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Kinsella Universe #1
Kinsella
Stephanie Kinsella is your run-of-the-mill professor of physics at Caltech. Well, maybe not all that ordinary as she's a little young, half Jamaican and all attitude. On the other hand, she knows where to aim...
- GenresScience Fiction
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 22, 2012
14 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
About the author
Gina Marie Wylie
13 books34 followersGina Marie was born in Texas and moved to Arizona as a young girl. She worked as a hardware integration and networking consultant before retiring after Y2K. She is currently living in Scottsdale, Arizona writing and otherwise enjoying the life of Wylie. She is even more crotchety in person than any of her characters.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 21, 2014
I quite enjoyed this book. Kinsella is hyper-intelligent and driven. She doesn't seek approval or fame. She understands science and technology and their long-term implications. She has a plan to save the human race from itself.
We could certainly use a Kinsella-like person now.
PS. I do wish Ms Wylie would hire a professional to design her covers. I'll bet she would sell more books.
We could certainly use a Kinsella-like person now.
PS. I do wish Ms Wylie would hire a professional to design her covers. I'll bet she would sell more books.
September 22, 2019
It's funny, on another book, I complained that the book was all exposition and no plot. Well, this one is much the same and yet, I found it quite interesting reading. I do wonder if some of the (somewhat) vehement political positions taken in this book belong to the author or if she created them to go with her character. I hope it's the latter because that would make it more interesting, because they are a bit heavy-handed. I liked having a lead character who is smart and ahead of each step of the game because she thinks about consequences that others ignore. If you like hard science fiction and military / government politics, you might find this to be as good a read as I did. Language makes this fine for teens, but not sure they'll find the political stuff as interesting as I did.
May 20, 2019
Excellent beginning as the first chapters introduce a fascinating main character and a high interest scientific breakthrough. Then, the book slides downhill into a bog of military and political bureaucracy squabbles that become boring. Without the excellent start, this rating would be lower. It will be interesting to see where the author takes this concept in the rest of the series. The writing is good, the characters are generally good, but the agenda driving the plot seems twisted and off track at times. I hope this series can return to the opening form because the potential is high.
January 28, 2026
This story is a great beginning to the author's science fiction universe. It focuses on how a young genius professor overhears about an odd experimental result, which leads to a technological singularity that will eventually transform all of Earth & lead humanity to the stars.
The series does focus mainly on young, intelligent women who must face social obstacles, so might be seen as "feminist fiction"; however, the series also examines the nature of Duty and the Honor that comes from fulfilling that duty. I highly recommend reading the entire series.
The series does focus mainly on young, intelligent women who must face social obstacles, so might be seen as "feminist fiction"; however, the series also examines the nature of Duty and the Honor that comes from fulfilling that duty. I highly recommend reading the entire series.
November 21, 2018
Wylie
Has a number of older stories on Storiesonline that include explicit sex so they aren't for everyone but if you like this story you will enjoy some of them.
Has a number of older stories on Storiesonline that include explicit sex so they aren't for everyone but if you like this story you will enjoy some of them.
December 31, 2018
Ga, engrossing , read!
Good plot and great characters, with dialog that is done well enough that you can forget the punctuation is there.
Good plot and great characters, with dialog that is done well enough that you can forget the punctuation is there.
July 27, 2020
Title: Kinsella
Author: Gina Marie Wylie
Major Characters: Stephanie Kinsella, Physics Professor, Cal Tech
John Gilly, Naval Aide Aide to the President
The President of the United States
Stan Benko, a grad student
Johnny Chang, a grad student and Benko’s partner
Anna Sanchez, grad student turned Kinsella’s Chief of Staff
More bit players than I care to identify but they are all necessary and push the plot forward.
Plot Summary: Two Cal Tech grad students accidentally discover a physics anomaly that Kinsella instantly recognizes as the solution to space travel. She submits a plan to Washington which is kind of accepted and then she nurses the plan to completion. Along the way she’ll lose the two grad students, the President, NASA, the US Air Force, and the United Nations.
What I liked best about the story:
The way Kinsella anticipates every move by every politician, bureaucrat, and general officer. She anticipates and influences actions but never confronts people with their stupidity but she gets her way. And her machinations are always funny.
And the author presents compelling logic for each step in the process and hazards of going to the stars.
