The Hydrogen Sonata (Culture #10) by Iain M. Banks

The Hydrogen Sonata
Culture #10
Iain M. Banks

Front cover

Date read: 5 - 20 December 2019
Length: 605 pages (630 with interview and glossary)
Published: 2012


The Gzilt civilisation are getting ready to Sublime, but not everyone is sure about it. There's reason to believe the Book of Truth is not all it seems. On a quest to find out for herself, Cossont seeks the oldest person ever known; Ximenyr. Will she Sublime with the rest of the Gzilt?


I liked Cossont. She wanted to know the truth and she set out to find it. She didn't let other people tell her what to think and she wanted to find information for herself.

The elevenstring is interesting, and even now I still can't picture what it would look like. I have this sort of image of a really big guitar, but I could be way off! The idea that an instrument was invented to play a specific piece of music is a bit baffling, but amusing at the same time.

There were some surprises and the things that sticks out (no pun intended) the most, is the man with all the penises! I was just reading along, and bam, there he is! Funny, if a little unusual.

This book is really a 3.5* but I don't do halves! There were some things that were really interesting that I liked reading, and other bits were a bit slow and drawn out.

Well, that's it. The last in the Culture series. I can't quite believe it's come to an end. It has been a wild ride, I've found some better than others, but none that I didn't enjoy. It's not the end of Banks for me however, as I have some more of his books, under both names. I imagine it'll be a few years before I get to them though.




Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox

The Slave Dancer
Paula Fox

Front cover

Date read: 1 - 4 December 2019
Length: 143 pages
Published: 1973 (1974 in UK)


A young boy named Jessie is taken and forced on the slave ship The Moonlight. He is to play music on his pipe to make the slaves dance and keep them exercised. He learns about what ship life is like, and the true nature of slavery. All he wants to do is go home.


Set around 1840, this is a haunting tale of the realities of what it might have been like aboard just one slave trading ship. It makes you realise how far we've come in terms of equal rights, although we still have a ways to go!

I feel sorry for Jessie. He must have been very scared, he was only 13 when he was kidnapped and forced aboard the ship. He was very brave and stood up for himself where appropriate.

Luckily there was one decent man aboard the ship, Benjamin Stout. He looked out for Jessie and helped him when he could. He had someone he could talk to and I think that helped keep him sane.

It was a little bit strange reading a story with a few pictures through it, but I enjoyed it! It's interesting to see how the image in my mind compares with that of the picture in the book.


A thought provoking story.




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The Wee Librocubicularist

Lost Boy by Christina Henry

Lost Boy
Christina Henry

Front cover

Date read: 23 - 30 November 2019
Length: 318 pages
Published: 2017


Jamie is the first ever boy to be taken by Peter to the Island, with promises of fun and adventure, somewhere you'll never grow up. But it's not really like that at all. Peter is mysterious and keeps many secrets. Boys die and are replaced. There's pirates and the Many-Eyed after them. And when a girl comes to the Island, everything changes.

ALL

CHILDREN

GROW UP

EXCEPT ONE...

I was given this book by a friend because they know I have read Peter Pan and they thought it would interest me. They were not wrong! Lost Boy is based on the original story, but set before then, when Peter was first taking boys to the Island. It is told from the perspective of Jamie, the first boy ever taken, and we learn about what life on the Island is really like.

It is nice that this story has a different viewpoint because it makes it fresh. You can read this story without ever having read Peter Pan and it still makes sense. It's not a re-telling because it's a different story, just set in the same world.

If you like Peter, this is maybe not the book for you, because at the end you will not. Actually, pretty early on you will realise he's not who we are led to believe. He's selfish, advocates murder and just views the boys as his playthings. They are replaceable, and when one dies he just goes to get more.

One thing I thought interesting was the idea of the magic behind them never growing up. When Peter takes the boys to the Island, they are led to believe the Island is the magical place, and just because they are there that they will never grow up, but that's not the case, as Jamie figures out. I don't want to spoil anything.

A good read based on a classic.

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Surface Detail (Culture #9) by Iain M. Banks

Surface Detail
Culture #9
Iain M. Banks

Front cover

Date read: 7 - 22 November 2019
Length: 627 pages
Published: 2010


Lededje is murdered by the richest man in the area; Veppers. Luckily, and unknown to her, a neural lace was put in her head and she reconstructs somewhere very far away. In a new body, she wants revenge. Will she be successful?


