Paradox, 1: Book I of the Nulapeiron Sequence

Paradox is the first novel in a trilogy by British author John Meany. This story follows Tom Corcorigan, born in poverty on the world of Nulapeiron. What is very likable about the book is how completely strange this world is. Class is literally determined by how far up from the surface you live, and the Author gives a wonderful picture of this planet. The technology used is very different, I liked how he took it in new and strange directions. The way the author plays with the fundamental ideas of how time works, and how these mysterious oracles view the future, and control the population is very interesting, and central to the plot. The whole trilogy was a great read, with an epic story arc. I highly recommend it.

If you enjoy Frank Herbert's Dune series, you'll like John Meaney's Paradox. Meaney creates a world of high mathematics as a path to higher consciousness and amazing bio-technology all take place in a multi-leveled, underground society where the higher the social status, the closer to the surface one lives. The Title: Paradox is a perfect name for this book. It is filled with paradoxical viewpoints of life. On the one hand the upper class lives in a paradise and uses its' high mathematical abilities to further mankind...but that very skill is also used to further the seperation between those on the bottom and those on the top...in Meaney's viewpoint, higher consciousness does not necessarily mean greater connection with fellow humans. High technology is vulnerable to the most basic of attacks: hand to hand combat. And some of the most brilliant minds are also some of the most developed bodies. As some reviewers have noted, there is a lot of mathematical lingo and thought process involved in this book. However, I found it very readable and highly entertaining. Think of this book as a multi-genre book. Cross Frank Herbert's Dune with Simon Green's Deathstalker and add a smattering of Sylvester Stallone's Rocky and you will get a taste of John Meaney's multiple (and paradoxical interests) filling this novel. I highly recommend Paradox. I have just begun Context, the next book and the series and I'm looking for to more from John Meaney.

I just finished reading this book. I bought it during comic-con 2005. It was a refreshing and intelligent read because John Meaney's writing style keeps the reader guessing until the end. Many times he gives many clues and few explanations unless they are necessary. There have been many books where the author will give away a secret too soon or give too much of the secret away, but I felt that this book did the opposite by giving just enough so that a reader could piece it together on his/her own. The character of Tom Corcorigan was well thought out and complex. It was easy to relate to him and share his joys and frustrations. This is a definite must read for science fiction lovers because it brings a new twist to some of the old cliches. It also forces the reader to think carefully about what he/she just read.

Paradox is an excellent 2nd novel by John Meaney. It is the first I had heard of him, but this is not surprising, considering he is a UK author who is barely published in the US. I found a copy of his first in the Nulapeiron series at my local library, and managed to convince them to purchase the rest of the series. Yes, the book is a bit disjointed and often isn't easy to read, but the author's choice of writing style is new and interesting, and I found it quite refreshing. And though the characters sometimes have questionable motives (what was the real reason Tom joined the resistance?), they are carried by the current of their times, and the story progresses quite quickly and passionately, directing the characters with the flow that seems natural. I was enheartened by Meaney's writing style, and I quite appreciated that he could write a clear, extremely concise (though long) book without having to spell out everything in overly verbose detail. His spare language spawns visuals of the mind which carried me through this book very quickly and kept me interested in the facinating world of Nulapeiron. Meaney has brought new life into an often otherwise homogenous world of hard science fiction, and for that I am thankful. I will *definitely* read the next in the series...maybe I'll actually purchase it from the UK. I'm not sure I can wait until it is published in October!

This is my first review! I am a relatively new reader of science fiction. The last book (and one of the first science fiction books) I finished was "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card. That said, "Paradox" is a terrific story, and highly recommended. I won't go into details of the story itself, as previous reviewers have done a good job describing it. The characters were strong and believable. I found that in many ways, I could identify with the lead character Tom Corcorigan. I also enjoyed the story within the story of Karyn McNamara, and how it was an effective part of the overall story. By the end of the book, I felt like I had an attachment to Tom, hoping he would succeed in his efforts. I also felt the story provided the needed closure at the end, and it was not done in an excessive manner. Meaney writes in a way that is accessible to newer readers like myself. I enjoyed the short chapters and what I call "readable English" - Meaney does not ramble on, and he's not too heavy on the techno babble or needlessly long and obscure words ones finds in a dictionary or thesaurus. I thoroughly enjoyed the science and physics here; it was a relevant part of the story and just enough to get you thinking, but not so much as to overburden the reader. I look forward to the next book in the series!