Product Description
Falling into a cavern on the planet Triton, survey pilot John Bandicut disrupts a strange disembodied alien known as a quarx, which predicts a comet collision that will threaten all human life, unless Bandicut can prevent the disaster. Reprint. AB. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

very entertaining
I loved this book.As other reviewers have said, it is a real page turner and a very entertaining read.I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Great Sci-fi entertainment! On to Book 2!
This book was great. The main character is John Bandicut, some kind of a land surveyor on Triton, a moon of planet Neptune. He encounters a very interesting type of alien that does not have its own physical presence in this universe. The alien takes up residence in John's mind, which is pretty strange. But the two have to become friends and work together as they try to figure out how to save Earth from destruction.

This alien who, calls himself Charlie, is quite interesting as he tries to understand human behavior. I especially liked the scenes where John Bandicut is trying to meet or get close to women because this alien does not like females and the idea of sexual contact is just too gross for it to handle. "It is so... organic" he says. Very funny.

Fresh... a page-turner
This is the second Jeffrey Carver book I've read.The first was Infinity Link with wich I wasn't too impressed... but thought it had potential.

I came across Carver's collection in our local library and picked up Neptune Crossing with the hopes I might have a good series to read.I wasn't disappointed.

The fact is, different people expect different things from a sci fi book.To me, Neptune Crossing never ceased to be interesting.There weren't side stories that bored you... it was "in your face" throughout and I found myself glued to the book.Carver developed a believeable character in John Bandicut and placed him in a position we'd all like to be in... he had to save humanity.

This book is a great read.It gives you a glimpse into our potential future with the computer.I highly recommend it.

A Great read!!
Nevermind that you don't understand everything that's going on in the story... that's what's great about SF!

I was very pleased with the pace of this book.It moved at just the right pace and found you skipping because there were no boring parts.

The characters aren't that deep but just deep enough to keep you wanting more.Bandie's character develops at just the right pace for the book but not so much that you don't want to move on to the next one.

I'm ready for book 2!

Great sci-fi entertainment.On to Book 2!
This book was great.The main character is John Bandicut, some kind of a land surveyor on Triton, a moon of planet Neptune.He encounters a very interesting type of alien that does not have its own physical presence in this universe.The alien takes up residence in John's mind, which is pretty strange.But the two have to become friends and work together as they try to figure out how to save Earth from destruction.

This alien who calls himself Charlie is quite interesting as he tries to understand human behavior.I especially liked the scenes where John Bandicut is trying to meet or get close to women because this alien does not like females and the idea of sexual contact is just too gross for it to handle."It is so... organic" he says.Very funny. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

It was worth the LLOOOOOONG waiting time
I really love it. the only worrying factor is the question: when will we have the next one????? Let's hope ii won't be in some light years....

More!
Early in the book, the idea of sentient stars was just a bit much for me... but I was in good company because the characters in the book had a hard time believing it, too.It's a good thing that I (and the characters in the book) were able to get past this because wow, the story takes off and never lets go.There are many characters in the book and each one plays a very important role.Not much more to say that isn't expressed in the other reviews.

Well worth the wait
This is my first time writing a review on Amazon (so forgive any rambling I may do).Normally, don't feel strongly enough about a book to bother with a review, or someone else has already written a review expressing my opinion.But this book is definitely worth the effort.

I got into reading the Chaos Chronicles years ago and would periodically check the author's website for any news on the next book.So I was thrilled when I heard Sunborn was to be released.The first chapter teaser offered on the site whetted my appetite, and the book definitely did not disappoint.The author's skill at weaving a compelling story have refined rather than faded in the years between the previous sequel and this one.

I have enjoyed science fiction books for many years and one of the things I love about Jeffery Carver's books is that they do indeed delve into the realm of "hard core" science fiction, with all of the science background that requires, without stifling the plot or making it overly cerebral.The descriptions written by Carver take previously unfathomable things, like sentient space entities such as stars and black holes, and make those characters feel as real and alive, though definitely alien, as any human character I've read about.I have enjoyed watching the character development of John Bandicut and his fellow travelers throughout the series, and Sunborn takes that to the next level.

Usually I prefer the POV of a book to focus only on the main character, with few detours.Sunborn alternately switches points of view to advance the story and make the reader feel they have a more complete picture of what's going on.Normally I hate switching POV b/c I find I don't care enough about the other characters in a story, as much as the main character, to care what they are thinking or what's going on with them.But Sunborn manages the switches while only building the interest and tension, rather than feeling like the story is losing steam or taking an unnecessary break from the main action.

Most books have certain lulls that tempt me to skim and skip pages to get back to "the good stuff" but I didn't find myself doing that in Sunborn.I found the secondary story, involving Julie and the translator launching their own mission, just as engaging as John's newest Shipworld mission.

The other "side kick" characters in the book became more vibrant and in the forefront, without pushing John Bandicut, the previous main character focus, into the background.Even the robots, which started off in the series just a few generations ahead of what could be created today, managed to blossom in their personalities and their sacrifices to achieve the goal of the book felt important and emotionally resonant.Also the romance between John and Antares deepened, without overtaking the science fiction feel of the book.And the conclusion of the book hinted as some interesting conflicts for the next book in the series, and I only hope it doesn't take as many years for the next installment to be published.

And if you haven't read the first three books in the Chaos Chronicles: Neptune Crossing (The Chaos Chronicles, Vol 1), Strange Attractors: Volume Two of the 'The Chaos Chronicles', & The Infinite Sea (Chaos Chronicles), you'll definitely want to check those out first.

