Andreas' Other Books - (S by author)

Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan - The Demon-Haunted World

Sagan and his wife Ann Druyan "explain science" and how it can rescue us from harmful ignorance. The way in which he debunks myths of all kinds is great. Well written and accessible, I would recommend this to anyone who wants to annoy people fascinated by the occult.

Carl Sagan - Dragons of Eden

Sagan explains how our brain works and how it evolved. As always with Sagan, a great non-fiction read.

Carl Sagan - Pale Blue Dot

Sagan speculates on the future of the human race. Great stuff as always.

Robert J Sawyer - Calculating God

This story is very intriguing. An alien lands outside the Royal Ontario Museum in Ontario and asks to see a Paleontologist. This is the first alien contact. The alien says that on his world, and on the world of another alien race, the fossil record shows that five mass extinctions have occurred at the same time as they did on earth. The alien races see this as evidence that God exists, and is tampering with the development of intelligent beings. The human paleontologist, Tom Jericho, is skeptical at first, but the evidence is compelling.

I was prepared to hate this book because the premise seemed stupid, but Sawyer deftly weaves together known elements of paleontology, genetics, cosmology and other disciplines. There are a couple of small factual errors, such as the fact that Hubble would not immediately be trained on a supernova. And if it was the optics would be burned out. But I'll attribute those to dramatic license.

The message of the novel, if you will, is that if there is a supreme being, and that he/she/it is not mystical, but encompassed by the scope of science. The interaction between the dying Jericho, as he struggles with his incumbent mortality, and the alien Hollus, is very well written. Sawyer shows their friendship during the events of the novel in a very poignant way. The climax of the novel is unexpected and massive, as the scope of the novel changes dramatically. All in all, enjoyable but not quite at the level of the greats like Clarke. 20050903.

John Scalzi - Old Man's War

The premise of this novel is quite interesting. Earth is a backwater, kept in a sort of information embargo about humanity's various off world colonies. Developing countries send colonists in droves, but in America the only option is to enlist in the Colonial Defense Force (CDF). There's a catch, though. You can only enlist when you turn seventy-five. Details of what awaits the recruits are scant, and all ties to Earth are severed after enlistment. The whole thing is more or less a leap of faith. As it turns out, the Universe is a scary place and the CDF is more or less constantly at war. The recruits are rejuvenated, trained and sent out.

Our hero John Perry is one of these recruits. It is very interesting to see the story told from an old person's viewpoint. All the recruits are old, and they don't see things like youngsters do. It certainly makes a change from young people going to war. Perry does not know what to expect, and what he finds out there is far stranger than he ever imagined.

I enjoyed this book immensely. The main character is very likeable. He is basically Mr. Middle America (in the good way), but with the usual quirks to be expected after a lifetime. The pacing is excellent, unhurried but without bogging down. It is very strongly inspired by "Starship Troopers", and as inspirations go one could do worse. 20071008
 

John Scalzi - The Ghost Brigades

This is the sequel to the excellent Old Man's War. John Perry, our hero from that book, is absent though mentioned. Instead it deals with the genetically engineer supersoldiers of the Ghost Brigades, the Special Forces of the Colonial Union. Jared Dirac is created to house the recorded consciousness of Charles Boutin, a traitor to the Colonial Union. But the consciousness doesn't take. He becomes just another Special Forces soldier, until the traitor's memories and personality start emerging.

While a good read, this book has a problem. The macro story of political intrigue is a bit dull and stretches believability. The first half, where most of the action deals with Jared's development as a soldier and person, is excellent. Scalzi seems to be playing to his strengths here, as he did in Old Man's War.  The second half is less enticing. While Jared is still an interesting character to follow, the background story is both abstract and dull. There is a great message in the plotline involving the Boutin's daughter, but it gets bogged down in Boutin's evil genius posturing. While crazy geniuses with convoluted plans work fine in a James Bond movie, the whole thing falls a bit flat here. Having said all that, it's still a good read, just not as good as its predecessor. 20071108

John Scalzi - The Last Colony

In this second sequel to Old Man's War. John Perry is back. He is married to Jane Sagan, the special forces soldier created from the DNA of his dead wife. They have adopted the daughter of Charles Boutin (see The Ghost Brigades) and are retired from the military and live on a quiet colony. The Colonial Union has other plans for them, however, and they are more or less drafted as leaders of a new colony. The catch is that the Conclave, a federation of races to whom humanity does not belong, has forbidden the creation of new colonies. And so their new colony, Roanoke, is hidden away. They are forbidden from using modern equipment. But the depth of the Colonial Union's deception is hidden even from them. To add insult to injury, their information about the Conclave is flawed at best.

