Boundary

Others reviewers have already summarized the plot, so I won't repeat that. The story is well presented and has enough interesting plot twists and cliffhangers to keep you from putting the book down. But what I really enjoyed about the book is that it is unashamedly written both by and to lovers of Science Fiction. I consider myself fairly well read in the Science Fiction field, and there were numerous references that I didn't catch. The story is classic, hard Sci-Fi. It has one assumption (ie; aliens visited the Earth 65 million years ago) and then the rest is a realistic extrapolation of what might be possible in the near future. It's not a satire, or in any way silly. But I found myself laughing out loud several times, and chuckling every few pages. This is a book you have to read carefully, or else you miss some of the little passing references that make it fun. Someone complained about the characters being shallow. Perhaps, in the sense that they didn't all have complete biographies, they were. But I don't learn to like characters by reading their resumes. I get to know them by watching them, and listening to them and laughing with them. I grew to like these characters and am eagerly awaiting the sequel to Boundary (which is already in the works). Although the book came to a reasonably satisfying conclusion, there were enough teasers in the plot to leave plenty of room to continue for another couple of books.

Set in the near future, Boundary is a fun, humor-filled and adventure ready read of daring-dos, fantastic finds, space travel and a little romance! An unexplained and possible career destroying find is found in the midst of bone dig in backwoods Montana. As a private company prepares to beat NASA to Mars with the intention of claiming the planet in the name of the company, the USA and profit, another discover throws those plans along with the human race into a tizzy. For what was found in Montana has found in a room, behind a door, on Phobos, one of Mar's moons. Visitors from another world had already been to earth... a very long, long time ago... The fear and dreams and hopes of an entire planet look to Phobos and Mars and the Boundary of past, present and future. A very good read, I highly recommend it and look forward the rest of the series!!

Boundary is one of my favorite books, added to the list of my 'comfort books' to reread when I am stressed. I am trying to do a spoiler-free review here. This is a book about exploration and discovery. The scientists and engineers who are the main characters have dreams that they are working for, and this story is about how they are realized. I like the characters; they are intelligent and passionate about what they do, and they are willing to work like beavers and _don't_ do stupid things. And they have a sense of humor. I could go on for paragraphs about the main characters, but I won't. Just that I find them likable. And of the minor characters, my favorite is Nicholas Glendale, particularly for his quashing one of the few unpleasant minor characters in the book. The romances are sweet, and nicely done, but sidelights to the main story of discovery. This book has everything I look for in a science fiction book -- characters I care about, cool stuff, an upbeat tone, and a plot that makes sense. If what you are looking for is grim and gritty 'realism' that involves small-minded people doing nasty stuff, this is not the book for you. This book is bright in tone, with the idea that 'there is cool stuff there for us to discover' and nice and enthusiastic people going out to find it. It is a lot of fun to read, and I highly recommend it. If you have any doubts, go read the sample available at the Baen website.

This is the best sf novel I've read in recent months. In Arizona, paleontologist Helen Sutter finds a fossil that doesn't look like anything that ever existed. In New Mexico, A.J. Baker is designing sensors for the Ares Project, a private group trying to send a manned mission to Mars. And in Washington, Madeline Fathom is working for the "Homeland Investigation Agency," of which it's said 'The buck vanishes here.' When Helen's fossil turns out to be a 65 million year old alien, and A.J.'s sensors find proof that the aliens had a base orbiting Mars, Sutter, Baker, Fathom and others are headed to Mars. This is the kind of science fiction that isn't written much anymore, "hard sf," where the author tries to extrapolate what will be possible in a few decades. Arthur C. Clarke did it magnificently in novels like _Prelude to Space_ and _Sands of Mars_. _Boundary_ ranks with those masterpieces. Highly recommended.

There seem to be relatively few good science fiction novels these days that are primarily about science and exploration. Boundry is one of them. I really enjoyed this book and urge you to try it. Further, I would encourage you to read any of the works of these two authors.