A Small and Remarkable Life: Amazon.ca: Nick DiChario: Books

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Book Description

Release Date: Mar 31 2006

John W. Campbell Memorial Award short-list, 2006

Hugo Award runner-up 2007

The much-anticipated first novel by Hugo and World Fantasy Award nominee Nick DiChario puts a spin on the story of being stranded on an alien planet, cut off from your own people, unsuited to your new environment, and physically different from everyone else. This is what the young alien Tink Puddah must face when his parents are killed on their first day on Earth in the year 1845, and Tink finds himself stranded in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York.

A story of courage, determination, hope, and survival,
A Small and Remarkable Life chronicles the journey of two people headed in very different directions: the alien Tink Puddah, a lonely outsider who finds the strength and resources within him to endure the most brutal and unforgiving conditions, and the holy man Jacob Piersol, determined to save Tink's soul, but tortured by his own past and the God who seems unable to console him.

Charming, literate, and thought-provoking, A Small and Remarkable Life is a wonderful debut novel from one of the field's best-loved short-story writers.

Bonus feature: Book Club discussion guide included.

The John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel of the Year is one of the world's most prestigious awards in all of science fiction, bestowed by a blue-ribbon panel of American and British academics and authors.

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John W. Campbell Memorial Award short-list, 2006

Hugo Award runner-up 2007

Charming, literate, and thought-provoking, A Small and Remarkable Life is a wonderful debut novel from one of the field's best-loved short-story writers.

Bonus feature: Book Club discussion guide included.

Product Details

Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Robert J. Sawyer Books (Mar 31 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0889953368
ISBN-13: 978-0889953369
Product Dimensions: 13.8 x 20.6 cm
Shipping Weight: 363 g

Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,580,233 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Review

"The author explores several issues, not just those of faith and love, but other serious, thought-provoking matters, such as euthanasia and the after-life. At the back of the book is a Book Club Guide which lists a series of questions to generate some discussion and reflection regarding the contents of the book. There is adventure but also a lot of thought-provoking commentary. . . A Small and Remarkable Life would be enjoyed by someone looking for thoughtful discussion of issues that are still with us today, or someone who is looking for a story that is just a little bit different from the normal in this genre. You don't have to be a hardened science fiction fan to enjoy this pleasant little tale. "

Recommended.

-- CM Magazine

"Nick DiChario's first novel, A Small and Remarkable Life, is at core a 'man who fell to Earth' tale set in the mid-19th century Adirondacks backwoods. No lie, this is one small and remarkable book, powerful, full of unexpected story twists, suffused with a strange alien light and replete with a pathos that had this reviewer reaching for his tissue box within the first 15 pages."

-- Scifidimentions.com

"A Small and Remarkable Life is a remarkable novel, but not a small one. With a persistence and sensitivity worthy of his quirky hero, DiChario quietly explores the big questions: faith, love, hope, and the true nature of reality. This is one of the most original first-contact novels I have ever read, and a must for everyone who cares about good fiction."

--Hugo Award-winner Nancy Kress

"I've been waiting a long time for this book. Hell, everyone has been waiting a long time for this book."

-- Nebula Award-winner Mike Resnick, from his introduction

"Nick DiChario writes with a deft touch. Whether illustrating religious practices, a 19th-century game of baseball or the psychedelic Wetspace where Tink originated from, the author's prose reads like poetry. . . The juxtaposition of the future with the past is what makes A Small and Remarkable Life such an intoxicating science fiction. . . His story offers many insights into the truth of what it means to be human."

-- hour.ca

About the Author

Nick DiChario's short fiction has appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, The Year's Best Science Fiction, The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror and The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century, among others. He has been nominated for a John W. Campbell Award, two Hugo Awards, and a World Fantasy Award. Nick is an independant bookseller (owner of The Write Book and Gift Shop, in Honeoye Falls, New York) and the fiction editor of HazMat Literary Review.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Aliens are among us, and they're awesome Aug 9 2008

By ocelott

Format:Paperback

At the back of the book, there's a section of questions designed to be used as discussion fodder for a book club. This is that sort of book. It's eloquent, though-provoking, and an excellent start to all sorts of interesting conversations. Tink, the alien and a permanent outsider, has a different view on people, their motivations and their desires. DiCharnio tackles some big issues here, seen through Tink's eyes: euthanasia, racism, life after death, and what it is that makes us human. At only 231 pages, this book is very short, but it packs a powerful punch.

Initially I thought the way the narration flips back and forth between time periods (from 1845, when Tink and his parents arrive on earth to the 1860s, when the book ends) would be distracting, but it had an easy flow to it and the two stories worked together nicely to build up to a pretty intense climax. The twist at the end fitted naturally, more of a satisfying "oh, of course" moment than a "wait... whaaat?!?"

When it comes down to it, this is not just a book for fans of science fiction; this is a book for people who like to read, especially those who like to think about what they're reading. Pretty much everyone should at least give it a look.

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com ^(beta)

Amazon.com: 4.7 out of 5 stars 3 reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshingly human science fiction Jun 4 2007

By P. Ryan - Published on Amazon.com

Format:Hardcover

As someone who often finds science fiction heavy on cleverness and light on character, I was delighted to find this book both intriguing and moving. Highly recommended!

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading July 8 2009

By BLK3333 - Published on Amazon.com

Format:Hardcover

DiChario tells an emotionally fulfilling story with a smattering of science fiction. It's hard not to like the characters and their humanity.

4.0 out of 5 stars An original setting and treatment with strong character insights Oct 8 2007

By E. Scoles - Published on Amazon.com

Format:Paperback

This is basically just a thoughtful and very human tale about a young and deceptively fragile stranger in a strange and backward land. Well worth checking out.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 3 reviews 4.7 out of 5 stars

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A Small and Remarkable Life [Hardcover]