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Title: The Silent War: Book Three of the Asteroid Wars (BOVA, BEN) by Ben Bova ISBN: 0-312-84878-1 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 April, 2004 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.5 (2 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: 1st class action and world-building but weak characters
Comment: The conflict between Pancho Lane and her Astro Corporation and Martin Humphries of Humphries Space Systems has always been ruthless, but now the two find themselves pushed beyond competion into outright war. As corporations, both Astron and Humphries depend on profit and loss--but the old antagonism between the two leaders, and the secret manipulations of the Japanese consortium, Yamagata Corporation. Corporate warfare means mercenaries, armed spaceships, blockades, and convoys, as well as innovative use of weapons as modern as nanotechnology and as ancient as assassination. With neither Pancho nor Humphries prepared to back down, and neither willing to listen to reason, the war threatens to spill out of control.
Author Ben Bova is at his strongest when he deals with the near-future universe in which THE ASTEROID WARS is set. Earth, beset by global warming and the floods caused by melting icecaps, is in desperate need of the metals, energy, and complex manufacturing that can only take place in space. Humphries and Astro were the early developers of commercial space technologies. For decades, the two companies have been butting heads, yet the two occasionally cooperate as well. Yet Earth is hardly grateful for their efforts and much of what modern science offers is outlawed on the planet itself. Bova's descriptions of space travel, nanotechnology, and the economics of solar system exploration and exploitation all ring true.
Bova is weaker when it comes to characters. Humphries is almost completely one-dimensional. He is interested in himself, period. Even his wife, purchased at great sacrifice, ultimately means nothing to him. Pancho is little better--and in THE SILENT WAR, she has become almost Humphries' mirror rather than a real alternative. The Yamagata family shows promise, but quickly descends into evil, plotting the destruction of both Astro and Humphries without a good explanation on why this is the most efficient way to expand Yamagata influence.
Although I wish that Bova would give his characters more life and a fundamental story question to help them through the novel, the modern world-building and the old-fashioned space opera action keeps me coming back to this series and to Bova.
Rating: 4
Summary: terrific conclusion to the action-packed Asteroid Wars
Comment: Earth still remains in the cataclysmic grip of economic failure coupled with crippling environmental disaster. Little hope remains on the planet with the best chance to renew the orb being the vastly rich asteroid belt. Though the potential wealth seems astronomical, two rivals have merged trying to gain control of the resources (see THE ROCK RATS). Pancho Lane heads Astro Corporation while Martin Humphries leads Humphries Space Systems with the former wanting to share the affluence in an effort to save earth and humanity while the latter wants to control everything and everyone.
Pirate Lars Fuchs lost his beloved spouse Amanda to Humphries when she offered herself in exchange for his freedom several years ago. Not long afterward, Amanda dies giving birth. Humphries assumes that the child is of his seed and so does Lars who is still mourning his loss and seeking revenge by killing Humphries. Meanwhile on a solar system level, the conflict between Astro Corporation and Humphries Space Systems flares encouraged by a third interested party, Yamagata Corporation, who plans to gain control of everything once the two giants pound each other into stardust.
This exciting tale is a terrific conclusion to the action-packed Asteroid Wars (see THE PRECIPICE and THE ROCK RATS). The story line moves faster than the speed of life until the final confrontation. Though Martin remains as an extreme example of a mega maniac as one will see embrace a novel, the rest of the cast does not seem as one dimensional. Fans will appreciate this fabulous tale as well as the rest of a wonderful futuristic solar system that seems so bleak except for a one sparkle of starlight.
Harriet Klausner
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Title: Tales of the Grand Tour by Ben Bova ISBN: 0765307227 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 January, 2004 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Saturn by Ben Bova ISBN: 0312872186 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: The Rock Rats (Asteroid Wars (Paperback)) by Ben Bova ISBN: 0812579887 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Time's Eye (A Time Odyssey, Book 1) by Arthur Charles Clarke, Stephen Baxter ISBN: 0345452488 Publisher: Del Rey Books Pub. Date: 01 January, 2004 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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Title: The Precipice (Asteroid Wars (Paperback)) by Ben Bova ISBN: 0812579895 Publisher: Tor Books Pub. Date: 01 December, 2002 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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