Past Performance

Most of you will probably finish that headline in your head with the toothless warning from banks and brokerages: "Past performance is not a guarantee of future returns." So too with authors. We often pick up books by authors we've liked in the past, only to be disappointed. Or sometimes, surprised.

The example I always trot out is Neal Stephenson. I loved Cryptonomicon and Anathem. But then came the train wreck of Reamde. (Tell me if you have different opinions, but I thought that one just degenerated into the most unbelievable set of coincidences to ever tie up a novel.) Or his Seveneves, which started with one of the most memorable first lines ("The Moon blew up without warning and for no apparent reason.") The first two-thirds are a decent sci-fi thriller, but the last third just took a left turn into a strange land.

I had examples in both directions this month. I started with The I Inside by Alan Dean Foster, who I've liked in the past. This was written in 1984 and should have stayed there. It hasn't aged well at all. I picked up the David Brin book Earth (reviewed below), and found I didn't like it nearly as much as other Brin books I've read in the past, but ultimately it was good enough for me to include as a recommendation. And then something convinced me to read Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I hadn't cared for his previous books for reasons that I can't quite put my finger on. However, this one hit all the right notes for me, including snarky humor, literary allusions, and skillful use of absurdity. It will probably entice me to try some other novels by Tchaikovsky.

Right now, I'm about halfway through The Algebraist by Iain Banks. So far, I predict a very pleased review next month. It's on sale right now for only $2.99, so grab it if you like Banks.