Times are desperate for the Rebel Alliance. Harassment by the Empire and a shortage of vital supplies are hindering completion of a new secret base on the ice planet Hoth. So when Mid Rim merchants offer much-needed materials for sale, Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo lead an Alliance delegation to negotiate a deal.

But when treachery forces the rebel ship to flee into territory controlled by pirates, Leia makes a shocking discovery: the fierce marauders come from Leia’s homeworld of Alderaan, recently destroyed by the Death Star. These refugees have turned to pillaging and plundering to survive—and they are in debt to a pirate armada, which will gladly ransom the princess to the vengeful Empire . . . if they find out her true identity.

Struggling with intense feelings of guilt, loyalty, and betrayal, Leia is determined to help her wayward kinspeople, even as Imperial forces are closing in on her own crippled ship. Trapped between lethal cutthroats and brutal oppressors, Leia and Han, along with Luke, Chewbacca, and a battle-ready crew, must defy death—or embrace it—to keep the rebellion alive.

Prolific science fiction and fantasy author Martha Wells pens the first of a series of books set during the period of the Alliance rebellion covered by the three films in the original Star Wars trilogy. Razor’s Edge is a Leia-centric story set a couple of years after the destruction of the Death Star and it becomes quickly apparent that Wells has this universe and these characters down pat.

Razor’s Edge captures the witty banter, tense action and narrow seat-of-their-pants escapes fans of the trilogy are used to seeing.  This feels like Star Wars, and as such is Star Wars at its very best.  If you have ever wanted to get deeper into the heart, mind and motivations of Princess Leia Organa, you could do no better than to go along on this adventure.

And in case you were wondering, there is plenty of Han, Chewie and Luke as well.

Continue reading Star Wars: Razor’s Edge ~Martha Wells →

Two hundred years before the birth of Miles Vorkosigan, in a habitat orbiting the planet Rodeo, a genetically engineered people, nicknamed the “Quaddies”, have been created as a labor force to work in null gravity, their lower appendages being arms rather than legs as in standard humans, or “downsiders”.

The quaddies are not human in the eyes of their creators, they are “post-fetal experimental tissue cultures”, raised in a controlled environment and taught not only space construction but also how to maintain a largely self-sustaining environment in their orbiting home. Though many of the quaddies are technically adults, their carefully structured upbringing gives them the attitude and dependency of children.

The quaddies are a profitable commodity, their bodies engineered so that they do not need time off in gravity as humans do in order to maintain their health. As “property” of GalacTech they are unpaid labor, dependent on their creators for their every need. Leo Graf is a welding engineer, brought to Cay Habitat to teach a select group of quaddies how to build reliable, stable structures in space.

Though only in his 40’s, Graf feels like an old man compared to the eager young quaddies who attentively hang on his every word and whose ability to function in a no-gravity environment is far superior to his own. From his arrival, Graf is set on edge by the attitudes that project manager Bruce Van Atta and psychologist Dr. Sondra Yei demonstrate towards the quaddies and the more he gets to know them the more their condition grates on his sense of what is right and wrong.

Leo Graf can teach these young people how to do quality work that will last a lifetime, but can he teach one thousand quaddies, one thousand children, what it means to be free?

Leo Graf is based on Bujold’s father, Robert Charles McMaster, a Professor of welding engineering and the pioneer of the nondestructive technique. Falling Free won the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1998.

Falling Free touches on relevant social and biomedical topics while creating an instant emotional bond with readers through Leo Graf and a few all-too-human quaddies. Though the story occasionally feels rushed and might have benefited from another 50-100 pages to flesh out story threads (it weighs in at 255 pages in the version I read) it stands as a shining example of why Lois McMaster Bujold has developed such a devoted following. I highly recommend the book.