Just as I did with the previous two books, I enjoyed this one. Scalzi is very good at characters, and Perry's first person narration gives the book a light hearted, humorous sense. The plot is a bit convoluted, perhaps too much so. Scalzi is good at keeping track, but this reader felt that all the plot twists required a bit too much exposition. The novel lacked the sense of immediacy so present in Old Man's War. A nice conclusion to the series, but not fantastic. 20090105  

John Scalzi - Zoë's Tale

This is a parallel book to The Last Colony, retold from the viewpoint of Zoë, the adoptive daughter of John Perry and Jane Sagan. This means the basic framework of the story is known. The colony of Roanoke is established as a secret holdout (and bait) against the Conclave. The Conclave must be stopped, but the Colonial Union isn't playing fair.

I enjoyed the first half of this book more than the second. Zoe is a bubbly, sassy teenager with a sharp wit. Scalzi excels at putting a smile on the reader's face even when recounting everyday events. He has also succeeded in making it sound as if the story is indeed told by a teenager, albeit an intelligent and precocious one. Unfortunately, the book bogs down in the second half, with long stretches of heavy handed dialogue to move the story forward. Given the convoluted plot, Scalzi dug himself a bit of a whole on that one. On the whole, it is an enjoyable book, but nowhere near as good, or as much fun, as Old Man's War. 20090709

John Scalzi - The Android's Dream

Earth is very low on the pecking order of the galactic stage. Our closest associates are the Nidu, who are pretty much low-lives themselves. After a diplomatic incident caused by a disgruntled and vengeful State Department employee, the Nidu have Earth in their sights in a Machiavellian scheme involving a coup d'état and a sheep. The sheep, a very special breed, is to be used for the Nidu succession ceremony. Enter Harry Creek, war veteran and problem solver, who now has to find the sheep and keep it and himself alive while being chased by both the Nidu and the Department of Defense, the latter having its own plans.

Confused yet? I was. The first hundred pages introduce a plethora of characters, motivations and subplots. It is almost overwhelming. Thankfully, Scalzi's trademark humor is out in force. Once the plot gets going the numerous twists and turns have you guessing, but the fun never stops. It is an action comedy, and a very good one. With a dry wit and a well-tuned sense of the absurd and the cliché, Scalzi deftly maneuvers the story to a momentous, unexpected and hilarious conclusion. 20081201

Eric Schlosser- Fast Food Nation

Non-fiction about "the truth" behind America's fast food industry and it's role in shaping American culture. Fascinating reading that goes through both the history of fast food, as well as the the labor practices and the food itself. Schlosser is not a vegan or an anti-globalist. He just wants a healthy burger. Some of the facts revealed are quite frightening and it can be enough to put you off fast-food forever. But this should not be seen only as a book about fast food, It also examines fast-food as a metaphor for modern American (and global) society. If you have ever eaten fast food, you should read this book. 20040210

Karl Schroeder - Sun of Suns (Book 1 of Virga)

Schroeder's novel certainly has a very cool and well imagined setting. A hollow sphere the size of a small planet, filled with air. In the center is Candesce, a fusion powered artificial sun. Dotted around the place are lesser artificial suns. Around the suns low G human civilizations cluster in the warmth, building giant wooden wheels to create their own gravity strongly tainted by coriolis force. Weather systems are logical extensions of the environment, with convective currents driving everything from icebergs to clouds to whole civilizations around the place.

But that's where it all gets rather tedious. The novel attempts to recreate the feel of an adventure novel set in the age of sail. A young man who years ago saw his nation conquered and his parents murdered infiltrates the highest levels of the enemy nation command structure. Said enemy nation sends a fleet (yes, cool flying ships) on a pre-emptive strike. And that's where I called it quits. Despite the cool gadgets, I found the characters less than engaging. I didn't give a rat's ass what happened to any of them. After the fabulous premise was well established, it was disappointing to find the story itself so trivial, and the characters so mundane.

This story needed a co-author with a better hand at dialogue and characterization, not to mention combat. John Ringo or David Weber would have been good candidates. 20071009

Sir Walter Scott - Ivanhoe

Historical novel about England around the Third Crusade. While Scott is a bit less fixated on tactical and weaponry minutiae than modern historical novelists, and his style can be a bit heavy at times, this book is thoroughly enjoyable, and a great yarn of adventure, love, and heroism.

Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton - Moon Shot

Two of the Mercury Seven astronauts tell the story of America's race to the moon. This is interesting if you are into the space programme, but Chaikin's A Man on the Moon is a much better chronicle of the events. Still, worthwhile to read for the space buff.

Mike Shepherd - Kris Longknife Series

Kris Longknife: Mutineer

This novel starts the series. However Shepherd has previously written about our heroine's great-grandfather Raymond under his real name, Mike Moscoe. Ensign Longknife is the scion of a great family. Her father is the Prime Minister of an important world. Her grandparents and great grandparents are equally exalted. She tries to defy family tradition, only to find that she is following it in her own way.  Most of the book sets up her character for the final part where she forestalls a serious crisis by becomeing the book's titular mutineer. Longknife is definitely a rich girl, and she has had all the advantages and disadvantages of that heritage. She is not perfect, and therein lies much of her charm. Shepherd takes pains to explain how she has become who she is. And it is important since her character shapes the story greatly.

