The SF Site: Featured Reviews Archive (original) (raw)

Asgard's Conquerors by Brian Stableford reviewed by Susan Dunman Mike Rousseau is a stalwart explorer, renowned archeologist, or shameless charlatan, depending on who is giving the description. Having survived a series of life-threatening mishaps on the mysterious, multi-level alien habitat known as Asgard, Rousseau decides to give up a life of adventure before he gets killed. This second installment of The Asgard Trilogy begins with Rousseau's plans to return home to Earth, but fate interferes with his ambitions for a leisurely retirement.

Asgard's Secret by Brian Stableford reviewed by Susan Dunman Welcome to Asgard. No, not the fabled city of Norse mythology, but an equally amazing structure that seems to have been made by the gods themselves. In fact, no one can figure out exactly who made it, but Asgard is a planet-sized artifact that consists of innumerable concentric spheres, one inside the other. No one knows how many levels comprise the entire structure, but scientists, explorers, crooks, and grave robbers from all the nearby galaxies have made their home in Skychain City, the base of operations for the exploration of Asgard.

Year Zero by Brian Stableford reviewed by Ian Nichols There are sufficient resonances in here to please the most demanding musician, and sufficient icons to populate an Orthodox church. Elvis Presley, Men in Black, Grey Aliens, Angels, Demons, and the Devil himself, all dressed in their garb of late 20th century finery, the tatterdemalion glory in which their billions of believers dressed them. It is the year 2000, and they're still hanging around like Banquo's ghost. Somebody has to sort it all out before the Satan's plan comes to fruition and the world ends, so to speak, on New Year's Eve, 2000. The job falls to Molly.

Swan Songs by Brian Stableford reviewed by Georges T. Dodds The 6 novels collected here manage to maintain the charming aspects of the space opera sub-genre, introduce some new elements, while thankfully avoiding the more painful excesses of the past. First, the hero and main characters don't speak college boy gibberish, they are adult and have adult relationships, if anything their philosophical monologues occasionally get a bit out of hand. The super-science is mostly used as is, rather than backed up by didactic expos�s of space drive mechanics, and the author, a former scientist himself, avoids the bonehead scientific pitfalls of some of his predecessors.

The Fountains of Youth by Brian Stableford reviewed by Greg L. Johnson Mortimer Gray is one of the first true emortals, new humans who, barring accident or violence, will theoretically live forever. Mortimer becomes an historian and this ambitious, thoughtful novel is nothing less than the memoirs of an immortal historian who is determined to understand the meaning of death.

The Dictionary of Science Fiction Places by Brian Stableford reviewed by Steven H Silver This is an interesting and entertaining look at the wide variety of worlds created by more than a century of SF authors. Beginning with the writing of H.G. Wells and continuing to such recent authors as Mary Doria Russell, it includes brief descriptions of places which have enthralled SF audiences.

Inherit the Earth by Brian Stableford reviewed by Jean-Louis Trudel This is as taut a thriller as they come, with enough surprises to stock an entire Hollywood season. Brian Stableford is even kind enough to let us deduce the_modus operandi_ used to achieve the story's most striking instance of future tech subterfuge. Shouldn't we love an author who doesn't insult our intelligence?