Review: Slabscape: Reset by S. Spencer Baker

“Take the most sophisticated A.I. designed mind that has ever existed, encase it in over fifty million cubic kilometres of diamond nano-rods and send it off on a twenty-thousand-year odyssey towards the centre of the galaxy. Then screw it all up by allowing thirty-two million humans to go along for the ride...”

Slabscape: Reset is not my usual type of read, but I was very impressed with the level of imaginative realism in this sci-fi outing. The plot and characters are very believable, humour was weaved throughout the plot and it reminded me a little of the Red Dwarf universe. There were times when the pace of the book slowed but overall the book was well paced, and as such I was left wanting more at the end.

I liked the idea of an online resource providing additional information and value to the book, and whilst I personally didn’t find it all that useful, I can see many readers enjoying the material provided there. The wiki will probably become more useful and interesting as the series progresses.

Overall Slabscape is a very humorous and believable sci-fi outing. Drago as a character is easily the most thought-out and well written character I have come across this year.

The book is available from Amazon UK for £7.69 and from Amazon US for $12.35. It is a shame that currently this book does not appear to be available in non-Kindle formats, although the paperback version can be obtained from Amazon.

[A review copy was provided by the author]

Review: The Quest for the Cure by Brent R. Stockwell

Brent R. Stockwell takes the reader through on a journey through the history and future of drug development in his book The Quest for the Cure: The Science and Stories Behind the Next Generation of Medicines.

It is written in a very accessible style and so is open to both those with a scientific background and those who do not. Although a basic grasp of biology will ease things along. As well as dealing with the science of drug development Stockwell also deals with the business side of the pharmaceutical industry, a combination lacking in similar books. I was particularly interested in his exploration of the role of ‘undruggable’ proteins in diseases such as cancer, and how these pose an issue for drug developers. Professor Stockwell’s expertise in this area clearly shows and I especially liked the many anecdotes from his own work that were included.

Overall this is a very interesting and up to date book, which although aimed at those with an academic/professional interest in the topic, is accessible to a much wider audience. It was of particular interest to me as I trained in a field closely related to drug development.

The Quest for the Cure: The Science and Stories Behind the Next Generation of Medicines is available from Amazon UK for £8.51, from Amazon US for $13.66 and from WH Smith for £17.75.

[Columbia University Press provided a review copy] 

Review: Midnight Fear by Leslie Tentler

Midnight Fear is Leslie Tentler’s second novel and follows Agent Novak’s dangerous job to catch a copycat killer before he kills the ex-socialite Caitlyn Cahill.

The book starts with a bang – or more accurately a murder and does not slow down after that. The plot is complex and in places very chilling, although the characterisation, particularly of Novak is at times hit and miss, perhaps a bit 2D for my liking.

I didn’t realise that this was a romantic suspense until I started reading, this for me spoilt the book a bit as I felt it detracted from the plot – though this is my personal preference.

Overall an interesting read with a great ending. The book is let down by the unbelievable lead character and, in my opinion, a token romance plot. All in all, the brilliant plot outweighs the downsides - which is why this has a four-star rating.

Midnight Fear is available in paperback only at Amazon UK for £4.91 and at Amazon US for $7.99. If you would like to see this in an e-book format get in touch with publisher Mira.

[A review copy was provided by Mira]

Review: Cat Versus Human by Yasmine Surovec (Non-e-book)

Yasmine Surovec is a talented designer and illustrator who maintains the blog catversushuman.blogspot.com. I first came across her work on icanhascheezburger.com, famous for it's lolcats, and became a follower of her online comic. Cat Versus Human is a visual tale of life of a couple with a few cats and a dog, with all the feline related ups and downs, a situation replicated around the world. I was lucky enough to get hold of a review copy of Surovec's first published collection of the comic, also entitled Cat Versus Human.

From Amazon

Cat Versus Human is very similar to it's online cousin, no surprises there. The full-page colour illustrations are as detailed as they are online, but there is an added benefit from being able to view the cartoons as a self-contained story. The illustrations are both comical and true to life, I personally recognised many of the situations played out in the book, especially page 107, to which my long suffering boyfriend can testify. The 'story-based' pages are interspersed with short, self-contained pieces such as "Things cats will destroy", "Presents from my cats" and "Kitten verses dinosaur". My personal favourites are "If the internet breaks - forever" and "Life without a cat". 

Overall a fantastically funny coffee table book, which will resonate and amuse cat lovers and non-cat lovers alike . Surovec has demonstrated that she can easily compete with the likes of Simon's Cat and Kathy Hoopmann. 5 Stars!

Cat Versus Human will be released in paperback on October 4th, and is available to pre-order from Amazon UK for £5.60 , from Amazon US $9.99 and from Barnes and Noble for $9.99. If you'd like to see this in e-book form (who wouldn't!) use the 'Tell the Publisher!' button on Amazon UK or get in touch with Andrews McMeel Publishing directly.

[This review copy was provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing but did not effect the review in anyway]