Power Play: A Jake Ross Political Thriller

Jake Ross #1

by Ben Bova

Ben Bova, six-time winner of the Hugo Award, brings us a fascinating look at the future in Power Play . Astronomer Jake Ross wants nothing more than to teach a few university classes each semester and continue his research. However, Frank Tomlinson, an ambitious politician with his eye on the U.S. senate, is determined to land Dr. Ross as his science advisor. Tomlinson is in need of an edge that will allow him to defeat his opponent at the polls, and Dr. Ross can contribute just that edge with a new innovation that will allow electricity to be generated at less than half the price of nuclear power. But the technology is still in its infancy, and although the outlook is extremely promising, there are great---and deadly---risks. Dr. Ross soon discovers that the world of politics carries its own dangers. Nothing has prepared Dr. Ross for the extreme tactics that desperate and powerful people are willing to use.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Thriller, Audiobook, Politics, Science Fiction Fantasy

416 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 3, 2012

About the author

Ben Bova was born on November 8, 1932 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1953, while attending Temple University, he married Rosa Cucinotta, they had a son and a daughter. He would later divorce Rosa in 1974. In that same year he married Barbara Berson Rose.

Bova was an avid fencer and organized Avco Everett's fencing club. He was an environmentalist, but rejected Luddism.

Bova was a technical writer for Project Vanguard and later for Avco Everett in the 1960s when they did research in lasers and fluid dynamics. It was there that he met Arthur R. Kantrowitz later of the Foresight Institute.

In 1971 he became editor of Analog Science Fiction after John W. Campbell's death. After leaving Analog, he went on to edit Omni during 1978-1982.

In 1974 he wrote the screenplay for an episode of the children's science fiction television series Land of the Lost entitled "The Search".

Bova was the science advisor for the failed television series The Starlost, leaving in disgust after the airing of the first episode. His novel The Starcrossed was loosely based on his experiences and featured a thinly veiled characterization of his friend and colleague Harlan Ellison. He dedicated the novel to "Cordwainer Bird", the pen name Harlan Ellison uses when he does not want to be associated with a television or film project.

Bova was the President Emeritus of the National Space Society and a past President of Science-fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).

Bova went back to school in the 1980s, earning an M.A. in communications in 1987 and a Ph.D. in 1996.

Bova has drawn on these meetings and experiences to create fact and fiction writings rich with references to spaceflight, lasers, artificial hearts, nanotechnology, environmentalism, fencing and martial arts, photography and artists.

Bova was the author of over a hundred and fifteen books, non-fiction as well as science fiction. In 2000, he was the Author Guest of Honor at the 58th World Science Fiction Convention (Chicon 2000).

Hollywood has started to take an interest in Bova's works once again, in addition to his wealth of knowledge about science and what the future may look like. In 2007, he was hired as a consultant by both Stuber/Parent Productions to provide insight into what the world is to look like in the near future for their upcoming film "Repossession Mambo" (released as "Repo Men") starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker and by Silver Pictures in which he provided consulting services on the feature adaptation of Richard Morgan's "Altered Carbon".

http://us.macmillan.com/author/benbova

Reviews

[Gsmalz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Totally predictable with a whiny annoying protagonist and a Republican Senate candidate that supports science research, which is far-fetched to say the least.

[Jamie Bridle · Rating 2 out of 5]

While there are some great sci-fi ideas and interesting insights into the (corrupt and ineffective) american political system, the only reason I'm persevering with this book is that over the new year period the libraries are closed. It's written from a totally misogynist mindset. The women in the story are sexual objects to the protagonist, which if written well may have made a statement about the male thought process, however, it's not. Men are described via their character, and women via their looks. It's so comfortable, middle class and male-centric I want to puke. the story will definitely alienate any female readers. It appears the author has little self awareness around these issues. Culturally uninspiring, despite the good sci-fi aspects

[Susan Henn · Rating 1 out of 5]

2/2012 How can a decent sci-fi writer move to political intrigue and revert back to early puberty thoughts projected through his main characters? Seriously, how realistic would it be to have a young widowed Astronomy professor, serving as science advisor to a senate candidate, have constant thoughts about whether this woman or that woman could possibly be interested in him romantically? Really dumb story!

[Bruce Greb · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is really a pretty pathetic offering by Ben Bova.
His protagonists constant whining about females is disgustingly amateurish.

[Kent Archie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for an interesting mostly hard science fiction book.
But the new technology, magneto hydrodynamic power didn't ring true.
I either missed or they didn't explain how it magically burned high sulfur coal and produced no CO2 or SO2.
But what did me in was that the hero of the story was interested in two women. His relationship was mostly about whether they would have sex with him or if they had had sex with the other men in the story and so on.
This managed to make both him and the two women too boring to continue.