Carver is back!
In the mid-nineties Jeffrey Carver released the first three books of a planned six book series called "The Chaos Chronicles." As a friend noted at the time, in telling a story that spanned the galaxy, Carver finally had a canvas big enough for his imagination. Then for more than 10 years no more books. Finally the fourth book, "Sunborn" has arrived. It takes a while to get back into the series, and he realizes that, providing some background reminders without interfering with the present story.

The new plot has Earth facing two threats, one in the Solar System and one 1500 light years away. Both involve human characters interacting with an increasingly bizarre array of aliens. The vaguely humanoid aliens and robots are fun characters, but then Carver introduces characters like you've never seen: a hyperdimensional character seen as a cone in our space, thinking clouds from another universe, and most bizarre of all, sentient stars.

It's a great read leading to not one but two climaxes. The story is fully resolved, but the stage is now set for the bigger conflicts to come. Carver combines likable and all-too human characters (including some of the aliens with hard science and big adventure. If you read the first three books, you'll want this one. If you haven't, time to get started.

Chaos Rules!
I expected to enjoy this fourth volume ofthe "Chaos Chronicles" but "Sunborn" is more than a good story, it is a real achievement in science fiction writing. Unlike a lot of modern series that are fun to read but tend toward repetition, every "Chaos" book travels to exotic new places, introduces different characters and explores the latest real-science ideas. Proven human hero John Bandicut keeps the reader grounded - a grand feat since he's racing through space-time on all cylinders. As usual Bandie is accompanied by a stylish group of aliens some of whom are difficult - but not impossible - to imagine. Their challenge is to track down and defeat a threat to star life. As the plot unravels a variety of wonderful themes are explored including the tender relationship between John and the lovely Antares, the friendship and trust between Ik and Li-Jared and everyone's reliance on robots Copernicus and Napolean. Toss in the translator stones, the Charlie variations and new friends nicknamed Deep and Dark and you've got a cast of characters unlike any other in the genre. Additionally, John's old flame Julie Stone is following in his footsteps back in the Solar System! Jeffrey Carver employs cutting-edge science, speculation and old-fashioned, way-out imagination to create a gem of a novel. ... Read more

Product Description
Since John Bandicut saved Earth from collision with a comet in Neptune Crossing and saved Shipworld from the boojum of Strange Attractors, his life has become one confrontation with chaos after another.

No sooner has he survived a harrowing escape from Shipworld than he and his eclectic band of aliens find themselves struggling to survive beneath the waves of a distant ocean world. They quickly discover they are not alone. A race of deep-sea humanoid amphibians, the Neri, are in trouble of their own. Long under attack by beings from the surface, they now face an even greater peril from the seafloor depths, a powerful force known as the Maw of the Abyss.

If Bandicut cannot solve the riddle of the Maw, the Neri's beleaguered world will die. And Bandicut and his friends will die with it.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Wearing Thin
I gave the two preceding books in this series four-star ratings and, to be fair, THE INFINITE SEA is comparable to them. The main characters have become somewhat engaging, the plot moved along and held my interest, and the undersea focus was a nice change. For me, though, certain things are beginning to wear a little thin. One is the steady progression of new "Charlies". Maybe this device has some purpose to it in the future that hasn't become clear yet, but it seems unnecessary and overdone. Another problem for me is Carver's inability to create some really alien aliens. Every major species is essentially humanoid (except Charlie, who's ephemeral) in a situation that seems ideal for some distinctly different beings.

Beyond the above complaints, I also found the idea of sex between John Bandicutt and an alien character ludicrous and unnecessary. This is, perhaps, just an aspect of the need for more original alien species, but the idea that an alien and a human would have anything even remotely approaching either physical or emotional sexual compatibility is silly. Again, maybe this has implications for future installments in the series, but that isn't in evidence at this point.

The bottom line: if you liked the other two books in this series, you'll enjoy this one as well. It's nothing special, though. In fact, as scifi goes, it's pretty ordinary. If you haven't read any of the other books in this series, you should go back and start with the first one. Not that THE INFINITE SEA can't stand alone, but you lose a lot of background and there's no compelling reason to start here. This one doesn't stand out from the others.

Having given the others four stars, it's possible I'm low-balling this one a bit, but I don't feel that the broader story has advanced much in this installment. In the absence of some discernible progress in the bigger picture, my interest is beginning to wane.

still good
The Infinite Sea is not my favorite of the three to date but it is still a good book.

Carver changes scenery a bit and builds a lovely underwater civilization.The concept of an engineered species used to exploit the ocean's resources is interesting and gave a good twist to the story.

The one thing that nagged at me as I read this book was why the aliens who had crash-landed on this world and were living amongst the above-water cities (ruins) never found any evidence or information about the engineered civilization in the ruins of their creators.BUT... I ignored that and kept reading.

So, while waiting on the next three books to come I'll go back and familarize myself with the Star Rigger universe.

