Rating: 
Summary: A terrific "thinking man's" novel . . .
Review: One of the usually less successful types of science fiction story (in my opinion) is the "secret history" story, in which the plot turns on events that most of us don't know about -- things we aren't *supposed* to know about, secret things that allow some individual or group to (usually) rule the world. Generally, the key events or relationships that give the secret group its power are a little too pat, a little too coincidental, and the stories usually are not believable. Asimov's Foundation trilogy was an exception, up to a point, and so was Wilson & Shea's Illuminati triology. And now, so is this novel. The early 19th century was a time of amateur gentleman scholars who thought that if you could only gather enough information, enough data, about people and society at large, you could work out policies that would improve everyone's lot in life. According to Flynn, a small group of those do-gooders in New England (1) managed to develop a mathematical approach to social engineering, (2) got Babbage's engine to work, and (3) began to do something about the state of the world. And they've been at it ever since. Only, they're really not very good at it. Flynn has a real knack for the language and he seems to know his history. The "fulcra" he selects, the points where a small change might tip the course of events in quite a different direction, are quite reasonable, and he'll tell you exactly why. The characters are believable and three-dimensional and often sympathetic, even the bad guys. And coincidence is kept to a minimum. There's lots of juicy quotes in this one, too. This book was recommended to me by a friend several years ago, but I've only just gotten around to reading it -- and now I have to go see what else Flynn has written!
Rating: 
Summary: ¿ the one-eyed would be king, except if he were deaf & mute
Review: Predicting history is an old dream, which blossomed in the 19th century. Marx thought he had it all figured out - and those who came after him tried to fix past, present and future so that it would fit his projections. The heroine of this book, a black female named Sarah Beaumont, discovers by change the traces of a secret society, operating since the early 19th century who invented a science called "Cliology" and try to manipulate the development of history (for the common good, of course, but getting rich, unavoidably). The scenario evokes Asimov's classic "Foundation" trilogy, the art of predicting the future to be practiced by a foundation, guarded in secret by a second one ... . Only this time it is today's earth, not the fringes of the galaxy, where all this happens. Since there is no psychohistory a.k.a. cliology (or whatever you'd like to call it) the author's imagination had to come up with a few scenarios. All those people, trying to shape the future, who didn't succeed but as a consolation prize got rich by it. Well, it was a miracle, but after all this is a novel about magicians who lost control over their creation ... . This book was written before "Firestar" and its sequels, where one can find the same leitmotif: trying to change the future so that Armageddon can be avoided. But in this book a coherent story-arc is lacking, and badly so. Beside Sarah there are too many major characters, too many sub-plots and plotters. And it all ends with a shoot-out. In San Francisco. On the Coit Tower. Right. So all in all the book rather disappoints. With better editing it could have been so much better. Considering that it is a slightly altered re-issue one wonders: would more radical rewriting have produced a great book? Lets do some cliology...
Rating:
Summary: Very exciting hunt-and-chase with real people characters
Review: Science fiction meets cops-n-robbers. A female/minority heroine sharp as a tack stumbles into the worldwide conspiracy. Computer-based thriller shows how technology can rule the world. Takes place in Denver (my home town) and uses real landmarks effectively.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging and suspenseful
Review: This a fast-paced suspense novel about dueling secret societies each attempting to shape the course of society using applied mathematics. As it turns out, all the secret societies contending in the book have developed a field of study they call "cliology" (a true *science* of history that applies historical/actuarial records to ascertain sociological / political / economic trends that enable predictions about future events). Definitely an interesting premise, and one that's been used previously in science fiction (the most famous example of which would probably be Asimov's "Foundation" series). The book is extremely entertaining and a very easy read. I would it describe it mainly as an adventure/suspense novel spiced up with a few fantastic elements (cliology and its associated "secret history;" normal people turned into assassins with post-hypnotic triggers; arguably, working Babbage machines in the mid-1800s). The characters are engaging, but I'd have liked to have seen them fleshed out a little more thoroughly. They aren't ciphers by any means, but I almost feel like prior to the start of the novel, they were all loners with few personal interests. I wish that a little more detail had been included on cliology in the text. As it stands, cliology (by design, I suppose) remains largely mysterious. I was also expecting that Babbage machines and "steampunk" elements would play a larger role in the book; some readers may be disappointed to learn that they do not, Babbage machines are mainly just window dressing in the first third of the book. Also, though it's mainly set in the near future / modern day, some of the technology is starting to look a bit dated, an artifact of the book having been first published in 1990. The setting and characters are crying out for a sequel, as there's a great deal left to explore and the book's finale was very open-ended with no real closure or resolution to the impending conflict. That said, I was satisfied with how things were left at the close of the book, but I would like to see more in a sequel (a prequel about the early days of the Babbage Society would be welcome as well). This is the first Michael Flynn book that I've read, but it certainly won't be my last. He's an excellent writer with a real gift for plot, pacing, and natural-sounding dialogue. (In the interest of full disclosure, I read a copy of the first edition of the book, which does not contain the final appendix on cliology which I understand is present in the current edition.)
