Gridlinked by Neal Asher (Agent Cormac 1)

Jun 012010

This is the original first novel about Earth Central Security (ECS) agent Cormac. The books starts with a man about to teleport through the Skaiden Runcible device 253 light years to his destination while suffering from hangover and a cut in the film about a sexy catwoman that half undressed him on the dance floor the night before. But something goes wrong and he exits at his destination a fraction under the speed of light causing a 30 mega ton explosion. The body count is more than 10 000 and that’s just the beginning.

In outer space you can never feel sure that your adversary is altogether human.

The runcible buffers on Samarkand have been mysteriously sabotaged, killing many thousands and destroying a terraforming project. Agent Cormac must reach it by ship to begin an investigation. But Cormac has incurred the wrath of a vicious psychopath called Pelter, who is prepared to follow him across the galaxy with a terrifying android in tow.

Despite the sub-zero temperature of Samarkand, Cormac discovers signs of life: they are two ‘dracomen’, alien beasts contrived by an extra-galactic entity calling itself ‘Dragon’, which is a huge creature consisting of four conjoined spheres of flesh each a kilometer in diameter. Caught between the byzantine wiles of the Dragon and the lethal fury of Pelter, Cormac needs to skip very nimbly indeed to rescue the Samarkand project and protect his own life.

Information

Our protagonist Agent Cormac is an unfeeling field agent. He’s cover is blown because his asset thinks he is a construct and he has to fight his way out. Cormac has been Gridlinked for 30 years and it has dehumanized him to a level where it affects his usability as an agent so he gets a choice, shut it down yourself or face the consequences. Being without a connection after such a long time affects a man. I compare it’s effect with the description in WE.

Much of this book and the series is about him finding his humanity again.

The series long arc deals with the Dragon and ancient races.

The Author

Neal Asher is a British science fiction author living in Essex. I am most familiar with and love the now six Agent Cormac novels in the Polity universe. He has also written the Splatterjay Trilogy and a number of standalone novels and short stories in the same universe that I am keen on reading (expected summer reading 2010).

World building

The world Neal Asher paints is the Polity where humanity has spread thousands of light years ruled by benign artificial intelligences (AIs). Instead of evolving into something in-comprehensive by humans the AI:s choose to stay with their creators. There are some post human features in there mind-upload into golem bodies, nano technology, body enhancments, computer-brain interfaces, sentient spaceships and much much more.

One thing that sets Neal Asher apart from the usual Space Opera is the complex and well thought out future society he created.

I like the recurring articles at the beginning of each chapter that highlight items or phenomenon in the world.

In this book he also introduces the mysterious Dragon an extragalactic entity with unclear motivations sent to our galaxy by the Makers.

Plot

When the Runcible on Samarkand is destroyed Cormac is assigned to find out why.

The asset Cormac had to kill when his cover was blown is Angelina Pelter, the sister of Separatist leader Arian Pelter. He swear revenge on the man who killed his sister and sets out after Cormac accompanied by a crazy robot called Mr Cane.

Cormac arrive at Samarkand in ship only to discover two life forms there, the aforementioned Dracomen.

Cormac is hard pressed to survive while unraveling the mysteries surrounding the Runcible explosion.

Characterization

Cormac is my kind of hero. He is not a superman, he feels like a human even in this space opera setting. He has his weaknesses and doubts (he suffers from addiction to his gridlink since 30 years). But he is also inventive and adaptive and determined. Great characterization by Neal Asher.

The rest of the characters are fairly well developed also.

My View

The quality of Neal Asher’s writing has improved since this first book in 2001, I notice because I just finished reading Shadow of the Scorpion from 2008. It is still a great book filled to the brim with exciting ideas and fast paced breathtaking action. My mind exploded the first time I read Gridlinked it has so many marvelous ideas, intriguing aliens, gadgets and settings that I kept going Wow all the time. The Polity is on par with all the other Singularity writers out there and the action makes me think of James Bond and Dominic Flandry. I recommend Gridlinked to all lovers of intelligent space opera.

Share|

Shadow of The Scorpion by Neal Asher (A Cormac Novel)

Books 1 Response »

May 312010

This is the prequel to Neal Asher’s Agent Cormac series and it covers Cormac’s early years and the first missions that formed the basis of the man he later became.

[blurb] Raised to adulthood during the end of the war between the human Polity and the vicious arthropoid race, the Prador, Ian Cormac is haunted by childhood memories of a sinister scorpion-shaped war drone and the burden of losses he doesn’t remember.

In the years following the war he signs up with Earth Central Security, and is sent out to help either restore and simply maintain order on worlds devastated by Prador bombardment.

There he discovers that though the old enemy remain as murderous as ever, they are not anywhere near as perfidious or dangerous as some of his fellow humans, some of them closer to him than he would like …

Information

The book is dedicated to the Island of Crete, because the scorpions are small there which doesn’t fit the one in the book, but then he is not on Crete either.

The protagonist is Ian Cormac the young boy and Cormac the soldier in training. The book starts with a flashback to young Ian alone with his mother in the desert. That’s where he sees the scorpion-shaped old war drone for the first time. The story focuses mainly on a selection of mission made by young Cormac with flashbacks to his youth.

The Author

World building

The world Neal Asher paints is the Polity where humanity has spread hundreds of light years ruled by benign artificial intelligences (AIs). Instead of evolving into something in-comprehensive by humans the AI:s choose to stay with their creators. There are some post human features in there mind-upload into golem bodies, nano technology, body enhancments, computer-brain interfaces, sentient spaceships and much much more.

One thing that sets Neal Asher apart from the usual Space Opera is the complex and well thought out future society he created. It is complex and believable.

The Plot

Young Cormac has to find his way as a soldier on the war thorn planet Hagren where he first experience the Separatists as they tries to sneak into the crashed Prador warship to steal warheads. Faced with both the Separatists and surviving Prador crew Cormac has to make some hard decisions and learn just how far he is prepared to go. Fighting your own people is not what he expected.

The big mystery is the war drone, where is it from, what do it want?

Characterization

The other thing that sets Neal apart is the characterization. Neal is a wizard with characters, a new character comes to life in a few paragraphs and they all makes sense and add their part to the story.

The main character Ian Cormac, or Cormac as he prefers is easy to love, but he is a complex character with many dimensions. He deeply contemplates the choices he makes and feels bad about the hard ones he has to make but he comes through with determination and adaptability. He and the other characters grow and take on new roles.

The questions the characters ponder are also high quality. In this novel Neal ponders moral questions about being a parent and protecting your child as well as many of the questions a soldier has to ask himself when he stands against his own. Many of those questions are current today, the technologies exist today but they are used on soldiers returning from war and they are just as controversial now.

My View

The Shadow of the Scorpion is an excellent introduction to Agent Cormac and the Polity universe. It takes on some deeply moral issues as well as being a fast paced science fiction story with aliens, rebels and sentient war machines. It works as a standalone novel and gives great background if you are already into the Cormac series.

Share|

Victorious by Jack Campbell (Lost Fleet 6)

Books No Responses »

May 272010

I have been following the Lost Fleet since about 2006. Lost fleet is coming to an end with Victorious but a new series with Admiral Black Jack Geary is under contract Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier. Jack Campbell also has a contract for another series in the same universe called Phoenix Stars. Back to Victorious, here are my thoughts.

As war continues to rage between the Alliance and Syndicate Worlds, Captain “Black Jack” Geary is promoted to admiral-even though the ruling council fears he may stage a military coup. His new rank gives him the authority to negotiate with the Syndics, who have suffered tremendous losses and may finally be willing to end the war. But an even greater alien threat lurks on the far side of the Syndic occupied space.

Information

The book is dedicated to Paul Parsons and S.

As usual the book starts with a six pages long list of the ships in the fleet. It also says where ships have been lost in battle.

The protagonist of this series is Captain John “Black Jack” Geary.

The Alliance has been fighting the Syndics for a century – and losing badly. Now its fleet that was crippled and stranded in enemy territory back home again. They were saved by a man who’s emerged from a century-long hibernation to find he had been heroically idealized beyond belief . Captain John ‘Black Jack’ Geary’s legendary exploits are known to every schoolchild. Appalled by the hero-worship around him, Geary is nevertheless a man who will do his duty. And he knows that bringing the stolen Syndic hypernet key safely home is the Alliance’s one chance to win the war. But to do that, Geary will have to live up to the impossibly heroic ‘Black Jack’ legend.

