The Only Harmless Great Thing by Brooke Bolander

Author Brooke Bolander takes two unrelated historical events and ties them together in an effort to make a statement about the inherent darkness in humanity. Historically speaking, an elephant named Topsy was actually put to death by electrocution. The radium dial painters, whom you can read about in The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women, actually existed.

In this science fiction/alternative history story, elephants are a sentient race, forced to work where the radium girls once worked. And to bear the same lethal doses of radiation. It leads to a sad conclusion.

“The ‘greater good’, as you put it, was also used to justify the use of my people in your radium factories during the war, was it not? To save costs. To save your own from poisoning.” pg 32

This new history is reflected in a future narrative that takes place between the historical portions of the story. (You’ve got three stories being told from three different narrators. I didn’t find it confusing once I figured out that the author switched stories after each break on the page. But prior to that, I was grasping at straws.)

In this new future, the government is looking for a way to warn humankind away from nuclear waste sites. They decide to ask the elephants if they can alter their DNA, to make them glow in a version of a living “keep away” sign.

And so here Kat sits, tie straightened, hair teased heaven-high, waiting to meet with an elephant representative. Explaining the cultural reasons why they want to make the elephant’s people glow in the dark is going to be an exercise in minefield ballet…” pg 12

I felt like this book lessened each historical event rather than making them stronger by tying them together. They were both awful, yes, and sentient elephants deserve their own story. The women who suffered and died because no one shared the dangers of radiation with them, deserve their own story. Something far more than the simplistic alternative future Bolander gives them in which, yet again, elephants were about to be abused by human beings and confined to a nuclear wasteland.

“They will see how we shine, and they will know the truth.” pg 59

In some ways, it all reminded me of what was done to the Native American tribes. Which was also awful. And also deserves its own write-up.

Another quibble I had with this story, Bolander takes aim at the males of both species, painting them as both stupid and addicted to violence.

“The bull rolled one red eye to look up at her. He laughed with malice and with scorn, but most of all with madness. As is the way with bulls. … Furmother looked at him with sadness — because then as now We pitied the bulls, our Sons and Fathers and occasional Mates.” pgs 30-31

Can you imagine if those pronouns were reversed? “The Furmother rolled one red eye to look up at him. She laughed with malice and with scorn, but most of all with madness. As is the way with Furmothers…” I don’t believe in hurling hate or blame from either end of the spectrum. We’re all in this together.

On a more positive note, the curious collective intelligence of the elephants that the author hinted at was fascinating, as well as their different methods of communication. But this short story format doesn’t allow for an in-depth examination of this aspect of the story.

“They had blown raw red holes through the Many Mothers, hacked away their beautiful tusks, and the sky had not fallen and she had not mourned the meat. She was She — the survivor, the prisoner, the one they called Topsy — and She carried the Stories safe inside her skull, just behind her left eye, so that they lived on in some way.” pg 14

Elephants are something special. I’m reminded of the Romans and how they loved to kill people and all manner of animals in the Coliseum, except elephants. They banned killing elephants because they couldn’t stand to look the creatures in the eye as they died. There was something too sad to be borne that was communicated in the moments before an elephant’s death, something that crossed species lines.

That’s why I wanted this story to work. And, sadly, I just didn’t connect with it.

Thank you for reading!

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

A science fiction twist on the mystery genre — each morning a man, who can’t even remember his own name, wakes up in a different body at a party in the country. Each night, the daughter of the hosts dies. It is his job to solve the mystery to break the cycle. But where to begin?

“My dear man, what on earth happened to you?” he asks, concern crumpling his brow. “Last I saw —” … “We must fetch the police,” I said, clutching his forearm. pg 7

As the man lives the same day again and again, he discovers that he is not the only one trying to solve this mystery. And none of the people in the house are who they appear to be.

“A party?” she says, shaking her head. “Oh, my dear man, you really have no idea what’s happening here, do you?” pg 48

Any readers out there watch the television show, Quantum Leap, in the 80’s and 90’s? (It may be on Netflix now too, I don’t know.) I devoured that show every time it was on.

The television show is about a doctor named Sam Beckett who enters a time travel/quantum physics experiment and it goes terribly wrong. He finds himself stuck in the body of other people throughout history. He has to solve a mystery or right a wrong in each life and then he “leaps” into somebody else.

