The Queen's Martian Rifles by M.E. Brines

Title: The Queen's Martian Rifles
Author: M.E. Brines
Genre: Sci fi/ Steampunk
Publisher: Self (November 5, 2011)
Available: $2.99 at Barnes and Noble
Rating: 5 stars
Rater: Dihanna

From the publisher:

Does the secret to the origin of Mankind lie within the Great Pyramid of Mars? In this alternate steampunk adventure, the technical genius, Nicola Tesla, invented an anti-gravity coil that made steam-powered spaceships possible in the last decades of the 19th century. But the British empire, and the other western colonial powers have powerful extraterrestrial enemies no one suspects even exist.

What I liked: This was my first steampunk novel, and I was a little reluctant to read it. What I found, however, was a completely original, eclectic story – including travel to Mars! – with a pleasantly twisting plot and characters I really got into. The story moves quickly, and doesn’t take too long to be told.

What I didn’t like:  There is some religious stuff that I could have done without. Doesn’t detract from the story, though.

In sum: This book convinced me that steampunk isn’t a genre to scared of. If you’re considering it, this is a good one to start with.

The Sundered by Ruthanne Reid

Title: The Sundered
Author: Ruthanne Reid
Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: 4th Floor Publication (May 10, 2012)
Available: $2.99 at Amazon
Rating: 5 stars
Rater: Dihanna

From the publisher:

Harry Iskinder knows the rules: don't touch the water, or it will pull you under. Conserve food, because there's no arable land. Use Sundered slaves gently, or they die too quickly to be worthwhile. 

The problem is, the Sundered Ones are dying out, and humanity is running out of time.
With extinction on the horizon, Harry searches for a cure: the Hope of Humanity, the mysterious artifact that gave humans control over the Sundered centuries ago. According to legend, the Hope can fix the planet, removing the deadly water and giving back the land. 

But the Hope holds more secrets than Harry knows, and Harry has a choice to make. Either the Sundered survive and humanity ends, or humanity lives for a while, but the Sundered are wiped out. 

The time for sharing the Earth is done. Harry never wanted this choice. He still has to make it. In his broken, flooded world, Hope comes with a price.

What I liked: I thoroughly enjoyed this book!  I just loved Aakesh and his surly attitude.  He was the sort of friend that I wish I had.   And who wouldn't love Gorish with his loving ways?  In fact, What I especially  liked about this book  was the devtotion that Gorish had for Harry - aka Harold Iskinder – who went looking for Hope and discovered secrets I never saw coming.   It was both a sad and happy book, much like life.  I feel the writer made it clear that the reader was to make a choice which side they would take. This is a 5 star book!

What I didn’t like: the story was too slow paced at first, and I thought it was a tad too long.

In sum: A must read for sci fi fans!

Aristeia II by Wayne Basta

Title: Aristeia : A Little Rebellion (Book 2)
Author: Wayne Basta
Genre: Adventure/Battle Star Sci Fi
Publisher: Grey Gecko Press (May 30, 2012)
Available: $4.99 at Grey Gecko Press
Rating: 4 stars
Rater: Dihanna

From the publisher:

"I like a little rebellion now and then...The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all." -Thomas Jefferson

Unlike her brother, Saracasi Ocaitchi has always known that her loyalties belong to the ideals of freedom and democracy, not the government of the Alliance, and that protecting those ideals would require a fight. But now that the rebellion she has dreamed about has finally begun, she must come to terms with what that truly means: for herself, for her brother, and for all of the people who will die in the coming war.

Written in the spirit of heroic space adventure, Aristeia: A Little Rebellion is the second book in the Aristeia series by author Wayne Basta. The first book, Aristeia: Revolutionary Right, is available now.

It was amazing. As in the first book in this series, I felt I was a part of the fighting right along with Maarkean and his sister, Saracasi.

This story is rocking, rollicking adventure that pulls you in from the first page. The two siblings’ trials reminded me of why wars are won: determination and tapping into the hero that lies within us all.  Not only were these two heroic, but they knew when to lean on others for help (and I loved the character Zeric, without whom they most likely would not have survived many times).  I loved how they rose about fear and bitterness even when faced with betrayal and such harsh trials.

I would like to have a friend like either of these two, and I was sad when the story ended.

As in the first book, I rate this a four star because some of the descriptions are too involved and hard to follow. Otherwise, like the first book, this is a great, great read.

Aristeia by Wayne Basta

Title: Aristeia: Revolutionary Right
Author: Wayne Basta
Genre: Adventure/Battle Star Sci Fi
Publisher: Grey Gecko Press (December 14, 2011)
Available: $4.99 at Grey Gecko Press
Rating: 4 stars
Rater: Dihanna

From the publisher:

A former naval starfighter pilot, Maarkean Ocaitchi once fought to protect the Alliance and its principles of freedom and democracy, but his sister's rebellious past forced them both into a life of smuggling. He nevertheless refuses to believe her assertions that the whole system is corrupt... until she is arrested and condemned to death as a traitor.

Now, Maarkean must decide where his loyalty lies, and will either spark a rebellion or help crush the spirit of democracy once and for all. The experience will challenge everything he thinks he knows about resistance, loyalty, and friendship.

Written in the spirit of heroic space adventure, Aristeia: Revolutionary
Right is the first book in a series by new author Wayne Basta.

Frankly, I don't usually read battle star sci fi, but I found myself pulled in to this story from the first page. For one, the characters are very interesting.  Maarkean and his sister, Saracasi, are trying to live a semi-calm life. Adventure ensues. A lot of it. As Maarkean struggles and tries to take care of his sister, he is forced into learning about  loyalty, perseverance, developing friendships with otherwise enemies, and ultimately about perseverance and democracy.  I think what struck me most was the simple, yet profound message that being a hero is simply doing what needs to be done and never giving up.

The detail is amazing.

I rate this a four star story because some of the descriptions are too involved and hard to follow. Otherwise a great, great read.

Final Solution by Michael Davis

Title: Final Solution
Author: Michael Davis
Genre: Sci Fi Adventure
Publisher: Champagne Books (May 7, 2012)
Available: $5.99 at OmniLit 
Rating: 5 stars
Rater: Dihanna


From the publisher:

Three stellar wars have stretched the ability of Earth’s ruling authority, the Council, to control the populace across twelve star systems. Unrest among the people threatens the oppressive reign of the government and they’re left with one option: to execute the Final Solution. Their grand scheme is so abominable; should the truth leak out, it could threaten stability of the Order and incite open rebellion. 

For their plan to succeed, they must depend on the unique talents of one telepathic man and his blue skinned wife. The couple becomes unwilling pawns to help the Council expand beyond Dominion space into new regions of the galaxy. They unravel lies within lies and discover the scheme risks, not just the New Earth Empire, but the very fabric of the universe. The destiny of humanity itself, and the quest to resolve the ultimate enigma of all sentient beings, falls upon the unlikely duo.

This is a story that pulls at your brain, and your heart.

Logan Riggs, our hero, fights hard for what he thinks is right, and he loves just as passionately.

What touched me most, in truth, was Logan's love for his wife, Cali (he calls her “Little One”).  Cali is from a different planet (Vega Star System), and loves her people very much. She also knows that they have been abused and even tried to be obviated from existence.  I also loved the relationship, the dynamic, between Paxton, a giant of a man, and Riggs, who are are constantly on opposite ends, but still working in the same army so to speak.  It’s funny how the story takes you to the place where the answers are usually found: in your own front yard.

In the end, Cali’s love saves Logan, and helps him finally see how to fulfill her life's ambition -- and when he does, he saves himself and Paxton.  And a race.

I have no minuses, or caveats. It’s a remarkably good story, well thought out, touching, and very worth every bit of 5 stars. Or 6.

Unacceptable Risk by Jeanette Grey

Title: Unacceptable Risk
Author: Jeanette Grey
Genre: Science Fiction Romance/Cyberpunk
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Available: $3.50 at Samhain Publishing
Rating: 5 stars
Rater: Pippa








Plot Summary:

She may learn to live for love…if vengeance doesn’t kill her first.

Plix spends her lonely, gritty life trying to solve the mysteries her father left behind. Armed with a variety of cybernetic enhancements and a talent for getting into places she shouldn’t be, she searches for clues to his murder—and who’s responsible for poisoning her city.

