Customer Reviews

Hyperthought

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There's a very good book in here struggling to get out. It very nearly makes it.

To readers of this sort of literature (that is, dystopian cyber-nanotech-SF), the world of this novel will be familiar in feel if not in detail: the northern part of the world is under the control of corporate .Coms, who lord it over the working classes, and the southern part is free, though living underground in the aftermath of some sort of destructive conflagration.

Jolie Sauvage is an engaging enough heroine as far as she goes. A young guide who takes rich aristos on tours of the uninhabitable surface, she surprises herself by falling for Jin, a northern actor and the son of a major .Com exec. Her narrative can be a bit taxing at times; she knows about six French phrases and uses them repeatedly throughout the novel. But she's a pleasant enough companion.

There's a good idea lurking in this "hyperthought" stuff, too. It never quite comes out where we can see it (and evaluate it), but it's there and it works for dramatic purposes.

The timbre of the novel reminds me of Octavia Butler (which I mean to be a good thing; Butler is a very powerful writer). If you liked _Parable of the Sower_, you'll probably be drawn into M.M. Buckner's aesthetic sensibilities as well.

This is a fine debut novel. Here's hoping Buckner follows it up with something even better.

Actually 3.5 Stars.

Based on the reviews, I imagined I would really enjoy the experience of reading it. And I did *but* upon completion, I felt somewhat disappointed. I didn't feel as if anything had actually happened. I certainly enjoyed the novelist style of writing and the novel flowed well enough, but I never felt any of the characters beyond the heroine were more than 2-dimensional props to assist or hinder her progress.

Perhaps most disappointing were the shallow descriptions of the titular "Hyperthought". Indeed, it seemed almost an Afterthought, a plot device to get the heroine to jump thru the appointed hoops.

Not bad, but don't expect a "meaty" thought-provoking read.

This is a very fast paced book with lots of action. At under 200 pages it is a very fast read. I do think that the breivity of the book does sacrifice character development. The only character we get to know is Jolie and we only get a small glimpse into her past. I was never sure what made her tick and the character (not unlike real women) seemed inconsistent. I would have liked to have a more indepth look into the characters and into how society had transformed from present day into the bleak future Buckner paints. This is a good sign though. My idea of a good book is one that leaves you wanting more and yet there is no sequel to ruin the mystique.

Earth in 2125 has changed, but human needs and emotions stay the same. Jolie Blanche Sauvage makes a living taking wealthy Com managers on trips to the earth's unhealthy surface. But little does she know what she's in for when she meets Jin, perhaps the most spoiled member of the ruling Com class. Jin craves knowledge, and because she has introduced him to the scientist who alters his brain and puts his life at risk, Jolie is compelled to take the most dangerous trip of her life.

The characters are great, and the action is tense. I loved this book, and so did my husband. It's a fast thrilling read, and I highly recommend it.

In the year 2125 most of the Earth is uninhabitable except at the North and South Poles. Most of the human race lives in domed cities, underground, or under the sea. The land is buffeted by waves of heat, hurricane force winds, and radioactive air. The Coms rule the Northern areas while the masses are indentured servants. The South Pole area is the last bastion of human freedom.

Jolie runs a tour service to the top of the planet and though she is a worker her clients are wealthy Coms. On one of her trips she meets Jin, the son of a Com, who is aware that the workers in the north are treated horribly. He volunteers for brain surgery in the hopes of finding a way to defeat his father but when Jolie thinks he's in danger she crosses the world and puts her own life in jeopardy to save him. She also becomes the rallying point for the insurrection of the masses against the Com.

M.M. Buckner paints a picture bleaker than Zager and Evans of the earth in the not too distant future unless we clean up our environmental act. The heroine is a revolutionary in the purest sense of the term and the courage of her convictions may prove strong enough to change the geo-political structure of Earth. HYPERTHOUGHT is a cutting edge science fiction that will appeal to fans of plenty of action.

Harriet Klausner

The Earth in Hyperthought has been mostly destroyed with people living underground or in domes. The north is controlled by powerful corporations while the south is free. In the south Jolie Sauvage runs a business acting as a tour guide for rich northerners. She meets Jin, a handsome movie star and son of one of the corporation CEO's. She falls for Jin, but he leaves for California to have experimental surgery on his brain. Nanobots are inserted into his brain to help expand his thought processes so he can understand the universe. Jolie comes to believe he is in trouble and mounts an impossible rescue.

The plot sounded exciting, but unfortunately for me it wasn't, mostly because the eponymous 'hyperthought' is barely touched upon. It's more of an adventure novel detailing Jolie's activities as a tour guide, revolutionary and finally, rescuer. The characters are not given much depth and that includes Jolie. This book is under 200 pages but I had to force myself through it. It's certainly not badly written, it just never caught my interest and in the end, the science fiction content was too light.

My Spanish teacher is always talking about a person only using less than 5, 10% of their brain, and what a deep secret the other 90% has. This book is basically exploring that concept, through an adventure, of using most of your mind- or in other words, hyperthought.

I'm not going to say that I didn't enjoy this book, because I really did. It also left me thinking. The twists and the ideas are very shocking, and it's hard to believe what your brain is - or may be- capable of.

This book did have some very minor flaws, but all in all, I liked the book.

The more sci-fi "ages", the more new authors with great books appear to tantalize and terrorize us with possible futures. In this case, it's a little of both in the 22nd Century where Earth is toxic and masses of people have gone underground while those who are corporation-level Coms live in the Northern Hemisphere near the pole. Fantastic reading. Just as are many other sci-fi books as "Ilium", "Broken Angels", "Spin State", "Newton's Wake", "Stranger in a Strange Land", "Neuromancer", "Snow Crash", "Cyber Hunter" and so forth. Read them all!

I don't usually read much sci-fi, but a friend recommended Hyperthought. I enjoyed the trip. The author did a good job drawing me into the futuristic thriller. I loved the main character and the settings were cinematic. Very cool and would recommend.

HYPERTHOUGHT is a visionary post-modern adventure, with plenty of suspense and nice touches of humor. I couldn't put it down, stayed up late to finish it, and afterward, I kept thinking about it. For me, that's the sign of an excellent book. It raises some interesting questions about the nature of reality. Since what we perceive is actually manufactured in our brains, what benchmark do we have to know it's real? The characters are fresh and appealing, especially the main character, Jolie Sauvage. She's like a whirling dervish. I want to see more from this author, M.M.Buckner.