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JULIAN MAY
I have placed "sizzler
ratings" next to books read, even if the review
hasn't been added at this time.
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SAGITTARIUS
WHORL (2001) |
Sub-category: Distant human
future
The plot: The final volume
in The Rampart Worlds trilogy, starts with the former Chief
Legal Officer and rebel, Helly Frost, waking up looking like
an Haluk - an alien race which is overcrowded in its section
of the Galaxy and wants to expand into human territory, no
matter what the price. The only person who believes the Haluk
have a more malicious intent than trade-partners with humans
is Frost, and he currently looks like the enemy...
Comment: May is back in
form! Gripping from the opening page, this book contains non-stop
action from start to finish. As with her Galactic Milieu series,
May puts her incredible knowledge of parts of planet Earth
to good use, creating marvelous images of Toronto and city
life in the future. But it doesn't stop there... Although
the other two books in this series were a bit lighter, this
one is definitely a return to May at her best with many plot
twists and turns, all involving the lovable rogue, Helly Frost.
Sensational reading!
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ORION
ARM (1999) |
Sub-category: Human future/action
The plot: Helly Frost,
a free-living spirit from a rich corporate background is once
again recalled from his hedonistic remains of a life on the
planet Kedge-Lockaby to help his family's business survive
a cuthroat takeover bid. The story picks up from where it
ended in Perseus Spur and Helly has barely had time
to understand the horrors being perpetrated by the family
arch-rival corporation, Galapharma AC. However, barely has
Helly arrived at home before he realises there is still work
to be done, and takes off with some a mixed bunch of companions
to recover a crucial witness in the case against Galapharma.
Comment: May continues
in the lighter tone she developed in Perseus Spur.
However, no matter how much humour our characters show under
stress, May still writes some pretty knotty scenarios which
have you turning the page just wondering how our hero's are
going to escape that noose!
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MAGNIFICAT
(1996) |
Sub-category: Near Future
(fantasy)
The plot: The final volume
in the Galactic Milieu Trilogy concludes by focusing
on the Marc, Jack and the extermination of Fury and Hydra.
Marc, a powerful psychic son of Paul, is set on taking human's
psychic ability beyond what the body can tolerate by using
Cerebroenergetic enhancement (CE) equipment to boost the mind's
'creative' power. The milieu is reluctant to accept such dangerous
manipulation of psychic powers, and eventually, the only way
Marc can continue his experimentation, is with the support
of the Rebels - people who oppose Unity.
Comment: Sadly, all good
things come to an end, and this book is the last of May's
brilliantly written Galactic Milieu Trilogy. Once again,
the reader is immersed in the dynamic worlds and politics
of the milieu and the Remillard Family. May is compelling
from the start by revealing the agonising of Marc as he worries
about how to reslove some glitches in his CE equipment and
the brewing opposition from the milieu. It is a sad moment
when one reads the last word and the little T.S. Elliot quote....
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DIAMOND
MASK (1994) |
Sub-category: Near Future
(fantasy)
The plot: Book 2 of the
Galactic Milieu Trilogy, focuses on the psychic prodigy,
Dorothea MacDonald. Thirty years have passed since the Intervention
and the time is fast approaching when humans will achieve
"Unity," a peaceful merger with the group mind of the already
unified races of the milieu. Little Dorothea is on a holiday
with her mother and Grandmother when suddenly the evil hydra,
a dark Remillard family murderer, strikes and kills her
mother. Suddenly, Dorothea finds herself on Caledonia with
her father, fighting to repress the powerful latent psychic
powers that threaten to leap into operancy and separate
her from her father. Meanwhile, elsewhere, humans are plotting
to destroy the milieu's plans for human unity.
Comment: May creates
wonderful worlds similar to various countries we have here
on Earth. And yet, her wonderful narration recreates the
atmosphere - and the crusty characters that thrive under
these conditions. Again, in this novel, May creates a powerful
novel that grabs the reader's attention from the first word
and doesn't let go until the last word is read.
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JACK
THE BODILESS (1992) |
Sub-category: Near
Future (fantasy)
The plot: This book
begins the brilliantly written Galactic Milieu
Triliogy by May. In this novel, narrated by 'Uncle Rogi,'
we learn what happens after the 'Intervention' occurred
and the Earth is now on trial awaiting full admission
to the Galactic Milieu. The story starts with the Remillard
family rushing to the death bed of Victor, bad brother
of Denis. As Denis attempts a metaconcert (melding the
minds of his family to perform some psychic healing'),
Victor suddenly dies in a spectacular psychic burst, taking
his sub-operant siblings with him. Years later, Teresa,
the mentally unstable wife of Paul Remillard, gives birth
to a remarkable son, Jack whose very future is threatened
by the Milieu's Reproductive Statutes...
Comment: Spellbinding
and breathtaking, May weaves a compelling story of power,
evil, mystery and murder in the 'First Family' after the
Intervention. From the very first chapter where Rogi is
whisked away to continue the writing he started in the
Intervention novel(s), you will be captivated by
thrilling narration and evoloving plot.
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THE
MANY COLOURED LAND (1981) |
Sub-category: Near
Future (fantasy)
The plot: The Saga
of Pliocene Exile starts in this book with the discovery
of a one-way tunnel 6 million years into the past to
France. In the peaceful times of the Galactic Milieu,
where the human race interacts and trades with six other
races, certain people wish to escape to a different
way of life. The Many Coloured Land is the first of
four books (to be reviewed soon) following the
lives of several people in Pliocene France, although
they can't completely escape the influence of the Galactic
Milieu...
Comment: Existing
in an obscure branch of SF (not quite fantasy, not quite
hard core SF), Julian May has written one brilliant
book after another as she builds up her series of novels
about the Galactic Milieu. The Many Coloured Land is
the first in this series, and is an excellent novel
introducing us to several characters and the fascinating
lives they lead in the Pliocene.
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An absolute sizzler of a movie - A must
see! |
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A scorcher of a good movie; still capable
of riveting you to your seat |
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Low flame burner; a pleasant piece of mindless
brain candy |
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A fizzler of a movie which will have you
counting zzzzzz's... |
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