Customer Reviews

Bug Park

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I rarely find the time for pleasure reading these days, so the books I pick have to be good. All too often, I'll pick up something that sounds good on the cover, only to be disappointed somewhere, and leave it half-read. But not so with novels by James P. Hogan. Since discovering his work in "The Genesis Machine" in '78, I have MADE the time to read each new novel. "Bug Park" was no disappointment. The story line is interesting, the characters are charming and believable, and the technological underpinnings are largely believable. Definitely a fun, feel-good novel. Though I am still skeptical that Direct Neural Connection is "near future" technology (~25 years away), the novel has captivated my interest in micro-robotics and nano technology! Having recently finished it, it makes me want to re-read Genesis Machine (Hogan uses DNC technology in that novel, but in a different way). Thanks, Mr. Hogan, for another great novel! [Bug Park fans: Who do you think controlled the evil mech near the end of the novel? Recommendations on Hoganesque writers?]

In Charles Scheffield's excellent novel, THE NIMROD HUNT, micro-miniaturized man-shaped mechanoids battle live spiders and warrior ants. The human controllers become immersed in attacks on nests or anthills via telepresence. The electronic sensorium provided by the mechanoids' sophisticated sensors temporarilly replaces normal human senses.

In BUG PARK, James P. Hogan updates the same idea to create a futuristic amusement park game. People battle insects by putting their controlling 'consciousness' inside tiny bug-sized, man-shaped "mecs". When a mec is seriously damaged or rendered inoperable by an ant, the human operating that mec is unceremoniously thrown out of the game for "dying."

Hogan uses DNC, direct neural coupling, a technology yet to be invented, to pull this off. DNC shuts down our normal senses and replaces them with sensory input from the mecs. DNC allows Eric Heber, one of the teenage protagonists, to control the movements of the "Taki" mec as if its limbs were his own.

I have been an avid reader of James P. Hogan's works since his classic first novel, INHERIT THE STARS. Even though BUG PARK is a juvenile novel, the science and technology are as fully explained as anyone would ever want and most adults will also enjoy this book,

Readers will love the rapid, breath-taking pace of BUG PARK. Indeed, I can easily see how this novel could become a major blockbuster motion picture with its exciting mix of cutting-ege technology, kids in peril and corporate corruption.

(Are you listening DISNEY Corp.?)

BUG PARK

James Hogan delves into the world of micro robotics, corporate greed, and the realm of virtual gaming to create this extremely entertaining novel.

Let me sum the book up like this; teenage friendship, a cheating step mother, an easy going scientific father, the fathers military minded best friend and business partner, micro sized robots ran by DNC: Direct Neural Coupling, Ex-business partner wishing to steal the patent for DNC.

This book was much more entertaining than I had expected.The story starts with a bang and ends with an atomic blast.Bug Park is a light read and comes across a bit different than other works by Hogan.I was truly upset that I ran out of pages to read. James Hogan has been added to my must read authors list.

I highly recommend this book.

Mr. Hogan bounces back from the disappointing PATHS TO OTHERWHERE with this fun story.

The plot involves two companies dealing in "microbotics" -- miniature human controlled robots. There is a rivalry between the two over the best way to control the robots -- clunky VR helmets, or Direct Neural Coupling, a neural interface that lets a user feel that he is the robot.

But that's just background. The fun of the story is tagging along with the main character, Kevin, and his best friend Taki, as they explore and experiment in the realm of the tiny. Kevin and Taki are both 15 years old and, refreshingly, neither of them are portrayed as idiots, small-sized adults, or hormone-drenched self-obsessed nitwits. They are definitely kids, however, both in their view of the world (everything is a challenge to be tackled -- TODAY!) and in how they view adults. At one point, Kevin is disoriented by one adult (a lawyer) who refuses to do something that obviously needs doing. In one of the funniest moments of the novel, he doesn't push the point, but thinks to himself that sooner or later he will understand why adults sometimes do what they do -- after all, it must make sense somehow!

