A Galaxy Unknown, and some of its sequels

My iPad is a fun way to read books, and I like the Kindle app better than iBooks. In part, that is due to the wider selection of titles, but it is also the actual reading experience of the Kindle that I enjoy. After I read a few books by Amazon published author D. A. Boulter, I sought another science fiction author who is not published by a "big" publisher. I began a series by Thomas DePrima, which begins with A Galaxy Unknown. This book has many reviews on Amazon, and the sheer number of reviews, along with the description, led me to purchase it.

DePrima's novel is far from original, but that is not necessarily a criticism. There are only so many plot devices, and space operas have certain limitations. Actually, I liked the blend of action and description. Other reviewers seemed to find the dialogue more annoying than I did, but the author's insistence on using specific height when introducing his fairly large cast of characters is quite annoying. Other descriptors, such as eye color, hair color, skin tone, and whether or not the character likes "fries with that" would be welcome. I read four books in the series, and the author never stops using height as his favorite method of description. Far worse, the author insists on retelling the story every time the characters do. Without all the repetition, A Galaxy Unknown would probably be a tight 100,000 word read.

Still, the main character has her charms. Yes, the heroine is a bit like Honor Harrington, but even at the outset of David Weber's series, Honor is taking her first command, whereas Jenetta Carver is a lowly ensign when the first novel begins. Of course, Jenetta is not going to remain lowly for long, and the breakneck pace of this first story is refreshing, if one judges space opera by Weber's lengthy and increasingly action-starved yarns.

As I read the second, third, and fourth books in the series, I became less enchanted with DePrima's space opera. Jenetta Carver is a fabulous heroine; and her permanent youthful looks and ever changing DNA, along with plenty of villains to defeat, keep her from being boring. I desperately wanted to like the sequels, because I did enjoy the first entry in the series, but the second volume just has too many admirals heaping too much admiration upon her. Yes, I know one must suspend disbelief to enjoy a good space opera. I have no problem with that, but Jenetta is too apt to be worshiped by her superiors as by her subordinates. I can only stand a page or too of hero worship at a time, especially when it is by older guys who should be both arrogant and curmudgeonly. 

Even the introduction of more characters and settings in the third and fourth books, including more villains, does not give Jenetta and her sisters sufficient challenges to create suspense. One of the main reasons to read fiction is to watch the characters solve problems, and this is the core issue with this author's work. Jenetta is too perfect. The reader knows that Jenetta will win the battles via her brilliant strategy, crew and superiors alike will worship her, and she will get another promotion by the end of the novel.

Of course, I could have quit reading before the fourth installment. No one made me buy books two, three, and four. Unfortunately, I did like the first book enough that I kept hoping that the author would regain some of the freshness of A Galaxy Unknown. Alas, it never happened, and I wasted eighteen bucks on the sequels.

Readers of Pam's Pages should realize this is merely the opinion of a five-foot nine reader, teacher, and author. Based on the reviews on Amazon, there are readers anxiously awaiting book eight in the series. I am looking for another new writer.

EPub, Kindle, and a new to me author

My iPad does many things, and it has become my reader of choice. After playing with it for a day or two, I began downloading eBook reading "apps" and right now, Kindle for iPad is beating out iBooks. In part, that is due to the vast selection of books at Amazon, but in part, it is due to the way Amazon can zero in on what I enjoy reading.

Within the last couple of weeks I have read two novels by D. A. Boulter, both purchased from Amazon. Indeed, Amazon Digital Services is listed as his publisher. For $2.99 one would be hard pressed to find a better novel than his Courtesan. Now, readers of romance or erotica, do not get excited. It isn't that sort of book at all. If anything, it reminds me of early Elizabeth Moon space operas, and that is a complement. As the story opens, Jaswinder Saroya is on the run. The author sprinkles in enough back story to create suspense, but not so much as to give away his plot line too soon. There are not so many scenes and characters that a reader has to work too hard, either. I suppose I would have to call this lighter science fiction. But, the plot would be just as welcome in a more tech savvy thriller, and I rather liked it just the way it unfolded.


Having enjoyed Courtesan so very much, I went back to the Kindle store and purchased a book which seemed to inhabit the same "universe" but with different characters, Pelgraff. This one was also entertaining, but I did not find it to be as much fun to read as Courtesan. If anything, the world building in Pelgraff is better, because it is set on that planet, whereas, Courtesan is set mostly onboard a space going vessel. But the characters are not nearly so engaging in Pelgraff, and the plot is mostly fight, withdraw, fight some more. Still, it is a war story, so that is how it goes.


