Andreas' Other Books - (T-Z by author)

Travis S. Taylor - Warp Speed

This is the debut novel by Taylor, a guy who really is a rocket scientist. He has no less than five science degrees in various denominations and flavors. Our hero, Anson Clemens, invents a warp drive, falls in love with a shuttle pilot, goes to space to try the warp drive and starts World War III, just to name a few things. There certainly is a lot of action, both in person and on the macro scale.

At least in the beginning, the plot of this novel is somewhat similar to "The Getaway Special". It also has similarities to "The Trigger" in that a revolutionary new technology has consequences unforeseen in both type and magnitude. The main character has much in common with the main character of Ringo's "Into the Looking Glass". In fact, Taylor and Ringo are now collaborating on the sequels to that book. And then there are the quite overt Heinleinian nods. Taylor should not be thought of as a copycat, however. He simply took his inspiration from some very good places. I was pleased to see the connections, even if I don't think that all of them were intentional.

The beginning of the book was unauspicious. I felt a vague dislike for the main character and his almost cliché existence (supersmart physicist, mountain biker, karate champion, quirky sense of humor, distracted scientist persona) but that soon passed. Taylor has even been "accused" of fanservice with Anson Clemens. I will agree with his rebuttal that there are quite a few amazing people out there and that heroes do not tend to be average. There is a indeed place for real heroes. Anson Clemens and the astronaut Tabitha Ames are definitely such. The people surrounding them are also amazing. This may seem like a bit too much of a coincidence, but I don't think so. Really smart people will surround themselves with other smart people. If they can work as a team, fantastic things tend to pop out the other end. Just look at the Apollo program. Was there ever such a large collection of supersmart geeks anywhere? Besides, it's fiction, and in this case good fiction to boot.

As you have probably figured out by now, I really liked this book. I stayed up until three in the morning reading it. It is lighthearted and the main character is unpretentious. It is a definite page turner. Finally, it takes off in unexpected directions without feeling random, just like the best Varley books. After finishing it, I had a big grin on my face. 20071208

Travis S. Taylor - The Quantum Connection

Computer geek Steven Montana was left alone in the world after the secret war in Warp Speed. Life is looking up as he gets a job for the government working on top secret stuff. Then it all goes to hell as he is abducted by aliens (again, as it turns out). At that point, the story changes scope significantly, as Steven hooks up with the protagonists of Warp Speed and they fight a war for the survival of humanity in a hostile galaxy.

This format of this novel is Heinleinian romp from the Golden Age. But there are differences. All the science is cutting edge, with quantum entanglement, computer agents, nanomachines. But the generally positive outlook on humanity and charming naif tone remain. Steven is an archetypal good guy who gets the intelligent and pretty girl (how the latter happens is a bit unusual, but still). It is also a novel of how opportunity for personal growth and turning yourself around can lurk behind the most unlikely corner.

Just like it's predecessor, this one was immensely enjoyable. It's pure, shameless fun. The characters are perhaps a bit over the top but it feels as if the author does this very much on purpose, with a glint of mischief in his eye. All the Golden Age clichés are treated with respect and irreverence both, as this book simultaneously harkens back to a simpler time, while reminding us that goold old fashioned heroes can help us navigate today's more complex moral landscape. 20080228

John Ringo & Travis S. Taylor - Von Neumann's War

Is reviewed here.

Travis S. Taylor - One Day on Mars

This is the first of a series. The entire plot is set, not entirely unexpectedly, during one day on Mars. The United States is now a Solar System wide government that even extends to a few extrasolar colonies. However, a nation of separatists exists in a "reservation" on Mars. On this day, the separatists attack the United States. The book follows the military actions, and the unexpected plan of the separatists.

As a military SciFi action book, this is a pretty good one. Stuffed with action scenes involving futuristic weapons like shape-shifting robots (think Transformers that can become fighter plane, robot, tank) the book drags you along at a furious pace. So far so good. The backstory, filled in over the course of the novel, is interesting, telling how the United States has become ever more detached from its original ideals of true democracy and representation. The president runs instant polls to figure out how to deal with the crisis instead of making decisions on his own. The separatists seem quite inspired by present day militant Islam, and certainly don't shy away from atrocities. However they also decry the current United States, and see themselves as defenders of the freedom of individuals to make their own choices. It will be interesting to see how this develops over the course of the series. One thing that did bug me was the poor editing, especially in the first half of the book. There is an excess of spelling and grammatical errors, as well as some poor style. This is especially irritating given Baen Books' typically high standards in that department. 20090721.

