After Worlds Collide-Philip Wylie & Edwin Balmer

This is the sequel to the classic When Worlds Collide. In this novel the story takes place right where the last one left off. The remnants of the human species has landed on the new planet and they are now trying to survive. There is the conflict with other survivors who have landed and seem bent on controlling the new planet. Seeing that this sequel was written in 1934, you can guess who the bad guys are. The survivors have it easy and except for the conflict mentioned above, the story doesn't have the pull of the first novel. But the story is a easy read and as a continuation of the first it's not bad. I give this 3.75 stars. Not as good as the first novel but still a good read.

Star Soldiers-Andre Norton

This is the unification of two novels. Star Guard and Star Rangers both written in the early 1950's. The first half of this novel is Star Guard and it is about a group of soldiers from Earth fighting on a distant planet who have been betrayed by their galactic overlords and must now fight their way across the planet to freedom and a chance to let Earth know what is going on. But every thing is not as it seems, because Earth has a secret of its own. The second half of this novel is Star Rangers and it takes place three to four thousand years after the events in the first half. This time a group of star rangers is sent on a mission to the out skirts of the Galactic empire. The Galactic empire is falling apart and this is a one way mission. They crash on a planet that is off all star charts and seems to have been abandoned. But this planet has a secret that will stun all of them. The novel are well written and the stories are interesting but not compelling or memorable. I give this novel 3.2 stars.

Labyrinth of Night-Allen Steele

In this novel everything said about Mars turns out to be true. The face on Mars is real, the city and pyramids are also real. The story takes place in 2029 after humans have got to Mars and found out that all the things that some has been saying for so long turned out to be true. Now the race is on between the governments to find out what technologies were left on Mars by the aliens. The story was made more believable by the way the author mixed fact and fiction, even if some of those facts are suspect today. The main problem I had with this novel is the political situation on Earth. Also the fact that one of the main characters, August Nash to works for a private company that seems to have way too much pull. But over all it was a solid story that held my interest all the way through. I give it 4.0 stars.

DeathDay-William C. Dietz

This is a alien invasion novel that takes place in the year 2020. Over a period of three days, aliens destroyed most of Earth civilization and made the survivors slaves. It is the first book of a series, the next is set for a 2002 release. The novel follows several groups of humans as they try to survive as slaves or try to fight back against what seems as overwhelming odds. It also follows the different factions within the alien fleet as some of them come to realize the real reason they are attacking Earth and what it will mean for them. With some humans trying to take advantage of the chaos to gain power, does the humans have a chance to against the aliens. This is a fast pace novel with a little bit of everything mixed in. If you like alien invasion novels or movies then you will like this one. I give this 4.3 stars.

The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century-Edited By Harry Turtledove & Martin H Greenberg

This book has fourteen alternate history stories written by such authors as Harry Turtledove, Poul Anderson, Larry Niven, Susan Schwartz among others. Stories from Germany winning WW2 to a different take on dropping the bomb on Japan. All of the stories are good and for the most part hold your attention. If you like alternate history stories then you will like this book of short stories by some of the best science fiction authors around. I give this book 4.0 stars.

FlatterLand-Ian Stewart

This is a novel that attempts to explain how the universe works. It follows the adventures of a two dimensional creature Victoria Line and her guide from her two dimensional world, FlatLand through the three dimensional universe, ours. Her trip takes her through black holes and down to the smallest particle known to exist. If you know nothing about the scientific theories about our understanding of how the universe works, then this is a good way to find out. My one problem with it is that some parts of it gets bogged down on the big theories and does pull itself out of the range of who know nothing of science. But for most people this novel is a good introduction. I give it 3.50 stars.

Terraforming Earth-Jack Williamson

The good thing about this novel is that Jack Williamson has taken a popular theme in science fiction and put a new look on it. It is also a very well written novel. His take on the common theme of a asteroid hitting Earth has Earth getting destroyed and reborn many times over the long centuries. A small group of clones on the moon are reborn after every destruction to reseed life to the Earth. The problem with this novel is that you never feel for any of the characters. You never cheer for or against them, you don't care so the entire story becomes "so what." Good writing and a innovative look at a subject is not enough to make a good novel. I give this 2.70 stars.

