Rollback

While I put of writing the closing part of "The Hunger Series" well, series, I want to mention "Rollback". This is not a Daniel book. The copy I had the privilege of reading belongs to Daisy. "Rollback" is a Sci-Fi novel from Robert J. Sawyer. Sawyer is better known for "Flashforward"(Novel and short-lived TV show). "Flashforward" was an amazing show(once again, we will get to this some other time). I have yet to read the book, though I doubt I would love it. I cannot wait to read it, even knowing I will enjoy it and nothing more.




Why do I think I will not love "Flashforward", and why did I not love "Rollback". Simple, not my type of book. And I don't mean Sci-Fi, although I cannot think of a true Sci-Fi book on my book case(edit:: I am super dumb, Michael Crichton is one of my favorite authors and is nearly all Sci-Fi). The answer is much more robust than the category of the story. The reason I didn't love "Rollback" is very simple, the story wasn't a traditional story. You know, an elementary story. Introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, conclusion. "Rollback" did not meet my idea of this type of story. The rising action, climax, and falling action was more of a slight incline than a mountain. I am used to high flying fantasy, where the intro is generally griping, and then there is some epic leading to the climax, followed by generally necessary, but relatively forgetful, falling action/conclusion when compared to the rest of the story. Exceptions that I can think of off the top of my head(ok actual thinking) "Animorphs", and...well I cannot think of anything else at the moment.As far as I can tell, the falling action and conclusion are generally disappointments to me. I hate to leave the world behind, with anything left unanswered to my imagination.So this means, to me at least, that cliff hangers will avoid this forgetful falling action and conclusion.


I blame the story style on Sawyer's writing style, although, one book is not nearly enough to condemn an author for. Regardless, "Rollback" was not an action story. "Rollback" is a very good sedentary Sci-Fi with a moral drama thrown in for good measure. Without ruining the story, the setting is modern Canadian society around 2050. VLI/SETI has made contact with an alien race. There also exists a medical procedure called, drum roll please, rollback. The rollback process can take a human and "rollback" their physical nature to the age of 25.


The bulk of the story doesn't focus on the Sci-Fi, but instead focuses on situations, with the Sci-Fi as a not too distant backdrop. As I mentioned, there is not much rise or fall at all, which caused me to not fall in love with a good story.


How though does this tie in with "Flasforward"? Simple, due to my understanding of Sawyer's writing style, I do not think I will love it. But I cannot wait to read it.


Oh. The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. If I recall correctly, I enjoyed it's ending and was "pleased" with the conclusion.


Anyways, I am off to write Birds Again 3. Hopefully I will finish tonight. Until then, "You Stay Classy San Diego".