The Gap into Ruin: This Day All Gods Die - Stephen Donaldson. A retrospective review.

Synopsis

Tough-as-nails Morn Hyland, pirate-turned-cyborg Angus Thermopyle, and the whole crew from the United Mining Company Police are back in the final book of the Gap series, This Day All Gods Die. The Gap plot has raced through the galaxy at breakneck speeds, and the conclusion is no exception.

Morn, her alien-grown son Davies, geneticist/engineer Vector Sheed, competent Mikka, and her cabin-boy brother Ciro wait aboard Trumpet. Angus lies unconscious, possibly in permanent stasis. Ciro plots to destroy the ship, driven insane by the knowledge that alien mutagens have been shot into him by Nick Succorso's sworn enemy, Sorus Chatelaine. Following nearby, Min Donner, faithful head of the UMCP Executive Division, watches the action and grits her teeth aboard Captain Dolph's battle-fatigued Punisher. Will Morn trust her? Will her voice commands over Angus's programming prevail? Who has survived the strange journey and battles since leaving the Lab? Back at United Mining headquarters, the Dragon and UMCP Chief Warden Dios strange, twisted duel of manipulation, assassination, and corruption comes to a head when an Amnion warship sets course for Earth... and that's just the first few pages.

Get set for more of the action, betrayal, characterization, intrigue, corruption, and adventure you've enjoyed in the previous Gap books. If it has been a few years since you read the last instalment, you may have trouble remembering some names and particularly insidious points of plot and government intrigue; you may even be tempted to reread the preceding books. Also troubling is Angus's continual rumination of a couple phrases, including "We've committed a crime against your soul" and "It's got to stop."

Review

As you would expect of Donaldson's work, the real story is about the characters and their flaws and struggles -- he takes us deep into the well developed personalities of each major character, and how they persevere, or fail, despite their weaknesses. Sadism and back-stabbing wind down as the fifth and last book in the Gap Series closes in on the final showdown between humanity and the Amnion. Caught in the middle of the colossal conflict are Angus Thermopyle and Morn Hyland, the "proteges" of UMCP Director Warden Dios. Angus is a superhuman cyborg devoid of free will, Morn a UMCP cop who has been to hell and back in the worst possible ways. Warden Dios has gambled wildly -- and treasonous -- in engineering their sufferings, but his gambit pays off in the end. Dios is a paradoxical figure, one who brings himself and others down in order to expose Holt Fasner and defeat the Amnion. Although Angus and Morn have been the main characters throughout the series, Warden Dios proves to be the "key" character: On his shoulders rests the fate of humanity.

I feel this series is truly one of the best I have ever read, and the most overlooked by serious science fiction readers. Those who were looking for the Thomas Covenant series would not find it here. I admit, I thought The Real Story was not as strong of a start as it could have been, but in my opinion each book was better than the last, and this climax is truly one of the most incredible books I have read. The characters have depth and expression provided by the contrasts between their flaws and their strengths -- and the complexity of the tale weaving through the books pulls together well. The beauty of the tale is summed up by Warden Dios -- he did not choose Morn because of who she was, but merely because she was conveniently at hand -- but she and the rest of everyone he put his trust in transcended him.

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The Gap into Madness: Chaos and Disorder - Stephen Donaldsson. A retrospective review

Synopsis

Punisher is on the run from Billingate Space Station, as well as other predators that follow: UMCP Enforcement Division director Min Donner aboard a crippled Punisher, Nick's arch-enemy (and slave to the aliens) Sorus Chatelaine aboard Soar, and the mysterious hired gun, Free Lunch. Corrupt cyborg Angus Thermopyle and ruthless Nick Succorso battle for control of the ship and the situation. Their trail leads to Valdor Industrial, where geneticist/engineer Vector Shaheed seeks to redeem himself by manufacturing an antidote to the mutagen used by the alien Amnioni to mutate human beings against their will. Brutalized yet resilient Morn Hyland, her clone/son Davies, tough officer Mikki, Pup, Sib, and the rest continue their suffering and sacrificing.

