I love how-to books, and this is one, as in how to save a sentient AI from itself. Love all the AI characters in this series, Jeeves, Bechimo, Joyita (lovelovelove Joyita), Admiral Bunter and all the other Free Logic ships, and now Catie. Love the idea of a more or less human Mentor to help…
Those wonderful folks at Head of Zeus have reissued the Star Svensdotter trilogy in new digital editions featuring eye-popping new cover art (see Star1, Star2, and Star3). Just to round out the Stabenow SF oeuvre, here’s an excerpt from “No Place Like Home,” a science fiction short story included in the collection above. Excerpt– By…
Those wonderful folks at Head of Zeus have reissued the Star Svensdotter trilogy in new digital editions featuring eye-popping new cover art. Excerpt– “Okay, I’m going to take a short test flight, check out the equipment and the conditions. You stay put.” “No fair,” somebody muttered. “Stay put,” I repeated, “and watch me.” I circumvented…
Those wonderful folks at Head of Zeus have reissued the Star Svensdotter trilogy in new digital editions featuring eye-popping new cover art. Excerpt– “Don’t worry about it, Mel boy,” we heard her say. “Don’t worry about it?” Mel boy said through his tears. “I sold you that claim for sixty thousand and now you stand…
Those wonderful folks at Head of Zeus have reissued the Star Svensdotter trilogy in new digital editions featuring eye-popping new cover art. Excerpt– “You’ve got your martyr’s expression on, Star,” Archy said. “The hell you say.” Then, startled, I said, “How can you tell?” “Didn’t you know?” Archy sounded surprised, but it could have been my…
Those wonderful folks at Head of Zeus have reissued the Star Svensdotter trilogy in new digital editions featuring eye-popping new cover art. Check ’em out– Excerpt… “You’ve got your martyr’s expression on, Star,” Archy said. “The hell you say.” Then, startled, I said, “How can you tell?” “Didn’t you know?” Archy sounded surprised, but it…
— 1 — Worlds Enough Many have imagined republics and principalities which have never been seen or known to exist in reality; for how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live… —Niccolo Machiavelli “YOU WANT TO MOVE the river again?” Roberta McInerny’s square face settled into stubborn lines. If Outpost…
— 1 — Nonlinear Computers …a nonlinear computer weighing only 160 pounds, having a billion binary decision elements, that can be mass produced by unskilled labor. —Scott Crossfield’s description of an astronaut THE CAPTAIN SPAT OUT A HANK OF MY HAIR and swore. “Star, either you tie up that mess or I take a knife…
— 1 — Homecoming and Housekeeping There is no land uninhabitable or sea unnavigable. —Robert Thorne MY FULL NAME IS Esther Natasha Svensdotter but if you want to live you’ll call me Star. Star is what Esther means, it was the first word I ever said, and when I’m feeling romantic I like to say…
Third in the saga of teleport David, his wife Milly, and now their daughter Cent. Steven Gould is the direct descendant of Robert A. Heinlein and Joe Haldeman--he writes so sensibly and practically of impossible things that he makes you believe, well, the impossible. He's really given serious, extended thought in these novels (Jumper, Reflex) to just what it would be like to be able to teleport, and to just how attractive that would make you to the powers that be. If you live in daily fear of being kidnapped by forces determined to exploit your ability, what do you do with your life? How do you stay out of their reach? Do you decide to try to do good in the world anyway, at the risk of losing your freedom and self-determination? How do you raise a child in this world to be aware and responsible? (FYI, Milly and David do a pretty good job.)
I read Impulse in one sitting. Watching Cent, a very atypical rebellious teenager, learning to cope with her world's privileges and its dangers and even to extend its boundaries is riveting stuff. Cent is a marvelous addition to this world and is now my favorite character in it. I hope we get to go there again.
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