Travis S. Taylor - The Tau Ceti Agenda

The sequel to "One Day on Mars" takes place a few years later. We are rather disconcertingly thrown straight into the action of a new "24"-like tale taking place within a short time span. United States forces are attacking a separatist base in the Oort Cloud. At the same time, the president (Senator Alexander Moore from the previous book) and his family are being attacked by every automaton at Disneyland. Finally, a secret agent emplaced at the separatist home planet in the Tau Ceti system gets into trouble.

The action (and there is a LOT of action) is fast, furious and for the most part well written. I annoyed me, though, that there was little or no introduction to events. It was all rather confusing at first. The story, only it is revealed, is in fact quite engaging. So it was annoying that there was so much action in the way at first. The other thing about this book that bothered me was how far too much space was given to confusing mecha/fighter battlescenes. The abundance of characters and the sheer OVERdescription of so many aspects soon made me skim through these scenes. They are supposed to be "cool" and "kick-ass", and I suppose in many respect they are, but I could have done with a few less descriptions of hair raising maneuvers and how many gees the pilots are pulling. Conclusion: mixed bag. Nice action book, not great. Very intriguing macrostory (I really want to know what happens next) unfortunately muddled by a great many less than totally relevant action sequences. 20091128

John Ringo & Travis S. Taylor - Vorpal Blade

... is reviewed here.

John Ringo & Travis S. Taylor - Manxome Foe

... is reviewed here.

John Ringo & Travis S. Taylor - Claws that Catch

... is reviewed here.

J.R.R. Tolkien - The Silmarillion

After Tolkien's death, his son Christopher set about compiling all the notes and stories he had left behind. The Silmarillion is the most well know result of this work, and chronicles the story of the elves in times long before the events of The Lord of the Rings. Pretty good fantasy fare, but it takes the form more of a historical chronicle than a novel, and so feels more removed from the action. Only for the dedicated Tolkien fan.

J.R.R. Tolkien - Unfinished Tales

While The Silmarillion felt like a pretty well connected series of tales, this book is not of the same quality. It gives a lot of background to the history of Middle-Earth, but only the really dedicated Tolkien fan will enjoy it.

Granville N. Toogood - The Articulate Executive

My boss Dan thought I should read this. It's all about how to speak in public and visual aids to that end, both of which happen to be a big part of our job. The author's name is a bit worrying and in fact Toogood comes across much as he describes himself: "a fairly facile, somewhat sophisticated Eastern Ivy League City Slicker".

Don't let that faze you! This book (or most of it, at least) is a real gem if you ever need to speak in public, or even in a small group in a corporate setting. The tips and tricks, techniques and anecdotes are excellent. Anyone in working life can benefit from this quick read, and I can heartily recommend it.

I will stand by that review as I get into the blooper reel. While it taught me much, this book also managed to annoy me at some points. Toogood is undoubtedly a good speaker, but he sometimes gets carried away with his examples to the point of making errors. Before you continue, remember that I have only noticed these little niggling things because the book was so good everywhere else:'

• Lee Iacocca, John Sculley and Jack Welch get two lines each, then Norman Schwarzkopf immediately gets five, and they start off with "leaped out of nowhere like a flaming sword of justice to humble Saddam Hussein......." Hyperbole, anyone?

• Hitler's first name is not spelled "Adolph", and now that the mistake has been made once, how could you be inconsistent and spell it right the second time?

• The Chinese word for crisis is not written as danger and opportunity next to each other. Crisis has nothing to do with it. The signs for danger and opportunity are, in fact, the same. But I guess the point got across.

20040817

Harry Turtledove - The Guns of the South

Time-traveling South African white supremacists go back to the American Civil War and equip the confederates with AK-47's. Well, it's a cool idea. Unfortunately, I always find that Turtledove gets lost in the details, so to speak. Too many protagonists, and not enough focus. This is a fun little book, but it could have been so much more.

Harry Turtledove - In the Presence of Mine Enemies

I tired of Turtledove a few years ago, but this intrigued me in the bookstore. The year is circa 2001. The Nazis won the Second World War, then conquered America a generation later, but Jews are hiding among them.

So, where's the plot? After about three quarters of the book, that was still a good question. It's not a bad read, but I kept wondering when something would actually happen. Here's a revelation: Nothing ever does happen.

The problem with this novel is that Turtledove had a great idea for the premise, but the plot itself is mind numbingly dull. the portrayal of everyday life under the shadow of the Germanic Empire is fascinating at first, and the hints of change intriguing, but on the whole I would recommend passing on this one. 200411216.

