I’m going to start off today’s entry by announcing the titles for next month’s Book of the Month Club discussions:
Infoquake,
by David Louis Edelman
From the publisher: “Natch is a master of biologics, the programming of the human body. He’s clawed and scraped his way to the top of the biologics market using little more than his wits. Now his sudden notoriety has brought him to the attention of Margaret Surina, the owner of a mysterious new technology called MultiReal. Only by enlisting Natch’s devious mind can Margaret keep MultiReal out of the hands of High Executive Len Borda and his ruthless armies. To fend off the intricate net of enemies closing in around him, Natch and his apprentices must accomplish the impossible. They must understand this strange new technology, run through the product development cycle, and prepare MultiReal for release to the public – all in three days. Meanwhile, hanging over everything is the spectre of the infoquake, a lethal burst of energy that’s disrupting the biologic networks and threatening to send the world crashing back into the Dark Ages.”
Published in 2006, it was named The Top SF Novel of 2006 by Barnes & Noble Explorations and also received a nomination for the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel. Infoquake was the debut novel of author David Louis Edelman, a blogger, web programmer, and John W. Campbell nominee for Best New Writer in 2007.
Discussion the week of February 23rd, when we’ll be joined by author David Louis Edelman.
The Book of Joby,
by Mark J. Ferrari
From Booklist: “The prologue of Ferrari’s first novel sweeps us into a monumental modern-day fantasy of good versus evil when Lucifer proposes a wager that he has made many times over the millennia—the same stupid bet, according to God. If he wins this time, God will have to destroy his Creation, and they will start over with what Lucifer considers an orderly, “virtuous” universe without free will. God will name a champion, who Lucifer will try to subvert by putting him to the test in the hope that he will choose, of his own free will, to follow Lucifer. Also, the Creator must “forbid all immortal beings in His service from intervening unless directly asked to do so by the candidate.” God’s champion is unsuspecting, 9-year-old Joby, a bright, imaginative boy with a loving heart. And so, the Arthurian legend is replayed over a span of 30-plus years and through incarnations of Arthur (Joby), Guinevere, Galahad, and Modred.”
Fantasy Illustrator Mark J. Ferrari’s first novel has been described as witty, thought-provoking, audacious, and unforgettable. It’s also received several requests as a potential Book of the Month Club candidate. Who says I don’t listen to the fans?
Discussion the week of March 2nd, when we’ll be joined by author Mark J. Ferrari.
Dogs, by
Nancy Kress
From the publisher: “The threat of terrorism and biological warfare become all too real in this riveting thriller when the danger comes from a family’s most cherished pets. Tessa Sanderson, ex-FBI agent, has moved to a sleepy Maryland town to escape her tragic past. When the town’s beloved dogs begin viciously attacking pet owners, federal CDC agents determine that the dogs are carrying a mutated flu affecting the aggression center of their brains, for which their is no known cure. Tessa offers to help round up and quarantine the dogs, even though some unconvinced locals are preparing to protect their pets by any means necessary. But she has another reason for getting involved—someone has been sending her threatening emails in Arabic claiming responsibility for the virus, and Tessa is resolved to go deep undercover to expose this deadly conspiracy. Combining hard science with thoughtful narrative, this chilling tale of science fiction explores the complex relationships between dogs and their owners.”
As a pet owner, the premise for this book really intrigues. As a science fiction fan, the fact that it’s written by multi-award winning author Nancy Kress (3 Nebulas, 2 John W. Campbells, a Hugo, and a Theodore Sturgeon) makes it an absolute must-read.
Discussion the week of March 9th, when we’ll be joined by author Nancy Kress.
By the way, to those of you wondering – yes, I did manage to go an entire two weeks without sugar, fruit, bread, pasta, rice, and fried foods. Not only did I get down to my fighting weight (I take on fellow writer-producer Carl Binder in a bare knuckle fight club challenge later this month) but, after those first few days of tension headaches, nausea, and feelings of utter hopelessness, I was actually upbeat and filled with boundless energy. I celebrated my remarkable achievement by eating a dozen dark chocolate-covered almonds and a bowl of Haagen Dazs sticky toffee pudding. Also, a maple truffle and two squares of Valrhona Gran Couva.
And the lone Malteaser I discovered in the back of my pantry shelf.
I finally gave in and picked up that lottery ticket my wife was insisting I get. In her mind, it makes perfect sense: Bird crapping on me + string of bad luck = Good fortune right around the corner. Of course, given my pessimistic nature, I am doubtful, even in the face of such overwhelming logic. Fondy has admonished me for being so cynical as she is of the opinion that my attitude will only serve to create negative energy. Good things will come with positive thinking! As a result, I have adopted a positive attitude and, tomorrow, plan to optimistically put a down payment down on a car. Initially, I was thinking of going with BMW but, in retrospect, decided that would be hedging my bets. No, nothing says optimism like a new Aston Martin. And it goes without saying that despite how wealthy I am, I won’t forget anyone of you – especially those of you who greatly annoyed me and I’ll finally be able to do something about.
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