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Circuit #1
Circuit
The setting is the moon, where newfound industrial strength gives the frontier communities a chance to show independence from the Earth nations that established them. A leading constitutionalist and friend of the U.S. president, Justice Cabot Huntington is sent in to regain control. The stiff-necked judge looks forward to writing precedents for space law, but when his first decision leads to the death of Soviet miners he must reevaluate his position and acknowledge his own complicity in the deadly power struggle that comes to implicate both the Russian and American leaders in the miners' murders.
240 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 1986
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About the author
Melinda M. Snodgrass
69 books221 followersMELINDA M. SNODGRASS
Melinda Snodgrass was born in Los Angeles, but her family moved to New Mexico when she was five months old making her almost a native. She studied opera at the Conservatory of Vienna in Austria, graduated from U.N.M. with a degree in history, and went on to Law School. She practiced for three years, and discovered that while she loved the law she hated lawyers so she began writing.
In 1988 she accepted a job on Star Trek: TNG, and began her Hollywood career. Her novels, The High Ground, In Evil Times and The Hidden World are available from Titan Books. She is the executive producer on the upcoming Wild Cards shows being developed for Hulu. Her passion (aside from writing) is riding her Lusitano stallion Vento da Broga.
Melinda Snodgrass was born in Los Angeles, but her family moved to New Mexico when she was five months old making her almost a native. She studied opera at the Conservatory of Vienna in Austria, graduated from U.N.M. with a degree in history, and went on to Law School. She practiced for three years, and discovered that while she loved the law she hated lawyers so she began writing.
In 1988 she accepted a job on Star Trek: TNG, and began her Hollywood career. Her novels, The High Ground, In Evil Times and The Hidden World are available from Titan Books. She is the executive producer on the upcoming Wild Cards shows being developed for Hulu. Her passion (aside from writing) is riding her Lusitano stallion Vento da Broga.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 21, 2010
This is the first in a trilogy. I liked Melinda Snodgrass's Star Trek pro-novel, Tears of the Singer, centered on Uhura, and her historical fantasy Queen's Gambit Declined centered on King William of the Netherlands and England. Moreover, Circuit was shortlisted for Prometheus Award, so when I saw two of the three books on sale somewhere I bought them--then left them on the shelves for years in hopes of finding the middle book. In vain, so I decided to finally read this one.
I do like the premise: a legal thriller in space--on a Moon Colony no less. It's circa 2045 and Cabot Huntington has been appointed to head the newly created 15th Circuit--with jurisdiction over the American held colonies on the Moon, Mars, and the Asteroids. You can tell Snodgrass has a legal background, and in fact on her website it states she attended New Mexico School of Law and focused on Constitutional law, jurisprudence, and legal history. A law school graduate myself, I appreciated that, even if I'm too jaded to be shocked, shocked at the result of a case involving the commerce clause. Honestly, ever since Wickard v. Filburn (1942) establishing the government could regulate a farmer growing wheat for his own use, it seems to me there's no case no matter how seemingly implausible the courts won't stretch the commerce clause so that the government could do whatever it wants. This is also one of those books (it was published in 1986) that failed to anticipate the demise of the Soviet Union. Goodness knows she's not alone, and in the time between now and the time of the novel one could assume it was revived--or simply that this takes place in an alternate timeline. But I admit that bit irks me a bit, because I simply hate thinking of that regime surviving a minute more in history. Beyond that, Snodgrass' style is undistinguished and I didn't care for her habit of head-hopping.
I do like it though--not enough to buy the middle book used from a third party vender online--but enough I'll keep this book on my shelves and skip to the third and last book.
I do like the premise: a legal thriller in space--on a Moon Colony no less. It's circa 2045 and Cabot Huntington has been appointed to head the newly created 15th Circuit--with jurisdiction over the American held colonies on the Moon, Mars, and the Asteroids. You can tell Snodgrass has a legal background, and in fact on her website it states she attended New Mexico School of Law and focused on Constitutional law, jurisprudence, and legal history. A law school graduate myself, I appreciated that, even if I'm too jaded to be shocked, shocked at the result of a case involving the commerce clause. Honestly, ever since Wickard v. Filburn (1942) establishing the government could regulate a farmer growing wheat for his own use, it seems to me there's no case no matter how seemingly implausible the courts won't stretch the commerce clause so that the government could do whatever it wants. This is also one of those books (it was published in 1986) that failed to anticipate the demise of the Soviet Union. Goodness knows she's not alone, and in the time between now and the time of the novel one could assume it was revived--or simply that this takes place in an alternate timeline. But I admit that bit irks me a bit, because I simply hate thinking of that regime surviving a minute more in history. Beyond that, Snodgrass' style is undistinguished and I didn't care for her habit of head-hopping.
I do like it though--not enough to buy the middle book used from a third party vender online--but enough I'll keep this book on my shelves and skip to the third and last book.
September 13, 2012
This was a great sci-fi book. It's not often that science fiction deals with something other than techology or aliens. This is about the law. And politics. And it's so cool!
This book is the first in a trilogy, however after reading just book 1 I feel like you could stop there and it has been a complete story. But I liked "Circuit" so much that I know I will read the other two soon!
This book is the first in a trilogy, however after reading just book 1 I feel like you could stop there and it has been a complete story. But I liked "Circuit" so much that I know I will read the other two soon!
December 1, 2012
A little dated... But I LOVED IT!
February 2, 2015
Started off as an interesting futuristic take on law in space. Ended very quickly as if rushed.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews