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I Am Legend 499 reviews
Richard Matheson
Orb Books, 1997
A story of it's own
I had seen the recent movie adaption to this book and I must say, I love both just the way they are. The book made the movie a lot clearer in ways for me, actually trying to put science behind exactly what the monsters were. This book is extremely well written for the time it came from, and the imagination is boundless. I love monster stories and this one is not one to pass up!
This book, ...
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The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke14 reviews
Arthur C. Clarke
Orb Books, 2002
Many and strange are the Universes that drift like bubbles in the foam upon the River of time
"Many and strange are the Universes that drift like bubbles in the foam upon the River of time. Some - a very few - move against or athwart its current; and fewer still are those that lie forever beyond its reach, knowing nothing of the future or the past. Shervane's tiny cosmos was not one of these; its strangeness was of a different order." Thus begins the "Wall of darkness" the 16th of the ...
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Shadow & Claw: The First Half of 'The Book of the New Sun' (New Sun)183 reviews
Gene Wolfe
Orb Books, 1994
Absolutely Wonderful!
This is the opus of one of the greatest contemporary American writers. If you have a soul, you'll love it!
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The Urth of the New Sun: The sequel to 'The Book of the New Sun' (New Sun) 27 reviews
Gene Wolfe
Orb Books, 1997
Just buy it already.
If you've read the first 4 books of The New Sun series and enjoyed them, just buy this book right now. There's no point in reading a review, or spoilers or anything else, positive or negative. Just buy it and read it.
After you finish, you'll probably be intrigued enough at some of the hidden meanings to re-read the first 4 books in the series. In fact, the last 4 times I've re-read the ...
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The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One 41 reviews
Orb Books, 2005
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One: The Greatest Science Fiction Stories of All Time Chosen by the Members of the Scie
This is a great book, if you are a sci fi fan. The vendor was first rate. The book arrived quickly and in excellent condition. There are some true sci fi classics in this volume, and the authors from the "Golden Era" of Sci Fi are all represented here. I intend to keep this book on my shelf forever.
Myron
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Tales of the Dying Earth44 reviews
Jack Vance
Orb Books, 2000
Vance struck gold
Upon reading this title I thought it was a complete ripoff of Gene Wolfe's The Sword and the Claw series, which is one of the best Fanstasy/sci fi literary achievements ever in this genre.
Cugel indeed is an unlikely character. He is the textbook definition of a book. Add to that he exhibits utter stupidity at times and resorts to theivery and con man games.
But that is just what makes ...
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The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress229 reviews
Robert A. Heinlein
Orb Books, 1997
All Smiles
Heinlein is notorious for his lack of character development, so I wasn't expecting Dostoyevskyan psychologies explored in great detail. The pronounless Russian tinged English was incredible to read (though that's because I've lived in Brooklyn my whole life), though I see how it could be annoying for some. It's a boat for ideas and a great story. I devoured this book, and it has taken its ...
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Sword & Citadel: The Second Half of 'The Book of the New Sun' (New Sun)39 reviews
Gene Wolfe
Orb Books, 1994
A triumphant accomplishment
Sword and the Citadel and the last two books of the Book of the New sun Quartet. The story picks up after the Shadow and Claw, with Severian, the torturer continuing his Odysseian journey across the southern continent, on an Earth a millenia in the future as our Sun is dying. Severian intends to return The Claw of the Concilliator, a magic relic which seems to give him, at times, the power over ...
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Treason37 reviews
Orson Scott Card
Orb Books, 2006
Perfect. Unbelievable in the grace of its execution.
This book is simply amazing. It is the best book of any kind I have read.
Many reviews of books say that "You simply cannot put it down." I don't know why, but I couldn't put this one down. It's not the suspense either, which is odd. The events are not THAT surprising, but the prose and dialogue are just beautiful.
Buy this book. You will not be disappointed.
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Hart's Hope34 reviews
Orson Scott Card
Orb Books, 2003
The most touching and tragic fantasy tale of all
The most lingering question you will have after reading 'Hart's Hope' is, 'What is evil, anyway?' Is Evil a single act? A single retribution? A single greed? Or is Evil a festering wound that takes years to nurture, molding it as you would a lump of clay? If Evil is singular, can it be absolved? Where does Evil end, and where does it begin?
'Hart's Hope' is one of the best books I have ...
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Litany of the Long Sun: Nightside the Long Sun and Lake of the Long Sun (Book of the Long Sun, Books 1 and 2)23 reviews
Gene Wolfe
Orb Books, 2000
It's slow going at first.
