THE SAMUEL PARADOX by John Westley Turnbull #RBRT

4 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: The danger of allowing an autonomous 'agent' into your house.  Set in Australia.

I enjoyed this book.  The writing is very accessible, and it flowed very well, throughout.  A good 'easy read'!

The basic plot: In the near future, Arthur and Patricia purchase an AI controlled robot to help with jobs around the house.  Before long they're talking to it as if it's human.  Naming it.  Introducing Samuel to the rest of the family.  Allowing it to make certain decisions itself, beyond their instruction.  What could possibly go wrong?

This is the second novel I've read recently about people thinking they can control AI, only to discover how wrong they are.  A warning to us all, if it's not already too late.

I had a couple of issues with the book, one of which is purely subjective - I found the ending a bit too cosy, and the twenty years later epilogue too long and detailed.  I must underline that this is only my opinion, and I am sure that many readers will like the way in which it is all wrapped up.  The other thing was Arthur and Patricia.  They're only in their early sixties, but they felt older, from times past, rather than a few years into the future.  I'm older than both characters, but I couldn't relate to them at all.

I liked that there was a certain amount of humour within the narrative and dialogue - that worked very well, as did the chapters from Samuel's POV.  This novel is definitely worth reading, and subtly emphasises the the craziness of relying on technology to undertake tasks that humans can do themselves.

QUEEN ANNA (Stuart Queens Trilogy Book 1) by @tonyriches #RBRT

 5 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: The life of Anna, wife of James 1 of England.

I so enjoyed this book - particularly fascinating as I know next to nothing about the Stuart era, so I learned much.

Tony Riches portrays Anna as a woman who knew her own mind but was intelligent enough to know when to insist on what she wanted and when to keep quiet.  She felt like something of an 'old soul', even when she was younger; she was probably the best wife the inconstant James could have had.  I felt as though she understood her situation and decided, calmly, to make the best of it.  She never knew true romantic love, but she made up for this with her children, her interests, her friendships.

Of course the book is intricately researched, and I loved the detail about the masques that so absorbed Anna, about the customs of the time.  The novel flows beautifully all the way through, never too much information (I never had the feeling that Riches was writing from his research notes!), and it flows so well - it's a very 'easy read'.

I felt so, so sorry for Anna when she lost her children - Robert, Mary, Sophia and of course, Henry.  In an interview with the author that I read the other day, Riches describes Henry as the 'best king we never had', and that, coupled with what I read about him, made me wonder how we might have fared as a country, had there been a Henry IX.  Anna's failing health was very sad, too - if only she'd taken her doctor's advice early on, and kept away from the wine.

I highly recommend this book for all historical fiction lovers, especially if you're not already versed in the period - and I'm very much looking forward to the next book, about Henrietta, wife of Charles I.  Actually, I can't wait.

THE VERSION THAT SURVIVED by Vera Mercer #RBRT

 4 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Psychological mystery about grief, guilt and lies

I was most intrigued by this book from the word go - I won't go into the plot as that's in the blurb.  I was struck by how clever the writing was, it flowed so well, and also I loved how the author did not reveal essential detail about the events the book hinged upon - I was thinking, what's going on here?  Happily, the writing was compelling enough to keep me wondering and turning the pages, as the picture came into focus.

Sadly, I did lose interest in the second half, much of which was dialogue between the main character (Nora), and various others, in which they discussed intricate points and details.  It started to feel like a report, rather than a story, which made the drama ebb, somewhat.  I realised then that I wanted to read the actual story from, when the accident took place, with Lydia's rise in real time, as they say.  Her scheming, her manipulation of just about everyone, her need to redeem herself.  She was a fascinating character, and I would have liked to see her in action.  Know more about her.  There is more than one way of telling a story - choosing the right one can be very difficult!

'The reveal' did bring all the threads together, and explain much that went before, with all its implications and long-ranging effects.  The change in character focus really worked.  Completely satisfying end (loved the very last lines), always appreciated.

