CSSF Blog Tour Day Three - Karen Hancock's "The Enclave"

Hi all:

Life is intervening on the best-laid plans of mice and bloggers, so I don't have time for more original thoughts of my own on Karen Hancock's The Enclave.


But I point you to these other great CSFF Blog Tour bloggers:

Brandon Barr
Jennifer Bogart
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Canadianladybug
Melissa Carswell
Valerie Comer
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
Emmalyn Edwards
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Heather R. Hunt
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Mike Lynch
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika
Eve Nielsen
Nissa
John W. Otte
Steve Rice
Crista Richey
James Somers
Speculative Faith
Stephanie
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Elizabeth Williams

And also to my reviews of Hancock's wonderful Legends of the Guardian King series:

• The Light of Eidon
• The Shadow Within
• Shadow over Kiriath
• Return of the Guardian

Enjoy!

hrh

CSFF Blog Tour Day Two - Karen Hancock's "The Enclave"

Hi all:

Day Two of the CSFF Blog Tour for Karen Hancock's The Enclave.


Yesterday I mentioned that The Enclave reminded me of Stargate, particularly the movie and the first four or five years of the TV program. That franchise explained ancient sarcaphogi in a science fiction way as having been used by aliens called gou'ald, or some such spelling.

Hancock's sarcophagi have a similar sinister origin, but she takes a totally different tack from a totally different historical line. Don't want to give away any spoilers here! I found her ideas fascinating. In fact, I used some of her ideas in a similar way for a Stargate spec script I wrote 5 years ago! But I didn't think of the sacrcophagus angle. Here's a link to that script BTW. Don't go to that link, however, if you don't want spoilers for The Enclave!

Click here or scroll down for my Day One entry, which lists all the other participants in this month's CSFF Blog Tour.

Enjoy!

hrh

CSFF Blog Tour - Karen Hancock's "The Enclave"

Hi all:

And now ... a blast from the past!

Remember when I used to post reviews here regularly? Well, for the next three days, I'm participating in another Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy (CSFF) Blog Tour, because they're featuring one of my favorite authors, Karen Hancock, and her latest novel, The Enclave.


I finished reading it last night at midnight and wow, it's not a book to read right before going to bed! What a boffo ending! Edge of your seat, gasping, cringing, and worrying up to the last few pages.

It's quite a departure from Hancock's four-book, Christy-award winning fantasy series, "Legends of the Guardian King," which shows just how imaginative Hancock is. Though she does manage to pull in a sword and scabbard at one point. ;)

This book is much more of a science fiction than fantasy book, because it is set in a genetics research compound in the Arizona desert and includes much lingo about the field of genetics, labwork, research grants, etc. Quite fascinating. Much more Michael Crichton than Frank Herbert.

It also reminds me of the Stargate movie and TV series in the way it brings ancient sarcaphogi into modern times, thus making this tale both a historical novel and a science fiction story at the same time. Great stuff!

Check out Karen Hancock's website and blog for more information about her new book and the wonderful "Legends of the Guardian King" series. I'll post links to my reviews of this wonderful series later in the tour.

I'll elaborate on my thoughts re: Michael Crichton and Stargate over the next three days, but in the meantime, here are links to the other blogs participating in the tour:

Brandon Barr
Jennifer Bogart
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Canadianladybug
Melissa Carswell
Valerie Comer
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
Emmalyn Edwards
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Heather R. Hunt
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Mike Lynch
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika
Eve Nielsen
Nissa
John W. Otte
Steve Rice
Crista Richey
James Somers
Speculative Faith
Stephanie
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Elizabeth Williams

For the duration of the tour, I'll revert to my reviewing sign-off:

Enjoy!

hrh

"So Say We All" book review at SFReader

Hi all:

I have a new review posted at SFReader for an anthology of essays on the new "Battlestar Galactica" called So Say We All.

Here's how my review begins:

When I picked up this anthology of essays on the reimagined "Battlestar Galactica (BSG)," I thought I would be at a disadvantage since I missed out on the third season when the Sci-Fi Channel in all its twisted wisdom moved the show's broadcast night from Friday to Sunday. Some of us have to get up early Monday mornings and be to work; Friday is just perfect for science fiction viewing, if you ask me. But I digress.