I'm sure I will read more of D.A. Boulter, but for now, I am rating Courtesan four and a half stars and Pelgraff is a solid three star read. Either one is well worth the asking price, and with an eBook, there is nothing to sell at a yard sale or try to trade at the used book store.


I am loving the iPad, and I would like to see my own works in ePub format so that other eBook readers will be able to enjoy them.

What I've Been Reading

With my knee keeping me from some of my normal activities, I've had more time to read. Alas, I didn't go on a book-buying spree prior to my surgery, so I have been reading items which have languished in my "To Be Read" pile. None of these are new releases, and most of them are in the science fiction or romance genres.

The best of the bunch is apparently no longer in print, The Changeling Plague, by Syne Mitchell. I read this author's debut novel, and I was sufficiently impressed to pick up this one. The Changeling Plague grabs readers and holds their interest with a good plot and engaging characters. I do wish I had not let it languish so long. Rather than write a mini review of it, I will point readers to a good review in the webzine Sci Fi Dimensions.

Kris Longknife, Mutineer, begins a series, and it is a decent space opera, reminding me somewhat of the early works of David Weber. Only somewhat, however. Nowadays, Weber writes too long on topics which are dull, but he once wrote action packed, thrilling yarns. Until the climax, Mutineer was entertaining, but toward the end, I kept saying, "no way" so I can't give it high marks.

I've seen titles by Sharon Shinn listed as favorites by lovers of science fiction romance and fantasy. Without so much as reading the back cover blurb, I began Jeanna Starborn, and I was struck with the beauty of Shinn's prose, and the plodding nature of the plot. As I read, I kept thinking that it was a tale out of time, one which belonged to couple of centuries back rather than in the future. Then, as I was toting this rather lengthy tome with me to an appointment, I read that it is a retelling of Jane Eyre as a science fiction story. And it is, which explains why it seems so odd. I'm still working on it, along with many, many student papers, but I can see why this effort garners both good and bad reviews. If you want a fast-paced futuristic, this isn't it. The novel is well written, but I will have to try another novel by Shinn before I make up mind about her role in the ever growing pantheon of science fiction.

An Action Packed Page Turner

Best wishes for a wonderful New Year!


The stats indicate that Christmas shoppers tend to buy just about as much for themselves as for their giftees. I don't usually do that; but after the wrapping paper is in the trashbags and the kids go upstairs to play with all the stuff they got under the tree, I do shop for me. Often, I do it online, and this year was no different. I visited the sales at LL Bean and Land's End, and I took advantage of the end of year sale at Fictionwise. While cruising through bestsellers in Science Fiction, I came upon a real gem by Pauline Baird Jones, entitled The Key.

Fighter pilot Sara Donovan crashes on a mysterious planet and is rescued by an alien who is seriously hot. The Key is not hard science fiction, nor is it a sensuous romance, but that is a plus for me. Instead, it is action-packed, often funny, and blessed with enough suspense and engaging characters to keep readers turning the pages. I enjoyed it quite a great deal, and I believe my teenaged son would also enjoy it, due to the frequent "kick their trash" battle scenes. There are a few lapses in logic, but that is all part of the fun in space opera, so if you are willing to suspend your disbelief, Jones' saga is worth your time.

By far, this is the best space opera I've read since Tigra, which was my favorite entry in the genre in 2007. I read this as an eBook, but it is also available in trade paperback from Amazon. This novel further cements my belief that the most entertaining stories are not being put forth by the "big guys" in publishing.

The Amazon.com price for the trade paperback is $14.93, considerably less than a book would be with my current publisher, WCP, so kudos to L&L Dreamspell, a new publisher, which printed this wonderful read at a reasonable, if not cheap, price. I recommend this book for an entertaining way to stay inside out, of the cold.

Ready any bad books lately?

Over on the SRReader discussion board, someone posted a topic, “The Worst Book You Ever Read” which was interesting to me in a couple of ways. I could write on the worst book I began but was unable to finish, and there is an ever-growing pile of those. As I get older, I am simply less tolerant. Oh, it's selfish, I know, but I have a finite number of years on this planet, and I don’t want to spend many of my precious minutes reading something I don’t like. If I am being paid, such as reading the essays my students write, that’s one thing. But when I am reading for fun, I often set books aside before I finish and look for something that I find more entertaining. However, I have read a few bad books, in their entirety, for various reasons.

