by Jane | Aug 2, 2014 | Write Here Write Now
The Burning Dark by Adam Christopher is a science fiction mystery/thriller set in a faraway space station that is being dismantled. Captain Abraham Idaho (Ida) Cleveland joins the skeleton crew on the verge of his retirement, but is curious as to why he was sent there since his presence isn’t really needed. He’s leaving service a hero, having saved a planet from the giant, aggressive Spiders, but no one on the station believes him, and when he searches, he can find no record of his accomplishments. Mystery compounds mystery as people start to have visions and disappear from the station. The only person who will help him in solving the mystery is a medic by the name of Izanami, who, it turns out, has secrets of her own.
The Burning Dark keeps the reader guessing as to what is the real problem on the Coast City space station. Is it the noncoms who harass Ida, the acting commandant King, the mysterious purple sun they came there to study, or is something else going on? This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I recommend it highly for fans of mystery and science fiction.
by Jane | Jul 25, 2014 | Write Here Write Now
As I was streaming the entire series of Star Trek: Voyager, one thing stood out to me. That was Kathryn Janeway’s use of discipline. Of course, she does have the Maquis, Tom Paris, Seven of Nine, and Neelix to deal with, none of whom are well-trained Star Fleet officers with an abundance of self-control.
Still, she doles out discipline a lot more than any other captain in the Star Trek universe. Kirk once confined Scotty to quarters for starting a fight (“Trouble with Tribbles”), and Spock was court martialed in “The Menagaerie”, but that was a severe case. As to the other captains, Picard once dressed down a young officer who was involved in the Wesley Crusher incident at the academy, but that was just to see if she was strong enough for a special assignment and wasn’t really discipline. I don’t remember Sisko dealing out discipline and although I haven’t watched enough of Enterprise to know if Archer did, he doesn’t seem the type.
So, we’re left with Janeway. She deals out a lot of discipline, but is she good at it? In fact, I find her quite inconsistent. Let’s talk examples. When Chakotay disobeys orders, steals a shuttle, and goes after Seska, Janeway puts him on report. When Paris disobeys orders, steals a shuttle, and tries to help a planet from destroying itself, he gets demoted and sentenced to thirty days in the brig! OK, so he not only disobeyed Janeway but he also disobeyed the Prime Directive. But was that enough of a reason to be so harsh? After all, Janeway got him released from prison to join her crew, and he’s kept his nose clean up to then.
Let’s move on. In the 5th season, Ensign Kim falls in love with an alien on a ship that Janeway is trying to help, and has sex with her. Janeway gives him an official reprimand for going against Star Fleet policy (over Chakotay’s objections) and tells him to break it off. Not only does Harry keep seeing her, he steals a shuttle to take his girlfriend to see a nebula. Janeway is easy on him this time because she discovers that contact with that species has caused a change in his biochemical make-up. The good news is that it’s treatable, but when she orders him to get treatment, he refuses. A second disregard of orders.
At this point, Janeway merely tells him that she is disappointed in him. The reprimand stands, but there is no further punishment. Sure, there were extenuating circumstances and Kim had a clean record, but she punished him for having sex and did nothing to him for disobeying orders. How is that fair? (I will mention here, that there was another time Chakotay disobeyed orders, but a group of Borg drones separated from the collective was controlling him. Here forgiveness made sense. But he didn’t refuse to get the Borg out of his head.)
Now, let’s discuss Neelix. He conspires with a known criminal, almost steals a part from Voyager, then tries to make a deal with a gang of thugs. What does he get? A few hours cleaning manifolds! Of course, it is true that he is not Star Fleet, and maybe that’s all Janeway felt was appropriate. Still, except for the murderer on board (sentenced to life in jail), Neelix was the only one involved in actual criminal activity.
There was one more problem person on board: Seven of Nine. Having been a Borg since the age of six, she couldn’t be expected to obey, or even understand, all the rules of Star Fleet. Her first infraction involved a member of Series 8472 who had boarded Voyager and was wreaking havoc. Strictly against orders, Seven transported the individual to the vessel of another species where the 8472 would be killed. Janeway was furious, but understanding the issues of reintegrating a Borg, she simply confined Seven to her cargo bay and the Astrometrics Lab. I suppose that’s reasonable. But what happens the next time Seven disobeys orders? Janeway literally throws up her hands and does nothing. I will admit, I feel for Janeway in this instance. There doesn’t seem to be anything that Seven will respond to. Yet, isn’t it a captain’s duty to find out what will?
So, what am I missing here? We know Harry is one of her favorites and Chakotay is her first officer. But what of poor Tom? After taking a chance on him and even entrusting him with a special mission, she throws him in the brig for making one mistake.
