Rating: 
Summary: Dark, tragic and funny. Another winner from Smith!
Review: "Spares" is Michael Marshall Smith's second novel, his first being the simply amazing "Only Forward".Like its predecessor, "Spares" is an unusual mix of Douglas Adams like humour, Gibson-esque science fiction, fantasy, action, philosophy, adventure, romance and horror that all combines to create something disturbingly familiar yet satisyingly unique. Set in a futuristic post-apocolypse America, "Spares" centers around the life of Jack Randall a down on his luck ex-cop who finds himself the guardian and protector of six spares; a group of cloned humans whos existance is due to a very sinister agenda by those in power. Having escaped The Farm with the spares in tow, Jack seeks refuge in New Richmond; an ex-flying shopping center made city, attempting to secure an escape vehicle for himself and his charges. But instead of salvation Jack finds himself confronted with his past and a frightening vista of reality known to Jack as The Gap. Stuck with no place to go Jack has no option but to fight the demons of years past. Starting off relatively light hearted and humorous "Spares" quickly darkens in tone until at last the horrors of The Gap along with the ravages of drug addiction are revealed to Jack. This novel is a much darker and disturbing work than "Only Forward" yet is just as satisfying as a peice of literature. The narrative is told by the central character himself and makes for an easier to read almost conversationalist tone. With this easily accessable style "Spares" can acurately be described as one of those book which is impossible to put down, despite its disturbing surreal overtones. "Spares", while lacking the commentary on the human condition shown in "Only Forward", still makes some very astute observations on the human psyche. With its crucible of concepts and styles "Spares" comes highly recomended and quite possibly will become the best book you have ever read, unless of course you have read "Only Forward" in which case it is a tie.
Rating: 
Summary: Unintentional Parody on Noir
Review: "Spares" is an almost satisfying novel. It is a hybrid that includes one too many genre that spoils the stew. You know the story: "Ex-cop, addict tries to do just one right-thing, which screws-up and results in mayham." Imagine this story written by Jim Thomson (depraved Private Dick), Bill Gibson (Cyberpunk), Douglas Adams (Perverse Humor), and some meta-magical metaphore specializing author. Then you have the story. These multiple contexts eventually doomed it. I read the UK edition. So, when Smith's (a Brit)American main character on location outside of Richmond, VA, USA starts refering to elevators as "lifts" and behavior being "a bit Naff" (among other cultural artifacts) I wondered if the character's was not Dr. Who in disguise? My guess is that interdimensional portals spewing zombies; drug-crazed, law enforcment officers; flying malls as metaphores for the economic caste system; gunship flying C3POs; and organ-legging cannot occur in Surrey. Did I leave out the kind hearted hooker? The story was amusing, gritty, surreal, and one continuous cliche. "Spares" is a parody on noir. However, it wasn't supposed to be.
Rating:
Summary: Dark, tragic and funny. Another winner from Smith!
Review: "Spares" is Michael Marshall Smith's second novel, his first being the simply amazing "Only Forward".
Like its predecessor, "Spares" is an unusual mix of Douglas Adams like humour, Gibson-esque science fiction, fantasy, action, philosophy, adventure, romance and horror that all combines to create something disturbingly familiar yet satisyingly unique.
Set in a futuristic post-apocolypse America, "Spares" centers around the life of Jack Randall a down on his luck ex-cop who finds himself the guardian and protector of six spares; a group of cloned humans whos existance is due to a very sinister agenda by those in power. Having escaped The Farm with the spares in tow, Jack seeks refuge in New Richmond; an ex-flying shopping center made city, attempting to secure an escape vehicle for himself and his charges. But instead of salvation Jack finds himself confronted with his past and a frightening vista of reality known to Jack as The Gap. Stuck with no place to go Jack has no option but to fight the demons of years past.
Starting off relatively light hearted and humorous "Spares" quickly darkens in tone until at last the horrors of The Gap along with the ravages of drug addiction are revealed to Jack. This novel is a much darker and disturbing work than "Only Forward" yet is just as satisfying as a peice of literature.
The narrative is told by the central character himself and makes for an easier to read almost conversationalist tone. With this easily accessable style "Spares" can acurately be described as one of those book which is impossible to put down, despite its disturbing surreal overtones.