Waking up on a street corner with her brain wiring fried to a crisp, she figures she must have gotten close this time. There’s only one man she trusts to pull her back from the brink: a tuner who can retrieve the evidence hidden deep in the recesses of her mind. A man she dares not let too close to her heart.

When Edison downloads a secret SynDate schematic from Plix’s burnt-out circuitry, he knows with dreadful finality that nothing—not even the fiery kiss he’s been holding back for years—will stop her from pursuing her quest past the point of insanity.

All he can do, as he helps her plan her final mission, is ease her pain, watch her back…and hope one of them doesn’t pay with their lives.

---

Product Warnings

Contains a heroine intent on kicking ass and taking names, a high-tech dystopia, cybernetic body modifications, and emotionally charged, sensual romance. 

The Good:

This is a sad but sweet story, with a dark, gritty edge, that made my heart ache for the two central characters. Plix isn't the usual kick-ass heroine - she's quietly but irrepressibly determined, tolerating huge amounts of pain and grief to fulfil a goal, denying herself anything remotely like a normal life. Edison is geeky but strong, and while Plix's blind stubborness drives him to despair, he still does his best to help her even as it carves out his heart every time. Their struggle to repress their obvious feelings for one another had me in tears.

The Bad:

I struggled to find anything to criticise. There is a slight element of repetition in Plix's two forays for information that made me wonder if the opening was a flashback and now I was seeing the events in real time, but the fact that she gained something new told me it wasn't.

In Sum:

This book absolutely tore my heart out. None of the technology is overdone if that's something you struggle with in reading scifi, and yet it's comprehensive and believeable. There's an equal balance between the romance and the science fiction elements. Loved it and want more.

Refugees on Urloon by Melisse Aires

Title: Refugees on Urloon
Author: Melisse Aires
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Publisher: Lyrical Press Inc
Available: $3.99 at Lyrical Press Inc
Rating: 4 stars
Rater: Pippa












Plot Summary:

Two weary refugees, two moons and a life-changing fertility festival. Watch out for a whole lot of sensuality.

Under normal circumstances, Svana, non-military maintenance crew, and Captain Liam Ringel, a highly respected military instructor, would never have crossed paths. A sudden anomaly, however, thrusts them into deep space where they are rescued by the inhabitants of an exotic and isolated waterworld, Urloon. 

With no rescue forthcoming, the refugees can choose between adapting to the sea or farming the land. Svana is saddened when her budding friendship with Liam changes due to their different choices. However, when they are invited to an alien fertility festival, the Moonfest, they are given the opportunity to create a memory that will impact and intertwine both their futures. 

WARNING: Alien fertility festival, aurora lights, dancing alien beasts, body paints and hot pheromones. M/F Sensual.

The Good:

The story doesn't waste any time throwing you into the action and there are several threads running through it to keep up the tension. It made a nice change to read a romance story where the couple are an older generation than a lot of those I've read lately, and the uncertainty between them throughout the story despite - or perhaps because of - their experiences in life made their relationship poignant. The idea of alien pheremones invoking a fertility festival and of humans adapted for aquatic life hooked me from the start. The adaptation process is especially intriguing. For 37K words, there's a lot packed into this story.

The Bad:

I felt the stories of the two main groups of antagonists in this was slightly underplayed overall. I feel the Wilders especially should have been a little more significant in their threat earlier in the story.

In Sum:
This is a sweet and sensual romance, skillfully woven into a human society adapted to an alien world. Easy to read and compelling.

Machine by Jennifer Pelland

Title: Machine

Author: Jennifer Pelland

Genre: Science Fiction (Romance/Erotica)

Publisher: Apex Publications

Available: $5.20 at Amazon.com

Rating: 4 stars

Rater: Pippa

Plot Summary:
Celia's body is not her own, but even her conscious mind can barely tell the difference. Living on the cutting edge of biomechanical science was supposed to allow her to lead a normal life in a near-perfect copy of her physical self while awaiting a cure for a rare and deadly genetic disorder.

But a bioandroid isn't a real person. Not according to the protesters outside Celia's house, her coworkers, or even her wife. Not according to her own evolving view of herself. As she begins to strip away the human affectations and inhibitions programmed into her new body, the chasm between the warm pains of flesh-and-blood life and the chilly comfort of the machine begins to deepen. Love, passion, reality, and memory war within Celia's body until she must decide whether to betray old friends or new ones in the choice between human and machine.