The Author

John G. Hemry (LCDR, USN ret.) is an American author of military science fiction novels. Drawing on his experience as a retired United States Navy officer, he has written the Stark’s War and Paul Sinclair series. Under the name Jack Campbell, he has written six volumes of the Lost Fleet series. He has also written over a dozen short stories, many published in Analog magazine, and a number of non-fiction works. The only thing I read by John is the Lost Fleet series, but that is going to change.

World building

The world building is good enough for the story. We learn the bigger world as seen by John Geary, back from a century long hibernation. Much have changed and not for the better. Knowledge and finesse have been lost. The world is much cruder but also more built on the brutal necessities of a century long war.

The tension between the civilian leadership and the military is obvious when John Geary returns to the Alliance. The changes for the worse, the degradation of civil rights and freedom have gone far. John doesn’t solve the problems but he shows them there is another way with his ironclad integrity. It is a bit stereotypical but not more than one would expect.

The same is true for the Syndics but they didn’t have that much cohesion to begin with so there the results are worse. The Syndic Empire starts to crumble under their failed leadership. But the Alliance don’t want the Syndic to go under, they need every human they can get to fight the aliens responsible for this war.

Plot

John first has to deal with the political leadership of the Alliance to get the clout to negotiate a peace with the Syndic hopefully saving them from themselves at the same time. But they won’t give up without a fight.

Then there are those aliens to deal with.

Characterization

Captain John Geary have to deal with the love of his second life. She is untouchable as his flag captain, the way he deals with that is enjoyable and emotionally satisfying. He continues to be human and to doubt himself while doing his duty. That gives him a more real feeling and it is also a good contrast to the Legend of Black Jack.

The characterization is what makes Lost Fleet great, there is both strength and weaknesses in the characters that makes them come alive.

My View

Victorious is a satisfying conclusion to The Lost Fleet, a fast paced Long March kind of military science fiction series about a man having to live up to the impossible historical legend of himself. It is not Great Literature but it is a fun read. I am lucky the author got a contract for two new series in the same universe, I am sure to get those too. If you like military space opera like Honor Harrington you should take a look at Lost Fleet.

The New Series

Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier is a new series that follows Black Jack and his companions after the events in Victorious. It will deal with the mysterious aliens.

The Phoenix Stars is a new series set in formerly Syndic star system as the people there cope with the ongoing collapse of the Syndic Worlds

Share|

Primary Inversion by Catherine Asaro (Saga of the Skolian Empire 1)

Books No Responses »

May 232010

This is Catherine Asaro’s first published novel and new to me. Physicist and ballerina, hmm wonder what kind of books she writes. Read the review below to find out.

The Skolian Empire rules a third of the civilized galaxy through its mastery of faster-than-light communication. But war with the rival empire of the Traders seems imminent, a war that can only lead to slavery for the Skolians or the destruction of both sides. Destructive skirmishes have already occurred. A desperate attempt must be made to avert total disaster.

The Author

Catherine Asaro is pretty new to me; I picked up the first books the summer of 2009. She has an impressive background; she was a professor in physics until 1990; she is a member of SIGMA, a think tank of speculative writers that advises the government as to future trends affecting national security and she is a former ballerina. She is married to Kendall Cannizzo, and astrophysicist at NASA and they have one daughter

Information

This is Catherine Asaro’s first published novel, her first novella Light and Shadow was published 1994 in Analog.

The book is dedicated to her husband Kendall Cannizzo with love.

The protagonist of this book is Sauscony Lahaylia Valdoria Skolia, also called Soz or Soshoni. She is a member of the Ruby Dynasty ruling the Skolian Empire and has the empathic and telepathic abilities of a Rhon psion. She ranks Jagernaut Primary (Admiral or General) in the ISC. A Jagernaut is a biomechanically enhanced fighter and pilot.

I suspect but don’t know that Catherine is of Finnish Swedish speaking descent as many of her terms make sense for me in Swedish. Skola is the Swedish word for school and is also used to in expressions concerning knowledge. Jägare is the Swedish word for hunter or in Finland it is what they call their Special Forces soldiers.

Worldbuilding

In the universe of the Saga of the Skolian Empire there are two mayor power blocks that locked in conflict the Skolian Empire and the Eubian Concord. It seems like the Eubian Concord is the original aggressors, they have a society built on might is right, where their leaders basically are mental vampires that keep empaths as slaves to feed on. While the The Skolian Empire built on the power of faster than light communications made possible by linking the mental powers of the powerful empaths that rule it.

