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Firestar #1
Firestar
In 1972, young corporate heiress Mariesa van Huyten sees a meteor streak across the daytime sky over the Grand Tetons. It awakens an all-consuming fear in her, a fear that the Earth is living on borrowed time in a hostile solar system. With a trusted inner circle and vast resources, she aims to make her planet strong.
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First published January 1, 1996
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About the author
Michael Flynn
115 books237 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. Please see this page for the list of authors.
Michael Francis Flynn (born 1947) is an American statistician and science fiction author. Nearly all of Flynn's work falls under the category of hard science fiction, although his treatment of it can be unusual since he has applied the rigor of hard science fiction to "softer" sciences such as sociology in works such as In the Country of the Blind. Much of his short fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact.
Flynn was born in Easton, Pennsylvania. He earned a B.A. in Mathematics from LaSalle University and an M.S. in topology from Marquette University. He has been employed as an industrial quality engineer and statistician.
Library of Congress authorities: Flynn, Michael (Michael F.)
Michael Francis Flynn (born 1947) is an American statistician and science fiction author. Nearly all of Flynn's work falls under the category of hard science fiction, although his treatment of it can be unusual since he has applied the rigor of hard science fiction to "softer" sciences such as sociology in works such as In the Country of the Blind. Much of his short fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact.
Flynn was born in Easton, Pennsylvania. He earned a B.A. in Mathematics from LaSalle University and an M.S. in topology from Marquette University. He has been employed as an industrial quality engineer and statistician.
Library of Congress authorities: Flynn, Michael (Michael F.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
September 27, 2024
Flynn's homage to Ayn Rand, Firestar, tells the near future tale of a heroic capitalist, born to wealth, who utilizes her riches and talents to reclaim the stars, or at least, near space. Mariesa, born a scion of one of the wealthiest families in the USA, seemingly always had a fear of a meteor crashing to Earth, taking humanity the way of the dinosaurs. Once she became head of the family firm (or rather, corporate conglomerate), she kick started a number of ventures to bring humanity out of the gravity well.
Frustrated with the state of schooling in America, she also brought into the conglomerate charter schools, and the firm Mentor also bought the contract to run schools in parts of New Jersey. Mariesa's estate in Jersey allowed her to follow the progress at one school, where several of the students became characters in the novel. Mariesa's grand hopes to reach space also include attempting to inculcate this desire in the students at the school; if you give the 'lost' generation dreams, who knows what they can do?
The book consists of three parts, the first, 1999 (the book was published in 1996), the second a few years later, and the last, around 2007. Science fiction stories cast in the near future obtain that dated feel pretty quickly and Firestar definitely possesses that feel.
The good: Flynn provides a solid, hard science fiction tale of what it may take to jump-start a new space program, albeit one financed by the private sector. All the cloak and dagger to keep things secret, the research, the proto-type space craft (more advanced than the space shuttle for sure); all of this seems remarkably believable.
The bad: 900 pages to tell the story and the story barely gets started at that point. I love space opera, by Firestar put the opera in space opera! Some many characters, so very carefully fleshed out, the political struggles, the 'haters' and 'groupies', and yet, most of the characters still feel pretty flat.
If you want a heroic saga of one capitalist taking us back to space, this may be a book for you! Still, other authors have done this trope much better, like Neal Asher. I may not agree with the politics, but I can still appreciate a good story. Here, Flynn has talent, no doubt, but any decent editor should have cut this by 2/3s. 2 ok stars.
Frustrated with the state of schooling in America, she also brought into the conglomerate charter schools, and the firm Mentor also bought the contract to run schools in parts of New Jersey. Mariesa's estate in Jersey allowed her to follow the progress at one school, where several of the students became characters in the novel. Mariesa's grand hopes to reach space also include attempting to inculcate this desire in the students at the school; if you give the 'lost' generation dreams, who knows what they can do?
The book consists of three parts, the first, 1999 (the book was published in 1996), the second a few years later, and the last, around 2007. Science fiction stories cast in the near future obtain that dated feel pretty quickly and Firestar definitely possesses that feel.
The good: Flynn provides a solid, hard science fiction tale of what it may take to jump-start a new space program, albeit one financed by the private sector. All the cloak and dagger to keep things secret, the research, the proto-type space craft (more advanced than the space shuttle for sure); all of this seems remarkably believable.
The bad: 900 pages to tell the story and the story barely gets started at that point. I love space opera, by Firestar put the opera in space opera! Some many characters, so very carefully fleshed out, the political struggles, the 'haters' and 'groupies', and yet, most of the characters still feel pretty flat.
If you want a heroic saga of one capitalist taking us back to space, this may be a book for you! Still, other authors have done this trope much better, like Neal Asher. I may not agree with the politics, but I can still appreciate a good story. Here, Flynn has talent, no doubt, but any decent editor should have cut this by 2/3s. 2 ok stars.
September 28, 2024
Ayn Rand meets The Man Who Sold the Moon.
Comparable to early Heinlein. Good hard science fiction. Flynn's book reads like an alternative history now that its near-future events (when published in 1995) have become recent past, but it's easy to see--given his premises--how he got there. And getting there is half the fun.
While the story keep pulling me forward, the prose is a bit dense. The character development was complex enough to seem realistic. The cast was diverse enough to occasionally confuse . . . and not everyone you care about has a happy ending. In fact, . . . but that would give things away.
The political POV, slightly to the right of Attila the Hun, animates the plot without turning this into a political screed. (In fact, Flynn divorced his story from current American politics without separating it from a realistic world--hard to do when setting a story in the New York City area in a timeline that spans 9-11-2001.)
Comparable to early Heinlein. Good hard science fiction. Flynn's book reads like an alternative history now that its near-future events (when published in 1995) have become recent past, but it's easy to see--given his premises--how he got there. And getting there is half the fun.
While the story keep pulling me forward, the prose is a bit dense. The character development was complex enough to seem realistic. The cast was diverse enough to occasionally confuse . . . and not everyone you care about has a happy ending. In fact, . . . but that would give things away.
The political POV, slightly to the right of Attila the Hun, animates the plot without turning this into a political screed. (In fact, Flynn divorced his story from current American politics without separating it from a realistic world--hard to do when setting a story in the New York City area in a timeline that spans 9-11-2001.)
February 9, 2010
Michael Flynn continues to work with economic/mathematical predictive models of the future that are dead on target. In this book, he (correctly) predicts a recession leading to a small war in the year 2001-2 from the time of his authorship in the mid-1990s.
Perhaps more importantly, Flynn spends a lot of time showing us how the educational system would change if he were in charge. He seems to have a bit of utopian overconfidence in privatization, but some of his ideas about education (competitive, interdisciplinary, cooperative, hands on, with an emphasis on learning how to do business and succeed) are right on IMHO.
Perhaps more importantly, Flynn spends a lot of time showing us how the educational system would change if he were in charge. He seems to have a bit of utopian overconfidence in privatization, but some of his ideas about education (competitive, interdisciplinary, cooperative, hands on, with an emphasis on learning how to do business and succeed) are right on IMHO.
January 11, 2011
I am going to comment on this book from a libertarian's standpoint. And, actually, I am going to comment on the entire series, sans spoilers. The reason is because some of my views regarding this book are certainly expanded by my view of all four books. And my comment is this: fantastic!
If you have libertarian or (even) objectivist leanings, I am quite certain you will enjoy the journey. And, if you do not have those leanings, the story does not push political propaganda down your throat, so I still say you will enjoy it. I am not even sure what his personal political leanings are. Heck, he is just a good writer!
What a wonderful story of a woman's quest to confront her own fears and protect her planet. A story of long-range planning. A story of the people who believe in her vision and the people who do not. And finally, a story of the challenges.
Unlike Ayn Rand's archetype characters that are so perfect and so focused, or so flawed and so bad, Michael Flynn presents us with realistic people on both sides of the issues. And, he wraps it up in what was a near-future (at the time the first book was written) science fiction story. How cool is that?