A story without an ending
I like to read a series like The Chaos Chronicles in a reasonably short time span order to keep closely in mind the character development and the story line(s). I usually aggregate all the books in a series before I start the first book. Over a 3 week period, I first read Neptune Crossing (4 stars), then Strange Attractors (3 stars), and finally The Infinite Sea (4 stars, but could have been 5 stars).Unfortunately, I discovered at the very end of The Infinite Sea more Chronicles were planned, however, they were never written/published.As a result readers are left (now six years after the last Chronicle was written) with acliff hanger with several story lines developed but not concluded.I can not reward the author for leaving the readers without tying up loose ends, nor would I be impressed with new Chronicles to appear in the future when most readers will be hard pressed to remember charater development and story lines several years forgotten.Unlike another reveiwer, I feel the sexual uncertainity/tension between Antares and John was a valuable story line to the last two books in the series.

great reading...
not really much to say here...just great reading, i read this before i read the first 2, i loved it, you really get attached to the characters, and it has a brilliant plot, this is easily the best book i have ever read.

Great Series
This was another great book from Jeffery Carver.Be sure to read the first two books in the series.The universe he creates and the characters that inhabit the universe are interesting.I have bought these books forothers as gifts (for those who like sci-fi) and no one has beendisappointed. ... Read more

Product Description
Stranded on the artificial structure known as Shipworld, John Bandicut searches for the keys to its mysteries and stumbles into a confrontation with an entity known as the boojum, an evil corruption that threatens both Shipworld and the universe. Reprint. K. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Adventures in Outer Space... or something.
Background: I came to the book because I was interested in reading Sunborn, the fourth installment in the series, and wanted to get the backstory first. Crossing Neptune was interesting enough to get me to pick up Strange Attractors, but unfortunately I couldn't make heads or tails of the book. I gave up after about 100 pages.

The characters just aren't that interesting, and their motivation, to keep moving so as not to be eaten by the mysterious boojum -- no joke -- just couldn't persuade me to stick with the story. There are too many good books in the world to read.

another great read
When I finished Neptune Crossing I immediately returned to locate Strange Attractors.I had to find out where John Bandicut had ended up and what would happen to him.

Carver develops a world of overwhelming technology... one that envelopes a space the size of our solar system.John Bandicut has been brought here because he was needed.He has no idea where he is or why he is needed by such an advanced civilization.

The plus to this book is the relationship Carver builds between Bandicut, his two robots, and his new friends Ik and La-Jared.He also brings out Bandicut's deep sense of loss at finding himself thousands of light years from home thorugh a developing relationship between John and a human-looking alien named Antares.

I read this book almost entirely without putting it down... and immediately reached for the next book in the series.

A Step Up
STRANGE ATTRACTORS is the second book in Carver's "Chaos Chronicles" series. I was rather ambivalent after reading the first installment (NEPTUNE CROSSING). There are aspects of it I liked and other aspects I wasn't especially happy with. STRANGE ATTRACTORS, however, was better. I feel it is a solid step up from NEPTUNE... and I enjoyed it considerably more.

To be sure, there are still problems. The "boojum" is a rather vague entity, the characters remain underdeveloped, and I'm getting a little weary of the quarx dying and then resurrecting himself with no memory of past events. A couple of times is one thing, but after four or five generations of Charlie it's getting a little old.

For space opera, though, this is fairly good stuff. Intriguing new worlds (or, at least, environments) are explored and you never know what will turn up around the next corner. There's a fair amount of action and some interesting aliens. It wasn't deep, but it was fun and it held my interest. If good space opera is what you want, give this series a try.

A Step Up
STRANGE ATTRACTORS is the second book in Carver's "Chaos Chronicles" series. I was rather ambivalent after reading the first installment (NEPTUNE CROSSING). There were aspects of it I liked and other aspects I wasn't especially happy with. STRANGE ATTRACTORS, however, was better. I felt it was a solid step up from NEPTUNE... and I enjoyed it much more.

To be sure, there are still problems. The "boojum" is a rather vague entity, the characters remain underdeveloped, and I've gotten a little weary of the quarx dying and then resurrecting itself with no memory of past events. A couple of times is one thing, but after four or five generations of Charlie it's gotten a little old.

For space opera, though, this is fairly good stuff. Intriguing new worlds (or, at least, environments) are explored and you never know what will turn up around the next corner. There's a fair amount of action and some interesting aliens. It wasn't deep, but it was fun and it held my interest. If good space opera is what you want, give this one a try.

Possibly the best and most imaginative books in the series
John Bandicut and his pals are back in this je'ne sais qoi of a space opera. There are scenes in this book that reminded me of the alien bar scene in Star Wars I(V) and scenes that are unique to the book. Bandicoot is sidetracked (kidnapped?) to an intergalatic arc worldship and all that he has is blind gumption and a quixotic alien entity guiding him named Charlie that lives in his mind. Bandicoot must save this intergalatic arc from the clutches of an evil malevolent force known as the boojum (translation for boogey man). This part reminded me of the excellent Madeleine De'Engle(sp?) story A Wrinkle in Time (another highly entertaining and compelling SF) and tesseracting. Can Bandicut save the shipworld and himself from the clutches of the Boojum? Read this and see!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Panglor Balef, a discredited space pilot, is sent on a suicide mission, during which he and an intriguing female stowaway fly through a window in space that leads to a world of impossible terrors, from which the only escape is to fall into sheer madness. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Very Good
This book was full of suspense, love, and wierd sci-fi stuff.Panglor finds himself on a journey he never dreamed of and finds a love that he didn't know he wanted.A must read for all sci-fi fans.