We get to know quite a bit about the social and political situation in both empires. Soz thinks of the Skolian Empire as the good guys, but that might not be totally true. It is not according to the people of the planets they occupy to ‘save’ them from the Concord.

You will also notice that Catherine is a physicist in the info dumps about future technology even if Psionics might take you into the land of fantasy.

Plot

The book is divided into three parts Delos, Forshire Hold, Diesha.

A romance is central to the story but it is also about two Empires on the brink of a major war our protagonist wants to avoid.

Delos tells the story of how Romeo and Julia, sorry Soz and Jaibriol Qox II meet. Like Soz, Jaibriol is also a Rhon psion, but he was also a member of the Aristo Highton caste and heir to the enemy of Skolians, the Eubian Concord.

Fordshire Hold is where Soz goes to heal after the fateful space battle that cripples her best friend and lover.

Diesha is when she realizes she have to rescue Jairiol who have been captured by Skolian forces.

Characterization

The characters are complex even if they have a romance novel feel to them at times. Soz have many inner demons and doubts to fight, she is also the only character that is well developed, which is understandable since she is the protagonist, and the story is about her.

The Fordshire Hold part of the book is where Soz grows most as a character and comes to realize the world is more than she thought it was, that was a part I liked to read.

My View

Primary Inversion is a fantastic first novel with remarkable storytelling by Catherine Asaro. It is a Romantic science fiction with space opera, military scifi and hard science influence about a formidable yet human Julia character and it avoids the usual pitfalls of that genre, it is not action packed but there is enough thrill to go around. It reads well as a standalone novel. I will read The Radiant Seas that continues Soz’s story next.

Share|

Strength and Honor by R. M. Meluch (Tour of the Merrimack 4)

Books No Responses »

May 192010

This is so far the last book in the Merrimack series so it was with anticipation and expectations of another good romp with the sneaky, steamy, violent and competent crew of the Merrimack and their reluctant Roman allies. And Rebeca didn’t disappoint me.

Title: Strength and Honor
Series: Tour of the Merrimack 4
Author: R. M. Meluch
Cover art: Stephan Martiniere
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: DAW 2008
Order: DAW | Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

Earth’s space forces, spearheaded by the United States, had long been at war with the forces of the Palatine Empire, a neo-Roman culture that broke away from Earth’s control long ago. But when the alien life-form known as the Hive – a biological force whose only imperative was: seek and devoure – began wreaking destruction across the galaxy, the Romans were forced to turn to Earth for help. Ceasar Magnus surrendered to Captain John Farragut – commander of the pride of the U.S. space fleet, the battle class starship, the U.S.S. Merrimack – and the period known as the Subjugation begun.

Ever since the surrender, an uneasy peace and alliance had been in force, as all humanity and their alien allies joined to battle the Hive.

When the threat of the Hive seemed to have been neutralized, John Ferragut was summoned to Caesar Magnus’ fortress to be honored. But instead, Caesar Magnus was assassinated, and Farragut and the Merrimack were lucky to escape from what could have proved a deadly trap.

Now Magnus’ son Romulus has taken control of the Palantine Empire and has had himself proclaimed Caesar, and Captain Farragut and the Merrimack are about to face their greatest challenge ever.

The forced alliance between the interplanetary Empire of Rome and the United States-led Earth forces is shattered as Caesar Romulus declares war, striking at the U.S. Deep Space base, and then following up with a direct attack against Earth. Merrimack has no choice but to retaliate with an assault on the Roman capital world of Palantine. In the midst of this chaos, the Hive renews its invasion. And even if John Farragut and his crew can survive all of this, the rogue Roman patterner Augustus – who has long been assigned to his own mission aboard Merrimack – flees the ship when war is declared, and no one knows whether he is only biding his time, waiting to meet Ferragut in a final deadly showdown.

The Author

R. M. Meluch has been publishing science fiction for thirty years. She holds degrees in communications and classical civilization, and dabbles in speaking in various languages, including Greek and Latin. At one point she traveled through Greece, Israel, and Egypt on the track of Alexander the Great. Meluch also holds a second-degree black belt in taekwondo and “plays” with electricity. She resides in Medina, Ohio, with her husband, Jim Witkowski, and their ferrets, fish, alpacas, and a Doberman.