Well, one theory is that after four years in the Delta Quadrant, Janeway is getting less patient. She’s tired of the lack of discipline and tired of being disobeyed. So, she picks on Tom, who really, did the right thing, even if he did disobey the Prime Directive. (But don’t get me started on Janeway and the Prime Directive. In the very next episode, she breaks it herself by rescuing a group of refugees and putting Voyager in danger.)
On second thought, that’s not a good explanation after all, since her leniency with Harry came later. So, what happened? She got it out of her system? Or just gave up.
Don’t get me wrong. I like Janeway. She’s been put in an incredibly difficult situation and has handled it well. She cares greatly about the crew, individually and as a whole, but she can be tough and is not afraid to hand out discipline when required. I just think some of her choices were misguided.
by Jane | Jul 18, 2014 | Write Here Write Now
I just finished streaming the Star Trek: Voyager series and had forgotten how good it was. As a matter of fact, it was so good, I didn’t want it to end and hesitated watching the final episode “Endgame”. Of course, I was also hesitant because I remembered being disappointed in it, but didn’t remember why. Eventually, I set aside the time and watched the 90-minute episode.
As I was watching the final credits scroll across the screen, I realized that the show was actually very good. I love time travel stories to begin with, and this one was very well done. The future Kathryn Janeway showed yet another face of the versatile captain, this one fraught with grief and regret. So, why was I so disappointed the first time?
I think the reason was that, suddenly, the series was just over. The crew of Voyager was back, not just in the Alpha Quadrant, but in the solar system, with Earth looming big in the view screen. There was no hoopla, no celebrations, no last minute thoughts. They were just there.
Even though I enjoyed the episode this time, other thoughts came to me which made the finale less satisfying to me than it could have been. First, it did seem to happen too fast in relation to the previous episodes. Were the producers in a hurry to get the season and the series over with? Because it certainly seemed that way to me. For instance, the evolving romance between Seven of Nine and Chakotay was great, but it came on fast and we didn’t get to see enough of it. It should have started earlier and had more time to develop.
My other problem with the episode is that they weren’t able to get home without the future Janeway’s help and the use of future technology. This means of getting home helped the fight against the Borg, which that was good, but what did it say about the crew of Voyager and Star Fleet Command that they couldn’t get the ship home without help from the future?
The crew of Voyager has to be the best in Star Fleet history, just because of all they had to overcome, and all without the help of Star Fleet Command! The fact that they had to rely on help from the future seems a bit of a cheat. I would have preferred to see the ingenuity of the captain and crew get the ship home, and for the writers in the 7th season to have taken the time to wrap everything up in a neat little package. They managed to get Neelix settled and Tom and B’Elanna’s baby born, but what of the rest of the crew? What of good-byes? What about reintegration — especially of the Maquis?
A lot of things were missing, thus the initial disappointment of this otherwise well-made episode. Final thoughts — it was a good episode but I would have preferred more build-up, no help from the future, and a definitive ending. Reunion movie, anyone?
by Jane | Jul 5, 2014 | Write Here Write Now
Enchanting, delightful, and magical are just three words I can use to describe Jane Yolen’s Once Upon a Time (She Said). I was lucky enough to get a complimentary copy of this book through one of my writing groups (Writers of the Weird), given out by Nesfa Press in honor of Yolen’s birthday.
The book contains stories, poems, and even commentary on certain fairy tales and writing in general. I loved them all. Usually I can read only two or three short stories in a row before I have to put an anthology aside and grab something else, usually a novel. Not so here. I didn’t want to put it down and read story after story.
Some of the stories were originally written for children and some for adults — I loved them all. They were all — in a word — delightful. It’s as though the Grimm Brothers were reborn in Jane Yolen.
Up to this time, I had only read Yolen’s Pit Dragon Trilogy (and more recently the fourth book of the series). I enjoyed them, but those books didn’t appeal to me nearly as much as this collection. I have discovered a new Jane Yolen.
Another discovery concerned something about Ms. Yolen herself, something that can’t help but draw me to her. She had the same nickname as a child as I did — Jane the Brain.
I will definitely be picking up more of her writings in the future. But if any of you have an opportunity to obtain a copy of Once Upon a Time (She Said), pick it up. You won’t be sorry.
by Jane | Jun 27, 2014 | Write Here Write Now
Although I mostly post about fantasy and science fiction, I am also very interested in science and watch quite a few science documentaries, especially about the universe, the solar system, and the formation of the Earth and planets. I just finished streaming How the Universe Works and watching Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. I really enjoyed the first of these. I have a few problems with the second, as many people seem to, including Tim Shuttle, in a blog I just read. Interestingly, some of Mr. Shuttle’s complaints attribute Mr. Tyson with just the opposite of what Dr. Tyson said in The Inexplicable Universe.
The first episode of The Inexplicable Universe was entitled “History’s Mysteries”. It was about how theories of the universe have been made in the past weren’t quite right, and were overturned in the future by something better.
One example was Ptolemy’s model of the solar system. It was complicated. It had to be to explain the movements of the planets if the Earth was the center of the solar system. Tyson implied that Ptolemy might have known something wasn’t quite right. And of course, it wasn’t. Copernicus came around centuries later with the heliocentric model and after that, the movements of the planets made a lot more sense.
Another example was Newton using his theory of gravity to explain how the solar system worked. His theory worked well when only two objects were used in the formula, but not when including the sun and all the known planets. Newton explained this through divine intervention. Later, Einstein solved the problem using his Theory of Relativity.
Though not discussed in Tyson’s program, the atom was only a theory at one time as well, a place holder in a way. Now we have seen the atom and know all its component parts. (At least, we think we do.)
That got me to thinking about dark matter and dark energy. Dark matter was proposed as a way to explain the gravity in galaxies and galaxy clusters, since our knowledge of the known mass of the stars and the theory of gravity fall short. Likewise, dark energy is used to explain the expansion of the universe, while everything else tells us the expansion should be slowing down and reversing itself. The concept of dark matter and dark energy are used to explain something we don’t yet understand about how the universe works. Scientists are saying that dark matter may make up most of the universe, and we don’t even know what it is.
Tyson’s views expressed in “History’s Mysteries” is that this sort of thing happens throughout history. They may not find out what dark matter is in my lifetime, or they may come up with something entirely new to explain their observations. This is one of those things we just don’t know yet.
I would like to think that all the questions will be solved within my lifetime, but I know that that won’t happen. There will always be new things to learn. Human were gifted with a curiosity and a mind that could figure things out. That is the basis of science. I think if there was nothing new to learn, we would cease to exist as a species. Still, I want to know everything.
I guess that’s why I read science fiction.
by Jane | Jun 23, 2014 | Write Here Write Now
The last 2012 Nebula nominee I am reviewing is also the winner: 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson. This is the story of a future in which humans have moved out into the solar system, having terriformed, or at least tamed, other planets, moons, and asteroids. The main character is Swan Er Hong, a 100+-year-old resident of Mercury, who is mourning the recent loss of her grandmother Alex. But there is much more to the story than a personal loss. Alex had been involved in some controversial research, which she had decided not to share with her granddaughter, even after her death. The only thing Swan received from her was a mission to travel to Titan.
Swan meets two men, who knew Alex and were very familiar with Alex’s studies, Inspector Genette and Wahram. They believe there is some kind of conspiracy surrounding Alex’s death and involve Swan in the investigation, but only up to a point. Swan crisscrosses the galaxy, accompanied by Pauline, a tiny quantum computer called a qube, which is inserted in her head. She relies on Pauline, but finds that Genette and Wahram do not trust the qube. Could qubes be involved in the conspiracy somehow? That is left for Swan to discover.
I really enjoyed 2312. I don’t read a lot of science fiction these days, involving myself mostly in fantasy, but I loved it as a kid. I cut my scifi teeth on the greats, such as Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein, Robert Bloch, and remember them fondly. As a science fiction novel, 2312 did not in any way disappoint me, compared to these giants. As a matter of fact, I could see the influence of Clarke and Heinlein in its pages.
In addition to creating an involving story, Robinson also imparts some interesting ways of world-building in chapters entitled “Excerpts” and “Lists”. These chapters give us insight into some of the science and technology of 2312, as well as getting us more into the mind of Swan.
I liked diving into the universe Robinson creates, imagining traveling inside of an asteroid, riding an elevator from Earth’s surface into space or getting involved in the system-wide politics of the 24th century. It was definitely a good read, and I agree that it deserved the Nebula over the other books I reviewed here. Well worth a read.
by Jane | Jun 17, 2014 | Write Here Write Now
Recently, I decided to rewatch the last two Star Trek films made with the original cast (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. I remembered the first four very well and had seen each of them multiple times, but not these two. My only conclusion was that I hadn’t liked them very much, or I would have seen them more than once (or at least remembered them.) However, I realized that I hadn’t liked the third movie the first time I had seen it either (The Search for Spock), but after a second viewing, I liked it much more.
So I decided to give V and VI another chance. Full of hope, I put Star Trek V in the DVD player and fired it up. As it turned out, I had no reason for any hope at all. It was bad, just bad. There were a few funny spots, but not enough to rescue the movie for me. And some of the attempts at humor were just wrong, like Scotty knocking himself unconscious by hitting his head on a beam on the Enterprise. The Enterprise! Scotty’s pride and joy, which he knew better than the back of his hand. I realize that was supposed to be part of the joke, but it just didn’t work. This was William Shatner’s first attempt at directing a Star Trek film, and thankfully, his last. Stick to acting, Mr. Shatner. We love you as Kirk.
