Changes

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Gavin Deas AllTomorrowsFutureCover|title=Empires: Infiltration|rating=3.5|genre=Science Fiction|summary=When is a book, not a book? When it is an experiment of course! Empires: Infiltration is one part of a two book series that explores the same story from differing points of view. I started reading the other half, [[Empires: Extraction by Gavin Deas|EmpiresAll Tomorrow's Futures: Extraction]], first, but can now fill in some of the narrative gaps as I start again. This time we view an alien threat by the race known as The Pleasure, through the eyes of Corporal Noel Barnes. By book’s end, will I have an appreciation of this daring literary experiment, or will I conclude Fictions that narrative has been the same for hundreds of years for a reason?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>057512928X</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewDisrupt|author=Justin Richards|title=The Blood Red City Benjamin Greenaway and Stephen Oram (Never War 2Editors)

|summary=Unbeknown to most ''Opening up new ways of thinking about the world who have their eyes on the unfolding events shape of World War II, the alien Vril continue their invasionthings to come. There are those among the allies who know that the conflict has taken an other-worldly turn. For instance British Intelligence's Guy Pentecross continues to do what he can along with Sarah Diamond who is now SOE trained so can handle herself, thank you very much! While the Vril continue to seep into the consciousness of those they find useful, they seem to have turned their attention to some ancient archaeological artefacts. Will our heroes understand the significance before it's too late? Oh and are you afraid of cats? No? Give it a little while…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>009195598X</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=Gavin Deas |title=Empires: Extraction|rating=3|genre=Science Fiction|summary=I will take my hat off to any author or authors who partake of experimental fiction; trying to do something a little differently to push new ground've heard it said that 'technology' is what happens after you're eighteen. HoweverWell, I will jam must confess that hat right back onto there have been more than a few decades of technology in my head if said book forgoes the basic need lifetime. I've kept up reasonably well with what's advantageous to entertain in preference of being something me but I'Meaningfulm left with the feeling that it's all getting away from me. Some of it is - frankly - quite frightening. Gavin DeasOf course, a combination of authors Gavin Smith I could research the possibilities and the probabilities and Stephen Deas, have tried to do something different, but does it work?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>057512900X</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|title=The Book of Strange New Things|author=Michel Faber|rating=4|genre=Science Fiction|summary=In end up down rabbit holes without really understanding whether I'm reading someone who knows what they'Under re talking about or the Skin'', Michel Faber fused ordinary, contemporary surroundings with an element of science fiction to spectacular successlatest conspiracy theorist. He's repeated the trick I needed people I knew I could trust and who could deliver information in The Book of Strange New Things which once again matches an unlikely sci-fi conceit with the crushingly familiar to impressive effecta way I could understand.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782114068</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=DescentSylvie Cathrall|authortitle=Ken MacLeodA Letter to the Luminous Deep

|summary=In the relatively near future, two schoolboys climb a hill near their small Scottish town. They encounter some sort of craft, that emits a white light and knocks the boys out for several hours. It's only later that one of the boys, Ryan, realises he was abducted by Aliens.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1841499420</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|title=The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy - The Nearly Definitive Edition|author=Douglas Adams|rating=5|genre=General Fiction|summary=There are few series that have garnered such greater joys than a cult following as 'The Hitchhikers Guide book which lives up to the Galaxy'a compelling premise. Whether the fans have come from the radio series, the (impossibly hard) computer game, or the (well intentioned but not particularly good) film, they are everywhere. Ask a room of people what the meaning And this is one of life is, and you can be pretty sure a good few will pipe up with '42' as the answerthem.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0434023396</amazonuk>0356522776

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1803816759|title=SparkThe Unravelling|author=John Twelve HawksWill Gibson

|summary=Jacob Underwood It's 2038 and Joe is deada bored cop policing the wealthy and peaceful New York City. At least, he thinks he isJoe longs for a bit of adventure and to get stuck into some really gritty crime detection. Suffering But then something goes horribly wrong with the after effects of a traumatic accidentAI system that now runs everything, Jacob believes he is deadmaking life easier for many, just a spark existing inside a bodyand riots start to spread. Finally, but unable Joe gets to fully interact with anything around himdo some real policing. Emotionally detached In the aftermath of the rioting global pop star Suki is kidnapped and living in a shadowy, silent world, Jacob Joe is assigned to bring her home. Joe isn't the ideal assassin. When a new hit is assigned only one trying to himsave Suki - Dylan, Jacob must prepare himself - a British superfan and his journey will change both his selftech nerd, and how he sees is also on the world around himcase.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0593073312</amazonuk>What went wrong? Did the system fail or was it hacked? And how is Suki's kidnapping connected?

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=B0CP95J1CG|title=Of Ghosts & Broken Promises

|genre=TeensScience Fiction|summary=Alert: if you havenRonan't read s not entirely sure why he decides to go to the first two Tesla books, this contains spoilersparty but his interest is piqued by the way it arrived. So if you'd And it seems like a good opportunity to come back once you've read them?Sebastian and his friends finally get out of his room and away from the Hive but did online activities he makes a living at. So he do it in the right makes his way or has he caused a chain reaction that will destroy there, dodging the world? Seb and Melanie don't have too much time to reason buses that out though as they travel across Australia to continue make up most of the war against the cyborgs traffic and watching the mysterious Irislocal energy storage indicator lights. Should be enough power. Hopefully. Perhaps if Seb realised they were taking one of the most dangerous foes with him, they'd reconsider the passenger list?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0992593514</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=The Hive ConstructK P O'Donnell|authortitle=Alexander MaskillThe Vital Link (A Spark in the Ashes)

|summary=New Cairo VL-15, a prototype robot, is desperate to understand who she is a city on lockdown. A strange new virus has appearedUnfortunately, before she could find any answers, seemingly from nowherethe world ended, affecting a large percentage consumed in an apocalyptic war between the nations of the population and indiscriminately shutting down their ''bio augs'';artificial limbs Drexel and organsRenada. Until the virus can be containedOver half-a-century later, no one civilisation is starting to rebuild. Dr Amelia Wong is allowed determined to leave the citycontinue her father's legacy, building a decision that does not go world where machines and humans can live together in harmony, but internal frictions and external enemies might bring it all crashing down well with those as yet unaffected and keen to remain that wayagain. Despite the quarantineCraig Anderson, someone is actually trying to break INTO the city; leader of a gifted hacker group of salvagers called Zala Ulora who plans to destroy the virus Exhumers, has his entire life turned upside down when he unearths a prototype combat robot: none other than VL-15 herself. Even after being buried for 65 years, her determination hasn't diminished in the hope that the resulting gratitude of the authorities will clear her criminal record. The city is a dangerous place to beslightest, howeverand no errant machine, as a rising mass of rebels seek to break free from quarantine no savage human tribe and the source of the spreading virus seems untraceable.not even Drexel's ravaged ecosystem will stop her on her quest for answers…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857522213</amazonuk>B0CKRYFRZM

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=Lock InEmily Tesh|authortitle=John ScalziSome Desperate Glory

|summary=The Hayden disease started off looking like the common flu''While Earth's children live, but when people fell into comas and did not come out again we realised this was something very different. Twenty years later and society has moved on, with millions of Americans locked into their bodies a new culture has developed; one of coma patients being able to control androids or other people. So when a murder happens is it the body, or the mind that inhabits the body that is at fault? It is up to FBI agents Chris Shane and Leslie Vann to discover.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>B00LCRWCGU</amazonuk>}}enemy shall fear us''