The Dark Wing-Walter H. Hunt

When humans finally begin exploring space, they meet the Zor. The Zor is an alien species that is going after humans in an attempt to destroy them. They would always sue for peace when they lose, but the peace would never last as they would always attack again. Then along comes Marais, who has a plan to stop the Zor once and for all. His plan may involve exterminating the Zor even if that means he has to disobey his own government. This is Walter Hunt's first novel and he does a very good job. The story holds together very well, it does tend to drag at times. Also it would have helped if he had explained a bit more on how the Solar Empire came to be. For a first novel it was not bad. I give it 3.50 stars.

The Excalibur Alternative-David Weber

When an alien spaceship kidnapped Sir George Wincaster and his small force from the middle of a storm on Earth, they only wanted to use them a slaves that will fight for them. But the English have other things in mind and the Galactic Federation may regret ever meeting humans. This is a fast pace novel that holds your attention all the way to the end. The author mixes just the right amount of humor with the almost none stop action. This is a easy read and a good addition to the author's collection of novels. I give this novel 4.00 stars.

Angelmass-Timothy Zahn

The discovery and beginning of the wide spread use of Angels in The Empyrean has caused The Pax to intervene and keep the human species from falling under the influence of aliens. To that end they sent Jereko Kostas as a spy into The Empyrean to find out more about the Angels and the angelmass, the place that they come from. But does The Pax really have the well being of The Empyrean at heart or do they have something else in mind. Plus what Jereko finds out about Angels and the angelmass could have implications for humans. By the way the angels refer to the effect they have on humans. This is not a bad book, it is  too long it should have been a bit shorter. But on the good side it is a fast read. I give this novel 3.70 stars.

The Aftermath-Samuel C. Florman

This is a novel of the Earth getting hit by a comet, a little larger than the one that killed off the dinosaurs. The main difference between this novel and the loads of others out there is that this is what would probably happen if one was to actually hit Earth. Naturally the out come in this book is widely optimistic. First of all, he had to make sure that the comet hit Earth in the one place that would leave a zone of safety that had everything that would make this outcome possible. Then he had to make sure that the people that survive were able to make use of the resources in that zone. Now there is only one place on Earth that can make this outcome possible and that is where most of the story takes place. Now all that a side, this novel is pretty good. My other problem with the novel is the lack of adversity the survivors go through. The author did a lot of research to come up with the one place that has all the natural elements needed to rebuild technology. Over all I give this novel 4.30 stars.

Cities in Flight-James Blish

Cities in Flight is really four books in one and most of those were written as short stories in their original form. The cities in Flight books are considered among the classics of science fiction. The novels begin with the discovery of anti-gravity and life extension drugs. These inventions enable cities to leave Earth and travel the galaxy. The stories lead you to the ultimate end of the universe or may be the beginning, depending on how you want to look at it. The book is well written and holds your attention through out. Considering that they were written in the fifties, they hold up very well. I give this book 4.70 stars.

The Peshawar Lancers-S. M. Stirling

This is an alternate history novel by the author of the Islander series. This time he takes us to a world in which a comet hit in the year 1878. The hit changed destroyed most of civilization and what survived remained stuck in the technology of the late 1800's. In this world, The British Empire is one of the two super powers along with Japan. The British Empire is now based out of India. This is a story of spies and of adventure as the main characters try to stop a plot designed to bring down their nation. This novel was not bad, but it was not up to Stirling's usual fine work. it took a while to get going and it ended a little suddenly. But the characters and situations they were in were believable. Over all i give this novel 4.0 stars.

Back in the USSA-Eugene Byrne & Kim Newman

This is a alternate history novel in which everything that we know has been turned upside down. The 1917 communist revolution happened in the U.S. In this world Al Capone is president and dictator. This novel is filled with many familiar names all in very unfamiliar situations. The novel begins interesting enough, but it slowly goes down hill. The novel also has a very uneven feel to reading it. Some parts are very good even humorous while other parts drag and you labor to get through.  This novel reads more like a bunch of short stories thrown together than a cohesive novel. I give this novel 2.0 stars.

Patterns of Chaos-Charles Ingrid

In this novel The Cho have a monopoly on FTL travel and naturally the rest to the galaxy wants their secret. This is not a bad novel, it just is not very original. You have read this plot lots of times and this time nothing stands out about this novel. The characters are not memorable and the novel does not hold your attention. On the good side it is a very easy read and it hangs together pretty well. I give this novel 3.0 stars.

On-Adam Roberts

This novel takes place on a world where gravity has shifted. West is now up and east is now down, so the inhabitants perceive themselves as living on a endless wall. They call it the worldwall. The novel follows the adventures of Tighe or more appropriately the misadventures of Tighe, because for the most part he is a passive participant in this novel. Things keep happening to him, he falls into one situation after another. While it is interesting to see what the shift in gravity has done the the world, you need a character that has a reason to exist to make a good story. The good thing about this novel is that the author has created a unique world, but he also created a forgettable story. I give this novel 2.50 stars.

The Shiva Option-David Weber

This is the sequel to In Death Ground and it was a very good addition to the series. The war that began in the last novel has now turned into a war of extinction. Either the Grand Alliance with its members of Humans, Orions, Ophiuchi and Gorms will die or their enemies the bugs will. This is a very good novel it is pack with action from beginning to end. The characters are pretty well developed. The plot is simple but the action is first rate. If you like space opera with lots of war ships and big sweeping action then this is for you. I give this novel 4.8 stars.

Diuturnity's Dawn-Alan Dean Foster

This is the third novel in the series that tell the story of how the Humanx Commonwealth was created. This novel follows three separate groups that are involved in events that could derail the growing closeness of Humans and Thranx. On the Thranx home world Fanielle Anjou and her friends are trying to get the Thranx to accept proposals that will bring about the closer union of both their species. On Dawn at a fair opponents are about to do something that could push the species apart. This is a very good novel that adds background to the series and is a very good story in its own right. While the author does leave a few things hanging, over all this is a very good novel and I give it 4.50 stars.

Rulers of the Darkness-Harry Turtledove

Harry Turtledove continues his epic fantasy series about a world at war. But this is a world where magic rules. Where instead of jets fighting in the air, you have dragons. This war has dragged on far longer than the original antagonists believed it would. With both of the major combatants using hideous methods to power their magic, some allies are looking to find a better way to power their magic. As with most of the different series he writes, it takes more than one book for his characters to develop and in this novel you have characters that have been developed over the pass few novels of this series. for those of you that have been following this series you will like this novel and for those that haven't, well it is better to begin with the first novel. Changing events in the story make this novel a good addition to the series and I give it 4.75 stars.

Vitals-Greg Bear

Hal Cousins is a scientist working on extending life and in pursuit of that he will go anywhere. On the eve of a trip to the bottom of the ocean he gets a call from his twin brother and from that moment his life changes. Attempts are made on his life, his brother is killed and he is forced to go into hiding. Before he was killed Hal's brother had uncovered a world wide conspiracy and now they were after Hal. The problem with this novel is that the conspirators are never very believable. On the plus side the novel does go into how some bacteria work and their relationship with humans. Another problem was that the main character never evoked any emotion in me. You should feel something for the main character, either you like the character or dislike the character. Overall a well written book, but not one of his best. I give this novel 3.2 stars.

When the Devil Dances-John Ringo

This is the third novel in this series in which Earth has been invaded by the Posleen. The three novels cover a period five years and in this novel, the only nation still holding out in any way is the U.S. The war, which has reached a stalemate, is about to change some what because of a change of tactics by the Posleen. While the novel is well written and is a easy read, it does not bring anything new to the series. It is almost like reading the second novel all over again. This novel added very little to the series. One of the few bright spots was showing a little about what life is like in the underground cities. Another bright spot is the character of Captain Anne Elgars which has added something new to the series. Overall this novel was something of a disappointment and I give it 3.5 stars.

The Skies of Pern-Anne McCaffrey

Anne McCaffrey picks up the story years after the computer Aivas got the dragons and their riders to change the orbit of the Red Planet. The story takes you to the search for some new job for the dragons and their riders to do now that the Thread will soon stop falling on Pern. Also mixed in is the fight against the people who are bent of destroying all technology and returning Pern to a more pure state, as they see it. This is a very easy read and the story line added a new dimension to the world of Pern. While this may be one of the weaker books of the series, it is still a good addition to the series. I give this novel 4.60 stars.

The Saga of Seven Suns: Hidden Empire-Kevin J. Anderson

In this new series, Humans have only come across one alien race, the Ildirans. The only other alien race they know about, the Klikiss is long dead, leaving behind some ruins and robots. Humans are spreading themselves out among the stars as fast as possible, that is until they make a tragic mistake. Now they are in a fight for their civilization and have no friends to turn to, not even the Ildirans, who gave them the keys to the stars. This is a good beginning to the series. Kevin Anderson has created three unique societies of humans that don't always get along. My two problems with this book is that some of the characters still need to be fleshed out and the fact that this is one of those books where you are left hanging at the end. I give this book 4.10 stars.

Chindi-Jack McDevitt

In Jack McDevitt's latest the human species is slowly spreading through out the galaxy. They are now slowly coming to the realization that they are alone. When a signal is heard around a neutron star, people from the group that still hope to find aliens, put up the money for a ship to go find the source. Along the way Captain Priscilla Hutchins must keep a passengers from getting themselves killed while trying to find out about the newly discovered alien network. This was a average story with average characters. While it was a easy read and it hung together quite well, nothing about it was memorable. I give this novel 3.50 stars.

1633-Eric Flint & David Weber

After writing 1632, Eric Flint decided to turn it into a series and together with David Weber they came up with this book. It begins just about where 1632 left off. This time it is Cardinal Richelieu of France who is their biggest foe. Now the Americans must fight to save their new nation from Richelieu and his League of Ostend. With the action moving between England, France, Germany and Holland this novel is fast pace and very engaging. One other thing is that this novel and 1632 can read on their own. I am looking forward to the next one. I give this 4.70 stars.

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress-Robert A. Heinlein

This is one of the classic books written by the man many consider the dean of science fiction. First published in 1966, this is a novel of revolution and the quest to determine one's own fate. The moon which was settled as a penal colony  and has now evolved into a vital resource for the nations of Earth, has now decided that it is time they become an independent nation. This novel was awarded one of the four Hugo Awards Robert Heinlein won during his life. A lot of people consider this novel to be his best work. While I don't consider this his best, it is one of the best books he has written. My one nit pick is that I thought it was a little too long. I give this novel 4.40 stars.

Manifold Origin-Stephen Baxter

This is the third in a series of novels that uses the same main characters, but in different universes. This time Earth's moon has disappeared and a new larger red moon has taken its place. The new moon has caused destruction on a global scale. When his wife, Emma is pulled onto the new moon, Malenfant organizes a trip to that new moon to find her. While there Malenfant will discover the origin of the universe and of life is wrapped up in the mystery of the red moon. This was not the best manifold novel, but it was good enough to hold my interest. All the same elements of the other two novels are here. Time travel, travel between universes. This novel was a good read, a bit slow in places and the character of Malenfant was more two dimensional than the other two novels. I give this 4.0 stars.

The Years of Rice and Salt-Kim Stanley Robinson

This novel is really a history of a alternate world. It begins with the idea that there were very few survivors of the black death. So all of the progress in the world was centered in India and China, instead of Europe and the United States. The story goes from the the slow reclamation of Europe to the beginning of the scientific age in India. It then goes on from the discovery of the Americas to the world war and beyond. The problem with this novel is that it reads more like a generalized history of that alternate world. There are no really strong characters that pull you into the story. It almost seems like the author was setting up a world in which he would base future stories. I give this 3.20 stars.

Krondor Tear of the Gods-Raymond E. Feist

This is the third book of his Riftwar legacy, but done let that bother you, because each of these books can be read separately. In this novel a ship has been sunk that contains a very valuable jewel. Now the race is on between Squire James and his allies and the man called the Bear to reach the jewel. Once again as always this is a novel filled with magic and demons. While it does not add anything new to the overall story, it is a very entertaining adventure and will be enjoyed by Feist fans. I give it 4.20 stars.

Conquerors Pride-Timothy Zahn

This the first in a trilogy that chronicles the war between the Human Commonwealth and the species they call the conquerors. In this first novel you are introduced to the Cavanagh family, who are putting their lives on the line in an attempt to rescue a family member from the Conquerors. You are also introduced to the Zhirrzh, as the conquerors are called. The novel mainly follows members of the Cavanaghs as they try to find out where their family member is held and try to find a way to rescue him. As the first book of a trilogy, this novel failed to grab me. The story is just o.k. as are the characters. Also at the end of this novel you still do not know very much about the Human Commonwealth. I give this 3.75 stars.

Conquerors Heritage-Timothy Zahn

In this the second novel of the trilogy, the entire novel is about the Zhirrzh and is written from their point of view. You also find out how they think the war started and why they are fighting the Conquerors as they call the Human Commonwealth. You follow a young Zhirrzh, Thrr-gilag as he tries to recover from the shame of having his captive escape and also find out why the Human are bent of conquering them. By the time this novel is over you will know more about the Zhirrzh than about the Human Commonwealth. While the story is interesting, it slows down quite a bit. I give this novel 3.0 stars.