The worst book I actually read from cover to cover was Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce, a novel required in my freshman English class in undergraduate school. At least I remember it as the worst. Some thirty-three years have passed since I read it; therefore, Joyce’s novel may not have been as bad as I remember, but I still tout it as a fantastic cure for insomnia. I do remember going to sleep almost every time I read a significant portion of that stream-of-consciousness experiment.

Recently, I read one of E. E. “Doc” Smith's classic space operas, which have been rereleased as eBooks, just as a research item. I chose Triplanetary, and it ranks high on the list of worst books that I actually read. One interesting aspect of this yarn was the love story. Our hero, his girl, and his superior officer have been captured and the young lady has been separated from the men. Our hero, Conway Costigan, fears for his lady’s well-being. The dialogue is a bit melodramatic: “We’ll do something,” Costigan declared grimly. “If he makes a pass at her I’ll get him if I have to blow this whole sphere out of space, with us in it!” Nowadays, I think he’d have more to worry about than the villain merely “making a pass” at his lady-friend.

His prose is also dated. For instance, Einstein proposed calling the medium through which light travels in the vacuum of space “ether,” and Smith embraces this term, using it over seventy times. Smith’s climactic space battle scene is filled with lines like this: "Crimson opacity struggled sullenly against violet curtain of annihilation." About a third of this scene was written in passive voice as well.

Still, Triplanetary was an interesting look back at what was SF entertainment in 1934. Obviously, the genre has come a long way from these tales from a by-gone era.

Star Wars at 30

Yep, on May 25th, the movie that finally made it cool to love science fiction was released. At that time there was little fanfare, because no one in the industry had a clue what was about to happen. I didn’t see it until a few weeks after the release, in the middle of summer, having read an article about this movie which was sweeping the nation. Fortunately for me, I was dating a guy who was a rabid fantasy fan, and he liked science fiction well enough. We saw it in Athens, Georgia, our most frequent date spot, and rode home in his mom’s metallic green Buick Skylark. What a seventies ride!

The movie itself is very much a product of the seventies, despite the “timeless” labels that fans foist upon it. However, for a generation whose parents laughed at the ridiculous stories set in outer space and who had fought for a chance to see Star Trek on Friday night, the lovingly produced Star Wars was an affirmation that these stories could appeal to a mass audience. Lucas and his crew believed they were filming something which would at best be a cult classic, but instead they made a movie which would change the film industry.

I’ve been doing a bit of research for my panel at SFSC, and in so doing, I contrasted the list of all-time box office champs based on actual dollars earned with a list adjusted for inflation. Either way, Star Wars ends up in second place. However, the “actual income” list is dominated by special effects science fiction blockbusters, even when they aren’t called sci-fi. Indeed, the so called prequels, Episodes I and III are also on this list, along with ET and the first two Spiderman movies. Modern movie fans love the films that Star Wars spawned, and that is clear when you look at what is popular now, verses what films made a big splash prior to it.

There were comparatively few special effects in the original Star Wars, due to budget constraints, but it was clearly a space opera, and the movie lovingly embraced the themes and plot devices of bygone eras. Margaret Mead dismissed it as, “just another western” and it may have been, but it was a western dressed up with space ships, blasters, and comic androids, along with the most menacing villain that anyone had seen in quite a while. The opening sequence dispelled any notion that Star Wars was like science fiction films of the past.

Thirty years have gone by, and some people don’t understand why this film was so important. But a look back at the cheesy science fiction like “Lost in Space” or a look ahead at the current box office champ list yields an answer for even the sternest critic. Star Wars made science fiction a genre for everyman, and that’s only one reason that I love it.

Space Opera is Alive and Well!

One of the Yahoo groups to which I subscribe is for fans of Romantic Science Fiction and Fantasy, which is something I often read for fun. There are several sub genres within this off shoot of SF, including paranormal romances, various versions of fantasy, futuristic romances, and space operas. Some of the newbies to that list have been asking for recommendations for lovers of space opera, so the old hands (including yours truly) have been making lists of our favorite titles, authors, and series. No such list could be complete without the space operas of Lois McMaster Bujold, Elizabeth Moon, David Weber, Catherine Asaro, and Sharon Lee and Steve Miller.

