Great Sci-fi first effort
925190
This is a great first novel and I hope Ms. Clark continues to write books about Rieka and her adventures.  The premise of the book is fresh and Clark has a deft touch with her characterizations and suspense.  A must read for sci-fi fans!!
2383559
Looking for a good new sci-fi read? This is it!
1712126
I was very pleasantly surprised by "Nocturne for a Dangerous Man." This is Marc Matz's first novel, who, by all indications, is a very talented writer indeed.
While reading this novel I was struck by how difficult writing in this genre must be.  The James Bond/Doc Savage/Buckaroo Bonzai/Bruce Wayne type of character has been done to death. Whats more, to do it effectively, one must tread a very fine line between being just hokey enough, but not TOO hokey.
A previous reviewer mentions Heinlein, which is very apt. This novel reminded me of a good Heinlein novel, and it impressed me because it avoided becoming a BAD Heinlein novel. The protagonist is very well written, and given just the right amount of depth.  Despite being a borderline superhero, we identify and empathize with him. The future world/society Matz creates is very interesting and textured.  The "sci-fi" elements support the setting and plot well.  The world of "Nocturne for a Dangerous Man" could easily support future novels, with or without Gavilan Robie.
794840
It's been a long time since I've committed myself to such a long sci-fi book because the tend to have too many characters and science jargon without real story. But Remember the Starfighter manages to offer a lot of story, world building, and character building without feeling overly complicated. Granted, there are probably several sections that could have used a bit of editing to shorten the page count, but for a first novel by an author you can't do too much better. Especially in the sci-fi genre.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
70781
Really nice first book - sets the stage for a series - and I am watching for more to come.  I can see this (if it turns into a series) as being a long and fun ride.  Would have liked it to be longer and for it to have dived a bit deeper into the characters, but overall, a really nice read.  I hate to bring too much into reviews and run the risk of spoilers, but I would day that the basic premise (an officer who has a senior officer that has a grudge and puts the junior officer in a near suicide mission) that evolves in a reasonable and interesting manner, while picking up galactic riff-raff as crew members, is a fun read.
2875942
This book got off to a slow start for me.  So many reviewers compare a new sci-fi author as another Heinlein or Asimov.  When I saw that, I was skeptical from the get go.  Andy Weir does a good job on his first full novel but he isn't a Heinlein or Asimov.  The story often has convenient or predictable situations that the main character gets into and out of.  When you finally get toward the end, you are pulled in to the action though and looking back, it is a good read.  Looking at the movie trailer, the upcoming movie may be better than the book.  I would recommend this book, even to younger readers.
1763130
Irradiance, the first of the Dream Guild Chronicles series, will delight avid readers of science fiction and newcomers alike. The familiar themes of a dystopian society, big brother government and dissident protagnists are all there, but added to these is a more modern theme of how climate change is dealt with in a society where the ruling elite would rather maintain the status quo than deal with a very real threat.
The story is set on Sindra, a world that echoes our own planet cosmologically but is further along Earth's possible timeline. It's main protagonist, Maribel, is a scientist who monitors solar radiation and maps changes in the behaviour of their solar system's sun, which leads to an alarming discovery that threatens the future of the entire civilisation. She is also tied up, together with her mate, Reese, and their twins, Sariah and Gideon, in a larger conspiracy concerning the telepathic abilities of their children.
In this first installment, the reader is introduced to Sindra and it's people. For those who have read books such as Brave New World and 1984, the underlying themes will seem as familair as old friends. However, Bruns adds a number of fresh twists to these themes that make them just as compelling, if not entirely original. The writing is well-paced - starting with a number of important events over the span of a decade that set the scene and then moving into real-time towards the end as the main conflict is dealth with.
As someone who loves sci-fi and is interested in cosmology and climate change, I am very pleased to have discovered this author. The story is very well-contructed and scientifically plausible. The writing is excellent - this author knows his craft - and does not waste space on unneccesary devices. The final chapters, especially, are nail-biting adrenaline-fueled pages that had me forfeiting sleep over the three days that it took to read it. I thoroughly enjoyed this first installment and am eager to read book two.
3515220
I am a big science fiction guy. I also appreciate books that do one thing and do it well. The Martian is both.

For a new author, Weir has done an excellent job creating a character whom we like and want to root for. The plot, unlike so much sci-fi, is firmly grounded in the realities of interplanetary travel - when you go up, you're gonna be spending years up there. Watney, the main character, is likeable, funny, yet not overdone.

