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Voyagers #2
Voyagers II: The Alien Within
The appearance in the solar system of a mysterious spaceship prompts the Soviets and Americans to launch a joint rendezvous mission, but a terrorist bomb nearly destroys the craft, leaving only American astronaut, Dr. Keith Stoner, in suspended animation in the depths of space
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
24 people are currently reading
377 people want to read
About the author
Ben Bova
714 books1,036 followersBen 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
May 28, 2025
A strong, important message in a singularly unimpressive wrapper!
A radio signal from a source near Jupiter announces to the scientists of this world that we are not alone. An intelligent extraterrestrial species is going to make a close fly-by to earth in a hyperbolic orbit of the sun that will allow one opportunity, and one opportunity only, to examine the starship, its occupants and its technology. In VOYAGERS, the first novel of this trilogy, Keith Stoner, the American member of a joint US-Soviet mission to study the alien's ship, chose to stay aboard with the frozen alien's body. Knowing the rocket would rapidly move beyond the earth's ability to rescue him, he turned off his spacesuit's heaters and elected to flash freeze his body in the frigid temperatures of interplanetary space.
As VOYAGERS II opens, Keith Stoner awakes 18 years later in the laboratories of Vanguard Industries, the largest corporation on earth. Beyond all expectations, earth developed the technology to effect a rescue and somehow managed to revive his long frozen body from a state of suspended animation. His friend and erstwhile lover, Jo Camerata, using every resource at her disposal, has scrambled to the top of the industrial world. She is the President of Vanguard and her husband, Everett Nielsen, is the Chairman of the Board. Vanguard appears to be in control of the vast knowledge and technology that the alien and the spaceship have to offer and intends to keep it and use it for its own financial gain. However, Stoner, who has an unexplainable mental link with the alien intends to explore earth and ensure the technology is offered openly to a needy and unseemly venal world destined to encounter one global disaster after another.
When I reviewed VOYAGERS some months ago, I criticized Bova for taking a melodramatic, soap opera approach to the development of the relationships between the characters in the story. The men were portrayed as either heroes or wimps and the chauvinism with which he allowed his male characters to treat the females was simply beyond outrageous. Unfortunately, this weakness continues in VOYAGERS II and sinks to even lower lows. His dialogue is wooden and terribly contrived - not a great deal more realistic than one might expect from the humorous mangled English subtitle translations of Japanese B movies. The maniacal primary motivation for the evildoers of the novel seems to be world domination in a style that is not quite as subtle as the overlords of James Bond's arch-foe SMERSH.
Despite its glaring apparent weaknesses, Bova has nevertheless created a provoking tale of the possible effects of a close encounter of the third kind on world politics, religion, relationships, science, culture and mainstream life in the USA. The overwhelming need to use such advances in technology for the betterment of the world is obviously uppermost in Bova's mind and still makes VOYAGERS II an interesting read - if not one with an abundance of literary values. Which is certainly a shame! It isn't without merit but, as a novel, it's a bit of a disappointment.
Recommended, but only barely.
Paul Weiss
A radio signal from a source near Jupiter announces to the scientists of this world that we are not alone. An intelligent extraterrestrial species is going to make a close fly-by to earth in a hyperbolic orbit of the sun that will allow one opportunity, and one opportunity only, to examine the starship, its occupants and its technology. In VOYAGERS, the first novel of this trilogy, Keith Stoner, the American member of a joint US-Soviet mission to study the alien's ship, chose to stay aboard with the frozen alien's body. Knowing the rocket would rapidly move beyond the earth's ability to rescue him, he turned off his spacesuit's heaters and elected to flash freeze his body in the frigid temperatures of interplanetary space.
As VOYAGERS II opens, Keith Stoner awakes 18 years later in the laboratories of Vanguard Industries, the largest corporation on earth. Beyond all expectations, earth developed the technology to effect a rescue and somehow managed to revive his long frozen body from a state of suspended animation. His friend and erstwhile lover, Jo Camerata, using every resource at her disposal, has scrambled to the top of the industrial world. She is the President of Vanguard and her husband, Everett Nielsen, is the Chairman of the Board. Vanguard appears to be in control of the vast knowledge and technology that the alien and the spaceship have to offer and intends to keep it and use it for its own financial gain. However, Stoner, who has an unexplainable mental link with the alien intends to explore earth and ensure the technology is offered openly to a needy and unseemly venal world destined to encounter one global disaster after another.
When I reviewed VOYAGERS some months ago, I criticized Bova for taking a melodramatic, soap opera approach to the development of the relationships between the characters in the story. The men were portrayed as either heroes or wimps and the chauvinism with which he allowed his male characters to treat the females was simply beyond outrageous. Unfortunately, this weakness continues in VOYAGERS II and sinks to even lower lows. His dialogue is wooden and terribly contrived - not a great deal more realistic than one might expect from the humorous mangled English subtitle translations of Japanese B movies. The maniacal primary motivation for the evildoers of the novel seems to be world domination in a style that is not quite as subtle as the overlords of James Bond's arch-foe SMERSH.
Despite its glaring apparent weaknesses, Bova has nevertheless created a provoking tale of the possible effects of a close encounter of the third kind on world politics, religion, relationships, science, culture and mainstream life in the USA. The overwhelming need to use such advances in technology for the betterment of the world is obviously uppermost in Bova's mind and still makes VOYAGERS II an interesting read - if not one with an abundance of literary values. Which is certainly a shame! It isn't without merit but, as a novel, it's a bit of a disappointment.
Recommended, but only barely.
Paul Weiss
June 27, 2014
Oh, Ben Bova, where did you go wrong with this one?
Oh yeah. When you decided to make it all about teaching the alien inside Stoner's brain all about humans, and everything that he learned as a truth about humans was reductionist evolutionary psychology.
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Oh yeah. When you decided to make it all about teaching the alien inside Stoner's brain all about humans, and everything that he learned as a truth about humans was reductionist evolutionary psychology.
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
June 4, 2025
The majority of this book read like a contemporary thriller novel with very little Science Fiction. Only at the end was there a hint of SF and a potential continuation of the alien contact story that the first book centered around
I have the last 2 books ready to go and will be continuing straight on to finish this mini series.
I have the last 2 books ready to go and will be continuing straight on to finish this mini series.
February 11, 2022
Ben Bova's The Alien Within rests on an unusual premise. The protagonist, Ken Stoner, had been trapped on an alien spaceship that passed through our solar system. When he is finally recovered through the efforts of an old flame, Jo Camerata, now president of globe-encircling Vanguard Industries, it turns out that the alien--who'd been dead--had somehow transferred himself into Ken's body. The alien presence not only suppresses his emotions and affords him glimpses of a far-distant homeworld, but also infuses him with extra-human powers; he can, among other things, compel people to act against their own wills. This comes in handy.
The body of the book is taken up by the efforts of Vanguard, the Soviets, and others to seize Ken and use him for their own ends, and Ken's own efforts to escape their clutches and track down his children, whom he has not seen in 18 years (while frozen on the alien ship). Kidnappings, evasions, long journeys, wars, and various other incidents ensue.
The Alien Within's engaging enough, a fast read. It comes as no surprise that Jo's husband, chairman of the board of Vanguard, is something of a psychopathic monster, nor that Jo has been deluded about him and her role in the corporation all along. The bad guys are pretty much who you'd expect, and of course Ken prevails in the end. The alien even comes to appreciate certain aspects of being human that he'd disdained before.
But in the end, there's not a lot here that resonates in memory once you get to the end. Entertaining, sure; but not the profound, mesmerizing, and deep SF you find in Lem, say.
The body of the book is taken up by the efforts of Vanguard, the Soviets, and others to seize Ken and use him for their own ends, and Ken's own efforts to escape their clutches and track down his children, whom he has not seen in 18 years (while frozen on the alien ship). Kidnappings, evasions, long journeys, wars, and various other incidents ensue.
The Alien Within's engaging enough, a fast read. It comes as no surprise that Jo's husband, chairman of the board of Vanguard, is something of a psychopathic monster, nor that Jo has been deluded about him and her role in the corporation all along. The bad guys are pretty much who you'd expect, and of course Ken prevails in the end. The alien even comes to appreciate certain aspects of being human that he'd disdained before.
But in the end, there's not a lot here that resonates in memory once you get to the end. Entertaining, sure; but not the profound, mesmerizing, and deep SF you find in Lem, say.
October 4, 2021
If you're looking for a story of space, aliens, space travel, this is not your series. The review addresses Voyagers, Voyagers II, III, and The Return.
Plot. A spacecraft is approaching earth — no response to earth signals. A mission from earth determines that the craft is a sarcophagus - the sole passenger is a dead alien. A ship message tells us to study the alien and his ship and send him on his way to other worlds. A USA astronaut decides to stay on the alien ship, goes into stasis for 18 years, and returns to earth. He has changed - and so has the earth.
Liked: Stuck with it, well, because it IS a Bova series. Narration and production are fine. No sex, no objectionable language, clean reads.
Not so hot: This is NOT a typical SciFi, rather a platform for the author to voice concerns regarding world politics, religious zealots, climate change, nuclear war...the earth will perish if humans do not change. There have been other books and movies with the same basic theme - The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Abyss, more. So, it's been done before - and better, IMO.
Disappointed.
Plot. A spacecraft is approaching earth — no response to earth signals. A mission from earth determines that the craft is a sarcophagus - the sole passenger is a dead alien. A ship message tells us to study the alien and his ship and send him on his way to other worlds. A USA astronaut decides to stay on the alien ship, goes into stasis for 18 years, and returns to earth. He has changed - and so has the earth.
Liked: Stuck with it, well, because it IS a Bova series. Narration and production are fine. No sex, no objectionable language, clean reads.
Not so hot: This is NOT a typical SciFi, rather a platform for the author to voice concerns regarding world politics, religious zealots, climate change, nuclear war...the earth will perish if humans do not change. There have been other books and movies with the same basic theme - The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Abyss, more. So, it's been done before - and better, IMO.
Disappointed.
October 3, 2018
Bova, Ben. Voyagers II: The Alien Within. Tor 1991.
The first Voyagers novel could have been a stand-alone, but this one is not at all complete without the third one. So. Read my review of the third one. I am not going to bother with this one.
The first Voyagers novel could have been a stand-alone, but this one is not at all complete without the third one. So. Read my review of the third one. I am not going to bother with this one.
December 11, 2024
Soooo, I actually enjoyed this much more than I thought I would.
But, you know what they say about expectations.
After the events of Voyagers, and almost two decades later, Keith Stoner awakens in a laboratory.
Thing is, he is not quite himself, and amongst other things, starts exhibiting some suspiciously Jedi-like mind tricks ("these are not the droids you are looking for").
What follows is a romp (of sorts) across the globe by a guy with a messiah complex and an alien in his head.
Of course, there are various role players (governments, corporations, etc) who are after him, for the knowledge that he now possesses.
If you've read Bova before you will have a good inkling of what to expect. Don't read this in isolation though, it's a sequel.
But, you know what they say about expectations.
After the events of Voyagers, and almost two decades later, Keith Stoner awakens in a laboratory.
Thing is, he is not quite himself, and amongst other things, starts exhibiting some suspiciously Jedi-like mind tricks ("these are not the droids you are looking for").
What follows is a romp (of sorts) across the globe by a guy with a messiah complex and an alien in his head.
Of course, there are various role players (governments, corporations, etc) who are after him, for the knowledge that he now possesses.
If you've read Bova before you will have a good inkling of what to expect. Don't read this in isolation though, it's a sequel.
November 27, 2017
E' quasi un thriller nella prima parte, pieno di intrighi coinvolgenti….nella seconda mi è sembrato troppo poco credibile, dalla potenza dell'organizzazione rivoluzionaria unica in tutto il mondo ma guidata da un'unica mente alla facilità con cui il protagonista riesce a vincere tutti, diventa fantasia non fantascienza!
Certamente non all'altezza del libro di cui è il seguito (Giove chiama Terra).
Certamente non all'altezza del libro di cui è il seguito (Giove chiama Terra).
July 22, 2019
Better to read, not to listen to
While I do enjoy listening to audiobooks read by Stefan Rudnicki, even his terrific talent can’t put life into the Audible version of this book. Bova likely never intended his Voyager series to be transformed into audio (as is true for many classic SF books). This story is much better suited to reading. I gave up in the audiobook and switched to Kindle and I found I enjoyed the story much more that way.
While I do enjoy listening to audiobooks read by Stefan Rudnicki, even his terrific talent can’t put life into the Audible version of this book. Bova likely never intended his Voyager series to be transformed into audio (as is true for many classic SF books). This story is much better suited to reading. I gave up in the audiobook and switched to Kindle and I found I enjoyed the story much more that way.
September 30, 2020
A possible future - realistic, if we have the will😊🙏🤟
“The Alien Within” maps out a future that seems inconceivable given today’s human craziness - a future that is absolutely there for us to bring to reality - if we could only, individually and collectively, see it, and decide that it’s worth achieving.
“The Alien Within” maps out a future that seems inconceivable given today’s human craziness - a future that is absolutely there for us to bring to reality - if we could only, individually and collectively, see it, and decide that it’s worth achieving.
September 19, 2020
This is the second book in the author's Voyager series. It is about a sort of first contact. The book was written 40 years ago and some parts will not resonate with most individuals today due to the sexist tone of the book, but it was popular at the time.
April 2, 2021
I cannot believe that the theme he was going for was "there is only one plot in literature and that is women choosing who to mate with." Clearly, he has never read The Old Man and the Sea, The Hobbit, or Lord of the Flies.
Once again, Bova is better as a whole than he is in the individual novel.
Once again, Bova is better as a whole than he is in the individual novel.
December 13, 2017
Another great addition by Ben Bova. I can't wait to see what is next for Keith Stoner and group.
May 13, 2017
Over simplistic and a bit corny. Few people ruling and controlling the world.....our hero straightens it all out with a couple of meetings.
May 14, 2017
Read it many years ago, still remember a lot of the story; I plan on rereading it for sure when I have a little less new stuff on my plate.
February 9, 2018
Read my comments posted for the first book
July 31, 2018
Good story, more textured than the first one, less horrible misogyny.
August 31, 2020
Wow the woman actually got worse. All woman of power are nymphos. That said it was a fun book about alien human hybrid trying to change the world into peace.
November 8, 2020
Fantastic! A book of hope and a message from far away. Ben Bova's writing is timeless, and the issues he tackles are the same we should concern ourselves with today.
June 23, 2021
INCEPTION! Also less sex.
September 8, 2021
A little long winded but a good read
July 5, 2023
A good sequel. I'm baffled how this will merge with the Grand Tour, though. I guess I'll just need to read book III.
August 12, 2013
Science fiction authors frequently use their futuristic tales of advanced civilizations to point out the downfalls of our own unenlightened way of life. They commonly speak out about topics like the environment, greed, war, or other similar pitfalls. Ben Bova is no exception. In fact, almost every book he writes falls into this category. In
The Alien Within
, book two in bova’s Voyagers series, Earth is visited by an alien from another world. Or rather the consciousness of an alien, which is now living inside a human body. Throughout the story we get to view our own world through the alien’s unique perspective, and it is not a pretty sight.
The alien’s spacecraft, which was captured and brought into Earth orbit some twelve years prior to the beginning of The Alien Within , yielded up a treasure-trove of advanced technology. The wealthier nations of the world benefited greatly from this technology, but the poor nations continue to live in squalor. The alien, who does not understand the greedy nature of human beings, is puzzled by this and strives to learn more. In his quest for knowledge, the alien visits the war-torn heart of Africa.
I typically like to see a little more science in my science fiction, but I understand where Ben Bova is going with this, and I can appreciate that. Regardless of the subject matter, I always find myself enjoying Bova’s work. He always manages to create characters that are interesting and believable.
Stefan Rudnicki, who has narrated every Ben Bova audiobook I’ve listened to so far, did a good job as usual. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but Bova’s novels typically have characters from a lot of different nationalities, and Rudnicki handles the dialects well. There’s nothing really flashy about Rudnicki’s style, but he’s a pretty solid performer.
The Alien Within reminded me a little bit of Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land: an alien on Earth trying to show humanity a better way of life. This is another good audiobook from Ben Bova.
Steven Brandt @ Audiobook-Heaven
The alien’s spacecraft, which was captured and brought into Earth orbit some twelve years prior to the beginning of The Alien Within , yielded up a treasure-trove of advanced technology. The wealthier nations of the world benefited greatly from this technology, but the poor nations continue to live in squalor. The alien, who does not understand the greedy nature of human beings, is puzzled by this and strives to learn more. In his quest for knowledge, the alien visits the war-torn heart of Africa.
I typically like to see a little more science in my science fiction, but I understand where Ben Bova is going with this, and I can appreciate that. Regardless of the subject matter, I always find myself enjoying Bova’s work. He always manages to create characters that are interesting and believable.
Stefan Rudnicki, who has narrated every Ben Bova audiobook I’ve listened to so far, did a good job as usual. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but Bova’s novels typically have characters from a lot of different nationalities, and Rudnicki handles the dialects well. There’s nothing really flashy about Rudnicki’s style, but he’s a pretty solid performer.
The Alien Within reminded me a little bit of Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land: an alien on Earth trying to show humanity a better way of life. This is another good audiobook from Ben Bova.
Steven Brandt @ Audiobook-Heaven
November 11, 2011
Awakened after eighteen years in cryonic stasis aboard an alien spacecraft, astronaut Keith Stoner has returned to Earth. Yet both Stoner and his home planet have changed. The starship, now orbiting Earth, has provided several remarkable leaps in technology for the human race and as Stoner starts life anew, he finds some startling alterations within himself--he is now sharing his mind with that of the dead alien found aboard the ship nearly two decades ago. At the time, it had been Stoner's decision to leave behind all that he knew for a chance to explore the cosmos. Now, he finds himself becoming increasingly devoid of emotion in exchange for superhuman mental abilities and a relentless drive to change his corrupt and war torn world for the better.
Stoner flees captivity from Vanguard Corporation, the company responsible for reviving him. It's president, Jo Camerata, a former flame of Stoner's, assists in his escape knowing that her sadistic CEO husband Everett Nillson would take whatever measures necessary to extract every bit of alien intelligence from the astronaut. Yet even Jo cannot control Stoner as he eventually leaves her and reunites with old friends, makes new allies, and travels the world in an attempt to bring peace to war ravaged Africa and shut down a global terrorist organization known as the World Liberation Movement.
Bova crafts a fast paced story with political and corporate intrigue and a central character that reminded me very much of Klaatu from The Day The Earth Stood Still. Well, Klaatu with some burgeoning Jedi abilities. :-) The other main characters are also fairly well developed although the focus is almost completely on Stoner. The story is not without some twists as some characters reveal their true colors and loyalties. The backdrop of bloody politics and corporate backstabbing of Stoner's Earth are among the few things that have not changed in his eighteen year absence and reflect the sad state of affairs in our own reality.
Stoner flees captivity from Vanguard Corporation, the company responsible for reviving him. It's president, Jo Camerata, a former flame of Stoner's, assists in his escape knowing that her sadistic CEO husband Everett Nillson would take whatever measures necessary to extract every bit of alien intelligence from the astronaut. Yet even Jo cannot control Stoner as he eventually leaves her and reunites with old friends, makes new allies, and travels the world in an attempt to bring peace to war ravaged Africa and shut down a global terrorist organization known as the World Liberation Movement.
Bova crafts a fast paced story with political and corporate intrigue and a central character that reminded me very much of Klaatu from The Day The Earth Stood Still. Well, Klaatu with some burgeoning Jedi abilities. :-) The other main characters are also fairly well developed although the focus is almost completely on Stoner. The story is not without some twists as some characters reveal their true colors and loyalties. The backdrop of bloody politics and corporate backstabbing of Stoner's Earth are among the few things that have not changed in his eighteen year absence and reflect the sad state of affairs in our own reality.
August 4, 2013
In this second installment of the Voyagers series, Keith Stoner is brought back to Earth after 18 years spent cryogenically frozen in an alien space craft. When Stoner finally awakes, he quickly discovers that both he and the world he knew have changed dramatically. Now, Stoner must complete a mission that not even he completely understands...
Having read the first book, I can say that Bova has made two major changes, both of which are illustrated by the protagonist, Keith Stoner. The first change is that the author has taken the larger than life persona of Keith Stoner and made him super-human. Second, Bova turn the heat down. Where Voyagers I was hot with passion, Voyagers II is cold and sometimes sadistic.
If you enjoy a super-human protagonist and a larger than life antagonists (that shouldn't pose a real threat to the protagonist), then you will most likely enjoy Voyagers II. To those who read Voyagers I, expect a slightly different touch and a trite ending.
Having read the first book, I can say that Bova has made two major changes, both of which are illustrated by the protagonist, Keith Stoner. The first change is that the author has taken the larger than life persona of Keith Stoner and made him super-human. Second, Bova turn the heat down. Where Voyagers I was hot with passion, Voyagers II is cold and sometimes sadistic.
If you enjoy a super-human protagonist and a larger than life antagonists (that shouldn't pose a real threat to the protagonist), then you will most likely enjoy Voyagers II. To those who read Voyagers I, expect a slightly different touch and a trite ending.
May 6, 2015
My Rating Scale:
1 Star - Horrible book, It was so bad I stopped reading it. I have not read the whole book and wont
2 Star - Bad book, I forced myself to finish it and do NOT recommend. I can't believe I read it once
3 Star - Average book, Was entertaining but nothing special. No plans to ever re-read
4 Star - Good Book, Was a really good book and I would recommend. I am Likely to re-read this book
5 Star - GREAT book, A great story and well written. I can't wait for the next book. I Will Re-Read this one or more times.
Number of times read: 1
This was so boring.
Characters - The characters were unimaginative. Very 2 dimensional and uninteresting.
Story - One word describes this story. BORING
Overall - The second book was no better than the first. I was hoping that the story would quicken and become interesting. I was disappointed.
1 Star - Horrible book, It was so bad I stopped reading it. I have not read the whole book and wont
2 Star - Bad book, I forced myself to finish it and do NOT recommend. I can't believe I read it once
3 Star - Average book, Was entertaining but nothing special. No plans to ever re-read
4 Star - Good Book, Was a really good book and I would recommend. I am Likely to re-read this book
5 Star - GREAT book, A great story and well written. I can't wait for the next book. I Will Re-Read this one or more times.
Number of times read: 1
This was so boring.
Characters - The characters were unimaginative. Very 2 dimensional and uninteresting.
Story - One word describes this story. BORING
Overall - The second book was no better than the first. I was hoping that the story would quicken and become interesting. I was disappointed.
April 19, 2016
Perhaps slightly better than the first book - but only very slightly - in terms of sexism, but any progress there is more than counterbalanced by the relentless, simplistic pop psychology throughout. It's disappointing to me how awful I'm finding this series so far, because I remember enjoying the first couple of books when I first read them 30 or so years ago and I've read a number of Bova books in the years since then that were of a much higher quality. And there is a decent story lurking at the heart of all of these terrible trappings.
Hopefully things will improve as I move on to the final books in the series, both of which will be new to me.
Hopefully things will improve as I move on to the final books in the series, both of which will be new to me.
November 4, 2015
In typical Bova style, this second book in the Voyagers series is more about people than technology--it explores several things, through the mind of a man who's learning about the alien within him. There are many external forces and subthemes. These include poverty[ in Africa,] corporate greed, have/have not, evil people and nations...and, of course love between two human beings. During the reading, science fiction predictions arise and pass as do political predictions. The book is several decades aged--some predictions have come true, some not. Where's book number three?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews