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The Precipice (The Asteroid Wars #1)
by
Ben Bova
Once, Dan Randolph was one of the richest men on Earth. Now the planet is spiraling into environmental disaster, with floods and earthquakes destroying the lives of millions. Randolph knows the energy and natural resources of space can save Earth's economy, but the price may be the loss of the only thing he has left--the company he founded, Astro Manufacturing.Martin Humph...more
Published
(first published February 1st 2001)
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This is the first book I have finished on my new ebook reader and I am glad I read this fantastic piece of literature from one of my favorite Science fiction authors - Ben Bova.
I started reading Ben's work when I was in University. To tell the truth I had never heard of his name before when I saw the fantastic artwork on his novel - Titan. It was sitting on the top of the bargain bin at the local news agency and I thought I would give it a shot since the blurb on the back seemed interesting. Boy...more
I started reading Ben's work when I was in University. To tell the truth I had never heard of his name before when I saw the fantastic artwork on his novel - Titan. It was sitting on the top of the bargain bin at the local news agency and I thought I would give it a shot since the blurb on the back seemed interesting. Boy...more
Apr 18, 2013
Francis Gahren
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
science-fiction
Once, Dan Randolph was one of the richest men on Earth. Now the planet is spiraling into environmental disaster, with floods and earthquakes destroying the lives of millions. Randolph knows the energy and natural resources of space can save Earth's economy, but the price may be the loss of the only thing he has left--the company he founded, Astro Manufacturing.
Martin Humphries, fabulously wealthy heir of the Humphries Trust, also knows that space-based industry is the way of the future. But unli...more
Martin Humphries, fabulously wealthy heir of the Humphries Trust, also knows that space-based industry is the way of the future. But unli...more
Apr 04, 2013
Dark-Draco
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorites,
science-fiction-series
This is the first book by this author I have read and I really enjoyed it. In the novel, Earth is in crisis. Global Warming has crashed down on us, and with heavy flooding, little food and little energy, the future doesn't look good. Dan Randolph, owner of a huge space-faring corporation, is also losing money, but he is offered the chance to mine the Asteroid belt for the precious minerals, metals and water that they contain. Only Humpheries, the guy doing the offering, has other ideas in mind....more
This turned out to be a better, and indeed a bit different book, than Moonwar. Here we begin to get farther out from our current tech level, but not by much. The science is as hard, but somehow the story was less repetitive.
And the best quote:
"[Dan] was glad that he ahd decided to keep his public relations team intact, despite layoffs in other corporate departments. Fire the accountants and the lawyers, he reminded himself. Get rid of the paper shufflers and bean counters. But keep the people...more
And the best quote:
"[Dan] was glad that he ahd decided to keep his public relations team intact, despite layoffs in other corporate departments. Fire the accountants and the lawyers, he reminded himself. Get rid of the paper shufflers and bean counters. But keep the people...more
First installment of the Asteroid Wars series. It's competent sci-fi. No fantasy elements and the scientific ideas don't stretch too much beyond what is current. It's fine, but not great. I wasn't intrigued by any aspect of it but also not too disappointed by anything - may read the rest of the series if I'm looking for something to fill out a week's reading since the books are at my library.
Thoroughly entertaining adventure story. (He tries to tackle gender & beauty issues in the interplay between a female viewpoint character and the other main female character, and it sorta works, although jeez, can the descriptions of OMG TEH HOTNESS of the secondary character. Passes the Bechtel test too, IIRC.) Looking forward to reading #2, which I suppose says something.
May 14, 2013
Nikolas Rex
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Those who like corporate sci-fi books
Shelves:
skipped-to-the-end
Did not feel like this was much of a science fiction book as it was so focused on corporate interactions, which was the most boring part. Characters were boring, did not connect with any of them. I guess mostly this was all just boring. I did get any sort of thrill out of this at all. Skipped to the end, thought that was boring too.
Competent Sci-Fi. An interesting story of what may be: capitalism purified by environmental collapse and the desperate development of deep space. It's a good quick read that will hook you. It hooked me anyway, now I wonder if I will ever get the chance to borrow that third book in the series from Dan...
i thought this was a fantastic book. it is set in the future, with global warming and changing weather patterns threatening the population. The main character wants to collect elements from the asteroid belt to help move all industry into space. Many people dont think he should do this and fight against him.
Part one of the Asteroid Wars series (and overall part of Bova’s Grand Tour of the Solar System), in which Mr. Bova takes us on yet another journey through corporate near future space. A decent read if you like Bova, but nothing special.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=491
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=491
This is very thought provoking science fiction. The science is spot-on and the concepts depicted are things that are just beyond our reach at the moment, but could very well be reality within the foreseeable future.
It's well written and aside from a few niggles, a very good read.
It's well written and aside from a few niggles, a very good read.
Climate change is destroying the Earth and the New Moralality is against technology. Dan Randolph and Martin Humphries struggle for possession of fusion rockets and the mineral wealth of the astroids. Pancho Lane is a space pilot who tries to do the right thing while protecting her incarcerated sister.
I remember reading this masterpiece, but I can't remember when. I'm, going to go with 2004 because that is the last time I went on a reading binge. I was waiting so hard to get my hands on the next installments in the series. It was sooo good!
If you're wondering where else the human race can live, so is Ben Bova as he narrates "The Precipe" taking place in a not so distant satellite compare to other heavenly bodies--the moon.
Nanotechnology first came to my knowledge through this book and I was amazed of it's possibilities in the novel and in reality--though some would make it to realization, you'll be just content of how it makes the story close to reality.
Nanotechnology first came to my knowledge through this book and I was amazed of it's possibilities in the novel and in reality--though some would make it to realization, you'll be just content of how it makes the story close to reality.
This is old-school space opera, with heroes and villains and some science thrown in for validity. Fluffy, but a reasonably good read. It's the first of a trilogy and I do plan to keep going.
Precipice seemed much lighter than his other writing, more like a novella but I greatly enjoyed it anyway. His message resonated with my libertarian sensibilities, trust no one with power, private or public. The story was predictable, especially having read Moon Wars previously but it was nice to see familiar characters.
The beginning of his "Asteroid War" series. Interesting view on the effects of greenhouse gas, and capitalism run amok. Wonderful characters.
This is a perfect example of what is known as hard science fiction. In other words, strictly factual in it's scientific premise, no fantasy elements.
Took me a couple chapters to get into this one but now fear I must read more of the series!
Good start to what I believe is a trilogy. I throughly enjoyed reading this one!
I wanted a hard science fiction book but this one didn't scratch my itch.
Took some time to get into since it's about global warming, business politics and experimental science. Eventually the "double damns" and quirky named Poncho won me over. More of a slow burn rather than a thrilling space drama.
The 70's called, even they think these gender stereotypes are embarrassing.
good start to a series. will start book 2 in a little while.
The Rise of Panco vs Humphries
book one in the asteroid wars.
Interesting storyline but I was turned off by some sexist aspects. Every chapter Amanda appears in mentions at least once how nicely she fills out her spacesuit, and then she decides to marry a guy she doesn't know partly to avoid the creepy guy who also wants to marry her. Had the book been published 40 yrs earlier it would have been understandable. I'm undecided about whether to continue with the series...I will probably give it another try at some point.
An outstanding example of speculative fiction that feels as if it's really happening, in The Precipice Bova manages to conjure up a futuristic setting that feels totally real and solid. While the characters aren't all everyday people and he takes a bit of artistic license in presenting them to advance the story, I felt that it was perfectly appropriate for this type of story. If half-stars were allowed I might have given it 4.5.
I nice book, good for people that like the Astro Corporation Arc or the Dan Randolph personage.
Oct 01, 2008
Chris Bailey
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone who likes true space science fiction.
I was looking for some classic style science fiction and this was it. I enjoyed both the characters and the setting. The fact that politicians, moral groups, and corporations fight each other while the Earth becomes more uninhabitable, made it seem less like fiction and more like a true vision of our future.
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Ben Bova was born on November 8, 1932 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1953, while attending Temple University, he married Rosa Cucinotta, they had a son and a daughter. He would later divorce Rosa in 1974. In that same year he married Barbara Berson Rose.
Bova is an avid fencer and organized Avco Everett's fencing club. He is an environmentalist, but rejects Luddism.
Bova was a technical writer fo...more
More about Ben Bova...
Bova is an avid fencer and organized Avco Everett's fencing club. He is an environmentalist, but rejects Luddism.
Bova was a technical writer fo...more
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