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Tyson Adams Reviews
Book lover and science nerd.
See more from me at http://tysonadams.com
Currently reading
Kill or Be Killed, Vol. 3
The Problems of Philosophy
Dead Ever After
Babylon's Ashes
The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work. Alain de Botton
Deadpool by Joe Kelly Omnibus
Solomon Creed
The Island of Dr. Moreau
If you can make an animal into a person, how long do you think it will be before someone can make a person decent?Edward Prendick survives a shipwreck and is rescued by a supply ship headed for The Island of Dr Moreau. Prendick is cast overboard by the supply ship and is thus stranded on the island where he discovers a mad scientist (surgeon actually) has been at work for many years. The locals are huge fans of vivisection. Things go downhill when Brando is cast as Moreau.
I mostly enjoyed rereading this novel, and I definitely understood more of the issues than when I read it as a kid. At the time HG Wells wrote this famous tale, there was much debate in Europe regarding degeneration (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degeneration_theory), evolution, and vivisection. Wells himself thought that humans could use vivisection for evolutionary purposes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Limits_of_Individual_Plasticity). And what better way to discuss these issues than in a science fiction novel.
There were two main issues that stopped me enjoying this novel more. The first issue is common to all of the HG Wells novels I have recently reviewed, and that is the dated style that drains a lot of the tension out of the narrative. The reader is always left at arms-length from the story. The second issue is a narrative device that is still commonly used today: book-ending. Book-ending (a term I've probably made up) is where the actual story is wedged between an external narrative that is used to recount the story proper. This does two things that annoy me: it adds needless narrative and characters; and it destroys any suspense or mystery. The latter is the worst part. In The Island of Dr Moreau we already know that Prendick survives the island and his experiences have left him emotionally scarred and unable to live among people, because his nephew introduces the tale after finding the manuscript when Prendick dies.
Regardless, this is a creepy tale that is worth reading even if you just want to learn to recite 'Are We Not Men'.
The First Men in the Moon
Would we have a colony on the Moon if it had gold and a native peoples to wipe out? We know the answer if they had oil.Perennial conman, Bedford, has escaped his creditors by hiding in the countryside. Here he meets an inventor, Cavor, who is a genius with no idea what they are doing. Bedford cons Cavor into using his invention of Cavorite to fly to the Moon. Upon arrival they discover the moon is hollow and filled with Moonmen (but no Moonwomen..... not sure how that works). And gold. The meeting with the natives follows tradition...
I was disappointed with The First Men in the Moon. This novel was influential to people like CS Lewis, so I was expecting there to be a lot on offer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_Men_in_the_Moon). There are a lot of interesting ideas on display in this novel, but there are also some truly bad ideas as well, even for the time this was written in. For example, Jules Verne criticised the use of Cavorite when both he and Wells had already utilised the more realistic idea of cannons for interplanetary travel. The story is also told in a way that isn't particularly engaging, particularly the last quarter, which is possibly the most drawn out way to tie up a loose end I've read.
This was also one of the many works of HG Wells that was accused of plagiarism. Twenty-six years prior, Robert Cromie had written A Plunge Into Space, which was heavily borrowed from but never acknowledged. Wells' contestations that he had never heard of Cromie nor his book would hold more weight if the accusations of plagiarism wasn't quite so common throughout Wells' career.
Skip this classic.
The Devil's Country
Has there ever been a religious cult started for something other than allowing the leaders to have sex with the congregation?Arlo Baines is wandering the state of Texas in an effort to forget the murder of his family. The former Texas Ranger sees a couple of guys up to no good, and starts making trouble in the neighbourhood. He gets in one little fight and has the local sheriff and a religious cult wanting to see him leave (for Bel Air).
It was refreshing to dive into a different take on the itinerant vigilante genre. Obviously there are similarities between any of the novels in this genre, the most prominent being Lee Child's Jack Reacher series (of which I'm a fan). But Harry Hunsicker has brought a more haunted and reluctant hero to the page, one who feels a little more vulnerable, but no less unstoppable.
This is a fast-moving novel which hits all the right beats. While it doesn't stray from the itinerant vigilante genre path, nor offer up any surprising twists, The Devil's Country was an enjoyable read. Recommended for any fans of Lee Child, Matt Hilton, Zoe Sharp, et al.
NB: I received an advance review copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
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The War of the Worlds (Modern Library Classics)
Interplanetary war breaks out in Woking, Surrey England. Newsreaders even less sure where that is than countries in the Middle East.The War of the Worlds is about Martians invading Earth using advanced technology, like 21 metre tall tripod machines, heat rays, and toxic smogs. One man is able to recount his experience of living through the invasion from the first landing to the start of the rebuilding of southern England.
It is hard to comment on such a classic novel. The War of the Worlds has gone on to influence culture in many ways. The obvious influences are in books and movies, most notably the Edgar Rice Burroughs novels and the entire alien invasion genre. But it also had an impact on science, such Freeman Dyson's search for extraterrestrial life and Robert Goddard's rocket development. Not many books can claim that (seriously, check the Wiki article out for a brief overview https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds). Makes it very hard to comment...
While I enjoyed this book I came away from it underwhelmed. Much of the novel is interesting, not least of which is the understated setting - because now you would be considered mad to set an alien invasion story anywhere without a prominent monument that can be destroyed. The characters the narrator meets are also interesting, particularly the artilleryman who has big dreams about leading the resistance movement. But this is all told in a memoir style that lacks immediacy, tension, and excitement. Southern England has just been invaded by aliens with death rays, yet the narrator could just as well be relating the time he watched a cricket match in Surrey.
Worth reading as a classic, especially if you forgive the narrative style.
 - 'H. G. Wells', 'Arthur C. Clarke')
The Time Machine
I wonder if vegans object to the Morlocks' diet?In what is now a classic of the Science Fiction genre, an un-named narrator has local dignitaries over to his place once a week to tell tall tales and show off his latest inventions to. On one of these evenings he limps in the worse for wear, in desperate need of a steak, and discusses his pocket flower collection.
When I was a kid I read a lot of the classic science fiction stories from the likes of HG Wells and Jules Verne. It has been so long since I've read them that I thought it was time to revisit these classics. While I can still fondly remember the 1960 movie - let us not speak of the 2002 adaptation ever - the book felt unfamiliar and akin to virgin reading material.
Whilst The Time Machine does deserve its place in history for influencing/creating Science Fiction as we know it (fantastical ideas explored, social issues analogised), as a novel it is lacking. One example of this is the lack of tension in scenes that are literally life or death struggles. Instead of fearing for the narrator's life and wondering how he'll survive, we are treated to a recounting of the events that could have instead been describing someone having a cup of tea while watching the rain out of the dining room window. A wondrous adventure told as though it was just another day at the office.
Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Two Vol. 2 (Injustice: Gods Among Us Year 2)
Just keeps getting better as the series goes on.
 - Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo)
Injustice: Gods Among Us Vol. 1
Enjoyable, well written, and has a bit of humour.But did the artwork have to be quite so.... cleavage centric for WW?
The Scam
When someone launders your money do they also iron and starch it? Why yes, I am a dad, why do you ask?Nick Fox and Kate O'Hare are once again using Nick's talents as a conman to take down criminals on the FBI's list of bad guys. This time they are after a casino owner who is helping launder money for anyone from mobsters to terrorists. Given the company he keeps, is it any surprise he has a tank of piranha in his office for 'negotiations'.
After being disappointed in the second instalment in this series, The Chase, I was unsure if I would read any more of the Evanovich and Goldberg series. I already had The Scam on loan from the library, so I decided to chance it. This was a rewarding decision as The Scam delivers an entertaining read.
I was disappointed with The Chase because it felt like an episode from one of those will-they-won't-they crime shows - such as Castle or Bones - during their declining years. You know, just as they are lining up the ramp over the shark cage. But The Scam felt like an early episode at the beginning of the series when Castle or Bones are still awesome, even though there are plot elements here that set this firmly later in the series (can't say more without major spoilers).
So skip The Chase and read The Scam.
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The Blade Itself
Decided to quit reading this book. Abercrombie has created a very gritty world that does feel more like what a pre-industrial world at war would actually be for the suffering characters. But that bleak and dark tone isn't what I want to be reading right now. So maybe another day.
The Chase
There is no con you can pull on a politician, given that they invented them all.Nic Fox and Kate O'Hare are once again teamed up as the will-they-won't-they odd couple. This time their mission is to recover a stolen artefact of national significance to the Chinese government. They have to steal it from the people who stole it before someone realises it was stol..... You get the idea.
I've read many Lee Goldberg and Janet Evanovich novels and have always found them humorous and entertaining. But The Chase felt like a by-the-numbers follow up to The Heist, a book that established a potentially good series. This was like an episode from a TV crime show like Castle, or Bones, or any of the dozens of those similarly constructed dramedies. And not an episode from the start of the series when it was good, but in those later episodes when they are lining up the ramp over the shark tank.
That isn't to say that The Chase fails to entertain, quite the contrary. This is a fun novel and series, but could feel a bit too formulaic.
Brave New World
Giving up on this classic. Several chapters in and no main characters, no real plot, just a heap of exposition. At least 1984 had a clear protagonist and plot to follow. If I'm going to be bashed over the head with world building and social criticism I want it to be engaging.
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Fire Touched
Who knew trolls were brightly coloured down there. Something to keep in mind during your next internet argument.Adam and Mercy's pack is quickly becoming the go-to problem solving group. Vampire dispute: call the pack. Wayward fae: call the pack. Troll rampaging on a bridge in town and threatening to kill everyone: call the pack. Since that isn't happening anywhere else, Mercy claims the Tri-cities as their territory and any and all are under their protection. Only took a few seconds for someone to take up the protection offer and give them another headache in the form of a fire-touched human hunted by the fae.
This instalment in the Mercy Thompson series sees some of the older conflicts resolved, only to be replaced by new conflicts as the importance of the Columbia Basin pack in the wider world grows. The way Patricia Briggs has gradually grown the Mercy's world, and the characters who live within it, has felt natural, whilst upping the stakes. Of course now that I'm up-to-date with the series, I have a fortnight to wait for the next instalment to be published.
Rick and Morty, Volume 4
"If I'm being too vague, I'm talking about your penis here."Are you missing Rick and Morty? Can you believe it has been 1 year, 4 months, and 9 days since the cliffhanger of Season 2? Can you believe we still have a month to wait for Season 3?
Well this collection of short adventures will tide you over. So many of these stories feel like lost episodes that we missed out on. It's a Ricklicious fix. Rick and Morty fans will enjoy this collection no end.
I received a digital copy of this collection ahead of release in exchange for an honest review, focussed on science.
Night Broken
If you are dyed blue are you at risk of being abducted by Smurfs?Mercy and Adam have an unwelcome house guest, Christy, Adam's ex-wife. She is fleeing a stalker who has killed at least one person and burned down a condo. Oh, and he might be a volcano god. Even more reason for Christy to try and manipulate her way back into Adam and the pack's life.
This instalment of the Mercy Thompson series is filled with tension. The injection of Christy back into the werewolf pack politics, the new enemy, the need to protect people who are trying to hurt you, and the suspicion of the werewolves being responsible for a rash of murders, could induce reader anxiety. Patricia Briggs has certainly left no obstacle out of Mercy's way in Night Broken.
Needless to say, the review of the next instalment, Fire Touched, will be coming soon.
Nine Princes in Amber
I'm confused: are gods meant to wear flowing robes or leggings and cloaks?Corwin awakes in a hospital after a car crash. Not everything is on the up and up, as the staff are keeping him overly sedated and aside from a lack of memory he appears to be healthy. He sets out on a quest to find out how he ended up in hospital and why all roads lead to Amber, whatever that is.
The Amber Chronicles by Roger Zelazny is a series that kept popping up in recommendations of awesome fantasy. So I found a copy of the first in the Corwin cycle to see what the fuss was about. Quite frankly, I'm still trying to figure out whether I understand what the fuss was about.
On the one hand this tale of gods roaming parallel worlds and fighting for the throne of the empire (Amber) has a lot of interesting and novel fantasy elements. On the other hand things just tend to happen without much in the way of tension. We are presented with the tyrant who has usurped the throne via a "hero" who sounds just as bad. This novel raises so many conflicting aspects that you could almost mistake it for a first draft of something that will be great. Maybe.
I'm not sure I'll read any more of the series despite how interesting the fantasy world on offer is.
