two post-human women who are agents on the competing sides of a war being fought across space and time. Red fights for a technotopia and Blue fights for Garden a purely organic nature-based force. Each side is fighting for their way of life and doing so across multi-verses.

The concept is cool but it is narrative structure and style that really makes this book incredible. How two authors pulled this off working together seems like a magic trick to me. The story is told mostly in letters between the two spies who grow to fall in love with each other. As they cross space and time who else could understand what they are going through?

Twists and turns remain but this book is equally romantic and beautiful as it is thought-provoking and jaw-dropping. The prose is lyrical and it often feels like you are getting to read love letters. While never losing the concept these beautiful letters are peppered with high concept and world-building nuggets. They are pretty but they drive the narrative every time. Give them all the awards. It is not my favorite book of the year but it is probably the BEST book I read this year.