Lodestar

. . . as the first two books in the "Firestar" series, but, in the opinion of this reviewer, still a worthy read. In this, I apparently disagree with a few of my fellow reviewers! "Lodestar" carries the "Firestar" series through the end of the second decade of the 21st century, (though the prologue is set in 2021 and is an effective backward reflection). The plot, like "Roguestar" is considerably "tighter" than in "Firestar" and much of the action takes place in earth orbit -- or in virtual space. Many familiar characters from the previous two novels are further fleshed out, including ultimate computer geek Jimmy Poole and his lover/wife Tani. A number of new characters are introduced as well as representing the "next generation" of space pilots, my favorite being the feisty Jacinta Rosario. A recurring theme throughout all three novels is the inability of the government to move past "politics as usual" even in the face of emergency situations. Sound familiar? "Lodestar" does leave one hanging, and hoping for resolution. See you at the next book!

Wealthy heiress Mariesa van Huyten's fears have finally come to fruition. When a remote satellite is sent out to observe an approaching asteroid, it is destroyed just as the asteroid slightly changes its trajectory. Even though she has been displaced at CEO at her consortium, she gains back some credibility when the news gets out that the asteroid will impact in six years. Thanks to her obsession, Earth has a chance to send out a crew to alter the course of the asteroid, but only if a myriad of things go right. The plot of this novel is somewhat slower than her last one, owing to the deeper development of some of her main characters, especially computer nerd Jimmy Poole. Much of the "action" in the plot occurs online in a virtual world which may turn off some pure sci-fi fans. This book is OK, and serves as a decent bridge between "Rogue Star" and "Falling Stars".

This takes the first two novels to the next level. I expect this series will go another two books at least. Poole was developed much more, as was Tani, his wife. More characters were introduced and some were taken out. It's the world as it might be. Honest, I couldn't put it down. I almost gave it a five star, but not many books deserve that. I loved the "virtch" world, as it seemed my more realistic than many of the cyberpunk stuff I've seen. It just brought the two previous books together and left me panting for more. Write, Mr. Flynn. Write.

Rogue Star, Firestar...Lodestar. Is this the big payoff to Michael Flynn's near future saga of an obsessed woman's crusade to get mankind back into space in order to protect Earth from falling rocks? Well, let's just say the story continues entertainingly. Last time we took a deep space trip to the asteroids and found that somebody was nudging them our way. This time we try to talk the world into doing something about it. Dealing with people, Flynn demonstrates, is always the toughest problem; past, present, or near future.