Hellflower

Very different. Trying to follow the slang is great fun; it always seems as though you almost know the language. Plenty of action; colorful characters; non-stop.

Eluki bes Shahar has also written many great fantasy, mystery and romance (yes, romance too) novels under the name Rosemary Edghill. Check them out, you won't be sorry.

So you're looking for a good book to read? THIS IS IT! I could not put this book down the first time I read it. The story has technology, action, adventure, love, hate, war, friendship, and even a little philosophy (?!) mixed in. It's a real treat to read.

Don't be put off by the slightly lame and generic-sounding synopsis presented for these books. The Hellflower trilogy is well worth reading. What starts off in "Hellflower" as a fairly formulaic 'fiercely independent space smuggler stumbles into dangerous political conspiracy' matures in the next two books into a very thoughtful and empathetic story about human beings, their relationships, and human loyalty. Some of the slightly cheesy devices that Shahar uses in "Hellflower" to create the ambiance are dropped as the series progresses, and the story ends up being bloody great sci-fi. If you can find all three books, read them and treasure them.

The story is full of action. It also has suspense, intrigue, a main character you can empathize with, and an interesting plot. It is one of the finer SciFi stories I have read this year.