The good:
I was really hooked by an excerpt I saw from the opening of this. I loved the concept of it, the whole idea of if you put your mind and memories into another body, is it still you? There were lovely touches of technology and a good use of psychology. It questions the whole idea of identity, of soul and self, of sexual identity, and how much influence our body has on our mental state. A stark reflection of current society where so many people attempt to conform to the advertised 'ideal', often resorting to extreme surgery or damaging cosmetic procedures to achieve it.

The bad:
About halfway through the story, I felt it began to drag a bit. It didn't seem to be going anywhere particularly fast, and I wasn't really feeling the emotional impact that Celia was going through as I felt I should have. Her confusion came across well but the tension was just lacking for me.

In sum:
This was more of a thought-provoking story than an adventure. It was different and well-written but slightly missed the mark for me. The romance played a very small part overall (I know it isn't listed as a romance, but there is a romantic element in it with Celia grieving over her wife's divorce), and the erotica elements were probably too few for fans of the genre. While I'd read another title by this author, I'm not sure I'd recommend it to my sfr loving friends.

Additional:
Please note - Critique de Book DOES NOT accept requests to review erotic romance or erotica. This is a book that I bought, read and reviewed for my own satisfaction, and not representative of the genres generally accepted by the review site.

Rebel by Arlene Webb

Title: Rebel
Author: Arlene Webb

Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Arlene Webb

Available: $1.21 at Amazon.com

Rating: 5 stars

Rater: Pippa

 

 

 

 

Plot Summary:
Can an untamed lover distract from the desire to bring down the human race?

The unforgivable happens, and a mother’s determination that her little ones blossom becomes an obsession. With a plan and the will, all Settia needs is the means. A lowly hero agrees to help. His price? A moment of fun in the dark. When tendrils tighten and he’s smitten, he’s ready to sacrifice his all to prolong their pleasure. Many sentient creatures lose their heads upon falling in love, yet Settia never expects the glorious aftermath to be quite so painful.

Rebel is a 10,500 word paranormal that’s been labeled undefinable. Sweet romance, yet with adult inneudo.

The good:
This is possibly unique in terms of the story. Well, perhaps the romance itself is not so odd, but the characters certainly are! There's some wonderful humour, touching moments of sweetness, and cold-blooded murder! It's well-written and totally intriguing.

The bad:
A knowledge about floral is helpful - non-horticulturists might struggle a little with the terms, although they are usually self-evident.

In sum:
This has to be one of the weirdest things I've ever read, but highly imaginative and entertaining. Love, murder and mayhem down in the mulch, where plantae take on humanity in order to save their buds. The erotic nature of the story is decked in flowery innuendo. Settia's struggles to protect her cuttings, defend herself against the lustful, prickly embrace of a lecherous cactus and the viscious manhandling of the single human oppressor are enthralling, while her romance with the twining Vinesun was both hot and sweet. Wonderfully different.

Greenshift by Heidi Ruby Miller

Title: Greenshift

Author: Heidi Ruby Miller

Genre: Science Fiction Romance

Publisher: Union City Publishing

Available: $2.42 at Amazon.com

Rating: 4.75 stars

Rater: Pippa

Plot Summary:
David Anlow, a fleet captain forced into early retirement and jaded by an ex-lover, now spends his lonely days shuttling around a group of scientists for hire.

Boston Maribu, Mari to her friends, is one of his passengers, a young botanist who is as beautiful as she is naïve and innocent.

When Mari asks David to teach her about more than just piloting the Bard, nights on their ship heat up and their feelings for each other mature into a relationship neither expects. But a suspicious new client shows up with wicked plans for Mari, and the soldier inside David comes alive, ready to fight for the young woman who stole his heart. 

The good:
Again, I loved the world building in this, the attention to detail and the portrayal of the characters. Heidi has a talent for making them so real. The writing is flawless and descriptive, and all the premises and reactions believable and consistent. The bad guys completely gave me the creeps, and I'm glad the torture scenes weren't more detailed - there was enough there for you to use your imagination, should you wish.

