Review: The Prince and the Program ~ Aldous Mercer

This review contains spoiler - I don't know if it's possible to write a spoiler free rev about this book.
anemonen, it might be helpful :)

Canada 2012. Mordred, King Arthur's bastard son and murderer of his father, is banned to seven years of human living in Toronto. The reason for this punishment was his crime seven months ago in Japan. Mordred has to find a job soon. He must earn some money for the living because he can't use his magic properly, his arcane bank account is closed and his human bank account is in dept. He wants to be a software engineer although his c++ skills aren't the best. But he has some experience of fairy life (around 1,500 years), he is smart, loves logic and is very good at mathematics and statistics. Mori Pendragon is lucky. He gets a job in a small start-up.

Yes, that is just the start of the story.
Mori becomes periously addicted to coffee, he recognizes that he hates ping-pong and starts to fancy the head developer of the company, Alan. He hasn't met Alan in person yet, the company has a mole whistle-blowing its secrets, the new CEO is a slavedriver, intelligence of different countries are blocking the streets and the arcane security service sees a concentration of demon powers in Toronto. If that aren't enough problems, Mori finds out that Alan is an electronical form of Alan Turing, technical genius died 1954 in London, who lives now in the company's Apple Mac book. And Alan isn't interested in giving up his electronical form of living.

Perplexed? Yep, that's going to happen when you read The Prince and the Program. This book is full of odd and bizarre ideas challeging the reader. I asked myself more than once if this book was too high for me, in particular when Alan discussed with Mori his hypothesis 'to see the person (engineer) behind the program' as a short version of Shakespeare's Macbeth. At that moment I wasn't sure, if I needed more brain cells or some doors of preception to get the meaning. But at other moments I was squeaking with joy. Eg when Mori had to fundle the nose of a Bansky rat to get some help or while he was chatting with Alan electronically. I loved their conversation.

I also appreciated Aldous Mercer's way of telling Alan Turing's sad story. He didn't pity him (although his story as a convicted homosexuell in the UK after WWII is one to be pitied) and transformed his character into one radiating intelligence, hope and humour. Well done.

But I do have two complaints about The Prince and the Program:
First, I loved Mori and wasn't amused when Alan didn't give him a chance. I mean, this old and experienced soul fell for someone he couldn't even see most of the time. That was awesome. And Alan? Said 'sorry' and nothing more. Mori took his repeated rejection (they were in a time wrap at these moments) with dignity and my heart was bleeding for him. I really liked Alan in the beginning but he lost some of his appeal in the end.
Second, this book is announced as book one of The Mordred Saga but I couldn't find a hint about a sequel, not on Aldous Mercer's homepage, not on Amazon or on Goodreads. I f**king hate THIS situation! Now I'm asking myself: Will there be a sequel? If so, when? Will Mori be able to gain Alan's love? I want to know what's going to HAPPEN. Dear author, will you PLEASE give your readers some information. Thank you!

I wrote this rev some time ago and there is still no new information. I'm screwed.

Bansky Rat Picture by Martinho/Martin Reis.

Positive thing meme 2

Some awesome things that have happend today:

1. A few weeks ago our little daughter (nearly 4 years old) told us, she won't get rid of her nappies before she would go to school (which will be in 2 or 3 years). Can you imagine the look on our faces?
So, I was very pleased when the nursery nurses told us she spent her hours at the kindergarten without nappies two weeks ago. But she always wanted a nappy as soon as we arrived at home. And today *tada* she's spent her whole day without a nappy, even at home and on the playground. I'm so proud of our little one.

2. Ok. To be honest today hasn't been the best day ever. I'm really tired and my throat is starting to feel sore, so I'm going to bed early and catch up on some sleep. Yes, I'm always saying that and never do as I say, but I'm just finishing this post and than I'll be off (and I write the rev I need to write badly some other time). You see, I'm getting easily sidetracked which is a f**king bad sign...
Back to the good stuff. Mr. Kantorka knows me well and is very carying tonight. He buttered my toast during dinner and has just brought me a hot rooibos tea. Yes, he's gorgeous and mine. ;)

3. Self-praise isn't the best trait ever but I really did a good job at work today. For those who don't know. I'm working at the German Cancer Information Service (everone can phone or e-mail us cancer related questions) and I'm working at the so called 'knowledge management' team as a medical editor. So I go and translate guidelines, publications or other complicated 'med speak' into comprehensible texts. If you don't want to read more about such a sad topic, please stop here. I don't want to offend anyone.
( Read more... )

Today I finished my research and wrote a synopsis about it and ... now I really hope this patient can use my stuff to talk more informed with the physicians and can ask all the important questions. I love my work because it is wonderful to help other people, but also because I like science and writing and, yes, I need to do both to be good at my job. :D