The weakest point in the book is really when it delves into international politics late in the plot. The author gives into an overpowering optimism about human nature. I like it, and I read sci fi because it reminds of us what we can and should be, but at times the cynical voice in the back of my head refused to suspend disbelief.

If I had to summarize the book, I'd call it "Hatchet" for adults, but in space. Definitely worth the money, and I can't wait to see what else Weir writes and the movie.
985161
Although not my genre of reading, I do enjoy a good alien story, which this one has promise.  The story started off with split character stories that interact later on combining into a team destined to solve the alien mystery.  Plenty of unexpected twists, and some confusing parts, but overall a good story that has suspense, action and death.  The author did a great deal of writing to develop the main characters; however, I could only connect with two of them.  The white college professor with corn-rolls is definitely not on the list I'm rooting for to survive. I like how the author created the first discovery and exploited it slowly throughout the story leaving the reader to have to think and solve the next portion that will be revealed.

Although set 25 years in the future, the author did very little to show technological improvements to re-enforce that time set.  Technology doubles every 2.0 to 2.5 years according to Science Journal, but they were still using basic smart phones, driving normal cars, using today's lab equipment, etc.  Get creative and come up with weird technology to help with the plot..

I would have give the book 5 stars; however, I didn't enjoy the ending to the book and its cliff hanger....there should have been more closure and a introduction of things to come.  The next step, or new questions to find the answer.  The author writes well, created a good story, and kept me hooked to the plot hoping for more.  Again, not my genre, but I enjoyed the story very much.  Worth the time to read!
2015294
I am a science fiction aficionado and I like to always try new authors off the beaten path. I came upon this novel based on the recommendation of a friend, and I was very pleasantly surprised. For one thing, the book reads very easily and is very well paced, almost like a screenplay (in fact, I can see this book being easily adapted into a movie). At the same time, there is a good balance of character building and action. While character building is important, sometimes one reads books where that part goes on forever, resulting in pretty lengthy introductions.
But the real nice part is that this novel is not purely about hard science fiction: it is about a common human drama of divided loyalties and identity search that resonate with current themes in our global world.
The book is very well worth reading as a standalone novel, but I sure hope there will be a sequel so that we get to know what happens to Max (and Janine).
2727467
Going into this book, I didn't really know what to expect. I knew there was a sci-fi element, but thought I had a handle on it as more of an urban sci-fi novel until about a third of the way through. I found the alignment and ultimate convergence of two parallel storylines very interesting, and got over the initial herky jerky feel pretty quickly. The three main characters had the kind of depth I can appreciate, which made them compelling in different ways. My one complaint is that it dragged on a bit at the end, but the very ending certainly set up nicely for sequels. Looking forward to future novels from this promising author.
4027787
Very good story, with just a few noticeable editing errors. As a sci-fi reader for 60 years, I judge this a superb first book. Am anxiously awaiting the sequel.
2986874
Let me say up-front that this was my first Joe Haldeman book, so I had very little in the way of expectations.  But I'd read a few good reviews, and I'm a science fiction fan, so I took a chance.

The first thing I noticed was how fast I seemed to be getting through the story.  I read at a very leisurely pace; it's not uncommon for me to take a month to finish a 300-page novel.  I was reminded a bit of one of Heinlein's so-called "juvenile" novels, which were primarily aimed at teenage boys.  And for awhile, MARSBOUND feels like it could have been written during Heinlein's time.  There's a plucky teen protagonist who rebels against authority, a relatively casual visit to a neighboring planet, and futuristic technology which doesn't feel so futurisitc as to be beyond belief.

[Here come the spoilers...you've been warned]

Then the aliens show up.  Aliens that learned English from listening to and watching Earth broadcasts for a couple of centuries.  OK, that was fine for a 50's drive-in movie, but seriously...in 2008?  Aliens whose medicine is conveniently compatible with humans.  And so forth.

What keeps the story afloat for much of the time is the fact that it does move briskly, and you'll feel compelled to stick it out until the end.  Lead player Carmen Dula is possessed of a sardonic wit (and a propensity to shed her clothing with alarming regularity), although many of the secondary characters never get much of a chance to develop.  I won't spoil the somewhat surpisingly climax, but I will reveal that I felt it was far too abrupt.

