I seldom enjoy anthologies as much as I enjoyed this one! Great stories that I find hard to believe are as old as they are. Maybe it's because the sciI seldom enjoy anthologies as much as I enjoyed this one! Great stories that I find hard to believe are as old as they are. Maybe it's because the science fiction genre is often timeless... or maybe these are really great stories. Highly recommended....more
A book of stories, many and varied. Some I loved, some I liked better than others... The story I remember best from long ago, "The Nine Billion Names A book of stories, many and varied. Some I loved, some I liked better than others... The story I remember best from long ago, "The Nine Billion Names of God (Arthur C. Clarke) is here, and I commend it to you. Stories that I think I saw on The Outer Limits -- probably drawn from the pages here. Highly Recommended....more
I was left cold by this book. It felt like a high school assignment out of Chaucer, set in the Middle Ages with scandalous affairs between peasants wiI was left cold by this book. It felt like a high school assignment out of Chaucer, set in the Middle Ages with scandalous affairs between peasants with little to lose. An endless dance between beds, with little redeeming virtue. Skip this one....more
A very readable book. I started this right after finishing Isaac Asimov's outstanding Foundation set, and initially I was struck by how much "simpler"A very readable book. I started this right after finishing Isaac Asimov's outstanding Foundation set, and initially I was struck by how much "simpler" Asaro's writing is. But the story drew me in quickly, and I loved it. Kidnappings, cyborg villians, deserted islands, superweapons -- VERY entertaining, and highly recommended....more
A story of struggle and determination...filling in the gaps of the Foundation Trilogy, where they just said that Hari Seldon established the FoundatioA story of struggle and determination...filling in the gaps of the Foundation Trilogy, where they just said that Hari Seldon established the Foundation without mentioning any difficulties along the way. I greatly enjoyed this book. Highly recommended....more
Delightful! A politician and an historian go on a quest to find the planet from which mankind originated. Or maybe they are looking for some outside aDelightful! A politician and an historian go on a quest to find the planet from which mankind originated. Or maybe they are looking for some outside agency who is acting to further Hari Seldon's psychohistorical plan for the Second Galactic Empire. In either case, we get to visit several planets, meet many interesting characters, and learn about both the past and present of our protagonists' species. Highly recommended!~...more
Delightful! Although written decades after the Foundation Trilogy, this book picks up right where it left off and carries the same energy and enthusiaDelightful! Although written decades after the Foundation Trilogy, this book picks up right where it left off and carries the same energy and enthusiasm into the next adventure. Highly recommended!...more
Wonderful! Stories of the time between the fall of the Galactic Empire and the fulfillment of Seldon's Plan. GREAT characters, storylines, pacing -- aWonderful! Stories of the time between the fall of the Galactic Empire and the fulfillment of Seldon's Plan. GREAT characters, storylines, pacing -- a masterpiece from a master writer. Highly recommended!...more
LOVED THIS! This book was written (published) in 1988, long after the original Foundation stories were written. And it provides a welcome coverage of LOVED THIS! This book was written (published) in 1988, long after the original Foundation stories were written. And it provides a welcome coverage of the origins of Hari Seldon and his psychohistory theories. I had enjoyed reading the Foundation stories without this introductory piece, but having it gives much more depth to the character of Hari Seldon. An unknown mathematician from a nondescript world in the Galactic Empire, Hari presents a paper at a conference -- and nothing is the same again. Great characters and dialogue, fast-paced action, great story -- highly recommended!...more
A book in three parts: first, the part in "our" universe where scientists discover a parallel universe with different physical laws from ours, and estA book in three parts: first, the part in "our" universe where scientists discover a parallel universe with different physical laws from ours, and establish an endless supply of energy flowing between the universes; secondly, the story of the alternate universe; and finally, another discovery in our universe that may make it safe to use the first energy supply.
The middle story is of particular delight, deftly written to make the reader care about the strange beings that live in the alternate universe. And these beings are strange -- the particulars of their strangeness are introduced naturally and gradually and make for wonderful reading. The author was able to describe them well enough to make them real AND make me care about their well-being.
