Speculative Science Publishing

Deil's Reviews

Diaspora by Greg Egan Review by Kalifer Deil "Diaspora" by Greg Egan is a mind altering story about a future in which humans, that choose a biological existence and die, are a small minority. Most choose either a virtual afterlife in one of many polises or choose to live in the physical world as androids. The virtual world is also populated with virtual intelligent life forms that also propagate through a process of generation through a genetic gene analogy in a digital mind seed. The book gives the reader much to think about and he will be haunted by these thoughts for some time. To many, this book will seem like a hard read but if you absorb the contents, you will be enriched by it. It is definitely a thinking person's book. It will be one of a few that will live through the following centuries and not be forgotten because technologically, I don't believe he has gotten the future wrong. The plot centers about a randomly generated virtual orphan, Yatima, who becomes the central character in meeting two challenges facing first humanity then everyone, virtual beings included. Greg has been criticized for wandering and going off plot. I find his ramblings and info dumps quite facinating so they don't bother me at all. He is painting an alien future so these brush strokes are part of the over all painting. My only criticism, this future is going to be sooner than even Greg Egan thinks.

In Her Name - Empire by Michael R. Hicks Review by Kalifer Deil "In Her Name - Empire" by Michael Hicks is a story about a warrior race of women, the Kreelans, and their war with humans that rages for a century over many worlds. Michael expertly weaves a Science Fiction story containing elements of David and Goliath, Romeo and Juliet, The culture of Klingons, Yoda speak, Dances with Wolves, Avatar, and yes a nasty dragon too. At first glance this sounds like sci-fi meatloaf but it is far from it. I not a great fan of space opera, especialy those containing swords and dragons, but this is a story so expertly told I found it to be very believable and was so carried into the story that I had tears in my eyes at several points. In addition to being a science fiction writer myself, I'm a hard boiled engineer so it takes a bit to move me. Many times romance and sex is gratuitously added to a story just to spice it up. In this case, although understated, it was a major element in the story that pulls you in like a Kreelan's grip. I read the volume in one 24 hour period and am hooked on getting the other volumes.