{{newreview|title=Replica|author=Jack Heath|rating=4.5|genre=Teens|summary=There is a tendency for adults to feel embarrassed about reading young adult fictionFollowing the destruction of the Earth, but this book demonstrates that a focus on a younger character shouldn’t prevent a wider audience from enjoying a good story. ''Replica'' is amongst a strange and compelling combination rare number of action, mysterysurvivors, thriller and science-fiction. Heath Kyr has even included a hint been raised on Gaea Station – the home of the last scraps of a romance. There is something for everyone humanity – and trained relentlessly to avenge her people and although the book raises some challenging and thought-provoking problemsworld that should have been hers. All her life, the text is easy-she has been conditioned to-readfall in line, immersive to fulfil her duty and unpretentiousensure that humanity perseveres.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>019273766X</amazonuk>0356521834

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=AfterpartyM R Carey|authortitle=Daryl GregoryInfinity Gate

|summary=People have been taking pills and seeing God for years, but in I'm annoyingly picky when it comes to science fiction. Not because it'Afterpartys a genre I dislike – nothing of the sort. My standards are high precisely because it's a hard genre to get right – and when it' Daryl Gregory is taking s bad, it's often terrible. But the idea premise of smart drugs one step furtherInfinity Gate had me hooked. What happens if after a particularly bad trip you have an omnipresent God with you? Is A concept this intriguing felt like a sense of wellbeinghigh-stakes gamble: if it was done well, or are you now just schizophrenic? In the near future people take drugs not only for their cures, but also their side effects and seeing deities may it'd be the worst side effect of allfantastic. So this is where I sum up that premise.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1783294582</amazonuk>0356518043

{{newreview|title=The Dark Between ''Beautiful Shining People'' revolves around the Stars|author=Kevin J Anderson|rating=3|genre=Science Fiction|summary=From my experience Opera should be left to fans question of the art form, or BBC4identity and acceptance. However, there is one sort of opera that I will take notice of, the Space Opera – a term that encompasses science fiction on an epic scale eOf what it means to be human.g. Dune. Starting an all-new Space Opera Of what is a daunting task for both reader real and writer. In ‘The Dark Between the Stars’what is artificial, Kevin J Anderson not only had to create new worlds full of interesting characters, but we and whether the reader have to get our head around all the concepts at once. Therefore, having the story told from the point development of view of up to twenty different people technology is probably not the wisest thing to doexciting or frightening.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>B00K1HRZKK</amazonuk>191458564X

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1739593901|title=Koko Takes a Holiday22 Ideas About The Future|author=Kieran SheaBenjamin Greenaway and Stephen Oram (Editors)

|summary=Pulp science fiction is not as easy a genre to carry off as you may think; it takes ''Our future will be more complex than just a voluptuous catsuit-wearing alien firing off laser cannons (but that can only help)we expected. Pulp is often just that; pulp. It should be shredded Instead of flying cars, we got night-vision killer drones and used automated elderly care with geolocation surveillance bracelets to soak up the juices in landfill, but when it is done right, it can be excellent. When someone writes a book that is darkly funny, intelligent and a little ultraviolent, you may just have the perfect mix. A perfect mix called ‘Koko Takes a Holiday’, by Kieran Sheatrack grandma.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781168601</amazonuk>}}''

{{newreview|title=Theatre I've got a couple of the Gods|author=M Suddain|rating=3.5|genre=Science Fiction|summary=M Francisco Fabrigas – unfortunate Arsenal FC connection aside – is worthy of your attentionconfessions to make. For I'm not only has he proven keen on short stories as I find it easy to read a few stories and then forget to return to be one of the longer-lasting humans in this universe, he has also been in other universesbook. And at the same, other universeThere's Fabrigasgot to be a very compelling hook to keep me engaged. Then there's have come to visit us – or is science fiction: far too often it 's the other way round? technology which takes centre stage along with the world-building. Either way, he has been engaged in an epic adventure where he ends up on a moon full of toxic plants, and inside dread behemoths, It's human beings who fascinate me: the technology and fought to make his way through various universes against galactic popes and worse, all in the company of two unfortunate young people – a vicious and caring deaf lad who is more or less a kung-fu-powered computer chip, and a caring but blind young female saviourworld scape are purely incidental. Both are needed to save the universe – or was it fewer So, what did I think of them, but more universes? This a book is the much-sought-after, long-lost, often-censored account of his derringtwenty-dotwo science fiction short stories? Well, as close to being from the horse's mouth as is possible, and with the sheer complexity of the circumstances and contrivances on every page, we should be gratefulI loved it.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099575647</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=The Forever WatchMark Lingane|authortitle=David RamirezGalaxy