However, many of the titles we were mentioning have been around for several years. Bujold began her Vorkosigan series in the mid-eighties and has been writing fantasy of late. Elizabeth Moon has a new series going which is good, if not quite as memorable as some of her previous efforts. Weber’s works have suffered from bloating and poor editing for some time, so I only mention his earlier works when I make such a list. Asaro seems to be publishing more than ever, and she has multiple story arcs going with multiple publishing houses. Her Skolian series is in the best tradition of space operas. Lee and Miller’s Liaden series is getting a bit long in the tooth, but I love their characters, and it is a real pleasure to introduce them to new readers.

Space opera was once a derisive term, a sort of blending of soap opera and bad science fiction, wherein all sorts of license is taken to create action filled plots, and an attitude which says, “who cares if the physics works?” With the popularity of Star Trek on the small screen and Star Wars on the big screen, space opera has become much more main stream.

In literature, too, the space opera seems to be doing quite well. Baen Books specializes in this genre, and some interesting new ventures are embracing it as well. A new ezine, RayGun Revival, has some gorgeous artwork and publishes serials, short fiction, and even a poem now and then. This one, obviously, is going for a retro look and feel. A very new site, the Quantum Kiss is devoting itself to romantic science fiction, and I am interested to see how that will take shape. I’ve mentioned eBooks in other posts, but some of the best electronic titles belong to some sub-genre of SF.

Of course, my own Trinity on Tylos pays homage to the science fiction stories of yesteryear, as well as focusing on themes which matter in our time, including the concepts of sacrifice and the survival of a species.

Science Fiction online for Cyber Monday

Maybe you want to give a gift to a science fiction fan; maybe you want to entice a fellow reader to try speculative fiction, or maybe you will have a few days off and want something new for your own entertainment. Whatever the reason, there are so many wonderful stories for fans of science fiction these days. Last year, I devoted one of my blog entries to new releases in science fiction, but this year I have thrown the “new” part out and simply listed some of my favorites which happen to be available via Fictionwise. Hopefully interested readers can find most of these in print as well. The Niven story was in an anthology quite a few years ago, and Asaro’s story was first published in Analog magazine. I began reading Asaro’s novels after I read “A Roll of the Dice”— a piece which is long enough to qualify as a novella and lets the reader know just how wonderful a writer she can be.

David Weber is one of the modern masters of the space opera, but I prefer his early works, so both of those named represent that period. Lois McMaster Bujold just seems to get better and better, but her Vorkosigan saga begins with Shards of Honor, my favorite of her stories, perhaps due to the underlying theme of motherhood. Another talented writer of two space opera series, plus fantasy is Elizabeth Moon; however, I deliberately chose one of her stand alone titles. Best known for a multiple book series with dragons that are more fantasy than sci fi, Anne McCaffrey sometimes writes sci fi, and Nimesha’s Ship is such a work. My own Trinity on Tylos owes quite a lot to my love of various space opera and sci fi themes, and it does include some romantic elements which make it appeal to readers of that genre as well.

Real romance lets science and logic take a back seat, but they are still present in these tales. Angela Verdenius is always a delight, and Love’s Sweet Assassin is my favorite of her novels. Beloved Enemy, by Janet Miller, is a mostly a romance, with some military and paranormal elements, and she has other works set in this same universe. Kaitlyn O’Connor is my favorite New Concepts writer, and I have read all of her titles to date. I chose Exiled to represent her work. This title is very sensual so be forewarned (or delighted)— it’s up to you, I suppose.

Here’s my list of suggestions, so get started on that shopping!

Short fiction:
• Asaro, A Roll of the Dice
• Niven, Jigsaw Man

Space Opera:
• Weber, Apocalypse Troll
• Weber, Honor of the Queen
• Moon, Remnant Population

Space Opera with romantic elements:
• Bujold, Shards of Honor
• Bujold, Barrayar
• McCaffrey, Nimesha’s Ship
• Dodd, Trinity on Tylos

Romantic sci fi, also known known as futuristic romance:
• Verdenius, Love’s Sweet Assassin
• Miller, Beloved Enemy
• O’Connor, Exiled

Universal Themes in Trinity on Tylos

In my last post, I mentioned some themes, typically found in science fiction, which are in Trinity on Tylos. Good stories, regardless of genre, will have themes that appeal to many people. Spoiler alert— again, there might be some details in this post which you wouldn’t want to know if you have yet to read Trinity on Tylos.