Truly GREAT!!
A very well told tale of a bored pilot who just wants to be left alone, but no; he will find himself in an adventure (or mess) of a lifetime. The storyline is easy to follow which makes reading very pleasureable. Irecommend this book to all sci-fi lovers. ... Read more

Product Description
In 1978, Battlestar Galactica appeared, an SF television series starring Lorne Greene of Bonanza fame and a cast of young actors. Inspired by Star Trek and Star Wars, the original series, though it lasted only a single season, is fondly remembered. Now Battlestar Galactica has been resurrected in spectacular fashion by Ronald Moore, for many years a successful writer and director of Star Trek episodes. With sharply written, literate scripts and a cast of fine actors led by Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell, the reborn Battlestar Galactica has been a huge success, first as a miniseries, and now as a continuing series on the Sci Fi Channel. Tor Books is proud to publish a novel based on the exciting, suspenseful miniseries.Humanity created the robotic Cylons to help itself, but the Cylons turned on their makers and fought a terrible war until the armistice. Forty years later, the Cylons are . . . different. Now they look and act human. Some of them even think they are human. When the Cylons attack the twelve human worlds, only a single ship survives the onslaught: the oldest ship in the fleet, Battlestar Galactica. Led by Commander Adama, President Laura Roslin, and pilots like the fiercely independent Starbuck and Lee Adama, the refugees fight for the survival of humanity in a riveting epic of interstellar adventure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Liked the book but not the reader
The book was exactly what I thought it was going to be. However, the actor reading it constantly mispronouces names and the shorthand of the military speak. As Capt. Apollo once said, "C-A-G, That pornounced CAG." Everytime the reader spells it out or calls Sharon Valerii and pronouces it as "Valerie" I cringe.

A nostalgic read after viewing the entire series
I have followed BSG since the original episodes a few years back. After a re-watch of the DVD sets, concluding with season 4.5, I picked this book up and found it to be a pleasant journey back to the beginning of the epic story.I wasn't expecting anything new, and nor is there for fans of the series.The book is written well enough to not distract from the storyline. I have one note for the author -- thesaurus! Yes, Cmdr William Adama has a "craggy" appearance; however, we don't need to read the same adjective so many times that it gets annoying.

Ignore the inconsistencies; it's a good novelization
Other reviewers noted small inconsistencies between this novelization and the miniseries it was based on:like using "Husher" for Adama's callsign instead of "Husker."My thoughts:no big deal.The novel stayed true to form, and was a quick, enjoyable read.I don't care to put in spoilers, so I'll leave it at that.

I'm also pretty impressed with Carver's willingness to post some of his novels for free.It shows a pretty modern attitude, willing to try out different methods of marketing and outreach.For the record, what goes around comes around - in recognition of Mr. Carver's willingness to provide free material, I ended up making a paypal donation.

Great Author
I really like the author.The writing style is good and engaging.

I stopped reading the story, however, because it doesn't seem to add anything to the overall story.I'll be honest, I was hoping for more mini-stories, background, and revelations.

I will probably seek out other work from this author, but as far is this story goes: been there, done that.

I'd recommend it for people who haven't watched the series though.

Battlestar Galactica for the Next Generation
I know I'm not quite in the right generation, but I have read the old Battlestar Galactica book adaptations of the TV series (thank you, public library!) and have grown rather fond of them.I was a little perturbed about the new Battlestar (particularly how Starbuck is now a woman), but I am open to new ideas, so I bought this one with my birthday gift card.
PLEASE NOTE: I have never seen the actual miniseries, so this is just a review on the book, not on how the novelization compares to the miniseries.
Many years ago, the Twelve Colonies created the Cylons to make life easier.They even made Cylons to fight their wars for them.Eventually, the Cylons got wise enough to wonder why they were taking orders from humans and revolted.For many years, the two fought until the humans drove the Cylons away, not to be seen again.
Or so the Twelve Colonies thought.Forty years have passed, and the Cylons are back, badder, slicker, and ready for human blood--and lots of it.They nearly wipe out civilization with the exception of the select few.Commander Adama of the last battlestar, Galactica, Captain Apollo Adama, Lieutenant Kara Thrace, Laura Roslin, the new President of the Twelve Colonies, and others must now battle their way across the galaxy searching for respite from the Cylons' attack.

Good:
Well, I must admit I was scared that they would wreck Battlestar Galactica.What with the onslaught of bad remakes, such as The Dukes of Hazzard, Bewitched, and Starsky & Hutch, I feared the worst.
Fortunately, these fears were unfounded.Although several events have changed (namely, that several characters have gender changes, names such as "Starbuck" and "Boomer" are now pilot call-signs, and Zee is killed in an accident some time ago instead of during the battle), the changes for the most part are good.Obviously, the TV series of the 70's was dated.It is nice to see women in positions of power instead of the ubiquitous "companions" (Cassiopeia in old Battlestar or Inara of Firefly fame) or relations of the big boys.
The events in the new Battlestar are most definitely edge-of-your-seat material.I mean, it was easy to whip through thirty or more pages of the fast paced action in one sitting.Seeing how people react to Armageddon, the tough choices they have to make, and how people band together is awesome but what is even more awesome is how the book handles these subjects.Well done, realistic, and, most importantly, interesting.
Over the course of the novel, three characters have found a place in my heart: Commander Adama, President Roslin, and Colonel Tigh.Commander William Adama is a perfect leader but really not that awesome as a dad.His tough demeanor makes him appear to be unemotional, but we, as the audience, can see the inner turmoil he hides inside.President Laura Roslin in some ways is similar to Commander Adama but in other ways not much.She also is a good leader (given that she started out being the Secretary of Education) and hides her emotions deep inside.Unlike Adama, Laura is comforting, willing to divulger her condition to her aide, and more likely to kill herself saving another's life.Colonel Saul Tigh is completely different than the other two.Tigh drowns his sorrows in alcohol, starts fights so he can retaliate against another officer, and isn't afraid to make the tough choices about who lives and who dies.