Now on to Star Trek VI. After my experience with Star Trek V, I had no hope. Again, I was surprised, but this time, pleasantly. How could I have forgotten how good this movie was and let it gather dust in the back of my video cabinet? It was an excellent film, with tension from beginning to end and a lot of humor (good humor, this time) sprinkled throughout. Plus, Christopher Plummer was amazing as the Klingon villain, right up there with Khan.
But there was more. I truly believe that director Nicholas Myer captured the personalities and relationships of the crew, along with Gene Roddenbery’s original vision. Without question, this movie has moved up in my personal ranking to #3.
Frankly, I might have rated it even higher if it had not been pushed to the back of my mind all these years. Star Trek II: The Revenge of Khan is of course #1, as it is with most trekies because (a) it brought back a popular TOS villain and (b) had all the elements which had been lacking in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. It was like Universal Studios had redeemed itself in the eyes of Star Trek fans. Second is Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. This movie was enjoyed even by non-Trek fans for its humor and topical theme.
So, my ratings of the first six Star Trek films are as follows:
Star Trek II: The Revenge of Khan
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Some fans may disagree with me and put Star Trek: The Motion Picture last because everyone remembers their disappointment with it. My word to them is to watch the first and fifth movies side by side. Disappointments aside, TMP wasn’t that bad a film. Star Trek V? Bad, bad, bad!
by Jane | May 30, 2014 | Write Here Write Now
Allegiant is the third book in The Divergent series by Veronica Roth. From the first page, I knew I was going to like it better than the second book Insurgent. It held my attention from the first word to the last. It was engaging partially because of the storyline, but also because Roth added Tobias as an additional perspective. I found it confusing at times, but liked it because it gave us more information about the quiet Four.
The story begins with Tris imprisoned by the factionless, Tobias having escaped by being the son of the factionless leader. The plot revolves around a group of people not only interested in restoring the factions but also wanting to understand and act upon Edith Prior’s message about life outside the city. Tris and Tobias leave the city with this group and learn the true story behind their ancestors and the factions. But that’s not all. Just when the reader believes Tris and Tobias are safe from any more conflict in their lives, the pair discovers yet another group eager for revolt
I loved this book. There is a lot of growth to both characters, and the plot kept me turning pages to learn what was going to happen. The ending, though possibly disturbing to some, was the only way it could have ended to maintain true to the characters. So, pick up Allegiant and learn what happens to Tris and Four. You won’t be sorry.
by Jane | May 23, 2014 | Write Here Write Now
Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal is set in England and Belgium during the Napoleonic Wars, but it cannot be considered historical fiction because there is an element of magic. So instead, let’s call it magical realism. The magic is in the form of a talent shared by the protagonist Jane and her husband Vincent. It is called glamour and involves making intricate pictures out of something called ether. While their talent makes them very popular among English nobility, it gets them into trouble when they are on a working vacation in Belgium.
Once on vacation, Jane finds herself pregnant which restricts her ability to work in the family business of glamour. This leaves her alone with strangers much of the time her husband is off working, strangers she doesn’t quite trust. She begins to wonder if any of these strangers are spies for the Bonapartes and also has doubts about her own husband, thinking that he is lying to her.
Glamour in Glass was a fun book to read, but also quite important. It shows how a Victorian woman who finds herself alone in crisis rises to the challenge that no man will accept. After Napoleon escapes from Elba, everyone tells Jane to flee to England, but she remains behind to help her husband. The situation is difficult, almost impossible, but she rises to the occasion and shows just how strong a woman can be. An excellent read, especially for our daughters, nieces, and granddaughters.
by Jane | May 16, 2014 | Write Here Write Now
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas is the second book in The Throne of Glass series, and it is a delight. Too often the first sequel to a successful book is a disappointment, but that’s not the case here. Crown of Midnight more than holds its own.
When the book begins, Celeana has taken her appointment as the King’s Champion and has been sent on a series of assignments. This is a problem, however, since she disagrees with the king’s policies. But she has found a solution. Rather than kill her targets, she fakes their deaths and sends them away. This works until she is asked to kill Archer Finn, an old acquaintance of hers who the king believes is involved in a rebellion.
The situation is complicated by her growing relationship with Chaol, Captain of the Guard, and growing tensions with Princess Nehemia, who doesn’t know that Celeana has been faking her assignments. Not only is Nehemia mad with Celeana over serving as the King’s Champion, she feels that Celeana should be helping her in her fight against the king. And Prince Dorian is not happy at all.
Celeana is in turmoil, but when her dearest friends are put in danger, she has decisions to make which could change her life. As action-packed, thrilling, and unpredictable as the original, Crown of Midnight is well worth the read. Pick it up and enjoy.