Harry Turtledove (Editor) - Alternate Generals

Alternate military history anthology. The quality is quite mixed, and it requires at least a passing knowledge of the described incidents in order to extract full appreciation from the stories. Still, a decent light read if you're into Military SciFi. 20050422

Mark L. Van Name - One Jump Ahead

This is the start of the "Jon & Lobo" series. Jon is a man with a troubled past. His planet was destroyed and he was subjected to experiments that left him nanotechnology enhanced. But such enhancements are thought to be impossible and he needs to keep them a secret from those who might profit from them. Suffice it to say, he is a sort of super-soldier. He takes on the task of freeing a kidnapping victim. This simple act entangles him in a complex web of intrigue involving powerful corporations and governments. Along the way, he picks up an assault vehicle called "Lobo". The vehicle can handle anything from underwater to deep space. It is also a deeply sarcastic conversationalist.

One jump ahead reminds me a little of the Stainless Steel Rat books. A lone hero, and a plot that seems made up as it goes along. Jon is not unlikeable, but his tribulations tend to be long winded and after a few such passages I started losing interest. The characters are straight from central casting, and the locales are even worse. Cookie-cutter, forgettable places that made the plot hard to follow. As our hero jumped to a star system, I struggled to remember what had happened there earlier. The plot is decent, but I couldn't make myself care very much whether Jon succeeded in his exploits or not. Things are going really well until they go really badly, at a point in the novel that is far too predictable. The hero is supposed to have setbacks, but this one is a bit too expected. The paraphernalia is pretty cool. In Bond movie-esque fashion, the right tools for the job always seem available to our hero. This is fine for comedy, but this book is not going for laughs.

And yet, the book did have some attraction. If one can look past the stilted prose the stock characters and the unoriginal plotting, there are gleams of potential for this hero. The machine communications are funny and interesting. The universe is engaging enough that it is worth revisiting. I shall try my hand at the next book in the series. Let's hope things improve. 20081031

John Varley - The Ophiuchi Hotline

John Varley's first novel has an interesting, and intricate, premise. Four hundred years previously, enigmatic aliens invaded the Earth, and most of humanity died off. Humans now live scattered around the solar system, dependent on technological know-how beamed from faraway Ophiuchi. No one knows who is beaming the data, except that it is finely attuned to the needs of humans. Lilo, a genetic engineer condemned to death for taking her reasearch into unethical directions, is embroiled in a plot to retake the Earth for humanity. Her multiple journeys throughout the Solar System are mirrored by journeys of discovery into her humanity. As multiple clones are branched off, Varley explores how Lilo's personality differs given her environment, and yet retains its basic values.

The book also seems to beg the question: "What's the point of retaking the Earth when life is an eden out here?" The ending does take the clear stance that we have to proactively defend our existence, and not take our survival as a spieces for granted. I very much enjoyed this book, which shows how much story you can pack into a mere 170 pages.

As a final note, this is clearly written in the seventies, as there is a lot of nudism and casual sex ;) 20050217

John Varley - Millennium

The premise behind this book is, ahem, simple. Fifty thousand years from now, humanity is dying off as the result of plagues, toxic chemicals and radiation. However, time travel has been discovered and the "Gate Project" is kidnapping people who were going to die anyway in the past. For example, passengers from the Titanic, victims of air crashes and so forth. These abductees, who are far more healthy than their short lived and sickly descendants) are put in storage for a future repopulation of the Earth. The story initially revolves around a mid-air collision between a 747 and a DC-10 over California. The two protagonists tell their stories in first person format more or less alternately. Bill Smith is the head of the crash investigation in the 20th century, and Louise Baltimore is the head of the "Snatch Team" from the Gate Project in the future.

So far so good. The characters are, as is typical for Varley, deeply flawed and authentic. The story is laid out as logically as possible, although the mechanics of time travel make this tricky. Once Varley has established the premise, the plot is about a developing temporal paradox that threatens the already bleak future with complete annihilation.

I very much enjoyed this rather short piece, at least for the first four fifths. It's clearly laid out where it could easily have been confusing and Varley skillfully ensures that the doomed humanity theme carries over into the characters and the story. Unlike in a Crichton novel, the references to old fashioned computers don't distract, since Varley is always about the people, not the technology. The ending did bother me some, since I dislike deus ex machina. But I must admit Varley pulled it off very well, especially by inserting a quite literal meaning in the concept. 20060323

John Varley - The Persistence of Vision

This short story collection showcases Varley at his most Varley. Not a lot of action, but quite a bit of character driven plotting. Light reading but nevertheless enjoyable and in some cases thought provoking. I did find it slightly uneven, and some of the stories were maybe a little bit too focused on showcasing the Varleyverse. The title story, "The Persistence of Vision", is a departure and a wonderful tale of identity seeking. 2006042

John Varley - The Golden Globe

John Varley once again shows how he is a very very intelligent and inventive writer in this original novel. There is no clear plot or clearly defined progression of events. The action is in the first person, with frequent long flashbacks to childhood and early adulthood in the third person. Our hero, Kenneth "Sparky" Valentine, is an itinerant thespian and con man. The Universe is the same as in Varley's debut "The Ophiuchi Hotline", but the prequel is no prerequisite as the stories are completely unrelated apart from background.

The story is focused on the figure of Sparky and his personal development. It is one part travelogue, showcasing the wonders of Varley's Solar System, one part psychological investigation into Valentine's very complex mind, and finally it is a coming of age story spanning a century (the Candide inspirations are obvious).

Varley manages to make his characters truly alive, and deftly ensures that their reactions and social mores chime well with their surroundings. I am not usually drawn to books without much of a plot, but I found myself fascinated by the unfolding mystery of Sparky as he made his way back to the Golden Globe. 20050401

John Varley - Mammoth

The structure of the story is rather simple. A time machine is found next to a preserved mammoth in northern Alaska. A scientist and an elephant keeper are accidentally sent back in time, returning with a few mammoth. A tycoon. A troubleshooter.

Into this simple story Varley injects his sharp wit, his well rounded and interesting characters, his irreverent prose. The conclusion is, perhaps, foregone, but the ride is enjoyable. Varley has a way of making you love his characters, for they are imperfect humans like us. 20070126,

Varley Big Dumb Object story, and the first in his Gaea trilogy. The first expedition to the Saturn System encounters an enormous spinning habitat (Gaea). As they approach, the ship is captured and destroyed. Some undetermined amount of time later, the expedition members, including Cirocco Jones, the Captain, emerge quite literally from the ground at various points on the outer rim of the habitat. They have all changed somehow, some having acquired new skills (such as talking to some of the denizens of Gaea), some being depressed, some introverted. Cirocco Jones and what for all intents and purposes is her sidekick, Gaby, set off on a quest towards the center of the habitat to find some answers. Since Gaea is spinning, the center is "upwards" in their frame of reference.

When this book was on the "pending books" page I predicted that it would contain lots of unconventional sex. Oddly for early Varley, I was proven wrong. Not that it matters that much. Another misconception, though not mine, is that this book is fantasy. It certainly does have some fantasy tropes, but is firmly in the Science Fiction section. The world building is ingenious and entertaining. Varley is excellent at characters and character interation, and so his Gaea, not unexpectedly, serves as the backdrop for character development and conflict. The ending is, as usual with Varley, both somewhat unexpected and viscerally satisfiying, even if in this case it also has to serve as a setup for the next two books in the trilogy. All in all a good read, but not stellar Varley. 20080708

Wizard picks up about 80 years after the events in Titan. Cirocco is a Wizard for Gaea, meaning she's a troubleshooter. Gaby is sometimes her sidekick, and sometimes just does freelance work. They are both "paid" with extended lifespans. Since Titan, plenty of humans have emigrated to Gaea. There is a limited quota for free trips, and through this "program", two new travelers, both prone to periodic seizures, arrive in Gaea. One is Chris, a rather shy and geeky young man from Earth. The other is Robin, who comes from an ultra-radical sect of witches (in the Wiccan sense) living in a habitat on the far side of the Moon. The sect is made up entirely of women, and holds men to be evil. Robin has never met a man, and has some strange conceptions about them. As they arrive, Gaea tells them that she can cure their ailments, as long as they do something heroic. They join up with Cirocco and Gaby on a circumnavigation of the wheel. The wizard and her sidekick have a hidden agenda, though. Gaea is becoming ever more senile and crazy, and the two are looking for allies in a coming war against her.

The adventures of Chris and Robin make for a coming of age tale of sorts. The scenery is still wondrous, and Varley has added much to the richness of his world. The prose is excellent and the characters are rich and alive. Despite all that, I was still somewhat disappointed. The story sets up the next book, and develops the characters, but the plot isn't that interesting. There seems to be little sense of where the story is headed. While this is often the case in large parts of many Varley books, in this one there weren't any other really stellar bits to compensate. Still, Varley is never bad, and it was a good if ultimately unsatisfying read. 20081001

Demon jumps ahead another 20 years. Robin has returned to her home in the coven habitat. Chris has remained on Gaea, and is slowly turning into a creature more and more like a Titanide (a centaur race native to Gaea). Cirocco is still around, but no longer does wizard work. Gaby is dead, but keeps returning to Cirocco in dreams. Gaea has gone completely nuts, prancing about as a 15 meter Marilyn Monroe while making and screening movies in her own bloodthirsty fashion. Meanwhile, back on Earth, the final war has begun. Humaniy is destroying itself in nuclear fire. Not in one big conflagration, but in a staggered series of bursts. Refugees flock to Gaea, who has provided transportation but no regulation. Newcomers are robbed and enslaved by those humans already there. Amidst the chaos, Robin returns, together with her 19 year old daughter Nova and her newborn son Adam. She had to leave since she had a son, and both seem to be Chris' children, despite the two never having had relations. Gaea's trickery again. It is soon clear that the final confrontation with Gaea is at hand, with Cirocco reluctantly at the helm of the forces arrayed against the mad habitat mind.

While better than Wizard, this one also left me unsatisfied. Varley simply isn't that good at writing about military matters, and it shows. There are some surprising developments, but the surprise ending was too unexpected, and not supported very well by the story that went before it. I'm all for surprise endings, but this one felt as if it was hardly connected to the rest of the book. Decent Varley but only for the die-hard fan. It's a shame that this series went downhill after Titan. 20081008

John Varley - The John Varley Reader

This collects all of Varley's short fiction. What really makes the book shine, though, are the introductions. Eminently readable little anectodes from the author's interesting life. Even with only the introductions and no stories, this would have been a great (albeit rather short) book. The stories are wide ranging from dramas to action, with Varley's sublime characterization is always front and center. A great book. 20090927

John Varley - Rolling Thunder

In the sequel to "Red Thunder" and "Red Lightning", we yet again skip down a generation, to Podkayne, granddaughter of Manny and Kelly. Martian born and bred, she is drafted (as all are) into the Martian Navy. The book starts by ridiculing Earthies (those who live on Earth) as generally helpless and whiny. It is hard to find too much fault in that assesment, but more about that later. As is sometimes the case with Varley, he writes more chronicle than anything else, and thus we follow the meanderings of Podkayne. It isn't until the second half that things really start to happen. By then a very gloomy post-9/11, post-Katrina view has settled onto the book. If it weren't for cheery Podkayne, this would not be a very cheerful book. In the end, the protagonists make a big decision, and there is a happy ending, of sorts.

While "Red Thunder" was a very positive book, and "Red Lightning" was at least optimistic, "Rolling Thunder" paints a very bleak picture of Earth's future, with billions dead and the planet rendered uninhabitable. Certainly the catastrophes depicted are not man made (unlike in "Red Lightning") but it is clear that mankind had already "started it". Podkayne is a serviceable leading lady, but she is no Manny or Ray from the previous books. The end, and I won't give away the surprising development there, also feels a bit too much as if Varley wanted to tie up some loose ends any which way. I do love reading Varley, and this was, as always, entertaining. His voice is mesmerizing and his insights into human character are always interesting and novel. However I do feel that this was not on par with most of his work. Or perhaps he just gave me a bit of the blues.20091215

A.E. Van Vogt - The Weapon Shops of Isher; The Weapon Makers

A couple of Golden Age classics that have aged very badly. Often published in one volume.

Jules Verne - Journey to the Center of the Earth

The great thing about Jules Verne is how his books have seemed to age very little. This novel is all about (you guessed it!) an expedition to the center of the Earth. High adventure in great style.

David Weber - Path of the Fury

Singleton in which a retired commando goes after the pirates who killed her family. Good, clean, space marine fun.

David Weber - The Dahak series

A Human pilot finds out that the moon is in fact a giant warship left there by the mutinous crew that colonized the earth. And he inherits an age old conflict. Ok, so the premise is way out there, but these three books are pretty good as military SciFi goes. The series consists of:

• Mutineers' Moon

• The Armageddon Inheritance

• Heirs of Empire

David Weber and John Ringo - The March Upcountry Series

Crown Prince Roger is a spoiled, annoying brat. When his ship is sabotaged, he is forced to rough it across a jungle planet with a company of Marines from the Guard. Very enjoyable military SciFi, although it doesn't really bring anything new or surprising to the table. And I hate the cover art. What were they thinking? 20030515

Book 2, entitled March to the Sea, starts slow but gets much better towards the end. Weber's obsessive verboseness shows through. Real people don't talk like that. Lots of enjoyable discussions about weapons development, although a couple of drawings would have been nice for us mere mortals. In any case, I can't wait to read the conclusion. 20040107

Book 3, March to the Stars, continues in the same vein as the previous two, although the band discovers that their problems are a long way from over even if they manage to get off Marduk. After a hefty bodycount (most of it in the last 100 pages) we are left hanging, but that's all right. More of this stuff is just fine. It's very addictive. 20040810

Book 4, We Few, has the ever smaller band now finally getting off the planet Marduk. But their problems aren't over. The Empire is in the hands of traitors who have said that Roger is the real traitor. And they have his mother, the Empress, under psychological control. This one is a departure for the series, with space battles and high level political intrigue. While still a cracking read, it suffers from Weber's datadump writing at times. The action will stop and one is subjected to two or three pages of long-winded explanation about some pet political or tactical point. I had quite enough of the italicized punchlines about eightythousand countermissiles in the later Honor Harrington books, thank you very much. Having said that, if you liked the first three books, you will enjoy this one just fine. 20061014

Books in the Series:

• March Upcountry

• March to the Sea

• March to the Stars

• We Few

David Weber and Steve White - Crusade

Part of a series of military SciFi novels, this was not very good. Go read the Honor books instead.

David Weber and Eric Flint - Crown of Slaves

A new series in the Honor Harrington Universe. My guess is that Flint is doing most of the writing since he is the one who came up with the Zilwicki characters in the Honorverse anthologies.

All the way through reading the book, I kept thinking that Weber and Flint can do much better than this. While the characters are engaging, the plot is lackluster. There's a lot of interesting material here, but it just doesn't feel like the high adventure it's supposed to be. The whole thing is rather construed and feels forced. The first half is really quite dull, but the novel thankfully picks up during the second. And then there's the endless exposition; just as in the later works by Weber, the explanations drone on endlessly. If I hadn't been a huge fan of the Honorverse, I would probably not have finished the book. 20050514

David Weber - The Shadow of Saganami

The "Saganami Island" Series is a continuation of sorts of the Honor Harrington series that deals with the next generation of midshipmen. Helen Zilwicki, one of the characters created by Eric Flint for the Honorverse, is prominently featured.

I was rather disappointed with the first 300 pages but after that the books rapidly picks up the pace and shows true Honorverse form. It's a shame that Weber has descended into verbose overflow. Yes, David, I understood what you meant after the first sentence. You don't need to re-explain and expand for another (long) paragraph. It slows down the action too much.

I would recommend this for the Honor Harrington fan, but not as a first taste of Weber. There is too much background information that needs to be known to make it enjoyable as a first foray. Start here instead. 20041117

Eric Flint & David Weber - 1633

... is reviewed here.

David Weber - The Apocalypse Troll

Weber does time travel again. In the future, mankind is winning the war against the Kangas. But the enemy attempts to send troops back in time to Earth 2007. Only one Kanga unit, a deadly Troll, remains alive in 2007 after mankind tries to stop the plan. But a human from the future also survives... And so it begins.

The idea of only one "future human" surviving is entertaining, and Weber on a bad day is still better than many authors on a good one. However, I did feel that the good Mr. Weber was treading water here. The plot is predictable and somewhat prosaic. The ending is a bit too syrupy and well tied up. The good guys are a bit too good. A nice way to spend an afternoon or two, but nothing fantastic. 20070424

James White - Alien Emergencies

This is the second omnibus of Sector General novels, comprised of three such. I had never read White before, and I don't think that I ever will again. It is quite plain Space Opera stuff about a huge hospital serving lots of alien races. Yawn...

Steve White - The Prometheus Project

The idea behind this novel is simple and rather ingenious. Just after World War II, a mysterious man calling himself Mr. Inconnu plops down on Earth claiming to be from a lost human colony. He warns the US government that aliens pervade the galaxy and that if these should discover Earth as she is presently, the planet will become a low status protectorate. Kind of like an Amazon tribe discovered by super advanced Europeans. But Mr. Inconnu brings advanced knowledge, allowing the newly created Prometheus Project to both kickstart human development and fool the aliens that Earth is advanced enough to merit at least the attention given a barely civilized polity.

But there is a traitor in the Project.

I wanted to like this novel. The central concepts and the plot are well thought out. The beginning is quite entertaining, but once the novelty wears off it starts to get pretty dull. The alien cultures are described in a sense of wonder style that falls flat. White is trapped by his own storyline, as multiple infodumps thinly disguised as stilted conversation give the story a clumsy shove in the desired direction. The characters are one dimensional, even the narrator. I found myself skimming fast through the last fifty pages just to find out what happens. In the end, I found it a pity that this book turned out less than well, because in essence it's quite a good story. 20071014

Mark R. Whittington - Children of Apollo

In this alternate history novel, a CIA analyst figures out that by 1969, the space program is having a small but noticeable negative effect on he Soviet economy. Nixon, who never has to resign, decides to massively expand the space program. As the years pass, we follow spies, politicians and astronauts in the years following the first moon landing. While there certainly is a lot of wishful thinking in the plot, with Apollo missions continuing to 23, with private space stations and space shuttles in the seventies, it has a solid foundation. If NASA funding had remained at Apollo levels or increased, we might well have seen all those things.

Michael Z. Williamson - The Scope of Justice

This rather short novel follows a US sniper and spotter on an assassination mission in Afghanistan. It is set after the Afghan war of 2001 and the target is a terrorist leader. Needless to say, the initial attempt goes to hell in more ways than one. The two Americans then have to use ingenuity and local resources to both survive and to complete their mission.

This is competent but hardly great fiction. A rather straightforward story, exciting but without any really unexpected wrinkles. Interesting reading if you want to learn something about modern snipers and how they operate. The dialogue is pretty awful at times. Williamson had improved greatly by the time he wrote Freehold. 20071206

Michael Z. Williamson - Targets of Opportunity

This is the sequel to "The Scope of Justice", The two snipers, Monroe and Wade, have a new mission: Take out terrorists smuggling explosives through Romania for use in Western Europe. Once in place, they find themselves doing a lot of straight spy work, typically with little or no backup. To further complicate things, they are in place clandestinely, and must also hide from Romanian authorities.

The second book in the series is an improvement over the first. The prose is less stilted and the story flows better overall. The two main action scenes are very good. Williamson describes well how it feels to be a stranger in a strange land, needing to blend in but having a hard time doing so. I found myself caring more for the protagonists as Williamson explored their motivations in more depth. The technical parts about sniping are detailed and fascinating (at least to this reader). This is not a classic, but an enjoyable read if you have some interest in the subject matter. 20081104

Michael Z. Williamson - Confirmed Kill

The second sequel to "The Scope of Justice" finds our two snipers, Monroe and Wade, dropped into the jungles of Indonesia, where they become involved in a power struggle between diverse anti-government factions, plain terrorists and Indonesian Army. In a clever twist to the story, their new commanding officer, a born and bred bureaucrat Colonel, comes with them. Our heroes are Sergeants, but they have vastly superior skills and experience. This poses many challenges as the team attempts to complete its mission in a shifting local political environment.

I was afraid that this third book would be a mere re-hash or the first two in a new locale, but Williamson has managed to make it unique. The overall structure of a covert mission remains in all three books, but the missions themselves vary widely. Williamson also captures well, especially in this last installment, the good and the bad of the military. How some personnel is helpful, how some is annoyingly by the book, how some goes above and beyond. Most military fiction does not go very deeply into these interesting subjects. Overall, a satisfying read. 20081110

Michael Z. Williamson - Freehold

Not since I first read "On Basilisk Station" have I been quite so captured by a Military SciFi novel. Williamson's very first book is in many ways controversial in it's views (although the author does claim they are not really quite "his" views in his review on Amazon.com) and will no doubt disturb some with it's sexual content. Some part will probably shock you at one point or another, but it remains a great adventure story.

Kendra Pacelli is in the UN Military. Earth and a few colonies are ruled by a deeply socialistic UN (evolved into a nation) in which incompetence and mediocrity are the norm. Crime is so common that women have learned accept rape and muggings as just another part of life. Accused of a crime she did not commit, she is forced to seek asylum at the Freehold of Grainne. Unprepared and dropped in at the deep end, Kendra has to adapt fast to her new home. The Freehold is an example of almost pure capitalism/libertarianism (and thus basically the antichrist in the eyes of the UN). The government consists of a small police force, the military and the courts and nothing else. What tiny taxation there is is even optional but does carry some benefits. "Rulers" (and they are not really) have to give up personal wealth in order to ensure they do not have ulterior motives. Without big government there is no pork barreling or corruption. Residents tend to carry weapons. Crime is very low and standard of living is very high. Kendra is very confused by such things as the fact that no one will molest women who wear racy clothing (or even walk around in the buff). Of course, these women will typically carry guns or knives, an illegal thing on Earth.