|summary=Great science fiction Spark, who is made up of many partsan elite pilot with the Space Academy, but three things are vital for barely makes it to become through a battle alive. His co-pilot was not so fortunate. Waking from a classic; world buildingcoma that lasted years, story he remembers little and characteris in no physical shape to resume his duties. If one of these three elements But Earth is slightly below the others, a great novel can be punishedunder threat and he must. In ‘The Forever Watch’ Returned by Daniel Ramirez we have a fantastic world in his superiors to the form of the spaceship Noahspace station, he finds himself amid a great character in last ditch attempt to save humanity - and not just from the form of Hanaalien threats against it, but does the story quite match up to the rest?also from its own sins against itself. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>144478790X</amazonuk>B09X3NZ76W

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Nnedi OkoraforTade Thompson|title=LagoonFar From the Light of Heaven|rating=4.5

|summary=Three people walk along Michelle 'Shell' Campion is fulfilling her lifelong dream of going to space. As first officer aboard the sleeper ship Ragtime, bound for the world of Bloodroot, she will essentially be a Lagos beach as babysitter for the world changesship's AI captain. Adaora is strolling However, when she wakes up at the end of her trip to clear find dozens of her head passengers butchered and try the Ragtime's AI almost non-responsive, she begins to understand why realise that her husband hit her earlier tonightfirst mission won't be going as smoothly as she hoped it would. Rap artist Anthony (known Down on Bloodroot, disgraced investigator Rasheed Fin and his android partner Salvo are sent up to his parents as Edgar) is having a post-gig wanderdiscover exactly what went wrong on the Ragtime. The thirdMeanwhile, Aguformer astronaut and friend of Shell's father Lawrence Biz takes a shuttle to Bloodroot, is covered half-alien daughter in blood. The fact that he's on tow, to see why the beach is immaterial; he just needs help. Then it happens. A boomRagtime has gone quiet, a bat falls stunned from leaving behind the sky politicking and then nothing is bureaucracy of Space Station Lagos. What the same again. The strangers' futures all become one and five of them discover on the creature arrives; Ragtime has ramifications not just for Bloodroot, but potentially the creature they call Ayodele.entirety of human space…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444762753</amazonuk>0356514323

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=The Burning DarkClaire North|authortitle=Adam ChristopherNotes from the Burning Age

|summary=In spaceAt its core ''Notes From the Burning Age'' by Claire North is a spy thriller, with as many double crosses, no one can hear you scream interrogations and for the skeleton crew of the U-Star Coast City this is redundant anyway night time escapes as no one cares if they doLe Carre or Fleming. Captain Abraham Idaho Cleveland is about to start early retirementHowever, but he is given one last job overseeing the dismantling of this space station that orbits a forbidding star that gives off an eerie radiation. With only a couple of hundred people left on as with the massive stationbest novels, it wears many masks and its most affecting one is pretty quiet. This makes it easier to hear the things going bump in the night – that of a night that continues 24 hours.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1783292016</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|title=Exnew and timely genre, cli-Purgatory|author=Peter Clines|rating=3.5|genre=Science Fiction|summary=A book in the Science fi, or climate change fiction genre can easily get wrapped up inside itself if it not careful e.g. a dream on top North's novel tells of a vision, set in a future alternative world. Juggling all these concepts devastated by climate change where humans have been forced to start anew and creating a novel that is entertaining live alongside nature without any of the modern and at least in some way believable is not easycorrupting "luxuries" (read: fossil fuels, weapons of mass destruction, intensive farming). This There is proven in Peter Clines’ ''Ex-Purgatory''a growing unhappiness with this limiting world, and one group, the fourth outing in Brotherhood, aims to master these processes no matter the Ex series. Our heroes are used cost to being surrounded by the undead, but at the start of this novel they wake up in their old livesEarth. What is a dream and what is a reality?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>B00HE6AX3C</amazonuk>0356514757

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=LibriomancerAdrian Tchaikovsky|authortitle=Jim C HinesShards of Earth|rating=4.5|genre=FantasyScience Fiction|summary=Pulp fantasy may be frowned upon Eighty years ago, Earth was destroyed, warped into an unrecognisable shape by some who believe that novels should be about emotionsthe moon-sized aliens known as the Architects. Humanity is scattered, inner journeys and despairconstantly fleeing as world after world falls to the architect's reshaping. Fantasy and science fiction can have all these things as wellThen, but just when they can also be funhad the human race on the run, the Architects vanished. And so, the memories of the war fades, heroes are forgotten, entertaining and laser pistolshumanity begins to fracture and fight among themselves. ‘Libriomancer’ by Jim C Hines is a great example. It is a book that follows Isaac VainioIdris Telemmier, a Libriomancer who has man genetically engineered to try and communicate with the power Architects, does not want to draw magic from booksbe remembered. He must use this gift But, when he and the crew of the salvage ship he calls home discover what appears to good effect when one day, whilst sitting comfortably cataloguingbe recent Architect activity, suddenly he is attacked by three vampiresthrust back into the spotlight. Does that sound fun As he and his allies bounce from star system to you? If sostar system, chased by alien crime syndicates, read on; if nothuman secret police and rich slavers, this may not be he slowly begins to realise that the book for you.real war is only just getting started…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0091953456</amazonuk>1529051886

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=Snowpiercer Vol.2 - The ExplorersTerry Miles|authortitle=Benjamin Legrand and Jean-Marc RochetteRabbits

|genre=Graphic NovelsScience Fiction|summary=All Welcome to the world of humankind is living on a single trainThe Game. Oh sorry, as this is the sequel, make Or should that two trains. Launched on the same tracks as be the original Snowpiercergame, but clearly at a slight removefor while it ought to be capitalised to high heaven, was a second mile-long behemoth of a trainit never leaves lower case throughout this book. It's also called Rabbits, designed with the latest high tech to be completely self-sustaining although only as a slangy term for it travelled ceaselessly on the tracks encircling a frozen Earth– as far as anyone knows, waiting for the time the world was inhabitable once more. But the high tech on boardit has no official title, complete with lemon farmsno official source, no hard and differing qualities of virtual holidays depending on cost fast structure, and class to the average person no obvious entry point. A bit like the game of customerlife then. Yes, has not put paid to one aspect this is the game of life for a certain tribe of society people – and in fact the sole aspect fan of society not featured in [[Snowpiercer Vol.1 - The Escape by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette|the first book]] – religion. Some people are fearing conspiracy, the end timecomputer game, when the Icebreaker crashes into hack from the original Snowpiercerdarkest of webs. Some believe they're duped into People like our hero, K, named like that in the whole train idea, least Kafkaesque manner possible. K and his bezzies are in fact on a spacecraft. Some people know something else – the rare few explorers who get trying to go outside the train into be historians of the world beyondgame, and see glimpses have studied amongst many things the most unique of what came before…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782761365</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Mark Lingane|title=Tesla 1|rating=4.5|genre=Teens|summary=Sebastian has lost both his parents. His father died high score boards, for the lists of a mysterious wasting disease whereas his mother is just... well... lost. The only thing he who has he has to remember his mother by is a note telling him to go to successfully won the game are in the mysterious Steam Academymost peculiar places, and are still very short. However, first he has to find his way there in a futuristic Australia without widespread technology but with dangerous cyborg warriors. Whatthis time it's worsedifferent. This time the game seems the most dangerous, despite fighting humans in general for thousands of yearsnay lethal, the cyborgs now seem to have turned their attention most broken it's ever been – morally and energy otherwise. Unfortunately for K, in trying to killing Sebastian in particular. Whatsort out what the game is doing, if it's even being played, and how his loved ones might be kept safe, he done is only to deserve find out that? More to the pointline between observing and learning about the game, whatever he's doneand playing it, how can he survive?is a very thin one indeed...|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0992377951</amazonuk>1529016932