The backstory is very dense, but Shepherd only gives it to us from Longknife's perspective. The volume of information about politics, family history, human history, coming at the reader is at times almost overwhelming. I was half tempted to start taking notes. It is a fine line that Shepherd walks. On the one hand the backstory is important to the main action. On the other hand he risks alienating the reader. Still, it is refreshing to see an author avoid the dreaded datadumps that Weber and even Flint are using nowadays. Now those will bore a reader. At least here the action keeps moving forward as the author correctly assumes that the reader can handle the flood without needing his hand held through painstaking and tedious exposition of half a dozen arguments and counter-arguments. Kudos to Shepherd.

The technology is very space operatic. Nothing too surprising. The only quirks are really in service of the plot. Shepherd treads a fine line as deus ex machina threatens. But Shepherd avoids breaking the rules of his own Universe once he has set them down.

In summary, while this isn't exactly the beginning of the Honor series, it is quite an auspicious start. Kris Longknife is a fascinating and engaging character. Can't wait to read the following volumes. 20071227

Kris Longknife: Deserter

A marked improvement over "Mutineer", "Deserter" has Kris Longknife run to the rescue of her best friend Tom. The story is a bit hazy, with an "evil dude" trying to kill Kris. Mayhem ensues. As a little side note, the title is only vaguely descriptive. I guess they had to come up with something in one word.

The story flows more smoothly in this one. There is a lot (and I do mean a LOT) or banter between the main characters. Many other books would have sagged under the weight of all that conversation, but Shepherd is quite skilled at conversations between intelligent, witty people. Real people probably don't talk that way, but strangely that doesn't detract from the fun.

Comments from "Mutineer" still hold true. Very much space opera. All about the characters. Mostly fun and action with engaging characters who have real flaws. 20080308

Kris Longknife: Defiant

In "Defiant", Kris must face an imminent threat to her planet. Betrayed by incompetent politicians, she skirts the law to organize the archetypal rag-tag flotilla in defense of Wardhaven as a massive force of hostile warships approaches.

"Defiant" is a further improvement over the first two books. Viewed from here, the first two books,which perfectly capable of standing on their own, seem almost like a prologue to this one. Kris comes into her own as se finally commands a large force. Themes of destiny and sacrifice are neatly explored in Shepherd's quirky, humorous prose. With this book, Kris Longknife has gone from merely entertaining to page-turning. 20080317

Kris Longknife: Resolute

In "Resolute", Kris is put in charge of an out of the way naval district assignment on the frontier. In a sub-plot, she finds ancient alien ruins. But the real action if a "fleet visit" from the Greenfeld navy commanded by her old nemesis Hank Smythe Peterwald. In short, the Greenfeld fleet is trying to engender a crisis on the planet as an pretext to take over.

While not quite as good as "Defiant", "Resolute" continues the development of Kris and her cohorts as characters. One wonders where it is all going in the end, but the ride is entertaining. 20080425

Kris Longknife: Audacious

In "Audacious", Kris is sent to Eden, an old and conservative colony world where her native Wardhaven is thought of as very much out in the sticks. The plot seems absent at the start, apart from the (by now de rigeur) repeated attempts on Kris' life. As usual, the Peterwalds are trying to take over. As usual, Kris Longknife is in the way.

While the series cannot live forever on repetitive plots somewhat varied, the characters do carry this book along like the others. The added wrinkle of a glimpse into Abby's future is a nice bonus. The sometimes strained praise of Marines is oddly both fun and tiresome. After five books, I would happily read more. But just as I did after "Resolute", I can't help but wonder where it is all going in the end. 20080503 

Kris Longknife: Intrepid

In "Intrepid", Kris finally has her own ship command. She is on a mission to explore the outer rim, and show the flag of Wardhaven/United Sentients. She discovers a plot against her arch enemies, the Peterwalds, and also a plundering expedition launched on an agrarian colony. Lots of ground pounding action anchors this book, with the Marines picked up in "Audacious" playing a starring role.

This is probably my favorite thus far. Any hint of the tentative beginning of this series is gone. The characters are well fleshed out and the plot is interesting. Also, Shepherd has managed to round out the political background. It is no longer quite as vague. The "we are so clever" conversations are toned down in favor of action, a good development. This one was a real page turner. 20090117

Kris Longknife: Undaunted

The seventh (!) book in the Kris Longknife series has Kris still in charge of the exploratory ship Wasp. She blunders into an encounter with an Iteechee vessel. The Iteechee are a race with which humanity had a war 80 years previous. They are mysterious and the causes of
the war are still essentially unknown. Naturally, Kris' great-grandparents Longknife and Trouble were involved.

