BEST SCIENCE FICTION BOOK OF 2023? February Recent Reads/Reviews Wrap-Up

Steve talks through the SF novels he's read in the last month, including a look at Martin Macinnes' 'In Ascension', the new packaged-as-literary-fiction SF novel that is gathering major acclaim currently, plus Disch, Cowper, Sheckley and more....
Music: The Occupier (c)
#booktube #bookcollecting #sf #scifi #sciencefiction #literaryfiction

[@DanielRumbacher]

thats why i think your channel is one of the best sci fi channels ever. i would have never had in ascension on my radar. thanks for the recommendations. you are the only channel where i have my finger always over the -print- key, so that i can make screenshots of the books you hold up in the camera.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

Other people are picking up on it now, I've noticed. I think he'll do even better with his fourth book, but we'll see.

[@themojocorpse1290]

Travelling back in time again think I missed this video or didn’t catch it all first time . In ascension sounds quite intriguing as does gathering evidence .I don’t mind the fact that everything is not explained or sometimes leaves you scratching your head. Leaving things open to your own interpretation is fine by me so I may well give these two books a go. Had a bit of a lucky book haul grain kings , echo round his bones , the gradual ,green eyes all previous recommendations I believe all very reasonable prices plus a lovely penguin classics copy of notes from the underground and the double in one book that match my brothers karamazov. Best get reading cheers Steve.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

Yes, some cracking material to get through there my friend!

[@bookish-bedlam]

I read "In Ascension" recently and thoroughly enjoyed it. I might label it speculative fiction rather than science fiction, but I'm not sure how much labels matter to me. I really liked the way the book explored theology, philosophy, and consciousness alongside natural and technological advances. Thank you for the reviews here, and I'm glad I've found your channel.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

Many thanks. I am doing a video soon about the usage Speculative Fiction and why I don't use it- once upon a time I was very keen on it. Do watch the backlist, lots of similar stuff here, welcome aboard!

[@waltera13]

These are really useful. Thanks

[@diamondslashranch]

I’m so glad I came across your review of Ascension. I’m not normally excited by mainstream literature so might have passed it by otherwise.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

It isn't mainstream fiction, despite being presented as such, it's very definitively SF - it will divide people (and I'm in two minds about it myself), but I did enjoy it.

[@theprofessor5253]

Count me in for "In Ascension".

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

Let me know what you think.

[@leakybootpress9699]

I've read all those, except the MacInnes which I bought after reading Adam Roberts' rave review in The Guardian. The McDonald is of course an apprentice work, and perhaps you expected too much of it. He has become better and better, and I'm looking forward to reading the recently published Hopeland. I agree with you re the Disch, not really a horror novel, but a fine novel nonetheless.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

I'd be interested to see what you think of MacInnes- it will divide people, I think. In some ways, it's Arthur C Clarke written in a non-SF style, but it's still definitively a genre work. I think his best is yet to come. McDonald- I will read something later than 'Desolation' and 'Chaga', my other experience of him. But both he and Macinnes won't get a fourth go unless the third try does it for both!

[@kid5Media]

@@outlawbookselleroriginal McDonald has written half a dozen brilliant novels in the last 20 years or so. Brysil, River of Gods and his luna series are must reads.

[@keithdixon6595]

Glad you liked The Priest - I think I read that when it came out. Coincidentally I took delivery today of an old paperback of Camp Concentration. I had an original edition from the late 60s and made the mistake of lending it to someone, and of course never got it back. I recently realised I wanted a paper version of this, not just the ebook, so splashed out a fiver for the book and delivery to France. I wrote a student dissertation on CC., a Ballard and an Aldiss many moons ago, but its Disch I prized above all of them. Wonderful writer. I now live not far from Angouleme, which was one of the sections of 334.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

Yes. TD was one of the greats. In some ways I'm glad a have a small number yet to read, he was so good.

[@tjonas1986]

His first novel, Infinite Ground, explains pretty much nothing at all, which is perfect because the plot revolves around the investigation of a missing person who cannot have disappeared. The prose reminded me of Tom McCarthy, especially Satin Island. Thanks for the review, really looking forward to reading this, especially to see how he's developed.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

Yeah, I read some of it and being a guy who loves the confounding, it didn't hook me in. 'Gathering Evidence' was better but the new one tops that. I've read 'Satin Island', so I know what you mean. I have to say with the exception of M John Harrison, I like these kind of enigmatic books to be written in quite plain, direct, unadorned prose, probably why I like Priest so much and why I prefer 'Remainder' to McCarthy's other works. Thanks for your comment.

[@tjonas1986]

@@outlawbookselleroriginal You've really turned me into a Priest evangelist (cough). I've been an Adam Roberts fanboy since I first read Salt in 2000, and the more I read of Priest, the more I notice how much he's influenced Roberts, particularly On and Land of the Headless. It's great to see Priest's comment on the front of Purgatory Mount. Have you mentioned M John Harrison's Light in any videos? I've not read the next two, but I found it both brilliant and, frankly, a bit much, like I was reading a genius very quickly describe the sets of Blade Runner and the Fifth Element in excruciating detail. That plain prose was really evident in The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again, which I thought was fantastic, although it again had that esoteric feeling which, I suppose, many find so abstruse.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

@@tjonas1986 -I've read MJH's trilogy twice and it still defies me at times, though I like that about his work. I loved 'Sunken Land'. I'm a huge fan of Mike's work and have hosted him for events twice and he stayed at my place once way back int he 80s. My preferred period of his work is the 1980s, when I think he really caned it. 'The Ice Monkey' is in my top five short story collections, I'd say. Chris influencing Adam? Well, yes, but Adam is great mostly, I find, a powerhouse.

