Jay Lake (1964–2014)

This is unprecedented in recent history. I devoured this book in three nights of reading. Granted, there aren't that many pages. I enjoyed the heck out of them all.

In Rocket Science, Jay Lake has populated a small post-WWII Kansas town with likable folks, Nazi agents, Communist spies, traitors, mobsters, military police, and a flying machine that's not of this Earth. He blends them together in a tale that is a page turner from start to finish, with the biggest surprises at the end.

The writing is first rate, with enough description to make the characters and setting pop to life in the minds-eye. And not too much to get in the way of the action. But it was not without fault. Some of the surprises are easy to see coming, though they are still a little surprising as you see them set up. The narrators inner monologue got a bit repetitive. And there are occasional bloopers (within pages of each other, characters are pulled up "by main force"). But it's all good.… (lisätietoja)

1 Book three in a series, none of which I'd read before this one

2 Steampunk

3 Fantasy

4 Romance

I gotta say, if I'd known it was all that before I got it, I probably wouldn't have bought it. But in spite of all that I did really enjoy it. Heck, I might even read the first book or two....

The fantasy steampunk thing really doesn't work for me. I can accept ice breathing dragons a lot quicker than steam powered submarines capable of 30 knots for days at a time (yeah, I'm weird that way) but never ever knowing where the heck the plot was leading kept me almost engrossed enough not to care. My only real complaint was the the large number of characters and sub plots made it long winded without spending enough time with the characters I liked.

If any or all of points one thru four sound appealing, you'll likely really enjoy this. Or maybe you'll like it in spite of them. Either way, probably worth your time.… (lisätietoja)

This is Jay's last short story collection. I was never a rabid fan of Jay's writing -- I mean, I'd read his Green series and enjoyed it, but it wasn't something I'd ever freak out about. But I stumbled across his blog not long after I'd read Green and followed along since he seemed like a nice guy. And then his cancer came back. And then MY mom was diagnosed with colon cancer. And I watched him write about and struggle with his decline and defiantly rage against the dying of the light for the sake of his daughter and it broke my heart. This is his last collection of short stories. It feels like his last will and testament for me, and that by reading it, he's really gone, and I'm not quite willing to accept that. Watching him deal with his cancer helped me help my mother deal with hers...even though she won the genetic lottery he lost. It feels terribly unfair sometimes.… (lisätietoja)