Ms. Meluch has deep and abiding interests in Roman history, airplanes, flying, and World War II. She has stated that she is interested in good characters on the wrong side in wars or conflicts.

Background

The Roman Empire never died, it just went underground. Have you ever wondered why most scientists or intellectuals speak Latin? They are part of a secret society that eventually will break loose from earth civilization and start their own Palantire Empire. A long war commence between Palantire and Earth.

Then they meet a new threat a race of hungry space faring insects that eats everything biological that comes their way. The Hive onslaught forces the old enemies to an uneasy peace to fight the new threat.

Now they believe the threat from the Hive over.

Worldbuilding

The neo-Roman culture flesh out quite well in the story but is a bit stereotypical at times. I like the way we get to see more of old earth’s political mesh up and that it still is divided into countries with different cultures and agendas.

Plot

Caesar is dead and his son Romulus seems determined to start the war with Earth all over again. Captain Ferragut and Roman patterner Augustus suddenly end up on different sides in the conflict and both have orders to eliminate the other if war is declared. But Augustus have another agenda.

Then the Hive starts stirring in unsuspected places.

War is a risky business which some of the Marines experience first hand in and out of enemy hands. Life is just a circus sometimes.

Some of the twists and last minute saves might be a little bit unlikely but, this is Space Opera, what do you expect?

Characterization

Rebeca has a delightful and endearing ability to create lovable and colorful characters like Captain Farragut and his Roman liaison Augustus. Dialog is also one of her strengths.

The Roman Caligula twist is excellent and there is one or two steamy relationships stories in there too.

My View

In this story revenge is the new black. Characterization is an important part of my enjoyment when I read, and I am very happy that I found Rebeca M. Meluch (I hate that female writers have to hide their sex to sell more books) that write characters I can love and root for. Strength and Honor is a healthy mix of military action, mystery, humor and sex. It was a fast and fun read. I can warmly recommend this book and this series to any lover of military science fiction with strong characters.

Extra

Read excerpt

Share|

New Science Fiction Books in June 2010

Books 1 Response »

May 152010

Lets have a look at June for books. I usually check my pre-orders mid May and then revisit the list around the start of June. These are the books I am interested in. I try to put new never before published books here, for me there is no difference if the book is first published in the US, UK or in Australia. The delivery time to the far north is about the same. So mates we are going for world’s first here.

Books I have on order

Title: Blood and Iron
Author: Tony Bellantyne
Series: Penrose / Robot wars 2
Genre: Science Fiction
Hardback: 448 pages
Publisher: Tor UK
Order: Amazon US | UK

Appointed Commander of the Emperor’s Army of Sangrel, Wa-Ka-Mo-Do of Ko tries to establish relations between the existing robot population and the humans who have recently arrived on Yukawa.

On the continent of Shull, Kavan forms the Uncertain Army and is marching to Artemis City. Upon discovery that the city’s generals have made an alliance with the humans, he retreats to Stark where he plans the eventual overthrow of Artemis and the humans.

Meanwhile, Karel is heading South, hoping to be reunited with Susan, his wife. As he walks, he hears more of the stories of the robots, and begins to understand something about his place on the world of Penrose.

But with limited resources and tensions growing between robot and human it’s only a matter of time before problems arise. And it’s becoming more and more apparent that the humans are a lot more powerful than the robots first expected…

Title: Veteran
Author: Gavin G. Smith
Genre: Science Fiction
Paperback: 400 pages
Published: Gollancz
Order: Gollancz | Amazon UK

Three hundred years in our future, in a world of alien infiltrators, religious hackers, a vast convoying nation of Nomads, city sized orbital elevators, and a cyborg pirate king who believes himself to be a mythological demon Jakob is having a bad day:

“Nothing gets in the way of a hangover like being reactivated by your old C.O and told to track down an alien killing machine. The same kind of killing machine that wiped out my entire squad. And now it’s in my hometown.

My name is Jakob Douglas, ex-special forces. I fought Them. Just like we’ve all been doing for 60 bloody years. But I thought my part in that was done with.

My boss has other ideas. If I didn’t find the infiltrator then he’d let the Grey Lady loose on me. And believe me; even They’ve got nothing on her. So I took the job. It went to shit even faster than normal.

And now I’m on the run with this teenage hacker who’s had enough of prostitution. The only people I can rely on want to turn the internet into God. And now it turns out that They aren’t quite what we’d all thought.

