The second book in Baxter and Clarke's Time Series, "Sunstorm," shows what happens when Sci-Fi and Fantasy writers are encouraged (forced?) to think of their work in terms of multi-volume sets. While "Times Eye" has a unique, though ultimately puzzling, backdrop to challenge our protagonists, "Sunstorm" comes across both uninteresting and uninspired.

Just as we saw in the first novel, the Firstborn are apparently behind an elaborate scheme to fry the Earth in a manner that brings to mind the best disaster movies of the 1970s (think "Poseidon Adventure" with shadowy aliens). The problem is, the characters are so emotionally thin as to be all but invisible.

In fact, much of this novel reads like a scientific "what if exercise," rather than a work of literature. And even though Clarke is known for his ability to fictionally bring to life advancements that wind up taking shape in the real world, this particular novel is nothing but excoriated fluff.

While I've never read any of Stephen Baxter's books, I've always enjoyed Arthur C. Clarke, and thought their first collaboration was not only well written, but had the chance for an inspired resolution. Unfortunately, this sequel leaves me wondering if the lack of insight we're offered here isn't just a product of using ultra-sentient, sophisticated predecessors of humankind as a coy device to create an interesting story.

Too bad it didn't work. I bought the third book but may wait a while.