The Rock Rats

The Rock Rats (2002) is the second SF novel in the Asteroid Wars series, following The Precipice. In the previous volume, Kris Cardenas almost commits suicide over her sabotage of the Starpower 1, but decides to stay alive to ensure that Martin Humphries is convicted for his crimes. On the Starpower 1, the crew abandon ship temporarily to burrow into the surface of Asteroid 32-114, a porous body like a huge sand pile, but Dan Randolph still receives a fatal dose of radiation. Before he dies, Randolph leaves all his possessions to Pancho Lane, including a huge block of Astro Manufacturing. After returning to Selene, Pancho is voted onto the board of directors of Astro, despite Humphries's opposition. In this novel, Humphries's lawyers tie up Selene's courts on the exile order, but the courts still divest him of all his shares in Astro Manufacturing and Starpower. He crashes the wedding reception for Amanda Cunningham and Lar Fuchs and presents them with a wedding present: the refurbished Starpower 1. While he hopes that Lars will go to the Belt and leave Amanda behind, the couple foil Humphries by leaving together. The more Amanda avoids Humphries's attempts to get her into bed, the more he is infatuated with her. His latest ploy is a trading and maintenance center on Ceres, the largest asteroid. Amanda convinces Lars and Pancho to open another trading company, Helvetia Inc., in competition with Humphries Space Systems, with Astro providing the goods at low cost. They now have a larger clientele than HSS. Humphries's aide suggests a carrot and stick approach to the problem. After consulting with his security chief, Humphries agrees to applying violence to Helvetia customers. A month later, rock rats start dying. First three ships disappear and later the HSS files claim on asteroids that they have discovered. Then there is a fire in the Helvetia warehouse. When HSS men murder the chief engineer on the habitat project, the body is taken to Kris Cardenas, who determines the cause of death and even the name of the murderer. Lars tracks down the murderer, goads him into attacking him with the murder weapon, and then kills him thoroughly. Under Lars's insistence, a court is formed to try him for murder. Of course, the court finds him innocent, but a precedence is set for the formation of a government in the Belt. This novel relates the beginning moves in the Asteroid Wars. HSS has attacked first and the rock rats are far behind. Yet this anarchy of individuals is finally starting to think of the social implications of an HSS monopoly and is appalled at the idea. Recommended for Bova fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of corporate battles, social conflict and personal frustrations. -Arthur W. Jordin

The Grand Tour is Dr. Ben Bova's series of books on the human exploration of the Solar System. This book is the second in a trilogy called The Asteroid Wars as human development reaches to the asteroids to get raw materials for space based manufacturing in the face of severe global warming. The hero of several previous books in the series, Dan Randolph, is dead. His place in the corporation is taken by Pancho Barnes. What a great name, if you remember the book/movie "The Right Stuff" that was the name of the woman who ran the local drinking establishment. One aspect of good science fiction is the science aspect that makes a prediction for the future that should be logically possible. At this Dr. Bova does an excellent job. This recording runs for ten hours, it is on nine CD's, read by Scott Brick, Amanda Karr and a cast of lessor characters.

Tossed across the room, that is. As an avid Ben Bova reader, I usually sit down and chew through one of his books in a couple days. I've read all of his fiction and love his "grand Tour" series. Excellent book written by an excellent writer. As usual, a wonderful tossed salad of politics, science fact, fiction and emotions. *SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS*Anyway, back to my tossing... When I finished Rock Rats last one night, my first reaction was to throw it across the room and scream. The bad guys won and it irritated the heck out of me. First book I've ever thrown across the room in anger and irritation.I'll tell you, as I've told anyone that will listen, read this series. It's great! But be ready for the typical trilogy thing...the bad guys win in the second book. *sigh*

This novel is excellent, period. Bova develops a future where the earth's resources have been depleted, and its only hope lies in the mineral rich asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The ores in the Belt are worth countless trillions of dollars, and struggle develops between an industrial tycoon, Martin Humphries, and the unofficial leader of independent asteroid prospectors, Lars Fuchs. Humphries is a cold-blooded, hyper-ambitious industrialist that amkes JR Ewing look like a saint. Fuchs is genuinely concerned about "the little man," but is a slave to his own volcanic temper and violent urges. The two men are the centers around which the war for control of the asteroid belt revolves.Warning: this book does not end happy. Hence the word "tragedy" in the title of my review. Fuchs own moral and personal failings prove his undoing; yet Humphries does not truly win either. To say more would ruin the book. Just remember that this book is a tragedy, in the classic sense of the word. Think "Moby Dick" as an example of what I mean.The charge that Bova does not develop the characters enough is superfluous; these same characters have appeared in other books by him and have been fully developed in those, so to do so again in this book would be repetitive and unfair to his loyal readers. It is number two in a trilogy, so the final ending may be happier than the one in this book. Nonetheless, for those who can stand its sober conclusion, this book by itself is an excellent read. It is fast paced, technically accurate, and emphasizes action strongly. All in all a great way to spend a few hours.

Some people aren't going to like it!I found it to be the defining book of the series so far.. Lars IS a wretch.. Amanda IS a whiny thing in some ways but oh... the setup for what looks like to come. Those that read Venus will recognize the 'jump or be damned' Lars that is to come years later.. not a fun read but a good Bova!