Release Date: 26/05/16
Publisher: Gollancz
SYNOPSIS:
Hannu Rajaniemi exploded onto the SF scene in 2010 with the publication of his first novel The Quantum Thief. Acclaimed by fellow authors such as Charles Stross, Adam Roberts and Alastair Reynolds and brilliantly reviewed everywhere from Interzone to the Times and the Guardian he swiftly established a reputation as an author who could combine extraordinary cutting edge science with beautiful prose and deliver it all with wit, warmth and a delight in the fun of storytelling.
It is exactly these qualities that are showcased in this his first collection of short stories. Drawn from antholgies and magazines and online publication and brought together in book form for the first time in this collection here is a collection of sixteen short stories that range from the lyrical to the bizarre, from the elegaic to the impish. It is a collection that shows one of the great new imaginations in SF having immense fun.
REVIEW:
If you're looking for some contemporary Sci-Fi Fiction then you really have to give Hannu a try as in this short story compendium, he takes a dark twisted look at a future and inhabitants of planets which are quite diverse as well as disturbing. The settings are unique, have great prose and of course deliver some quite hard hitting punches when you read between the lines. Back this up with fully imagined worlds, cracking dialogue and are wonderful to di into on journeys all round left me salavating for more. A top notch read. Magic.
Release Date: 27/09/12
SYNOPSIS:
Jean le Flambeur is out of prison, but still not free. To pay his debts he has to break into the mind of a living god. But when the stakes are revealed, Jean has to decide how far he is willing to go to get the job done. The sequel to Hannu Rajaniemi's extraordinary debut novel is set to build on the extravagant promise of one of the most exciting new voices to come out of the genre this century.
REVIEW:
Having read the original title by Hannu and remembering how complex the overall arc along with the science was, I decided to embark on a reread prior to starting this title, and boy, was I happy I did as the tale is not only complex but really isn’t a book for someone to jump into without understanding what’s gone before.
As with the original the writing is crisp, the author seeking to take the genre in a new direction that not only interests but overloads on the possibilities which overall make this a book that I thought was pretty solid and something that I’ll reread again to see what I’ve missed in the original reading. Add to this an interesting cast which when backed with a unique writing style that identifies the author uniquely and all in I was more than satisfied with this book.
Release Date: 30/09/10
BOOK BLURB:
Jean le Flambeur is a post-human criminal, mind burglar, confidence artist and trickster. His origins are shrouded in mystery, but his exploits are known throughout the Heterarchy - from breaking into the vast Zeusbrains of the Inner System to steal their thoughts, to stealing rare Earth antiques from the aristocrats of the Moving Cities of Mars. Except that Jean made one mistake. Now he is condemned to play endless variations of a game-theoretic riddle in the vast virtual jail of the Axelrod Archons - the Dilemma Prison - against countless copies of himself. Jean's routine of death, defection and cooperation is upset by the arrival of Mieli and her spidership, Perhonen. She offers him a chance to win back his freedom and the powers of his old self - in exchange for finishing the one heist he never quite managed ...The Quantum Thief is a dazzling hard SF novel set in the solar system of the far future - a heist novel peopled by bizarre post-humans but powered by very human motives of betrayal, revenge and jealousy. It is a stunning debut.
REVIEW:
Whilst I do tend to keep a very close eye on the Fantasy genre, there are times when an author of huge talent almost slips me by in the Science Fiction genre. What drew my attention to Hannu, was thankfully a recommendation from friend John Jarrold, an agent, well known for spotting alongside nurturing talent.
Hannu’s writing style is pretty unique as he blends what could be science fact skilfully with a mystery, a heist and above all else a cast of characters that you want to be around. They are fully rounded, each serves their own ideals alongside code of morals and they definitely add more to this offering than many other titles out there. The peaks and lulls of the author prose make this a title that you have to read and whilst there are quotes from notables within the genre, they really do not do this author justice to their own individual skill. It is definitely a title that I am backing to the hilt and one I think will soon be grasped by a bevy of awards and a whole host of readers demanding to know who this author is. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