From the introduction to Quantum Leap: “And so Dr. Beckett finds himself leaping from life to life, striving to put right what once went wrong and hoping each time that his next leap will be the leap home.”

This story is quite similar to a mystery version of that show.

“Somebody’s going to be murdered at the ball tonight. It won’t appear to be a murder, and so the murderer won’t be caught. Rectify that injustice and I’ll show you the way out.” pg 68

I enjoyed it immensely. My only complaint is that the introduction is completely baffling until the author begins to drop clues about what’s going on. Other than that, prepare yourself for a twisting, complex ride through the same day, over and over again.

“Somebody wants me dead.” It feels strange to say it out loud, as though I’m calling fate down upon myself, but if I’m to survive until this evening, I’ll need to face down this fear.” pg 34

It doesn’t sound like very much fun, but similar to the film Groundhog Day, the reader soon discovers that much more goes on in one day than can be entirely lived through one viewpoint or life.

This book helped me ponder how complex life actually is. Imagine everything you’re missing by living each day in just one body.

Highly recommended for science fiction and mystery fans.

Thanks for reading!

Awakened (Awakened #1) by James S. Murray, Darren Wearmouth

A new subway line in New York City is being unveiled with fanfare, press coverage and even a visit from the President of the United States. When something goes terribly wrong, it becomes clear that an unspeakable evil has been released from the depths.

And they all said the devil didn’t actually exist…

Plodding dialogue and clumsy character development clog what otherwise would have been an action-packed science fiction read. The set up was so classic. The line, “the dwarves delved too deep”, kept running through my head.

“The workers shouted and pointed, but the noise of splitting granite drowned out their words. The ground beneath Grady’s feet disintegrated. He lunged for the cable, clutched it in a white-knuckled grip, and dangled over the newly formed black abyss.”pgs 8-9, ebook.

And once the evil emerges, I thought everyone took far too long to figure out what the heck was going on. For goodness sake, the President was right there. I mean, maybe in the face of unexplained phenomena, response times would be slowed down. But I had a hard time believing the incompetence.

“The majority headed to the food court while shooting nervous glances toward the train. Cops, now free from the burden of chaos, helped the injured to their feet and escorted them to triage. The five dead — one from the stampede, another shredded by the cafe window, and three at the hands of the Secret Service — were placed in a line and had jackets draped over their faces.” pg 18, ebook.

On the other hand, I did enjoy some of the tense moments. I liked the way journalists were portrayed, because of course they’d be there. Unless all newspapers go under… which, let me be clear, I don’t think anybody wants. But gosh, that’d make a good horror story, wouldn’t it.

“We’re sealing the second car of the train and taking refuge inside.” “Are you mad?” the Washington Post journalist called out. “There’s not a chance in hell I’m going near that subway train.” pg 37

If you take this story for what it is, like a summer blockbuster of a book rather than a serious work of science fiction, it’s fun enough. There’s thrills, chills and moments of terror.

“He had never subscribed to conspiracy theories or the far-fetched stories about monsters, but he couldn’t deny what he just saw. It hardly seemed believable. … This wasn’t terrorism. It was pure terror.” pg 52

Recommended for readers who are looking for a mildly entertaining book to pass the dark days of winter or the hot days of summer by a pool. This is like a “comfort food” option for horror and science fiction fans.

Thanks for reading!

The God Hunter (Field Ops #1) by Tim Lees

An interesting science fiction novel about a company that captures gods and transforms their energy into a commodity.

“The official view is, all we’re dragging up are imprints. Worship at a certain site for long enough, you charge it up. The power gets compressed, like coal.” pg 11, ebook.

When something goes wrong, as one would expect it to, the results are pretty bad. Chris Copeland is called in to clean it up. But there may be no stopping what happens next…

This book was like the film Ghostbusters, except instead of containing the ghosts like in the movie, they’re transmuting them somehow. Well, and the film has ghosts instead of gods. But, you see the similarities.

It’s an interesting idea. Everyone is looking to develop new, clean and renewable energy. What if we could mine that from emotions or other planes of existence? Would such a thing be possible? And what would be the costs?