[@tjonas1986]

@@outlawbookselleroriginal Roberts is incredible. Occasionally I think he might be too clever for his own good, but I love how he tries his hand at everything. Having said that, as a Philosophy graduate, I'm not certain he fully grasped Kant's transcendental idealism in The Thing Itself, but then again I'm not sure Kant did either. I recently read Priest's Inverted World, and I couldn't get Roberts' On - possibly my favourite of his - out of my head. The two are like long-lost cousins. I don't know The Ice Monkey, but I've managed to get my hands on Moorcock's New Worlds anthology, and the two short Harrison pieces in there really demonstrate his way with language. I'd say they're the two pieces with the most elegant prose I've read so far. I will read Nova Swing and Empty Space, but there's so much to get through!

[@allanlloyd3676]

In Ascension looks interesting and I will look out for it. I had exactly the same experience as you with Desolation Road. It was widely praised and reviews were fantastic, but I just thought that he was trying too hard. His language was great for a while and then I wanted him to get on with it. Huge echoes of Martian Chronicles. He does play on themes from other writers in several of his novels. I liked the African books (Chaga and Kirinya) more than you seemed to, especially the way he riffed on Ballard's Crystal World. I also thought his Luna books were excellent, even if you had to make notes about the families involved in the power struggles. It was sold as Game of Thrones in space, which was just wrong. Have you read the other Disch "horror" novels, The MD, The Businessman and The Sub. I loved all of them. I think they were Tom's revenge on the sectors of his hometown community that had upset him, though I'm not sure what the witches did to him. I remember when they came out that he thought that they would be Stephen King style bestsellers and when that didn't happen he went off in a typical Dischian huff. His Neighboring Lives, written with Charles Naylor is well worth a look. No fantastic elements at all. The book looks at one street in Chelsea and examines the lives of artists and writers living there. I think maybe the influence of Naylor diluted some of Tom's down-beat attitude. Worlds Apart is the one Cowper book I don't have. I do think that he is much better than Compton or Coney. I liked the Corlay books very much and thought that they had a similar feel to A Dream of Wessex. Twilight of Briareus is very good too, but I wasn't that keen on his humorous books. Each to his own!

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

Hi Allan, good to hear from you. I've never got around to 'The MD' or 'The Sub' but have them both lined up. I read 'Neighbouring Lives' a long time ago and recently acquired a handsome UK first. I agree that Cowper does have the Priest/Roberts feel at times and I like him, I just feel his work often lacked power. I find Compton stronger overall, though in essence Cowper is more 'me', he only ever fully satisfied me a few times, Compton did many times. And Coney, well, he's adolescent sometimes, but I love his naivety I guess, but like the way I prefer The Jam's first album over their later, arguably more mature work- it's charm, I guess.

[@davebrzeski]

Interesting that you admit that you might have had a different opinion of his first book, if it were by another author. I know what you mean. It's funny how big an affect expectations can have on the reading experience.

[@shelfunstable]

I'm so excited for In Ascension

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

Well, it will divide people and I do feel he's at the point where his work could go either way. The next book will either see Macinnes being bolder in showing some commitment to being more unambiguous about what he wants to say or he will retreat into archness. In some ways I found the book conservative in its use of well-worn SF tropes yet brave in its denouement. In other ways, it felt like a fudge. He's not there yet, I feel, but I certainly enjoyed the journey. Let me know what you think.

[@thekeywitness]

Re: Ian McDonald, I really liked River of Gods, well-written but long. You may not like it! 😂

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

That's the one I would go for next. I didn't get on with 'Chaga' either, but I remain optimistic about finding a IM that grabs me all-round.

[@victorrodley9099]

I think i'll leave 'In Ascrnsion' till the paperback edition,not sure about that one. The Disch is,as usual,is Brilliant! have You Tried The 'MD'and 'The Sub' yet,another two Strange 'Disch, Classics. Speaking of 'Disch'Just received a T M Disch Preliminary Bibliography published by 'The Other Change of Hobbit'.it's a stappled together photocopy affair inA4 format,dated 1983,but imagine my suprise when I found that it was signed by the great man himself.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

'In Ascension' will divide people. I'm divided about it myself, despite enjoying the reading of it immensely. I think the problem it will encounter is the expectations of readers (more often the problem than the books themselves- writers have no obligation to 'satisfy' any particular kind of reader, only to ensure they express what they want to, I think). But it will divide people no more than a book like 'Rendezvous with Rama' did/will.

[@MeganHeath52]

I actually liked freejack :)

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

Tell you what, Megan, read the book and you might discover why I didn't LOL. Seriously, do read some Sheckley, he's great and try and see 'The Tenth Victim' film -it's widely available on DVD and BD.

[@MeganHeath52]

@@outlawbookselleroriginal deal :)

[@sylvanyoung]

Read " Desolation Road " the Bantam Signature Special Edition . This reminds me of Bradbary and Bryants enigmatic " Cinnabar " McDonald story collection " Empire Dreams" and " Speaking In Tongues " are worth the read . Try Dischs " M D " .I am not sure what Disch was aming for ( at ?). Will add the other book to my growing TBR list . Thank you . P s Looking forward to Jules and thou .

[@kid5Media]

Not convinced. No hook, here.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

Well, that's a fair view, but of course I didn't reveal all the plot elements. Personally, I think the book may disappoint many of the more traditional SF readers, but how those on the mainstream and slipstream edges will respond is yet to be seen. But as I say, it's getting a lot of attention