As a thought exercise, the society is very interesting. I don't know if it would work, but many aspects are appealing. It is my experience that big government fosters incompetence, inefficiency, meddling where it is not needed, high taxation levels and mediocre services. I don't know if I would go quite so far as the Freehold, but as I said, it definitely has appeal. Before you start flaming my inbox, however, I would point out that the system does have many rather obvious flaws which I will not bother to enumerate here.

While the novel is part social commentary, it should not be seen as any sort of manifesto. It is a bit slow (but quite enjoyable) in the first half, and then becomes action-packed (and even more enjoyable) in the second half. Williamson shows that he can really describe training and combat. Kendra joins the Freehold military and the story follows her through training, a grueling guerilla campaign, a big climactic battle and finally the hell of urban combat. All this without any dressing up or glorification of combat itself. The "good guys" torture and kill out of necessity, often rage, sometimes even pleasure. The aftermath of battle and war, so often glossed over in this kind of story, is explored in gory detail. While we may seek to (and should) glorify valor and bravery in defense of comrades and homes, Williamson also reminds us of the deep personal and social toll it enacts. For this alone, he should be commended.

The evolution of Kendra forced me to keep turning the pages. Her personal odyssey through initial rejection, dejection, disillusionment and the furnace of both partisan and line combat is what elevates this novel from a mere adventure story to a Military SciFi classic.

If you like Military SciFi, do yourself a favor and pick this one up. Just ensure you have tissues handy for Chapters 11 and 54, and clear your calendar for the next couple of days. It is very hard to put down. 20050518

Michael Z. Williamson - Better to Beg Forgiveness

Set in the same universe as Freehold and The Weapon, but preceding them chronologically, this novel follows a group of bodyguards tasked with protecting the president of a nation wracked by civil war. The setting is very much inspired by present day Afghanistan and Iraq. Clan warfare and no sense of national identity make the task of unification and pacification very difficult. To make it worse, the bureaucrats and military organizations of the UN (now a world and multiplanetary government) don't care one way or another. They simply want their own agendas pushed. When it all hits the fan, the bureaucrats choose to simply "remove" the president, but the bodyguards have other ideas.

From the excellent action scenes to the realistic character studies, Williamson displays his impressive knowledge of military matters. The plot is a bit slow and perhaps even unfocused in the first half, but then picks up speed to end in a huge climax. If you are a fan of Williamson's other work, you'll like this one, but it's only really for the hardcore military fiction buff. That's right, I didn't say SciFi. In fact, this book could have been set in the present day Middle East with very few changes. 20090701

John Ringo & Michael Z. Williamson - The Hero

Is reviewed here.

Timothy Zahn - The Thrawn Trilogy

So what happened after The Return of the Jedi? This series answers the question. If you are a Star Wars fan, you will want to pick this up. The writing won't win any literary awards, much in the same way that the movies were not nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, but who cares? It's action with all those characters that we have come to know and love. The three volumes are:

• Heir to the Empire

• Dark Force Rising

• The Last Command

Roger Zelazny - Lord of Light

A great novel about how the crew of a colony ship has set itself up as the Hindu pantheon, lording it over the descendants of the passengers using superior technology and laws forbidding progress. This works well for a long time, until the Buddha appears. The way in which Zelazny uses technology as a metaphor for spirituality is masterful. A deep and sometimes difficult book, it is nevertheless considered a SciFi classic for good reason.

Roger Zelazny - This Immortal

Set on a future Earth, depopulated and war ravaged. Basically the adventures of Conrad Nomikos, the Immortal of the title. As usual with Zelazny, weirdness abounds. If you liked Lord of Light, you will probably enjoy this.

Roger Zelazny  - Creatures of Light and Darkness

For the dedicated Zelazny fan only. Very strange tale of creatures manifesting as ancient Egyptian gods, and the the power games that they play.

Roger Zelazny  - Jack of Shadows

Fantasy/SciFi hybrid set on a world where one side always faces the sun and the other is always dark. The light side features science while the dark side is the realm of magic. Our hero Jack is a sort of spy/mythic hero personage. These are his adventures. Zelazny weirdness all over the writing, but pretty lighthearted, at least compared to some of his other stuff.

Roger Zelazny and Thomas T. Thomas - The Mask of Loki

Pointless action adventure in which gods and sorcerers walk the present day earth.

Robert Zubrin - The Case for Mars

Non-fiction detailing how and why man should colonize Mars. Zubrin is the President of the Mars Society, and thus knows what he is talking about. If you are into the space programme, you will enjoy this.

Robert Zubrin - First Landing

Rather simplistic novel depicting a landing on Mars. Goes hand in hand with The Case for Mars. Better Mars landing novels have been written, among others Mars by Ben Bova, but it is still a nice read.