Recently, I've been reading the Hugo nominees in my annual attempt to be an informed voter. Just finished China Mieville's "The Scar" followed by HP 5 (not a Hugo nominee, but I like Harry). After those to lengthly, fantasy novels, I was ready for a change in pace.
On the Larry Niven list awhile back, in one of the threads the movie "Groundhog Day" (one of my favorites) came up in the discussion. Someone then recommended Ken Grimwood's "Replay", about a guy who dies in 1988 and wakes up again in 1963, over and over again. This is an excellent read. Rather than following the Bill Murray plan of trying to get into Andie McDowell's pants over and over again (tho', not a BAD plan), the main character tries many different ways (over several lifetimes) to figure out why and how the universe is messing with him. The ending caught me by surprise and was very satisfying. Highly recommended. (As an aside, about half way through the book, I read Mr. Grimwood's obituary at Locus Online. May his replays go well.) After "Replay", I picked up Magaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale". This is a chilling, frightening story of a religious takeover of America. Picture America an undetermined number of years in the future (but not too distant) and a world polluted, STDs running rampant, and the birthrate declining worldwide. The takeover puts men in charge. Women are known as Wives (married to Commanders). The Wives have some status, but are mostly barren. Other women are "Marthas" and are basically household servants. Other woman are "Handmaids". Their job is to have children. I had trouble putting this book down; highly recommended. George A _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