I quite liked Led, although at first I thought she was much younger than she actually is, and I was surprised when I found out how old she really is. She seems very childish at first, and I wondered if she's lived a sheltered life?

The markings on the skin are interesting, and it's not just the skin, even the whites of the eyes are marked. Unfortunately these beings are regarded as less than those without them. Typical human nature!

Veppers is evil, that's the only word for it. An utterly despicable person who only cares about himself and his money. He angers me so much.

You got to see more of the ships again, which is good because the series is nearly finished!


I'm looking forward to finishing the series!




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The Wee Librocubicularist

The Truth About These Strange Times by Adam Foulds

The Truth About These Strange Times
Adam Foulds

Front cover

Date read: 30 October - 6 November 2019
Length: 324 pages
Published: 2007


Howard is working in a gym when an old lady collapses, and he visits her every day in the hospital. The family of the lady; Les, Barbara, and their son Saul, take Howard in and he works as their gardener. Saul is described as a genius, and going to participate in the World Memory Championships. But Saul begins to be unwell with the stress of it all, so Howard takes him away. What adventures will they have?


I really like Saul, and I feel sorry for him with all the pressure he gets from his parents. It's like he's not really a kid. He has to go to school, and then at home he is made to prepare for the memory championship. He pretty much has no free time to be a kid.

Howard did a very risky thing, but for good reasons. He could see the amount of pressure Saul was under, and the effects it was having on him. So he took him away from that and let him have a little time away. But in effect, it was kidnapping. His parents didn't know where they were, how long they would be gone, or even if Saul was alive.

Besides from his life with Saul and family, Howard has some things of his own to deal with, like the marriage to Irina so she can come to the country. I still have a question over whether they will get married or not.

I feel like there needs to be a second book, perhaps set about five years in the future to explain what happens to Howard and Saul.


I quite enjoyed this read!

Adam Foulds

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The Wee Librocubicularist

In the Miso Soup by Ryu Murakami

In the Miso Soup
Ryu Murakami

Front cover

Date read: 25 - 29 October 2019
Length: 180 pages
Published: 1997 (2005 in Britain)


Kenji is hired by an overweight American called Frank, to take him on a tour of Tokyo's nightlife. A tour unlike any other. But Kenji begins to realise Frank's behaviour is rather odd, and suspects he may actually be a murderer. With his girlfriend Jun, can they get themselves out of the horrible situation alive?


I must confess I had no idea what this book was about before I started reading, and I was a bit surprised! Nevertheless I quite enjoyed the story.

I like Kenji and I didn't want anything bad to happen to him. I think he comes across as more innocent as he actually is, but he's not a bad man and just trying to make a living. He doesn't want to get Jun involved and tries to keep her out of it as much as possible.

Frank is a psychopath! He has many, many issues. Besides his behaviour, we know that's not actually his real name. Kenji handled him very well.


An interesting read that I was not prepared for!




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The Wee Librocubicularist

Matter (Culture #8) by Iain M. Banks

Matter
Culture #8
Iain M. Banks

Front cover

Date read: 10 - 24 October 2019
Length: 593 pages
Published: 2008


Ferbin's father, King Hausk, is murdered by his best friend. Believed to be dead, no-one knows he has witnessed this cruel act. He flees, attempting to find his sister, Djan Seriy Anaplian, who works in Special Circumstances for the Culture, to inform and warn her. Their brother Oramen, is to inherit the throne when he comes of age, but is his life in danger?


I liked the characters but I didn't feel a particular attachment to one. Of course, there were some characters I definitely didn't like.

I wanted Tyl Loesp brought to justice! He's a bad, bad man. It's one thing to kill the king for power, but when that same man is your best friend, that's just evil on another level. I suppose you never really know who people are.

The relationship Djan has with everyone is so strained. She's barely even a member of the family after being sent away, but it's good that her brothers still think of her as their sister. You can tell they love each other, but maybe don't really know how to show it. The unfortunate circumstances bring them together a bit, which is nice.


Looking forward to the last 2 in the series!




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The Wee Librocubicularist