Originally posted by: @RUTGERS.ARPA:KATZ@USC-ISIF.ARPA
Message-ID: <563@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 8-Feb-85 23:31:52 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.563
Posted: Fri Feb 8 23:31:52 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 10-Feb-85 06:13:00 EST
Sender: daemon@topaz.ARPA
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 69
From: Alan R. Katz
Kevin O'Donnell, a relativly new author, has come out with 5 books that I know
of. I have read four of these and greatly enjoyed them. A short review
of the four I read follows, I recommend them all.
"LAVA", "REEFS", "CAVERNS" (3 books), The Journeys of McGill
Feighan (Berkley)
These 3 books cover the adventures of McGill Feighan,
a Flinger (ie a teleporter) from birth. In the first
book, he is swallowed by a giant gastropod creature
supposedly sent by the Far Being Retzglaran. At age
5, he becomes a Flinger, and at 17 enters the Flinger
academy, where he is trained in teleporting. Meanwhile,
an intersteller crime Mafia type organization, called
The Organization, decides to capture Feighan, mainly
because they have dealt with the work of the Far Being
Retzglaran before. Although no one seems to know anything
about the Far Being, he usually causes lots of trouble
for the Organization.
The rest of the books deal with Feighans career as a Flinger,
and his quest to find the Far Being to find out why he
was swallowed by the Gastropod, and what his life is all
about. The series is fairly humorous, but with a serious
plot line. It is pretty entertainting. I especially liked
the teleporting aspects (there really don't seem to really
be very many teleport stories around).
"ORA:CLE" (Berkley)
ORA:CLE stands for Opinions, Research, Advice: Computer
Linked Experts. If you want information, and are willing
to pay, ORA:CLE can help with its network of Experts, linked
by computer (through an implant allowing direct contact with
the brain). The story centers around Ale Elatey, a CLE on
Oriental History, who is almost murdered more than once. It
turns out that many of the CLE's have died under mysterious
circumstances.
Meanwhile (the book takes place 100 years from now) in this
future history, the Dacs, huge winged creatures, have invaded
the Earth. We do not have the power to stop them, but they
have not succeeded yet either. There is currently a ceasefire
in effect, but the Dacs fly around and attack anyone out
in the open. Thus people have "Dac Alarms" which alert
you of approaching Dacs and warn you to get indoors.
standard phrase used is "Do be careful" (as in the news
service notice: "This update has been provided as a
public service by all data management corporations
participating in NEWSBANK/MC....To see the headlines of the
day's other news stories, simply scroll your screen up.
Thank you, and do be careful.")
Anyway the background of the story, with the Dac invasion,
matter transmitters, Computer linked experts, etc. is very
interesting. I thought the ending of the story was
a little weak, but on the whole well worth reading.
If you're looking for something new to read, try these.
Thank you, and Do be Careful...
Alan
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