Second Foundation Review

Second Foundation   

-            Isaac Asimov

Publisher: UK – Collins

When the First Foundation was conquered by a force Seldon had not foreseen - the overwhelming power of a single individual, a mutant called the Mule - the second Foundation was forced to reveal its existence and, infinitely worse, a portion of its power. One man understood the shifting patterns of the inhabited cosmos. This was Hari Seldon, the last great scientist of the First Empire. The mathematics of psychohistory enabled Seldon to predict the collapse of the Empire and the onset of an era of chaos and war. To restore civilization in the shortest possible time, Seldon set up two Foundations. The First was established on Terminus in the full daylight of publicity. But the Second, "at the other end of the galaxy", took shape behind a veil of total silence. Because the Second Foundation guards the laws of psychohistory, which are valid only so long as they remain secret. So far the second Foundation's location, its most closely guarded secret of all, has been kept hidden. The Mule and the remnants of the First Foundation will do anything to discover it. This is the story of the Second Foundation.

When I reviewed Foundation, I said that the book was full of ideas but had little character or plot development. How far we’ve come! Second Foundation is the search for a mystery, a shadowy second foundation set up in case anything was to happen to the first. This search is split into with the story picking up on The Mule’s continuing search, thwarted at the end of the Foundation and Empire but still ongoing. In his search he sends ships across the stars looking for the only people who could conceivably stop his conquest of the galaxy. The second part, my favourite, was set some years after the Mule’s death when the original Foundation struggles to return the original Seldon Plan – this element introduces an intelligent but precocious teenager, Arcadia who thinks she can outwit the Second Foundation. For the first time while reading this series I came to care about at character rather than just admiring the ideas. Arcadia is sharp, over confident but retains an innocence and naiveté that is appealing. Her adventures and revelations were exciting and surprising and I actually cared about what happened to her.

The writing style seemed different to be as well, moving from drier fact based telling to more event orientated complete with twists and turns. There were a number of revelations about the nature and location of the Second Foundation, some of which I was able to guess and some I wasn’t. There is a deep psychological game played between the characters and again with the readers as to the location and nature of the Second Foundation and even if the Seldon plan was still valid or not. This makes it almost into a mystery as well for the reader.

Having finished the original Foundation trilogy I can see why these books are classics and still relevant today nearly 60 years after they were first written. There are so many ideas and society analysis that if you think too much it could give you a headache! At the same time it’s an interesting adventure looking at how predictable or not people are as a group. These books are the very definition of intelligent science fiction and worth a read if you fancy some deep thoughts and intriguing cultural development.

 Recommended for fans of Orson Scott Card and Larry Niven. 8 out 10



Part of FTC's Speculative Fiction Challange Book 10/12

 Part of My Personal Classics Challenge Book 3

Same Book, Different Cover

This is an occasional feature I'm introducing comparing different covers of the same book...what I'm particularly interested in are re-issued covers for the same book.

First up is a favourite story of mine - Bitten by Kelley Armstrong -



Original UK Bitten Cover



Latest UK Bitten Cover



Original US Bitten Cover



Latest US Bitten Cover



So what do you think? Which do you prefer?

Personally I have a soft spot for the original UK cover - but that's probably because it's the book I first read! I also think it's a little different from most covers on the market and stands out. However, if I was browsing the book shelves today, I would probably pick up  the latest US cover though - the red colouring and the beautiful wolf in the background are right up my street and cinch it for me!

Which is your favourite?



Dead In The Family Review

Dead In The Family (Sookie Stackhouse 10)

-       Charlaine Harris

Publisher: UK – Gollancz

Stackhouse is dealing with a whole host of family problems, ranging from her own kin (a non-human fairy and a telepathic second cousin) demanding a place in her life, to her lover Eric's vampire sire, an ancient being, who arrives with Eric's 'brother' in tow at a most inopportune moment. And Sookie's tracking down a distant relation of her ailing neighbour (and ex), Vampire Bill Compton. In addition to the multitude of family issues complicating her life, the werewolf pack of Shreveport has asked Sookie for a special favour, and since Sookie is an obliging young woman, she agrees. But this favour for the wolves has dire results for Sookie, who is still recovering from the trauma of her abduction during the Fairy War.

I have to admit to feeling a little territorial over Sookie books as I discovered and loved them long before True Blood and part of me resents having to share these characters...okay, having to share Eric (I never liked Bill!). In this instalment Sookie is recovering from her torture by fairies in the previous book and it was nice that Charlaine doesn’t just gloss over Sookie’s ordeal but shows her struggling to return to a normal life. As ever, Sookie’s life isn’t easy but is complicated here by her relationship with Eric, the vampire head of section five, her distant fairy relatives and her friend of the pack status.

I really enjoyed spending time in Sookie’s company and I really liked how her relationship with her brother Jason grew here – he finally seems to be there for her and steps up as a reliable brother – for once! While the beginning of this book has lots of separate strands going so it feels a little discontinuous with Sookie dealing with vampire politics one minute, her cousin Hadley’s son the next and then dealing with weres before talking to fairies, but most of these strands wind together for a layered finale which solves most of the issues raised in this book. There are still plenty of ongoing issues though that aren’t moved on here – particularly with regards to the vampire politics.

The writing is easy to slip into and familiar if you’ve been following the series so far. Probably not the best book to start with if you’ve not visited Bon Temps so far though as there are a lot references to past events and characters that it assumes you some knowledge of. Like a comfortable pair of pyjamas, you know what to expect by now and Charlaine doesn’t disappoint even if it doesn’t quite hit the highs of All Together Dead.

Recommended for fans of Nicole Peeler and Jeaniene Frost. 7.5 out of 10.



My Book Haul/In My Mailbox

The Story Siren hosts a weekly meme where bloggers can share what goodies they've purchased/received this week. If you get a chance head over to The Story Siren and check out what everyone is up to! This week I went on a little spending spree with Amazon...

 

Discords Apple - Carrie Vaughn

Publisher: US - Tor 

Evie Walker is a comic book writer who leaves behind a strife-filled Los Angeles to care for her dying father in the smalltown of Hopes Fort, Colo. Evie soon inherits the responsibility of guarding a magical storeroom and its contents as the country becomes hyperdefensive about possible terrorist threats.

 I love the Kitty series but this is the first Carrie Vaughn book I've got outside that series. I love the sound of it though!

 

Twice Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires 3) - Chloe Neill

Publisher: UK - Gollancz

Merit, Chicago's newest vampire, is learning how to play nicely with others. Other supernaturals, that is. Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene - and to spy for the vamps while she's at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan's offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission. Merit has to accept the assignment, even though she knows that she'll probably regret it. And she's not wrong. Someone is gunning for Gabriel Keene, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She'll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals - not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries old master vampire.

I'm a little behind with this series so I think I have to catch up especially with Hard Bitten already out.

 

Mind Games - Carolyn Crane

Publisher: US - Spectra (March 2010)

Mind Games heroine Justine Jones isn't your typical kick-ass type - she’s a hopeless hypochondriac whose life is run by fear. She's lured into a restaurant, Mongolian Delites, by tortured mastermind Sterling Packard, who promises he can teach her to channel her fears. In exchange, she must join his team of disillusionists - vigilantes hired by crime victims to zing their anxieties into criminals, resulting in collapse and transformation. Justine isn't interested in Packard's troupe until she gets a taste of the peace he can promise. Soon she enters the thrilling world of neurotic crime fighters who battle Midcity’s depraved and paranormal criminals. Eventually, though, she starts wondering why Packard hasn’t set foot outside the Mongolian Delites restaurant for eight years. And about the true nature of the disillusionists.

 

This is a book that Jackie from Housewife Blues has been telling me to read for ages so I finally purchased it! Really looking forward to reading it as Carolyn Crane's blog is a great read! :)

 

Divergent - Veronica Roth

Publisher: Harper Collins

In sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior’s world, society is divided into five factions – Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent) – each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue, in the attempt to form a “perfect society.” At the age of sixteen, teens must choose the faction to which they will devote their lives. On her Choosing Day, Beatrice renames herself Tris, rejects her family’s group, and chooses another faction. After surviving a brutal initiation, Tris finds romance with a super-hot boy, but also discovers unrest and growing conflict in their seemingly “perfect society.” To survive and save those they love, they must use their strengths to uncover the truths about their identities, their families, and the order of their society itself.

This has been generating a lot of buzz around the blogosphere and I quite fancy seeing what all the fuss is about!

Die For Me - Amy Plum

Publisher: Atom

My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything. Suddenly, my sister, Georgia and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent. Mysterious, sexy and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen. Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies...immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.

 

Another book which is gathering great reviews and I love the cover - the red and back intertwining is fabulous! :)

 

So what have you picked up this week?

 

 

On My Wishlist #38

This is a meme from Book Chick City. There are so many books out there that I want to read that this is the only way I can keep track! This week it's ghostly books that are haunting me...

Long Lankin - Lindsey Barraclough

Publisher: UK - Bodley Head

When Cora and her little sister Mimi are sent to stay with their elderly aunt in the isolated village of Bryers Guerdon, they receive a less than warm welcome, and are desperate to go back to London. But Auntie Ida's life was devastated the last time two young girls were at Guerdon Hall, and now her nieces' arrival has reawoken an evil that has lain waiting for years.
A haunting voice in an empty room ... A strange, scarred man lurking in the graveyard ... A mysterious warning, scrawled on the walls of the abandoned church . . . Along with Roger and Peter, two young village boys, Cora must uncover the horrifying truth that has held Bryers Guerdon in its dark grip for centuries - before it is too late for Mimi.

This looks deliously spooky and atmospheric - even looking at the cover makes me want to brush cobwebs off my shoulders and glance to see who's breathing down my neck.

Shift - Jeri Smith-Ready
Publisher: UK - Simon & Schuster Childrens Books

Born after The Shift, a little-understood event that enabled the younger generations to communicate with the dead, sixteen year-old Aura can see ghosts. These violet-hued spirits are constantly talking to her, following her, wanting her to help them make amends for their untimely deaths. Aura finds this all rather annoying ~ until her boyfriend Logan died and began to haunt her. Aura wants to be there for Logan, to support him as a friend, but while Logan struggles to come to terms with being a ghost, she finds herself increasingly drawn to her very-alive and very-cute friend, Zachary. And as the lines between ghost and shade, and friendship and love begin to blur, Aura realises that time is running out, and if she is to unlock the mysteries of the Shift then she must choose between Logan and Zachary. But when both boys hold a piece of your heart, how do you choose?

I loved Shade, the first in the shift series (see my review here)so I can't wait for this the second in the series to come out in July. I'm hoping there will be answers to questions regarding the Shift and Aura's past that were raised in the first book.

 

The Hunting Ground - Cliff McNish

Publisher: Orion's Children's Books

When Elliott and his brother, Ben, move into the old and crumbling Glebe House they don't expect to find themselves sharing it with ghosts. But soon sinister events are unfolding. An old diary reveals glimpses of the mansion's past - and of a terrible tragedy. A mysterious woman talks to the dead. And evil lurks in the East Wing - a hideous labyrinth of passageways devised by a truly twisted mind. Can Elliott and his family escape the clutches of Glebe House? Or will they be trapped in the maze of corridors, forever hunted by the dead?

This look uber-creepy and spooky. And who doesn't like a good scare occasionally?

So what are you wishing for this week?

Early Review: Angel Burn

Angel Burn

-          L.A. Weatherly

E-Arc courtesy of netgalley and Candlewick Press  

Already published in the UK as Angel

Willow knows she’s different from other girls. And not just because she loves tinkering around with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into peoples futures, know their dreams, their hopes and their regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where she gets this power from... But Alex does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows Willows secret and is on a mission to stop her. The dark forces within Willow make her dangerous and irresistible. In spite of himself, Alex finds he is falling in love with his sworn enemy.

Willow is psychic  - she can touch your hand and know what paths are available for you. Alex has been trained since birth to find and kill Angels. Together they may be the only hope for the world that’s slowly being invaded by energy sucking Angels. And therein lies both the strengths and weakness of this book.

For the first 150 pages I was hooked intrigued by this strong girl - labelled weird by her classmates but who has to deal with a physically there but mentally absent mother and a mechanic to boot. Alex was just as intriguing – obsessed with destroying the creatures that killed his family but still intelligent enough to question his orders. Their separate stories were on a collision course and exciting, building the tension as well as explaining the realities of this world to us. However, once Williow and Alex meet and start their road journey I found the action slowed enormously as focus switches to character rather than action. It moved rapidly into the usual romance vein of hating each other to not being able to live without each. The final part of the story has the pace pick up again as the two are separated again by circumstance until a big finale. I loved each character separately, but together they lost a spark – at least for me.  

However, I really enjoyed the set up – angels not being good but actually invading and making human’s sick seemed really unique.  I found it quite creepy the way people responded to the angels’ draining of their essence and it added to the tension of what Alex and Willow had to fight against. The writing was well done – simple yet layered and great at getting the essence of character across. It was a fun read if a little slow in the middle.

Recommended for fans of Twilight and Buffy. 7 out of 10.

Throwback Thursday #8: The One Kingdom

This is a great feature that Melissa at My World...in words and pictures has been doing for a while and I wanted to jump on board! There are plenty of books out there I desperately want...

But what about all those wonderful books that are ALREADY on my shelves?

 

This highlights a book I already have but just haven't got round to reading yet!

The One Kingdom - Sean Russell

From their home in the Vale of Lakes, a group of young traders embark on a quest to make their fortune. Carrying a cargo of ancient artefacts, their journey along the River Wynnd will take them into a world both strange and terrifying. They will meet extraordinary people, witness unforgettable events and discover something that will change their lives for ever. For the world is a far more complex place than the adventurers could have imagined. In the aftermath of a terrible war, political upheaval and family rivalries threaten to plunge the land into a new dark age. The past, it seems, is far from forgotten. And the consequences of that long-ago war are by no means played out.

I won a hardback copy of this in a competition a few years ago but have not got round to reading yet because it is hardback. I hope I like it though as I've purchased the next two books in the trilogy at various points. Has anyone else read it? Is it worth struggling with a hardback book on the train?