Technology, Books and Other Neat Stuff

Here's a list of January's new books (there were some additional re-reads) along with one-line capsule reviews. The stand outs were the Sherwood Smith, the Karen Traviss, the Sean McMullen and the Elizabeth Bear.

Smith, Sherwood - Inda
Fascinating cultural fantasy of a militarised society (that keeps making me think of Sikhism) wrapped up in a complex tale of relationships and historical forces.

Green, Roland J. - Voyage to Eneh
Contact novel crossed with Napoleonic naval fiction. Meh.

McDevitt, Jack - Odyssey
The politics of starflight funding conflicts with first contact with another star faring race.

Fowler, Christopher - Seventy-Seven Clocks
The Peculiar Crimes Squad cuts its teeth on a 1973 case involving London guilds and some very strange murders.

O'Connor, Tom - Mommy, Why is There a Server in the House?
Microsoft's spoof "educational" picture book from CES 2008. Hilarious for geeks.

Niven, Larry - The Magic Goes Away Collection: The Magic Goes Away, The Magic May Return, and More Magic
All the Magic stories in one place making an enjoyable take on scientific fantasy with a telling resource management message for these greener days.

Bear, Elizabeth - Undertow
Bear uses the conventions of the thriller to tell a tale of colonialism and revolution - all spiced up with a dose of Voudon in an alien bayou.

McMullen, Sean - Voidfarer: A Tale of the Moonworlds Saga
McMullen's lightweight fantasy series gets its teeth into H.G. Wells and shakes hard, while all the time having great fun.

Stirling, S.M. - The Sky People
An alt.space alt.history of a planet stories Venus in a modern solar system.

Traviss, Karen - Republic Commando: True Colors
The Star Wars Bravo Two Zero gets another instalment as Traviss gets down and dirty with the throw-away clone troopers.

Keep up with what I've read at LibraryThing...