SF Book Project: Part 8
Nov. 9, 2010
I've started sending these less frequently because Ed was being overwhelmed. Nevertheless, the project continues.
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein. One of Heinlein's most popular novels. The plot is inspired by the American Revolution and concerns a rebellion of the lunar colonies against the their terrestrial oppressors. Heinlein is known for his libertarian ideology and that all comes to the fore here, but not in a tedious way as in his later novels. Making the revolution more interesting is the presence of a secret artificial intelligence named Mike. Mike serves as the de facto "face" of the revolution by synthesizing an image and voice and coordinating the revolutionary efforts.
The Fox Woman by Kij Johnson. A fantasy set in medieval Japan. A nobleman and his wife retreat to their country estate to rekindle their love-life. However, they find a family of foxes has moved in nearby and disrupt their plans.
Un Lun Dun by China Mieville. Mieville's first and only juvenile novel. Since Ed liked Perdido Street Station but disliked the subject matter, I thought he might prefer this. It twists the typical plotlines in juvenile fantasy and has carnivorous giraffes.
Gilgamesh the King by Robert Silverberg. This is Silverberg's adaptation of the epic of Gilgamesh, told in the style of a historical fantasy novel. I particularly like the way he renders the "magic" of the Sumerian gods. He brings the Sumerian culture to life in a satisfying way.
Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges. While not technically SF or Fantasy, Borges often straddles the line between genre and mainstream fiction. He's also one of the great inspirations of modern SF and Fantasy. This collection of short stories offers a good sample of his work. He is haunting without being creepy and thoughtful in unexpected ways. Some of my favorites are: "The Library of Babel," about an infinite library which contains copies of all possible books, "The Sect of the Phoenix," an interesting take on human reproduction, and "The Theologians," about a pair of medieval theologians who mutually accuse each other of heresy.