[Donna Epp · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wish I had of read the reviews for this one before starting it! Very shallow book. The protagonist lost his wife prior to the intro of the book and hadn’t been on a date in months. Suddenly he is caught up in a political race for a senator and two women are introduced. Unfortunately the women are written two dimensional and tend to be using sex to get ahead. The protagonist himself “thinks” several things about the women that may have sounded clever in the author’s head, but come out cheesy and not appropriate. The story itself is simple and has plot holes. Wish I had of left it on the shelf!

[Jeanne Boyarsky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had read Power Surge which is a sequel takes place in the same universe with the same characters. I gave it three stars. I should have read my three star review. I liked this one even less. I have the same issues - not enough sci-fi and more politics than usual. Plus there was a ton of "who is sleeping with who" and the same bully that I remember from book 2.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A perfectly readable novel that literally puts the "science" in science-fiction. But it feels so ordinary compared to Ben Bova's adrenaline-pumping solar system series, or his philosophical epic about the death wave. Serviceable storytelling, but lacking a certain "oomph" I find in other Bova novels.

[Emily]

Ben Bova's "Power Play" was almost a good book. It was almost an intriguing science fiction book, it was almost a thrilling political novel, its story line was almost riveting, and its characters were almost relatable, believable, and dynamic. It was almost a three-star book, but just almost.

[Jerry Davanzo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t bother

Main character Jake provided little to identify with or have sympathy for. Lame love triangle. Boring and unbelievable. Not really science fiction. Not well written at all.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent Ben Bova (he doesn't have much that sucks), but it gave me the impression that it was a book written to fill a contract, not a labor of love...

[Chris Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

More politics than science fiction.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

Such a shame that one of my favorite authors wrote such a clunker of a book.

[Martial Trevett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A senator is involved with crime with a college scientist must help get get MHD power started

[Marica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did not really enjoy this one and hoping the rest of the series develops better. The way the plot unfolded leaves a lot of room for excellent sci fi though to me this was not a sci fi book.

[James Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t hate it but didn’t love it either. I like Ben Bova as an author and have enjoyed many of his titles. This just wasn’t one of them. While there was a little science fiction, it was mainly a political thriller. It wasn’t very political or very thrilling. There was no “bet you didn’t see that coming” moment. I will give the second novel in the series a chance because I didn’t hate this book an it had potential but I am not keeping my hopes up.

[Robert Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jake Ross is an astronomy professor at the university. His mentor Lev Cardwell urges him to get onboard as the science advisor to Frank Tomlinson who is running for the US Senate and to push the development of MHD (magnetohydrodynamics) as a power source. JR has an steamy affair with Amy Wexler, FT's political aide and future wife. He is also intrigued with Glynis Colwin who was in love with Professor Sinclair who was in charge of the MHD program. The big rig near Lignite illuminates the entire western half of Montana during a major power outage.

[Catherine Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

More of a political mystery than science fiction, but a fun read. Jake Ross is a likeable character, I just feel sorry for him sometimes, not sure he knows what he is getting into. Amy is the least likeable character of all.

[Scott Shjefte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standard political campaign with murder and a touch of science energy stuff as a token bit of pizzas. Libby library Audiobook. Book almost convinced me that MHD (magnetohydrodynamics) was worth looking into, but just almost ...

[Jeff J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's quite a challenge to make a thriller out of the intersection of science and politics. Nevertheless, Bova succeeds admirably and without getting bogged down in scientific jargon.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a Ben Bova fan. Grabbed this for the holiday, not his best work. Read the Grand Tour series if you want to see him at his best.

[Joey Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is much more of a political drama with some science fiction thrown in, but still a good read. I'm starting book #2 next.

[Jodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like 3.5 stars.
Good, but not great. Easy, but a little slow, read about political drama around alternative energy development.

[Dustin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had higher hopes for this one. The idea of politics and science fiction was intriguing. However, the story was flat and the gawd-damn love triangles were a fucking distraction.

[Dorene · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay...Jake Ross is a bit of a 2-dimensional annoying protagonist. I'll probably listen to the sequels, but I can't really give it a more enthusiastic endorsement than that.

[Roslynne Lowry · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a poor read. Ben Bova was no friend to women in this book. Not sure I will listen to the other books in this series.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

9:50

[Nicholas Zimet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just bland and overtly sexist without telling much of a story

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think you need a better understanding of science than mine to get this one

[Falbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the main character, and most of the others as well. It's definitely fun to watch Jake's struggles with the fairer sex, but as far as sci-fi goes, this book is kind of a dud. The big main idea involves coming up with a more efficient way to burn coal and it doesn't really do much with that. Unfortunately, I'm quarantined with all three of the books in the series, so I'm hoping they start to pick up and I'm not stuck in a three book political drama that teaches me absolutely nothing I didn't already know.