Necessity in International Law
Jens David Ohlin and Larry May
Book
Necessity is a notoriously dangerous and slippery concept-dangerous because it contemplates...
Grand gangs in Sun Andreas
Games
App
Welcome to Sun Andreas, crime capital of America! Roll up on a dangerous new trip through the crime...
Odd People: Hunting Spies in the First World War
Book
First World War espionage was a fascinating and dangerous affair, spawning widespread paranoia in...
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Slow Bullets in Books
Nov 25, 2019
The set up is interesting and simple, at least in summary. A ship carrying soldiers, mostly war criminals of one sort or another, following a ceasefire malfunctions and they are awoken from hibernation much later than they expected. Almost immediately the the rivalries from the war become apparent again and it is up to Scur to put herself in the position of ensuring that they can at least survive without killing each other for a war long since finished.
The story is told from Scur's point of view as she effectively writes her memoir - and confessional - as she comes to the end of her life. Reynolds entwines several threads effortlessly producing some good dramatic moments and plot twists. The changes of direction are not so much surprising as they occur but the direction they go in.
Apart from the expected divisions between the different sides of the army and the civilians on the ship Scur needs to worry about where the advanced civilization that existed before the war has gone, the slow deterioration of the ship, the potential for a religious war and a war criminal which she would very much like to exact revenge upon, all played out in the pressure cooker environment of the ship.
The result is a tight story with plenty of action interspersed with serious considerations about society, justice and religion and how they interplay. Like any of Reynold's work the particular universe this story inhabits - as far as can be discerned this is not related to any other novel or short story - arrives fully formed and with perceptible depth and history, hinting at other stories that might be told elsewhere.
For one of Reynolds' stories there isn't much science and it doesn't stick to physical limits - faster than light travel and communications are both possible but not really explored in detail. But the focus is entirely on the individuals involved with the setting just a backdrop for them to play out the story in front of.
Overall a thoroughly good read and one I would recommend to anyone who likes their science fiction up close and personal.
Rating: Some violent scenes and bad language
I Was a Boy in Belsen
Tomi Reichental and Nicola Pierce
Book
'In the last couple of years I realised that, as one of the last witnesses, I must speak out.' Tomi...
International Human Rights: A Comprehensive Introduction
Book
This book provides a comprehensive introduction to international human rights -- international human...
Law Among Nations: An Introduction to Public International Law
Gerhard von Glahn and James Larry Taulbee
Book
Offering a more accessible alternative to casebooks and historical commentaries, Law Among Nations...
Guilty but Insane: J. C. Bowen-Colthurst - Villain or Victim?
Book
Captain J.C. Bowen-Colthurst, originally from Cork, served with the British Army in the Boer War, in...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Broken ( Society 14) in Books
Jul 28, 2023
Kindle
Broken ( society book 14)
By Mason Sabre
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The war is just beginning. Is Helena ready to earn her stripes?
The next heart-pounding instalment in Mason Sabre's Paranormal and Urban Fantasy, Society Series.
Helena Carter isn’t like other Humans. She believes in rights for the Others—creatures of other races deemed vermin by all Humans.
The problem right now is she’s been captured for harbouring a criminal, Nick Mason, escaped convict and former heir to the Tiger Pack throne.
At first, Helena resigns herself to wait it out. They can’t keep her forever, but the Humans have a more sinister plan for her and her tiger. As the stakes rise for her and Nick, Helena must be stronger than she’s ever been, braver than she can imagine, and as fierce as any tigress in the war. It is time for Helena to get her own stripes.
I say it every time I read a Society book BUT this one is definitely my favourite. I miss Stephen and so glad the story has finally caught up with him! And now we have new babies too!!! I can not wait to see where this goes now he’s back and fighting! I love this series so much!