The bad:
The only reason I've rated this a touch lower than Ambasadora is because I felt the events in Greenshift hadn't carried over into the relationship in Ambasadora. I know they were written in reverse and that Ambasadora focuses on Sara Mendoza and Sean Cryer, but I felt there maybe should have been a line or two considering Greenshift takes place only a month before Ambasadora. Pure nit-picking - sorry!

In sum:
While I still prefer Ambasadora, this is a great addition to the library of any sfr fan.

The Girls From Alcyone by Cary Caffrey

Title: The Girls From Alcyone

Author: Cary Caffrey

Genre: Science Fiction Romance

Publisher: Tealy Books

Available: $3.30 at Amazon.com

Rating: 4.75 stars

Rater: Pippa

Plot Summary:

Sigrid and Suko are two girls from the impoverished and crime-infested streets of 24th century Earth. Sold into slavery to save their families from financial ruin, the girls are forced to live out their lives in service to the Kimura Corporation, a prestigious mercenary clan with a lineage stretching back long before the formation of the Federated Corporations.

Known only to Kimura, the two girls share startling secret—a rare genetic structure not found in tens of millions of other girls.

But when their secret becomes known, Sigrid and Suko quickly find themselves at the center of a struggle for power. Now, hunted by men who would seek to control them, Sigrid and Suko are forced to fight for their own survival, and for the freedom of the girls from Alcyone.

The good:

Despite the number of years this story is set over at the beginning, it's fast paced but full-bodied. The characters are enthralling, the technology intriguing and detailed without being overbearing and slowing the story down, and the descriptions vivid. It's also a lot of fun, with some wonderful humour amongst the action. The romance in it is sweet and touching, even in the bedroom scenes. You can't help but empathize with the two main characters, and while the story is complete in its own way, there are threads left hanging for a sequel (which I'm now awaiting impatiently!).

The bad:

About the only flaw in this for me was a couple of instances of head-hopping (something that drives me insane despite the fact I've been guilty of it myself) but not enough that it pulled me out of the story - it just niggled a fraction.

In sum:

This is an exciting, action-packed, well-thought out scifi story with a sweet romance at its heart. Hurry up with the sequel!

Ambasadora by Heidi Ruby Miller

Title: Ambasadora

Author: Heidi Ruby Miller

Genre: Science Fiction Romance

Publisher: Union City Publishing

Available: $2.41 at Amazon.com

Rating: 5 stars

Rater: Pippa

Plot Summary:

Sara Mendoza is captured, tortured, and falsely accused of treason by the Embassy, but she is given a chance to win back her freedom. She only needs to charm information from one of the fragger leaders, then kill him. But by the time she figures out the Embassy's intel is flawed and that Sean Cryer is her true mark, she's already in love with him.

Sean knows why Sara is on his ship from the start, but as a lonely, anti-social doser, he doesn't value his life, only his ideology within the fragger organization. Against his better judgment, he becomes her protector, each day caring more about a future he was always afraid to hope for.

The good:

I loved the touches of technology in this, especially the details like the scent bots and the intra-tattoo. The civilization and world-building are complex and well thought out, with some virtual reality thrown into the mix. The characters are intensely interesting, each with their own flaws, and you can't help but empathize them. I wanted so, so badly for the two MCs to get their happily ever after that I was almost skipping pages to find it! The bedroom scenes are hot, but they don't dominate the book - this is most definitely a science fiction romance with a lot of tension to it.

The bad:

Once or twice I felt like I was losing track of a character and their part in the story a little.

In sum:

This is the kind of science fiction romance that I want more of, and that has set me a target to achieve with my own writing. In the absence of a sequel, I'm waiting on the immanent release of GREENSHIFT, set before the events in AMBASADORA.

Nebula's Music by Aubrie Dionne

Title: Nebula's Music

Author: Aubrie Dionne

Genre: Science Fiction Romance

Publisher: Lyrical Press Inc

Available: $2.04 Kindle at Amazon

Rating: 5 stars

Rater: Pippa

Plot summary:

Each note brings her one step closer to the truth.

When the cyborg Nebula plays the piano she experiences memories from a time before her creation. These memories…which involve a captive rebel fighter being held on their ship…bring with them complex human feelings and awaken a desire for her to discover her origins.

Radian is the long lost love of the woman from which Nebula was made. He’s vowed to avenge his finance’s death and rescue her sister from the Gryphonites, a fierce race out to enslave the galaxy.

