The SF Site: Featured Reviews Archive

The reviews are sorted alphabetically by authors' last name -- one or more pages for each letter (plus one for Mc). All but some recent reviews are listed here. Links to those reviews appear on the Recent Feature Review Page.

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Olympos by Dan Simmons
reviewed by Nathan Brazil
The opening finds the opposing armies of the Trojan war, united. Their common foe, none other than the mighty Zeus and the other angry gods familiar to students of Greek mythology. The plot covers three worlds; an Earth that is now sparsely populated, the terraformed Mars, and another Earth, in a galaxy where Homer's epic heroes and stories -- Iliad and Odyssey -- actually happened. Although, there are several enormous differences.

Song of Kali by Dan Simmons
reviewed by John Berlyne
Robert Luczak is something of an innocent idealist. A poet and journalist, he is commissioned to write an article on M. Das, a famous Indian poet who disappeared some years ago and is now rumoured to have resurfaced (or perhaps have been resurrected) in Calcutta. More than this, Das has apparently written a new epic work and Luczak is to negotiate for the rights to publish this in America. It all sounds fairly straightforward.

Ilium by Dan Simmons
reviewed by William Thompson
Reportedly ten years in conception, this epic, the first of two parts, opens before the gates of Troy, not within the myths of our ancient past, but reenacted in some far-flung future, and not on Earth but Mars. Homer has been supplanted by a 20th century classics professor, Thomas Hockenberry, in his own words an "unwilling Chorus" who, along with other "scholics," has been resurrected from remnants of his own DNA to observe and report the unfolding saga to the gods on Mount Olympos. Though he and his fellow academics know how events will play out -- this new siege so far faithful to Homer's verse -- the gods, aside from omniscient Zeus, haven't a clue as they act out their appointed tasks.

Worlds Enough And Time by Dan Simmons
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
Many readers who recognized the brilliance of his last novel find themselves still in its thrall. The stories here continues that feeling, even if the comparative brevity of the five novellas doesn't allow one to become quite as attached to the characters. See if that's any protection from the empathy you feel for Norman Roth as he finds the watermarks of his past returning to occupy his dreams in a present set against the backdrop of the history of the Soviet space program. Roth's weariness and the tired remains of a hit-or-miss reach for the stars -- who else would have paired these seemingly disparate elements, or done it to such heartbreaking effect?

The Crook Factory by Dan Simmons
reviewed by Rodger Turner
Cuba, 1942: Dan Simmons has captured the atmosphere of the time perfectly. He takes the characters through the hard decisions which lead to betrayal, death and patriotic integrity. Because you don't know who to trust, all you have is your wits and your gun.

Song of Kali by Dan Simmons
reviewed by Wayne MacLaurin
Tor recently re-released a new edition of this World Fantasy Award-winning horror novel. Only in a setting so foul, so depraved, so utterly without promise -- evoked by the author's brilliant writing -- could the nightmare Dan Simmons has crafted, fester and find life. He conveys the sense of disgust, hopelessness and utter terror of his characters so accutely that you'll squirm as you read.

The Rise of Endymion by Dan Simmons
reviewed by Wayne MacLaurin
Wayne warns this is not a novel for first timers. Go back, pick up Hyperion and the other two novels. When you are good and steeped in the lore of Hyperion, come back as the conclusion is well worth the journey.

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