“I don’t believe in premonitions. You only see them looking back, once the mind’s had the chance to make up shapes and patterns, and give form to random data. And yet now, in retrospect, it seems those days were full of omens, all trying to tell me something, circling me like softly-whispered threats.” pg 28

Chris is an interesting character. He embodies the “over-worked into absolute nonchalance” type. Chris and his coworkers are literally capturing gods and he’s like “so what?”. I imagine you could get used to anything after awhile, but his attitude was amusing to me.

Especially when you put him next to professional detectives later in the book. They have the exact same attitude except about criminals rather than spirit energy. It makes for a fascinating juxtaposition.

“It’s manna,” Martin Klein announced, matter-of-fact. “The stuff that fed the Israelites.” “Wrong desert,” I said. “You’d have to be a thousand miles east for that.” “Well.” He shrugged. “It gets around.” pg 74

Like any business that can generate enormous profits or be controlled by the government, the god-into-energy racket has attracted some unsavory and cutthroat characters. But the stakes are higher than simple wealth or power. A misstep could mean the end of the world.

I wanted this book to be more mystical, with more conspiracies, and more romance. I enjoyed the premise and the questions the story raised about people being people, no matter their level of technology. I also liked the character of Anna Ganz, the strong female detective.

I did not like how the author Tim Lees gave us very little context. I also didn’t like how he didn’t develop the characters much beyond the main two.

Recommended for science fiction readers who like their stories thick with questions and a bit thin on the answers.

Thanks for reading!

Circuit of Heaven by Dennis Danvers

“Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are. And thou sayest, How doth God know? Can he judge through the dark cloud? Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.”pg 14

Humanity has created a computer program that can contain a person’s soul within its code. The programmers have made a new world — one without disease, violence or hunger, where those who leave their bodies behind and enter it, can live forever.

Prior to this breakthrough, programmers learned how to implant portions of people’s personalities into biological bodies, to work as laborers and earn money for the ultimate project of building the new paradise. They called these creations, “constructs”.

Not everyone, including some leftover constructs, have chosen to take advantage of this “heaven” and entered the program. Religious fundamentalists and those who have other objections to entering have remained behind. However, society has broken down without the leaders, who entered the program along with billions of other souls. Food is hard to come by and wild packs of dogs roam the streets.

Nemo, for reasons he can’t totally explain even to himself, has chosen not to enter the program (commonly called ‘the Bin’) to be with his parents. But on a recent visit, he meets a beautiful woman and his life will never be the same.

Justine is a recent arrival to the Bin. But her memories are confused and she can’t remember where she has been for the past few weeks. Is it a programming error or indicative of a bigger problem with the Bin itself?

There were scare stories about people going into the Bin and breaking up like a virtual in a thunderstorm, that there were flaws in the crystalline structure of the Bin, and you could find yourself in nightmarish worlds that made no sense, completely alone.” pgs 12-13

I enjoyed the science fiction portions of this story and contemplating the power that humanity could one day potentially wield over life and death. With computers advancing the way they are, it’s not too hard to imagine that someone someday will figure out how to code a personality or soul. And that raises a whole host of other questions, doesn’t it.

What about the psychological effects of everything you could ever want being available at the touch of a button? What does it mean when a mother can program herself to look younger than her children? And what about children in a world without death? Should babies be uploaded immediately into the Bin or programmed from pure code without ever having existed in the real world?

The dilemmas go on and on. Beyond considering the hypothetical moral questions, I had a few problems with this book.

The characterizations were weak. A few of the major plot twists were clear well before they happened. But there was one, a big one, that I didn’t expect and it was pretty messed up. Then, the characters just seemed to get over it and move on. They had a few conversations and that was that. To be honest, it took me awhile longer. (No spoilers, but if you read this one, I’m certain you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.)

Then the ending, when it came, was too rushed, which was rather a shame. So, that’s why I gave this a middling review. The premise was fantastic. Then it devolved into a so-so science fiction.

Thanks for reading!

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

Binti Ekeopara Zuzu Dambu Kaipka of Namib is from a small tribe on Earth. They have the ability to use mathematics to create instruments called astrolabes that can read and interact with the energy of the universe. These astrolabes can be used for purposes ranging from a simple “phone call” to interpreting a person’s future.

Even among her people, Binti is extremely talented in this art. She is a mathematical genius who contemplates complex equations to enter a flow state. She is also the first from her tribe to be accepted at Oomza University.