I truly appreciate a VW on the moon.
It is the best thought out science fiction story, best written story I have read.
What I liked least about the story: I read the book in five hours. Nothing slowed me down so I can’t think of anything to dislike.
Characters I Liked Most and Why:
Stephanie Kinsella. She was bright, educated, principled, and OCD in chasing her dream. And she had a great sense of humor. A good example is how she became a tenured Professor at age 22.
John Gilly. He understood more of who Kinsella was, how she operated, and almost stayed up with her.
The Chief Operating Officer of Lockheed. He understood the ramifications of Kinsella’s work and plan, dropped everything else his people were working and brought Lockheed into the new world.
Characters I Liked Least and Why:
Stan Benko. He was an idiot though savant enough to get involved. He just could never get beyond himself.
NASA Administrator. True to life, he was more interested in advancing NASA than trying to get the human race to the stars.
The Chief Operating Officer of Boeing. He thought it was going to cost too much to keep Boeing viable and that Boeing could quash Kinsella. He was wrong.
Who I Would Recommend This Book To:
Anyone who enjoys a woman smarter than any other person in the room, believes space travel is a necessity for the human race to survive but also knows it won’t be a cake walk, and loves to watch bureaucrats and politicians get their comeuppance.
But I would warn newcomers to the field there is often technical explanations, most of which you can glide over and not miss a thing. On the other hand, they also tell you the why of what Kinsella does.
Author: Gina Marie Wylie
Major Characters: Stephanie Kinsella, Physics Professor, Cal Tech
John Gilly, Naval Aide Aide to the President
The President of the United States
Stan Benko, a grad student
Johnny Chang, a grad student and Benko’s partner
Anna Sanchez, grad student turned Kinsella’s Chief of Staff
More bit players than I care to identify but they are all necessary and push the plot forward.
Plot Summary: Two Cal Tech grad students accidentally discover a physics anomaly that Kinsella instantly recognizes as the solution to space travel. She submits a plan to Washington which is kind of accepted and then she nurses the plan to completion. Along the way she’ll lose the two grad students, the President, NASA, the US Air Force, and the United Nations.
What I liked best about the story:
The way Kinsella anticipates every move by every politician, bureaucrat, and general officer. She anticipates and influences actions but never confronts people with their stupidity but she gets her way. And her machinations are always funny.
And the author presents compelling logic for each step in the process and hazards of going to the stars.
I truly appreciate a VW on the moon.
It is the best thought out science fiction story, best written story I have read.
What I liked least about the story: I read the book in five hours. Nothing slowed me down so I can’t think of anything to dislike.
Characters I Liked Most and Why:
Stephanie Kinsella. She was bright, educated, principled, and OCD in chasing her dream. And she had a great sense of humor. A good example is how she became a tenured Professor at age 22.
John Gilly. He understood more of who Kinsella was, how she operated, and almost stayed up with her.
The Chief Operating Officer of Lockheed. He understood the ramifications of Kinsella’s work and plan, dropped everything else his people were working and brought Lockheed into the new world.
Characters I Liked Least and Why:
Stan Benko. He was an idiot though savant enough to get involved. He just could never get beyond himself.
NASA Administrator. True to life, he was more interested in advancing NASA than trying to get the human race to the stars.
The Chief Operating Officer of Boeing. He thought it was going to cost too much to keep Boeing viable and that Boeing could quash Kinsella. He was wrong.
Who I Would Recommend This Book To:
Anyone who enjoys a woman smarter than any other person in the room, believes space travel is a necessity for the human race to survive but also knows it won’t be a cake walk, and loves to watch bureaucrats and politicians get their comeuppance.
But I would warn newcomers to the field there is often technical explanations, most of which you can glide over and not miss a thing. On the other hand, they also tell you the why of what Kinsella does.
September 25, 2013
Easy read. Well developed characters that draw you in to their lives. Fast paced. Immediately went out and bought the next book.
February 26, 2015
Nice start to a series
Kept my attention. I'd say more, but there's more in the series to read! Four stars, and that's high praise from me.
Kept my attention. I'd say more, but there's more in the series to read! Four stars, and that's high praise from me.
April 17, 2022
Start of the Kinsella universe... Navigating the political shorts of academia, military and political roadblocks to the stars is not always a straight forward path, but always an interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews