If I could give this book a 3.5/5, I would. I got it for free, as part of Amazon's Prime program. My expectations were low. I was wrong. This novel haIf I could give this book a 3.5/5, I would. I got it for free, as part of Amazon's Prime program. My expectations were low. I was wrong. This novel has character development and a real plot. The setting is more technically believable than many so-called 'hard' SF novels I've picked up on the cheap. One could categorize the book in the tradition of 'hard' SF because the author did make a successful effort to incorporate believable technology -- mostly present stuff updated plausibly. For example, the space station architecture, the robots, the computer systems, and the comm gear of 2075 are consistent with tech trends and limited by the laws of physics. She did fall short with some mundane tech. For example, I'm certain there won't be any fluorescent lights or tile floors in the hallways of a space station in 2075. The main character is a reporter, and the author seems familiar with the world of journalism, which was interesting. The author also knows something about martial arts and describes it well. The pacing is fast. I enjoy that. At times, scenes alternate the first person point of view between the protagonist, Maggie, and the male support, Travis, which produces interesting action scenes where you experience what each is feeling and thinking. This is immersive and enjoyable. The writing is clear. Rarely did I hit a string of dialog where I lost track of who's speaking in contrast to the great Robert Heinlein's novels. The female protagonist has a believable background. She makes some credible mistakes and misjudgments. She is never excused because she is female. 'Expect more from women of the future' seems to be a sub-theme of this novel. Keep writing protagonists like Maggie Barnes, and I'll read another. She's almost as entertaining as Tom Clancy's Ryan. The protagonist initially spends a seemingly unnecessarily large amount of time on her appearance. Perhaps this is just how women really think today, and I, a male, am seeing the consequences clearly. This was intriguing. I have no reference points, so I have no answers, but the story made me think of something I had never thought about before, so it earns points as good SF. Flaws: 1) The main character asks the question, "Why do we have so many military people on a residential space station?" Answering this question is the main driver of the plot. The threats from a terrorist group could be just as well fought on earth's surface at far less cost so this question is well-founded, but never answered. (Must I read another or all the volumes in the set to find out?) We are given a number of rogue robots that come onstage later in the book, and a villain is exposed, but it's like we've been thrown a bone. There are enough other loose ends to lure me back, but not getting the answer to the primary question is dissatisfying. I am not accustomed to reading series of novels. If the answer to the mystery is big and complicated then we readers should hear this and then expectations would be set. 2) The Space Force is running a boot camp on the station. That seems an uneconomic, implausible way to train raw recruits. In the story, Maggie doesn't ask them why they are there, and the raw recruits don't ask the question either. There should at least be a cover story that they have all been told. 3) With several characters, parts of the dialog are hyperbole, but to my ear, it makes the speaker sound like a teenager.
I was a fan of Heinlein in high school. I haven't read anything by him since Stranger in a Strange Land. The style is the old Heinlein style. I've chaI was a fan of Heinlein in high school. I haven't read anything by him since Stranger in a Strange Land. The style is the old Heinlein style. I've changed and his style now seems a bit old-fashioned. For example, the characters careen from decision to action and he has them explain their decisions later, even though he devotes more than half the book to dialog. This novel has an up-to-date parallel worlds concept, and an innovative way to write a pair of parallel stories. But I don't think his innovation worked dramatically. He didn't publish this novel in his lifetime, so maybe he felt the same way. I have the other parallel novel 'The Number of the Beast' still unread, which was published in his lifetime. On the good side, this was like re-visiting an old friend from long ago. This story has all the energy and strong characters of every Heinlein story. The good guys win, the guys get the girls but he makes it clear that the women were in control all along. If you are a fan, you might like it. I read it to the end out of respect for him, and to see if he could tie off all the loose ends, and get his characters extracted from a moral dilemna. He did it....more
This is a rambling book, full of opinions, but lacking crisp arguments, and evidence. The title makes the book sound like a polemic FOR robotic explorThis is a rambling book, full of opinions, but lacking crisp arguments, and evidence. The title makes the book sound like a polemic FOR robotic exploration, and AGAINST astronauts doing exploration.
Actually, the book is not a polemic. The book presents opinions of the value of both humans and robots in space exploration, with the weighting in favor of robots. Generally, comparisons aren't drawn; contrasts are not explained; conclusions are hedged. The result is a muddle.
The authors evidently felt they had something important to say, but I didn't get it....more
Mr. Kloos writes like Scalzi and Haldeman (Old Man's War, Forever War) and to a lesser extent Robert Heinlein. I enjoyed the writing style. Very clear,Mr. Kloos writes like Scalzi and Haldeman (Old Man's War, Forever War) and to a lesser extent Robert Heinlein. I enjoyed the writing style. Very clear, actually, clearer than Heinlein. The story seemed a lot like stories I had heard before of a young man going off to war. There's boot camp, wise superior officers, incompetent superior officers, and a string of casual relationships. There's a persistent love interest, but it is not entirely credible. He starts off as a boy, attracted to the woman, but by the end of the book he knows something about life, but he's still attracted to the same woman. In my experience, immature men and women get together. They fall apart, in part because one happens to mature a bit faster and gets ahead. OR the two of them have to grow together, but that requires a shared experiences or very similar experiences. Needed a bit more to convince me that his first love is THE one. However, I don't recall Heinlein doing any better. I would read another from Kloos, but not this year....more
The world-building was intriguing, but unfinished. A political crisis was brewing, but left hanging. I stuck it out for about 100 pages. Hit a plot twiThe world-building was intriguing, but unfinished. A political crisis was brewing, but left hanging. I stuck it out for about 100 pages. Hit a plot twist that was going to take the main characters on a series of Star Trek adventures and remove them from the crisis at home. The characters didn't grab me. I wanted to hear about the political buildup and what it evolved into. ...more
I'd categorize this book as a military-ops thriller, with some fantasy weapons. This is for younger guys. The writing is easy to follow. The action isI'd categorize this book as a military-ops thriller, with some fantasy weapons. This is for younger guys. The writing is easy to follow. The action is so fast-paced that the characters have no time to reflect or do anything but cope with the next action sequence. What relief there is comes from a few interwoven plot threads. There's no heroism, only instinctive action, and improbable stunts. I like more realism in depiction of the military. The USMC ranks need research. The command structure and procedures don't have a military style. A long battle gets progressively less believable as a series of 'James Bond' style impossible weapons are introduced. There's too much blood and gore for my tastes. This is Matt Reilly's first book, written about 20 years ago. He has more like this. ...more
Beautifully written. Memorable. The non-linear structure is deftly handled. This is a memoir, composed of stories about people who meant a lot to the auBeautifully written. Memorable. The non-linear structure is deftly handled. This is a memoir, composed of stories about people who meant a lot to the author in a portion of his career and his life. The characters are variously three-dimensional, funny, exasperating, and Scottish. I gained an appreciation for what it means to be a Scot. The author loves the Scottish Highlands, particularly the Assynt. I held off reading this book until I had completed a tour of the Highlands. Luckily, the tour covered the areas mentioned in the book. My having walked and driven through the same lands added a lot to my enjoyment. I have also backpacked the Sierra Nevada, and that parallels the Highlands.
I am chuffed that the author broadened my vocabulary by using so many Scottish words. Looking them up was a rewarding chore. Since my family traces it's roots to Ireland, it was heartening to learn what the Gaeltachd is and learn that it survives among the Scots....more
I was expecting a small team on a scientific exploration mission to Methone. Instead, this is more space opera with hard SF technology. There's a fastI was expecting a small team on a scientific exploration mission to Methone. Instead, this is more space opera with hard SF technology. There's a fast pace and clarity to the writing, so I kept reading until the end. The story follows the events of one man and a number of associates, friends, allies and opponents who deal with a detected alien presence. Each of the humans serves or betrays their nation's interest. The contending human nations and multiple alien groups with shadowy motives of their own are the forces driving the plot, not the characters. The characters need more agency if they are to be interesting. The stakes are high for the Earth as a whole, but there's not much personally at stake for the main character and his associates. Consequently, there's some pain endured, but not enough struggle. Little is lost along the way to the goal, but since the fate of the Earth is still uncertain at the end, one must say that the main goal is unresolved.
The human political forces are an extrapolation of current events. That's good, because there's a lot of them and already knowing them makes it easy to keep track of who's who and makes their motivations instantly credible.
Some sub-plots trigger critical events, but the sub-plot characters don't have any contact with the main group of characters. One involves a traitor, who is never caught. The main characters never pursue or get their hands on this person. Maybe this sub-plot is picked up in a sequel?
The key human technologies in the story are explained quite well in an appendix. I appreciate that, and wish it were a standard feature of SF.
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