I was the only Himba on the ship, out of nearly five hundred passengers. My tribe is obsessed with innovation and technology, but it is small and private, and, as I said, we don’t like to leave Earth. We prefer to explore the universe by traveling inward, as opposed to outward. pg 21

Can she leave everything and everyone she’s ever known or loved to go to the university?

Binti is a science fiction novella with an extraordinarily unique premise and world. But I felt it was complex enough that it would have been more enjoyable as a full length novel. I wanted to know more: about the Meduse, the astrolabes, the meditative “treeing” or mathematical contemplation.

“My people are the creators and builders of astrolabes,” I said. “We use math to create the currents within them. The best of us have the gift to bring harmony so delicious that we can make atoms caress each other like lovers.” pg 62

Perhaps that’s not fair of me, to expect more out of a novella rather than appreciate it for what it is. I mean, Binti is a Hugo and Nebula award winner. There is something almost magical about it. I could see this becoming an extraordinary science fiction series of books or even a television show.

Highly recommended for readers who appreciate science fiction short stories, which (apparently) isn’t my thing.

Thanks for reading!

Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory

A con-man and a highly talented psychic fall in love and have children with extraordinary talents. But this doesn’t automatically give them an extraordinary life. They struggle to hold down jobs and support each other, while mourning the loss of one of their members and a career in showmanship.

One night, years before this story takes place, the Telemachus family was on a late night show, introducing themselves to the world. But a skeptic proved a portion of their act to be fake and the family’s bookings all fell through. One of the members of the family, Frankie, blames the skeptic for the mediocre life they are living now… and worse.

“Archibald was a necessary evil,” Grandpa Teddy said. “He was the voice of the skeptic. If your mother had shown him up, the audience would have loved us for it. We could have gone to the stratosphere with that act.” “He was evil,” Frankie said. … “He killed Grandma Mo…” pg 19, ebook.

Though the head of the family, Grandpa Teddy, doesn’t have any legitimate powers to speak of (except a talent for manipulating cards), his children have a veritable cornucopia of abilities. Frankie can move metal objects with his mind, when he’s not under stress. Irene can tell if someone is telling her a lie. And the youngest, Buddy, can see the future so clearly that he calls his perceptions “memories”.

And their children have different powers too.

“That they were psychic was another Telemachus Family Fact, in the same category as being half Greek and half Irish, Cubs fans and White Sox haters, and Catholic.” pg 27, ebook.

The strength of this story is in the characters themselves. You really enjoy learning who these people are and seeing how they prevent themselves from being great. It’s also just a fun story about a large, semi-dysfunctional family. As someone from a large family myself, I felt right at home in this world (minus the extraordinary powers and most of the dysfunction).

One of my favorite characters, though he was a bit of a rogue, was Grandpa Teddy. He’s trying to keep his herd-of-cats family all pointed in the same direction while not having the advantage of extraordinary abilities beyond his own quick mind.

“The problem with getting old was that each day had to compete with the thousands of others gone by. How wonderful would a day have to be to win such a beauty contest? To even make it into the finals?” pg 196

I also liked Irene, the daughter who could tell if you were lying to her. I never considered how much the small untruths we tell each other grease the wheels of relationships and civil discourse.

This might be a good pick for a book club read. There are plenty of issues to discuss and powerful moments to dissect.

I may have enjoyed this book more if it had been primarily about the family’s abilities rather than real life drama. But I’m into superhero stories and epic fantasy. For readers who like to think about the impossible but not read a story where that sort of thing is the norm, this book may fit the bill.

Thanks for reading!

Reamde by Neal Stephenson

A former drug smuggler turned (mostly) straight-laced business man owns a multi-million dollar computer game, a refugee from Eritrea, a Hungarian computer hacker, a computer engineer, a further cast of international characters and the Russian mob all feature largely in Reamde. It is a science fiction novel by Neal Stephenson, but more than that.

This book will teach you about how flight paths are planned, how to properly check the safety on a firearm, and how the best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray.

“Thanks for coming all the way out from Vancouver,” Peter said. They had not introduced themselves, or shaken hands, just sized each other up and confirmed with nods that they were who they were.” pg 108, ebook.