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=Snowpiercer Vol.1 - The EscapeC J Carey|authortitle=Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc RochetteWidowland

|genre=Graphic NovelsGeneral Fiction|summary=All It's April 1953, and Adolf Hitler's schedule includes going to Moscow to attend the state funeral of humankind is living on Joseph Stalin then within weeks coming to London, parading around a single trainbit, and watching over the sanctioned return to the throne of Edward VIII with his wife, Queen Wallis. I For yes, Britain caved in the lead-up to the World War Two that certainly didn't happen as we know British commuters feel that way at timesit, but this is and we are now a much different circumstance protectorate – it is a train miles longwell, running non-stop we share enough of the same blood as a self-contained unit across tracks circling a desolately frozen Earth, moving the Germanic peoples on endlessly until, perhaps some time in ''the distant future, the planet can recover from the cataclysm that froze itmainland''. It's But this is most certainly been going on long enough a different Britain, for it to have Nazi-styled phrenology, and ideas of female purpose, has put all of that gender into a culture – a hierarchical society caste system, ranging from high-brow office bigwigs to the rich drudges, and leisured classes near the frontbeyond those, through right on down to the orgiastschildless, past the useful carriages set aside for producing food, to husbandless and the underclass at the endwidows. Female literacy is actively discouraged. It's all set And in its routinethis puritanical existence, our heroine, Rose Ransom, set in motion. But there are two fishes is employed with the task of bowdlerising classical literature to take all encouragement for female emancipation out of water it – a man after all, not every book can be banned, and not every story excised immediately from the rear who escapedBritish civilisation, and so they just get a middle-class woman working hefty tweak towards the party line before they're stamped ready for reprint. That is her job, at least, until the first emerging signs of female protest come to light, with civil rights campaignerstheir potential to spoil Hitler's visit.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1782761330</amazonuk>152941198X

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Everina Maxwell|title=GodWinter's War|author=Kameron HurleyOrbit|rating=35

|summary=People who do not like the genre love to lump all Science Fiction Prince Kiem is a famous political disappointment. He's outgoing, carefree, and has gotten into many drunken scandals over the same pile – massive space ships and stuffpast few years. That So when an important political alliance is just not the case. It can range from subtle alternative versions of our own Earth, to Space Sagas set around the orbit of a distant planet. Where sci fi gets its bad reputation from be arranged – one that is when complex ideas are not explained clearly enough supposed to prevent an interplanetary war – no one expects him to be chosen for the readerrole. 'God’s War: Bel Dame Apocrypha' by Kameron Hurley is one such book; a novel crammed with some great ideas, but also moments Least of strange confusionall him.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0091952786</amazonuk>0356515885

 {{newreview|title=Channel BlueFrontpage|author=Jay Martel|rating=3.5|genre=Science Fiction|summary=What if the planet you called home wasn’t just a random blob in the universe, orbiting a far off star. What if the things that happened on it weren’t entirely down to chance or fate or whatever you want to call it. What if, actually, life on Earth was less random and more, well, scheduled than you might like to admit. Someone up there, calling the shots, deciding when to send in ‘natural’ disasters, influencing how things work, people behave, countries are run. Not a God, mind, but something far crazier: a television executive. Earth is the reality show to end all reality shows, and while its inhabitants have no clue every second of their lives is being watched and edited, that doesn’t stop them behaving in a way that keeps the viewers highly entertained.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781855803</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewRob Winters|title=Plastic Jesus|author=Wayne Simmons|rating=3|genre=Science Fiction|summary=Johnny Lyon is a computer coding expert spiralling out of control following the death of his lover. Johnny’s colleague Sarah convinces their boss Garcon that he needs Johnny for a project that is perfect for him (creating a virtual reality Jesus) and just might help him to concentrate on something other than his loss. They embark on a project with potentially monumental impact within a world of degradation and violence in a city ruled over by organised crime king pin Paul McBride. Many storylines collide as the project effects more people than Johnny realises.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1907773630</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|title=Doctor Who: 11 Doctors, 11 Stories|author=Eoin Colfer, Michael Scott and othersHis Name Was Wren|rating=54