This is one of the better installments in the saga. Good strong plot, though it does take a massive detour in the middle. Lots of conversation, as per usual, but it doesn't seem forced. Shepherd has collected an enjoyable cast of characters to play foil to Kris. I look forward to the next one. 20091227

Khushwant Singh - Train to Pakistan

JP recommended this one. The story set in a small village in Northwestern India in 1947, during the division of India into India and Pakistan. The village is on the border with Pakistan, with both Sikh and Muslim inhabitants. The two ethnic groups have been living together in the village for centuries, but events in the wider world around them are forcing separation.

The book is rather short. More a snapshot of life during a troubled time than a story, since there is no clear beginning or end to the narrative itself. Various characters influence events in the village, such as the social worker from the big city, the chief of police, and the well-known criminal (almost a caricature of "the usual suspect"). The behavior of the characters is often absurd, and governed more by temporary feelings than by rational behavior. The situations would often be comical if not for their utter human tragedy. I think that Singh is trying to convey to the reader the absurdity of dividing people who have lived together for centuries in peace based on the thoughts of the rulers.  In the village of Mano Majra, there is no conflict between Sikhs/Hindus and Muslims. The conflict enters the village from the outside, forcing neighbors against each other, and resulting in displacement, despair, and finally massacre. The final sacrifice of the (Sikh) criminal Juggut to save his muslim lover Nooran is noble, but in the end only a drop in the ocean. Singh also shows how, despite a long history of being peaceful, a place can become the theater of bloodshed all too easily if the rulers (a purposefully vague concept in the novel) do not take care in their exercise of power.

The novel is touted as a portrait of what was actually happening during those troubled times on the Indian subcontinent. But it is not a history of rulers and armies in the traditional sense. The story revolves around simple villagers in a simple village. Villagers who, before the troubles, wanted nothing more than to live their lives in peace.

While the "naif" style sometimes grated on my nerves, I found that reading the novel sent a profound message about the responsibility of leadership, and the frailty of our heterogenous human society. 20050907

E.E. "Doc" Smith - Triplanetary

Considered the mother of all space opera, the Lensman series begins with Triplanetary, in which a spaceliner is attached by a pirate. The pirate in turn is attacked by aliens intent on grabbing all our iron (no, really...) and a few corny heroes have adventures.

I am supposed to like this book. SciFi greats from Michael J. Straczynski to Peter F. Hamilton (who told me personally) see the Lensman series as one of the main reasons they entered the field. My problem: I hated it. While I can certainly understand that the technology and science stuff will be very dated, that doesn't stop Jules Verne from still being good. Here, there is no rhyme, reason or consistency. Our heroes always seem to have the correct device when they need it. This removes any sense of suspense. It feels like an old black and white Flash Gordon television serial. While that was good stuff when I was nine, now it just seems corny and silly. Yawn.

I was further annoyed when I discovered that the publishers had apparently skipped more than half of the original "Triplanetary", which is not so much a novel as a collection of three novelettes. Instead they inserted another Smith novel as the second half of this volume. Weird decision. 2009510

Wilbur Smith - River God; Warlock

My father is a huge fan of Wilbur Smith so I have given him a try twice. These two books are both set in ancient Egypt. The descriptions are quite good and adequately set the scene for epic battles to save the nation and the royal family. I have but one word for Wilbur Smith: Wordcrapper! Argh! Feelings in epic prose are all well and good, but sometimes he just has to learn to shut up and move on! I don't think I will be going back to this guy.

Robert Silverberg - The Face of the Waters

Is reviewed here.

Eric Flint & Ryk E. Spoor - Boundary

Is reviewed here.

John Steakley - Armor

I've seen this book on the shelves of bookstores since the late eighties at least, and what amazes me is the persistence of the title on shelves, especially since they author never seems to have written anything else (Amazon reveals he has actually also written a vampire novel). The novel is about a disillusioned soldier in a future war.

But hang on a minute! That was only the first 100 pages, which flow pretty well and are decent SciFi Battle action. After the climax of the first part, about the soldier Felix and his troubles, there is a jarring discontinuity and the story picks up two years later with a pirate named Jack Crow, who escapes from prison, makes a deal with another pirate and goes down to a planet. By this time I was well and thoroughly bored. I hate it when authors make their characters do stuff which they can't describe. Jack Crow runs a con, and Steakley says it's very sneaky and how it feel and all that. Everything except explaining what it is. Cop out, say I. In any case I kept trying to read on but it was both boring and not particularly good. Who knows, there may be nice action stuff ahead, but I'll never get to it. My recommendation is to read part one as a standalone short story, then stop. 20050624

Allen Steele - Orbital Decay; Lunar Descent

Near future novels about workers in Earth orbit and on the moon respectively. Not spectacular, but solidly enjoyable, especially Lunar Descent. The authenticity of the characters is great. These are not "Roger Ramjet" astronaut heroes, but working class Joes trying to make it work.

Allen Steele - Clarke County Space

Set in the same universe as Orbital Decay and Lunar Descent, this novel is set in an orbital habitat. It lacks any of the things that made the first two books good. Steer clear of this one.

