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	Allies and Aliens by Roger Macbride Allen Newly trained League of Planets lieutenants, the Coopers find their first mission interrupted by an invasion on the planet New Finland and must successfully avert destruction in order to pave the way for a counterstrike. Interesting aliens, realistic space combat, interesting characters. You must remember that the book is two within one, so the second starts slightly overlapping the first book. Its the plot itself that seems to come from a 50's space opera. Wars HAVE been fought because of revenge and greed, but still it feels like a simple battle of good vs evil. A group of evil racist imperialistic humans with superweapons vs a group of good honorable freedom loving humans with old time naval traditions.
	The Prince by Jerry Pournelle and S. M. Stirling The complete saga of Falkenberg's Legion. It was Coleridge who coined the term, "...the willful suspension of disbelief", and it is this concept, I think, that marks successful fiction of every genre. It is the element that gets the reader "into" the story, and it is hardest to achieve in epic fantasy and military science fiction. This is because the writer has to do more than create believeable characters and plot; he/she has to create the very worlds in which the characters exist, including geography, politics, economics, etc. All of this comes across in superb manner in "The Prince". Originally published several years ago as four separate books, this is the story of the death of one civilization, and the gritty birth of another, from the standpoint of Falkenburg's Legion, a mercenary unit whose origins include such seemingly disparate military models as the Roman Legion and the French Foreign Legion. The writing is of a consistantly high quality, and the plot move with a good pace and some very intense action. If you like the genre, read this book. Jim Baen of Baen Books has the inside track on military sci-fi, with a cadre of writers which includes David Weber, Eric Flint, David Drake and many others. "The Prince" is a worthwile addition to the Baen Catalog and is sure to please most readers. A four volume omnibus edition containing the following books: Falkenberg's Legion, Prince of Mercenaries, Go Tell the Spartans, and Prince of Sparta
	The Longest Way Home by Robert Silverberg To complete his education, Joseph Master Keilloran, 15, is visiting the northern continent of his world, a place rather like Earth that is settled by humans who remember Earth's ancient history. As an adult, Joseph will become a Master; that is, a landowner belonging to a caste superior to that of the Folk, who are serfs. But one night Joseph awakens to the rebellion of the Folk, who kill all their masters. Joseph escapes into the deep forest, where he is faced with a long journey through what suddenly has become hostile territory. He is befriended and abused by the planet's several intelligent species, which include a strange, gravely kind bird, and a village of aborigines who have an intriguing religion. He becomes a sort of barefoot doctor as he makes his way slowly south, enduring many hardships and nearly starving. In the most desperate incident, tenderhearted Joseph is forced to slaughter and eat a harmless mammal that is rather like a dog. Such sad adventures bring Joseph to maturity, as does a brief romance with a Folk girl and a sojourn in a Folk prison camp. This is especially fine work by the always reliable Silverberg, and it promises an agreeable series of successors.
	Serpent's Reach by C. J. Cherryh Within the Constellation of the Serpent, out of bounds to all spacefarers, humans live among the insect-like aliens--and one of them, a woman named Paen, is bent on a revenge that will tear apart the truce between human and alien. "Brisk pacing . . . and genuinely brilliant world-building." Serpent's Reach has been cut off from contact with the rest of humanity for seven hundred years, and in that time, the settlers of these worlds have engineered fantastic technology with the help of the alien Majat. Against this backdrop, one noblewoman's family is slaughtered and she vows revenge on the perpetrators. I've heard that CJ Cherryh does a fantastic job of creating believable aliens, and I found this to be true in my first-ever CJ Cherryh read. Not only the very alien Majat, but also the almost-human Kontrin and their genetic creations, the Betas and the Azi, have cultures, ideas, and attitudes that distinguish them from we garden variety Homo sapiens. This is pretty "hard" science fiction, with frequent breaks needed to page back through what you just read to try and soak everything in. There is very little of the old literary trick of having an ignorant character around all the time so that difficult concepts can be explained in dialogue (like Star Trek) or even of outright exposition by the author. Much is left to the interpretation of the reader. If you like that style of writing (I do!), Serpent's Reach is excellent reading. After finishing, I went out and bought a couple more Cherryh books set in the Alliance-Union universe.
	Earth by David Brin Brin's 'Earth' takes place in the year 2038, and the portrait painted of our society 40-some years from now is so totally plausible that it's a little disturbing. By 2038, Earth's population has grown to over 10 billion, natural resources are even more depleted than they are today, and many people think that the population is on the verge of a massive crash. Brin's depiction of the way that various sectors of society deal with this concept is complex and fascinating. Although many of the scientific aspects of the book were somewhat confusing to me, I was still able to follow the plot. I have studied quite a bit of ecology, have also had a few courses in geophysics, and I was pleased that everything Brin has included in his story is consistent with today's scientific beliefs. The structure of the novel is interesting as well; little tidbits from the general populace and their responses to the events detailed in the chapters are interspersed throughout the book. Furthermore, the character development is excellent; many "hard" science fiction novels are more about the technology and the situations than about the characters themselves, but Brin has made his characters and their motivations very real and well-developed. Even the less important characters like Logan Eng were as detailed as the central protagonists.
	Heart of the Comet by David Brin and Gregory Benford HEART OF THE COMET is one of the best true science fiction novels I've read in a very long time. In some ways, it is classic hard science fiction, with very convincing scientific extrapolations that stay well away from the science-fantasy cliches of FTL travel, transporter beams, and the like. On the other hand, the book is rather atypical for hard SF, in that, as a result of the hostile indigenous life and endless factional fighting, it makes the grand task of colonizing Halley's Comet seem about as appealing as a life sentence in a third-world prison. This results in a continual tension between the sweeping, go-where-no-man-has-gone-before scope of the book and the spectacularly unpleasant living conditions to which the characters are subjected. The three main protagonists (and a lot of the supporting characters) are very well-drawn. Like good hard-SF lead characters, they overcome the adversity of their circumstances with their technical expertise and willpower. We see them shaped over the years by life on the comet, in once case, growing believably from a rather callow youth into a confident, skilled leader. Some of the antagonistic supporting characters, and there are many of them, are well drawn, but others have a tendency to become stereotypical amalgams of the sorts of irrationality of which the authors clearly don't approve. On the whole, I found myself enthralled by this book. It creates a plausible, coherent environment unlike just about anything else I've read, and populates it with (mostly) interesting and well-conceived characters.
	Mother of Demons by Eric Flint A human starship has crash-landed on Ishtar, a planet inhabited by the gukuy, Bronze-age land squid. First contact is violent, and the humans (who are the titular demons) soon find themselves forced to take sides in a tribal war.... This sort of thing has been done, umm, once or twice before, but seldom as well as here. Flint's aliens are well thought-out and biologically plausible. The tiny human colony's predicament is nicely portrayed: one of the human leaders is a historian, and she is painfully aware of how good intentions can lead to monstrous evil. There are some first-novel rough spots -- Flint's exposition is lumpy and sometimes preachy -- but he's an outstanding storyteller, which more than makes up for the (minor) problems. Recommended.
	Pandora's Legions by Cristopher Anvil Ever since about twenty years ago when I first read "Pandora's Planet" I have reread the book about once a year. It is a fun, light hearted book about what happens when the dumb aliens try to conquer Earth. The dumb aliens are, in today's politically correct words, mentally challenged. A large part of the story is how humans, as they expand out into the Centran Empire, affect the great empire. "Pandora's Legions" includes the all of the stories written in the Centran Empire Universe. The original story was "Pandora's Planet" which was published in Astounding back in September of 1956. Then a book also titled "Pandora's Planet" came out 1972. This was the further adventures of our Centran hero Klide Horsip as he tries to deal with all the varieties of human philosophies being implemented on various Centran planets. Also in the same setting were three stories about a human named John Towers, who went around helping the Centran military out of very nasty situations. These three stories had only been published in Analog. Of these three my favorite was "Trap" which dealt with the problem of a race which could teleport. And they could teleport to any place where an object they had touched was located. There is also one more story about a Centran psychologist and how he deals his patients. It is nice to have all the Centran stories together. Treat yourself to a couple of hours of enjoyable reading.
	The World at the End of Time by Frederik Pohl Wan-To was the oldest and must powerful intelligence in the universe, a being who played with star systems as a child plays with marbles. Matter occupied so tiny a part of his vast awareness that humans were utterly beneath his notice. The colonists of Newmanhome first suffered the effects of Wan-To's games when their planet's stars began to shift, the climate began to cool down, and the colony was forced into a desperate struggle to survive. Viktor Sorricaine was determined to discover what force had suddenly sent his world hurtling toward the ends of the universe. And the answer was something beyond the scope of his imagination -- even if he lived for 4000 years...
	The Seeds of Time by Kay Kenyon What a great book! I didn't want it to end, and this is the first sci-fi I've read! I'm ready for more wild adventures from this author. This book was just one climax after another, every time I thought there couldn't possibly be another twist or turn in the plot, there was another one waiting around the corner. Seeds of Time is great escape reading, yet totally believable and frightening for that reason. Kenyon makes you stop and think. I love her character development. The heroine, Clio, is wonderfully gutsy, not saccharine or Miss Goody Two Shoes. Kenyon sucks you into her exciting tale with people you find yourself cheering for and turning the pages faster and faster to find out their fate. I spent a couple of nights reading into the early morning hours when I had promised myself I would only read for 15 minutes. I'm hooked on her writing; it's fun, fast, and thought provoking.
	Acts of Conscience by William Barton Science fiction and fantasy have antiheros aplenty. Think Thomas Covenant, Frankenstein's monster, or Alex from A Clockwork Orange. Add Gaetan "Don't Call Me Gae" du Cheyne, the protagonist of Acts of Conscience, to the list. Gaetan is an ordinary, self-involved, maybe-misogynistic orbital mechanic. He drinks, obsesses about women (as objects of his impotent lust), and irritates people. But oh, how realistic Gaetan is--a masterful characterization by William Barton. In fact, Gaetan's thoughts are almost too human and scattered, and Barton relies on ellipses rather heavily ... when writing what's going on in Gaetan's head. When Gaetan's forgotten investments turn him into the sole owner of a faster-than-light spaceship, he flees his pathetic life and heads to planet Green Heaven to seek out the adventure and excitement he's craved. Instead, his journey reveals only the intergalactic depredations of men just like himself--brutal rapes, senseless killing, eradication of cultures and ecologies. He also discovers an ancient alien civilization contemplating the eradication of humanity. What's an honest antihero to do?
	Iris by William Barton and Michael Capobianco Iris is a challenging and complex and RICHLY REWARDING read. The characters are truly unique--and some are quite unsavory--and the science and speculations that surround their story are fascinating. There are at least three scenes as awesome and colorful as any I've read. This huge novel goes right onto my top ten list. It is full of tons of richly developed ideas, including an awesome alien life form as well as a fascinating means of human-alien interface. Bold inventiveness on everything from cyberspace to immortality to future societies take a cast of truly unique characters on a fascinating and powerful journey.
	The Rock by Robert Doherty The back of the book labels "The Rock" as a science thriller. This is an accurate description as it's a combination of science fiction and techno-thriller. While similar to his other books (Area 51, Atlantis, etc. -- published under a pseudonym), this one grabs you at the beginning and doesn't let go. Five people from across the planet are summoned to a secretive meeting with no idea of what is to happen. They soon learn that a transmission has been received with their names included. Other scientists, the military, the Russians and the President eventually get involved. What results is a race against time to preserve the future of the human race. The resolution is well presented and has a definite sci-fi feel to it. If you enjoy the other novels by this author, you will definitely enjoy this one as well. It's a quick and easy read that can be completed in one sitting. If you find this work entertaining, check out the novels by James Rollins for other "science thriller" works.
	The Worthing Saga by Orson Scott Card Jason Worthing takes the drug Somec, which increases the life span of humans, and he is sent into space on a ship carrying human embryos, supplies, and teaching robots in order to colonize a planet and perpetuate the human species. If God is kind and merciful, why is there still such pain in the world?" I've heard this question many times, and never could really come up with a satisfactory answer, other than a few platitudes about free will and understanding ourselves. Now, I do have an answer, and it is this book. This book is a compilation of short stories written by a young Orson Scott Card, along with the title novel which ties them all together. It opens with the story of a "Day of Pain" where a people who have never felt pain before feel it for the first time. The rest of the story is spent explaining how this all came about, and what caused Worthing to finally reach the decision to unleash pain again upon the universe. All of Card's usual strengths are here; his well-developed characters tie in with a plot that is exquisitely beautiful. The question he chooses to tackle is difficult, but his answer tackles it well.
	Ranks of Bronze by David Drake To summarize the story line without belaboring the details , a Roman Legion is taken into captivity by starfaring aliens. The aliens then utilize the military prowess of the Romans to subjugate other low-tech planets (it seems that a galactic league of some sort prohibits the use of hi-tech force aginst primitives!). The Roman soldiers don't realize that they have been captive for several thousand years due to the time altering effects of light speed space travel , and sieze upon an opportunity to overthrow their captors. Drake then concludes the novel in a uniquely "Roman" manner! Great read--fun!
	The Excalibur Alternative by David Weber In the latest SF adventure novel from the creator of Honor Harrington, Weber (On Basilisk Station; Ashes of Victory; etc.) expands a short story, "Sir George and the Dragon," which appeared in the David Drake anthology Foreign Legions (2001), to good effect. The novel adheres to the story's basic plot: aliens of the Federation abduct 14th-century Englishmen to serve as mercenaries on planets where only low-tech weaponry is legal. But the author extends these events in several directions, with his usual mixture of apt characterization and historical sophistication (here regarding medieval weaponry and tactics). The Englishmen liberate themselves with the aid of the "dragon-men" (the Ternaui) and "Computer" (renamed Merlin), as well as the obstinate stupidity of their opponents. The narrative then leaps ahead several centuries to an ending that surprises both humans and aliens as they learn of the Empire of Avalon. The slam-bang action leaves little room for developing subplots beyond tantalizing hints, though this approach also means a streamlined story, in contrast to Weber's normally rather sprawling narratives. Newcomers to the author's work will do fine without having read previous books in the series. This novel makes an honorable companion to the late Poul Anderson's classic The High Crusade, which uses a similar plot idea.
	A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge This hefty novel returns to the universe of Vernor Vinge's 1993 Hugo winner A Fire Upon the Deep--but 30,000 years earlier. The story has the same sense of epic vastness despite happening mostly in one isolated solar system. Here there's a world of intelligent spider creatures who traditionally hibernate through the "Deepest Darkness" of their strange variable sun's long "off" periods, when even the atmosphere freezes. Now, science offers them an alternative... Meanwhile, attracted by spider radio transmissions, two human starfleets come exploring--merchants hoping for customers and tyrants who want slaves. Their inevitable clash leaves both fleets crippled, with the power in the wrong hands, which leads to a long wait in space until the spiders develop exploitable technology. Over the years Vinge builds palpable tension through multiple storylines and characters. In the sky, hopes of rebellion against tyranny continue despite soothing lies, brutal repression, and a mental bondage that can convert people into literal tools. Down below, the engagingly sympathetic spiders have their own problems. In flashback, we see the grandiose ideals and ultimate betrayal of the merchant culture's founder, now among the human contingent and pretending to be a senile buffoon while plotting, plotting... Major revelations, ironies, and payoffs follow. A powerful story in the grandest SF tradition.
	To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer To Your Scattered Bodies Go is the Hugo Award-winning beginning to the story of Riverworld, Philip José Farmer's unequaled tale about life after death. When famous adventurer Sir Richard Francis Burton dies, the last thing he expects to do is awaken naked on a foreign planet along the shores of a seemingly endless river. But that's where Burton and billions of other humans (plus a few nonhumans) find themselves as the epic Riverworld saga begins. It seems that all of Earthly humanity has been resurrected on the planet, each with an indestructible container that provides three meals a day, cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, a lighter, and the odd tube of lipstick. But why? And by whom? That's what Burton and a handful of fellow adventurers are determined to discover as they construct a boat and set out in search of the river's source, thought to be millions of miles away. Although there are many hardships during the journey--including an encounter with the infamous Hermann Goring--Burton's resolve to complete his quest is strengthened by a visit from the Mysterious Stranger, a being who claims to be a renegade within the very group that created the Riverworld. The stranger tells Burton that he must make it to the river's headwaters, along with a dozen others the Stranger has selected, to help stop an evil experiment at the end of which humanity will simply be allowed to die.
	Code of Conduct by Kristine Smith Code of Conduct tells a fast-paced story that weaves intrigue, politics, and personal honor into a sophisticated tapestry. With well-realized characters, both human and alien, and a plot full of gratifying twists and turns, this book showcases a fine new voice in science fiction. About twenty years prior to the book's opening scene, Captain Jani Kilian almost died in a civil war among the idomeni, an alien race just enough like humans to make their vast differences disturbing. Framed for treason and then presumed dead in an explosion, she has spent the years since in hiding. After the blast, her doctors put her together with illegal experiments that combined human and idomeni genes. Now it is catching up with her. Is she dying--or changing into a new species that could threaten the existence of both humans and idomeni? Jani thinks she is safe--until Evan van Reuter, the powerful Interior Minister of the Commonwealth, finds her. He wants her to solve a mystery that could destroy him: why did his wife die? Author Smith sets-up a wonderfully Byzantine scenario, with the dangerous, augmented Jani as an ideal choice of investigator from Evan's point of view, but a terrible choice as far as Jani is concerned. One pleasure of this novel is the rich cast, both human and idomeni, that tangles the investigation. To snarl matters more, Evan is Jani's former lover. She finds herself in a political maze that could shake the foundations of the Commonwealth. Smith ties this all together in a well-written story that leaves the reader wanting more. Smith does a good job with the idomeni, in particular Tsecha, a political and religious leader among his people and an ambassador to Earth. Watching him exasperate his human hosts with his wry personality and audacious nature is fun. The book creates a strong portrayal of an alien, with the nifty twist that eating is a form of prayer for his people. Another strength of this book is the subtle sensuality in the various relationships of the people, especially Jani's interactions with Evan and another character, Lucien. In fact, in general Smith does character well. The motivations and personalities of these people both surprise and make sense, a blend that isn't easy to achieve. Code of Conduct is good science fiction, good hard-edged suspense, and an all around good read.
	Coyote: A Novel of Interstellar Exploration by Allen Steele At first, this novel from Hugo winner Steele looks like a fairly conventional tale of high-tech intrigue-in this case, rebels against a right-wing American dictatorship plot to steal the prototype interstellar spaceship built to immortalize the government's ideology by planting a colony of fanatics on another star's planet. However, once the freedom seekers arrive on the new world, Coyote, things get a lot more interesting. Coyote is habitable but alien, full of flora and fauna that upset the colonists' easy preconceptions. The young people, in particular, have to find their identities in a dangerous but wonderful environment; their discovery of what they can do individually as well as what they owe to the group nicely illustrates the name the starship's captain, R.E. Lee, has given their settlement: Liberty. That Steele's novel has been stitched together out of a series of short stories has advantages and disadvantages. The jumping around can be repetitious, but it also lets readers see the same events from different angles. By the same token, the narrative doesn't stay with individual characters, especially adults, long enough for the reader to get to know them, but it does give a panorama of the developing community. By the end, when an especially big challenge appears, the colonists are ready to face it confidently. The discovery of a new world is one of SF's most potent themes, and Steele handles it well.

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