I’ve been to the bottom of the sea and the top of the sky and beyond trying to get to the truth.

And I still can’t get far enough away from the Grey Lady.

All things considered I’d rather be back at home deep in a whiskey bottle.”

Veteran is a fast paced, intricately plotted violent SF Thriller set in a dark future against the backdrop of a seemingly never ending war against an unknowable and implacable alien enemy.

Title: Heavy Metal Pulp: The Bloodstained Man
Author: Christopher Rowley
Series: Netherworld 2
Genre: Science Fiction | Cyberpunk
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Tor Books
Order: Tor | Amazon US | UK | B&N

I liked the first book, it was a tight little book. Read my review of Pleasure Model. No cover yet.

Following the explosive events of book one, Pleasure Model, Detective Rook Venner, Mistress Julia, and Plesur are on the run from the government troops trying to kill them and from a shadowy group that wants to capture Plesur alive for its own purposes. What secrets have been implanted in Plesur’s head—and why are they worth killing for?

Caught between these two powerful rivals, the trio hides out in the lawless New Jersey territory. Betrayed by gang members looking to collect the bounty on Plesur’s head, the three are separated, and Rook and Mistress Julia find themselves in mortal danger. Julia, given as a prize to a gang member, finds herself in chains, but not without her own means of fighting back. Rook, forced to fight for his life in the gang’s bloodthirsty gladiatorial games, must stay alive long enough to rescue Plesur, but time is running out.

The Bloodstained Man is a fast-paced, adrenaline-filled ride through a future where pleasure has a price, and Plesur holds the key to a secret that could rock the country to its very core

Other Books of Interest

Title: Is Anybody Out There?
Editors: Nick Gevers & Marty Halpern
Genre: Science Fiction
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: DAW
Order: Amazon US | UK | B&N

Beyond our skies…and imaginations.

Are we alone in the universe, and if not, who else-or what else-is out there? Here are thought-provoking stories that explore such questions as: Do intelligent species invariably destroy themselves by nuclear war or ecological collapse? Are the sentient aliens that do exist just too far away? Do they exist in forms beyond our comprehension? Are they among us, but undetectable? These are just some of the possibilities explored by a stellar lineup of contributors.

Title: Who Fears Death
Author: Nnedi Okorafor
Genre: Supernatural
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: DAW
Order: DAW | Amazon US | B&N

I have been interesting in getting into some African science fiction for some time now.

In a far future, post-nuclear-holocaust Africa, genocide plagues one region. The aggressors, the Nuru, have decided to follow the Great Book and exterminate the Okeke. But when the only surviving member of a slain Okeke village is brutally raped, she manages to escape, wandering farther into the desert. She gives birth to a baby girl with hair and skin the color of sand and instinctively knows that her daughter is different. She names her daughter Onyesonwu, which means “Who Fears Death?” in an ancient African tongue.

Reared under the tutelage of a mysterious and traditional shaman, Onyesonwu discovers her magical destiny-to end the genocide of her people. The journey to fulfill her destiny will force her to grapple with nature, tradition, history, true love, the spiritual mysteries of her culture-and eventually death itself.

Title: Threshold
Author: Eric Flint & Ryk E Spoor
Series: The Boundary
Genre: Science Fiction
Hardcover: 320 pages
Cover art: Bob Eggleton
Interior Illustrations: Keith Morrison
Publisher: Baen
Order: Baen | Amazon US | UK | B&N

When the strange fossil she’d discovered had ended up giving her a trip to Mars, Helen Sutter thought she’d gone about as far as any paleontologist would ever go in her lifetime. But when you’ve also married A.J. Baker, overconfident super- sensor expert for the only private agency in space ? the Ares Corporation — and your best friend Madeline Fathom Buckley is a former secret agent who’s just signed on as the chief of security for the newly created and already embattled Interplanetary Research Institute of the United Nations, there’s always somewhere farther to go.

The newest discoveries will take her, A.J., and their friends Jackie, Joe, and Madeline to the mysterious asteroid Ceres ? and beyond, in a desperate race to Jupiter’s perilous miniature system of radiation- bombarded moons. The next gold rush is on ? for alien technology, hidden in lost bases around the system. And there are people willing to do anything to get it ? even plan the first interplanetary war, four hundred million miles from home!

Share|