"Spares", while lacking the commentary on the human condition shown in "Only Forward", still makes some very astute observations on the human psyche. With its crucible of concepts and styles "Spares" comes highly recomended and quite possibly will become the best book you have ever read, unless of course you have read "Only Forward" in which case it is a tie.
Rating:
Summary: Intense, disturbing, horrifying...
Review:
...the most remarkable book I've read this year.
Smith has the uncanny ability to make one laugh and cry simultaneously. Imagine Joseph Wambaugh and Clive Barker combining forces to write a Chandler pastiche--but better, as Smith has a fresh wit and style unto himself.
Unless it gets dinged on a technicality, _Spares_
is a shoo-in for _Hugo Award, Best Novel_.
Rating: 
Summary: Stepping back
Review: After "Only Forward" I have expected another brilliant book. However, "Only Forward" was so good, that "Spares" took from it a lot elements: it seems very similar ideas of Neighborhoods and Floors in MegaMall, The Gap and JeamLand. I don't know was it necesary to fill up "Spares" with so many violence and blood. Sometimes seems even action-line forgotten because of description of the violence. In other words, you can feel that "Spares" has been written in more cheap-pop manner than "Only Forward" (well.. American debut). This is dissapointing. But not so much.
Rating: 
Summary: What's the tallest mountain in the world?
Review: Attempt to slot this book to a a genre and it'll slither away - on speed. A coctail of dark fantasy, cyberpunk, sci-fi and a good old fashioned "whodunnit"; Spares takes you to a macabre world with no sugar on top, chillingly close to our own. If you have the money, you can do anything - bash a few bones, burn off your face - no problem - because your "spare" is waiting to be utilised on a nearby farm. Jack Randall guards one of these farms run by SafetyNet, but in an uncharacteristic act of heroism - or insanity - he flees the Farm together with some spares. This seemingly innocent start to the story leads the reader through a typically Marshall-Smith-esque maze of about-turns and stomach churning discoveries - all slipped to your subconcious while it was busy digesting the last few pages. This book isn't adrenaline packed. It's more like someone was slowly tickling your brain with a feather. Must be read with an open mind. But it must be read.
Rating:
Summary: Dark future?
Review: Enthralling, exhilarating ride through the near future Smith repeats the style of "Only Forward" in Spares. A spare person grown in case you have an accident? combat in a land that exists only because of the collective nightmares of the human race? Once again like Stark the lead character is a likeable drop out figure with no future and just the faintest glimmer if not of forgiveness then at least of redemption. Darkly humourous, poignant and close to the bone.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but not wonderful
Review: Everything is true about the good things that are said about the book in the comments you find here. I don't love disturbing scenes or drug-addicted visions, but this is only part of the book. I really liked the flying fish-like aircraft scenes, I think they were really suggestive, like many other Smith's inventions. But I see this book like two stories in one, like two pictures the author tried to meld together, but you still can see the scars from the operation. I'm talking about the clones-plot and the Gap-plot. They could (I think they should) have been two different short stories, because the connections between them are sometimes kind of stretched out. This is anyway a good sf book. Not so many today.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant, Brilliant, BRILLIIANT!
Review: Forget Bladerunner, this one leaves it in the dirt. A masterpiece of the new Cybercrime genre, funny, dark, and a thrill to read from beginning to end. If you do nothing else for you mind this year, buy this book. Now! ...What are you still reading here for? Get it!
Rating:
Summary: Origional, funny and thought provoking
Review: I dont often read a lot of sci-fi, but Spares was recommended to me, and I gave it a go. Im glad I did. Its a story thats not totally unbelievable really - clones being produced for spare body parts for the rich. But its more than just that. Its a story of one mans self turmoil over whats right and wrong, in a world thats gone slightly weird as he struggles with his own existence. Michael Marshall-Smith writes with thought, and not a small amount of humour which ultimately makes this book a though provoking but enjoyable tale. It makes you stop to wonder what exactly is aroung the corner for us. Clones? Not an un real proposition. Clones for spare parts? Who knows - lets hope not. An origional and entertaining story this one. Well worth picking up if sci fi doesnt normally rock your boat.
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