Stephenson gives almost every character a full-fleshed out backstory and motivations. Sometimes he allows you into their mind to experience each nagging insecurity or existential crisis they may have.

He’s big into writing about body language, setting, and giving readers context on cultures or situations that she may not understand.

For example, the addictive quality of gaming for the non-gaming crowd: “She’d been awake for twenty-four hours. There was something deeply wrong about the situation, and the only thing that had kept her from simply running out the door of the building and flagging down the first car she saw and asking them to call 911 was the addictive quality of the game itself, her own ability to pull herself out of the make-believe narrative that she and Wallace had found themselves in.” pg 150, ebook.

Or making plans. Stephenson also enjoys writing about his characters concocting plans: “It is a classic Dilbert situation where the technical objectives are being set by management who are technically clueless and driven by these, I don’t know, inscrutable motives.” “Then we just need to scrutinize them harder. Do what those guys in the high-tech companies do.” “Which is what?” “Set expectations. Look busy. File progress reports.” pg 198, ebook.

And it is a long read. My ebook clocked in around 1420 pages. So, definitely not for the impatient reader. I found myself wanting more to happen and less agonizing by the characters.

That being said, if you invest the time in it, the last dozen or so chapters of Reamde are incredibly satisfying. You know the characters, you’ve been with them through all sorts of insane situations, and when Stephenson starts bringing them all together in the most unlikely and unexpected ways… it is very good.

But you have to make it that far first.

I’m not explaining this book and its attributes very well, but it may be one of those books you just have to experience for yourself. I picked it up on the recommendation of a friend and was not disappointed.

But I don’t think I’m going to immediately go running for the next Stephenson epic. Or maybe I will…

If you’re into epic-length science fiction, you may want to check out The Abominable by Dan Simmons

Thanks for reading!

The Autumnlands, Vol. 2: Woodland Creatures (The Autumnlands #2) by Kurt Busiek

The curious fantasy/science fiction graphic novel series The Autumnlands continues in volume two: Woodland Creatures.

In the last book, the chosen one, “Learoyd”, a violent and profanity-laden human from the future or, perhaps, the distant past, was summoned by a group of magic-wielding, sentient animals to save their world from the disappearance of magic.

But the effort of summoning Learoyd was so great, that it caused one of their sky-roving cities to crash to the earth. On the earth, there were tribes of violent and power-hungry creatures waiting for their chance to plunder the riches of the sky.

That entry ended with an epic explosion and fight with a bison tribe.

In this book, Learoyd and Dusty, a magic-wielding pit bull who recently lost his father, venture into the wilds of earth to discover who is poisoning the animals and continue searching for a way to bring back the magic that continues to disappear from the world.

Dusty, though young, is no dummy and Learoyd isn’t quite what the animals were hoping he would be.

The great champion of legend- the hero we’d thought him to be- would have sallied forth just because it was the right thing to do. But this champion… I was learning that legends were a poor guide. He had reasons for all he did. His own reasons. Whether I understood or not…”

This graphic novel is surprising in its treatment of the themes of power, magic and betrayal. I like how the animals tell the story about how everything that happens one way, but the reality of what happens seems to be something else.

It is an interesting examination of the power of storytelling and the construction of legends. What is truth? How much is magic simply technology that isn’t understood yet?

“This f-ing world. I thought it was a dream, at first. It comes off goofy, all badgers and warthogs in fancy robes and sh*t. Like a kids’ story. But there’s just as much sh*t here as there is anywhere, isn’t there?”

I didn’t particularly like how much Learoyd uses profanity, but it certainly gives him character.

This series is for adults. It contains adult themes, nudity, profanity and violence. And yet, I think it is worth the reading.

It asks big questions. It uses fantasy to explore strange worlds and the human condition. Recommended.

Thanks for reading!

The Help Desk Book Blog

Sharing reviews and deep thoughts about life.

Tag: Science Fiction

The Only Harmless Great Thing by Brooke Bolander

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Awakened (Awakened #1) by James S. Murray, Darren Wearmouth

The God Hunter (Field Ops #1) by Tim Lees

Circuit of Heaven by Dennis Danvers

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory

Reamde by Neal Stephenson

The Autumnlands, Vol. 2: Woodland Creatures (The Autumnlands #2) by Kurt Busiek

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