My only complaints are that the main bad guy is never really in doubt and so the reader never has a chance to experience the sense of betrayal that some of the characters have; and that Mr. Hogan gives us some fascinating challenges to relativity (not Quantum Mechanics, RELATIVITY fer cryin' out loud!) as throw-aways. They are never developed, and the character who holds these views (the view being, mainly, that most of "relativity" -- if not all of it -- is explainable by classical mechanics) is offstage most of the time. It's funny, fascinating and infuriating all at once. I only hope that he writes a future novel with these ideas at its center, rather than in the peripheries.

This is one of the few recent SF books that I've read (not to mention recent SF authors) who have that much-hailed "sense of wonder" that SF is supposed to embody. Thankfully, Mr. Hogan keeps giving us another book every year or so, and I can only hope that he continues to do so for a long time.

At first glance at the cover you might think, gee, this is a kid's book. A book about bugs and tiny robots and adventure. But this book is not for kids.
It has greed and murder and physics and explosions and tiny chainsaws. It has a complexe plot, interesting characters, great technology and even a feel good ending.
Oh, and don't forget guns, money and lawyers. A great book. But of course, this is JAMES P. HOGAN.

Mr. Hogan did a fantastic job with the physics in this book. That is the one thing that kept me reading more than anything else. What I was disappointed in, is that fact that with a title of "Bug Park", there are so few insects/arthropods of any kind in the story, it is like eating a McD's cherry pie, and finding only one cherry...very disappointing indeed. The story should be re-titled.

Also, one point to nit-pick, for scientific names of any organism, when spelling the binomial name out, the genus is capitalized and the species is *always* lower case. On page396, "Limenitis lorquini"is what I am referring too, and the editors should be ashamed of themselves, because this is not the author's fault.

The story was enjoyable, the plot moves well, but the family structure was almost a direct parallel to Johnny Quest, including Bandit, I mean Batcat. I kept becoming distracted from the story as I read "Hoggi" instead of Taki etc., and like any good J.Q. story, the villain perishes in their own nefarious trap, leaving the hero's hands clean.

Finally, I enjoyed the little "Microcosm" joke at the end, I'm sure you will too.

In one episode of Charles Scheffield's out-of-print THE NIMROD HUNT, micro-miniaturized man-shaped mechanoids battle warrior ants while the sensoria of their human controllers become immersed in the attack on the hive via telepresence: the actual reality provided by the mechanoids' super-sophisticated sensors.

In BUG PARK, James P. Hogan similarly develops another excellent novel around the idea of using telepresence to create a new type of amusement park ride: people battle actual insects in their own miniature world while, in effect, putting their controlling 'consciousness' inside tiny bug-sized, man-shaped "mecs".

Hogan uses DNC, direct neural coupling, a technology yet to be invented, to pull this off. DNC shuts down our normal senses and replaces them with sensory input from the mecs. DNC also allows Eric Heber, one of the young protagonists, to control the movements of "Taki," one of his mecs as if its limbs were his own limbs. The neurology of DNC is explained and extrapolated quite a bit, but I would have preferred even more. (I have been an avid reader of James P. Hogan's works since his first novel, the classic INHERIT THE STARS. The more science he puts into his novels the better!)

In BUG PARK, however, the S&T (science and technology) are as fully explained as most people would ever want it to be. My own tastes should not rule you in this case.

Most readers will love the rapid, breath-taking pace of BUG PARK. Indeed, I can easily see how this novel could become a major blockbuster motion picture with its exciting mix of cutting-ege technology, kids in peril and corporate corruption. (Are you listening DISNEY Corp.?)

Buy and Enjoy!

Bug Park was a really fun read. As usual, Hogan comes from a base of hard science, which helps makes the premise believable. The only thing I found that bothered me was the contrived bit with one of the kid's tie to organised crime. Still, loved the book and it would make a great family movie. Someone needs to give a copy to Steven.

This book was nothing like I expected. There may not be a lot of character development, but what fun! I could not put it down. From a Murder story, to advance technology theme parks and corporate espionage. This is fast paced. A good light read. Hogan knows how to take you on a rollercoaster ride. Get this book for fun. And just relax and enjoy....

Although somewhat lacking in serious plot and character developement, and in technical details (admittedly there couldn't be a lot,as this is an excursion into "fantasy techno"),it still makes a good read to fill a few odd hours with nothing better to do.A great gift for Christmas or a birthday for the younger set, but a little shallow for the adult reader. Hogan might have done a little better with more action sequences in "Bug Park" itself.