Meanwhile, back in Earth space, police and politicians battle for power as UMCP director Dios continues his grim revolution against the Dragon. Assassin kazes, political fears, and provocative bills threaten to paralyse the Governing Council for Earth and Space.

Ships battling in space? Laboratory space stations developing anti mutagen antidotes against the aliens who seek to conquer humankind by mutation? Outrage, brutality, betrayal, and secrets? Donaldson lays it all out with sharp dialogue, tense scenes, and zippy action.

Review

While "Chaos and Order" isn't as tightly plotted and intricate as "A Dark and Hungry God Arises", it is still rippingly good. The tale is a roller-coaster from following-on beginning to incomplete end, unlike the previous book, which more amounted to an examination of shifting alliances and intrigue amid the profound psychology of its characters, all concentrating and shifting onto one place, accruing to a kind of psychological "critical mass", at which point Thanatos Minor explodes. One of the core themes of Chaos and Order - running about through a maelstrom of rock, the hurtling debris of shattered plans, shattering and coalescing into new forms - follows on from the diametrically opposing theme of the previous story brilliantly.

As the web of intrigue and murder in and around Earth is expanded to a fully-fledged political thriller, we have the important characters from the previous story - Nick, Morn, Angus, Davies, Vector, Mikka, and with them the rather incidental Sib and Pup - all saved from the storm of Thanatos Minor's ruin and flung off just ahead of half a dozen people who want them alive; or, if they can't have them alive, then blown to atoms like Billingate. Everyone else - from *Captain's Fancy* - is dead. While this may seem like a bit of a *deus ex machina* (subtle nod towards Angus, I'm sure), in practice it works out fine.

They are now on the run, the most explosive body of information in Human Space, and seeking to make themselves even more explosive by letting Vector Shaheed, the geneticist, complete the anti-mutagen drug which the United Mining Companies Police suppressed, which will give humankind a defence against alien absorption, however temporary. Everyone - the cops, the aliens, people working for the cops and people working for the aliens - are after them, and the scene is set for ever-tenuous alliances and furious desperation to lead to a lot of shooting and bloodshed, and even greater extremity by the survivors.

This is an intermediate tale. As with all the others except "The Real Story", it is successfully diametric and harmonious in its many balancing qualities. It is a masterpiece, in a way opposite to how the previous book in the story is - and again this is an intentional contrast. I swear again, this series will significantly improve your life. I'm normally so damn analytical, and it has me ranting!

The marking of four out of five and not five is rather a personal opinion. I preferred the rigid and less scattered nature of the plot in and around Billingate, and this made me like the fourth book somewhat less than the third. The horror of the first, second and somewhat the third books as gone, or at least vastly reduced and changed in character. It is no longer an issue. The squeamish will have been well and truly left behind by now, anyway.

Each book in the Gap Series up to this one expands on the author's complex mind-game universe by a power of two. It is this story which opens Donaldson's future to its fullest extent. The final book is an examination of that universe, now that the previous four books have detailed it in full and lavish detail, bringing the story to an ultimate conclusion. This fourth book is the last time you will see the fun "Ancillary Documentation" - but Donaldson's story-advancing characters will have captivated you utterly by now, if you've got this far, so you won't mind that in the slightest as you rapidly and nervously go out for the fifth book, hand shaking as you hand the money over and wonder whether it can possibly live up to what's gone before.

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The Gap into Power: A Dark and Hungry God Arises - Stephen Donaldson. A retrospective review.

Synopsis

Remember how the fairy-tale-ish The Hobbit morphed into a wide-lens The Lord of the Rings? Plots, counter plots, and intrigue galore await readers of the Gap saga, which is still picking up speed. Allusions to Wagner's The Ring Cycle in opening book The Real Story afterword now become clear as Earth politicians, Holt "Dragon" Fasner, and the rest of the United Mining Company Police bureaucrats enter the fray. Morn and company still teeter between exhilaration and desperation.... even readers who don't care for action or space opera may enjoy a story with this forceful a meld of character, cabal, and adventure.

