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Saturday, March 31, 2012

1634: THE BALTIC WAR



A Baen Book

Written by Eric Flint & David Webber

Copyright 2007 by Eric Flint & David Webber

Cover art by Tom Kidd
Maps by Randy Asplund




In 1634: The Baltic War by Eric Flint and David Webber, a book in the alternate history shared universe 1632 series, the book takes place in the year 1634. Gustavus Adolphus, the King of Sweden, and Emperor of the United States of Europe, prepares to counter-attack the countries of France, Spain, England, and Denmark who are threatened by the power of Sweden and the time-lost Americans of West Virginia.

The Baltic War wraps up the story of the captive Grantville diplomatic mission who were being held in the Tower of London while a commando unit is sent in by Mike Sterns to rescue them. While I have heard of the Tower of London, I never knew that the Tower of London was so famous for being a prison before I read this series of books. What is great about the 1632 books is that there is a lot of history and geography for this time period that I am learning from, even if it does deal with an alternate history.

I liked the fact that Admiral Simpson is building the USE Navy's ironclad ships. I appreciated the ironclad ships and their use in the book a lot more than I have ever had in Civil War history books. Often times Eric Flint writes a story based on what the artist has drawn for Flint's cover - and I got the feel of the cover through Flint's writing. It was also fun to see the captured USE naval officer Eddie Cantrell being seduced by the Danish King's teen aged Daughter, while a peasant German soldier wondering if he can develop a relationship with a social worker from the future was very romantic to read about.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

STAR TREK - THE LOST ERA - CATALYST OF SORROWS

An Original Publication of POCKET BOOKS

Written by Margaret Wander Bonanno

Based upon STAR TREK and STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION created by Gene Roddenberry

STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE created by Rick Berman & Michael Piller

and STAR TREK: VOYAGER created by Rick Berman & Michael Piller & Jeri Taylor

Copyright 2004 by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.



In Catalyst of Sorrows by Margaret Wander Bonanno, Romulan Tal-Shiar agent Zetha is sent from the Romulan Star Empire to Federation space by an old and trusted Romulan friend of Admiral Uhura, chief of Starfleet Intelligence. Zetha was to bring news to Uhura of an ancient deadly plague that crosses species - which is spreading throughout the Empire. Uhura's friend hopes of Federation assistance in stopping the plague. Uhura picks a young Lieutenant Benjamn Sisko, Lieutenant Tuvok, Dr. Selar, and Zetha to investigate in the field to try to locate the origin and try to stop it.

I like that the relationships between the young people from the different cultures survive their various governments politics after all these years, like the young Uhura and the young Romulan diplomatic assistant. It was great to see Uhura overcome Dr. McCoy's excuse of wanting to remain in retirement so he can work remotely on finding a cure for this plague. It was also good to see Dr. McCoy working with Beverly Crusher in the lab. When they discover that the disease was actually manufactured, the ground team searches for the creator of the disease with the possibility that he may have created a cure as well. However, other factions also want the creator for their own agenda.

Surprisingly, a minor character from Star Trek: The Search for Spock becomes an important part of the book. How this character got from his position in the movie - to the position he has in the book was a little hard for me to believe, but sufficient time had elapsed that I could accept his career path and his current position. I liked seeing the juxtaposition of the leader of the Tal-Shiar and of a young Luther Sloan, who would soon be in charge of Section 31 - both of which are covert agencies of their respective governments.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

STAR WARS - SPECTER OF THE PAST


A Bantam Spectra Book

Written by Timothy Zahn

Copyright 1997 by Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cover illustration by Drew Struzan,
copyright 1997 by Lucasfilm Ltd.




Star Wars - Specter of the Past by Timothy Zahn, is the first of the The Hand of Thrawn Duology. With the Empire on the brink of collapse, the New Republic is also on the verge of a civil war as various factions want justice for the virtual extermination of the Caamasi race and their planet. However, this pales in comparison to the shocking news - the Empire's Grand Admiral Thrawn is back.

I liked how Thrawn was brought back into the series and how manipulative he and his co-conspirators are in the Empire as they make strategic plans for their agenda in creating their own power. I also liked how honorable Admiral Pellaeon tries to broker a peace between the Empire and the New Republic. Pellaeon was never really the Empire to me, but just a guy caught up in the political aspect of the galaxy. I was not crazy about the various political factions capitalizing on revenge for the Caamasi for their own agendas. Only the Caamasi should have the right to proclaim justice, and the Caamasi refuse to do so - but the other factions within the New Republic refuse to do what the Caamasi say, zealously enraging their own biases.

Luke teams up with Mara Jade to search for rogue pirate ships in deep space, which apparently contain clones, as well as sesarching for the appearance of a mysterious ship which appears to be related to Thrawn. You can see Luke and Mara's relationship growing as Luke teaches Mara more about the Force, and Mara teaches Luke more about himself as they search for the Hand of Thrawn.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

The Sorceress of Karres

A Baen Books Original

Written by Eric Flint and Dave Freer

Copyright 2010 by Eric Flint and Dave Freer



In The Sorceress of Karres by Eric Flint and Dave Freer, a sequel to James H. Schmitz's 1966 novel The Witches of Karres, a straight-laced Captain Pausert is given a new mision to investigate a series of unknown ships attacking other ships in the Chaladoor region of space. While the young witch The Leewit will be joining him, her sister Goth - who insists she will marry Pausert when Goth is older - will be sent on a special mission by going back in time to Pausert's home planet - to a time when Pausert was just a teenager.

Pausert has fond memories of a girl he had met when he was a teenager, unbeknowest to him - that the girl he had met was in reality Goth, who had traveled back in time to prevent some event from happening. When you consider that the adult Pausert feels a little uncomfortable with the young Goth, the relationship with teenaged Pausert and with the Goth in his past seems much more natural as she partners with Pausart and basically brings out the best of this young misfit.

Being pursued by a mysterious hairless woman in both the past and in the future shows that Pausert has something important in his possession - and the mysterious hairless woman turns out to be even more sinister than you may think.

I liked young Pausert's relationship with Goth when she travels back into his past as they work together to save Pausert's past. Goth is more mature at this point than in Schmitz's original story. She is more of a peer with the young Pausert, rather than of a young girl pining for a mature Pausert. You can see young Pausert's growing interest in Goth's confounding antics. The Leewit is also more mature in the story and taking on more responsibility in the novel.

Pancho
All people smile in the same langauge.
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