Bad:
Besides the sexual situations (the beginning one with Gaius and Natasi was too much for me), there really isn't a whole lot to pick on with this book.There are so many characters that I wish the author had included a Dramatis Personae in the beginning.At one point, Adama refuses to leave until Starbuck and Lee return to the Galactica.Ordinarily, this would be no problem, but several times in the book, characters (including Adama) leave doomed survivors behind to favor the ones that could be saved.This seemed to me to be contradictory.Furthermore, the beginning was a little kiddy, a little slow, and a little boring.

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
While the f-word is replaced with "frak" (may be too much for some people), other words such as da**, he**, and sh** do not have their "Twelve Colonies" equivalent.
I was rather shocked at the copious sexual references in the book and at such an early stage.Within the first 50 pages, three separate situations are detailed.Some are merely "grope" fests, while others are definitely R-rated.
Violence is typical fare.Lots of space battles, nuclear bombings, etc.Several people (most unknown or vaguely sketched) are killed.

Overall:
I am pleased to say that my worst fears were quickly dissipated with a reading of this book.Battlestar Galactica is not the way it was in the 70's and that's great.What "they" have done with Galactica is great: new, exciting, updated, yet still a tribute to its namesake.While I wish the sexual situations could have been toned down and a few characters nixed, I would greatly recommend this book to anyone.

Brought to you by
*C.S. Light* ... Read more

Product Description
Jael LeBrae finally gets the chance to navigate a ship through hyperspace, but when the co-pilot tries to enslave her, she kills him in self-defense and is left alone to battle an evil population of dragons. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Dragons in Space?
I was skeptical about a Science Fiction book with dragons in it... but Dragons in the Stars is wonderfully executed.Read this book and find out if the legends about dragons encountered in the Flux are true, or just imaginative manifestations created by the minds of Riggers.

Great romp!!!
A beautifuly written romp through the realms of science fiction andfantasy.I've read it at least seven times and still can't put it downonce I've started.Carver creates a wondrous blend of action and emotion. This is one of the few books that can make me cry, especially after havingread it so many times.It claws at your heart and tears a great hole.Forme the hole becomes bigger every time.A must read for all who lovedragons. ... Read more

Product Description
Millennia after the skills of starship rigging have been lost, can Seth Perland find the key to rediscovery on the world of the mysterious sea people, the Nale'nid? Seas of Ernathe was Jeffrey A. Carver's first novel, and the first full-length tale of what was to become his popular Star Rigger Universe.Set farthest into the future of all the Star Rigger stories, Seas of Ernathe sets the stage for a new cycle of history.A touching story of love and personal discovery, it leads the way to the rediscovery of the mode of star travel that once knit galactic civilization together. ... Read more

Product Description
When star-rigger pilot Jael LeBrae returns to the dragons' territory, she is unaware that her presence fulfills a prophecy, an epic battle is brewing, and the dragons and her own universe are threatened by a powerful evil force. Reprint. AB. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Best Book I've Ever Read!
It's the best book! (Though I did read it before I had found a copy of the first book, Dragons in the Stars, and still, this one has more action, so I liked it more). Any dragon fan needs to read this, because this is so much better than normal fantasy; it's sci-fi! Still my favorite book, and I've had it for a couple of years now. It's awesome, and it's so descriptive that you can feel yourself watching the whole thing as though you're really there! It even made me cry (okay, so I had a thing for FullSky...)

Dragon Rigger
A masterfully written book.I've read it so many times it is falling apart.The storyline is fantastic and the characters colorful.i believe this book is a must read for all dragon and sci-fi readers alike.My onlyregret is that Carver has only written two books thet deal with themountain realm.

5 stars, 6 stars, 7 stars, up, up, up.........
This book was absolutely fabulous! I couldn't put it down! I thought the plot was excellent and the book just kept movin'. Some lag after a while, but this book kept the action going! It took me awhile to understand somethings(and I still don't fully understand exactly how they rig) because Imissed the first one. Though I'm keeping my eyes open for it! If you likedragons and a lot of action, then this book is for you!

Perfectly written
This book has something for everyone, just as much as the predecessor Dragons in the Stars. Both of these books kept me reading for 4 days each. In the (estimated) two years since i purchased them, ive read them bothabout 6 times each, and each time i read them, i still find a great deal ofenjoyment. I wish Mr Carver would continue writing more in the way ofDragons. 10 stars all the way Jeffrey

Fantasy/SF at it's best
This is one of the best Fantasy/SF stories up to date. It offers a surely intriguing setup of characters and storylines from the very beginning and keeps up a good pace from start to finish. The leading characters are brilliantly realized and the plot offers a good amount of 'high energy scenes'. Once you're into the story it is UN-putdownable and you'll literally devour the pages. Excellent! ... Read more

Product Description
A great interstellar migration has begun, down the gateway known as the starstream. Remnant of the Betelgeuse supernova, the starstream is a grand, ethereal highway deep into the Milky Way. It is also a living entity: born of the merged souls of the once-living star and the other beings who died in its creation. Who could have predicted the wonders of the starstream, or the perils it unleashed? Among the perils is a terrifying race known as the Throgs--shadowy beings that live in the n-space of the starstream. Entire worlds have died, destroyed by the Throgs. But life goes on, and colonists continue to settle new worlds. Colony-bound aboard the starship Charity are one Claudi Melnik, a child of uncommon talents--and an AI named Jeaves, who has his own interest in an encounter with Throgs. When the unthinkable occurs, Claudi must face alone the challenge from beyond space and time. And no one, not even Jeaves, could have predicted the final confrontation, or imagined where unexpected friendship would be found. DOWN THE STREAM OF STARS, triumphant sequel to the bestselling FROM A CHANGELING STAR, is a daring journey across the gulf between human and alien, to the heart of consciousness itself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

SF lite...not Carver's best.
Down the Stream of Stars is a reasonably enjoyableadventure.It's the sequel to the much better and more mature From a Changeling Star.Stream focuses on a little girl aboard a colony ship that is travelling down thefaster-than-light passage created by the supernova in the first book.

