TIMESCAPE By Gregory Benford

Published : 1980
Pages : 412
Overall Mark : 7/10

When a young scientist in 1962 starts to receive interference in one of his experiments, he discovers that the interference actually contains messages from someone and someplace unknown to him. The truth that the messages are a warning from the future soon comes to light, but his peers find it hard to believe due to the inconsistency of the messages and he finds himself having to fight to prove the messages to be true.

This is an interesting idea, but the notion could have been explained in a more efficient way. Benford does an admirable job of describing the exact methods of scientists in all the time periods he describes, and keeps the story alive through its realism rather than using fantastic plot devices to further the story. Well worth reading, but only if you have the patients as the pacing is slow.

FATAL VOYAGE By Kathy Reichs

Published : 2001
Pages : 432
Overall Mark : 8/10

Forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan is called on to help when a plane crash lands in the North Carolina mountains, killing everyone on board, but when some of the bodies raise questions in her mind she finds herself taken off the case and her career on the line.

This is probably one of Kathy Reichs stronger stories as there is a definite focus rather than moving back and forth between the investigations and Brennan's personal life. Here Brennan is faced with her biggest challenge as she is forced from her investigations and has to go over her superiors heads to find out the truth about the plane crash.

UBIK By Philip K Dick

Published : 1969
Pages : 224
Overall Mark : 8/10

When Glen Runciter is killed in an explosion his colleagues start to receive strange messages about their own reality. As they investigate, they discover that they are slowly regressing through time, travelling back as far as the 1930s, and that the only solution to their predicament is a strange substance known simply as Ubik.

This is a completely confusing book, but once you get to the part where things start to get explained it becomes very enjoyable. There are a few set ups at the beginning which don't immediately make sense but, as with most Dick novels, things eventually come together for a very rewarding conclusion.

FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON By Daniel Keyes

Published : 1966
Pages : 216
Overall Mark : 9/10

A mentally retarded man named Charlie Gordon takes part in a radical experiment to increase the intelligence of human beings. At first things go well but when Algernon, the original mouse that marked the success of the experiment, begins to exhibit strange symptoms and eventually dies, Charlie realises that his intelligence may be short lived.

The idea of this book being written as a journal - gradually making the voice of Charlie Gordon increase in intelligence - is a fantastic idea and, as you reach the conclusion it becomes a very touching and upsetting tale of a man who couldn't fit in no matter if he were intelligent or simple because people couldn't accept him when he tried to improve himself.

DUMA KEY By Stephen King

Published : 2007
Pages : 689
Overall Mark : 9/10

Following an accident that leaves him with partial brain damage, Edgar Freemantle moves to the remote island of Duma Key to try and recover, but once there he's there he starts to hear strange whispered voices which inspire him to take up painting, a skill he never knew he had, and he begins to create the most extraordinary paintings, some of which have a drastic effect on reality. What he then discovers about the island's history leaves him in a terrified state which could mean the deaths of those he holds most dear.

This is one of Stephen King's best books in a long time. The characters are vivid and real, the pacing is dramatic, and the inevitable beast at the end doesn't feel as disappointing as they often can with King. Clearly he has lost none of his skills, and this book is a must for any fan, as well as anyone who's never so much as picked up one of his books.

THE TIME MACHINE AND THE WAR OF THE WORLDS By H G Wells

Published : 1895 & 1898
Pages : 274
Overall Mark : 7/10

A scientist creates a time machine so that he can see what the future holds in store for humankind, but finds himself in a strange world where humanity has been split into two camps; the utopian Eloi and the cannibalistic Morlocks. And a man runs for his life when Martian tripods land in England and begin to wipe out all humans with their deadly advanced weaponry.

In spite of being well ahead of their time, and paving the way for all science fiction literature in the years following, these stories aren't that impressively written and can at times get a little repetitive and boring. Despite this weakness Wells does still manage to drag out what could otherwise be a few pages of scenery into an entire novella and comes up with some ingenious visuals.

THE BOOK OF SKULLS By Robert Silverberg

Published : 1972
Pages : 222
Overall Mark : 7/10

Four students travel into the Arizona desert in search of a lost group of acolytes who possess the power of immortality, but in order to become immortal one of the four has to be killed by the others whilst another must volunteer to take their own life. As the group begin their training amongst the followers of The Book Of Skulls, they begin to decide who they think should die and which two should live forever.

Although this is an intersting book, I didn't like any of the characters and didn't think any of them deserved to live forever. However, this said, their avaricious tendencies and need for immortality to achieve all of their greedy goals soon proves to be something they may never achieve, even if they do become immortal. This is well worth reading, but be warned, there isn't anything redeaming about the characters therein.