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DarkTrench Saga #2
The Superlative Stream
** 2011 Readers Favorite Book Awards, Finalist **
** 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Finalist, Science Fiction **
** 2011 EPIC eBook Awards, Finalist, Science Fiction **
He crossed the stars to follow a song...
So where's the singer?
Sandfly is free of the rules and free of Earth, but now there's a new mystery to solve.
With his female companion, HardCandy, and a secret ship named DarkTrench, he travels across time and space to find the source and meaning of the transmission that changed his life.
When they arrive in the Betelgeuse system, they discover something the former crew did not--a planet. On it lives a civilization of humanoids that are technologically advanced, peaceful, and mystifying. Is their meeting an occurrence the Scriptures predicted? HardCandy thinks so. Sandfly is not so sure.
But what he most wants to know is why is he seeing things no one else can.
And where is the song that brought them here--or its singer? Where is the Superlative Stream?
** 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Finalist, Science Fiction **
** 2011 EPIC eBook Awards, Finalist, Science Fiction **
He crossed the stars to follow a song...
So where's the singer?
Sandfly is free of the rules and free of Earth, but now there's a new mystery to solve.
With his female companion, HardCandy, and a secret ship named DarkTrench, he travels across time and space to find the source and meaning of the transmission that changed his life.
When they arrive in the Betelgeuse system, they discover something the former crew did not--a planet. On it lives a civilization of humanoids that are technologically advanced, peaceful, and mystifying. Is their meeting an occurrence the Scriptures predicted? HardCandy thinks so. Sandfly is not so sure.
But what he most wants to know is why is he seeing things no one else can.
And where is the song that brought them here--or its singer? Where is the Superlative Stream?
374 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2010
10 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
Kerry Nietz
37 books176 followersKerry Nietz is an award-winning science fiction author. He has over a half dozen speculative novels in print, along with a novella, a couple short stories, and a non-fiction book, FoxTales.
Kerry’s novel A Star Curiously Singing won the Readers Favorite Gold Medal Award for Christian Science Fiction and is notable for its dystopian, cyberpunk vibe in a world under sharia law. It has over a hundred 5-star reviews on Amazon and is often mentioned on “Best of” lists.
Among his writings, Kerry's most talked about is the genre-bending Amish Vampires in Space. AViS was mentioned on the Tonight Show and in the Washington Post, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. Newsweek called it “a welcome departure from the typical Amish fare.”
Kerry is a refugee of the software industry. He spent more than a decade of his life flipping bits, first as one of the principal developers of the database product FoxPro for the now mythical Fox Software, and then as one of Bill Gates's minions at Microsoft. He is a husband, a father, a technophile and a movie buff.
Kerry’s novel A Star Curiously Singing won the Readers Favorite Gold Medal Award for Christian Science Fiction and is notable for its dystopian, cyberpunk vibe in a world under sharia law. It has over a hundred 5-star reviews on Amazon and is often mentioned on “Best of” lists.
Among his writings, Kerry's most talked about is the genre-bending Amish Vampires in Space. AViS was mentioned on the Tonight Show and in the Washington Post, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. Newsweek called it “a welcome departure from the typical Amish fare.”
Kerry is a refugee of the software industry. He spent more than a decade of his life flipping bits, first as one of the principal developers of the database product FoxPro for the now mythical Fox Software, and then as one of Bill Gates's minions at Microsoft. He is a husband, a father, a technophile and a movie buff.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 3, 2016
This book relates a Science Fiction tale that takes place in a world richly created by the author. As the best Sci-Fi stories go, this one also has intergalactic flight, space living, interplanetary discoveries, and extra terrestrials, or so they think. It is subtitled the second book of the Darktrench saga, but I see no evidence in this book of the previous tale.