If you have libertarian or (even) objectivist leanings, I am quite certain you will enjoy the journey. And, if you do not have those leanings, the story does not push political propaganda down your throat, so I still say you will enjoy it. I am not even sure what his personal political leanings are. Heck, he is just a good writer!
What a wonderful story of a woman's quest to confront her own fears and protect her planet. A story of long-range planning. A story of the people who believe in her vision and the people who do not. And finally, a story of the challenges.
Unlike Ayn Rand's archetype characters that are so perfect and so focused, or so flawed and so bad, Michael Flynn presents us with realistic people on both sides of the issues. And, he wraps it up in what was a near-future (at the time the first book was written) science fiction story. How cool is that?
December 3, 2012
In 1972, young corporate heiress Mariesa van Huyten sees a meteor streak across the daytime sky over the Grand Tetons. It awakens an all-consuming fear in her, a fear that the Earth is living on borrowed time in a hostile solar system.
What can humanity do about it, she asks?
Nothing.
What could humanity do about it?
Swat the asteroids aside.
Get out of the way.
With a trusted inner circle, and the resources of Van Huyten industries at her conditional disposal, she sets out to act on these premises. The story begins in 1999, when a subsidiary called Mentor Academies takes over for a failing public school district in van Huyten's county of New Jersey, and the secret project, dubbed Prometheus, is advanced enough to start flight-testing Single Stage to Orbit vessels.
This series is the best science fiction I have read to date, and the first is the strongest of the lot. Unlike most optimistic works, it never forgets the fallibility and short-sightedness of the human race. Its optimism lies in the fact that it never forgets that humans are also a capable lot, given the right nudges.
You will find no square-jawed heroes from a David Weber assembly line here. Each character has unique strengths and grave weaknesses. Mariesa, for instance, has business acumen and charisma, weighed down with the control issues you'd expect from someone bent on secretly saving the world. Teacher Barry Fast is an honorable, genuine man - which comes back to bite him hard when the contradictory obligations pile up.
Nor will you find the snivelling weaklings from David Weber's other assembly line. With the exception of Dottie Wheeler, a straw moonbeam who gets a handful of lines in the first two books, every character, no matter their viewpoint or what they are willing to destroy for its sake, has believable cause to possess it.
Most of all, you will find yourself wishing that this near future were realized. You may even find yourself with the wherewithal to help make it happen.
What can humanity do about it, she asks?
Nothing.
What could humanity do about it?
Swat the asteroids aside.
Get out of the way.
With a trusted inner circle, and the resources of Van Huyten industries at her conditional disposal, she sets out to act on these premises. The story begins in 1999, when a subsidiary called Mentor Academies takes over for a failing public school district in van Huyten's county of New Jersey, and the secret project, dubbed Prometheus, is advanced enough to start flight-testing Single Stage to Orbit vessels.
This series is the best science fiction I have read to date, and the first is the strongest of the lot. Unlike most optimistic works, it never forgets the fallibility and short-sightedness of the human race. Its optimism lies in the fact that it never forgets that humans are also a capable lot, given the right nudges.
You will find no square-jawed heroes from a David Weber assembly line here. Each character has unique strengths and grave weaknesses. Mariesa, for instance, has business acumen and charisma, weighed down with the control issues you'd expect from someone bent on secretly saving the world. Teacher Barry Fast is an honorable, genuine man - which comes back to bite him hard when the contradictory obligations pile up.
Nor will you find the snivelling weaklings from David Weber's other assembly line. With the exception of Dottie Wheeler, a straw moonbeam who gets a handful of lines in the first two books, every character, no matter their viewpoint or what they are willing to destroy for its sake, has believable cause to possess it.
Most of all, you will find yourself wishing that this near future were realized. You may even find yourself with the wherewithal to help make it happen.
August 19, 2013
Really good book. It was very well-written, although the prose may be a little dense or descriptive for some people. I thought the plot was very good, though it is slow-moving. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, although I think Flynn does a good job of developing them. All in all a very good read but it just lacks that extra something to make it a 5 star. I look forward to reading more of Flynn's work.
