mikal – Page 82 – Made by Mikal

Isaac Asimov’s Caliban

Post author:mikal
Post published:June 20, 2008
Post category:Book

This is a "robot mystery" in the style of Asimov, but actually written by Roger MacBride Allen. Wikipedia assures me that Asimov approved the outline for this book, as well as the other two by Roger: "Shortly before his death in 1992, Asimov approved an outline for three novels (Caliban, Inferno, Utopia) by Roger MacBride Allen, set between Robots and Empire and the Empire series, telling the story of the terraforming of the Spacer world Inferno, and about the robot revolution started by creating a "No Law" Robot, and then New Law Robots." Roger is an interesting author, and appears to have written quite a few books, with a strong tendency for basing them in other author's universes. Its interesting to meet an author who is so seemingly willing to base his work on that of others. This book didn't strike me as well written as Asimov's, but that's a pretty high bar to meet. It should be noted that Amazon reviews disagree with me on this point. Its rendition is certainly competent though, and the story is a good one.

Robots and Empire

Post author:mikal
Post published:June 10, 2008
Post category:Book

I find the newer Asimovs harder to read for some reason -- I think it might be because they are more inclined to introspection that the earlier ones, but that might not be all of it. Overall I enjoyed this book, although I did find that I lost enthusiasm briefly in the middle. Overall, worth the effort though. You can tell that Asimov was getting old at the time that he wrote this book, as he dwells extensively on the importance of living an interesting and worthwhile life, instead of necessarily a long life. Overall he makes the argument that this is what is wrong with Spacer society -- life is so long that its inconceivable to take risks early in life that might shorten that life. Later in life its too late however, as you are by then trapped in your comfortable rut. Its an interesting concept, and one which bears further consideration. [isbn: 0586062009;0345328949]

Bill the Galactic Hero Series

Post author:mikal
Post published:June 10, 2008
Post category:Book

This series is a set of parodies of militaristic science fiction, and is excellently bad. 1965: Bill The Galactic Hero by Harry Harrison 1989: Bill, the Galactic Hero On the Planet of Robot Slavesby Harry Harrison 1990: Bill the Galactic Hero On the Planet of Bottled Brains by Robert Sheckley and Harry Harrison 1991: Bill the Galactic Hero On the Planet of Tasteless Pleasure by David Bischoff and Harry Harrison 1991: Bill the Galactic Hero On the Planet of Zombie Vampires by Jack C. Haldeman and Harry Harrison 1991: Bill the Galactic Hero On the Planet of Ten Thousand Bars by David Bischoff and Harry Harrison (was also published under the title: "Bill, the Galactic Hero on the Planet of the Hippies from Hell") 1991: Bill the Galactic Hero: The Final Incoherent Adventure by David Harris and Harry Harrison

Books read in May 2008

Post author:mikal
Post published:June 2, 2008
Post category:Book

A Stainless Steel Rat is born The Complete Hammer's Slammers Volume 1 The Complete Hammer's Slammers Volume 2 Bill the Galactic Hero I, Robot Caves of Steel Naked Sun Robots of Dawn

Robots of Dawn

Post author:mikal
Post published:May 29, 2008
Post category:Book

This book is the third in the third in the Robot mystery series, and is once again set on a Spacer world. This one was written 30 years after the first two, and Asimov's style has noticeably changed between the 1950s and 1980s. The book starts off slowly, with a lecturing tone which I found quite annoying. For example, devoting an entire page to a discussion of whether the deliberate death of a a robot (even a human shaped on) is murder. Often the first part of the book feels like it is going excessively slowly. However, its only the first third of so of the book which suffers this flaw. Its as if Asimov realized after a while that he also had a story to tell, and got on with it. The book then improves massively and has a good story. So, overall I liked this book, although the first part of the book wasn't as good as the rest of the Asimov I've read. [isbn: 0553299492;0345315715] [award: nominee hugo 1984]

Coke cans are a weird shape in Japan

Post author:mikal
Post published:May 21, 2008
Post category:Travel

I give you the can bottle, which is clearly the best shape for a coke can, ever. Update: I noticed the image was broken on this post, so I found another.

Shibuya, Tokyo

Post author:mikal
Post published:May 21, 2008
Post category:Travel

Panos (a dude I work with) and I got to Tokyo ok last night. The flight left SFO at about 1pm and got into Narita airport at about 4pm. By the time we'd done immigration and collected our bags we only had about a ten minute wait for the limousine bus to the hotel. We're staying in Shibuya, which seems to be a bit of a shopping district. We managed to do the pointing a menu food ordering thing for dinner last night, and then I went to bed. Initial impressions of Tokyo: Its very clean and amazingly well organised. People naturally line up, and customer service is much better than it is in the US. Its not as crowded as I expected. English is very common, but don't expect people on the streets to actually speak it.

Tokyo tomorrow

Post author:mikal
Post published:May 19, 2008
Post category:Travel

Tomorrow I'm jumping on a JAL flight to Tokyo. I will be in Tokyo for a week, mostly for work meetings. I'm hoping to fit some sightseeing in on the weekend. Let me know if you have any recommendations.

Naked Sun

Post author:mikal
Post published:May 18, 2008
Post category:Book

Bill Clarke was kind enough to lend me a compendium of Asimov that contained the next book in the series I'm reading at the moment. I've had to skip over some of the earlier collections of robot short stories, because they're quite hard to find. Specifically, I haven't been able to find anyone with a copy of The Complete Robot for sale, even new. This book is the next in the Robot series, and the second which features Detective Baley. Again Baley is solving a murder, although this time its occurred on a Spacer world instead of his own Earth. Along the way he has to confront his own fear of open spaces, as well as other's fear of proximity to other humans. This was again another excellent book. I enjoyed it a lot. [isbn: 0553293397]

Caves of Steel

Post author:mikal
Post published:May 14, 2008
Post category:Book

Caves of Steel is interesting because it is a murder mystery set in the future, which at the time this book was written was a novel concept. It also presents an interesting almost-communist view of the future, where individual liberties are surrendered one by one in order to improve economic efficiency in order to support Earth's ever growing population. Implicit in that is the assertion that capitalism is inherently inefficient, but I'll leave that discussion alone. This book is a really quick read. It took me a day (including actually going to work) to knock it over, which was fun. The book is a good, light read. [isbn: 0553293400] [award: nominee hugo 1954]