Well, I am sure any one that comutes in to london every day will agree with this, but our trains are over crouded, and over priced. I've been catching the same train, every day now for a little over 2 months, and simular if differant times for years.

Thing is, in the whole time I've been working in this job (the afore mentioned 2 months), I've never had a seat on the train to work, and only on the way back 2 or 3 times when its been especialy late. Normaly, I am lucky if there is room to breath.

For this wonderfull privelage, of standing in some one elses arm pit, I pay the rail companies just over 200 pounds a month. I think I am being conned. Well, actualy, I know I am. If I lived one station closer to london, just one. I could have an Oyster card, and the fair would be cheaper...to encourage people to use Oyster...well, please, I'd love to....

So any way, all that aside, my story for the day starts as always with me arriving just before my train is due. Lucky for me its never early :-) So I get on it, and I'm right at the end that happens to be first class. Now, don't get me wrong here, I don't have a first class ticket, but I didn't go in to first class. I sat on the floor by the door. Really. I am going to be stuck some where, at least here I can sit down, not stand.

Not long has the train left the station when a ticket inspector comes along. Nothing to fear I watch them go in to first class, lucky no ones sitting in there today that shouldn't be. Out they come, and ask to see my ticket. No problem I think, I've got nothing to hide.

WRONG....aparently, sitting on the floor, by the door inbetween the first class sections is first class. Now if I had paid for a first class ticket, and the only place I could sit was on the floor, by the door. I'd be fairly bloody pissed off. But, like I said, I don't. What happens next is I am given a bit of papper that explains the area I am in, is first class, and if I sit there again I'll be fined. They take my name, and the number off my travel card as ID, and off they go, makeing me walk the walk of shame back from first class to standard. I stood up all the rest of the way.

I guess they are having a ticket enforcement day, at euston they where checking tickets. Dilegently. Really, I don't see what harm I was doing, but I guess its a way to make extra money. Any one they can fine right? I've sat, and even stood there with other people before, its never been an issue. I doubt they could make it stick if they had just fined me, so they give me an "official" warning, next time, I am extra cash.

This is typical, of our trains. They are over crowded, so put the price up. Like any of us poor saps are doing it for fun. You know what Mr B Rail, we don't. Its horrible. It starts our day in a really nasty way and you make us pay for it. Keep putting the price up, you know we have no choice but to pay... how else can I get to work? Drive? I don't own a car, or a licence.

Also, not only is it impractical to get in to london any other way, it would cost more. Oh, and lets not forget. The enviromental impact. We are told to take public transport, but then, the trains at least, milk us for it. Maximize that old profit, pack them in...go on, just a few more people, some can still breath.

Well, a bit of a change of plan for this section of the site, it was a little bit about the books I read on the train, whats happened each day but I basicly can't be bothered to think of interesting things to say every day, so bugger that.

Any way, back to the point of this post. Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds, a truely excelent book. I finished it to day and have to say I really liked it. As a first novel its excelent and well worth the read.

With out spoiling every thing the ending was a bit of a suprise, the book in general was interesting, flowing and some days I wished my train journey to work was longer so I could keep reading.

I'd recomend it to every one, I'll even try and get the women to read it. I am sure she will like Khouri, and I know that Volyova will apeal to her, shes a mean bitch, but still essentialy cool.

The book in general is a good example of "space opera", easily as good as any thing else in the genra, Louis McMasters Bujold was the queen of space opera, but maybe Alastair Reynolds is the king :-)

An excelent book, and I will have to tell Alastair so. A quick email one thinks. It was so good infact that I am going to read the next one of his novels right away. I'd recomend this one to every one that likes Sci/Fi, and any one that dosn't is just a gimp any way :-)

 

Khouri discovered that much of recent events has not been what they seemed, and after sleeping for 20 years takes on her new role.

Volyova has spent most of her time searching for a recruite to become the gunnery officer. Her search seems uneventfull untill she meets Khouri before the light hugger departs for Resurgam in search of Dr Sylveste.

Dr Sylveste has been arrested after translating the alien artefact as the member of the dig team that deserted him are killed in an avalanche.

Volyova solved her problems with the use of gravity, all she has to do now is get away with it, and remove her implants from a head.

Khouri moves in on her kill but begins to smell a rat, and to wonder about the toxin gun the client demands she uses.

Dr Sylveste has unearthed an interesting discovery written on an ancient alien artefact while weathering out the storm at the dig site after most of the team desert the site.

 

Volyova speculated that the most annoying aspect of the dead is that they don't know when to shut up, while on her way to seek the advice of the captain. The conversation leads her to the decision that a sick dog is best put down.

 

Khouri gets details on her next kill location after returning her caffeine's blood levels to antiquate low.

Dr Sylveste has decided not to return to Mantell amongst discontent from the dig workers as an extreme sand storm know as a 'razor storm' approaches the dig site on the dead world of Resurgam.

 

Unsure what to do, Sylveste calls up a simulation of his dead farther to ask for advice.

Well, I basicly gave up trying to read this book. Its not that its bad, its just that I can't get in to it. The text message, phonetic spelling thing in some of the chapters gives me a head ache to read.

The story as a whole wasn't grabbing me, not like most of Bank's work. Oh well, never mind. I went to borders at the weekend and got some thing else.

While observing the work being carried out on the Oxegen Processing Plant Chief Scientist Gadfium is called away to investigate strange and unsual happenings at the Plain of Sliding Stones.

After deserting from the Legion, Booly is able to forge an alliance with the Naa to fight the Hudathans. The combined forces are able to defeat the Hudathans on the ground while a surprise attack by the Human navy wins over the main Hudathans .fleet and win the first round of the war.

 

*end*

 

Over all I quite liked this book, its not what you would call the best writing in the world, but its entertaining, fast paced and above all interesting to read. Dietz books are generally very good, though perhaps a little simplistic for some readers. Still, this is not the first of his stories I have read and I will be reading more in the future.

After being released from prison by the Cable, the legion move against the emperor, capturing his clone. The real emperor escaped to orbit and decides that his only course of action is to seek a peace with the invading Hudathans.