Review

The Gap into Power: A Dark and Hungry God Arises" is a brutal novel. It focuses, at great length, on extreme suffering, pain, depression, isolation, defeat, violence, and insanity. Stephen R. Donaldson, of course, has never run away from aggressively dark and vicious literature. Even by his standards, however, "The Gap into Power" still stands out. This novel is frequently unpleasant, sometimes even painful to read. But those who have the guts to get through it will find a masterpiece waiting in here. This is no ordinary science fiction experience.

Nick Succurso recaptures Morn Hyland and reaches Thanatos Minor. But once there, he finds himself short on allies and facing a most unpleasant surprise. Angus Thermopylae travels through space, heading for the exact same outlaw's hangout, his brain still controlled by UMCP computers. Unpredictable developments are in store for him as well, however. Meanwhile, back on Earth, the political situation approaches boiling point, as every player tries to outmanoeuvre the others and emerge from the scenario on top. This truly is one of the most far-reaching and intricate plots of all time. Not a cheesy set-up where you can see all the twists and turns coming far in advance. Here everything is up in the air. You actually have to think about what each person is trying to accomplish, and more importantly, about which ones are actually good and which are evil.

First off, if you haven't read The Real Story and Forbidden Knowledge, don't even pick this book up. You'll spend too much time trying to figure out what's already transpired.

Where this book picks up, the sexually abused and psychologically debilitated Morn Hyland is captive, trying to keep herself and her (also captive) son from being sold/traded to the alien Amnion for genetic experimentation by Nick Succorso, her rescuer and eventual kidnapper. On the other end of the Galaxy, Warden Dios is working his machinations to bring down his boss, Holt Fasner, and part of this involves sending Morn's initial kidnapper and rapist, Angus Thermopyle to rescue her.

Have no idea what that is about? Read the first two books in the series. The series itself is dark, violent, graphically descriptive, and thoroughly nihilistic. Ironically Morn, the "heroine" of sorts throughout the series, continues to strive for some level of honour and morality amidst the depravity and betrayal resounding around her.

As far as writing, movement, style, etc., Donaldson has done an incredible job, not only with this book, but with the entire series. It is a "page turner" in the classic sense, always moving, with the conflicts continuing to evolve, twist, and even fold back upon themselves. But it seems to be written from a very dark perspective of human nature.

But behind all this, Donaldson is actually telling us something. He is showing us not just how technology changes the human experience, but how humans themselves will change the shape of the future. The characters we see, Nick Succurso, Angus Thermopylae, Holt Frasner, the Bill and all the rest, live in a world where morality is completely gone. In its place, these characters let their most raw emotions dominate them entirely, with no considerations for what is morally acceptable. Indeed, most of them don't seem to believe that there is any difference between right and wrong. And it is to show us the consequences of such beliefs, especially to those who hold them, that Donaldson delves into such brutal and painful detail regarding what happens in the story. The scenes of suffering and torture, even the ones that aren't strictly relevant to the plot, are not gratuitous. They make us understand the true meaning of what we are seeing. "The Gap into Power" is not a story for children, nor is it for squeamish adults. But for those willing to take it on, it is one of the most rewarding science fiction novels ever.

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The Gap into Vision: Forbidden Knowledge - Stephen Donaldson. A retrospective review

Synopsis

The Real Story was just a preview to this action-packed tome... The Gap series steps on the accelerator with Forbidden Knowledge. Beautiful cop Morn Hyland, desperate and in pain aboard Captain's Fancy, controls her body and mind with her illegal zone implant, recreating herself as a super being worthy of holding Captain Nick Succorso's affections. Jealousy among the crew, threats of rape and ship self-destruction, prisoner torture, and government cyborg programs keep things moving along. Alien Amnioni seeking genetic domination over humankind enter the scene with new technologies such as mutagens and force-growing foetuses. Bite your fingernails while you live it all (vicariously!) through brilliant survivor Morn and villain-turned-conspirator Angus Thermopyle.

