The Caledonian Gambit (SF)

The Caledonian Gambit (SF) - Dan Moren ****

This is a novel with a classic science fiction setting - empire versus federation / commonwealth / rebel alliance with roots that stretch back to the likes of Asimov's Foundation series and reach into the science fantasy world of Star Wars. There's even a figure vaguely reminiscent of Luke Skywalker, in the sense that he's a good pilot, an innocent abroad and related to key figures in the rebellion. But it would be unfair to dismiss it as 'more of the same', because its saving grace is that the central group of characters is, in reality, a trio of intelligence operatives - and they really bring the book alive.

The back of the book asks 'can two unlikely heroes keep peace in the galaxy', but the innocent abroad, Eli Brody, seems to spend most of his time feeling sick or cracking bad jokes - he only comes into his own right at the end of the book when a pilot is needed. The other of the pair is a leading Commonwealth intelligence operative Simon Kovalic, accompanied by his team consisting of a ninja-like lieutenant and a solid military sergeant with a penchant for weapons and a good punch-up. Kovalic and friends occupy by far the most interesting sections of the book (for a large part, Kovalik and Brody operate independently). If anything they are bit too good at their jobs - but there is still enough peril to keep it interesting.

Dan Moren's writing style is workmanlike, if lacking panache. Just occasionally it grates a little, but on the whole he keeps the action going well and throws in enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested. It's not great art, or even the best science fiction, but it's an enjoyable romp with elements of a spy thriller in space.

The book probably could have done with a slightly better edit, both to pick up on those slightly clunky bits of writing and an impressively bad bit of arithmetic, when we read:

'How far are we from the defensive perimeter?'
'About twenty-five thousand kilometres. Our speed's fairly steady at around five thousand kilometres per hour.'

'Five minutes.'

Oops. But this isn't the kind of SF you pick up for hard science and mathematical precision. It's a fine, escapist bit of nonsense and I had a good time reading it.

Paperback:
Kindle:
Using these links earns us commission at no cost to you
Review by Brian Clegg - See all Brian's online articles or subscribe to a weekly email free here

Comments

Mathematics with Love – Mary Stopes-Roe *****

Admittedly it’s early days (this review is written in January), but this, for me, is the surprise hit of the year so far! I approached this book with trepidation, but found it absolutely delightful. It is described on the cover as the “courtship correspondence of Barnes Wallis, inventor of the bouncing bomb”, and contains a series of letters between Wallis and his cousin and eventual wife Molly Bloxham, along with some useful annotation by their daughter, Mary. The courtship itself is not without difficulties, as Wallis was 18 years older than the 17-year-old Molly at the start of the correspondence, and her father, not surprisingly, wasn’t too pleased about the interest of such an elderly suitor, but that isn’t the only reason the letters are interesting – it’s also because of maths, and Wallis’s position in the UK as the engineering hero of the Second World War. (Incidentally, it seemed very strange to see letters addressed to “Barnes” – I had always assumed Barnes Wallis was a ...

Data Empire - Roopika Risam ****

The central thesis presented by Roopika Risam is that information gives us (and particularly countries) the power to organise, control and dominate others. Although I have a couple of issues with the presentation, this is a genuinely interesting trip through the history of our use of stored information from the earliest tallies to the latest information technology. I loved a quote from Lisa Gitelman that data is is always 'cooked' so 'raw data is an oxymoron'. This neatly underlines Risam's thesis that data and information are not neutral facts, but rather tools that (like everything from fire to electronics) can be used for good or evil. As we are taken through the historical context, it can sometimes be a little difficult to judge whether Risam regards a particular example as bad or good, even when the outcome is disastrous. One thing I didn't like too much is the adherence to a popular science writing approach that has got distinctly hackneyed: opening chapte...

Andrew Jaffe - Five way interview

Andrew Jaffe is professor of astrophysics and cosmology at Imperial College, London and director of the Imperial Centre for Inference and Cosmology. His new book is The Random Universe. Why science? I’ve always been interested in science, in particular in astronomy, astrophysics, and space. One of my earliest memories - back in nursery school in New Jersey, I think - was watching one of the moon launches. I wanted that excitement to be part of my life! I never got to be an astronaut, but I did get to be part of the Planck Satellite team, and was privileged to be able to travel to the ESA Spaceport in French Guiana to watch the launch. In between, I was lucky enough to have a supportive family, get a good education, and find inspiring teachers, mentors, and collaborators. They helped me model the universe, and helped me learn how to refine those models in the face of experimental and observational evidence. That is, they taught me to be a scientist. Why this book? The Random...

Search This Blog