Conquerors Legacy-Timothy Zahn

In this the last of the trilogy, Thrr-gilag and members of the Cavanagh family unite to try to put an end to a war that began by a mistake. Both sides will have to find a way to stop members of their species who are bent of seeing the war continue. The overall story of the trilogy is a average one and never grabs you. Also this the last novel is a bit of a disappointment because it was predicable. The characters never really got filled out. So I give this novel 3.40 stars

EarthRise-William C. Dietz

This is a sequel to the novel DeathDay in which the Saurons attacked Earth and over three days killed three billion humans and destroyed civilization. In the process turned the remaining humans into slaves. In this novel the slaves, both human and alien  are facing a dead line. They have to come up with a way to defeat the Saurons before the Saurons complete their task. This is a fast pace action novel that picks up where the last one left off, following much of the same characters as the first novel. I give this novel 4.10 stars.

Hour of the Gremlins-Ben Bova & Gordon R. Dickson

This is one of those books in which the title has almost nothing to do with the stories inside. There are three novels in this book.

Gremlins Go Home by Ben Bova & Gordon R. Dickson is the first novel and it is a tale about a boy named Rolf Gunnarson who finds out that elves and gremlins are real. They enlist his help in stealing the next mission to Mars so that they can get to their home planet after thousands of years on Earth. The problem I had with this was that the plot was predictable and the characters were not interesting. The story never really gets going. I give this 2.75 stars.

Hour of the Horde by Gordon R. Dickson is the second novel in this book. In this tale Miles Vander is a painter who has been left injured by Polio. When aliens contact the governments of Earth for help in fighting off a alien invasion of this galaxy, they chose him as the sole representative of Earth. This is a much better story with a strong character that grows through out the story as he tries to find a way to get along with his companions and prove they have something to contribute. I give this one 3.60 stars.

Wolfing by Gordon R. Dickson is the third novel and it is by far the best of the lot. James Keil is on a mission from Earth to see if the newly discovered and much more advanced human galactic empire is in any way related to the humans on Earth. When he gets to the capital world he gets involved in galactic intrigue that could threaten Earth. This story has action, a very good mystery and strong characters. It is a very fast read and holds your interest all the way to the end. I give this one 4.20 stars.

Overall I give this book a combined 3.5 stars.

Stars & Stripes Triumphant-Harry Harrison

The epic alternate history civil war trilogy concludes with this novel. With Great Britain angry at having been forced out of Canada and Ireland by the U.S. They have once again began harassing U.S. shipping. President Lincoln hopes for peace is slowly fading. General Sherman has the task of finding a way of defeating Britain once again. Filled with famous figures in new settings, this is a good end to the series. It is a short novel and very fast paced. I thing it is a bit to short and that he could have explored the British side of things a little bit more. It is a good novel and I give it 4.0 stars.

Battlefield Earth-L. Ron Hubbard

This is an epic Science Fiction adventure that takes place in the year 3000. The planet Earth is owned by the  Psychlo Mining Company and there are few humans left on Earth. This is the time that Jonnie Goodboy Tyler leaves his dying village to find a better place for them to live. He is captured by Terl, the Psychlo head of security. With that the adventure begins, Jonnie must lead a handful of humans against the Psychlo's in an attempt to free Earth before humans become extinct. This is a novel that is a full speed ahead run away Sci-Fi action novel that is a fun read. Don't let the fact that it is over a thousand pages long keep you from reading it. There are very few novels out there that is as fun to read as this one. It is a classic that did what it set out to do, tell a fun science fiction story. I give it 5.0 stars.

Prey-Michael Crichton

The latest by Michael Crichton is a novel of nanotechnology gone amok. Scientists working for Xymos have developed a new technology that has escaped and is now hunting humans. Jack Forman is hired to find a way to stop it and he must do so before it evolves beyond all control.  The problem with this novel is that it is difficult to have a villain that does not have a personality. By the time story gets interesting the novel is over, just when the nanotechs were beginning to develop into something. I can only give this 4.0 stars.

Red Thunder-John Varley

The U. S. and China is in a race to Mars and it looks like the Chinese are going to win. That doesn't sit well with Manny and his friends, so they go about building a space ship that will get them to Mars in four days and in the process they changed the world. This was a fun book to read despite its flaws and there were a few. Some of the characters were one dimensional and the story by no means breaks any new ground. But it is a entertaining story and I give it 4.40 stars.

The Dark Path-Walter H. Hunt

This is the follow up to Hunt's first novel, The Dark Wing and it is a big improvement over that first novel. The action takes place some eighty years later and this time ships are disappearing into some parts of space outside the empire's borders. The Zor, who are now allies of the Humans suspect what is going on. Somewhere out there is a alien species that is attacking the empire. This novel is much better than the last one, the action is smoother and the characters are more developed. Mr. Hunt's second effort is worth a recommend. I give it 4.75 stars.

This is a story that takes place in a future that is ruled by the Mexica Empire. The Mexica or Aztec Empire never died on this world, it instead became a world dominating force that is now spreading out from Earth. In this novel Dr. Gretchen Anderssen and her team has been forced into a mission of rescue for the Mexica government. This is not a bad novel, it has a good enough mystery such as why the Mexca government is really there. But for a alternate history novel it leaves to much out. In this novel we never really find out what makes the Mexca universe that much different from our own. Nothing in this novel makes it stand out from the crowded field that alternate history has become. The characters are not very memorable, maybe over the next several books they will grow. Now this book isn't totally bad, it's well written and the story is smooth. But today's novel needs to be a touch above the rest and this isn't. I give it 3.00 stars.

Frequencies-Joshua Ortega

This first time author has created a world that is unique. This is a world in which your thoughts are monitored and thinking the wrong thoughts can get you sent to jail or worst. Most of the action takes place in and around Seattle. The main characters are FBI agents McCready and Ignacio they work for a branch that monitors thoughts. The other main characters are the owners of Ordosoft. Now the story does tend to drag just a little toward the middle and the background needs to filled in a little more so the reader can understand how the world got to be where it is. But over all for a first time author this is a very good novel. I give it 4.30 stars.

Blind Lake-Robert Charles Wilson

Scientists have figured out a way to spy on alien worlds, unfortunately they don't know just how it works and they had a hell of a time duplicating it. Just when they have got it working here at Blind Lake, the government has sealed the place leaving the scientists inside to fend for themselves. While some scientists are still working to understand the aliens they are watching, others are trying to find out why the government has trapped them in the blind lake facility. While this is a well written story and the characters are well formed, the story does not get interesting until close to the end. If more time was spent on the entities or intelligences that were revealed towards the end  then maybe the story would have been better. I give this 3.85 stars.

Hell's Faire - John Ringo

This is the fourth and final book in this series about Earth at war. In the story thus far, the leading governments of Earth were contacted by a galactic federation asking for help in fighting off an invasion by a species known as the Posleen. The reason they should help is that Earth is next in line on the Posleen hit parade.  The other books in the series deal with the attack and the defeat of most of Earth forces by the Posleen. By the time of the events in this book the only fighting force left is the U.S. military and now the end game is in site. Now most of the characters in this series are not fully developed, the only characters with any depth are main characters. But that's all that is needed, this is a series in the style of Independence Day. Fighting against all odds and maybe pulling it out even when it seems hopeless. My one major complaint is that the series concentrated on actio0n almost to the exclusion of all else. Maybe showing a bit more of the Federation's politics would have made it better. By the way, you don't have to buy all the books to read the entire series, there is a free cd included with this book that has all the books of this series on it. I give this novel 4.0 stars.

Cathouse-Dean Ing

This is a story that takes place during the Man-Kzin wars. The Man-Kzin wars, for those who don't know, take place in a universe created by Larry Niven. It is a series of wars between humans and the Kzin. The Kzin are a species that resembles tigers. In this story Carroll Locklear has been captured by the Kzin and dumped on a planet that at first glance seems empty but actually has creatures in stasis. In this part of the planet those creatures are Kzin that were taken from before they got space travel. If he is to escape he will need to find allies from among the Kzin.  This story while not bad does not add anything to overall Man-Kzin universe.  Also it is a premise that has been done better in other novels. The main character also does nothing to excite the reader. I give this 3.50 stars.

Briar Patch-Dean Ing

This can be considered a sequel to Cathouse. The main character Carroll Locklear is back on the same planet but in a different section. The planet is divided into sections by Force fields and this time he is in a section that represents Earth. Once again there are creatures in stasis, only this time they are Neanderthals.  This novel adds very little to the Man-Kzin universe and turns out to be just another story. There is no new depth added to the characters. I give this novel 3.2 stars.

