"Altar of Eden" by James Rollins, Orion Books, in all good bookstores January 2010

James Rollins, alter-ego of Jim Czajkowski  (from the copyright notice), has a background in veterinary science, and he brings that expertise to his new novel "Altar of Eden", mixing it up with a rollicking sense of adventure that's wrapped in a plot that just never lets go. Reading this book is like watching a relentless action movie that jumps from battle scene to battle scene, and it all rolls up with a conclusion that is rather Bond-esque - from the bumbling extras, through mad scientists and exploding helicopters, to the scarred epitome of evil that causes the heroine, Lorna Polk, so much trouble.

Ark
Stephen Baxter
ISBN 0575080590(978-057-508059-1)
RRP $35.00 October 2009
Gollancz Paperback (234 x 153)

If you've not read the previous novel in this series by Baxter, "Flood", don't panic. It's not necessary as a prerequisite. This new (released in October 2009) novel "Ark" stands alone, and it includes enough references back to previous events so that the story makes sense.

"Ark" is a end of the world novel writ large. Baxter brings his trademark style to the work, piling disaster on disaster, weaving it with human emotion and character, and leaving enough of the cast alive — despite the disasters — to allow the reader to identify with the events that unfold.

FlashForward
Robert J Sawyer
ISBN 0575091010(978-057-509101-6)RRP $19.99
January 2010
Gollancz Paperback (178 x 111)

I haven't seen any episodes of the TV series "FlashForward". I have an aversion to commercials that means the Seven network never graces our TV screen at home. I guess I'll have to wait until the release of the DVD to watch them. Not that I hold out much hope that the series will be much like the book. Film and TV rarely does science-fictional concepts as well as the written word.

And so to the written word, which is the Robert J. Sawyer's novel "Flashforward" that was first published back in 1999 — and is now re-released this month by Gollancz to coincide with the airing of the TV show aforementioned that is (loosely) based on it.