Theship is threatened by the Throgs, a race of non-corporeal beings intent ondestroying life, or so it seems.Willard Ruskin and his compatriots havesurvived (in a way) the destruction of the star in the first novel.Thenew group consciousness makes itself known to children, supposedly becausethey are the most open.Ruskin tries to help the ship confront the Throgs.

There are some effectively eerie scenes involving the childrens'encounters with the group-mind of Ruskin, and with the Throgs.Besidesthat, it's mainly a light weight adventure.The novel almost seemstargeted to a young audience, with all the children characters, helpfulrobots, and even friendly animal companions.

If you've read other Carverbooks, check this one out for completism, but otherwise stick to his ChaosChronicles, and books like Infinity Link and Dragons in the Stars. ... Read more

Product Description
When Renwald Legroeder escapes from the stronghold of the Kyber pirates, he becomes the focal point of an age-old conspiracy. Returning home, he tells of his sighting of the long-lost phantom ship Impris, and his subsequent capture by the Kyber. But accused of collaboration with the pirates, his only hope for vindication is a journey in the company of amphibious alien riggers on a suicide mission.Chaos theory says outcomes are unpredictable, but heres one thats a sure thing: if you start reading The Infinite Sea, you wont be able to put it down until the very last page. ~ Robert J. Sawyer ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Fun Read for Sci-Fi Fans
This book is a great adventure; the ideas of the flux, underflux and the adventures the characters have in it are compelling and interesting. I enjoyed this book and will look for others by Carver in the Rigger universe and elsewhere.

Pulp Sci-Fi
The main character in Eternity's End is Legroeder, a rigger on space ships that have (too much of) a close resemblance to ocean-going sailing ships.The story centers around this sailing analogy:pirates waylay commercial ships in deep space, capturing treasure and slaves.There is a ghost ship, similar to the Flying Dutchman.Carver describes travel in certain regions of space called the Flux as having waves and currents, clouds and sunsets, storms and becalming.This sailing analog is a big stretch, one that goes too far for me.I found much of this to be shear comic-book-level silliness, and most of my dislike of Eternity's End is based on this (failed) stretch.

There are some good science fiction elements in the book, including races that engage in different levels of cybernetic enhancements (with the pirates pushing the technology).Legroeder receives moderate augmentation about a third the way through the book, and then falls for a pirate female having major augmentation.Their relationship is interesting.Characterizations are a strong part of the book.And Carver writes well, in an easy-to-read, engaging prose.

If you're looking for a science fiction fantasy that's an easy read, is not very edgy, and has an interesting romance, Eternity's End might well satisfy.If you like hard science fiction, look elsewhere (e.g., Vernor Vinge or Jack McDevitt).

An enjoyable Space Opera
When Star-Rigger Legroeder escapes the Golan Space Pirates after seven years of captivity the last thing expects on arriving home is to be framed by the RiggerGuild for his ships capture all those years ago.Luckily for him though Lawyer Harriet Mahoney things Legroeder can help her and is prepared to help him in return.

This is the first book I have read in the Star-Rigger Universe, but it's a good stand alone novel and enjoyable enough to make me want to hunt out the other books in this series. Legroeder is a likeable character and most of the supporting stories within the series are filled with believable people in extreme situations.

Apparently it took the author 4 year to write this novel, but for me it has paid off in a book I really enjoyed and am glad to have read.

A Conceptual, Character, and Continuity Challenge
This is the first book I have read by Jeffrey Carver. It turns out that "Eternity's End" is number six or thereabouts in a series. Oops-I hate it when that happens, but authors often include catch-up chapters so that latent readers can follow along. Not so with this book. Carver has got some fairly strange conceptual things going on, and I had a difficult time reconciling these concepts as the story plodded onward. There are some very well written scenes. Carver does a good job of maintaining tension during the space battles and chases, but the scenes in between feel flat. Several of his characters are developed very well, but others are left undeveloped to the point in which I had to ask myself: Why is this character in the story?

This book has the feel of some of Arthur C. Clarke's early space opera. Clarke's early books worked well because they were short and not overwritten. Carver could do the same with "Eternity's End" by editing out 200 pages or so, disappearing a few characters, and tightening the plot up a bit.

An light and entertaining story
This book is easy too read and well entertaining. The characters aren't very deep and there are no major surprises in the story. But what really sucks after a while is the Christian references that come up all the time. It is hard to imagine for me that in a distant future people (and even aliens) still hang after that pityful religion. After a while, you get the feeling that Carver propably supports "Intelligent Design" and other stupidities too.

