Great first series in the "Superior" titles
358543
I couldn't put this book down til I finished it at 2:30am.  As soon as I finished, I started the next one.  This author has my attention full time with his writing.  Thanks for a really good suspenseful mystery that is a joy to read.
516906
This is the first book of the Stargazer series, but the series actually got a start by M. J. Friedman in ST:TNG Valiant.  That was the first one I read.  Afterwards I started on this series and found each one was just as good and on par with one another, my favorites being Valiant and Gauntlet.  Gauntlet in particular does start off slow, but after the events of Valiant has some serious groundwork to lay.  This crew is very young and still trying to find itself.  They deal with many new crewman as well as newfound promotions in the best way that they can, and eventually reach a certain cohesivness by the end of Progenitor.  I suggest this series to anyone looking to stray from the mainstream of trekdom and indulge in the enigmatic story of the unproven but able crew of the U.S.S Stargazer.
73279
Like Black Dagger Brotherhood, Dark Protectors, etc? You'll like this series also!  Well-written and entertaining, the author does a great job of keeping us interested in these Firsts and their friends.  I have to agree with others that the covers are horrible, but don't judge the stories by the covers!
4496263
This is a superb beginning to the series, with a captivating protagonist in Nell Sweeney. The gradual revelation of Nells background is very skillfully done, producing a different impression on the reader than if it had been abruptly laid out all at once. Other characters are also well developed, including Viola Hewitt and the little girl Grace (who has some funny lines) as well as disreputables such as the unfortunate Pearl and Seamus Flynn, who interrupts conversations to snatch up likely rats to contest with his dog Flossie. The depiction of Boston life of the period (both high and low) is also convincing.
2503703
Let me preface this with the fact that I knew it was a graphic novel and that it was not the next book in the series, but the prequel to the series. For what it was, it was well done.

If you like Shiver and Twilight, then this series is right up your ally. Mercy Thompson is a strong female character, a rarity in the male character dominated world of sci-fi/fantasy. In this graphic novel, we learn how it is that Mercy came to position that we find her in in her first novel Moon Called. Homecoming was just released this August and it is a prequel to the four existing novels in the series. A bit confusing, but worth it in the end.

We meet Mercy, unemployed and frustrated, during her travels to the Tri-City area of Washington state for a bust of a job interview. Unfortunately her presence in the area has not gone unnoticed as planned. During a run as a coyote she crosses paths with two feuding werewolf packs. Did I lose you? Mercy is one of a kind, a walker: able to take the shape of a coyote at her leisure.

The direct result of this confrontation is a busted car that needs to be fixed. Mercy stumbles upon a local repair shop and intervenes on behalf of the child working there against a vampire. Again, not unnoticed. Thus begins the adventures, and misadventures, of Mercy Thompson in the Tri-Cities area.

Fast-paced and a great introduction to the series for those who weren't already fans, this graphic novel really lays the ground work for what comes later in the series. So far there are four books out, with a fifth one due March 30, 2010. So far we are guaranteed at least seven, but Patricia Briggs says she may go farther. The books are dynamic in that they shift between focusing on the werewolf/walker interactions and the "bad guys" change in each book. Fae, vampires, werewolves, witches, and all manor of spectacular creatures exist in this one series. A great variety with strongly defined and engaging characters. Enjoyable and expressive!
4794984
This is an great opener for a space opera series. Action and character development are well paced. The "rules for the universe" are introduced and make a solid enough foundation for the author to build on. I like the characters and their flaws, and how their flaws work to shape their stories. Even though they are set in a far future they are still people I recognise with motives I understand. I look forward to reading more in this series.
3870043
The first in the series of what is potentially a grand series.
3344927
Having missed Babylon 5 (B5) when it first aired, we bought the series (<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Babylon-5-The-Complete-Television-Series-5-Pack/dp/B0001M3MXY/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Babylon 5 - The Complete Television Series (5-Pack)</a>) and watched all five seasons over a two month period. We really enjoyed the series but often wanted "more" when references were made about some of the character's history. "Dark Genesis" sets up the backstory of Psi Corps and sets the stage for Bester's story to be told in the following two books&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Deadly-Relations-Bester-Ascendant-Babylon-5/dp/0345427165/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Deadly Relations: Bester Ascendant (Babylon 5)</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Final-Reckoning-The-Fate-of-Bester-Babylon-5/dp/0345427173/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Final Reckoning: The Fate of Bester (Babylon 5)</a>.

The book was much better written than I expected it to be and J. Gregory Keys did a great job inserting his vision of the early days of Telepaths into the B5 universe. No plot spoilers from me, the story centers around an ambitious senator in the newly forming EarthGov who sees the unexpected emergence of true telepaths as a means to gain more power. There are those who fear telepaths and those that want to exploit them, and then there are the telepaths themselves who are caught up in events that they have little direct control over.  The overall plot is believable, as set in the B5 universe (and for SciFi), and there are plenty of well written action sequences.

One of the things I enjoyed about this book (and the whole series) is the way the technology is not focused on to a distracting level. Yes, it is the future, and yes, they do have more advanced technology, but that isn't the point of the story at all... it's about the Telepaths!

Recommended for fans of B5! Just a quick note about the other two books in the series, they mention events and people that appear in the B5 TV series so anyone new to the story will find it hard to relate to some of the references.
1112684
I don't usually read this genre but I'm glad I selected this series. The story line is interesting and most plot points are handled well. The first book is pretty well done and the action moves right along, which is great. The second and third books, while still interesting and worth the read, are a little rough. Specifically, about halfway through the second book it felt rushed, and the third book felt hurried. Both could use a good edit. I was provided a free copy of these books by Reading Deals in exchange for an honest review. Mr. Corkill is a talented writer and I look forward to reading more of his work.
2468483
I'm OK with authors churning out books on an accelerated basis for a regular revenue stream when those authors can do so at a decent writing level while maintaining an interesting story. Some are better than others and Ian Douglas is one of the better ones I have read.  You should get into this series if you like strongly visual military battles in outer space, encounters with aliens who prefer mankind dead, and a good roasting of hidebound Europeans who need to be cut down to size.  It's all a lot of good fun while maintaining a feeling of tradition that goes back to the early 1800s in some cases.

This fourth book in the series has, for me, restored the overall series following an inferior third book. The third book in the series balanced between retelling much of what had happened or explained earlier with a sense of paragraphs constructed around an outline. Imagine Cliff Notes plus? That's how I sometimes felt in the last book, but this one has a fresher feeling, throws in a couple of wrinkles, goes down a couple of unexpected paths, and has me looking forward to the next one.
3583001
"UGLY (Ultrahuman)" is a great first installment of a new series by Niall Teasdale. I look forward to reading more of this series as I have his other series, Thaumatology and Aneka Jansen. I recommend all of these series to anyone wanting strong sci-fi and fantasy stories mixed with the right amount of exotica.
3141860
I got the first instalment of this series in a post-apocalyptic box set compilation called This Is The End. Slow Burn: Zero Day was the first book in the box set and without waiting to read the others I downloaded the other Slow Burn books and read them all in about a week. I had to wait a bit for no. 5, but it was well worth it - possibly the best so far.

Bobby Adair is no literary genius, but he tells a good yarn and this series rattles along at a frenetic pace. I've thought several times that all the instalments should be compiled into a single book and I guess in the fullness of time they will be. In the meantime, however, it's a bit like reading the Dark Tower series as the instalments are released. The wait is worthwhile because it heightens the anticipation for the next bit.

If you read these books, you'll quickly invest in the characters and enjoy their story. I've studied the Google map of Austin to see where they are and I now can't wait for the tv series, let alone book 6. You won't be disappointed!
1395115
I have enjoyed this series. A little simplistic at times but fun to read. The characters are somewhat one dimensional but likable. The parallel story line of the teecee couple is well thought out and the character development is good. The whole series suffers from  an excess of "Deus ex machina" ( e.g. A.I. that seems way too intuitive and lifelike) but that does allow the stories to progress rapidly. The subplot or "teen" angst is also quite good, at least from what this senior citizen remembers of his own geeky youth. Not sure how the author is going to continue the story in future books. Perhaps a way will be found to transfer people through the 5th dimension or contact will be made with an advanced culture.
2250330
I've really enjoyed this series, but I think I like this most recent addition more than some of the earlier titles because of the strength of the character development and the quality of the story telling. Some of the earlier ones tend to read like a novelized graphic novel (i.e., rather like a comic book come to life), but that's not really a flaw, since that style of story telling is actually

I do think that this is the kind of series that's best begun from the beginning, just so you can keep track of all the action. (And there's a lot of it in this series.) a part of the tale the author wants to tell.
2880478
A great beginning, and I'd strongly recommend building on the knowledge with the rest of the series.

As these books are literally "firsts" it probably would be a good idea to later build on them with other resources.
1901622
Just started this series, and am enjoying it so far!
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.