My rating: 9/10 stars

Continue reading Falling Free ~Lois McMaster Bujold →

It is the second stage of human colon-ization–the first age, humanity’s initial attempt to people the stars, ended in disaster when it was discovered that Earth’s original superluminal drive did permanent genetic damage to all who used it–mutating Earth’s far-flung colonists in mind and body. Now, one of Earth’s first colonies has given humanity back the stars, but at a high price–a monopoly over all human commerce. And when a satellite in earth’s outer orbit is viciously attacked by corporate raiders, an unusual young woman flees to a ship bound for the Up-and-Out. But her narrow escape does not mean safety. For speeding across the galaxy pursued by ruthless, but unknown adversaries, this young woman will discover a secret which is buried deep inside her psyche–a revelation the universe may not be ready to face….

I don’t often post book copy in a review, but This Alien Shore, a 1998 novel that was listed as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, is a layered, character-heavy novel that has so much going on that the prepared synopsis gives a nice foundation from which to build a review.

Jamisia Shido is the young woman in question, rendered beautifully on the cover by the talented Michael Whelan, and from the opening chapter Friedman has her on the run.  The pace of the beginning is breathless and break-neck and Friedman intersperses sections of high tension with those of intricate story building to create a vast, tightly-woven story that even at its significant length has you wondering how it will be possible for her to tie up all of the various threads.

But she does so, marvelously, and I am only sorry I didn’t discover C. S. Friedman’s work many years ago as I’ve wasted a lot of time not being able to sing her praises.

My Rating: 9/10 stars
Continue reading This Alien Shore ~C.S. Friedman →

Despite a long history of affection for the good Doctor, it was not until I picked up a copy of the 50th Anniversary reprint of Dan Abnett’s 2011 novel that I ever read a Doctor Who novel.  I first found out about the 50th Anniversary novel re-releases on SF Signal when they posted all the cover art for the novels, one for each of the various incarnations of the Doctor.

The Silent Stars Go By is a great novel to read at this time of year.  The Doctor (as played by Matt Smith) is taking Amy and Rory home to England to celebrate Christmas, but as things are wont to do in the Doctor Who universe, things go wrong and they end up in a very wintery place, but unfortunately not present day Earth.  Instead this snowy land exists in a far distant future where humanity has went to terraform another world and in so doing have come across creatures that are threatening their very existence.

I had read many positive things about Dan Abnett’s Warhammer novels and when I saw that he had penned this Doctor Who novel I felt it was the perfect opportunity to try out both his work and a novel in the series.

Good call.

The Silent Stars Go By is not only a seasonal joy but it captures the spirit and voices of the Doctor and his companions perfectly.  The story is interesting but, as in the television show, it is the characters that truly shine.

My Rating: 8/10 stars

Continue reading The Silent Stars Go By ~Dan Abnettt →

Lois McMaster Bujold’s Hugo Award and Locus Award winning novel, Barrayar, opens after the events of her first novel featuring the adventures of Captain Cordelia Naismith and her would-be husband, Lord Aral Vorkosigan. I first read Shards of Honor last year and although I felt it had a few minor structural issues I was thoroughly impressed with the way in which Bujold was able to weave a strong romantic thread into this feudal tale set firmly in a science ficitonal universe.  I commented at the time that I felt Bujold was able to accomplish things with this story that felt authentic because they were being told by a female author through the point of view of a female character.

It is apparent in Shards of Honor that in Cordelia Naismith Bujold has developed a fully rounded character, and that trend continues in this gripping second novel.  It was easy to see early on why Barrayar captured the attention of the science fiction community back in the early 90’s.

The story opens after the marriage of Cordelia and Lord Aral and their return to his home planet of Barrayar.  In spite of their plans to settle down and live a quiet life, Lord Aral is tapped for public service as a guardian of the child Emperor Gregor, a task that quickly goes from burdensome to dangerous as other factions vie for power.  Adding to that danger is the fact that Cordelia Vorkosigan is with child and is carrying it within her body, according to Barrayan custom, rather than being handled externally as is done on her scientifically advanced Betan Colony.  As threats to her husband, her friends and then her child increase, Lady Cordelia Vorkosigan must marshal all her strength, stubbornness and intelligence to keep herself and those she loves alive.

My Rating: 9/10 stars. One that will appeal to fantasy and science fiction readers who like strong character-based drama.

Continue reading Barrayar ~Lois McMaster Bujold →