Dante's Equation-Jane Jensen

Jane Jensen has written a novel that is part science fiction, part religious mysticism and part detective novel. In Israel Rabbi Aharon Handalman a Torah code expert comes across the name of Yosef Kobinski, a polish rabbi who died during world war two. Kobinski who was also a physicist discovered something during the end of the war that could change Earth forever. In Seattle Jill Talcott, also a physicist, is about to discover that same energy. Now both of them, along with a nosey reporter are hunting for the lost papers of Kobinski, which could hold the key to controlling this energy. They are doing all this while being chased by agents of both the U.S. and Israeli governments. The story is interesting but the problem I have with this novel is that the characters are all similar in that they are all obsess with their work to the exclusion of all else. That made the novel a little predictable. But overall it was a good novel and worth the read. I give it 4.50 stars.

Jaws of Darkness-Harry Turtlledove

The epic fantasy series continues. This is the story of a world at war. Algarve which started the war in a attempt to take control of the main continent is finally seeing all their gains getting reversed. Unkerlant, which has taken the brunt of the fighting is now using its advantage in men and materials to push Algarve back. Now with Lagoas and Kuusamo finally about to launch their invasion, things are beginning to look bleak for Algarve. This novel begins to put most of the characters in a different position than they were at the beginning of the series. The characters are beginning to worry about other things besides the war. This novel is one of the better ones in this series. I give it 4.65 stars.

The Bromeliad Trilogy - Terry Pratchett

The Bromeliad Trilogy is made up of the novels Truckers, Diggers and Wings. It is the story of a group of nomes that have lived all their lives in a department store. They have been in the store for so long that they no longer remember the outside. Then into their world comes a group of outside nomes bringing with them news that the store is about to be closed and they will all have to leave. The story follows them as they go and try to find a place of their own where humans won't be able to bother them. The strongest of the novels is the first one where we meet the nomes and they prepare to leave the store. The weakest of the novels in the second one in which they have a conflict with humans. The overall story would not have been weakened if that second novel was not included.  It is a story that has its moments and while not gripping will help you pass the time. I give this 4.0 stars.

Flinx's Folly - Alan Dean Foster

This is the latest Pip and Flinx adventure and this time Flinx is beset by more enemies that are even more determined to kill him. His the severity of his headaches increase so does him powers. For those who do not know, this story takes place in the humanx universe. This latest novel adds to the growing and continuing story of Flinx and coming role in the darkness that is coming. In this novel he comes to understand that he needs to speak to someone, so he goes to find the one person he feels he can confide in. In doing so he opens himself up to enemies and friends. For those of you that have read about Flinx and his adventures this one will please you. For those of you who have not, this is a good novel in which to start. If you like it then you may want to go back and read some of the other Flinx novels, but it is not necessary for you to enjoy this one. I give this 4.60 stars.

The Orion Protocol - Gary Tigerman

In this novel, Gary Tigerman takes several facts and unexplained inconsistencies in the U.S. space program and weaves a very good story. It begins when Angela Browning gets a disc with a picture of Mars that should not exist. The story then continues with government cover-up in the space program that has been going on for a long time. It also explains why satellites always go missing around Mars. There are a few problem, it is a little hard to believe that the U.S. government would get away some of the things in this book with out lawsuits flying all around. But overall this is a fast pace and fun novel to read. I give this novel 4.35 stars.

For us the Living - Robert A. Heinlein

All great writers began somewhere and this is Robert Heinlein beginning. This is his first novel and in it you can see the style that was to make him famous. It is the story of a man who gets into a accident and wakes up one hundred fifty years later. Now he has to cope and adjust to life that is very different than the one he knew. Now since this is a first novel there are problems with it, as you would expect. The characters are one dimensional and not fully developed. Also Heinlein uses this as a vehicle to put out his ideas on how capitalism should work, so you get long passages in which the characters do nothing but explain why their system works so well. All that aside, the story when it does move is interesting. You also see themes that will appear in many of his later novels. As a novel I give this 3 stars, but as the first work of a grand master it stands alone.

This is the latest in Card's Alvin Maker series. Alvin goes to New Orleans on his wife's urging. There he meets his brother Calvin and a few other historical figures. Along with his companion, Arthur Stuart who is also his apprentice, he will free a few slaves and build a new city. None of that will be as easy as it sounds. As fantasy series go this is one of the best and this novel was well worth the wait. This series takes place in an alternate world where magic of a type works and Alvin who is the seventh son of a seventh son is one of the most powerful magicians around. I give this novel 4.65 stars.