Rating:
Summary: Engaging and suspenseful
Review: This a fast-paced suspense novel about dueling secret societies each attempting to shape the course of society using applied mathematics. As it turns out, all the secret societies contending in the book have developed a field of study they call "cliology" (a true *science* of history that applies historical/actuarial records to ascertain sociological / political / economic trends that enable predictions about future events). Definitely an interesting premise, and one that's been used previously in science fiction (the most famous example of which would probably be Asimov's "Foundation" series). The book is extremely entertaining and a very easy read. I would it describe it mainly as an adventure/suspense novel spiced up with a few fantastic elements (cliology and its associated "secret history;" normal people turned into assassins with post-hypnotic triggers; arguably, working Babbage machines in the mid-1800s). The characters are engaging, but I'd have liked to have seen them fleshed out a little more thoroughly. They aren't ciphers by any means, but I almost feel like prior to the start of the novel, they were all loners with few personal interests. I wish that a little more detail had been included on cliology in the text. As it stands, cliology (by design, I suppose) remains largely mysterious. I was also expecting that Babbage machines and "steampunk" elements would play a larger role in the book; some readers may be disappointed to learn that they do not, Babbage machines are mainly just window dressing in the first third of the book. Also, though it's mainly set in the near future / modern day, some of the technology is starting to look a bit dated, an artifact of the book having been first published in 1990. The setting and characters are crying out for a sequel, as there's a great deal left to explore and the book's finale was very open-ended with no real closure or resolution to the impending conflict. That said, I was satisfied with how things were left at the close of the book, but I would like to see more in a sequel (a prequel about the early days of the Babbage Society would be welcome as well). This is the first Michael Flynn book that I've read, but it certainly won't be my last. He's an excellent writer with a real gift for plot, pacing, and natural-sounding dialogue. (In the interest of full disclosure, I read a copy of the first edition of the book, which does not contain the final appendix on cliology which I understand is present in the current edition.)
Rating:
Summary: I hate to complain, but...
Review: Yeah, yeah, it was a good read, but I had several problems with this book. Not with the science, but with the fiction. There were too many characters in the book. It did read like a serial, every chapter a substory that was ultimately linked by a common character. I had to keep marginal notes to remember who was who and how they fit in. I also had a real problem with our hero. Ms. Beaumont was just too heroic. Was there anything she did not know, or could not do? As a mature Black woman I am attracted to books with characters like me, but jeez, this woman could do everything and do it well. If this is a story about a regular citizen caught up in a situation of life and death, she is just too calm and collected. I also had problems with our male hero. Mr. Malone seemed to be more concerned, more questioning, more nervous about what was going on and he was the experienced professional. The characters were too sketchy, too good or too bad. Too sterotypical, like Mr. Collingwood from the fop to the cool leader, to be credible. I think the most interesting part went to Mr. French, the thread that tied all the motives together. Ah, if only we had followed his story from beginning to end. Speaking of the ending, the book just seemed to stop. Oh well, I guess I was tired of reading it by then anyway.
Rating:
Summary: I hate to complain, but...
Review: Yeah, yeah, it was a good read, but I had several problems with this book. Not with the science, but with the fiction. There were too many characters in the book. It did read like a serial, every chapter a substory that was ultimately linked by a common character. I had to keep marginal notes to remember who was who and how they fit in. I also had a real problem with our hero. Ms. Beaumont was just too heroic. Was there anything she did not know, or could not do? As a mature Black woman I am attracted to books with characters like me, but jeez, this woman could do everything and do it well. If this is a story about a regular citizen caught up in a situation of life and death, she is just too calm and collected. I also had problems with our male hero. Mr. Malone seemed to be more concerned, more questioning, more nervous about what was going on and he was the experienced professional. The characters were too sketchy, too good or too bad. Too sterotypical, like Mr. Collingwood from the fop to the cool leader, to be credible. I think the most interesting part went to Mr. French, the thread that tied all the motives together. Ah, if only we had followed his story from beginning to end. Speaking of the ending, the book just seemed to stop. Oh well, I guess I was tired of reading it by then anyway.
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