Book Review: Four Came Back

An interesting little book by Martin Caiden that I found in a used paperback book store. Interesting because the book was written just before the Apollo 11 moon landing, but is about an international space station. Mr. Caiden saw the future, 30 years ago!

I added this book to my stack because it sounded so intriguing. Some alien infection/disease/bad space air(?) attacks a mission in space wiping out nearly the entire crew, only a scant four lucky survivors barely make it back alive. How many dies in the devastation in the confined quarters of the space station? 70? 100? More? After reading the book it turned out that the entire crew was only eight! So that was a little disappointing. The back cover had built it up to be a bit more dramatic.

The story starts (as all good short stories start, or so I am told... in the middle). The infection has hit the station. Deaths have occurred. Earth will not allow the crew to return with with unknown space virus which could wipeout the entire population. They are trapped in space. What will the Captian do?

Then Caiden goes into the backstory. Of the mission, the history, and the characters. Every character. And their relationships to each other. Finally after 100 pages we finally get back to a story line. I thought it was a bit much, and didn't care for THAT much backstory.

Based on the title don't think I'm giving anything away by saying that indeed, the crew does figure 'something' out, and four members of the members do successfully return to Earth.

Overall, I would have to say this one was not a classic tale.

Grade: D

McDoogle

Your mission: Sign up with the Cosmonauts to visit the current International Space Station. Look for discrepancies in the kitchen facilities. Missing sets of dinner plates, etc. File a report with NASA when you return.

Book Review: Interesting Times

I thought I would take another stab at reading a Terry Pratchett novel. While I've never been enamoured with the few novels I've read in the DiscWorld series, I was told by a friend that this was one of the better ones. I've much preferred the Xanth fantasy series in the past.

But I really did like this one the best. One reason was that Rincewind the Wizzard was a main character, my favorite Discworld character. Rincewind is a wizard (much like most of the wizards in Discworld) with seemingly no magical ability whatsoever except a strong innate sense of when to Run Away. Yet Rincewind is continually put in impossible dangerous situations, and always manages to 'miraculously' save himself and those around him. Two Flower the tourist swears by him.

But the characters who steal the story are the Silver Horde led by Cohen the Barbarian. Six old men, former Gladiators, who refuse to retire! Fighting, conquering, and pillaging is their life... and their art. Even wheelchair bound Hamish (a wheelchair with knives!), refuses to go out without a fight - despite being hard of hearing. Lead by Cohen the Barbarian, they go on a conquest to defeat the kingdom of Hunghung.

This novel also had some very witty lines. The one I remember best is when Rincewind is in prison with TwoFlower the tourist:
Rincewind: "Do we get fed in here?"
Two Flower: "Oh, sometimes. But it's not like the marvelous food in Ankh-Morpork."
Rincewind: "Really."
Two Flower: "I'll always remember the taste of Mr. Dibbler's sausages."
Rincewind: "People do."
Two Flower: "A once-in-a-lifetime experience."
Rincewind: "Frequently."

I started reading this book very very slowly ( a few pages every other day), but the pieces all seemed to start coming together about midway, and I started reading faster. And overall I now recommend the book.

I'm not sure what the Quantum Weather Butterfly had to do with anything. It was hinted that the butterfly was going be a critical factor to the storyline, but whatever it was, it didn't see it.

May you live in Interesting Times!

Grade: B-

McDoogle

PS. Your Challenge: Find an old CD you no longer listen and create your own Discworld. Anything from Neil Diamond would make a great one.