My lack of Season Three knowledge wasn't a problem, however, because So Say We All: An Unauthorized Collection of Thoughts and Opinions on Battlestar Galactica was published in 2006 and only covers up through Season Two. I imagine there will be a further edition as the show continues. This first collection is rather heavy-handedly edited by Richard Hatch, who writes the official Introduction along with lead-ins to every essay as well as the concluding piece. I understand he's the only major player to be a part of both productions, but it makes one wonder if he'd be so effusive about the reimagined show if he had not been asked to be a part? I think not, but readers can make their own call on this one. In fact, I'm wondering if he actually did any of the editing for these essays since the title page gives the full editing credits as "with Tee Morris and Glenn Yeffeth."

This review is taking a rather down turn though I don't intend to give the impression that the collection does not include some incredible writing and commentary. It does. I shall list my favorites now ...

Click here to read the rest of my thoughts.

Enjoy!

hrh

Auralia and River Tam

Hi all:

Thanks to all who commented on yesterday's CSFF Blog Tour post. Today I'm going to write about a comparison I made almost immediately upon seeing the cover of Auralia's Colors between Auralia and another unusual character in a science fiction story, River Tam. (Those unfamiliar with the Firefly 'verse, click on River's name for a fansite about the cancelled television series and film.)

Here are some pics for comparison. Click on River's picture for a montage photo of her character.

Here are the points of comparison that struck me:

1. They're both young girls, mysterious and wild, yet with uncanny powers to perceive the truth in others' characters.


2. They both provoke both either admiration or fear in the hearts of others - depending on the states of those hearts.


3. Both unintentionally cause trouble for the communities in which they reside, Auralia for the Gatherers and River for the crew of the Firefly starship, Serenity.


4. Physically they're both slender and fit with long dark hair that sometimes tangles around their faces and hides their expressions.


5. They also both engender fierce feelings from male siblings - Simon Tam, who actually is River's brother, and Maugam the Jailer, who spares Auralia because she reminds him so of his little sister.

I realize both my posts have talked about what Auralia's Colors is similar to, but I am not trying to suggest that Jeffrey Overstreet's work is only derivative. On the contrary, he takes standard fantasy settings, characters, and set-ups, and gives them his own touch in his own world of The Expanse.

Fantasy is a genre just like mystery, romance, or suspense, and thus has its certain familiar characteristics that appeal to fantasy readers. As with any other good genre author, Overstreet takes these set pieces and runs with them.

Enjoy!

hrh

"Boarding the Enterprise" Review at SF Reader

Hi all:

I have a new review up at SFReader of the anthology Boarding the Enterprise: edited by David Gerrold and Robert Sawyer.


Here's how my review begins:

Boarding the Enterprise presents Exhibit A in not judging a book by its cover, or at least by its clarifying material. From the prominent banner across the top border that declares this book to be "Completely Unauthorized" (I wonder how something could be "partly authorized?"), I expected an amateurish collection of drooling fan pieces. Quite the contrary, as I'll soon enumerate, which leads me to believe that the authorization process much just involve too much paperwork and red tape, because I don't honestly see whyTPTB (the powers that be) would not want to authorize such a thorough and well-written series of essays chronicling Star Trek: The Original Series' (ST) impact across our culture.

I consider myself a casual ST fan, with the original series and Voyager being my favorite iterations of the ST universe. In other words, I'm not a Trekkie, so for me these essays provide a mini-history and reference collection of ST, its network and viewing slots, letter-writing campaigns that saved it for a time, and the syndication that resurrected it - seemingly for all time. For example, D. C.Fontana's essay is a series of behind-the-scenes anecdotes, which may be repetitive for die-hard Trekkies, but I hadn't heard them before.

But as an omnibus gathering of ST's impact on politics, media, science, television, philosophy, conventions, fan fic, and more, you can't beat this grouping of well-written and entertaining essays. In particular, Don DeBrandt's "What Have You Done with Spock's Brain?" is laugh-out-loud hilarious while making a logical case for how illogical it is to be so committed to being logical. Continue the guffaws with Lawrence Watt-Evans essay on safety precautions - or the lack thereof - on the Enterprise in "LostSecrets of PreWar Human Technology" ...

Click here to read the rest of my thoughts.

Enjoy!

hrh

CSFF Blog Tour Day 3 - Karen Hancock

Hi all:

Scroll down my blog to see my reviews of the first two books in the "Legends of the Guardian-King" series. Today I'll post my review of the third book, Shadow Over Kiriath. This review first appeared on Infuze Magazine.

