Venus Prime #03: Hide and Seek

I'm going to skip the plot synopsis, because you can read it elsewhere. What I will say is that by the third book in this series the format seems to get a bit repeatative. Sparta, a.k.a. Ellen Troy, works for the Board of Space Control and is sent to yet another planet/satellite to solve yet another crime that, while on the surface may seem unrelated, are actually connected by a secret group of people who are also connected to her biological enhancements. She's been to Venus and the Moon and now she visits Mars. I'm beginning to think Preuss is simply attempting a tour of the solar system. Preuss' writing still seems to hold up throughout the book and I was still eager to find out how this one wrapped up. However, the overall mystery of the series is being drawn out a little too much. I think this could have been wrapped up nicely in three rather than six books.

Personally I enjoyed the story (not to mention that I became in love with Sparta since the first pages), you should not expect Clarke's style even in the pages where his stories are described, it's another author (and i think a good one). Perhaps a litlle barroque when describes environments but very, very pleasant.

I first read this series when it came out in the late 1980's. They are highly entertaining and among my favorite books, it is high time they got a second printing. This third installment which takes us to Mars is as enjoyable as the rest, though my favorite is the second installment, "Maelstrom". Over the years I've had a lot of fun with Sparta and "The Free Spirit". I just wish I knew how to get my hands on one of those "Snark" attack helicopters. Ellen Troy and Blake Redfield are captivating heros, who like the rest of us, have their flaws. Any Clarke faithful who doesn't enjoy this series might want to think about going one size larger the next time they buy new skivvies.Anyone who enjoys this and other "Venus Prime" novels should look for "Core", another enjoyable work by Preuss. (For anyone who's curious, the origional names for the Venus Prime books are "The Breaking Strain", "Maelstrom", "Hide and Seek", "The Medusa Encounter", "The Diamond Moon", and "The Shining Ones" respectively.)

I don't think Paul Preuss is attemting to take Clark's place in science fiction history. The three installments thus far of Venus Prime are clever and enjoyable mysteries. The books are well written (if not carefully edited - Clark's intro in the second book refers to the first manned orbit of the moon by Apollo 8 Christmas 1969 - AFTER the first moon landing) and fun to read. Enjoy them for what they are, and leave the comparisons to 2001 out of the experience.

preuss captures clarke's tone and complexity--a nice entry in a superior series