Monday 24 August 2020

The Oppenheimer Alternative by Robert. J. Sawyer

 

 

The term ”fission” describing how a uranium nucleus could split into two had been borrowed from biology, and Oppie had a sudden flash of micrographs he’d seen of a dividing cell: an entity pinched in the middle to form bulbous halves. Grove’s belt was the construction and an ample gut billowed out above and below it.”

 

I’m going to start with a negative here and its no reflection on Robert J Sawyer’s great writing. No, I struggled to get into this novel a little at first because my imagination about the Manhattan project was coloured so deeply by the tv show of the same name. This was a tad confusing for me and I think possibly impacted my otherwise thorough enjoyment of the novel. Nevertheless, my interest was rekindled and by the end I was a complete convert.

The Robert Oppenheimer of Sawyer’s novel is  an enigmatic creature, often caught between two worlds. This is highlighted by the two women in his life. His wife and fellow scientist, Kitty and Jean his troubled, communist lover. Dealing with the destructive outfall of his work and his love life leaves ‘Oppie’ in a tenuous space, until the chance to save the earth with his work transforms his horizons.

The set up in the past is so detailed and appears to be meticulously researched, so when the story branches off from reality into an alternate history, the reader is 100% onboard. I personally adore the way Sawyer puts the ‘science’ into fiction. He makes science a thrilling character of its own in his work. It makes me want to study something in the STEM world.

The political machinations are of course also fascinating and some background from the author’s research explored in the novel unearths some surprising facts. The novel’s publication in parallel with the 75th anniversary of the first atomic bomb test, the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is particularly meaningful and was fought for by the author.

I digress though. The tale transforms from a historical narrative to a thrilling piece of speculative fiction which was ultimately gripping and made me happy that I’d treated myself to the hard copy version.

 

5 out of 5, can’t wait for Mr Sawyer’s next work – I’m a big fan.

Friday 21 August 2020

The Last Weekend by Blake Morrison

 

"So to recap: on a late October night in my second year at uni I meet Daisy and ask her out."

If you've been reading my reviews you will know my list ticking insanity. I've never met a top 10 list on The Guardian that I didn't immediately want to finish. So this novel was the last one for me from Tim Lott's Top 10 summers in fiction list and what a fantastic list it was.

This novel is peopled by some generally unlikeable people. The narrator, Ian,  is married to Emily and yet still carries a torch for his love from university,Daisy. This is despite the fact that she is married to his best friend from university. Naturally Daisy's husband, Ollie, not only got the girl, but has a jealousy inducing more successful career and lifestyle. 

Appearances can be deceiving and a couple's weekend away unearths the secret of Ollie's terminal cancer diagnosis and a large wager between the two men. Is Ollie telling the truth,?Can Ian be relied upon as a narrator? Is something terrible going to happen?

Well I guess you will have to pick up a copy to find out. This has a somewhat Hitchcock-light feel to it and while aspects were fantastic, I was disappointed that I could predict what was going to happen. The thriller aspect built slowly and then just fizzled a little for me. I don't think I cared enough about the characters and that dulled the story's impact. It still is an engaging read and I'm nit-picking.


4 out of 5, the good thing about being single is no smug couple weekends.

I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett


"Tiffany Aching was the witch, and she had made herself the witch because they needed one. Everybody needs a witch, but sometimes they just don't know it."

In these crazy times, the best retreat is to the Discworld. I'm not joking! Seriously grab some Pratchett and feel instantly better. I guarantee it works. This instalment sees the witch Tiffany Aching really come into her own, it is the fourth story of her adventures and possibly the best.

Unfairly accused of murder, Tiffany escapes to Ankh-Morpork but its more than the law in hot pursuit. The terrifying Cunning Man might just be the end of her and all witches.
Settle in for a glorious adventure, drink up with the Nac Mac Feegles and meet the adorable Preston. Hurry up and grab a copy and if you've read it before, maybe crack it open again.

Big thanks to the always amazing Nicki for lending me a copy.

5 out of 5, who doesn't love a black dress.