We

We. Yevgeny Zamyatin. Translated by Mirra Ginsburg. 1921/1972*. HarperCollins. 233 pages.

I shall simply copy, word for word, the proclamation that appeared today in the One State Gazette... 

We is a dystopian novel. I've been wanting to read it for almost as long as I've been blogging.

What did I think of We?

I found the novel interesting but not necessarily comprehensible. I struggled to make sense of this one. (I think I followed about a third of it.) I'm sure I missed much of what was going on simply because I was trying to make sense of this world, this society. Could the problem--for me--be this society's emphasis on math and logic?

The narrator of We is a state mathematician named D-503. (I did figure out that men have a consonant and an odd number; women have a vowel and an even number). Everything is calculated and precise and governed or regulated. Even intimate relationships. D-503 has two registered partners--O-90 and I330. O-90 desperately wants a child, a dream that isn't likely to come true. And I330 is a big, big tease who manipulates men in oh-so-many ways. Perhaps because D-503 cannot understand her at all, cannot predict anything about her, she fascinates him, enslaves him.

So one of D-503's projects is working on the spaceship, Integral. One State has plans to conquer the universe. Perhaps because of what he does, I-330 sees an opportunity to use him to get what she wants...

A human being is like a novel: until the last page you don't know how it will end. Or it wouldn't be worth reading... (162)

Read We

• If you are looking for a literary quality to your science fiction
• If you enjoy a challenge as you read; if you enjoy complexity
• If you are looking to read a science fiction classic
• If you are interested in Russian literature from this time period

*It was first translated into English (according to Wikipedia) in 1924, this translation by Mirra Ginsburg was done in 1972. 

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Demolished Man

The Demolished Man. Alfred Bester. 1951. Random House. 245 pages.

Explosion! Concussion! The vault doors burst open. And deep inside, the money is racked ready for pillage, rapine, loot. Who's that? Who's inside the vault? Oh God! The Man With No Face! Looking. Looming. Silent. Horrible. Run....Run...

The Demolished Man is the winner of the first Hugo Award. I am not sure it's an absolute must-read. But. If you're a fan of science fiction, I think you should definitely consider reading this one! Depending on your expectations, of course, you might just find yourself surprised at how clever and literary well written it is.

The mystery elements of The Demolished Man made it a great read for me. The novel stars two characters. One, Ben Reich, who is determined to murder his business rival, Craye D'Courtney. With (future) society being what it is, murder is unheard of because telepaths (espers) always, always are able to read the minds of the would-be murderers and stop them before the crime is committed. But Reich plans to bribe a few high(er) level telepaths to help him cover his tracks, AND he plans on using a catchy song to distract other mind-readers in the area, to keep them from peeping his intentions.

Eight, sir; seven, sir;
Six, sir; five, sir;
Four, sir; three, sir;
two, sir; one!
'Tenser' said the Tensor.
'Tenser,' said the Tensor.
'Tension, apprehension,
And dissension have begun.' 

The second main character is Lincoln Powell, the detective on the case. (The murder is successful.) Both characters narrate this one. So readers get the view points of both the detective and the criminal. I wasn't sure how I felt about this--at first. But I think it works well, for the most part!

Have you read this one? What did you think? What did you think of the ending? Of what happens to criminals... And what did you think of the "romance"?!

This one surprised me. It did. I really liked it so much more than I thought I would. In fact, I think I may even love it. I couldn't help thinking of this Alfred Bester when I read it.

Read The Demolished Man

• If you're a fan of classic science fiction
• If you want to read the FIRST Hugo Winner
• If you're interested in reading science fiction with a focus on telepaths
• If you're a fan of mysteries and detective fiction

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Sunday Salon: Watching Inception

The movie I'm recommending this week is Inception. I could keep it really simple and just say. Watch this movie. Or I could add a little more to my recommendation. If you like action, watch this movie. If you like drama, watch this movie. If you like suspense, watch this movie. If you like thoughtful, complex plots, watch this movie. If you like science fiction, watch this movie. But is that enough?! It will have to be. Because I'm convinced that you shouldn't know too much about this one! You definitely should avoid spoilers if possible.

Inception is complex, I won't lie. It's one that will take your full attention. But. Once you become hooked, I don't think that will be a problem! Once the story grabs you, you'll be anything but bored. It is so very, very, very intense in places. In just the right way. The characters, the story, the premise. It just works really well.

Have you seen this one? What did you think?

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Crossed (YA)

Crossed. Ally Condie. 2011. Penguin. 368 pages.

I'm standing in a river. It's blue. Dark blue. Reflecting the color of the evening sky.

I enjoyed Matched, the first book in the series. And I was ready for the sequel, more ready than my library was apparently. I had high expectations for Crossed, and they were more than met!!! While I liked Matched, really liked it in places--though not because of the romance, more of the writing style--I just loved Crossed that much more. I thought the world-building was even better than in the first book. I thought the expanded world-building--the novel follows our hero and heroine on a journey--was great! It was impossible to put this one down. It demanded to be read in a single setting.

So. Crossed was narrated by Ky and Cassia. These two are apart at the beginning of the novel, readers actually see Cassia follow in Ky's footsteps for the first third of the novel, but the two are eventually reunited...but they're never quite alone. For Crossed introduces new characters!!! Cassia has escaped with Indie, and Ky has escaped with Vick and Eli. Each character has a story, a story they're willing to share with others, and a story that they'd never share with others because it hurts too much. I liked seeing these people team up and work together, I did. The story was definitely suspenseful in many, many ways.

Read Crossed

• If you enjoyed Matched, the first in the series by Ally Condie
• If you enjoy dystopia, yes, it's dystopia with a bit of romance, but the world-building can be interesting too
• If you enjoy some action and suspense in your science fiction

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Library Loot: First Trip in February

New Loot:

The Boneshaker by Kate Milford
The Great Migration: Journey to the North by Eloise Greenfield
Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts
Life: An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet
The Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami
Fracture by Megan Miranda
Young Fredle by Cynthia Voigt
Wisdom's Kiss: A Thrilling and Romantic Adventure Incorporating Magic, Villainy, And a Cat by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr.
The Dark Is Rising, The Complete Sequence by Susan Cooper
The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow
The Survival Kit by Donna Freitas
The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe
The Doll Shop Downstairs by Yona Zeldis McDonough
The Cats in the Doll Shop by Yona Zeldis McDonough
The Dollhouse Magic by Yona Zeldis McDonough
May B. by Caroline Starr Rose.
Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle

Leftover Loot:

King, Kaiser, Tsar: Three Royal Cousins Who Led the World To War by Catrine Clay
Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver

Book Trailer's for New Loot This Week:

 Boneshaker, Kate Milford



Dark Inside, Jeyn Roberts

Life An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet



Grand Plan To Fix Everything,



Fracture,



Wisdom's Kiss



The Way We Fall,



May B,




Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.  

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews