Tancredi by James Palumbo
Review by Jasper de Joode
“Tancredi is born on the same day that the scientists discover a new planet. They call it Surprise.
It is indeed a Surprise!
This small planet, so insignificant that it went unnoticed for millennia, soon reveals that one day it will develop into a supernova and is destined to be the instrument of Armageddon.
As the universe waits patiently for the end, riddled with the incurable disease of Short-termism, Tancredi decides he must make a voyage of space exploration with a difference. His mission will be to save our planet and thereby, perhaps, even himself.”
James Palumbo’s debut novel Tomas established him as a formidable literary satirist, whose vision of a crazed world destroyed by greed and stupidity mirrored the financial chaos that still continues to dominate our public discourse.
When I first requested this book for review I had only read the back and thought that Tancredi would be comparable to Stephen Baxter’s Flood or Arc books. But when I read the first few pages of Tancredi I was surprised to find that it was a whole different ballgame.
Tancredi is a very interesting story, I’m not overly familiar with satirical fiction but I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline. In his journey to save Earth Tancredi visits several planets, each of which centres on human vices - there is, for example, a planet of obesitas and journalism (the trashy kind). In Tancredi you are faced with scenarios and quotations that make the book thought-provoking, “which of the following is true? A. The State shouldn’t care for the obese: they’re responsible for their condition. B. The State should care for the obese, irrespective of the cost. C. The State should care for the obese and compensate them: it is at fault for creating the conditions under which people are unable to control their eating.”
Short-termism is also wonderfully portrayed throughout the book and something that Tancredi continually confronts when visiting planets. Tancredi is a short book (189 pages) but Palumbo's storytelling makes it more than worth it. It has an gripping storyline and the illustrations used really complement the storyline. I recommend this book to everyone, it's a thought-provoking novel that always leaves you wanting to know what happens next.
Let people know what you think about Tancredi. You can write your own review and award the book the rating that you think it deserves.
Fantasy Book Review Book of the Month, February 2012
A Tolkien inspired romantic fantasy that all starts with an extremely loving and well written letter... G.T. Denny's novel, Deep into the Heart of a Rose, will help usher in a new generation of love sick teens. If you love fantasy and adventure fiction then this book is for you. Well written, charmingly detailed and epic, this truly is a must read for 2012.
Read our full review of Deep into the Heart of a Rose
For more information, visit http://gtdenny.com/
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