Greg Bear

After three years of searching for a story that I could really get lost in, I very nearly decided that I had made a mistake in considering myself an 'avid reader of fiction'. However, I hadn't before considered American literature as something I'd enjoy (blame my English teachers). This was a mistake, and one I intend to learn from.

The Infinity Concerto, one of the best books I've read in quite a while, was written by Greg Bear back in the 1980's. Unfortunately I hadn't been born yet, so I certainly wasn't old enough to read about Michael and his adventure into the Realm, but I've made up for that now. The story takes place in the 80's focusing on a teenage boy, a poet, who becomes good friends with Arno Waltiri, a respected composer, who is quite a bit more mysterious than he seems. As the novel progresses a completely new world is discovered, it's inhabitants both charming and terrifying.

The sequel to The Infinity Concerto is The Serpent Mage, but rather than being a sequel in the traditional sense it is a direct continuation of the story. Obviously I want to avoid saying too much, but there is far more to explore and many questions are answered. Bear really seems to enjoy seeing how different situations change a character and he does a fair bit of experimenting in this second half.

Although the story is incomplete without the second book, I have to say that I enjoyed The Infinity Concerto a little bit more, however it seems that most other reviewers thing the alternate; either way if you like SF or fantasy I think that you'll enjoy giving Greg Bear a read.

An Ode to Computer Games

The Playstation Network is on the blink, Half-Life 2 freezes at 'Our Benefactors' and my computer crashes about once a month. This made me wonder - what would life be like without gaming?

Now I know there are other things to do, they just don't provide the instant immersion that I want from my escapism. A book is brilliant, as long as you can get comfortable, a movie is magnificent, if you have the time, but a game - I've played games in some of the most awkward conditions, with only 15mins to spare, perched on the end of rooftop or huddled in a vacant corner. Games are God.

Okay, so maybe that last comment was a little bit excessive, but they've stopped me from strangling the majority of my family for years. (Siblings are different) I can't count the number of people I've shot, maimed and thrown off ledges with a gravity gun over the years, but if I hadn't I'm sure I'd be a much less relaxed individual.

I must admit games have, at times, funnelled my frustration into an even purer rage by crashing, lagging, glitching and re-spawning me right in front of an enemy, but they have earned the right to annoy me every-so-often by being there when I need them most.

So long as they keep me entertained, I can't think what I'd do without them - probably something more with my life...