Malignos   by Richard Calder

March 2004     on loan from my colleague's boyfriend, Tobias.

Different. This is not like the standard SF I am accustomod to.

I like the world it's set in: A Post cataclysmac earth, in the distant future, which has gone from stupendous high tech to midevil swords and city-state living. -With the added twist of Demons coming back to the land. (Well... Not Magic as such. It is all just the ancient Tech that has been forgotten. And the Genetic engeneering of a "Demonic" species of humanity.) And I felt the Underworld was well created: The "Hell" being the subterrainian dwellings of the Demons, which extended to the center of the earth, and which were all sustained by ancient Tech, all understanding of which has been lost. I found all such setting convincing. Actually, I rather enjoyed thinking about how this setting could have been distant future, (After Tech, and a social collapse,) OR as a previous world. It was a self described "Dark Age," and when so little is recorded, and all living is mere sustenance levels... The world painted could be a very good description of the distant past.

The Writting style was good, but difficult for me, in parts; I did allright with the occasional phrases in German, latin and French, but some of the writting techniques... left me fuddlud. This was written in something like "High English," just as there is (Here, in Germany,) "High Deutsch." I think I could have mastered it all, and had a clear certainty of everything that was intended by the author... but I would have had to be much more focussed (Which I'm typically not, when eating breakfast, or in bed, late at night. -These being the times I am most certain to be reading.) I would also had to have pauses while reading, to reflect on the content of passages. However, I usually read SF for it's escapism, and as something light, and engaging. Perhaps this is something I should look to modify in myself... or is it enough just to be aware of it? And in that self knowledge... be more ... Something. Being Aware of one's limits is good, so what about acceptin one's limits? Is it often commendable? Or must I look more to challenge myself in these things?

Anyhow... that's enough totally off topic stuff. This book IS about a man's self-discovery, but not in the dirrection that I was writting about there; It's more... (ummm... this is the stuff that was clouded to me, due to the High writting style,) About ... Accepting his faults, and gaining understanding of others, and knowing the Value of love, and recognising the respect that his love should have had from him. There was also (I think,) other things dealing more with the natures of "Good" and "evil" and the differences between Peoples. But I didn't take the energy to focus on these things.

For Me, (Who was seeking only lisure reading,) There were a little to many (Well... certainly more than were needed anyhow,) Extra details. One of the supporting charaters, for example, who takes part in 80% of the book, is... more developed... and unique than need be; He is so Particular, is what I mean: Why Tazmanian? Why so fat? Why with little hair? Why the immages of a baby? Why the particular way of speaking? I didn't see anything in the story being supported by these details. They Could have too: The difference, when he was covered in thick fur, could have been accented by his baldness after... but it was hardly remarked uppon.

All the same, it was an interesting read. I just need to give myself more time, if I will read more by this author.