In this earth-based civilization, some children are taken from their parents and raised by a priest of A. At a certain age, all of them get a chip implanted in their head. It is set surgically there to make them comply with everything or receive a painful shock if they chose not to. Because of that, both men and women are bald-headed. Girls in their sight have no rights. They are a piece of property to the human race and their life is forfeited if they show their faces in public. To make this point more potent, there are hundreds of girls who die in a fire because the robots that are supposed to save them don 19t let them come out without their face scarves. It would be a crime in the sight of A. Their world revolves about what the robots say, because they are A 19s (Their God 19s) messengers.The tale is well written and creative. The end of each chapter is left with a well-placed cliffhanger to keep us reading just to see what will happen next. I like the pace of the story and the depth of character developed for the principal female. Reading this book was time well spent. It will be a must have for any young adult or adult library.
In this earth-based civilization, some children are taken from their parents and raised by a priest of A. At a certain age, all of them get a chip implanted in their head. It is set surgically there to make them comply with everything or receive a painful shock if they chose not to. Because of that, both men and women are bald-headed. Girls in their sight have no rights. They are a piece of property to the human race and their life is forfeited if they show their faces in public. To make this point more potent, there are hundreds of girls who die in a fire because the robots that are supposed to save them don 19t let them come out without their face scarves. It would be a crime in the sight of A. Their world revolves about what the robots say, because they are A 19s (Their God 19s) messengers.The tale is well written and creative. The end of each chapter is left with a well-placed cliffhanger to keep us reading just to see what will happen next. I like the pace of the story and the depth of character developed for the principal female. Reading this book was time well spent. It will be a must have for any young adult or adult library.
May 21, 2010
Sandfly is back! This time, on an adventure quite a ways from Earth. Where A Star Curiously Singing was straight Cyberpunk, this sequel is more of a Golden-Age exploration story with a Cyberpunk twist and a healthy dose of philosophy mixed in.
Was it as good as the first book? No. But then, A Star Curiously Singing was a tough act to follow any day. The Superlative Stream is a little less on all accounts, a little shaky on its ground, but the ending still had that great chill-inducing twist. And I particularly loved the frequent flashbacks (not usual for me!), where we get to see into Hard Candy's mind, too.
The Superlative Stream excels in its fully unique worlds and in the hearts of its characters. With an ending worthy of a good tv-season finale, I can't wait for the sequel!
Was it as good as the first book? No. But then, A Star Curiously Singing was a tough act to follow any day. The Superlative Stream is a little less on all accounts, a little shaky on its ground, but the ending still had that great chill-inducing twist. And I particularly loved the frequent flashbacks (not usual for me!), where we get to see into Hard Candy's mind, too.
The Superlative Stream excels in its fully unique worlds and in the hearts of its characters. With an ending worthy of a good tv-season finale, I can't wait for the sequel!
June 26, 2011
HE STOOPS TO STREAM
"The Superlative Stream" is the sequel to "A Star Curiously Singing" - and a voyage of discovery into deep space.
I want to talk about what makes Mr. Nietz's work controversial. Some love it - some decry it. In a word, it's spiritual. Some might call it "Christian," but this is no narrow, preachy story. "TSS" is entertainment. Not a tract. As famous director Alfred Hitchcock said of his work, "it's only a movie!" In author Nietz's case, it is "only" a series of futuristic, fantasy novels.
These works do live in a theistic universe. Readers learn that the "superlative stream" is received as fragments of a poetic, mystical message from a power beyond the material universe. It is a force so huge, so awe-inspiring, it must "stoop" to communicate with humanity.
In Vol. 1 of The Dark Trench Saga, Nietz showed us a future-Earth controlled by an Islam that has embraced technology. Now, in some naïve circles, there's a sense that we must be tolerant of all religions, no matter how violent and repressive they become. In my view, that attitude is as foolhardy and dangerous as British Prime Minister Chamberlain trying to suck up to Adolph Hitler. If there are those who hate you and your way of life, and call your nation "Satan," it's not smart to say "ah well! Live and let live!"