Like I said, I've read good things about Haldeman, so I wouldn't mind trying another one of his stories.  But if you are uninitiated like I was, I don't think you should start with MARSBOUND.
3028852
Here's what I know. I love sci-fi. I've been reading the genre for 30 years. This story is good sci-fi in the area of the cyberpunk, hard sci-fi, dystopian genres. After reading Episode 1 I have the suspicion that this is more than a mere repeat of those genre tropes. The setting, for one, is extremely intelligent and well-crafted. The world feels real, and is entirely plausible. The technology, specifically how it is immersed with the world in the story is equally as realistic and without flourishing extravagance. However, neither the setting or the technology are the central point of this beginning story. This story, like all great fiction, turns on the characters and these characters are well done, realistic, human, and believable.

Episode 1 only introduces us to this setting and these characters, but what I've read so far is awesome.

So, the question you're probably wondering is why did I give this 5 stars, and not 4... or less?

Well, here's why:

1. The prose is crisp and moves the story along. These authors are skilled.
2. The story itself (the characters in this world) is interesting and at the end I really wanted to keep reading. It had me hooked.
2651913
I loved it!

It combines all of my favourite elements of futurism. CBI (computer-brain interface), robotics, AI, and the epic love of a father for his son.

It's reminiscent of a few other sci-fi themes from other well known stories, but it has it's own pulse, it's own personality. I know that this is the authors first venture into fiction writing, being of a strictly academic background previously. I think this was a great effort and I hope it marks the first of many forays into the world of science fiction.
2198241
"I Dreamt of Trees" is an amazing first novel. Mr. Decruyenaere has managed that difficult feat of listening to his editors and written tightness and tension into his story. Words flow from one to another drawing me into a dreary and terrible future inhabited by people who are all too believable.

The USS McAdam seems to have been built with every contingency in mind except the humans inhabiting it and the Squelchers. But for the most part it is the humans who are its main problem and also the main theme of the story. We enter the USS McAdam centuries after its launching from a place only guessed at by the general population.

  to think that anyone on the ship actually knew its true origins was just ridiculous; too many centuries had passed since the ship had launched; too many computer malfunctions, human errors, and political shenanigans had transpired for any real proof of Earth to remain.

The society on the MSS McAdam seems to have been half-way decent during the Prologue. Thirty-five years after the appearance of the Squelchers, life has changed for the entire population of the vessel.

A crisis is a wonderful thing for power-hungry people. What was once unthinkable becomes doable by manipulating a fearful population into wanting to destroy the new THEM by any means possible. Even if that entails becoming a strictly stratified and segregated population (one must make sacrifices). The have-nots are stuck on the Rim-side of a ship-wide sewage moat while the haves get to live on the Core-side. Understandably, Core-dwellers will do what is required to remain on their side of the moat.

Core-dwellers are the people the High Command (and true rulers after the revolution) deemed desirable. The High Command tell their puppets, the Council, what attitudes need to be enforced through propaganda and terror. Like many of our own revolutions here on earth, life seldom becomes better for any but the very few. But while life may be terror-laden for Core-dwellers, it is infinitely better than what Rim-dweller endure.

What new regimes need are heroes and Them. In this case the major Them is obvious. Squelchers are bizarre aliens who zap people into their spaceships when their beams get through the shields of the MSS McAdam. Our new heroes are the Flashers and the Boosterettes.

Flasher Jason Crawford is our main character and seventeen years old. His level of aggression is at a height that is either drug-induced or bred into him. For some reason anger and aggression are seen as a positive qualities for the Flashers (along with youth and short and slender bodies). Everything about Jason screams aggression. His language reveals both his lack of ability to control his temper but also the extremely homophobic and misogynistic nature of his society.

A young girls greatest goal is to be able to work in privilege suites as a Boosterette. I strongly doubt dream and reality line up for these young girls. Medical staff are assigned to take care of what is left once the Flashers have released the pressure. Thankfully, Mr. Decruyenaere never shows us what goes on in the privilege suites.

Life is going to be full of surprises for young Jason and most of those surprises will shock him. I loved the ending. It was perfect.

Definitely recommended.
2456366
Sci-Fi is well outside of my usual scope of reads, but had an opportunity to read this and had enjoyed the author's previous fantasy duo. The concept seemed interesting so I dove in.

I'm so glad that I did.

I can't attest to whether it's good sci-fi, truly a space opera or any of that for fans of the genre. What I can say is that I loved the story, the universe and the characters. There's enough tech and seemingly reasonable expectations to firmly set the future feel of things. The characters act consistent with the bits of information about their past that you get throughout the book. Conflicts are just as much internal as external, creating a complex and breathing cast.

Read the book in just a few days and plowed into the second one almost immediately. This book is the start of a new interest in sci-fi for me. Can't wait to join on the rest of Halcyone and crews journeys!