But if you can ignore that, its still an entertaining book worth to read if you don't have anything better at hand. ... Read more

Product Description
Across the galaxy, tensions are rising between the authoritarian Tandesko Triune and the free-marketeers of the Auricle Alliance. Nevertheless, scientists of both sides have come together in Project Starmuse, to observe the giant star Betelgeuse as it goes supernova. At the space station imbedded inside the roiling star, the team anxiously awaits the return of the one man essential to the success of the project. On Kantano's World, astronomer Willard Ruskin must discover why someone has infected him with nano-agents - artificially intelligent, microscopic computers, which alter his appearance, his memory, his very DNA. Drawn into a conflict from which not even death will free him, Ruskin must find a way to reach Betelgeuse before his enemies sabotage Starmuse...and humankind's future among the stars. A harrowing journey from inside the human cell - to the mind of a dying star. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great stuff here, keeps you on your toes!
There's something to be said for a good story that actually makes you use your brain. It seems to be a sad state of entertainment that if everything isn't laid right out in front of you in black and white right in your face that people won't pay attention because they just wan't mindless entertainment and i've seen plenty of this in movies, tv and books. It's actually funny (in a sad kind of way) that i've actually seen people dismiss intelligent entertainment as being boring or that it "sucks" because it's their way of trying to deflect from the fact they don't want to admit that the real problem is that they don't want to have to think while being entertained. You can tell that this is their real issue because they'll be the same people that tell you how the movie with the biggest explosions and little or no plot is "awesome". Anyway now that i've completely gone off a tangent, let's bring it back: Thank goodness for authors like Jeffrey A. Carver. Now here's an intelligent man that takes pride in actually putting the "science" in science fiction. He also takes seriously doing research of the scientific ideas in his books. This book is a perfect example of that, afterall it's nearly 20 years old now and it doesn't suffer like some sci-fi books and feel dated. It still reads like it could've been written yesterday. He quite simply does his best to get it right and that is refreshing. Now on top of that he has an interesting story going on here that combines the best of sci-fi, adventure and mystery. Ultimately I think it's amazing how Mr. Carver manages to give the reader the sci-fi goods and keep the story moving along at a brisk pace that keeps you turning the pages. There are authors out there that use sci-fi as a backdrop to tell their stories. There are authors out there that get so caught up in the future tech minutia that they forget to tell a good story. Jeffrey A. Carver is one of the few out there who seems to get the balance right and because of that I think he's one of the most underapprecicated authors we have writing today.

Well, _I_ liked it....
There are very few books that I will read in one sitting, and this is one of them.It literally begins with a bang (gunshot) and ends with the biggest bang of them all (a supernova).Nanotechnology has alwaysfascinated me, and this book gives a far-future look at the applications ofit.I enjoyed the internal battle of the main character as he attempts torediscover who (and what) he is.About the only thing I was disappointedby was the fact that it actually ended.It is a very fast-paced book thatkept me on edge the whole time.Unfortunately, my copy of the book wasdestroyed by water damage after it went out of print.There are also veryfew books that I would go on an all-out crusade to find, but this is one ofthem.I give it 5 of 5 stars.

Blow up a star, no problem.Who am I?...Hmmm
Is our protagonist a psychotic, amnesiac destroyer of stars or a brilliant research scientist reaching for the ultimate prize?While nanotechnology plays an important part in this story it is not the central issue.How can a man stay true to his convictions when he is the pinned between galactic empires and his own body is rebelling against him?

sucked.
I heard about the concepts of this story several years ago: nanotechnology and space travel; nanoagents fight for a scientist whose brain becomes valuable, with devastating affects; the awakening of Betelguese; wormholes -- and I was fascinated.I was RABID for this book.No great scifi writer has yet written a good book about nanotechnology and spacetravel combined, excpet for perhaps A FIRE UPON THE DEEP. But it manages to totally weaken the ending so I just put it down in utter boredom, multiple times, makes the nanotechnology weak and lame, is melodramatic, canned characters, and can make dull the war for our heros body. ... Read more

Product Description
Kadin, an artificial personality, is sent on board a spacecraft as an ambassador to determine if a visiting race of aliens is friendly or hostile. Reissue. LJ. PW. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Computer People
"The Infinity Link" by Jeffrey A. Carver, ©1984

This is such an unusual story.You are given the basic outlines of a girl who has lost her beauty to some accident, trying to make a go of it in college and this job come along.The job is wonderful: she gets to play with another person, male, who sees her in the compute simulation as she would see herself if she was not injured.The job is to end soon, but no one tells her.She is doing good and it comes to light with another peon and her out after work.She is devastated.She had thought there was a future and not an end.Now what?
Now come the aliens.They are coming into see us and sample our life forms.They find three intelligent animals on Earth.Whales?Dolphins? One of the great apes?It is a pretty good story, but I forget the ending, so maybe it was not so good.

Somewhat entertaining
Characters were decently developed and Carver developed a good basic theme for his book.However, he wasted page after page with a totally unnecessary side-story that had a reporter chasing after the story that was the plot of the book.

Had it not been for this side story I would likely have given this book four stars.It was as if (and quite likely that) Carver wrote the book and then added the side story to give it some fat... you know, add a lot of pages so people will think it's a great book and not just a good book.