Allen Steele - Labyrinth of Night

Unfocused effort set on Mars, as humans try to solve the riddle of the Cydonia pyramids and the "Face of Mars" (no, they don't exist in reality). While the writing is good, and some parts are very good, the whole novel doesn't really seem to be going anywhere, a feeling that unfortunately persists all the way to the end.

Allen Steele - The Jericho Iteration

Novel about a computer system that becomes intelligent. Nothing that really sticks in your mind.

Allen Steele - The Tranquillity Alternative

Great novel about a present where the USA established a permanent presence on the Moon, even emplacing nuclear missiles there. History has caught up, though, and an expedition is sent to hand over the moon base to a European corporation, as well as deactivate the missiles. Sort of a mini technothriller, with some very good SciFi elements. Highly recommended.

Allen Steele - Rude Astronauts

Collection of short stories. If you like Allen Steele, you will like this. His journalistic style, and the way in which he tends to describe the actual protagonists of an event, as opposed to the powers that be, is quite something.

Allen Steele - The Weight

The decision to publish this short novel in hardback only is a mystery to me. It is a well thought out tale of a journey through the Solar System on a commercial ship. Nothing deep, mind you, simply a good idea piece. But charging £12.99 for it is inexcusable, and may explain why it did not sell very well. The die-hard Allen Steele fan will still enjoy this though.

Allen Steele - A King of Infinite Space

Rich young man wakes up from cryogenic suspension. He has to work for a living now. Mopping floors. This novel has it's bright points, and is a pleasant read, but nothing spectacular. And the twist at the end left me a little annoyed.

Allen Steele - OceanSpace

Novel about a monster in the depths of the ocean. The usual setting of big underwater construction is prominent. Nothing special, just a pretty ok read.

Allen Steele - ChronoSpace

UFOs are actually time traveling craft from our future. A study group goes back in time to witness the crash of the Hindenburg. "Unfortunately", the airship lands safely. They have altered the past. As time-travel stories go, this is a good one. Steele avoids getting stuck in the scientific debate and concentrates on delivering a good yarn instead.

Allen Steele - Coyote

I'm always a sucker for Steele. Even on his less imaginative days, he is a light and enjoyable read. Like his "A King of Infinite Space", this book goes beyond Steele's typical near-future, near-earth fare and describes the first interstellar colony. There was a lot I liked about "Coyote". The characters are interesting and I was drawn in by the narrative. Steele readily manages to convey the sense of wonder inherent in traveling for almost two hundred and fifty years, and then arriving at an alien world. The novel has previously been published in the form of a series of short stories, and suffers from a cobbled together feel.

There are three things that I was disappointed with. The first is the apparent lack of proof reading and sloppy science. For example, on one page a pilot is gripping a stick, and on the facing page this changes into a yoke. The second is the less than perfect orbital mechanics and the lack of biological diversity on the new world, In Steele's defense, it is clear that he is more focused on interpersonal interaction, and he pulls off this part very well. The third and last thing is the ending. I don't have a problem with endings that leave a lot to the imagination, but this simply left you hanging. I don't want to give it away here, but the whole last part of the book was simply too implausible and just plain annoying. Coyote had a lot of potential. With just a very little change, Steele could have written a classic. Having said all that, I still enjoyed reading it. 20040313

Allen Steele - Coyote Rising

The sequel to Coyote, Coyote Rising, picks up where the previous one left off, thus mitigating some of my annoyance with the ending of it's prequel. Coyote has been invaded by the Western Hemisphere Union, a major power on Earth, and the original colonists have to fight a guerilla war against an increasingly despotic post-socialist regime. As before, the story is episodic in nature, with the whole derived from eight short stories. This has both advantages and disadvantages. While the thing feels cobbled together, the shifting viewpoints keep things interesting, and Steele is certainly a master of the short story.

Even more than before, though, Coyote feels like Steele's "Big Caucasian Sandbox". I don't think the author has given it conscious thought, but everyone seems to be Caucasian and with a North American outlook on life. It's really quite funny. And while Steele will sometimes make a token effort at exploring cultural differences between the the older generation of original colonists and the new one, he is mainly concerned with differences in political outlook. In the end, it's not so bad, since the theme of the story is revolution.

The bottom line is that Steele is an eminently readable author. He always manages to suck me in. And in the end, that should be one of the primary reasons for considering him great.

Needless to say, Coyote will be back in Coyote Frontier, due out in December 2005. 20050713

Allen Steele - Coyote Frontier

The final (?) book in the Coyote series proper, Coyote Frontier takes us once more to the planet Coyote. But there's a new twist. Earth has developed a technology for instantaneous travel between stars. Coyote seems like paradise to inhabitants of Earth wracked with overcrowding and catastrophic climate change. Will the budding Coyote Federation be able to withstand the onslaught? The young colonists have grown middle aged and responsible, only to see their children rebel. It is a classic dichotomy. The old and wise versus the young and energetic. Steele plays to his strength in character creation and development, making this perhaps the most enjoyable of the Coyote books.

