The New Classics

THE PARATWA SAGA


-Christopher Hinz

LIEGE-KILLER
THE ASH-OCK
THE PARATWA


In the not too distant future... Scientists create the ultimate weapon: A Paratwa. Used as assasins, these creatures look human, hell, they look like 2 humans. They are connected telepathicly in a way so that they function as a single entity. The Paratwa lead to the destruction of earth and the formation of many colonies in orbit around earth. A few escaped the carnage only to return to the colonies two centuries later to raise more hell.
grade A+
-just the right amount of killing and violence and cross dressing.

THE UNIVERSE OF UPLIFT


-David Brin

SUNDIVER
STARTIDE RISING
THE UPLIFT WAR
BRIGHTNES REEF
INFINITY'S SHORE
HEAVEN'S REACH


*These stories are complicated unless you read them in order since they make references to previous books.
Aliens (many different species) have created a billion year old system of genetic manipulation for less intellegent species. Humans did not have this help with their evolution, and so most of these aliens hate Earth. grade A
-Aliens are such petty assholes.

TALES OF KNOWN SPACE


-Larry Niven

RINGWORLD
RINGWORLD ENGINEERS
RINGWORLD THRONE


(There are other books in the Tales of Known Space series, but I have only read these three.)
Aliens called the Pak have built a ring around a sun-sized star that has a few million times more surface area than Earth does. A nervous alien species called the Puppeteers form a human/alien scouting group to explore this ring.
grade B+
-Humorus, even when it's supposed to be serious. A good read.

NOVELS OF FIRST CONTACT


-C.J. Cherryh

FOREIGNER
INVADER
INHERITOR


A ship is sent from Earth to colonize a distant planet. They arrive to find that the planet that they had hoped for is not there. What is there is an Earth-like planet populated with a humanoid race called the Atevi. Some of the humans remain on the planet and try to resolve the differences betwen human and atevi culture. (I was only able to skim through the first 80 pages of INHERITOR while in the bookstore 2 years ago. I intend to read it eventually)
Overall Grade B
- Needs more violence.

"The Budayeen"

(?)*I'm not sure if this series has a series name, and being that the series is virtually non-existant, you won't be able to tell me I'm wrong.
George Alec Effinger

WHEN GRAVITY FAILS
FIRE IN THE SUN
EXILE'S KISS


I picked the first book, When Gravity Fails, at random at the public library last year. And as most trilogy books at public libraries are, there was only the first and second book there. To make matters worse, the entire series is listed as Hard To Find in Amazon.com. Thats why I can't ever find the books... well... Book one is Pretty Damn Good. A man living in a seedy area somewhere in the middle east (I'm sure the location is mentioned, but it's been a year since I read it) is sucked into a murder mystery. There are many strage things in this furture time, such as 'Moddies' and 'Daddies'. A Moddy is a personality module that is inserted in a surgically implanted socket in the back of your head (a la Johnny Mnemonic) that will allow your personality to change to the program. A daddy hooks up to the Moddy, it is supplemental, many are for languages. There are many other surgical enhancements.. (apparently this area has more sex changes in it than actuall people. Prepare to be confussed)
Grade so far A+
- It's hard to find, that just plain bites!

Books Of The Damned


Alan Dean Foster

A CALL TO ARMS
THE FALSE MIRROR
THE SPOILS OF WAR


Two extraterrestrial alliances are at war, the Weave (the good guys) and the Amplitur (the bad guys). The Amplitur use telepathic manipulation to get their slave races to do things for them, the Weave just can't stop them. Then the Weave find Earth. Humans are not affected by the telepathy. Humans actually hurt whomever is using the telepathy. So Earth gets sucked into battle against the Amplitur. The Weave's races don't like Humans much, they think humans are uncivilized and violent. Which they are.
Overall Grade B+
- needed more Violent Humans.

Cat


(I'm not sure if this series has a name. Cat is the main character.)
Joan D. Vinge

PSION
CAT'S PAW
DREAMFALL


A young man from the streets is discovered to be a psion, a person with hydran herritage and psi powers, and is taken advantage of. He's half human and half hydran, and his eyes have cat like pupils That might explain the name). People hate him because he is half hydran. They like him only because he is useful. Poor guy.
Overall Grade B+
- Needs more psi-stuff.

Love In Vein


Poppy Z Brite (I just love her name)

LOVE IN VEIN I
LOVE IN VEIN II
Vampire Erotica. It isn't a novel, it's more like an anthology. I've read a few stories from it. Interesting to say the least. Some stories are not as good as others. One story, hell, I could not find a vampire in it at all.
Grade so far B
-Give me a damn chance to read it! Or get it yourself even!

ShRiNe