Metal Sky

Jack Stein #2

by Jay Caselberg

Starting a new life in Yorkstone, Jack and his fourteen-year-old ward are hired to find a metallic tablet that holds the key to an extraordinary scientific discovery that has fallen into the wrong hands, leading Jack into the middle of a politcal organization that will do anything to stop him. Original.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Mystery

307 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 2004

About the author

Jay Caselberg is an Australian author based in Europe. He has lived and worked in multiple countries around the world, at last count, around 70. He thinks of himself primarily as a short fiction writer and poet who also sometimes writes novels. His works span science fiction, fantasy, horror, literary and combinations of all of them.

Pen Names: James A. Hartley.

Reviews

[B. Barron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, technically (concerning the writing form and style) the book is okay; but the plot is convoluted, the characters wooden, and the main character psychic ability unnecessary and distracting.

There are a lot of interesting bits that could really be fleshed out. Strange alien artifacts are cool, and even more so when the one in question is a counterfeit. Hiring a PI to throw off your pursuers, that an okay idea – but if you do you NEVER let them get anywhere near the object you are trying to conceal! If you have concerns you hire someone else to get the object.

And a PI who doesn’t like guns? Okay, maybe – but anyone working in a dangerous profession who thinks carrying makes it more likely they will get shot? We have a word for that – Moron!

So overall I am underwhelmed. I will be selling my copy, no desire to keep it.

[S.j. Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Metal Sky by Jay Castelberg / 2004
Second in a series, this book's cover is very misleading. The story is nowhere near the level of Philip K. Dick or Raymond Chandler.
Jack Stein is a psychic investigator, his talent for gleaning information via objects, people or dreams helps him solve cases. Jack's ward, 14 year old Billie, has mad computer skills and she does all the real legwork finding out information on the people and places Jack needs to consider for his cases. So, Jack is hired by the mesmerizing Ms. Bridget Farrell to find an alien artifact stolen from her by her ex-partner Carl Talbot. The plot thickens with the addition of some other bad guys, a trip to an extinct alien planet, run-ins with local police, and a very lack luster showdown at the end. The writing style is just OK, the science fiction angle is kind of weak, the dialog between characters seems forced and modeled too much on old noir films. Kinda cheesy. The characters have potential for more dimension but come off as wooden and mystery aspects are poorly paced. Also, the book could have used a bit more editing. This one gets 2/5 stars.

[Mats Meersseman · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading the first book and living Jack's first case, I felt a little disappointed about the (lack of) action and intrigue in this second one. I liked the writing, but felt something profound was missing.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Private investigator Jack Stein has set up shop in the town of Yorkstone. It’s a town on the move, literally (it really is a moving town), and it’s a programmable town. For instance, one change the furniture in a room just by telling your computer. Jack’s appointment book is empty, until Bridget Farrell walks into Jack’s office. She is a very beautiful woman who knows how to use her beauty. She asks Jack’s help in finding a metallic tablet inscribed with ornate symbols.

Farrell had a colleague/competitor in the field of obtaining rare objects, a man named Talbot. Unfortunately, he got too close to the business end of an energy weapon, and is now very dead. The Yorkstone police are now very interested. A rich industrialist named Landeman is also interested in the tablet.

Jack is a psychic investigator; he works from hunches or "feelings" gained from objects, other people or dreams. He meets Talbot in his dreams and is told to go to a planet called Mandala. A major archaeological dig is underway, uncovering what was a major city. In his dreams, Jack sees the city as it was a millennia ago. But he is no closer to discovering the answers to his growing list of questions.

Back in Yorkstone, Billie, Jack’s teenage "ward" and an expert information finder, learns that the object is made of a metal unknown to science, and probably came from Mandala. It could be an object of great power, or the key to some advanced civilization. Jack begins to piece it all together; a potentially "huge" object like this would be worth a lot of money to some people.

This works really well as a mystery story and a science fiction story. It’s just weird enough, and it also has echoes of famous tales like The Maltese Falcon. Either way, it’s worth reading.

[MarsianMan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jack is a psychic detective with a female computer genius as a teenage ward (named Billie). He is hired to find an artifact, but something is off about this entire case.

I did not dislike this book, but I never got into it. This book probably took me over 6 months to read because I kept putting it down. I was never hooked into the story. I wanted to find out what happened only because I had started it and I hate leaving a book unfinished. The characters also never appealed to me, but the relationship between Billie and Jack was an interesting mix of parent/child and partner/partner (non-romantic (but maybe later in the series? Or would that be weird?) ).

[Jessie J · Rating 1 out of 5]

The writing is not to my taste. Another reviewer here called it "boring," and I'm sorry to say that I had the same reaction. I didn't read Wyrmhole, and I found this one, plus the next two in the series, in the used bookstore. So, I thought I'd give it a shot as a nice, continuous storyline for a few days. I understand what the author was doing, but it just didn't work for me.

[Brett Bydairk · Rating 3 out of 5]

#2 in the series finds Jack and Bilie in a new town. A woman calls Jack about finding a man who has taken something from her, but she is not what she seems.
Better than #1, the plot is good, and there is a lot of hand-wringing by Jack re: what to do about Billie, who's now almost 14.

[Jkay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book, it was sci-fi with a bit of mystery. Now I'm not good with making reviews, but all I can say is that it's really exciting and full of detail.

[Ike · Rating 3 out of 5]

One word = dreamy

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm, another boring book. Back to the library to find something else!