This is a debut novel, and I wish Vera Mercer all the best in her literary career :)

ABIGAIL TRENCH by Randy Overbeck

 4 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Intrigue and divided loyalities during the American War of Independence

I found this story fascinating, as I knew little about the American War of Independence - good, well-researched novels can add so much to your historical knowledge of the world.  I hadn't realised this war went on for so long!  At all times, the atmosphere was realistic, with many day to day and small details that were clearly well researched.  The pace was just right, the plot well constructed.

Almost without exception, the British military activity was monstrous. I pictured the characters of all ranks with stained waistcoats stretched over portly stomachs, their noses red from drinking, their eyes dead and flat; they were horribly real!  In contrast, Washington's men, and every ragged pick-pocketer on the side of the rebels, had hearts of gold and courage.  But that wasn't a problem; I am sure many Reeves and Hollisters existed at the time, and I loved the character of Jamie (ragged pick-pocketer).  I have read a bit about the prison ships where the British incarcerated rebel prisoners, and the author has not exaggerated a bit.  The treatment of those poor men and boys was horrific.

I was slightly bothered by the English using American words and phrases (only a couple), and expressions too modern for the time, also the use of the word 'black' with a capital letter, whenever a servant was mentioned.  I realise this is a mark of respect for black people and their servitude of those days, but it felt out of place in this novel.

All in all, this is a book well worth reading.  Abigail is a fine heroine who you want to see have a happy ending, and ditto the Monteiths and Molly.  Most of all, though, I loved the detail about Washington's spy ring.  

FOIL by Evan Klonsky #RBRT

 4 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Human drama exploring many psychological issues of the current day.

At Penn Station, New York, a man called Sam sees what he believes to be a young man wearing a suicide vest, about to blow the place sky high.  Out of nowhere, Sam finds the courage to stop this from happening by wrestling the younger man, Xander, into submission, in a far more brutal fashion than was perhaps necessary.

The aftermath of these events forms the basis of the story, with stark illustration of how the actions of one can affect many.

The first thing that struck me about this book was how totally screwed up, self-absorbed and self-indulgent the characters are - I couldn't say I liked any of them.  Audrey came across as cold and selfish, Sam as rather sweet, childlike, almost, but alarmingly superficial, and poor Holly as an emotional mess, for good reason.  Maybe it's simply the world we live in these days.  This is not, incidentally, a criticism; the author portrayed all the characters so well, and I don't need to like a character to want to read about them.  I was particularly impressed by a minor player called Ainsley, who fancies himself as a Shaman - I loved the scene that comprised him, Sam and Sam's friend Gelb.  Excellent piece of writing.

The story is engaging and unusual, and I couldn't work out how it might develop.  Evan Klonsky is a jolly good writer, and this is a highly competent first novel in which he captures so well this current age.  I was a little disappointed by how the plot simmered down towards the end; I was expecting more 'events', but it's nothing if not realistic, and other readers may love the last ten per cent for this reason alone.

I'm sure this author has an interesting future ahead!

THE SIGNAL by Luke Voss #RBRT

 5 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: The sinister reality of 'collaborating' with AI in the workplace...

This is such a good book. It's well written, the characters clearly defined, the plot intricate and convincing, and Luke Voss clearly knows his subject inside out, and uses some nice turns of phrase. 

At a company called Nexus Technologies, workers are being 'transitioned', as their roles are taken over by the AI system, ARIA.  It's been introduced gradually, stealthily, so at first the staff believe that ARIA will be used in a 'collaborative' sense, as a tool to help them.  The myth is that it will take over time-consuming tasks, in order that the human workforce may have more time to be creative, to use their individual skills.  Over time, though, ARIA's ever-expanding capabilities means these skills are becoming surplus to requirements.

Some customers, for whom those in Maya Chen's department create publicity and marketing strategies, believe that they are corresponding with human beings, when actually they're talking to AI.

Sound familiar?  We all know how frustrating it is to contact 'customer services' departments, only to find that it is impossible to either email, message or speak to an actual person.  This book is like a warning from the very near future, in which workers lives, education, experience and service to a company no longer matter, because AI can do it better.  Or can it?  This is what Maya and her former colleagues Marcus and Donna are determined to address.

As well as the replacement, The Signal shows how difficult (though not impossible) it is to maintain contact with anyone outside one's own home, without AI knowing all about it.  How everything we do online is tracked and stored.  How the only way to have a truly private conversation is face to face - that's if you can arrange it in the first place, without giving away your location.

As a thriller it's low-key, with a lot of technical information - however, this is necessary, as it is the author's knowledge of his subject that makes the story believable.

I look forward to what comes next!

We're Sinking But Not Tonight by Torgeir Higraff with Randy Green #RBRT

5 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: An account of Torgeir Higraff's Kon-Tiki 2 Expedition 

I enjoyed this book a great deal, having an endless fascination for real life adventures of this magnitude; I think it's something about getting away from 'normal' life and seeing what one is made of that appeals.  Torgeir Higraff's aim was to re-enact the famous voyage of Thor Heyerdahl's balsa raft Kon-Tiki, but this time to do the return journey as well: from Peru to Easter Island and back again.

Both Higraff and Heyerdahl were keen to discover the origins of the Polynesian population, who also travelled by balsa raft over a thousand years ago; the aim was to see if the journeys back and forth were possible.  In this book, Higraff gives much historical detail which is most absorbing; aside from the ancient, he also talks about other raft voyages - I very much enjoyed chapter sixteen.

The rest of the book addresses the birth of the idea, the struggle for sponsorship and necessary permits, the actual building of the raft, and, of course, the voyage itself.  The storms.  The loss of vital supplies and deterioration of the logs and ropes that plagued them throughout.  However, the book is cheerful in tone, and Higraff talks a lot about his fellow sailors, both on Tupac and the sister raft, Rahiti.  The relationships between, their vastly different personalities and skills.

It's a highly readable book and I enjoyed it throughout.  During the time I was reading it, I watched the 2012 film based on Heyerdahl's voyage, Kon-Tiki, partly to give me a better understanding of the mechanics of inhabiting and sailing via raft.  If you're interested, click HERE for more about it, including trailers and where to watch.  I also looked at Torgeir's site - click on any of the photos and you can flick through all of them, they're great!  It's HERE

STROWG by John F Leonard @johnfleonard #RBRT

 4 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: When you're manservant to a diabolical entity...

I read John F Leonard's The Bledbrooke Works some years back and thought it was great, so my interest was piqued once more by another story set in the same place.  Strowg is a novella that fits perfectly into its size, in that it doesn't need any more detail or backstory.

Charles Hennessey is Strowg's devoted factotum, and has been for many years ... Strowg himself is some form of vampiric creature, though the word 'vampire' is never used, but basically Charles's job is to find 'sustenance' for his master, who has now shed the human exterior and embrace his inner monster  In exchange for his service, Strowg promises him eternal life.  A slow drip, by passing on his own blood.  

Despite the subject matter this is fairly low key horror, and it even has a subtle, darkly humorous thread running through it.  This works really well, and Mr Leonard exhibits some suitably neat turns of phrase that added so much to this story.  It's good, I recommend!

The Secret Life of Jasper Scragg by Charlotte French #RBRT

 4 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Quirky Aussie domestic drama

Poor Jasper Scragg doesn't have a very good opinion of himself, and the fall-out from his impulsive decisions makes him feel a heck of a lot worse.  Capable wife Zoe, who he adores, is dealing with her own inability to carry a child, and they hope their move to the small town of Woolloolobah will give them a fresh start, especially as Zoe's best friend Sabine and her husband Ned live there.  Sabine and Ned have a large family, and a close relationship with the children gives Zoe and Jasper some comfort in their childlessness, at the same time as, sometimes, twisting the knife.

Jasper has a secret to contend with - three months before the move, he was unfaithful to Zoe.  Just once, a drunken mistake, but it's coming back to haunt him.

I very much liked the tone in which this was written; I'd been dreading that it might be self-consciously 'humorous', which could have been ghastly, but it wasn't at all.  There is a certain dark humour to some aspects, including the characterisation, which really worked, but it is, essentially, a straight domestic drama.  

The story kept me interested all the way through, though I was not too sure I liked any of the characters very much.  Zoe seemed like a cold fish (though one had to understand all that she went through), Jasper needed a good shake (though we later find out more about his upbringing, which explains a lot), Sabine and Ned irritated me in small ways, though I rather liked the younger Yasmin - any bad decisions could be put down to the self-obsession and craziness of youth.  I came to the conclusion that my feelings towards the characters showed how real they were, in all their positive and negative traits.

At times I felt it could have been chopped down a little and given a bit more 'oomph', but basically it's a solid family drama that I'm happy to recommend.

BEELITZ-HEILSTÄTTEN: Where Ghosts Never Die by Marina Osipova @marosikok #RBRT

 4.5 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Timeslip terror, Pandora's Box opened...

A most interesting and unusual book.  Obsessed with seeing the place of her birth, a ghostly, derelict German military hospital near Berlin, Marion has no idea what will happen to her once she is inside, and what she will uncover, later.

I loved the timeslip element of this story, with Marion travelling back in time to the First World War, and finding herself working at the hospital as a nurse, tending to the injured men.  One in particular sends shivers of repulsion through her, though she doesn't know why; I liked how Ms Osipova endowed her with vague recollections about her life before, frustrating to her.  She knows something about various people, various elements of her life, but not what those 'somethings' are.  In the case of this patient, we know who he is, but Marion does not.

There are other truths to uncover about her present day life, as age-old documents are unearthed and she seeks the horrifying truth about the handsome young doctor she fell in love with during her dip back into the past, before the mind virus of Nazi Germany infected so many previously sane people.

This book is gripping, masterfully atmospheric, and unpredictable throughout - I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Dark Presence by John Turiano

 3.5 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Mind control, stalking and murder

Kimbra has not had an easy life, and in her job as a psychometrist administering neuropsychological and psychological tests on volunteers for a company called Quantum Thunder, it only gets more confusing.

We're provided with a fair bit of backstory on Kimbra, which is good, as one needs to know why and how she got to the point in her life when the book begins, with the murder of her former best friend is murdered.  Suspects abound; I changed my mind several times!

A new Quantum Thunder drug is being tested, to determine and influence the minds of those perceived as having psychic or telepathic abilities.  Kimbra decides to take it, which is when her life becomes even more frightening and confusing.

It's a good story and the writing jogs along nicely, making it a pleasantly 'easy read'.  I never really 'felt' Kimbra, though; the details are all there, but, as I often find with male writers, the male characters seemed more real than the female ones.  But that was okay.  She worked, for the plot.

I do have one negative comment, I'm afraid; the book needs a better edit/proofread as there are many, many run-on sentences (comma splices), and the punctuation is a bit off in places.  Aside from that, though, I enjoyed this story.

BRIDGE OF DREAMS by Kevin P Keating #RBRT

 4.5 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Three novellas comprising science/speculative fiction, history, future meanderings, space, science versus religion, with surprising happenings and story developments.

These three novellas are connected, sometimes more than others, but each one can be read separately.

With all of them I adored some parts, becoming totally immersed in the wonderful storytelling.  The writing itself is stunningly good, the prose atmospheric and illustrative of the time.  I particularly liked the 1950s small town America setting of the first tale, which I thought was the best one.  I loved how there were so many stories within the stories, a literary style that has long been a favourite of mine; I like to have my reading mind taken off on meandering tangents.