In this latest novel Nazi Germany won the war and now rules most of North America and Europe. The story follows a family, Heinrich Gimpel his wife and three daughters and a few of their friends as they go about their lives in Berlin the capital of the German Empire. What makes their lives very dangerous is the secret they are keeping. They are Jews and if their secret every gets out they would be killed. The novel also takes you through some of the changes going on in that Germany. The story is compelling  and the characters are well rounded. This is very good novel and I give it 4.70 stars.

This is a book of short stories, all of the stories take place in the world of the novels 1632 and 1633. Most of the stories take place between 1632 and 1633 and you get to see why some of the events in the novel 1633 happened as they did. A few of them take place after 1633 and you get a taste of what will be coming in the next novel in the series. Some of the authors that wrote the stories include David Weber and Mercedes Lackey. Most of the stories are quite good, the ones I liked the best were Skeletons by Greg Donahue, To Dye For by Mercedes Lackey, A Witch to Live by Walt Boyes and The Wallenstein Gambit by Eric Flint.  This book I give 4.50 stars.

Nigel Walmsley is an astronaut working for NASA, who is sent to destroy a asteroid that is going to hit Earth. When he gets there he finds out that it is an old space probe. As he reluctantly is forced to destroy it, it sends out a signal. Fifteen years later something responded and Nigel is there to answer. I had a few problems with this novel despite the fact that it is well written.  I didn't like the main character, now that does not necessarily kill a novel as long as the plot is engaging. This plot wasn't. I have read novels of a similar premise that were better. Whole areas of the novel just seems to drag. I give this novel 3.30 stars.

In this the final novel of the Darkness series, the world war is over and the winners are turning their attention to each other. There are six books in this series and while it could have been done is less, it was still a good series overall. The parallels to WW2 is very clear. Sometimes reading this series was like reading a history of a world war 2 that might have been if we had dragons and magic instead of planes and technology. The problem with this series is that you need to read the novels in the order they were written fully enjoy them. This novel I give a 4.40, it was a good ending to the series. As for the series as a whole I give it 4.0 stars.

This is the third novel is alternate universe in which the town of Grantville was ripped from West Virginia in the here and now and sent to the 1630's. There has also been one book of short stories called The Ring of Fire, from which a few future novels will be based. In this novel the new United States of Europe is trying to get a trading relationship going with Venice. But with the French and the Spanish against them, plus a few of their own going off intent on freeing Galileo, it seems that their effort will die before it gets started. This is a very interesting series in which minor characters in one novel become major ones in others. So far the series has been very good and this novel continues that trend. With fun characters and good story I look forward to the next in the series. I give this novel 4.50 stars.

This is the first novel of a trilogy and in this one Marcus Walker has been taken aboard at space ship where he joins hundreds of other creatures. All of whom have been taken from their planets. They are trapped in environments that simulate their homes. They are in route to be sold to the highest bidder by a group of aliens that operate on the fringe of Galactic law. Marcus, his new friend George, the enhanced talking dog and a few others must find a way to get off this ship and back to their homes. This is an average novel that helps you pass the time. It is not as good and the other Alan Dean Foster novels, but if you have nothing else to do it will help you pass the time. i give it 3.60 stars.

This is the continuing saga of a world in which the south won the civil war. Jake Featherston, the President of the Confederate States has turned that nation into that world's version of Nazi Germany, complete with concentration camps. While doing that, he is also secretly preparing for war with United States. The United States on the other hand has elected a socialist government that is doing all it can to avoid the war that everyone but them realize is inevitable. This is a good novel and I must say that I enjoyed it. Turtledove has the ability to put his characters into situations that the reader can easily understand. I give this novel 4.4 stars.

Well, at last Pip and Flinx get to go on vacation. That's the premise of the new Pip & Flinx novel from Alan Dean Foster. Unfortunately since this is Pip and Flinx the vacation turned out to be a life and death struggle just like everything else they get involve with. While this novel does not advance the overall plot of the series, it does give an insight into the AAnn. In this novel Flinx lands on a world that the AAnn is slowly taking over and becomes a catalyst for the local resistance. Now with the local AAnn authority trying to kill him, he must turn to his enemies for help.  This novel is not very memorable and it is a bit of a disappointment coming for Alan Dean Foster. I give this 3.00 stars.