Full disclosure requires me to reveal that I received Karen Hancock's Shadow Over Kiriath compliments of the publisher. In other words, I did not pay the $13.99 cover price for the privilege of continuing Abramm Kalladorne's adventures in the Legends of the Guardian-King. Still I feel fully justified in declaring that this novel gives every purchaser/reader his or her money's worth.

This well-told tale runs from cover to cover with no blank pages before the title page and no white space at the end of the postlude on page 464. In between the text is stacked. And what meaningful text it is.

Hancock continues to survey and populate the geography she created in the series' first two books: Light of Eidon and The Shadow Within. This is a world as vivid as Narnia where the god is called Eidon, his son Tersius, and the powers of his spirit are more physically and magically manifested than in 21st century Earth. But where truth is still Truth.

In countries called Kiriath, Chesedh, and Esurh, the inhabitants ride horses, fight with swords and cannons, sail on wooden ships and slave galleys, hold royal receptions, and revere their kings. They also try to shut down etherworld corridors created by dark magic, keep border lords in line, and slay ancient beasts such as kraggins and morwhols. This universe has all the stuff of legends.

And yet in this world, sin is still sin whether it's premarital sex or belittling a peer in public. More convicting, the prideful human tendency to feel guiltier over the former than the latter is given its rightful comeuppance. As does the notion that some specific sin we commit is so great that we must punish ourselves to in some way make up for it--as if Tersius' sacrifice wasn't enough. Another weighty theological theme that Hancock handles well is that of human free will over against (or is it under against) Eidon's sovereign will. I don't mean to give the impression that these legends are merely thinly-veiled discussions of theological matters. No. Like Narnia, Middle-Earth, or Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, this world is rich and detailed, the tales are complex and thrilling, and the characters full-blooded, flawed, and heroic.

As jam-packed and meaningful as the pages of Shadow over Kiriath are, however, I must admit that Part Four seems like an add-on section that perhaps should have been Part One of the next book--if there is going to be another book. There is no indication that there will be a fourth book in the series, which would be a huge disappointment if true. Shadow over Kiriath ends like The Empire Strikes Back and positively begs a better conclusion to Abramm's legend.

After the thrilling adventures of the first three sections, which continue the soaring saga from the first two books, Part Four leaves the reader deflated and anxious. All is not lost, but it's pretty bleak. Please, Ms. Hancock, tell us there is another.


When this review appeared originally on the old Infuze, there were several comments, including one from Karen Hancock herself, assuring us that there would be a final book.

And that book is now here. It's called Return of the Guardian-King and it's what this 3-day blog tour has been celebrating.

My review will be appearing soon at Title Trakk. But in the meantime, visit Karen's website and blog to learn more from the author herself.

Thanks for a great series, Karen. Looking forward to the next one!

But no pressure ...

hrh

CSFF Blog Tour - Karen Hancock

Hi all:

Today I'm continuing on the CSFF blog tour of Karen Hancock's "Legends of the Guardian King" series, which consists of four titles:

1. The Light of Eidon
2. The Shadow Within
3. Shadow Over Kiriath
4. Return of the Guardian-King

Yesterday I posted a review of Book One. Now it's on to my review of Book Two: The Shadow Within, which first appeared at SFReader:

Karen Hancock's Legends of the Guardian-King series is fantasy writing at its best. I give it my highest recommendation for characterization, story, descriptions, locations, and theme.
Picking up where The Light of Eidon left off (yet easily enjoyed by readers who haven't read this first volume), The Shadow Within begins with Abramm Kalladorne sailing home to claim his rightful place as King of Kiriath.

It doesn't go smoothly, of course, and before he even reaches shore he has to confront a leviathan-like beast called a kraggin, which may have been created by wicked mystics bent on destroying the kingdom. Then he has to confront his younger brother, Gillard, who has been running the country into the ground.And that's just the beginning.

Once he's on the throne, the problems continue. His troubles range from learning the latest dance step to pacify palace gossips and minimize royal intrigue to evading assassination attempts to facing another malevolent being called a morwhol, which was created specifically to kill Abramm and all his kin.

Not to mention handling a busybody second daughter from a neighboring kingdom, who repeatedly sticks her nose in where it doesn't belong-except that her insights and pronouncements turn out to be very helpful indeed.

Elsewhere, Abramm's estranged and formerly beloved sister, Carissa, hides in the hinterlands from her sadistic husband. When she hears that Abramm is back in the kingdom, she refuses to go down and meet him until she is forced into the treacherous journey by dire circumstances.

Whew! The pacing of these varied plots is masterfully handled. Each thread builds its own inner tensions, and the strands come together in surprising and satisfying ways.The ultimate climax of the story is breathtaking, unpredictable, and gratifying while still leaving loose ends to be picked up by the next volume:

1. Will Gillard survive?
2. Where is Carissa's husband now?
3. Will the budding romance between Abramm and the plain-looking, plainspoken second daughter develop into something that could threaten relations with Kiriath's neighbors?
4. When will the Armies of the Black Moon attack?

If the third book measures up to the first two, fantasy readers have much to look forward to in Karen Hancock's Legends of the Guardian King.

If this peaks your interest, and you're interested in reading what others have to say about the series, check out these other bloggers, who will be writing about "Legends of the Guardian King" April 16, 17, and 18:

Nissa Annakindt
Wayne Thomas Batson
Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Frank Creed
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Janey DeMeo
April Erwin
Kameron M. Franklin
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Christopher Hopper
Heather R. Hunt
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Karen
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium
Rachel Marks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Shannon McNear
Caleb Newell
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
Robin Parrish
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
James Somers
Tsaba House Authors
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Daniel I. Weaver
Dawn King
Rebecca Grabill
Jill Hart

Enjoy a whole new world of adventure with Karen Hancock's series!

hrh

Christian Science Fiction & Fantasy Blog Tour - Karen Hancock

Hi all:

Welcome to my first participation in a blog tour. What's a blog tour? It is a group of bloggers who unite for a period of time to blog about one subject to generate discussion and awareness of the subject.

In this case, the Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy (CSFF) blog tour posts about and discusses a different SF&F author or magazine each month. This month we're all discussing the award-winning author, Karen Hancock, and specifically the fourth and final book in her excellent "Legends of the Guardian King" series called "Return of the Guardian King."

I just finished reading this book over the weekend and am gathering my thoughts for my review for Title Trakk. So I can't comment specifically on this title until my review appears over there.

But I can share my thoughts on the first three books in the series:

1. The Light of Eidon


2. The Shadow Within


3. Shadow Over Kiriath

Today I'll post my review of Book One, which first appeared at Absolute Write. Here are my thoughts on "The Light of Eidon":

This exciting new story by Christy-award-winning author Karen Hancock is the first book in the “Legends of the Guardian-King” series. Like J.R.R. Tolkien did for his “Lord of the Rings” series, Hancock has created a whole world with map included in which readers can lose themselves for hours of heart-stopping adventures. This is a world where battles between good and evil are still being fought, where darkness and light stand side by side, yet the truth is not as black and white as it may seem.

Our hero in this epic world is Abramm Kalladorne, a lowly prince of the northern kingdom of Kiriath, who is so far down the line of succession and so puny compared to his brothers that he decides to join the religious order Guardians of the Sacred Flames of Eidon. For eight years he toils in the rigors of the religion only to be betrayed by his spiritual mentor on the eve of his installation as a Guardian.

This betrayal sets him on a long series of grueling adventures that includes slavery on a galley ship and the equally miserable life of a gladiator. Like Joseph in the book of Genesis, however, he appears to be blessed in all of his experiences and turns into the most famous gladiator, known as the White Pretender, and eventually is pegged to be the Deliverer of the downtrodden Dorsaddi race.

Along the way he finds love, strength, and loyal friendship. And every step of the way, his spiritual battles mirror the intensity of his physical confrontations. Hancock has created a tale that combines elements from Tolkien’s Middle Earth, Russell Crowe’s Gladiator, and Frank Peretti’s This Present Darkness, which was the first breakout Christian novel.

Hancock’s archetypal world includes the familiar motif of twins destined for greatness, but she gives it a unique twist in having the sister, Carissa, be the one who sets out to rescue her beloved brother, Abramm. Hancock writes with confidence, perfect pacing, and a welcome economy of words. (I often find books of this genre to be somewhat florid and lengthy.)

Though this tale begins a series, its main story comes to a definite ending at the end of this book. Several other storylines are left open to be explored in future novels. So the promise is there but not the frustrating gimmick of the cliffhanger. The Light of Eidon is a swashbuckling tale that satisfies on its own terms while pointing to further exciting adventures from a talented new writer.

If this peaks your interest, and you're interested in reading what others have to say about the series, check out these other bloggers, who will be writing about "Legends of the Guardian King" April 16, 17, and 18:

Nissa Annakindt
Wayne Thomas Batson
Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Frank Creed
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Janey DeMeo
April Erwin
Kameron M. Franklin
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Christopher Hopper
Heather R. Hunt
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Karen
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium
Rachel Marks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Shannon McNear
Caleb Newell
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
Robin Parrish
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
James Somers
Tsaba House Authors
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Daniel I. Weaver
Dawn King
Rebecca Grabill
Jill Hart

Enjoy a whole new world of adventure with Karen Hancock's series!

hrh

"Pandora's Star" at SF Reader

Hi all:

Before I get to my second post on Orthodoxy in Frederica Mathewes-Green's books, I'm popping in here to let you know I have a new review posted over at SFReader.com.



This one is for Pandora's Star by Peter J. Hamilton, the first book in his Commonwealth Saga series.
Here's how my review begins:

If you're looking for a futuristic saga to sink your teeth into, Pandora's Star by Peter Hamilton is the ticket to your fantastic journey. This science fiction epic has something for everyone.

If you like a cast of thousands involved in multiple plot lines that all weave together in a grand adventure, then you'll love Hamilton's vision of our galaxy circa 2380 A.D.

If you're a cold case buff, there's the 130-year investigation by Paula Myo, genetically engineered with an obsessive compulsive trait that makes it impossible for her to be dishonest or unjust, into suspected criminal, Bradley Johansson, founder of the Guardians of Selfhood, an underground (or is it undergalaxy?) crime syndicate. She pursues him across several lifetimes literally.

If you like the idea of having several lifetimes, Hamilton depicts rejuvenation as a common practice in the 24th century. In this process, people have a memory chip implanted in their brains, and around age 50, instead of getting a colonoscopy as we in the 21st century are instructed to do, they get a new body engineered into which their memory chip is planted. Presto! Second childhood. And third. And fourth, and on until you decide to stop, which not many people do ...

Find out what else is possible in Hamilton's 23rd century, by reading the rest of the review here.

Enjoy!

hrh

Lost SFReader Reviews Republished!

Hi all:

Good news! The last two lost reviews from the SFReader database crash have been reposted! They are:

Star Trek Voyager: Evolution by Heather Jarman



The Candle of Distant Earth by Alan Dean Foster


Click on the titles for the full reviews. Click on the covers to purchase.

Enjoy!

hrh

SF Reader Reviews Re-posted

Hi all:

I said I'd let ya' know when my lost SF Reader reviews had been reposted.

Some of them have as follows:

Distant Shores, a Star Trek Voyager 10th Anniversary anthology (original blog)
Cohesion, Book One in the Star Trek Voyager String Theory series (original blog)
Fusion, Book Two in the Star Trek Voyager Theory series (original blog)

Still missing are:

Evolution, Book Three in the Star Trek Voyager series (alas! I think I've lost this file!)
The Candle of Distant Earth, Book Three in Alan Dean Foster's The Taken trilogy

I'll let ya' know when and if these get reposted.

Tomorrow I'll tell ya' about an exciting new site I'm going to be reviewing for ...

hrh

Two Television Scripts

Hi all:

I just added links to two of my television "spec" scripts in the sidebar under "My Scripts:"

1. Joan of Arcadia "The Bridge"
   This one was a Finalist in the WriteSafe.com quarterly contest. Woohoo!
   My inspiration for this was an article in Christianity Today magazine about a ministry to homeless people who live under a bridge.
   Sadly, this show was cancelled after the second season. But Season 2 is coming out on DVD in November!
   
   
2. Stargate SG-1 "The Nephilim"
   My inspirations for this were Genesis 6:4, when the Nephilim still walked the earth in the time before the Flood, and Madeleine L'Engle's Many Waters, which is a time-travel novel about Noah and the earth before the Flood. [Wow! 97 customer reviews on amazon give Many Waters 4 out of 5 stars - yep, it's just that good.]
   Sadly, SG-1 has just been cancelled after 10 seasons, which still makes it the longest running U.S. SciFi show.

You can read mine and other scripts at WriteSafe's online directory. Works are listed by Author's last name. Scroll down to "Hunt" for my scripts!

[FYI: WriteSafe is a registration and display site, so all works are legally protected by the authors.]

