Tag Archives: dystopia

Flash review: The Tale of Ak and Humanity by Yefim Zozulya

Touted as the inspiration for the dystopian genre, and in particular for Zamyatin’s We, this short story had my expectations running high.  It turned out to be very simplistic, with little to think about.  But perhaps because of this we … Continue reading

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Book review: Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan

If it wasn’t for the recent Netflix series, this book would have been largely forgotten, except in more niche communities like biopunk aficionados. It presents a fascinating idea and milks it for what it’s worth. That’s not necessarily a bad … Continue reading

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Classic review: The Doomed City by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, translated by Andrew Bromfield

The Doomed City is a multi-layered book, which will become ever more appealing as the reader digs deeper into its meaning. On the surface, it is a dystopian novel taking place in a city that is slowly falling apart, along … Continue reading

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Book review: Relic by Alan Dean Foster

The most recent novel by Alan Dean Foster is quite a surprise. It reads like pastoral science fiction of old, while maintaining its own modern character. It’s slow and ponderous, with minimal action, yet endearing and insightful. It will please … Continue reading

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Book review: The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley

Not every book needs to be highly original and well written to receive praise.  Sometimes, all it takes is to slap an interesting twist on a highly derivative work, and the reader will think about the story well past the … Continue reading

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Classic review: We by Yevgeny Zamytalin

We is the fundamental dystopian future novel, which served as an inspiration for many of the better known works dealing with totalitarian regimes. Written in 1921 by a Russian author who had first-hand, albeit still brief, experience with life under … Continue reading

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Book review: Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi

This 2021 Hugo Award nominee is a difficult but rewarding read.  It features compelling characters and exciting worldbuilding.  It blends history with fantasy and predicts some disturbing technological growth.  On the other hand, its structure is sometimes confusing to follow, … Continue reading

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