Book Reviews and more

All-Star Zeppelin Stories
Edited by David Moles & Jay Lake
      This collection of twenty stories that feature zeppelins is a must for fans of lighter-than-air craft as well as anyone who enjoys adventure stories. The collection is very strong, with only a couple of stories that missed the mark with me but might be up your ally. My favorites are:
      "Voice of the Hurricane" by Paul Berger, where you're introduced to the idea of herds of zeppelins who roam the Great Plains the way the buffalo once did.
      "Instead of a Loving Heart" by Jeremiah Tolbert in which a mad scientist is undone by his creation.
      "Sky Light" by David Brin, where the Internet and the future of mass media co-exist with fleets of zeppelins.
      "You Could Go Home Again" by Howard Waldrop, in which Thomas Wolfe gets the chance to choose a different life.
      I'm hoping there will be another collection of zeppelin stories because I really enjoyed this one.

Bio Rescue
By S.L. Viehl
      This well-done space opera introduces us to Dair mu T'resa, a SEAL (surgically enhanced/altered life-form) who heads up a Bio Rescue unit, which responds to off-world medical emergencies. That would be exciting enough on its own, but add in the opposition of her own species and the arrival of a race of refugees who have their own agenda, and you have a true thrill ride. There is a twist at the end -- an almost Deus ex machina -- that I hope will be explored in a sequel. Viehl seems to specialize in strong heroines. Diar joins the proud ranks of Stardoc's Cherijo Torin and Blade Dancer's Jory Rask.

Boundary
By Eric Flint and Ryk E. Spoor
      This hard science fiction novel starts with a paleontologist discovering an alien fossil on Earth, a fossil that dates back to the K-T Boundary, which marked the end of the Mesozoic Era. The story eventually leads the paleontologist to join the first expedition to Mars to study an alien installation. The characters in this story don't have much depth, but the story moves quickly and the science is given in nice, easy chunks. It's good summer reading, and hey, it has a spaceship and a dinosaur on its cover. What more could you ask?

Dead Days of Summer
A Death on Demand mystery
By Carolyn Hart
      Annie and Max Darling are back in this latest entry in the Dead on Demand series. This time Max disappears, and the body of a murdered woman is found near his abandoned car. Annie has to find Max, and then she had to clear his name of murder. Carolyn Hart is the undisputed queen of the cozies, and she's at the top of her form in this book. If you like your mysteries flavored with humor, compassion and intelligence, you need to read this books and all the rest of the excellent books in the series.

Geodesica
By Sean Williams with Shane Dix
      This Science Fiction Book Club edition combines two novels: Ascent and Descent. They tell a story that takes humanity from the future to the far-future to the end of time and beyond. I want to warn you that these books take careful reading. The tech lingo comes fast and furious with little or no explanation, and you have to carefully sort out what the characters are talking about and what they're doing. However, after you wade through the first 50 or so pages, you'll find that events start making sense. There's an interesting philosophical statement running underneath the books, but it has enough action and emotional content to not overwhelm the story.

      And now you know what I've been doing without a computer. I've been reading. You can find all these books at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and other online retailers.
      However, I do have a computer now. It's not a replacement; a friend offered her old one, but it will let me work and write until I can afford a new one. And speaking of a new one, I should be able to purchase it in July. I've decided to treat myself for my birthday.
      I appreciate all the contributions to the computer fund. Randall, Crystal, ETC, JNE and Slym, you guys are very cool. I'll have to dedicate some books to ya! (Note: I may be able to afford the computer on my own, which is what I'm working for, and if so, I will return your money with much thanks that you believe in my writing and this blog.)
      Anyway, how's your holiday weekend going? Anything interesing going on? I'll be posting later at the Great Slim Down as well as back here. Talk to you later.