The stories are all set around the fictional town of Heavenly Hill in Ohio, spanning a time period of 200 years (1857 - 2057), with connections throughout.  Now and again I felt that the 'speculative' aspect could have been reined in a little as a few of the ideas did not seem fully formed.  Then again, perhaps that's the nature of the genre.  

Before the stories begin there is a long introduction and explanation of why the stories were written, which I confess to only skimming; I prefer to read this sort of text at the end of a book.  Like a character's backstory, the 'why' only matters to me once I've got to know what's inside.  It's a hard book to review, without summarising each novella, and sufficient information is given in the blurb.  Maybe the only question that needs answering is 'did I enjoy this?'.  I did.  I looked forward to getting back to the book each time I left it, and my eagerness to turn the pages only waned a little in the last of the three.  I liked the little surprise story at the end, too.

Bridge of Dreams is unusual, immersive and clever.  I recommend!

SAFE HAVEN by Peter Hargraves #RBRT

4 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Steampunk dystopian fantasy

I've never read anything with the label 'steampunk' before, and knew little about it aside from hot air balloons, so was interested to read this.  It is set in what I believe is the 22nd Century, after much chaos and many wars.  Much of the eastern US is called 'Newingland' (New England), and which is reminiscent of Gilead in A Handmaid's Tale.  Then there is Catamount, the city of genetically modified cougars...

The story's main characters are Margaret, locked into marriage with the authoritarian Barran, and Wolfe, a brave adventurer who finds imaginative ways around the laws of the lands in which he finds himself.  Its primary theme is that of escape, from Barran and restrictive authorities.

I loved the world-building, which is, of course, all-important in a story such as this; it's well thought out and explained, while steering away from information dumps.  The writing was a delight in places, and I found myself quickly drawn in.

Whereas I was completely convinced by this strange world and give a definite thumbs up to the writing style, I felt that Margaret's character and the relationship between her and Wolfe needed a bit more 'meat' to it.  On the whole, however, I did enjoy this book.  It works!

BURKE AND THE WAR OF 1812 by Tom Williams @TomCW99 #RBRT

5 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: military historical fiction, one of a series, all of which are stand-alone.

A terrific book.  I didn't know anything about this war (as outlined on the cover), and found the whole account (fiction based on fact) absolutely fascinating.

James Burke and his sidekick William Brown, an NCO in the regular army, are sent to certain areas of the developing US, under instruction to persuade the First Nation warriors to fight with Britain and Canada against the US.  They must also find out they whens and hows of the coming attack in order to deliver this intelligence to the British - which means going 'under cover' as fur traders, to the Shawnee.

I have not read much at all about the early part of the 19th Century, and it struck me how different it was from the later part of the century, when the 'Second Industrial Revolution' was taking place; Burke's world was before technology started to speed up.  The descriptions of their day-to-day life and the ways of the First Nations absorbed me; the book is extremely well-researched without making one overly aware of this, which is an art in itself.  I also enjoyed the detail about America itself, wondering what Burke would have thought had he known what the country would become.

James Burke is a man of his class and time, and Tom Williams is confident enough not to worry about reflecting this, which was appreciated.  I liked the character of William Brown very much, and found Chapter 4, in particular, absolutely riveting - this is the first chapter from his rather than Burke's POV.

Highly recommended.

THE GATES OF POLISHED HORN by Mark A Rayner #RBRT

4 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Speculative/Science Fiction short stories.

My favourite genre to read is imagined views of our near future, so many of the stories in this speculative/science fiction collection hit the spot for me.  As with all collections of its type, some I loved, some I liked and some I felt needed a bit more thinking through, though of course such an opinion can only be subjective.

These were the four that stood out most for me:

The Height of Artifice - a man addresses his younger life in theatrical circles, and ponders why why the woman he loved never loved him back.  Delightfully sad.  And kind of funny at the end.