Enjoy!

hrh

"The Candle of Distant Earth" by Alan Dean Foster

Hi all:

My latest review is up over at SFReader.com. It's for prolific SciFi author Alan Dean Foster's latest book:

Here's how I begin my review:

I could give Alan Dean Foster's The Candle of Distant Earth a 5-star rating based on the quality of storytelling, setting, and characterization. The only factor that keeps me from the highest score is that this novel is the finale of Foster's Taken trilogy, and my enjoyment was lessened for not having read the first two: Lost and Found and The Light-Years Beneath My Feet. Of course, I do plan to seek them out now, so you could argue that this factor merits Candle a top rating. But this is my review . . .

Head on over to my full review to find out what rating I did end up giving Candle! [Sorry guys, SFreader had a database malfunction and my review is gone! I'll let ya' know when it's reposted. 8/28/06]

[Hi all: Good news! Pete at SFReader was able to repost my review here. 9/27/06]

Enjoy!

hrh

Science Fiction Museum

Hi all:

One of the highlights of my recent trip to Seattle was my visit to the Science Fiction Museum (SFM). It was created by Paul Allen of Microsoft fame and is attached to the funky building that is the EMP, or Experience Music Project.

Here's the EMP and SFM building viewed from straight overhead on the observaton platform of the Space Needle. The SFM is the gray section at the upper left. The rest of the building is the EMP and it's s'posed to look like a smashed guitar in honor of Jimi Hendrix, a Seattle native.

Here's a closer view of the EMP. The green and blue sections are s'posed to be the smashed guitar frets.

Here's the SFM entrance.

Side mural.

Front mural. (This one's currently my computer desktop image - it looks great on the 17" screen!)

If you like SF and are in Seattle, this is a must-visit. I think it was $12 for adults.

One caveat, however: The book store was lousy. After the magnificent time line history of SF in the museum, I was hoping for a coffee table book of same. Oh well, maybe they're working on one?

On the bright side, I saved money by not buying any souvenirs. :)

hrh

(all photos copyright hrh 2006)

New Star Trek Review

Hi all:

My new review of:

is now up over at SF Reader. Here's how it begins:

Evolution by Heather Jarman completes the 10th anniversary Star Trek Voyager tribute trilogy called "String Theory." This concluding chapter is on par with the first two episodes and a fitting finale to an epic adventure.

Jarman is a terrific writer, who handles science topics and characterization with equal skill. She also plots well, which is imperative in such a busy tale, which features three ongoing storylines:

Click on the SF Reader link to find out what those storylines are! [Sorry guys, SFreader had a database malfunction and my review is gone! I'll let ya' know when it's reposted. 8/28/06]

[Hi all: Good news! Pete at SFReader was able to retrieve my lost review! It's now reposted here. 9/27/06]

Click on the book cover to buy it at amazon!

Enjoy!

hrh

"Distant Shores" review

Hi again:

Here's another new review, this one's a 10th anniversary collection of Star Trek: Voyager short stories called Distant Shores.

If you're a Voyager fan, you'll enjoy this collection. [Sorry guys, SFreader had a database malfunction and my review is gone! I'll let ya' know when it's reposted. 8/28/06]

All fixed now! 9/18/06

hrh

"Star Trek Voyager" Book Reviews

Hi all:

I have a new review up over at SF Reader. It's for a Star Trek Voyager novel in the "String Theory" trilogy called Book Two: Fusion by Kirsten Beyer. Click on the title for my reveiw and the cover to buy.











You can read my review of Book One: Cohesion by Jeffrey Lang by clicking on the title. Click on the cover to buy.











As you can read, I recommend them both. Great for Voyager fans. Great for SF fans interested in String Theory presented in dramatic form. [Sorry guys, SFreader had a database malfunction and these reviews are gone! I'll let ya' know when they're reposted. 8/28/06]

Reviews all fixed now. 9/18/06

I'm reading Book Three: Evolution by Heather Jarman now. So far so good ...

hrh

"The Rats of Hamelin" in E-mail Book Club

Hi all:

In a recent post, I included a link to my review of "The Rats of Hamelin" at SF Reader. Well, dear reader, you're in luck!

All this week, the "Dear Reader" E-mail Book Club (which I also featured in a previous post) is featuring "Rats." Here's your chance to check out the first few chapters to see if you want to read the whole novel. HINT: I gave it a recommend in my review.

Read on!

hrh

Sarah Jane Smith returns!

Hi all:

Just a quick entry to celebrate the return of Sarah Jane Smith to the cover of Doctor Who Magazine! Click on the photo for a snippet of Elisabeth Sladen's interview.



















Can't wait 'til she returns to the show!

hrh