Nebula grapples with her identity and how much of who she is comes from someone else’s past. She is not the woman that died, yet she is undeniably drawn to Radian.

Together Nebula and Radian seek to rescue his fiancé’s sister and end the Gryphonites’ cruel reign. But can Radian learn to love again and can Nebula accept a past made from someone else’s memories?  

The good: I LOVED this book. It's as beautifully composed as the music mentioned within the story. I was enthralled by the central character Nebula and her blooming emotions, her struggle to deal with memories of her former life as a human. The tension, both romantically and dramatically, are maintained throughout the story, and the technology is touched upon but not so in depth that you feel as if you're plowing your way through a scientific text book. There's some lovely world-building and vivid descriptions.

The bad: This is pure nit-picking. I thought the description of the filthy interior of the Gryphonite space ship was a bit OTT - yes, they are the bad guys but do they have to be dirty too? I would also say this is more a science-fiction adventure with an element of romance rather than a full-blown SFR. Some fans of the genre might find the single closed bedroom door scene doesn't satisfy their expectation of romance, although I was absolutely fine with it myself.

In sum: This is a poignantly sweet and smooth science fiction story with a touch of romance. A delight to read, and one that left me wanting more. Much, much more.

Jaq's Harp by Ella Drake

Title: Jaq's Harp

Author: Ella Drake

Genre: Science Fiction Romance

Publisher: Carina Press

Available: $2.47 Kindle at Amazon

Rating: 4 stars

Rater: Pippa

Plot summary:

In a world of floating islands and bio-engineered beans, the bad guys are taken down by agents of the Mother organization—agents like Jacqueline "Jaq" Robinson. Instead of accepting her next routine assignment, she sets out on a mission of her own—to destroy Giant Corp, the company responsible for her sister's wasting illness. Jaq must steal her cure from Giant's headquarters high above the city...even though she'll be brought face-to-face with Harper English, the man who left her to go deep undercover at Giant.

For Harp, Jaq had been a distraction the mercenary thought he couldn't afford. But once he sees her again, Harp knows he's made a mistake. Even though she vowed he won't have her again, it's clear they still have a powerful attraction. Harp's determined to get a second chance with Jaq—if they can escape Giant Corp and get back to solid ground in one piece...

The good: I loved the play on Jack and the Beanstalk with a good dose of a dystopian world, advanced technologies and the contrasting privileged lifestyles of those in the floating cities. There's a real sense of the desperation of the landers. My heart ached throughout for Jaq, and I was desperate for her to get her HEA. I wanted this book to be longer so I could enjoy more of the world building and great descriptions throughout.

The bad: I felt there was too much back story crammed in between the dialogue at the start of the story, which slowed things down and made it harder to get into. I also couldn't understand Harper's initial reaction to Jaq. Considering these are both supposed to be professionals in a high-risk job, and both in very real and serious dangers with more than their own lives at stake, he just came across as a complete jerk in his behaviour. However I did warm back to him later. The ending also didn't quite do it for me although I can't quite pin down why.

In sum: I would read this one again, and look for other works by the same author. A good novella for fans of science fiction romance, and recommended for those who may not have read the genre before and want a taster.

St. Martin's Moon by Marc Vun Kannon

Title: St. Martin's Moon
Author: Marc Vun Kannon
Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: Echelon Press Publishing (May 30, 2011)
Available: $13.99 PB/$2.99 kindle at Amazon 
Rating: 4.25 stars
Rater: Dihanna


Plot summary:  Joseph Marquand is Earth’s best werewolf hunter. He is called to the Moon to hunt the vermin, and to do his level best to make the Moon a safe place for normal humans to live. Unfortunately, however, his own demons are complicating his focus - and as you can imagine, the werewolves have entirely different plans. 


The good: This author is an exceptionally skilled writer with a vivid imagination. His plot is original and well thought out, his descriptions are well written, and the adventure is non-stop. I enjoyed every page, and found the story immensely satisfying.


But: This is a profoundly masculine book that not only includes a lot of fighting, but is told from a distinctly male perspective. There are really no women present, and no women’s points of view, and despite trying very hard, I couldn’t quite connect with the protagonist. 


In sum: I highly recommend this book to all lovers of science fiction. The story is both well told and satisfying.