Review

After a rather stale prelude ("The Real Story"), Donaldson begins to unpack his complex saga. Morn, "rescued" by Nick from the clutches of Angus, soon learns that he is just as bad as her previous captor. Painting a broad brush, one might say that "The Real Story" was about Morn being ravished by Angus, while "Forbidden Knowledge" tells of her violations at the hands of Nick. But this novel (like the three which follow) has all the dimensions of a well-developed epic sorely lacking in the first book. Behind the bombardments of rape, sadism, loathing, and mean-spiritedness we catch hints of a serious and intricate plot. Nick, though a criminal, apparently does occasional jobs for UMCP's Data Acquisitions division (the "CIA" equivalent of the United Mining Companies Police), but he has also had shady dealings with the Amnion, the alien species which has long laboured for humanity's extinction. Nick takes Morn and his crew to the fringes of Amnion territory, where he incurs the wrath of his alien "cohorts" through reckless behaviour. Meanwhile, Angus has been abducted by Data Acquisitions Director Hashi Lebwohl, who begins overseeing his illegal transformation into a cyborg for a special classified mission. As the DA officials construct Angus into a superhuman (but less than human) tool, you can't help but feel sorry as you watch his soul being stripped away.

The one thing that really stands out for me are the elements this book shares with his Covenant books. He seems to be at his best with battered, anguished, mentally unstable characters - though in the first Covenant series his lead was surrounded by much more stable, sane characters. In Gap, Morn Hyland is tossed into the madhouse with the oddest cast of cracked eggs . . . hehe, mixed metaphors. The book is a descent into madness and I loved it. I can't believe how fast I ripped through this novel.

To call this Soap Opera is a stretch for me. Morn is not a damsel in distress - that's a rather insulting label to apply to a lead character, don't you think? She is in distress and she is distressed to the breaking point and beyond and survives and more. Nick is a bad, bad man with few heroic qualities. At one point I was thinking to myself, "If only they could go back and rewrite Star Wars like this!" Nick is a more realistic anti-hero (when he rises to hero status at all). He's absolutely vile. I found myself loathing him. This guys idea of a witty quip is to beat you into a bloody pulp . . . and smile.

There are two things that Stephen R. Donaldson always does remarkably well. The first is character. His people, be they heroes, anti-heroes, villains, winners, losers, manipulators, or manipulated, are boldly drawn and astonishingly real. A Donaldson character does not blend into the background and become indistinguishable from dozens of others you've read. These people stick around inside your head, awing you with their overwhelming personalities long after you've finished the book. His other great talent is for conflict. Having set up two titanic personae, he then sets them against each other. The result is amazing to see.

I'm pleased to report that both of these talents are on full display in "The Gap into vision: Forbidden Knowledge". The personalities this time around are Morn Hyland and Nick Succurso. Morn, seen earlier almost entirely as a victim, comes into her own as a dynamic and strong-willed person. In "Forbidden Knowledge", she draws on a staggering amount of tenacity and courage to continue fighting for what she needs against all odds. Nick, for his part, gives us previously unrealized levels of depth as he struggles to keep control of his ship and his crew. When these two come into conflict, the result is breathtaking to see, one of the best character duels ever written in imaginative fiction.

And that's not all. While those two battle the twists of fate and each other, Angus Thermopylae is caught in a different web of intrigue. Furthermore, the plot and the universe keep expanding. Highly recommended

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The Real Story - Stephen Donaldson. A retrospective review

Synopsis

The Real Story is a short but intense tale set in a future in which humans travel between the stars using "gap drives," controllable brain implants are punishable by death, and a private company called the United Mining Company runs law enforcement for all of known space. Ensign Morn Hyland lives aboard a police ship with most of her family, chasing down pirates and other illegals who prey on the weak or smuggle goods into forbidden space.