Unlike the two previous books, this one is not a collection of previously written short stories with interlude pieces. However, Steele has still kept some of that feel. The narrative changes pace, viewpoint and even style between sections. But the episodes are less self contained than before. This effect still takes some getting used to, but it works well.

The epilogue, after the action proper has been concluded and loose ends tied up, is a bit surprising. We are left dangling after a momentous first contact. Said first contact is described in Steele's novel "Spindrift", which I have not yet read. Blatant plug? Perhaps. But it also reminds us that the story of the colony is still unfolding. Should Steele return once again to Coyote, there will be plenty of stories for him to tell. And despite their formulaic nature, I shall be there to read them. 20070720

Allen Steele - Spindrift

"Spindrift" is a spinoff of the Coyote series, dealing with first contact. The ending, where the survivors of the Galileo expedition arrive in Coyote, is already predetermined, if you will, by the epilogue of "Coyote Frontier" and the prologue of "Spindrift" itself. To arrive at the conclusion, Steele sends the Galileo and its crew on a voyage to a rogue asteroid hurtling far outside the solar system. This asteroid, dubbed Spindrift, has responded to signals from a SETI search program.

The novel is quite short, and not very much happens. What is worse, it is all very predictable. The characters are taken straight from Central Casting, the spaceship scenes are unsurprising. Even the enigmatic alien artifact is filled with stock puzzles.Setting is withing the Coyote backstory is a pretty neat trick if you've read the other books. As a standalone, the novel is inadequate, far too predictable and sadly formulaic. The only redeeming quality is the way Steele manages to make the reader care for the characters. I genuinely wanted to know what would happen next, and thus reading the book was not a complete loss. 20080728

Allen Steele - Galaxy Blues

Yet another novel set in the "Coyote" universe, this one follows a defector from the Western Hemisphere Union as he makes his way to Coyote, then is hired/drafted for a trade mission to the aliens discovered in "Spindrift".

Only for the Steele fan. This is a lightweight tale of adventure and redemption. Very plain vanilla in concept. Competent but nothing more. 20091005

Neal Stephenson - The Big U

Since Stephenson is so succesful nowadays, they decided to reprint his debut. While the first third is mildly enjoyable, the rest of the novel devolves into an intricate mess of a plot. Written in an early version of Stephensons signature style, this book shows signs of the greatness to come for this author. Having said that, I advise you to avoid this one.

Neal Stephenson - Zodiac

This earlier work by Stephenson is about an ecoterroris named Sangamon Taylor. Really really funny and with some fabulous jabs at large corporations. Highly recommended.

Neal Stephenson - The Diamond Age

True Cyberpunk from Stephenson. Very good stuff, with some fun concepts bandied about. A great read that makes leaves you feeling pretty good at the end.

Neal Stephenson - In the Beginning... Was the Command Line

Non-fiction from Stephenson. This is the story of the PC. Stephenson, not unexpectedly, turns out to be a Linux fanatic. Comes at the events from unexpected angles and is great fun for the enthusiast. If you are not a "computer person" this probably won't interest you.

Neal Stephenson - Quicksilver

This is the much expected prequel to Cryptonomicon, although I use the term loosely. The story focuses (as far as I can tell from the first hundred and fifty pages) on the heated debate between Newton and Leibniz on the nature of calculus. Or rather, on the notation that should be used to explain it. You don't have to be interested in mathematics (no formulae so far), but it helps. The other interesting part is how the backdrop is shaped by events following the restoration of Charles the II to the throne of England and the ongoing struggle between Gathered and Established churches (Puritans and Anglicans, to put it rather simplistically), as well as the birth of the scientific method. The story is not central to the book though, as it is, like Cryptonomicon, more of a collection of anecdotes loosely strung together into some sort of plot.

Stephenson's style is, as always, florid and imaginative. The cool and gritty edge of Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon is still there, but it has mutated into a sort of 17th century format.

Unfortunately, this book can't seem to hold my interest. I gave up on page 241, which is just over a quarter of the way in. I don't think I will be reading the other two books in the trilogy either. 20041117

Neal Stephenson & Frederick George - Interface

I really had no idea that Neal Stephenson had written this. I was worried that his name has only been used for marketing purposes, or as an outline writer. My theory is that Stephenson rewrote some of the book. The copyright is from 1994 for Stephen Bury (Frederick George is his pseudonym). You can pretty much tell where Stephenson has had a hand in the writing, and this makes the book a mite uneven in quality

Anyway It's about a presidential candidate with a chip in his head connecting him to a computerised polling system. There's much more to the story than that of course, and it was a bit of fun, with some really great characters. If you love everything that Stephenson has written, you might enjoy this too. 20030905

Bruce Sterling - Islands in the Net

This was mediocre and I found the lack of focus irritating.

S.M. Stirling and Holly Lisle - The Rose Sea

I am not a big fantasy fan, but this does not read terribly much like fantasy. There is a definite scarcity of bearded wizards and annoying halflings. It's more like a pirate/explorer story, and quite entertaining.

