Location: United States
Member Since: Aug. 29, 2011
C.R. Rice
Books
This member has not published any books.Smashwords book reviews by C.R. Rice
- Good Fences
on Sep. 05, 2011
(no rating)
Good Fences is a micro-fiction that explores the world of Morris Payne, a viker (hacker) who would never label himself as such, after all he’s *better* than a mere hacker, he sails the seas of the e-verse as a pirate, a privateer, and a many of man flags. While the page count might be a little light, it gives a nice view into Mead’s world. I would highly recommend that anyone who enjoys books about AI’s, hackers, or just the cyberpunk genre check this work of fiction out.
- Fate's Mirror
on Sep. 05, 2011
(no rating)
Margaret Yang and Harry Campion collectively known as M. H. Mead has got to be one of the best things to come out of the cyberpunk genre in *years* not since Nueromancer have I so connected with a hacker protagonist. Most of them are a bit boring, seemingly omniscient and all powerful in AND out of cyberspace, Sueism at its finest. But not Morris, a fantastically flawed successor to Gibson's Case, Morris is a viker (Mead's term for a the elite hackers of her fictional `verse) who is also agoraphobic. Even going outside for a few moments is pure torture, but the main thrust of the novel in this reviewers opinion forces exactly this, many of the most poignant and page-turning moments of this work come when you find yourself wondering if Morris is going to be able to last just a little bit longer. Cope just a little bit more. Outlast the neurosis that's driving him to quite. It is, to say the least, gripping. Not to mention the treatment of AI's, cyberspace, and technology in general. This is a cyberpunk tale that is fairly novel (please pardon the pun) in its approach to these things, the world itself is pretty realistic, with the probable of tomorrow being the possible of today. If you're anything like me this in itself is a `win'; I like my fiction either annoyingly realistic or heroically UN-realistic. I found that the first time I read this book I missed many of the details I found in the second (and third!) readings. This is in this reviewer's humble opinion the sign of a wonderful and talented author. Keep your eyes to the horizon, I can foresee Mead's star rising, it may not be meteoric but it will be one that stays and lasts far into the future.
- Herb-Witch
on Sep. 01, 2012
Elizabeth McCoy of GURPS IOU and In Nomine fame is not only a fantastic game designer she is a fantastic author (though both professions do lend well to the other). Herb-Witch’s premise is simple enough: the protagonist, Kessa Herbsman is framed for a crime she didn’t commit (or did she?) and the Lord Alchemist of the city, Iathor Kymus decides to investigate. The obstacles include Kessa’s heritage (she’s a half “barbarian”), the Lord Alchemist’s brother, her own studies in alchemy, and famously enough the herb-witch’s own stubbornness. As the story progresses the reader learns of Kessa’s alchemical “immunity” and though its not revealed till more than half-way in this becomes a very important theme. I don’t want to give away to much here but the way McCoy weaves multiple tales in the same story is (in my personal opinion) quite expert. Moreover, the blending of the everyday and the not-so-everyday appeals to my own internal storyteller. After all what do the protagonists of stories do when you’re not looking at them? This theme is seen quite often through the whole book, and while it can run flat if done wrong, this is not the case with Herb-Witch. The best parts are where in my opinion when the main plot was not talked about. Oh and did I mention that there’s a marriage proposal in a jail cell? Yeah, figured that’d get your attention. McCoy’s dialogue is witty, clever, and to the point with such wonderful gems as: “Then I’ll be in my office, knocking for minor issues, screaming for explosions.” Now that’s not to say I found all of the book enjoyable, McCoy packs a ton of information in her book about Kessa’s world and it does take a bit to parse (I ended up having to read a paragraph here and there a few times). Furthermore a bit of a peeve of mine is the vagueness of geography (the overall area, not the city itself which is splendidly colorful), maybe I’m just spoiled for maps in my fantasy novels. Herb-Witch is a fantastic book that deserves more attention that what it has so far received.
- Herb-Wife
on Sep. 06, 2012
As I recently discussed earlier, Elizabeth McCoy is a damn good author. Herb-Witch (the first book of the series) ends with you being hurtled over a figurative cliff (as opposed to just hanging there). I hate cliffhangers. No really, I hate them, they annoy me and they must die. I hate the wait. I hate the wondering. Hate, hate, hate. And yeah, if you’re curious Jim Butcher drove me freaking nuts with his latest Dresden Files books. Other than my deep abiding hatred and loathing of cliffhangers I liked the first book and I sure as hell liked the second one. Herb-Wife picks up where Herb-Witch left off, again, I won’t spoil it but the title should give away at least some of it. Kessa, Iathor, and that unpredictable bastard Iason are back. The second book quite succinctly sums up just about everything I could want summed up but I’m still left with questions and even a few doubts (but that’s the case with nearly every bit of fiction out there). As a sometimes writer myself I know one thing: endings are hard. You cannot possibly tie up every string, thread, and spool of plot there is. And if you tried, you’d go mad. Still you can tie up the big ones and even a few of the small ones, and in the end that’s the best you can do. McCoy nails it pretty close to the mark, making sure most of the plots are tied with a ribbon and a bell. Also there is a refreshing lack of plot-holes (on either proverbial ceiling or floor). The dialogue remains witty and the attention to details remains high. The book in general was a real page-turner and I must admit I finished it in less than three days of before-bed reading. Again, the vagueness of geography threw me off a bit; places and names were mentioned but with only the barest of descriptions. There was also one instance of “Why is that character here” but it was justified enough later on that and I was suitably mollified. I was rather disappointed by the book length, I felt the author could have gone on a bit more and I found myself at the end far too quickly. Both books of the Lord Alchemist’s Duology are worth acquiring if you have a love of low-magic fantasy worlds or alchemy in general.
- Queen of Roses
on Nov. 01, 2012
I’ve been pretty sick lately (just got out of the hospital today actually) but I have to post the review of the Queen of Roses by Elizabeth McCoy. I’ve been reading a lot of McCoy’s work lately and well…she’s probably one of my favorite authors. Her work is not full of epic action and world-shattering events. It is about people. McCoy has a sort of razor sharp focus that allows her to show off a particular character in a particular set of circumstances without relying on the crash and boom of more traditional stories. This isn’t to say that her work is boring, but it is a change of pace that makes me want to curl up in a chair on a rainy day and just read. Queen of Roses does this for me, it’s a sci-fi cozy, it’s what would happen if Agatha Christie wrote a science fiction novel. The book starts with a twist and it does not stop until the end (and really, not even then). Another bit I really liked is how the author differentiated between conversations between AI’s and normal folks. The basic premise of Queen of Roses is that Sarafina (a AI) is bought by a skeevy starship owner for his cruise ship…and well…you need to read the book for the rest. It’s worth it, seriously, go buy it.
- The Caline Conspiracy
on Nov. 11, 2012
The Caline Conspiracy is M.H. Mead’s third foray into the Viker ‘Verse (I have no idea what the collective team of Margaret Yang and Harry Campion call their little world but this is what I call it, so deal). I’m going to start with the bad then go to the good: First (and worst in this humble readers opinion), IT. IS. TOO. DAMN. SHORT. Mead built up the pressure on the plot slowly and then put it on full blast somewhere in the middle and kept it up till the very (unexpected) end. Basically my brain was going full speed doing its SUPER-GNEIUS thing right until I hit the book-ending-meep-meep, and suddenly I realized I was over the damn cliff. Now don’t get me wrong the ending made sense and tied up the loose ends nicely (that is hard to do!) but I wanted more. I felt there could’ve been wayyyy more chapters till the final act. Second, speaking of the final act, I was (for some reason) expecting more Machiavellian plots not the end of McBeth (well partially McBeth anyways). Okay my gripes aside to the good stuff! PLOT. My gawd it was so pretty, so simply constructed and perfect. It was like when your son/daughter/young relation gets a hold of an erector set or Legos and builds a structure the first time. And they do it perfectly. Mead incorporates enough science to give you the idea of what is going on but doesn’t bludgeon you with Neil Degrasse Tyson’s figurative whoompum stick. (Side note: whoompum stick, isn’t that a awesome pair of words? I just like saying it out loud: whoompum stick, you should try it is fun). Second, you can tell that Mead has put real work into the universe her books take place in, that is to say nothing feels…contrived. Either the Mead duo are madcap writing geniuses cranking out loads of manuscripts no one will ever see or they got a setting bible. I’m good for either theory. Third (and finally because I know by now reader you are getting grumpy and possibly need a cookie and a glass of milk*), the characters are very very fleshed out. Very real. I don’t get the cardboard cutout feeling when someone new comes onto the stage. For instance, I got the creep vibe near instantly from Edo, the whiny teenager vibe from Jon, and (as I did when I read Fate’s Mirror) the kick-ass action hero vibe from Aidra. Though I doubt she’d describe herself as such. Overall, it is a great book but I just want more of it. It is worth the buy in and while you are at it go ahead and get Good Fences and Fate’s Mirror. Also worth it.
- Riding Fourth
on Nov. 12, 2012
Damn it every time I try to get out they keep pulling me back in! Last night I read Riding Fourth by M.H. Mead. First, its short, sweet, simple, and free. Those are your four basic literary food group right there. That’s the good, the bad is it’s just a window into another book. If you like the Detroit Next universe by Mead then go grab it. Yes, apparently the book series is called Detroit Next (though I still like the Viker ‘Verse better but that’s my own appellation).
- Plague
on March 07, 2013
Plague digs into a section of history of Cymelia and the (current) Lord Alchemist. When I first began reading it I was pleasantly surprised to find the book was written as ‘letters’ from the cast of characters to the others. Since one of my favorite books of all time is written like this (Bram Stoker’s Dracula) I was pretty stoked. Unfortunately, I was quickly disabused of this as the narrative switched from ‘letter’ to ‘person’. I found it jarring and couldn’t settle into the familiar rhythm I found so easy to get myself wrapped up in with Herb-Witch and Herb-Wife. That’s not to say it’s bad it’s sort of like whistling a jaunty tune and then humming it every third of the way. I didn’t like the way it flowed. It might be just me. Maybe I’m a persnickety bastard. No, correction I am a persnickety bastard. Still McCoy’s lively writing, witty dialogue, and attention to detail remain top-notch and more than makes up for what I consider this one failing. While reading Plague isn’t required for any of her other Cymelia novels I recommend it as it gives insight into some of the key characters of her other works.