Dave Swavely

A book whose title gives away its tenor and tone throughout. Dave's book is unapologetically Reformed in its presentation; but often spends its time in the argument of negation rather than for my eyes, a truly winsome approach to convince others against a poor biblical understanding of decision making. What I appreciate is Dave's willingness to go more technical into biblical interpretation and exegesis that is accessible for pastors and laypersons alike. Good read for those looking to get a truly Reformed perspective on wisdom and stewardship in decision making.… (altro)

Kaleidocide is the second book of the Peacer series. I read the first book, Silhouette, and really enjoyed the plot, world building, and the writing. The second book starts off strong with the same fast-paced type of plot. It drew me in quickly and I was very interested in what would happen next with Michael Ares. There were also some new technological concepts introduced in this novel like the idea of Dreamscape, which monitored dreams and measured them in terms of how precognitive they were.

Like Silhouette, the plot is fast-paced and the mystery of Zhang Sun's motivations keeps the reader involved in the story. The action scenes also keep the reader on the edge of their seat and play out almost like a movie.

However, there were things I didn't like about this book that either didn't exist in Silhouette or I didn't notice. First of all, I wish there was more world-building and discussion about the technologies. Personally, I found it to be the most interesting part. My biggest problem with this novel was the demeaning way in which women were portrayed. They were either promiscuous like Tara or needy and weak like Lynn and Angelee, with a healthy dose of religious fanaticism thrown in for the latter. Lynn and Angelee just wanted to be good wives and mothers, while the only successful woman introduced (Tara) was an adulterer whose only goal was to sleep with Michael. When it came to women, it was almost like we'd stepped back in time.

Another thing I hated was the excuse of polyamory to be promiscuous. It also annoyed me how Michael was almost always ready to cheat on his pregnant wife and it made him really unlikeable as a protagonist. I also disliked the little foreshadowing at the ends of chapters. As plot devices go, it's one of my least favorite because it completely takes you out of the moment.

I much preferred Silhouette to this novel and even though I wasn't pleased with the characterization, I did like the plot a lot and it's a solid addition to the Peacer series.… (altro)

This book is marketed as a cross between Minority Report and Blade Runner and it certainly lives up to the promise. It’s incredible how the world built in the novel is so well rounded and fully thought out. The future is shown to be a technologically driven place and it’s a little bleak how technology became an addiction for society. With the advent of neural cyberware, aerocars, and net glasses, we’re dropped into a world so highly dependent on technology that it’s almost sickening. The thought of society as a whole worshiping technology almost makes me cry because I know it’s going to happen and yet I wish it wouldn’t. I’m sure people smarter than I will be able to see the political commentary, and even I could recognize that there is an undercurrent of fascism in this book, but I chose not to focus on that part.

I chose to focus on how thoroughly impressed I was with Swavely’s creativity and ingenuity in designing the new technologically-centric world. Every detail was so meticulously researched, and perhaps the physics of the designs are off, but I was spellbound anyway. Thankfully, the reader is not assaulted with all this detail and information right from the start, but gradually enveloped in this new world. It will excite some people about what the future could be, or it’ll make you weep for our generation and the path we’re on.

Either way, I find myself in awe of this novel. It reads almost like a movie, the world-building is fantastic, the characters are dynamic, and the plot moves at a great pace. This book must be read as soon as you can get your hands on it.… (altro)