Reviews

Dates are given for when I saw/read/reviewed. Undated items are pre-2000.

Books

The Foundation Universe by Isaac Asimov

• The Robot Series
• The Positronic Man
• The Caves of Steel
• The Naked Sun
• The Currents of Space
• Forward the Foundation

Hammer of God, The by Arthur C. Clarke

Set in 2109 A.D., it tells of a comet on collision course with Earth, and Capt. Robert Singh's attempts to divert/destroy it. Capt. Singh is in command of the Goliath, a research ship originally designed to deflect Earth-threatening asteroids. The ship is engaged in research when the comet is discovered. The story's 'current timeline' starts aboard the Goliath and moves back to show Capt. Singh's early life. It then comes back to the present, showing on the way the socio-religious situation that eventually leads to the partial failure of the mission.
Among other things, ACC has outlined the 'SPACEGUARD' project, which is an early-warning system against meteors.

Interrupt by Toni Dwiggins

A programmer calling himself 'Interrupt' programs a Trojan horse into the US phone system, and it's upto Andy Faulkner, a telecom genius from Stanford, to disable it. But who is Interrupt? Why has he (or she?) kidnapped Andy's son? Will Andy be able to stop Interrupt's diabolical plan? This isn't technobabble, it could be true!

Fall of Moondust, A by Arthur C. Clarke

Set in the 21st century. The moon has a large 'sea' of dust so fine, that objects disappear in it without a trace. Tours are run on the surface, using a 'moonbus'. But a lunarquake opens up a giant cavity under the 'bus' and buries 22 people in 15 meters of sand.... This is the story of the dramatic rescue mission.

Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke

This is the story of humanity's encounter with a messenger from another civilization. It tells about the coming of what appears to be a comet, but is actually a 100km long hollow cylinder. Commander Norton, captain of the spaceship 'Endeavor' is directed to investigate. He finds an apparently dead colonization ship, but all is not as it seems, for, as it hurtles towards the warmth of the sun, the spacecraft begins to awaken.... The first chapter of this book mentions the Spaceguard project, whose computers detect the intruder while still beyond the orbit of Jupiter.

Strata by Terry Pratchett, 2003

I had to keep checking whether this was a Larry Niven story. The beginning sounds exactly like Ringworld: weird guy recruits ecclectic group of incompatibles to go on wild mission.

Soul Music by Terry Pratchett, 2003

pterry's take on Buddy Holly, atrocious puns (all puns are atrocious) about music. Some Death involved. The band's name is 'The Band With Rocks In', and the lead's name is Imp y Celyn. y Celyn is supposed to mean 'of the holly' or something. He takes the stage name 'Buddy'.

The Truth, by Terry Pratchett, 2004

pterry does the press. pterry creates the press. Quite good. I don't like the ones with witches, and happily this isn't one of them (nothing against witches; I just don't like the atmosphere). Try to imagine what happens when Ankh-Morpork is forced to discover the printing press. Very funny. I'd read it again. I might even buy it.

Ghost from the Grand Banks, Arthur C. Clarke, 2004-07

Typical modern Clarke. Tells of two plans to raise the Titanic. Not much for plot, I haven't discovered a plot and I'm three-quarters of the way through. "Soft" science fiction. If not for the "fiction", could've been a Discovery channel documentary. Clarke continues his habit of ending every other paragraph with an ellipsis.... Contains a subtle nod to Asimov.

Movies

Equilibrium, 2004

A future where emotions are outlawed, and one of the men who enfore the law becomes an outlaw. Almost another Matrix, but not enough story to sustain it without sufficient gunfights. Watch it for the gunfights and the swordfights. EPU did a good job of casting Neo (Keanu Reaves) as a Grammaton Cleric in their BPGD spinoffs.

The Phantom Menace (contains spoilers)

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