Through a strange turn of events, one particularly nasty perpetrator ends up with Morn as his companion--or at least that's the way it appears to the folks at the space station's bar. Why would a young, strong, beautiful police officer associate with a crusty, murdering pirate? People watch with interest as Morn appears to fall in lust with another racy illegal, Captain Nick Succorso. Morn and Nick must have plotted together to frame Angus and escape together, right? But the real story was quite different.

Review

This novella is a prelude to four subsequent volumes, and it tells a simple and one-dimensional story. An intergalactic setting in the far future revolves around two rival space pirates named Angus Thermopyle and Nick Succorso, and, between them, a UMCP (United Mining Companies Police) ensign named Morn Hyland. The story is told from Angus' point of view, and he is one of the most depraved and sorry figures ever depicted in a work of fiction. His repeated violations of Morn -- described in graphic detail -- have drawn hostile reviews and cries of misogyny, but Donaldson's purpose is to evoke a thoroughly dark and sordid mood in this series. 'The Real Story' is simple and short., and indeed, as a stand-alone novel, this book is lacking is depth, character development (with the exception of one character, and though we come to understand his decisions, his motives are largely unrevealed) and a satisfying conclusion, there are two points that are vital to note. These two points are apparently contradictory, but I'll attempt to explain:

1) This was written as a short novella. It wasn't intended to be the first in a series, and as such it doesn't bear many of the traits usually associated with the first book in a series, such as hints of larger plots or other elements designed to draw the reader back for book 2. As a stand-alone novel, Donaldson kept this in a drawer, unpublished, for some years. Only as part of a larger series does it work, yet it doesn't read like the beginning of a series. Once you understand this, the flaws are less glaring.

2) In apparent contradiction of point 1, above, please understand that it IS the first in a series. The series itself is probably the best science fiction I've ever read, but it really doesn't get going until mid-way through book 2. Again, once you accept that most of the "good stuff" comes after 'The Real Story, it's easier to bear to flaws.

Though I don't seek to excuse any form of weakness here (after all, whatever it was intended to be and however great the rest of the series, the first book should still be complete and engaging), I do seek to prevent people being deterred by the lukewarm reviews of this first instalment. It's not bad by any means, merely incomplete. I would issue a couple of warnings though: Firstly, this book is grim and brutal; be prepared. And secondly, Donaldson tells character-based stories in fantastic settings - if you're looking for detailed high technology and hard science, this might not be your scene.

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Why choose a Digital SLR?

Why a Digital SLR

Digital SLRs have better image quality, this is due to the larger image sensors which allows for larger pixel sizes. Digital SLRs are able to be used at a faster ISO which will lead to faster shutter speeds and less grain. Digital SLRs also have built in noise-reduction when generating JPEG images which also cut down on visible noise. They are infinitely adaptable, their ability to change lenses opens up a cornucopia of possibilities for todays photographers. A point and shoot may have a nice little 3x Optical Zoom my Digital SLR can be fitted with a variety of high quality lenses ranging from wide angle to super long depending upon what I’m photographing . Add to this a large range of other accessories (flashes, filters etc.) and a Digital SLR can be utilised in many different situations.

Digital SLRs are quicker than point and shoots when it comes to things like start up, focussing and shutter lag. The optical viewfinder is a major facet. Due to the reflex mirror Digital SLRs are very much a what you see is what you get operation.

You can utilise the manual controls, a Digital SLR is designed that it is assumed that the photographer has the ability to control their own settings. Automatic modes are available but again limit flexibility and creativity. A large ISO range gives greater flexibility over what and where you can shoot- this varies between cameras

The great thing about a Digital SLR is the versatility that it gives in many areas, especially depth of field. This is really an extension of it’s manual controls and ability to use a variety of lenses but a Digital SLR can give you depth of field that puts everything from foreground to background in focus through to nice blurry backgrounds.