S.M. Stirling - The Island in the Sea of Time trilogy

Great alternate history consisting of three novels:

• Island in the Sea of Time

• Against the Tide of Years

• On the Oceans of Eternity

The island of Nantucket and the Coast Guard square rigger "Eagle" are sent back in time to around 1000 BC. Being too small a society for self-sufficience, Nantucket must go out in the world and survive using technology and cunning. Great adventure, well researched and well written. Highly recommended.

Edited by S.M. Stirling - Drakas!

Short story anthology set in the Draka universe (see the book picks). Twelve authors contribute. There are some real gems here, but you probably won't appreciate them if you haven't read the Draka series.

 S.M. Stirling - The Peshawar Lancers

S.M Stirling becomes ever more engaging. This singleton (we'll see...) is set in the year 2025, but not in our future. The premise is that a shower of comets in the 1860's put civilization on the brink of extinction by impacts and a general cooling of the earth. The British Empire relocated it's seat to Delhi, and the story takes place in the region of current India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, ruled by the Angrezi Raj, or King-Emperor. This is classic swords and horses adventure. Very gripping, with some great characters. The middle of the book was a little "unfocused", and Stirling could have added dates to the section headings, since there is a bit of jumping backwards and forwards. The end is one long drawn-out cliffhanger after another. As usual, Stirling proves that he knows his history, weapons and tactics. Recommended for for high adventure buffs. 20030428

S.M. Stirling - Conquistador

Stirling is certainly making a name for himself when it comes to alternate history. As opposed to Turtledove, whose stories I find unfocused with their scattered points of view, he delivers entertaining, unapologetic adventure. This seems is another singleton in the spirit of "The Peshawar Lancers".

John Rolfe, a WWII veteran, inadvertently opens a portal to an alternate history in his Oakland, California, basement. He and his old war buddies proceed to conquer this version of the Earth. In the new place, Alexander the Great lived to a ripe old age and the white man never arrived in America. The most advanced civilizations are still technologically in the middle ages. The "Gate" remains open, and allows Rolfe and his new nation to secretly smuggle precious metals out (they know where to find it with maps from our timeline) and manufactured goods in. The "Gate Secret" is very tightly held.

But all is not well in paradise. A faction fight in the alternate timeline spills over into our timeline, and two Fish and Game Warden find themselves caught up in the middle, then exiled through the gate. They must now team up with the "good" alternate timeline faction (Rolfe's granddaughter, for one, and boy is she a hottie) to defeat the evil faction.

I enjoyed "Conquistador". It's adventure pure and simple. The action scenes are masterful. The setting, as well as the social, economic and ecological discussions are both entertaining and intriguing. However, I do think that Stirling could have delivered a better plot. The ending is rather abrupt, and some of the moral issues prominent in the first half of the book (is the whole idea of conquering a new world and setting yourselves up as a benevolent dictatorship really a good thing?) are conveniently dropped by the wayside at the end. And then there are the characters. Likeable as they may be, the are a little too perfectly intelligent, likeable and generally extremely fit and good.looking. While I am a sucker for happy endings, I still found it a little bit too happy and perfect and neatly tied up, although the very last page does open the door for sequels.

Still, I enjoyed it very much and would recommend it to any Stirling fan. If you are not a Stirling fan (yet) start with the Draka series instead. 20040708

S.M. Stirling - Emberverse Series

Dies the Fire

S.M. Stirling stole the island of Nantucket from the present time in the "Island in the Sea of Time" series. In Dies the Fire, he postulates that when that event happened, all modern appliances (electronics, engines, etc) stopped working in "our" world. Also, all explosives (yes including gunpowder) burn much more slowly. To top it off, steam engines are vastly less efficient. This leads the characters involved to feel it must have been an outside influence (such as "Alien Space Bats) that effected what comes to be called "The Change". The story doesn't go into The Change itself more than that however.

As so often with Stirling, I found myself unable to put the book down. He does have an uncommon way with characters. The two protagonists, Juniper Mackenzie and Mike Havel, are uncommonly well equipped to handle the change, and draw to them people who also have survivor traits. They seem to have more than their fair share of luck, a theme which crops up here and there. This has led to criticism from some readers, who have said it simply isn't possible for the protagonists to make out quite so well. I would say that if they hadn't been so lucky and skillful, they would have died along with 90% of humanity in the year after The Change.

As usual, Stirling has done meticulous research into everything from archery to Wicca. It's a pleasure to watch his characters develop through the story.

The only annoyance is that I now have to wait for the two sequels (The Protector's War being the first) in order to find out how it all pans out. If the sequels are as good as "Dies the Fire", this series is going into the Book Picks. 20051007

The Protector's War

The Protector's war continues the trilogy begun with Dies the Fire. Eight years on from the events of the previous book, the world has somewhat settled after the change. The Protector, the Bearkillers and Clan Mackenzie have all consolidated their positions, and past adventures are turning into legend and myth. A showdown with the Protector must come, but not in this book. That is reserved for the final novel, A Meeting at Corvallis.

I enjoyed this installment very much, but it does suffer from middle of the trilogy syndrome. Just like The Empire Strikes Back, it introduces concepts and characters, setting the stage for the final showdown. If Stirling weren't so engaging regardless of what he is writing about, this would have been a bit boring. But even the sometimes very long descriptions of locales and nature paint rich and gorgeous pictures that are a sheer pleasure to read. 20070117,

A Meeting at Corvallis

Stirling concludes the "Emberverse" trilogy in grand style, but doesn't really tie up all the loose threads (tune back in for "The Sunrise Lands", set 12 years later). As with the earlier two books, Stirling loses himself in long descriptions of nature, including the names of flowers. With most authors, such long winded prattling would have led to me discarding the book well before the first hundred pages. But Stirling makes it work. His memorable characters play out their destinies against a rich backdrop of modernity turned medieval after the Change.

The trilogy is a pleasure to read, but it does leave me wanting more. Stirling's prose is so delightful I would gladly have read another few hundred pages. If nothing else, several characters are worth longer backstories than they get. I can understand why Stirling didn't make the books bloated, but perhaps he could write little vignettes about them on his webpage?

Highly recommended. 20071008

S.M. Stirling - The Sky People

This starts a new series by Stirling. It is set in an alternate history where Mars and Venus were found teeming with life by spaceprobes in the 1960s. A space race ensued to set up bases on the planets. Interestingly, the superpowers spent so much on space that no major wars were fought on Earth after Korea. The action starts on Venus in 1988. Marc Vitrac is one of the researchers living on Venus. It is very much a frontier life among the teeming and extremely varied flora and fauna. After some initial setup, Marc and a few others set off on a long journey of adventure. They will find answers as to why Venus' life forms seem so similar to Earth ones, and those answers are unsettling. Along the way, they will befriend some natives and, in that inevitable manner of colonization, be assimilated into their adopted land.

While I enjoyed the "Emberverse" series, it was nice to start on a Stirling with more of a SciFi theme. But the diehard "outdoor Stirling" fan need not worry. There is plenty of camping, hunting and bowmaking. The characters are. as usual with Stirling, engaging and "real", as is the backdrop. It is easy to see that Stirling had a lot of fun writing this. It's as if he woke up one morning and decided to throw a whole bunch of elements (dinosaurs, giant mammals, modern humans, neanderthals, giant bugs and on and on) into a pot just to see what would come out. The result is a fun read but not Stirling's best. The setting is very rich and complex and more could have been fleshed out, if only to satisfy the reader's curiosity. Perhaps an appendix such as the one in Marching Through Georgia, which discussed background history and societal aspects. I can't wait for the sequel, set on Mars. 20071105

S.M. Stirling - In The Courts  of the Crimson Kings

In this free-standing sequel to The Sky People, Stirling takes us to a Mars inspired by the work of Burroughs and the science of Lowell. The arid and cold planet is nevertheless inhabited by close relatives of humans. Our hero, one of the U.S. team based on Mars, travels to a lost city on an archeological expedition. But the Martian head of the expedition team is more than she seems. Soon people are out for their heads as they are embroiled in the thich of Martian politics.

Stirling is masterful at characterizing alien cultures. Even minor dialogue lines are steeped in a deep imagined tradition. It is a pleasure to read, especially as Stirling's unobtrusive understated humor pervades the prose. This tale of a Mars that never was but dreamers really wished for is a great adventure yarn. 20090616

S.M. Stirling and Anne McCaffrey - The City Who Fought
S.M. Stirling - The Ship Avenged

Stirling's contributions to the Ship who Sang universe are much better than McCaffrey's own efforts. The characters are more solid and there is some excitement. Still, I don't feel that I can really recommend these to anyone. There is much better space opera out there.

Charles Stross - Singularity Sky

Hard to tell what this one is about from the blurb. Inside is Space Opera, but well grounded in current physics. A mysterious entity known as the "Festival" arrives on the backwater colony of a neo-Victorian Empire, quite literally showering manna from heaven on the populace in return for "entertainment" in the form of information. The Empire attempts to retaliate, and all the while a UN agents and another, working for more mysterious entities hover, seeking to ensure that humanity is not destroyed by the mysterious Eschaton, an powerful entity that brutally punishes causality violations. Technology now allows time travel as a biproduct of (apparent) faster than light travel, and the Eschaton is merciless on those who violate their causality edicts.

In the middle of this dangerous universe, the two secret agents develop a strong personal relationship. Stross skillfully manages to focus on their story and it's pertinence while the worlds around them spirals towards an uncertain future. At the same time, he does not forget to show the humorous side of those who refuse to accept self-evident realitites.  Exciting, innovative and deeply insightful. Worth a read. My one gripe is that I didn't really feel any empathy for the characters. 20050319