Motherhood is the most important job in the world— Some in our society frown on the sacrifices that women have often made for their offspring, thinking that these keep the women from reaching their full potential. Yet, thank goodness, quite a few young women continue to bear children and devote themselves to rearing them. Venice becomes a mother in an unusual manner, one that makes some readers cringe. (Good– if the book didn’t challenge the reader’s thinking just a bit, then it would be boring.) Never-the-less, once she joins the mom club, she doesn’t shirk her duty, and that is one definition of character.

Duty trumps personal desire— That theme isn’t popular in our culture at the moment, but it has been part and parcel of heroism through out history and will be again. If man is to succeed in the future, he will have to reverse this trend toward egocentric selfish behavior. Both Venice and Alathea make decisions which might seem unrealistic for today’s audience, especially sacrificing their personal safety for that of their shipmates, and that is one reason I set this story in the future.

Human beings can be both fallible and honorable— Superheroes were invented within the past hundred years, and popular fiction and film have embraced the idea that to be heroic is to be invulnerable. Yet, history is filled with examples of people who were far from perfect, yet were held in great esteem. From Moses, who became the spokesperson for the Israelites, despite being tongue-tied and inarticulate, to Patton who was a great general, despite a gruff personality, many great men who wouldn’t fit too well into Superman’s tights have been heroes. In Trinity, Captain McPherson believes he is doing the right thing, even when Venice makes it plain he is not. Despite this flaw, he is an honorable man who continues to lead the crew of the Excalibur effectively. Captain Mac is human, with all the foibles associated with that label.

Love can last through many trials— We tend to throw in the towel rather quickly when it comes to relationships nowadays. Venice loses her spouse early in the story, but she never lets go in her heart. Although he is separated from his wife, Steve quietly continues being the executive officer of the Excalibur, but he doesn’t seek a new lover, for the same reason. In a serially monogamous society, readers may have trouble empathizing with their steadfast love, but real love can last long and overcome incredible odds.

A fan of The Gift Horse asked why I chose a futuristic setting for Trinity, and I did so because some of the themes might not work as well in a contemporary story. But Trinity is a relationship book and an action/adventure story at the same time. Some of my readers have said they didn’t expect to enjoy a science fiction yarn, but they did like it, and I believe that is because Trinity is much more than a space opera.

Space Operas and Speculative Romance— comments on the changing face of Science Fiction

I went to see Star Wars Episode III with my children recently, and while viewing all those special effects, my mind roamed beyond the screen to my own perceptions of science fiction. Few of the current works which bear that label are truly science fiction, of course. In the romance section of any modern bookstore, a few “futuristics” are mixed in with historical and contemporary pieces. Susan Grant and C. J. Barry write in that sub-genre, and I’ve certainly enjoyed their novels. David Weber and John Ringo, both Baen Books authors, write space operas and do it quite well. Star Wars was and still is quintesential space opera, of course, and as one of those kids who grew up watching Star Trek on television, I continue to find such not-so-scientific stories enthralling.

Serious science fiction, which I also read from time to time, tends to fall into two categories, “hard” scifi, which does take real scientific principles and postulates how such technologies might be used or abused in future societies. Arthur C. Clarke’s works fall into this category. When a serious writer speculates more about the human side, then the work is labeled “soft” scifi. Ursula K. LeGuin’s works are among the best examples of this sub-genre. These works tend to be far more serious than the stories which are the basis for television and film science fiction presentations.

Anytime characters speed through space via warp drive or hyperspace, the work has moved away from serious science fiction and into the realm of space opera. Other common plotlines include time travel or alien invasions. In the sixties and seventies, extra sensory perception was often a key element of speculative works, but now readers are more likely to encounter vampires or shape shifters. For some reason, blood sucking is really in vogue!

My latest novel, Trinity on Tylos, has its roots in space opera, with gigantic ships which move characters through the galaxy at a rapid pace, but in large part it also explores surrogate parenthood, a topic which is of growing interest to our society. Indeed, this story borders on being soft scifi, for the main character is torn between her human lover and her role as mother of an alien society. Regardless of how my publisher chooses to label this story, I hope that readers will become engrossed in the conflicts which Venice Dylenski encounters, without worrying overmuch about what makes the ships work.