Review of "Stand on Zanzibar" by John Brunner

George Orwell and Aldous Huxley were two writers who initially established themselves not only in the world of realist fiction, but also in the hearts and minds of readers as effective observers on society.  As a result, their later novels Nineteen Eighty-four and Brave New World are heralded as two of the greatest science fiction novels ever written, literary purists even willing to make allowances despite the sci-fi leanings.  Depending on perspective, it is John Brunner’s misfortune that his career was established in the world of science fiction.  When in 1968 Stand on Zanzibar was published, only those within the genre took notice of its qualities.  Poignant literature that transcends genre, it too comments with profound relevance on the human condition.

Review of "The Fall of Hyperion" by Dan Simmons

Simmons having carefully woven each strand in Hyperion, The Fall of Hyperion braids them together into a singular narrative that fantastically concludes the tale.  Whip-crackling energy throughout, the fate of the Hegemony, Ousters, and the Shrike are revealed.  All of the questions created—what will happen to Sol’s daughter?  Will Kassad get his revenge on the Shrike?  Will the Consul be able to open the time tombs?  And ultimately, what is the Shrike?—are answered in more than satisfying fashion.  Moreover, the mysterious disappearance of the tree-ship captain, Het Masteen, is not only explained, but fits perfectly within the framework of Hyperion to affect things as no reader could foresee.  With this and other details, Simmons shows the subtlety of his story’s design, and proves himself a master storyteller at work.

The narrative structure of Hyperion would be possible to duplicate in the sequel only if there were to be no resolve of the pilgrims’ stories.  All having converged at the time tombs, The Fall of Hyperion is where the rubber hits the road—a single road.  Told from two settings, one the galactic center at Tau Ceti and the other the tombs, the fate of the universe is finally decided.  Readers bounce back and forth between the two locations, learning the pilgrim’s fates on one hand and how the Hegemony is preparing for the imminent Ouster invasion on the other.  Action and plot non-stop, Simmons never takes his foot off the gas the length of the novel, driving the story all the way to a heart pounding climax that satisfies all of the build up of Hyperion. 

The players established and positions known, The Fall of Hyperion works within the parameters of Hyperion to conclude the story.  Save a second version of the android Keats (named Severn), Simmons avoids a major weak point of storytelling by springing nothing new—game changers or plot altering surprises—on readers.  There are no new overlords or super-weapons to step in and change the rules or extend the limits of possibility.  Everything fits perfectly within the playing space delimited in the first novel, and move by move, each piece works its way toward a showdown of colossal proportions—human, Ouster, AI, Shrike, and otherwise.

Hyperion such powerful storytelling, it’s unfortunate that The Fall of Hyperion must stand aside and be judged.  Like a meeting of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, everyone considers one better than the other, though both are mammoth.  Were it not for one’s brilliance, the other would be considered mightiest.  As such, the recent publication of the Hyperion omnibus editions is welcome.  The story able to be read from start to finish as Simmons envisioned it, readers do not feel such a sharp transition between the two halves, the need for comparison eliminated.  

Hyperion such a tour de force, most readers will find something amiss in The Fall of Hyperion, though they know not what.  The answer is: the end of the story.  With such a vast number of creative elements at play and interest generated in the characters and story, nobody wants the enjoyment to end.  However, it must, and Simmons finishes the tale in suitably epic fashion.  The good news is, the author also recognized the wealth of possibilities available and wrote a second duology in the Hyperion universe, Endymion and The Rise of Endymion.  

In the end, The Fall of Hyperion is a grand finale built on the solid foundation of  Hyperion.  The only disappointment readers could feel would be that the story comes to an end.  Epic in nature and epic in feel, Simmons has set a very high bar for sci-fi.  Readers who enjoy Iain Banks or Peter Hamilton but have not read the Hyperion Cantos will find upon reading it that many ideas are in common, particularly the scope of their universes, love of interesting tech, and the possibilities of far future.  Despite having source material of its own, Hyperion is the inspiration of space opera in the 21st century and beyond.

Review of "A Fall of Moondust" by Arthur C. Clarke

Standing at night, looking up at the glowing white face of the moon, we might ask: what is it comprised of?  We’ve all seen the lunar landing videos, the dusty, desiccated soil that holds the impression of boots and tires so well, but what does it feel like?  How does the stuff behave?  Like sand?  Talcum powder?  Is it powdery like sugar, or fluid like in an hourglass?  In 1961 when mankind had yet to set foot on the moon, those impressions were left in a substance that existed in the imagination, only.  Writing A Fall of Moondust that year, Arthur C. Clarke speculated just what that surface might be like, and in the process wrote a sci-fi thriller rooted in scientific ideology.  Not earthshaking, the novel is nonetheless a solid read for fans of the genre.

In keeping with Clarke’s preference for stories that highlight humanity’s diminutive size compared to the exigencies of the universe, A Fall of Moondust is novel about a group needing rescue after becoming trapped in a sea of moon dust.  Using the tropes of science-fiction – with strong emphasis on “science” – the book tells of the hovercraft Selene and one of its moon cruises that doesn’t go according to plan.  Not exceptionally technical in its discourse, Clarke’s everyday-Joe heroes nevertheless uphold scientific virtue in extricating the trapped people, simultaneously rationalizing and promulgating the suspense.

No space monsters or barrage of mutant asteroids, A Fall of Moondust is simply man vs. the elements.  The team of protagonists set about overcoming the unique limitations imposed by the lunar environment in systematic fashion.  Theoretical knowledge of utmost value if the trapped group is to be rescued, most methods and tools that work on earth are unthinkable on the moon, its gravity and atmosphere posing unnatural obstacles for the engineering mind to circumvent.  And so while Clarke is able to keep plot lines taught, it is the methodology to the rescue which proves the book’s main draw. 

Average build, clean shaven, plaid shirts, and an unfailing belief in the scientific method characterize Clarke’s “heroes” in A Fall of Moondust.  Lawrence is an engineer with an unfailing eye for weeding out solutions relying too heavily on impracticalities.  Lawson, a young astronomer fueled by his belief in scientific observations, challenges the status quo when presenting his objective evidence to the world.  And lastly Pat, the captain of the Selene, is a phlegmatic but resourceful man, not given to losing his cool in moments of fear because of his trust in the material workings of his craft.  Though these characters are obviously conjured to suit the plot, Clarke blunts the edge enough to pass them off as real humans.  Dialogue not so wooden as to make the story unreadable, there is even time for a touch of romance and detective work.

In the end, A Fall of Moondust is a competently written, consistently plotted thriller rooted in physical reality despite having the moon as its setting.  Like other 'mission impossible' type stories, Clarke sets an interesting challenge for himself and his protagonists with the trapped ship, proving it’s the journey not the destination that’s worthwhile.  A paean to science, readers can also expect the glories of objective inquiry and theoretical knowledge regarding chemistry, physics, and astronomy to appear and reappear.  Written at a time when scientific ideology was not yet taken for granted by society, none of the darker, grittier sides of humanity surface.  Unlike the works of later writers, such as Gibson, McDonald, or Banks, Clarke presents the cleaner, more traditional side of sci-fi (read: idyllic), science shining golden to solve all society’s problems.  And so, while the premise of A Fall of Moondust may seem dated due to the knowledge we later acquired of the moon, the story itself remains a compact and easy read.  Not Clarke’s best, it’s at least short, sweet, and interesting to those curious to see physics at work on the moon.