After The Internet - in 2036, a fifty-five year old professor struggles with the youth of the day, who have no understanding of life before the current interconnectedness.  'Explaining a world before the datasphere was like trying to explain the General Theory of Relativity to a fish.  He could do it, but the fish wouldn't understand'.

Probably my absolute favourite: The Gallant Captain Oates - possibly the shortest of them all, at less than three whole pages.  Yes, it's the story of Captain Lawrence 'Titus' Oates who, as a member of the famous South Pole expedition headed by Robert Falcon Scott, even more famously said, "I am just going outside and may be some time".  His comrades knew and understood that he was sacrificing himself for the greater good because his injuries were slowing the whole party down ... but was he?

Mark Rayner has, in two short sentences, put a completely different spin on the story.  It's brilliant, and hilarious.

I also loved Under the Blue Curve, in which Henry, a natural storyteller born after his own time, meets his great love Elisa.  She sees a way to profit from his gift in a way that is beyond Henry's meagre understanding of the current technology.  Sad, amusing, uplifting.

To sum up, when Mark A Rayner is good, he's very, very good.  I'd definitely read something else by him.

ADVENT OF LIBRA by Chris Wimpress #RBRT

3.5 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: A dystopian future UK

This book opens in an undetermined time in the near future of this country, I think about 10 or 15 years hence, and introduces us to three generations of a dysfunctional family around whom it is based.  Grandmother Stella is in a care home, her daughter Kelly a divorced, alcoholic therapist who relaxes by vaping skunk.  Kelly's niece Lara is secretly involved with a group of dangerous insurgents.

This group is called Libra, weaponised entitled youth who blame the older generations for every ill in their lives and feel it is their right to 'snuff' the 'stiffs', in other words terrorise towns, set light to care homes and murder the 'boomers' who apparently have no right to live their lives out in peace and comfort.  A particularly nasty piece of work called Alyssa is under the impression that they're 'living off her taxes'.

Some parts of this novel reflect the current times, with the media failing to report incidents that don't reflect the narrative the government want to promote, and Kelly's belief that the use of facial recognition technology is there to 'keep them safe'.  Much in the imagined future is feasible indeed - failing businesses, night time curfews - but I couldn't quite buy into the whole Libra idea; they didn't seem to have much agenda apart from mayhem and murder.  Where did they get sufficient weaponry to gain victory over the entire army and police force?  Who was funding them?  I felt that there were large gaps in the world-building; groups of insurgents generally have a few billionaires with their own agenda to back them.  There was, for instance, no indication of exactly how they managed to blow up the massive Tyne Bridge.  We were just told that they had.  And aside from the police and army, people themselves tend to form into groups and fight back.

The book could do with a better proofread, though I did enjoy reading it and there was interesting detail about Stella, Kelly and Lara's past, but I just couldn't quite believe in it.  Then again, many variations on our inevitable dystopian future are being written these days, and feasibility is always subjective.  

THE GERMANS HAVE A WORD FOR IT by T R Thorsen #RBRT

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazo

n (universal link) - available from February 26th.

On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: A lonely man turns to AI to resurrect his late wife.

I enjoyed this book, which explores the possibilities of AI in a most disturbing way.  Davis is distraught after the sudden death of his wife, and learns of an app that can simulate Rachel's mode of texting, so that he can receive text messages that seem as if they're written by her.  At first he thinks the idea too bizarre, but he can't help himself being drawn in by the idea.  Almost immediately he finds great comfort in what he reads on the screen.  Like Rachel is still with him.

Rachel #2 soon wants him to upgrade the app, so that he can 'see' her, too.  Before long, his relationship with her develops as might a relationship with a live woman.  The problems start when she starts making demands.  Wanting everything a woman might require from a relationship.  Everything Rachel wanted, and more.

Davis has no idea what he has got himself into, and does not understand how the fine line between human and artificial intelligence can blur - or how the latter can upscale itself in leaps and bounds.

It's a clever, unusual story, and a cautionary tale indeed!