It's a slow and simple start; the action of this book takes place over only two days. However, if you've read any of the Short Sun books, or better yet all of them, you owe it to yourself to read these. You may not recognize the tone as Wolfe seems to have attempted conciliation with us mere mortals who try to comprehend his works. It is closer in style to the Knight and the Wizard books but good ...
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Memory and Dream (Newford)26 reviews
Charles de Lint
Orb Books, 2007
Pages Full of Magic
"Katherine Mully had been dead for five years and two months, the morning Isabelle received the letter from her." Now that's a great way to start a novel!! Isabelle Copely and Katherine Mully were college roommates. Not just roommates, but best friends and kindred spirits. Izzy was an art major and Kathy was a writer. They lived in a Bohemian style section of Newford, where the arts are ...
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Stories of Your Life and Others36 reviews
Ted Chiang
Orb Books, 2003
Single-Handed Resurrection of the Short SF Story
This is the kind of book that makes you love a genre again. The stories collected in this volume are -- and should be -- touchstones of modern short science fiction. Each one takes a seemingly mundane scientific idea and builds upon it a surprising, thoughtfully constructed analysis of some aspect of the human condition.
The best examples are the title story -- in which a linguist studies ...
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Wraeththu71 reviews
Storm Constantine
Orb Books, 1993
Delightfully strange, and completely sincere
Storm Constantine started her epic stories of the Wraeththu with this fascinating trilogy--and I still think these books are her best. What starts as a fairly routine post-apocalyptic journey rapidly becomes weirder and weirder! The handsome stranger who takes young Pell away from his dreary homeland is not human--not male and not female. Cal is a member of new race of mutants--the Wraeththu--but ...
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Make Room! Make Room!17 reviews
Harry Harrison
Orb Books, 2008
Rumination on Overpopulation
In the 1970s, many science fiction writers (Asimov included) were concerned about overpopulation, and it's effects on the planet. Make Room Make Room is Harry Harrison's take on this world gone amuck. The book is Science Fiction at it's best - not just technology as a background, but science as a premise. Outstanding reading by one of the grand masters of the genre. Perhaps the book received ...
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The Collected Stories of Vernor Vinge12 reviews
Vernor Vinge
Orb Books, 2002
A Solid Collection
Vernor Vinge is a stalwart of the Science Fiction community and a retired mathematics professor, so I decided to explore his writing with his Collected Stories. I was not disappointed. The entire book is filled with interesting explorations, more than just stories. I really enjoyed the recurring theme of Artificial Intelligence that runs through his work and it wasn't until after I read this ...
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Worlds of Exile and Illusion: Three Complete Novels of the Hainish Series in One Volume--Rocannon's World; ...14 reviews
Ursula K. Le Guin
Orb Books, 1996
City of Illusions
I read this book over a year ago, and usually after that amount of time I can barely remember the plot of a book let alone the details. Yet I was amazed with the City of Illusions story in this book. This is by far my favorite story by Ursula K. Le Guin, even over the Left Hand of Darkness or any of the Earthsea series.
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War for the Oaks: A Novel60 reviews
Emma Bull
Orb Books, 2001
A Real Keeper
This is a book that should be put prominitly on your keeper shelf. Emma Bull is an outstanding author and this is a great read. I highly reccomnd this book. I totally enjoyed reading it. As a matter of fact, I am writing this after reading it for the 3rd time!. Read,enjoy, and keep ths book.
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Maps in a Mirror16 reviews
Orson Scott Card
Orb Books, 2004
Short fiction, why bother, right? Wrong.
There are only about five major novelists I've encountered the short fiction of and actually enjoyed the work in both areas. I ran across several of these stories in a shorter collection a few years back and read the book to pieces.
"Eye for Eye" and "Kingsmeat" are among the best pieces of short fiction I've ever read the two of them alone are worth the price of the whole collection.
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Darwinia: A Novel of a Very Different Twentieth Century 83 reviews
Robert Charles Wilson
Orb Books, 2007
extremely complex and convoluted alternate history thriller
In 1912, war in Europe seems imminent when an alien realm Darwinia abruptly replaces Europe on planet earth. The United States is unconcerned with what has vanished; instead declares the cosmos event a Miracle and encourages colonization especially by the devout who believe this is God's work to replace evil with good. Over the next few years a few struggling colonies settled mostly by ...
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