|summary=It's basic knowledge that Doctor Who has changed a lot since first being seen fifty years ago – and I don't mean the title characterIn September 1944 something came down in Oban Woods, but near the nature village of the programmeHurstwick. It has gone from black and whitecame down hard, and cheaply produced, and declared disposable, to being an essential part taking the spire of the BBCvillage church with it, full-gloss digitaldestroying a stone shack, and accessed in all manner of ways. So with the celebratory programme still ringing in our ears, and leaving people pressing a red button to see a programme about three Doctorswide trail through the wood, er, pressing a red button, we turn to other aspects but no trace of the birthday bonanzawhat it actually was. Such as this bookGerman secret weapon was the local gossip, which has also mutated in its much shorter lifespan, from being but there should have been an explosion and a loose collection of eleven short e-book novellas written by the blazing lights of YA writingcrater, to a huge and brilliant paperback collecting everything within one set there were neither of coversthose things.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141348941</amazonuk>B08KGVNVNB

 {{newreview|title=Rags and BonesFrontpage|author=Melissa Marr and Tim Pratt (Editors)|rating=4.5|genre=Anthologies|summary=Some of today's top authors have come together to retell classic tales - from fairy stories to Victorian-era fiction. As usual with this kind of anthology, it's a fairly hit-or-miss affair, but the hits here are so strong that they're well worth picking up the book for. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1472210522</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewMark Lingane|title=The Time Traveller's Almanac|author=Anne VanderMeer and Jeff VanderMeer|rating=4|genre=Anthologies|summary=From H.G Wells to ''Doctor Who'', there is something about a good time-travel story that has the power Note to ignite the imagination in a way unique to the genre. Perhaps it is due to the fact that when dealing with the subject of time travel, literally ''anything is possible''. Well, almost anything...apart from going back in time and killing your Grandfather, which we know would cause an almighty paradox and probably destroy the universe.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781853908</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|title=Parasite|author=Mira GrantSelf: An Education

|summary=In Kry's world, the discovery that human cells replace themselves every seven years results in a cascade of medical "advances": in 2030 it'Parasite's found that radiation can return cells back to their regeneration state seven years before, in 2035 it' s possible to cure cancerous tumours but with the side effect of erasing seven years of memory, by 2045 the cosmetics industry is using the first part same technique to "de-age" their customers by seven years. In a society obsessed with image and youth, who needs memories?|isbn=B08LY8J4KS}} {{Frontpage|author= Christopher Paolini|title= To Sleep in a Sea of Stars|rating= 5|genre= Science Fiction|summary= On the Parasitology series moon of a distant gas giant, Xenobiologist Kira Navárez is helping with the efforts to make the planet habitable to human life. However, a discovery of an ancient alien bunker under the moon's surface leaves her bonded with a strange alien entity. After the entity bonded to her loses control and if kills half the quality staff of this book is anything the research station, the United Military Command cruiser Extenuating Circumstances arrives in the system to take Kira in for examination. Things go by from bad to worse when the next Extenuating Circumstances is going attacked and destroyed by an alien ship, and she has to flee to be highly sought afterthe 61 Cygnus star system. It puts us several years into She is revived aboard the futurefreighter Wallfish, in crewed by Captain Falconi and a time where medicine has made massive leaps forward rag-tag bunch of misfits, and where humans no longer take medication, suffer from allergies, or even catch the common coldnews is grim. These medical advancements The same aliens that destroyed the Extenuating Circumstances are now wreaking havoc across all thanks to SymboGen of human-occupied space, and only a mythical weapon known as the invention Staff of their intestinal shieldBlue can stop them. As the death toll climbs and more players are introduced into this war, which is Kira slowly begins to realise that she may have had a genetically engineered tapeworm designed to monitor your body’s functions and correct abnormalities.greater hand in the conflict than she could've possibly imagined…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0356501922</amazonuk>1529046505

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=ConquestLaura Lam and Elizabeth May|authortitle=John Connolly and Jennifer RidyardSeven Devils|rating=54|genre=Science Fiction|summary=The Earth Eris is one of the foremost operatives of the Novantae, a resistance movement fighting against the ruthlessly expansionist Tholosian Empire – an Empire she was destined to inherit in her past life as Princess Discordia, whom everyone believed has been invaded by dead for years. Clo, an ace pilot for the IllyriNovantae, has a mission: hijack a vaguely humanoid race far in advance of humankind, who were able Tholosian spacecraft to gather information vital to conquer the planet gently by proving how futile it would be war effort. Although she's less than pleased to resistdiscover that her former friend Eris is her partner on this mission. They Things get more interesting as the mission commences; aboard the ship are keen three defectors with a secret that could potentially cripple the Empire. Eris's brother Damocles, the runner-up heir to ensure the human race remains compliantEmpire, but are mostly keen is plotting to avoid bloodsheddisrupt peace talks between Tholos and the last of the free alien species. Humankind, however, is not It's a race against time as the rebels move to take conquest lying down. There is put a very active resistancestop Damocles' plans, particularly with millions of lives hanging in Scotland, where the Scots come out of the Highlands to strike on the Illyri garrisons and power bases in cities like Edinburgh.balance…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>147220963X</amazonuk>1473231140

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=The Box of Red Brocade Frederic Beigbeder and Frank Wynne (Chronoptikatranslator)|authortitle=Catherine FisherA Life Without End|rating=4.5|genre=TeensLiterary Fiction|summary=OkI looked at the calendar the other week, and disappointedly realised I have a birthday this year – I know, yet another one. Let It won's catch you up. Jake's father is still lost in t be one of the major numbers, but the timewhen I have the same number as Heinz varieties looms on the horizon. Venn's wife is still dead. Summer, the Queen And then a few of the Sheebig 0-numbers, still hasnand if all goes well, I't made Venn her husbandll be an OBE. (Which of course stands for Over Bloody Eighty. Sarah still hasn) Now if that't prevented s the destruction extent of the future by Janusmy mid-life crisis, I guess I have to be happy. And the Scarred Man still hasn Our author here doesn't doneuse that exact phrase, well, whatever it is that but he's trying might be said to dobe living one. The Chronoptika Determined to find out how to prolong life for as long as he wants – he would like to see 400 – he hops right into bed with the assistant to the first geneticist he interviews, a mirror made of black obsidian and they end up with a time travel devicechild, connects Jake, Vennwhich is at least a way of continuing the life of his genes, Sarah and a motive to keep on going. But how can he get to not flick the rest'final way out' switch, but they all want different things from it. Can they all be satisfiedespecially when foie gras tastes so nice? It doesn't look likely.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444912631</amazonuk>1642860670

{{newreview|title=Familiar|author=J Robert Lennon|rating=4.5|genre=General Fiction|summary=Is there a greater change in the life of a middle-aged woman than the death of her teenage son? Elisa might have thought not, having been forced to bury fifteen year old Silas, and try and move on with her husband Derek and the year-older son, Sam. But a greater change occurs Move on the way back from her annual, solo pilgrimage to his grave – something very weird happens to the universe. She pops from one car to another, from under a cloudless sky to a slightly greyer one – and from her self as Elisa to a world where people call her Lisa, where she is plumper, in a different job, stiil married to Derek in the same home – but still the mother of two young men…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846689473</amazonuk>}}[[Newest Short Story Reviews]]