Tips when choosing a Digital SLR

The first thing is decide on your budget. Digital SLRs vary in price from the low hundreds to a few thousand pounds or dollars. Decide on your budget and stick to it, it is very easy to get swayed once the salesman is in front of you and you have the camera in hand.

Secondly, feel. For me, the best way to decide on your new camera is about how does it feel in the hand. Is it heavy? Can you reach all the buttons? Are there too many buttons? Is it a good fit to the eye?

Thirdly, look at what it comes with. Are you just buying a body as you have some lenses already? Do your old lenses fit or do you need an adaptor. If it come with lenses, are you happy with the standard ones, will they meet your need?. How much are spare batteries? What sort of camera bag will you need?

Finally, what resolution do you need. Are you intending to be a professional and take high quality prints that need to be blown up to a large size, or are you, like many going to take pictures that be mainly seen on the computer screen or at most be A4 sized.

Final thoughts

For me, there is no such thing as a bad Digital SLR. There are just different brands and prices. For some, a budget camera that comes with two lenses will be fine, whilst others will feel the need to splash the cash and go for the top of the range. It is up to you, but just remember, you are responsible for deciding what to photograph, not the camera.

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Boring Postcards - Martin Parr

Synopsis

160 boring postcards of the British Isles, reproduced as they have been found, actual size, from the collection of the great iconoclast of British photography, Martin Parr. This is a serious art book, a depiction of a tragic Britain with tragic taste, and a photographic entertainment which a large audience will enjoy. 160 postcards are reproduced as they have been found, in their actual size, with all the character of their original reproduction, amateur retouching, crinkly edges and bent corners. Treated as art objects with a classic white border surround, each are captioned with their original description as printed on the front or the reverse - for example: 'T&G,W,U Recuperation Centre, Littleport'; 'View from the Berry Court Holiday Flatlets, Brixham, South Devon'; 'A40 Traffic'; 'The M1 Service Area at Newport Pagnall'; 'Market Precinct, Scunthorpe'; 'A Bend on Porlock Hill' etc. All the postcards featured will depict places in the British Isles; most stem from a period of optimism in Britain as new civic centres, motorways, airports, and power stations were built and launched; souvenirs of 60s and 70s achievements we now question.

For a postcard to qualify as sufficiently 'boring', either its composition, or its content, or the characters featured, must be arguably boring; or the photograph must be absent of anything which might conventionally be described as interesting. Of course the postcards finally are not boring at all, but powerful, interesting and loaded statements about time and place and the aesthetic of Britain.

Review

I was gripped by it immediately! Even having lived through the 1970s, the decade often called the one taste forgot, I couldn't believe the range of subjects photographed. Who on earth wanted to buy photographs showing traffic on the A40, or indeed to celebrate Carlton Court Shopping Centre. Would people be so proud now of Preston Bus Station as they were then? And would anyone really be keen to buy pictures of Butlins' Reception and Dining Halls.

In creating this book, Martin Parr has reminded readers of a now bygone era, when the now hideous was considered magnificent. The title of this book is very misleading, because the postcards are far from boring. They provide a fascinating insight into the architecture, cars and clothing of the 1950s and 1960s, with motorways, shopping centres, suburbia, factories, holiday camps, chalets, caravans and much else. I suspect that quite of a bit of what was then regarded as the best of modern architecture has since been demolished, so there are indispensable historical records here too. Nor are the postcards boring on the technical side: the picture of Budleigh Salterton, with its foreground and background, diagonal lines and a wealth of detail, is a brilliantly composed photograph. The picture of the nuclear reactor at Dounreay is like a piece of modern abstract art, with its blocks, cylinders and sphere. Many of the others are also excellent photographs, which is not surprising, as they must have been taken by professionals. This book is stuffed with art and history, and there is not one boring postcard in the whole collection.

If you're 30+ or into architecture, this book is a must-have. As it is if you're a keen photographer, or just want an easy read to make you laugh.

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