Keith Brooke

En el Londres del siglo XXII, el inspector Gordon Kemp vive estancado en "la morgue", una unidad dedicada a casos sin resolver que la tecnología actual ha dejado atrás. Su vida da un vuelco cuando recibe una orden inusual de las altas esferas: resolver el asesinato de Sebastian White, un científico pionero en tecnología de suspensión criogénica, muerto ochenta años atrás.

Lo que parece una tarea arqueológica inútil cobra una relevancia inmediata cuando se revela que White fue show more asesinado justo antes de que la nave Strasbourg partiera en la primera misión interestelar hacia el sistema Mu Arae. Mientras Kemp investiga en una Tierra hiperconectada pero fría, la narrativa se traslada cincuenta años luz de distancia, a bordo de la Strasbourg, donde la tripulación acaba de despertar de un letargo de décadas para descubrir que el mundo que dejaron ya no existe: una nueva tecnología de agujeros de gusano permite ahora viajes instantáneos, haciendo que su sacrificio sea, en apariencia, redundante.

Kemp, acompañado por la inspectora Danni Bellini, deberá descubrir qué secreto ocultaba White que alguien estuvo dispuesto a proteger durante casi un siglo. La verdad vincula el pasado de la Tierra con el presente de un planeta alienígena llamado Carrasco, donde la supervivencia de la humanidad y el destino de una especie nativa penden de un hilo.

Al leer "Wormhole", te queda la sensación de que Brown y Brooke tenían entre manos una historia mucho mejor de lo que finalmente plasmaron en papel. El punto de partida es fantástico, esa mezcla de crimen antiguo y el drama de unos astronautas que llegan tarde a su destino porque la tecnología les ha adelantado por la derecha, pero el libro no termina de arrancar.

La investigación de Kemp se hace pesada por momentos y a la parte de ciencia ficción pura le falta esa chispa de asombro que esperas al descubrir un mundo nuevo. Al final, los personajes resultan algo planos y cuesta empatizar con sus dilemas. Es una novela que se deja leer, pero que se queda en tierra de nadie: ni llega a ser un thriller que te mantenga en vilo, ni una odisea espacial que te vuele la cabeza. Una pena, porque la idea daba para mucho más. show less

Wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated, Chrissie's Shell is the story of a little turtle who desperately wants to be someone else. To Chrissie, her shell is empty. She doesn't see herself as a "someone", and dreams daily about being another animal. Someone faster, stronger, or even just prettier. Through the story, Chrissie learns that being her is actually quite special, and that she was made that way intentionally. As Chrissie morns her empty shell, she actually keeps doing good show more deeds for others with what she is given. It's really quite touching.

Honestly I really loved this book. Although I'm no longer much of a church goer, the overall message in this book is one that I think can be shared with all, no matter what your religious affiliation. Chrissie's story shows children that they are who they are on purpose. That each person is different, and special! I cannot think of a better message than one of self-worth. This book projects that beautifully.

I see this as a great story to share with a Sunday school class, or something read to a child before bed. The illustrations are bright, vivid and honestly quite adorable! I'm an adult and I still giggled when I saw the mouse with wheels for feet, as Chrissie compares him to a race car. There is a lot to love in this book, no matter what age you might be. show less

Brooke and Brown have collaborated a number of times over the years, although mostly at lengths shorter than novella. I think the Kon-tiki Quartet might also be their first series together, rather than loosely-linked stories in the same universe. The quartet title refers to the first human expedition to another star, which will be crewed not by astronauts but by copies of them – ie, clones with their originals’ memories downloaded into them shortly before launch. Sean Williams & Shane show more Dix used a similar idea in their Orphans of Earth trilogy, although their avatars were initially software only. The chief character of Dislocations is a mainstay of British sf, although no longer as common as he once was: a self-pitying white male who is in love with someone unattainable, unhappy in his own marriage and unfulfilled in his career, despite being involved in something important, and who nonetheless manages to have a major impact on events. In this case, it’s the kidnap of the object of the protagonist’s desire, the project’s chief psychologist, by eco-terrorists. But the project’s security team don’t seem to be making much of an effort to find her, despite her kidnappers stating they will kill her if their demands are not met. Fortunately, the protagonist does their job for them. And it transpires the kidnapping was intended to hide sabotage within the project. No convincing explanation is given for the security team’s lack of action, however. It goes without saying the prose is polished and the characters well drawn. But it does all feel a bit, well, tired. The story takes place mostly at Lakenheath base, and despite a passing reference to events there last century, you’d have to be in your forties at least for it to mean anything. True, the Allianz, the eco-terrorists’ organisation, appears to have been inspired by Antifa, which makes them sort of relevant, and the earth itself is on the edge of a climate crash, which is certainly relevant… I enjoyed Dislocations, and I thought it a well-written novella, but it felt a little like a retread of older material, and in places actually reminded me of 1970s sf by the likes of Cowper and Coney – which can be considered both a compliment and a complaint. The second book of the quartet, Parasites, is already available, and I will of course be picking myself up a copy. show less

Wormhole just maybe one of the best science fiction books I’ve read in a good while. A phenomenal melding of SF, crime, and politics, it made for one unforgettable read.

Gordon Kemp is a tired and frustrated detective in a future London, transferred from Homicide to work cold cases. He’s inextricably assigned to an eighty year old murder case, and is told to travel via a newly established wormhole and arrest Rima, who’s suspected of killing her husband just prior to leaving on a colony show more ship for a. new planet. Of course, all is not as it seems, and what follows is an entertaining and crazy adventure, full of twists and turns and surprises.

The world building of Wormhole was excellent. The characters are all well developed and the writing is outstanding. For a book that’s jointly written by two authors, the writing styles were seamless.

I just loved this book, and can’t recommend it enough!

My thanks to Angry Robot and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this fabulous novel. show less