Star Bright

by Martin Caidin

Baen Books #69585-3, 1980. Stated First Printing in VG+ condition. There is a faint, 2 1/2" reading crease at the lower front spine seam. Slight spine slant. Cover by Ken Kelly.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction

201 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Martin Caidin was a prolific and controversial writer. Most of his work centered around the adventures of pilots and astronauts. A number of his books were notable for their reasonable, realistic predictions of then-futuristic technology.

Caidin's body of work was prolific and varied, ranging from additional speculative/SF novels such as Marooned, which was made into an acclaimed film and considered a harbinger of the Apollo 13 accident, to a novel based upon the character Indiana Jones. He also wrote many non-fiction books about science, aviation and warfare.

Caidin began writing fiction in 1957. In his career he authored more than 50 fiction and nonfiction books as well as more than 1,000 magazine articles. His best-known novel is Cyborg, which was the basis for "The Six Million Dollar Man" franchise. He also wrote numerous works of military history, especially concerning aviation.

In addition to his writing Caidin was a pilot and active in the restoration and flying of older planes.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star Bright is a typical Caidin suspense/thriller style of disaster story. Scientists doing research on nuclear power set off a black-hole type of chain reaction that causes all kinds of problems for Earth's inhabitants. There are some things that man was not meant with which to screw around with at... or else... The conclusion shows the cost and necessary sacrifice and has an uncharacteristically religious flavor. Bantam published the book with little fanfare in 1980 with no genre designation on the spine, and it kind of sank with little notice in the mainstream pile until Baen reprinted it a decade later as science fiction. The characters are pleasant if somewhat bland, with a number of representative female participants. The very orange Bantam cover is by David J. Blossom, who did a few good sf covers back in the day.

[Matt Nicholson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a good book. Dialog between characters is just horrible throughout. I read it only because I found it in the bottom of a box I was unpacking and I was quarantined for COVID. I would not reward the author with any money for writing this. Wife is a voracious reader and will read anything. She got through a few chapters and declared it "insultingly bad reading".

[Michael Jarrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Star Bright is fairly typical Caidin novel. Quickly read and enjoyable.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good suspense/disaster sci-fi; could have been better with less repetitious explanations and dire warnings and a bit more character development.

[Matthew · Rating 2 out of 5]

*sigh

[SuperHeroQwimm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book! Realistic end of the world scenario caused by scientists who were trying to find more energy sources but end up creating something like a black hole in a research lab. Unexpected twists and turns that added to the anticipation of what was going to happen in the end. Speaking of the ending, I dont think it could have been any better. The world is "saved" but not without great cost and millions of lives, including all the main characters because they were at the "scene".

[SciFiOne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grade C.