May 29, 2018
I mean. It's 900 pages. And it's not 900 pages of fast-paced plot and insanely interesting characters. It's 900 pages of intensely described and well written (ish) characters and a pseudo-believable plot.
Putting aside the huge technology gaps that Flynn missed coming in the 2000s, the plot could be speculative fiction as easily as the hard sci-fi everyone flags it as. Privatization of public services is a real issue/solution (depending on which way you lean), and the ignorance of government with the value of space programs is continually demonstrated.
But I just did not need the 10 year span. Or the 12 character views. This book needed to be divided up further for the series (I can't imagine continuing on in this series as it stands), or a hard editor that killed a story line or POV. Think of it as Game of Thrones, but less compelling. And Flynn can't write females quite the way Martin can. As much as the narrator tried (I listened to this on audio), there were insanely dull portions, which 3 hours later, I realized I did not need to know. At all.
Overall, 2 stars is probably going to be seen as harsh. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but if you're a hard sci-fi fan, I feel like it's one of those books that you have to read. Do your time kind of deal.
Putting aside the huge technology gaps that Flynn missed coming in the 2000s, the plot could be speculative fiction as easily as the hard sci-fi everyone flags it as. Privatization of public services is a real issue/solution (depending on which way you lean), and the ignorance of government with the value of space programs is continually demonstrated.
But I just did not need the 10 year span. Or the 12 character views. This book needed to be divided up further for the series (I can't imagine continuing on in this series as it stands), or a hard editor that killed a story line or POV. Think of it as Game of Thrones, but less compelling. And Flynn can't write females quite the way Martin can. As much as the narrator tried (I listened to this on audio), there were insanely dull portions, which 3 hours later, I realized I did not need to know. At all.
Overall, 2 stars is probably going to be seen as harsh. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but if you're a hard sci-fi fan, I feel like it's one of those books that you have to read. Do your time kind of deal.
January 20, 2020
3.5 Stars.
I doubt Michael Flynn would appreciate my use of the L-word, but this is an entertaining Libertarian Fairy Tale written in the late 90s about what it would take to resurrect interest in space. The premise of the story is the US government would remain incapable or uninterested in accomplishing anything in space, so it would be up to private industry. (With 20 years of hindsight - point Flynn).
Imagine Atlas Shrugged if Ayn Rand wrote sci-fi, could write at all for that matter, or create decent characters or plot, and decided to tell a story instead of a polemic. The novel still takes some tongue-biting to get through, but the saving grace is Flynn focuses on creating a world where this works, not convincing you how to vote in the real world. Charter schools are a key part of the book, and, well it's pretty clear the people running Charter Schools in Flynn's worlds are nothing like the people running ours.
This is not an exciting novel - there are some tense and actiony bits, but it's a big project book, with lots of moving parts that all need to come together , and can only do so through force of will and a bit of luck.
I doubt Michael Flynn would appreciate my use of the L-word, but this is an entertaining Libertarian Fairy Tale written in the late 90s about what it would take to resurrect interest in space. The premise of the story is the US government would remain incapable or uninterested in accomplishing anything in space, so it would be up to private industry. (With 20 years of hindsight - point Flynn).
Imagine Atlas Shrugged if Ayn Rand wrote sci-fi, could write at all for that matter, or create decent characters or plot, and decided to tell a story instead of a polemic. The novel still takes some tongue-biting to get through, but the saving grace is Flynn focuses on creating a world where this works, not convincing you how to vote in the real world. Charter schools are a key part of the book, and, well it's pretty clear the people running Charter Schools in Flynn's worlds are nothing like the people running ours.
This is not an exciting novel - there are some tense and actiony bits, but it's a big project book, with lots of moving parts that all need to come together , and can only do so through force of will and a bit of luck.
August 5, 2017
Love the alternative present day sci-fi.
March 10, 2015
Lots of popular reviews here compare this book to Atlas Shrugged, but I respectfully suggest that it's been a while since they have read Ayn Rand. Rand's works preach her philosophy of Objectivism, or to over-summarize, the virtues of selfishness. The protagonist of this novel is a successful driven female capitalist, and that's where the parallels will end. Government agencies will serve as foils at some points, but competing businessmen and other elites are the main antagonists. Instead of the main characters acting selfishly and finding true happiness, Firestar has a many more real-world consequences for every action taken. In many ways this makes the characters less preachy and plastic, and much more human. Even the antagonists have reasonable motivations, and the shades of gray between the black and white will leave much more to ponder on and weigh. A major theme I leave this book with is the true cost of pursuing large dreams, and how to properly measure happiness and success. To the folks who state that this laughably reads as alternative history these days, I must point out that our government currently bums rides into space off of a private company after a steady decade of decline. The message on government here was not that it is inherently hindering progress, self-serving or evil, but that within the bipolar US system are big goals even possible anymore when leaders lose their heads at the first sensation of suffering (which is much more a critique on democracy's ability to achieve long term success). For when it was written I was shocked how well fleshed out the variety of characters were for mid 90's science fiction, a progressive yet grounded mix of ethnicities and genders.
March 4, 2019
This is an alternative history of the space flight. Flynn writes a story that covers 10 years between 2000 and 2009.It begins with the heroine realizing that the Earth may be in danger from an asteroid. It ends with her having created major changes in America's educational system and facilitid major technological advancements in space transportation.
The bulk of the story is how she and her company is able to create this change. In a lot of was the story degenerates into a soap opera. It gives the reader the point of view from multiple characters in various industries and their plans within plans to accomplish a mission that only the heroine has complete mission and the looming danger that motivates it.
In terms of fore shadowing the future Flynn gets the space technology surprisingly right. Yet he fails to predict the rise of the internet or cellphones. These misses distract from the flow of the novel. At times keeping tract of the 11 major get daunting. On the other hand listening to the audio book was fun. Narrator is able to give each character a distinctive voice that not possible with the paper or Ebook.
October 1, 2022
As a space geek I really wanted to read this book. But to be frank this book was BORING! With a capital BORING.
Perhaps it was my own high expectations? Maybe I was hoping for The Martian meets Honorverse. What we got was a drawn out tangle of insights into the lives of people that don’t like themselves much less being worthy of us liking them.
Mariesa it the Uber-billionaire that thrives to save the planet from asteroids by taking our species to space. This is an amazing idea except we spend a bunch of time in a dozen people’s lives instead of the actual how to get this done. The technical aspects are glossed over with more time used to describe sex using as many trite analogies as possible.
Most of the accomplishments were presented as mostly a footnote instead of us being apart of the deed. While there is actual science in this fiction it doesn’t seem to bring the two sides together as science fiction.
Sadly I am still searching for the The Martian/Honorverse mash-up for humans move into the solar system.
Perhaps it was my own high expectations? Maybe I was hoping for The Martian meets Honorverse. What we got was a drawn out tangle of insights into the lives of people that don’t like themselves much less being worthy of us liking them.
Mariesa it the Uber-billionaire that thrives to save the planet from asteroids by taking our species to space. This is an amazing idea except we spend a bunch of time in a dozen people’s lives instead of the actual how to get this done. The technical aspects are glossed over with more time used to describe sex using as many trite analogies as possible.
Most of the accomplishments were presented as mostly a footnote instead of us being apart of the deed. While there is actual science in this fiction it doesn’t seem to bring the two sides together as science fiction.
Sadly I am still searching for the The Martian/Honorverse mash-up for humans move into the solar system.
August 3, 2017
Meh.
I have many thoughts about this book. There are a lot of things that I really love about it. So many of the characters are really brilliant. And it's very well plotted, I think.
But it's so long. So. Very. Long.
And it ends without a real resolution. So, I guess to get the ending, I will have to keep reading the series. I doubt I will do that any time soon.
I have many thoughts about this book. There are a lot of things that I really love about it. So many of the characters are really brilliant. And it's very well plotted, I think.
But it's so long. So. Very. Long.
And it ends without a real resolution. So, I guess to get the ending, I will have to keep reading the series. I doubt I will do that any time soon.
April 17, 2018
Sometimes when you get invested in a thing you just have to ride it out. This book had promise but man it was like the life and times of Zap Brannigan test pilot intermixed with a stereotypical white guy imagining how minorities live and breath. It was hard to deal with the man's pigeon language, thank god he didn't stretch that out over every chapter.
August 23, 2020
3.5 stars. Reminded me very much of Ben Bova's Grand Tour books. The story threads are woven nicely and thoroughly. However, I felt that a number of the characters were too shallow or cliche. Also, while the story is fun/interesting, the motivations were a bit suspect for me. Despite all that, it's a series I'll keep reading.
August 9, 2013
I like science fiction about an early space program, so I liked this. But Michael Flynn was too interested in descriptions of sexual attributes, especially of the female characters. Still, he had a female character in a lead role.
March 15, 2017
Published in 1999 and set between 1999 and 2009, it was really interesting to note the differences between what the author envisioned and what happened during those years.
Dense, and with multiple POVs, it was hard to get into, but worth it.
Malcolm Hillgartner's narration is excellent.
Dense, and with multiple POVs, it was hard to get into, but worth it.
Malcolm Hillgartner's narration is excellent.
mooched
February 25, 2021Still available for mooching! Will be donated to local Friends of the Library annual book sale in March 2021.
Decluttering my shelves and sharing my treasures. Available for mooching in my BookMooch inventory: http://bookmooch.com/m/inventory/jonmoss
Decluttering my shelves and sharing my treasures. Available for mooching in my BookMooch inventory: http://bookmooch.com/m/inventory/jonmoss
October 9, 2022
I was really impressed with this novel from 1996 about a possible future path towards private industry utilizing space technology. In a small way, it foresees what Elon Musk has done with SpaceX. As a satellite engineer, I enjoyed the amount and the accuracy of techno babble. The main and secondary characters have been given a great deal of depth, and the time span of 8 years provides enough time to witness how these characters are progressing. The political intrigue feels real, and provides insight into private vs government funding of new technology.
I am eager to continue reading this series.
I am eager to continue reading this series.
February 19, 2018
Wow, it's long and this is only book 1. OK, SciFi storytelling. I did not realize it was a series, I just assumed the author got tired of these characters / book and ended it all. Fair overall, not sure I will read the other books.
August 6, 2021
Interesting exploration of ideas. Engaging characters. Published in 1996; I read in 2021 -- parts of it haven't aged very well. Still, good enough I'm moving on to the sequel, Rogue Star. We need some dreams like these, especially with the struggles of the COVID pandemic.
December 4, 2021
Its long but good, I am sure Elon Musk must have read this book. It tracks with space x remarkably, outside of the technology... ITs long, and too descriptive, if there was an abridged version I bet it would be even better. Good enough to read the next massive book in this series.
June 3, 2022
This was my "go to sleep" book every night from January through June, and it did the job. I was usually out within 4 pages.
The story wasn't bad, but it DRAGGED. The book easily could have been cut down by 50%.
The story wasn't bad, but it DRAGGED. The book easily could have been cut down by 50%.
August 9, 2023
After seeing a large meteor fall when she was young, Mariesa van Huyten, heiress to the Van Huyten Industries fortune, starts to develop a secret space project. It brings together a disparate group of men and women, ex-astronauts, new astronauts, engineers and a sub-project called Mentor, which aims to encourage the next generation into space. Michael Flynn’s book gives is like a combination of Stand And Deliver and The Right Stuff, with a bit of Dallas thrown in. The plot starts from the clandestine testing in Brazil, through the political and industrial competition both within the family and the U.S., and takes us into space, where refuelling of space vehicles is crucial. The Mentor program sees head teacher Barry Fast join a cadre of teachers committed to engaging the most difficult of students and Barry eventually becomes very close to the driven Mariesa van Huyten. There is skullduggery afoot however, both within the space program and within the personal relationships, which threaten the success of the endeavour. The book is long but surprisingly easy to read. It has engaging characters with real-world flaws and is not just a litany of success. The concepts are near-future and if you can ignore the dates it reads like an alternate Earth, had some political decisions just gone the right way. Like the very best of Ben Bova, it is a technological and humanist treat.
October 2, 2025
What would a private space program look like, and how would it come about? As I finished the book, I find myself wondering what Michael Flynn thinks of Elon Musk. Fortunately, heroine Mariesa is a bit more likable (but like any good heroine, she definitely isn't perfect). I enjoyed the growing space travel capabilities and breakthroughs, but it was a little hard to read past the blinding misogyny and racism embedded in many of the characters' inside thoughts. If I have to listen in on astronaut Ned Dubois lusting after another "lollipop" (his derogatory term for fangirls who want to bed him, who are legion), I might throw up. Also, character growth (for any of the characters) comes late and at great cost. The book holds a lot of sadness, for all its triumphs. And .
On the other hand, I enjoyed the connection to schools and cultivating talent (as fraught as the topic is, even in this book). And overall, would it, could it inspire us to take bigger steps out into the universe? I can dream!
On the other hand, I enjoyed the connection to schools and cultivating talent (as fraught as the topic is, even in this book). And overall, would it, could it inspire us to take bigger steps out into the universe? I can dream!
November 25, 2024
Lol still reading it after 25 years. I’m not sure people realize Elon Musk almost literally stole phrases out of this novel to articulate SpaceX’ mission.
I don’t like his ill advised use of the N-word without any permission. Regardless of the story, it elucidates his biases irrespective of the characters present… Nor does it reflect actual thinking processes anyway surrounding those passages; giving me further clues he knew no one of those persuasions except what he saw in media around him especially in the era he wrote it.)
As far whether it is Alice O'Connor-ish or libertarian, or whatever, the fact that a real life person, Musk, is a doppelgänger of Mariesa, overall the impetus of the series has now become real.
I don’t like his ill advised use of the N-word without any permission. Regardless of the story, it elucidates his biases irrespective of the characters present… Nor does it reflect actual thinking processes anyway surrounding those passages; giving me further clues he knew no one of those persuasions except what he saw in media around him especially in the era he wrote it.)
As far whether it is Alice O'Connor-ish or libertarian, or whatever, the fact that a real life person, Musk, is a doppelgänger of Mariesa, overall the impetus of the series has now become real.
March 27, 2023
I picked this up from the library system with a pending trip to Chicago and back. It is an extensive novel and was published in 1996.
The book is kind of an Ayn Rand / sci-fi. 1996 was before the proliferation of social media and cell phones so some of its notions seem quaint.
It also deals was prescient in the prediction of the privatization of space travel and to some extent, the privatization of elementary education.
there was still a top gun theme for the astronauts.
there was also some scene with a gunfight and marines that was kind of thrown in at the end.
I got to give the guy credit for all the writing that was done.
The book is kind of an Ayn Rand / sci-fi. 1996 was before the proliferation of social media and cell phones so some of its notions seem quaint.
It also deals was prescient in the prediction of the privatization of space travel and to some extent, the privatization of elementary education.
there was still a top gun theme for the astronauts.
there was also some scene with a gunfight and marines that was kind of thrown in at the end.
I got to give the guy credit for all the writing that was done.
June 27, 2024
4 minus. Story/plot moves quite slowly but carefully put together, with a lot of 'temporary' (1996) problems well described, like the crisis in education system from primary school all the way up to college. Almost 900 pages makes that possible, while still cover a lot of ground (and dreams - rocket and space dreams). Not really a science fiction novel, but very much concerned with the future and the necessity of manned space exploration (thus a focus on technical and innovative education). The latter part of the novel happens in the first decade of the new millennium, though. I will definitely read the second novel in this series, Rogue Star.
October 30, 2017
Not sure what I want to say about this one. In some ways I really liked it, other ways not so much. The characterization was well developed but there wasn't one character that I would like as a person or even want to be around. I like the private business approach to space having grown up reading Heinlein. But the woman is so obsessed, not so say nuts, I'm not so sure that she could have kept it together enough to accomplished the goal. Anyway . . . I guess I like the book enough to go with the 4 stars and see about reading further since it seems that it is a series.
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