The IBIC Guide to Books By John Barnes

(under construction)

Welcome to the IBIC Guide to Books By John Barnes. This Guide contains the following types of information: More about the IBIC Guides

Sponsorship information

Remarks from the IBIC Editor's Journal

I was disappointed in KALEIDOSCOPE CENTURY by John Barnes (Tor). It is an extremely dark story set in the midst of a vision of the Twenty-First Century that, rather than rising to tragedy, descends to unforgivable nihilism. The author may have intended to offer some perspective on his protagonist--who is a sadistic murderer and rapist--but the perspective doesn't come across. The effect reminded me of a slasher movie. Here's hoping that Barnes quickly returns to the excellent form he exhibited in MOTHER OF STORMS.

August 2, 1994

MOTHER OF STORMS by John Barnes (Tor), a gripping account of the consequences of a catastrophic global change event, is the best science fiction novel I have read this year--Gray Lensman material.

I read A MILLION OPEN DOORS by John Barnes (Tor) because I enjoyed his recent MOTHER OF STORMS so much. I came away very impressed by A MILLION OPEN DOORS and its story of the troubador Giraut and his adventures on the dreary Rational planet of Caledon. The only criticism I'd offer is that the backstory--what's happening in the world of the Thousand Cultures--is fascinating, and I wish it had been brought a little further forward into the reader's view. Barnes has been compared to Heinlein, and I'd say that's a just compliment. The range he exhibits in his most recent two books is a great omen for the future. It's off to the library to read ORBITAL RESONANCE.


Comments from IBIC Readers

Comments from IBIC readers are welcome. Please send a letter to the editor, subject line "Guides [Author/Genre]." Be sure to mention the URL of the page about which you are making a comment.


Editor's Recommendations, Summer 1996

In this inaugural edition of IBIC's Featured Books, I'd like to draw your attention to several titles which have helped to shape my life and thinking.

  • When I was around fifteen, I came across Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's science fiction novel, INFERNO. This '70s remake of Dante's classic describes science fiction writer Allen Carpentier's descent into Hell. It's still a very fresh, accessible take on the classic. What a great movie it would make!
  • The Niven/Pournelle INFERNO immediately inspired me to read the original Divine Comedy. I've read a number of translations over the years, but my favorite is the one by Dorothy Sayers (INFERNO; PURGATORY; PARADISE). The notes are excellent, and Sayers had such a knowledgeable and witty mind that reading her prose is a pleasure in itself. (For those interested in a more contemporary translation, I should mention that Robert Pinsky received excellent notices for his 1995 THE INFERNO OF DANTE : A NEW VERSE TRANSLATION; it's a very handsome book.)
  • I also want to tell you about the late Henry Fairlie's THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS TODAY, which probably did more than any other single book to galvanize me into a lifetime interest in Christianity that led me, eventually, to faith. Ironic, because Fairlie was a self-proclaimed agnostic socialist! But reading between the lines of this insightful and deeply feeling book, one realizes that the love of God cannot have been far from Fairlie's heart.
  • Finally, I should draw to your attention a more recent acquisition, the very handsome NIV STUDY BIBLE (10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION) from Zondervan, indexed and bonded in leather in IBIC's theme color, burgundy (black and brown are also available). The notes to this Bible are amazing. They appear to provide you with a very substantial portion of what you need to know to have an intelligent layman's appreciation of the linguistic and historical issues involved in understanding Scripture.

IBIC now provides seamless links to the on-line ordering system at Amazon.com Books. To order a book, just click on an underlined title. As a default, we link to paperback rather than hardcover editions of a particular title (although we may modify this rule if a hardcover edition looks to be a particularly good deal). Our editorial philosophy is to put your interests first.

Comprehensive Table of Contents | Help

Copyright © 1996 Internet Book Information Center, Inc.

Send a Letter to the Editor