Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Science Fiction 19 – Ian McDonald, Maureen F McHugh & Vonda McIntyre

I remember loving British Science Fiction author Ian McDonald’s Desolation Road when I first read it. Unfortunately I loaned it to a friend on his deathbed and never saw it again. Anyway it confirmed for me that Ian McDonald was an author to look out for, so despite the fact, as usual, that I haven’t read these books for decades, here is my modest collection. These paperbacks at least have pretty covers….

mcdonald_bluesix mcdonald_evolutionsshore mcdonald_kingofthemorning

Maureen F McHugh is a fantastic writer. I reread China Mountain Zhang quite often and always enjoy it. So too Mission Child.

mchugh_china mchugh_missionchild

Nekropolis is an interesting rather melancholic story of a young bonded servant who develops a friendship with an intelligent machine who looks like a beautiful young man.

mchugh_nekropolis
A beautiful writer, Vonda McIntyre has produced some highly original works. Her unusual post apocalypse novel Dreamsnake won both the Nebula and Hugo Awards in 1978/79. The Moon And The Sun, a wonderful alternate history novel set in 17th Century France during the reign of Louis XIV, deservedly won the Nebula Award in1997. I was immensely impressed with this book, and it rewards with repeated readings.

mcintyre_dreamsnake mcintyre_moon_sun

Next – Miller, Mitchison and Moorcock

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