Cast in an alternate universe where The Church holds ultimate power, a young boy is recognized for his glorious soprano singing voice. The church deciCast in an alternate universe where The Church holds ultimate power, a young boy is recognized for his glorious soprano singing voice. The church decides the boy will be castrated, to preserve his lovely voice, and the rest of the story is about what happens next. The boy tries to learn what it is that he will be missing out on. His father and his mother have differing views about what should be done. A pair of aging castrati have differing views from one another, based on their different views of their own lives. Even the Pope comes into the story. Reconnemded ...more
Provided you can set aside your disbelief in the titular scientific tool, and what it finds as it "reads" the universe, this is a great book. Just go Provided you can set aside your disbelief in the titular scientific tool, and what it finds as it "reads" the universe, this is a great book. Just go with it -- take the ride, enjoy the play. Good characters, interesting possibilities, entertaining plot... and if you think about it, you can come up with lots of interesting implications. The Macroscope is a new scientific instrument, but we eventually learn it is dangerous. Before earth's minions can come to take over, the instrument is stolen and towed out into space. So, in a way, this is just a story about a hijacking. Recommended....more
In the land of Xanth, a person must have a magic power of some kind or they cannot stay past their 25th birthday. Bink, our protagonist, has not manifIn the land of Xanth, a person must have a magic power of some kind or they cannot stay past their 25th birthday. Bink, our protagonist, has not manifested a magical power, and his birthday is approaching -- so he heads out across the magical land of Xanth to visit the Good Magician Humfrey. Surely Humfrey can tell him what his magical power is. Bink's travels are not easy and he encounters many magical obstacles. Fun characters, good action, entertaining story. Recommended....more
The "science" in this work of science fiction is that of Darwin, with no other driving force, I think. A series of vignettes, well-written and detaileThe "science" in this work of science fiction is that of Darwin, with no other driving force, I think. A series of vignettes, well-written and detailed, showing the state of play in the dominant species of both history and the future... imagined to show how slowly things change, and what tiny influences (from our point of view) led to a spark of increased mental capacity. This is not a script for an action movie -- and that is probably why I don't rate the book well. I did find, particularly, the vignettes of the future very interesting and worth reading....more
A light little book fit for reading as serial bedtime stories, if the children are staunch enough to not have nightmares after hearing of witches and A light little book fit for reading as serial bedtime stories, if the children are staunch enough to not have nightmares after hearing of witches and harpies. Nicely written....more
A strange book -- I have to stretch to consider it to be science fiction, because of the lack of technology. But a multi-dimensional story is -- what A strange book -- I have to stretch to consider it to be science fiction, because of the lack of technology. But a multi-dimensional story is -- what -- math? -- so it qualifies. I found it hard to track the two distinct storylines (which don't really come together until the very end) through their individual development... but if you stick with it, it does come together. Maybe on a second reading it will flow better in my head (which I think is a problem in my head, not in the book)....more
A spy thriller set in a slightly future world...less science fiction, as I think of it, than an action tale. Loved it. Great characters, well-paced acA spy thriller set in a slightly future world...less science fiction, as I think of it, than an action tale. Loved it. Great characters, well-paced action, and an ending I could not put down until it resolved. Highly recommended!...more
I really enjoyed this book! It started with a snapshot of life on Mars -- oriented around families (tribes) with young people switching tribes to be wI really enjoyed this book! It started with a snapshot of life on Mars -- oriented around families (tribes) with young people switching tribes to be with the one they married. The inevitable greed of political leaders derailed this simplistic picture, and the focus returned to a couple of protagonists and their little world bounded by families. And then the coming of age of Mars, politically, when Earth decides they "must" deal with a central government on Mars, not this family-by-family set-up... and our protagonist becomes a politician (of the best sort, of course) and the crises pile atop one another. Eventually, an act of war by "someone" on Earth and Mars needs to either retaliate or remove themselves from the arena of conflict. Good plot, characters, dialogue; well-paced and readable. Highly recommended...more