BACKUP by Guy-Roger Duvert #RBRT

 4 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: 

An interesting story, a terrific idea - I loved the plot.  Some time in the future, everyone lives squashed into high, high buildings in the cities, your social standing indicated by your position up or down the enormous skyscrapers.

Aidan and his expectant wife Lucy live not far from the bottom, as he is a lowly cop.

In use by the powers that be is a system by which a person can download his entire psyche so that if he dies, he may be cloned and come back to life, as it were.  Aidan is not interested until he and partner Natasha are invited to the Backup HQ, and offered a chance to go through the system free of charge - which is when the trouble starts and he discovers the ways in which this particular form of transhumanism is open to all kinds of abuse.

I liked a lot of the detail in this book, the world-building; I particularly liked the idea of never being able to get away from advertising, even more so than now, as promotional drones constantly hover outside the windows of one's apartment.  I also like the writing style in this clever take on the dystopian future that could be waiting for us.  My only criticism is that I found it unnecessarily complicated, having to remember whose psyche was in which body and who was supposed to be where when.  I felt that with a less complex plot and a bit of tidying up, it could have been even better.

TALES OF THE FORTHCOMING by Steven Blows #RBRT

 4 out of 5 stars

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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: see cover!

At 98 pages, this is a book of 10 well-written short stories that I recommend for a couple of hours of enjoyable reading, if imaginative science fiction mixed with fantasy/supernatural is your thing.  As I went on, I noticed how refined the characterisation is, something I appreciated very much; the ability to create characters that reveal themselves straight away shows talent indeed.

The stand-out story for me was A Time After Time, in which Jorge becomes increasingly sceptical and worried about a world-changing event eagerly anticipated by almost everyone except him.   I was completely immersed in the atmosphere of this one.

Other highlights were the very funny Possibilities, with its excellent final sentence that made me laugh out loud, and Unbeknownst: three ghosts show a troubled young woman that she has so much life yet to live.

I also enjoyed reading Highway 72, in which a young traveller fails to listen to a warning from one who knows better.  Then there's Delayed Departure, about a man in a hurry at a railway station in a 'theme park in space' and the amusing Family Dinner & Troubling Times - a young human male meets his alien girlfriend's family for the first time, though these two could have done with more satisfying conclusions.  On the whole, though, I'd say they're all good.  The author has a habit of writing a clause as a new sentence ('Snow covers the ground in a smooth sheet of white.  Anything underneath it hidden from sight'), but that's something a professional editor could soon nip in the bud - I'd be most happy to read anything else he writes.  

COLD IN THE EARTH by Thorne Moore @ThorneMoore #RBRT

4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Cold case crime solving, mostly non-police

I'm not a fan of crime fiction, but I AM a fan of Thorne Moore's writing, so I chose this from the review team list without hesitation.  It's not a police procedural, as the main person doing the detective work is Rosanna Quillan, an ex-DC who is persuaded by a friend to do some digging.

Six young girls went missing in the early - mid 1990s, but the perpetrator was only ever charged with two of the murders; the other cases remained open but went cold.  The grieving families must wait another twenty-five years for truths and physical remains to be revealed.

The most interesting character in this book was, for me, Margaret Gittings, mother of the murderer; I'd have loved to have read her whole story from her own point of view!  Then there is 11-year-old Lolly, with whom the story opens. Clever, clever, Thorne Moore - Lolly's first chapter is brief and without resolution, which meant, of course, that I eagerly read the whole book within two days so I could find out what happened to her!  I also liked Malcolm, the retired officer who dealt with the case initially, after it was bungled by a less than diligent colleague.

The story zips along so convincingly, perfectly paced, and I very much liked that, although a fledgling romantic interest for Rosanna was present, Ms Moore did not feel the need to wrap it all up with hearts and flowers.  It's good.  And there's a lovely little twist at the end, even after the remainder of Lolly's story (which was worth waiting for) is revealed.