I am a fan of hard SF and I like cyber punk (i.e. I love “Burning Chrome” of William Gibson). Despite this, when it’s about alternate reality I prefer “The Man in the High Castle”.

Ubik is somehow stuck between two genres. It has something from “The Man in the High Castle” and something different. Many times, I felt like reading an “epic” story (almost Asimov). And exactly when I thought I get it, the story got a twist sending me again into unknown.

For me, Ubik was almost like a roller coaster.

I finished the book last night. As always, when I finish a Philip K. Dick novel I look around trying to see if my reality has any cracks.

His book starts by building a credible alternative history – so credible that one has to abandon the usual mindset of science-fiction reader. Up to a certain point, the novel is like any fiction novel: the peoples, their feeling, and the development of characters. Moreover, when you think you pick the wrong novel, you notice the fine cracks in the reality. With each page the cracks grows larger.

Late at night, I closed the book and put it on the shelf. I looked outside in the dark and tried to feel the cracks in my reality.

My first Gaiman read. What a mix! Egyptian cat goddess Bast, the Irish god Mad Sweeney, and the Slavic god of darkness and death, Czernobog mixed together with modern gods like TV, Malls, the Internet…

The book is a snapshot of American soul more than a science-fiction book.

American Gods is a book you either love or hate it. I looked at Amazon reviews: not many mild ones. Reviewers praise it or flame it.

Anyway, not what I was expecting from a Hugo and Nebula winner.

I usually visit a major bookstore twice a month.
Since about spring 2004 I only found 2-3 new books in science fiction or fantasy. Because of this I was a loyal customer of airport bookstores. All the airports bookstores have some books in English (even a small French one).

Starting this summer I noticed an increase in number of sci-fi & fantasy books published. But today surprise: I found 20 (twenty) new books.This is a very good sign. Editors start translating and publishing science fiction books again.

Names and websites (where available) of publishing houses I “meet” today:

Cartea de Buzunar
http://www.cdb.ro

Nemira
http://www.nemira.ro

Tritonic
http://www.tritonic.ro

Paralela 45
http://www.edituraparalela45.ro

Minerva
No web site found

Lucman
http://www.lucman.ro

I decided to move here all science fiction & fantasy related posts from my other blog (CIO Mind).

Enjoy!