As it is, the book is still a very good read and, if bored, you may skip over most of the side story without missing anything of the central plot.I'll read more of Carver. ... Read more

Product Description
In a galaxy-spanning novel of adventure and philosophical conflict, set in the year 2165, a fleet of colonizing starships from Earth approaches the planet Argus, 138 light-years from Earth. During their years-long voyage, Earth has developed a stargate and ended up in an interstellar war, waged by robot fighters far from Earth and commanded by the central artificial intelligence of the gnostic system owned by the McConwell Company. When the AI realizes the futility of the war it's engaged in, it sets out to chage its own program, engaging the conspiratorial help of a varied crew of humans and aliens and risking the ultimate destruction of all intelligent civilization. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

was not fond of the dancing
Parts of the book took me back to my early years and junior high school dances... not what I want to read about in a SciFi book.Other than that I enjoyed the story.

Too long, and too weird
The actual writing in this book is fairly good, where it has a chance. However, in addition to being much too long and drawn out, the actual story is rather uninspired and pedestrian. Also, significant portions of the book take place inside the computer system, in a sort of V.R. construct. However, the descriptions of the action taking place there are largely meaningless, being concrete descriptions of abstract concepts. The same is true of the scenes of the Ell "bindings," which were full of meaningless, albeit poetic, descriptions of telepathic communication.

There are a host of other faults in the storytelling, which I don't care to get into, but suffice it to say that this book is simply not worth the time it takes to read it.

Dance, Dance, Evolution!
The Gnostic Computer System belonged to the Company and but did they have control over it?The GCS needed help.It was just not able to handle the problem it had been handed.The biggest problem anybody had been handed.A war with an alien race.A war which it could not win within the limits it had been given.But the danger was that it might also fail to win the war. EVER.Now it needed human help to make changes within its programming, changes that the Company did not want, changes that even it might not understand.And there was the danger that by changing it, it would change the balance, maybe even against itself.
The story is about first contact, about aliens, about computer intelligence, music, the nature of man, and about war.While some parts seem to be simplistic, there are bursts of genius and plot twists that surprise you.Even the characters, many of which I did not like, were realistic.Face it, if you don't like a character and think he is a jerk, then you are reacting to a REALISTIC character.I am loaning this book to a friend right after the review because he is a sci-fi fan and this is a great book.Get it, new or used.

Simplistic story
I picked it up used and was glad that I didn't pay for it!The story is much too simplistic.Even though it is science fiction the story line is not credible and the characters are impossible to identify with.

Frankly, I would not recommend this book.Try something better.

One of the best books I've ever read!
The Rapture Effect is a great story of first contact.There are a lot of subplots thrown in that add to the story instead of detracting.I won't say any more so I don't spoil the story, but if you like stories aboutfirst contact, or about secretive government plots, then you will like thisbook ... Read more

Product Description
Imagine Clypsis, an entire solar system designed as the most awesome racetrack in the history of the sport.
Imagine personality-implanted robots, whose knowledge and influence can make or break a racer's career, and fusion-fueled ships that move at extraordinary speeds.
Imagine a young hero from Earth, braving the unknown to reach Clypsis, where his dream of being a faster-than-light racer can come true.
Enter the imagination of Nebula and Hugo Award-winner Roger Zelazny. Share the dream of Mike Murray as he makes his way from the racing pit to the cockpit of the universe's most dangerous and exhilarating challenge.
Roger Zelazny and Jeffrey A. Carver launch a sensational series with technical blueprints of the racing ships by visionary automotive designer Hayashi.

A Byron Preiss Book
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A very well thought out creative Science-Fiction escapade.
This great book by Roger Zelazny focuses on a teenager fugitive from earth trying to earn a name for himself in Clypsis: an entire system devoted to histories most exciting sport, racing in the stars! Alright that sounds dumb, I admit, but it really is a killer book. ... Read more

Product Description
In order to survive the turbulent currents of the Flux, Gev Carlyle, sailing on the mental sea in his starship, must meld his mind and memory with a suspicious castaway alien star rigger--the sole surviving member of his crew. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

not Carver's best work
I am a big fan of Jeffrey A. Carver's Chaos Chronicles.This was my first flight into his Star Rigger universe. The "rigging" premise is interesting enough that I will be reading some of the other rigger books soon, I have hopes that they are better than Star Rigger's Way.I was disappointed by the ending, some characters changed for the better, some changed for the worse, and the changes seemed to be out of convenience to the author and not necessarily fitting with whatever we had learned previously about the characters. The notion that people change and no longer "fit" after being years apart is true to life, it just does not seem like an idea worthy of being *the* plot element for a story.

The back story to Eternity's End - but not nearly as good
Star-Rigger Gev Carlyle found himself alone on a spaceship where all the otherriggers had been killed by a space anomaly and unable to get the ship home by himself till he stumbled across someone else also stranded.

After reading _Eternity's End_ by this same author I found this book a disappointment.Although it must be said that this book dovetails into that one with certain sequences.I nevertheless found it hard to warm to Gev who seemed slightly crazed throughout this entire book with his obsessive attempt to re-create a past already lost to him.Its easy to see from this book how much this author has improved over the years from this rather simple SF story to his much more rich _Eternity's End_ offering.

Interstellar travels using mind controlled ships.
Star Rigger's Way is a story of a pilot and the ship he guides through intersteller space by a mind enhanced guidance system.Beyond the space and science references, the story reads much like any other man & ship story, be it in space or ocean.

A little on the pyscodelic side, Star Rigger's way is an easy read and would make a good summer beach book. ... Read more

Product Description
COPYRIGHT 1979 BOOK CLUB HARDBACK EDITION. SOME WEAR AND CREASE AND SMALL TEAR ON DUST JACKET.SOME DISCOLOR ON TOP EDGE OF PAGES. OVER ALL A GOOD READING COPY. WE SHIP DAILY.... ... Read more