Timothy Bradley has two outstanding books for dinosaur lovers that will take readers beyond the standard dino encyclopedias and into a deeper look at sharks and bus from the prehistoric era. What I love about his books (and mentioned in my reviews here and here) is that they treat their readers as smart independent thinkers. So many people seem to consider the "dinosaur phase" as some standard right-of-passage that counts no more than singing Barney songs or playing with matchbox cars. Everyone buys the same general interest books, the same bags of plastic dinosaur figures and throws the same decorated with dino plates and napkins birthday party. And then they move the kids along to the next thing without considering for a minute that dinosaurs really are a serious interest of study that could stay with their son or daughter forever.
Tim Bradley gets that however - big time - and his excellent books, Paleo Sharks and Paleo Bugs, vividly show just how deep and rich this subject can be for young readers. As part of my annual shameless copying of The Millions "A Year in Reading" series, Tim kindly agreed to weigh in on a couple of books he enjoyed reading this year.
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
Ms. Willis' novel about the misadventures of a time travel historian is shaped by Willis' trademark dry wit, and very likeable characters. Ned Henry is a time traveling historical researcher, sent to Victorian England to rest up from too much time traveling, searching for the mysterious ?bishop?s bird stump?.
Once there, he becomes entangled in a potential time paradox caused by another historian, and has to navigate the Thames, Victorian manners, jumble sales, and love at first sight, to say nothing of the dog.
Willis' recursive writing style is perfect for this story, as is the amount of research she has obviously done to keep things authentic. I find her brand of humor very funny, and I keep picking up interesting details as I re-read this book (which I am in the middle of right now, as a matter of fact). The story kind of meanders, so you have to be content with just following along, as Ned tries to piece together the time travel incongruity while coping with vicious croquet matches, a bulldog named Cyril, and the occasional séance. Willis manages to tie all the threads together into a very enjoyable tale.
Blind Lake by Robert Charles Wilson
Wilson is one of my favorite authors. His specialty is constructing a story around a world-changing event, and its aftermath; other examples of his work are Mysterium and The Chronoliths, both excellent books.
Blind Lake centers on a government site employing a new technology that can view far-away worlds up close; the facility is following an alien called simply Subject as he goes through his daily life.
However, when the Blind Lake facility is placed under emergency lockdown, with no one allowed in or out, and all communications severed with the outside, the workers start to react to the stresses of real and imagined dangers.
Wilson's characters are realistic, and his plot is very compelling. Blind Lake is one of those books I literally couldn't put down. I have re-read it several times since, and it's one of the best modern science fiction novels I've come across. His deft characterizations, and really unique story make it a standout. Awesome book.
