"Wayward (Wayward Pines #2)", by Blake Crouch, 2013

"Wayward (Wayward Pines #2)", by Blake Crouch, 2013

A thoroughly satisfying read that combines a lot of genres and tropes, Wayward will have you turning

pages to see how it all ends. The climax though takes things to a whole different level and leaves you desperately craving for the next volume. Wayward is another crackerjack thriller from the mind of one of the best thrillers writers out there.

Wayward is the sequel to Pines and a book that was highly anticipated and yet out-scored my anticipation. Firstly before even I begin my review, I would like to announce that to even discuss the blurb will be spoilery for the first book Pines. So those folks who haven't read the first book and don't want their read ruined in the least. STOP and go read Pines...

Now for those of you who have read and loved Pines, welcome and I must say you will love the second outing by Blake Crouch as he explores the strange town of Wayward Pines and its inhabitants. This book further illuminates the town of Wayward Pines through Ethan Burke but with a crucial difference, he’s an insider now unlike the previous volume wherein he was the enemy. Ethan after the events of the previous books has now been elevated to the position of Sheriff and is tasked with the town’s safety. Sheriff Ethan has seen what truly lies outside of the town's boundaries and it is forcing him to co-operate with the town's creator and protector so as to speak. After facing the end of the barrel in the last book, he finds himself quite perturbed to be on the other side and forcing people to do what he ultimately disobeyed. He has gotten his family back but is still irked by all that is hidden from the majority of the town’s population. The story though begins when a murder occurs and it falls upon Ethan to investigate the death.

My rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5 stars) Just Wow!

"The Fullness of Time" by Kate Wilhelm, 2012

"The Fullness of Time" by Kate Wilhelm, 2012

Hiram Granville, a modern Leonardo, secured more than a thousand patents during his lifetime, often just ahead of others who had already been working the same ideas. His son John, an economics genius, never lost a cent in the stock market or any other financial deal and was investigated for insider trading on more than one occasion. Now Cat, a documentarian; her researcher, Mercy; and Cracker Jack, an electronics whiz, are preparing to do a documentary about the Granville clan. What they find as they research the family is madness, suicide, a seemingly total seclusion, and a frightening glimpse about what it means to peer into the future.

It is a novella and it’s tough to talk about the plot without giving too much away. The concept is

interesting, that “seeing” the future is possible and exploitable. And it’s that possible exploitation, both of the knowledge you could gain and the people capable of doing it, that drives the second half.

My main complaint has to do with the lack of development of the characters. They went through the motions, and I will say the plot had a few twists I didn’t see coming, but I didn’t understand why Cat and, especially Mercy, cared so much. Yes, she spent an afternoon with the man before he dies, but why was that enough for her to change her whole life?

The first half was quite interesting right off the bat and showed a lot of promise, while the second half seemed to have been rushed by squandering all the potential and groundwork laid out the first half accomplished.

My rating ★★☆☆☆ (2 out of 5 stars) - It was ok.

"Flashforward" by Robert J. Sawyer, 1999

"Flashforward" by Robert J. Sawyer, 1999

After the ABC TV hit-and-miss series Flash Forward came to a close, I was left quite unsatisfied. The

premise was so compelling that I decided to take up the book and to find out what actual happens and to get a sort of resolution or closure.

The basic premise of the book and the show diverge pretty radically. The TV show was a who-dunnit where the FBI was tracking down suspects who may have been involved in carrying out the event. In the book, the blackout/flash forward is simply an unforeseen byproduct of a science experiment involving CERN and the Large Hadron Collider. The experiment is being conducted by two scientists, Lloyd Simcoe (the only character in both the book and the TV show), and his assistant Theo Procopides.

The book certainly explores some interesting possible futures, including some fantastic advancements in technology. It also takes a hard sci-fi approach wherein the characters (almost all of whom are physicists), discuss various theories about whether or not the future is fixed or whether humans have free will. As a result the book delves into some interesting philosophical questions as well.

A subplot throughout involves Theo, who doesn’t have a vision of the future and quickly learns it is because he will have been murdered before the day the visions depicted. He then devotes himself to tracking down clues to his own murder.

I won’t give away the ending, though it was utterly fascinating. The book definitely had some dull moments, but in general it was a pretty fascinating “read.” The narrator, Mark Deakins, did an excellent job. If you’re a fan of the TV show prepare yourself for a very different experience. Unlike the TV show the book isn’t crawling with bad guys and there’s not a ton of action. But if you like hard sci-fi and thought-provoking existential material I think you’ll definitely enjoy Flash Forward.

My Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars) - I really liked it.

"Six Months, Three Days" by Charlie Jane Anders, 2011

"Six Months, Three Days" by Charlie Jane Anders, 2011

Two precognitives meet and fall in love.

This Hugo Award-winning science fiction novelette is a love story that centers around the notions of free-will and determinism. The philosophical contrast and science fictional premise provide an intriguing philosophical flavor to the human romance; the two work exquisitely in synchrony.

Doug and Judy are precognitives, whose powers work in different ways. Doug is a determinist and can see the future as a single stream and set in stone while Judy believes in free will and sees future possibilities branching out from most moments. Despite the difference in their abilities, they both remember the future.

They meet and fall in love despite knowing their relationship will only last six months and three days, know their arguments before they happen, and end very badly. But knowing all that still doesn’t discourage them from trying.

After months into their relationship, the fire in their relationship simmers down, and they start to drive each other crazy.  An almost unexpected event occurs and causes them to rethink their lives and how to live them.

NBC was working on a television adaption of this story in late 2013, but nothing, as far I know, has materialized today (2015-Aug) on tv yet.

The novelette can be read for free here.

My Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars) - I really liked it.

Ready Player One (Ready Player One #1) by Ernest Clines, 2011

Ready Player One (Ready Player One #1) by Ernest Clines, 2011

Taking place in the dystopian future of 2044, where everyone is connected to a virtual reality called Oasis, our hero Wade Owen Watts races to solve puzzles to win the ultimate prize of wealth.


I've read a lot of dystopian/sci-fi novels, some good and some bad, but very few that stand out among the crowd.  Ready Player One is a definite stand out.

Ready Player One is probably one of the best, if not coolest, sci-fi stories around. It's sure to wow any pop culture fan, especially those who have lived through the 80s and 90s. This book seemed to be endless pop culture nostalgia; everything from the Atari 2600 to ZZtop, or Pac-Man to Rubiks Cube are referenced.

Wade Watts is the average teenage outcast who prefers to lose himself in obsessing over this game (egg-hunt), while simultaneously escaping his pathetic trailer park life. Wade tells us the story of how he became a legend.

Right from the start I found myself easily connecting with his witty personality. While he does make mistakes along the way, his perfectly flawed nature makes his character and this whole journey very compelling. He's intelligent, no question, but he gets ahead of himself, learns a few life lessons, falls in love; showing us that he's human, above all else. Along the way, we meet characters who are or become, Wade's loyal friends in this hunt. Having a common enemy will bring people closer, and I loved seeing the sincere integrity of some of these other players. In the end, it shows how important it is to lean on others to help, instead of greedily trying to go through it alone. This is something we see during Wade's transformation in this story. He starts off as an introvert with self-esteem problems and comes out a true hero.

My rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5 stars)  It was amazing!