It doesn't take a quantum physicist to figure out that Kerry Nietz's work is a fantasy about the future - not a description of a nation that exists today. It's the job of dystopian novels like "Brave New World," "1984" and "Fahrenheit 451" to observe disturbing trends, and extrapolate what will happen if they continue and grow strong - the "what ifs" of fiction.
This is Vol. 2 of "The Dark Trench Saga" - and as you might expect, the ending sets us up for the final tome of the series. So what's the scoop? Where are we going with Sandfly, HardCandy - and of course, Dark Trench (for this is the starship's saga)?
The ending of "The Superlative Stream" sets the stage. But that, my friend, you must discover for yourself.
"The Superlative Stream" is the sequel to "A Star Curiously Singing" - and a voyage of discovery into deep space.
I want to talk about what makes Mr. Nietz's work controversial. Some love it - some decry it. In a word, it's spiritual. Some might call it "Christian," but this is no narrow, preachy story. "TSS" is entertainment. Not a tract. As famous director Alfred Hitchcock said of his work, "it's only a movie!" In author Nietz's case, it is "only" a series of futuristic, fantasy novels.
These works do live in a theistic universe. Readers learn that the "superlative stream" is received as fragments of a poetic, mystical message from a power beyond the material universe. It is a force so huge, so awe-inspiring, it must "stoop" to communicate with humanity.
In Vol. 1 of The Dark Trench Saga, Nietz showed us a future-Earth controlled by an Islam that has embraced technology. Now, in some naïve circles, there's a sense that we must be tolerant of all religions, no matter how violent and repressive they become. In my view, that attitude is as foolhardy and dangerous as British Prime Minister Chamberlain trying to suck up to Adolph Hitler. If there are those who hate you and your way of life, and call your nation "Satan," it's not smart to say "ah well! Live and let live!"
It doesn't take a quantum physicist to figure out that Kerry Nietz's work is a fantasy about the future - not a description of a nation that exists today. It's the job of dystopian novels like "Brave New World," "1984" and "Fahrenheit 451" to observe disturbing trends, and extrapolate what will happen if they continue and grow strong - the "what ifs" of fiction.
This is Vol. 2 of "The Dark Trench Saga" - and as you might expect, the ending sets us up for the final tome of the series. So what's the scoop? Where are we going with Sandfly, HardCandy - and of course, Dark Trench (for this is the starship's saga)?
The ending of "The Superlative Stream" sets the stage. But that, my friend, you must discover for yourself.
October 23, 2010
Kerry Nietz maintains his edge in his sequel. The nature of this book is different from A Star Curiously Singing. That book was like a mystery, with clues and deductions leading the main character to the solution. The Superlative Stream, however, is a quest. It is the search for the Superlative Stream (what else?). Without giving too much of the book away, the type of science fiction also shifts subtly, from that of Asimov to that of Star Trek. You’ll have to read the book to find out how.
Nietz’s main strength in the previous book (his strong protagonist) carries over, but with a few twists. Some chapters are written as memories of HardCandy’s past, helpfully labeled as ‘HardCandy Storage’. A lot of back story is revealed, but it is all very gentle. GrimJack only appears in memories, but his character is fleshed out and given a touching metaphor. Also, the eponymous DarkTrench, the ship on which Sandfly and HardCandy travel, becomes a character, with dialogue and a personality all to its own.
Nietz’s world deserves a lot of praise as well. Very little has to be explained to the reader, and those few explanations are smooth and barely noticeable. Unlike 1984, in which Winston spends a lengthy chapter reading about the history of his world, the history of their world is seamless and bound up in the world itself. Story elements such as Tanzer, the date change, and the science all flow without any explanation needed. One particular detail stands out: the use of the names of well-known science fiction authors as expletives. Not having read anything by Arthur C. Clarke or Michael Crichton, I failed to notice it in the first book, but the repertoire of invective is expanded, and a few familiar names helped me catch on now.
The plot took some getting used to, but once I adjusted, I loved it. I was taken with the new world they discovered, and surprised at each new twist. Nietz remains one of my favorite authors beneath the Marcher Lord Press banner.
Nietz’s main strength in the previous book (his strong protagonist) carries over, but with a few twists. Some chapters are written as memories of HardCandy’s past, helpfully labeled as ‘HardCandy Storage’. A lot of back story is revealed, but it is all very gentle. GrimJack only appears in memories, but his character is fleshed out and given a touching metaphor. Also, the eponymous DarkTrench, the ship on which Sandfly and HardCandy travel, becomes a character, with dialogue and a personality all to its own.
Nietz’s world deserves a lot of praise as well. Very little has to be explained to the reader, and those few explanations are smooth and barely noticeable. Unlike 1984, in which Winston spends a lengthy chapter reading about the history of his world, the history of their world is seamless and bound up in the world itself. Story elements such as Tanzer, the date change, and the science all flow without any explanation needed. One particular detail stands out: the use of the names of well-known science fiction authors as expletives. Not having read anything by Arthur C. Clarke or Michael Crichton, I failed to notice it in the first book, but the repertoire of invective is expanded, and a few familiar names helped me catch on now.
The plot took some getting used to, but once I adjusted, I loved it. I was taken with the new world they discovered, and surprised at each new twist. Nietz remains one of my favorite authors beneath the Marcher Lord Press banner.
August 4, 2011
I am not a lover of science. It confuses me and makes me feel like an idiot, at times. That said, I do love science fiction – even those moments that have my eyes glazing over and me wondering, again, why it is that I get sucked into these types of stories.
Kerry Nietz is one of those reasons. With The Superlative Stream (and his previous book in the DarkTrench Saga, A Star Curiously Singing), Nietz takes a hold of my imagination and begins to manipulate it, creating some of the most incredible images and fantastic thoughts, thoughts that move me to tears when I am reminded of the beauty of my faith.
For a long time I’ve bemoaned “Christian Literature” and its tendency to preach and browbeat its readers with “wholesome” (see: mundane) stories that have the protagonist living a life of sin, repenting and then living a life that miraculously has gotten amazing! The DarkTrench Saga is not that type of literature. It reminds me of a mixture of Isaac Asimov’s masterpieces mixed in with the dystopia world that a runaway faith and technology can cause (much like Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale).
Nietz has gotten a lot of flack for using a religion that is very powerful in our world right now – and the flack he’s been getting has been primarily from his own faith. It’s important to understand before reading these books, that these are works of fiction, that they are intended to show what could be in another time, another place, another universe – which is what science fiction is all about.
Most of all though, Kerry Nietz has provided the me, a believer, with something I’m eternally grateful to him for – a book that doesn’t insult my intelligence, that glorifies God in a subtle, but intensely beautiful way, and tells a story that has me begging for more.
Kerry Nietz is one of those reasons. With The Superlative Stream (and his previous book in the DarkTrench Saga, A Star Curiously Singing), Nietz takes a hold of my imagination and begins to manipulate it, creating some of the most incredible images and fantastic thoughts, thoughts that move me to tears when I am reminded of the beauty of my faith.
For a long time I’ve bemoaned “Christian Literature” and its tendency to preach and browbeat its readers with “wholesome” (see: mundane) stories that have the protagonist living a life of sin, repenting and then living a life that miraculously has gotten amazing! The DarkTrench Saga is not that type of literature. It reminds me of a mixture of Isaac Asimov’s masterpieces mixed in with the dystopia world that a runaway faith and technology can cause (much like Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale).
Nietz has gotten a lot of flack for using a religion that is very powerful in our world right now – and the flack he’s been getting has been primarily from his own faith. It’s important to understand before reading these books, that these are works of fiction, that they are intended to show what could be in another time, another place, another universe – which is what science fiction is all about.
Most of all though, Kerry Nietz has provided the me, a believer, with something I’m eternally grateful to him for – a book that doesn’t insult my intelligence, that glorifies God in a subtle, but intensely beautiful way, and tells a story that has me begging for more.
January 26, 2016
Another winner for Kerry Nietz! As I read I was amazed at Nietz's world building. This book follows right where A Star Curiously Singing left off, taking us again into the world of Sandfly and HardCandy, both former debuggers on a mission to a distant star. Interspersed through the novel are scenes that show us how HardCandy came to be a debugger (usually an all male profession.) Sometimes these sort of things slow down a narrative, but they did not at all in this case. In fact, they are even more poignant now that Islam has been making the headlines of late. We see just how a woman is treated in many societies today and easily empathize with HardCandy's plight.
This isn't a blow 'em up and race across the galaxy type of science fiction novel (though there are several chase-type scenes), but The Superlative Stream is more of a thinking man/woman's science fiction tale. The spiritual insights are real, powerful, and never feel forced. Reminded me at times of C. S. Lewis' Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra. A terrific novel to read in a snowstorm!
This isn't a blow 'em up and race across the galaxy type of science fiction novel (though there are several chase-type scenes), but The Superlative Stream is more of a thinking man/woman's science fiction tale. The spiritual insights are real, powerful, and never feel forced. Reminded me at times of C. S. Lewis' Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra. A terrific novel to read in a snowstorm!
June 27, 2011
The story begins where book one left off. Sandfly and HardCandy are traveling in the spacecraft called DarkTrench, following the mysterious stream they picked up on at the end of book one. But instead of a stream, they find a planet. One with life on it. Life that raises many questions in both Sandfly and HardCandy’s minds.
I liked this story as much as the first—maybe more so. The whole premise is wonderfully creative. And now that Sandfly is free from the former restraints on his mind, it is interesting how he sees life in a different way. I particularly enjoyed the backflashes in which we learned how HardCandy became a debugger. Nietz has weaved an incredible tale and is sharing bits of data with us just when we need it. Fabulous science fiction! I can’t wait to read the next book.
I liked this story as much as the first—maybe more so. The whole premise is wonderfully creative. And now that Sandfly is free from the former restraints on his mind, it is interesting how he sees life in a different way. I particularly enjoyed the backflashes in which we learned how HardCandy became a debugger. Nietz has weaved an incredible tale and is sharing bits of data with us just when we need it. Fabulous science fiction! I can’t wait to read the next book.
December 19, 2012
I liked it this book. Nietz was able to weave Christian theme and scripture into the book in an interesting way. Tastefully adds a little romance between debuggers Sandfly and Hardcandy. Where might this go in the following book, Freeheads? Hmmm
May 13, 2013
Yet again another unique story filled with symbolism, theology, and philosophy. The best part is that it is all wrapped in a compelling mystery taking place in a highly detailed fictional world. Astoundingly creative!
June 20, 2022
This is the last book in this series, and what a ride!
Sandfly and Hard Candy have escaped on Dark Trench to find the song that had changed the astronauts who had made the trip previously. Nothing was said about seeing a planet, but when they reach the same coordinates, before them is Betelgeuse, and approaching them is a ship like none they had ever seen, and Dark Trench has gone silent. After following the urgings of the men who came to "save" them, they enter their ship and are taken to a world far advanced from their own. Wary but intrigued they believe they have no choice but to stay here and must now learn how to live in this very strange society - unfortunately Sandfly will have to face it alone, because a kiss puts Hard Candy into a coma, and she is in a chute that will hopefully bring her back.
An interesting story. Sandfly and Hard Candy make this trip to find the Superlative Stream, but their lack of knowledge leaves them vulnerable to the wiles of the beings that inhabit this planet. Sandfly hears from the Lord, passages of Scripture he's never heard before and has no idea what it means - but over time he stops listening and is sucked into the mindset of those around him. So much like our world today. We have to know the Word of God to know how to fight the lies around us!
This is a clean read although it does have some sexual references.
Sandfly and Hard Candy have escaped on Dark Trench to find the song that had changed the astronauts who had made the trip previously. Nothing was said about seeing a planet, but when they reach the same coordinates, before them is Betelgeuse, and approaching them is a ship like none they had ever seen, and Dark Trench has gone silent. After following the urgings of the men who came to "save" them, they enter their ship and are taken to a world far advanced from their own. Wary but intrigued they believe they have no choice but to stay here and must now learn how to live in this very strange society - unfortunately Sandfly will have to face it alone, because a kiss puts Hard Candy into a coma, and she is in a chute that will hopefully bring her back.
An interesting story. Sandfly and Hard Candy make this trip to find the Superlative Stream, but their lack of knowledge leaves them vulnerable to the wiles of the beings that inhabit this planet. Sandfly hears from the Lord, passages of Scripture he's never heard before and has no idea what it means - but over time he stops listening and is sucked into the mindset of those around him. So much like our world today. We have to know the Word of God to know how to fight the lies around us!
This is a clean read although it does have some sexual references.
August 5, 2017
I just finished a paperback copy of The Superlative Stream by Kerry Nietz, having received it as a give a few months ago. I enjoyed this book more than A Star Curiously Singing. Nietz's writing has definitely tightened up, and I was stuck fascinated at the world he was building around SandFly. This book reminded me a lot about Ringworld by Larry Niven, only with a compelling story, multi-dimensional characters, and a satisfying ending.
Also, I liked that the religious aspect of the story was pervasive, but not overpowering. It's an important part of the story, but it isn't preachy or annoying. I was able to keep inside the story, and not be forced out by something that felt unrealistic or tacked on. Major props to Kerry Nietz!
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed A Star Curiously Singing. I just need to pick up Freeheads next...
Also, I liked that the religious aspect of the story was pervasive, but not overpowering. It's an important part of the story, but it isn't preachy or annoying. I was able to keep inside the story, and not be forced out by something that felt unrealistic or tacked on. Major props to Kerry Nietz!
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed A Star Curiously Singing. I just need to pick up Freeheads next...
October 21, 2025
Love Kerry's books
Another great book by Kerry Nietz. The innovative technology combined with space travel and alien creatures with a touch of romance makes for a great read if you like sci-fi. An adventure to the star Beetlegeuse leaves the characters reeling with curiosity as they discover a strange planet that should not be there. The interactions between the two main characters and the DarkTrench (a super intelligent space ship) draws the reader in and adds some lightheartedness to the story. You also gain insight to the female main character's horrific past and how she became the only female implant. Flashbacks to the male main character's past help make him more sympathetic as well. Definitely worth reading!
Another great book by Kerry Nietz. The innovative technology combined with space travel and alien creatures with a touch of romance makes for a great read if you like sci-fi. An adventure to the star Beetlegeuse leaves the characters reeling with curiosity as they discover a strange planet that should not be there. The interactions between the two main characters and the DarkTrench (a super intelligent space ship) draws the reader in and adds some lightheartedness to the story. You also gain insight to the female main character's horrific past and how she became the only female implant. Flashbacks to the male main character's past help make him more sympathetic as well. Definitely worth reading!
January 16, 2018
This is an excellent second book in the series, which is particularly pleasing since middle-of-the series books rarely excite me. Even though there is something left to accomplish, this book is a complete story unto itself with a meaningful conclusion. I liked that Hardcandy's character is more fleshed out and she plays a more significant role than in the first book. I also love how unpredictable the plot is and the points made near the end.
March 15, 2018
The further adventures of Sandfly and Hard Candy, highly recommended!
March 11, 2019
Great sci-fi
I really enjoyed this book. It took me on a trip to another world and race I didn't know existed. This was what I was looking for. I can't wait to see the finish.
I really enjoyed this book. It took me on a trip to another world and race I didn't know existed. This was what I was looking for. I can't wait to see the finish.
May 1, 2022
Echoes of the Ransom Trilogy.
March 8, 2021
Like the first installment, there’s a lot to like here.
Our protagonists are likable and pretty well developed. But the others, not so much.
I’ll keep reading to see how this series ends but it doesn’t quite live up to what I had hoped for.
Our protagonists are likable and pretty well developed. But the others, not so much.
I’ll keep reading to see how this series ends but it doesn’t quite live up to what I had hoped for.
September 13, 2019
Kerry Nietz continues to amaze me as a top notch writer. This is a very character driven story whereby we learn more about Sandfly, HardCandy, DarkTrench, and GrimJack. Answers are revealed. And more mysteries laid before us. This book is the perfect combination of cyberpunk, space exploration, and Eastern culture. Think cyberpunk mixed with Star Trek and/or Coriolis: The Third Horizon. Highly recommend this book! I can wait to get my hands on book 3!
April 30, 2012
I was nervous about The Superlative Stream. I desperately hoped it would live up to the high bar for freshness its sequel set and was afraid it wouldn’t. I needn’t have worried.
SandFly, with his female companion HardCandy, have traveled to Betelgeuse in search of the source to the Superlative Stream that changed the way they thought and challenged everything they ever knew. When they arrive, they discover something the original crew did not: a planet. Inhabited. After their ship mysteriously goes off-line, SandFly and HardCandy are welcomed by the highly-advanced people of the planet. HardCandy thinks this is a meeting the scriptures predicted. SandFly is not so sure, and is more concerned about their original reason for traveling to Betelgeuse. Are these people the source of the Superlative Stream? And even if they are, can they be trusted?
A Star Curiously Singing captured me through its unique style and world. In The Superlative Stream the style is there and the world..! The world triples. We are introduced to the Beetles (or Jinn, depending on who you ask). They have their own strange world, their own society, their own philosophy, their own surroundings. We are also shown HardCandy’s past. Her life may have been on Earth, but she had a completely different life from SandFly, whose world we saw in the previous book.
We learn of HardCandy’s history in ‘flashbacks’ scattered throughout the book, like a separate, parallel story. Normally I dislike so many ‘flashbacks,’ especially when they are not directly affecting the plot. To my surprise, I found myself looking forward to the next glimpse of HardCandy’s old life. Many questions left by A Star Curiously Singing about the characters are resolved (although I’m still waiting to learn more about the ‘sweet spot’ HardCandy found that contained a less-censored stream). I still feel like Nietz wrote or at least outlined HardCandy’s story independent of The Superlative Stream, and wonder what HardCandy’s story would have been like had it been given its own book.
I get edgy when the weirdness of sci-fi is mixed with theology, and I was worried when the reviews of The Superlative Stream seemed to show aliens. I can’t stand people trying to reconcile aliens with the Bible. Call it a pet peeve. Even in general it really takes a good story for me not to scoff at supernatural in sci-fi. I won’t give away any spoilers, but I wasn’t let down in this area either. It’s weird, but sci-fi is supposed to be weird.
In the end we are thrown ‘back’ into the conflict on Earth, which now encompasses both the physical and spiritual world. It’s hard to know how to classify The Superlative Stream as a sequel. Usually, you can easily say that either the books in a series are standalones with an over-reaching arc, or are one big story broken into parts. The DarkTrench Saga is feels like both (so far), which is interesting. And different. But fun.
The Superlative Stream is another must-not-put-down by Kerry Nietz. I’m usually a cheapskate when it comes to buying niceties such as books, but when the next in the DarkTrench Saga comes out, I won’t wait for it to go on sale to buy it. 4/5 stars.
SandFly, with his female companion HardCandy, have traveled to Betelgeuse in search of the source to the Superlative Stream that changed the way they thought and challenged everything they ever knew. When they arrive, they discover something the original crew did not: a planet. Inhabited. After their ship mysteriously goes off-line, SandFly and HardCandy are welcomed by the highly-advanced people of the planet. HardCandy thinks this is a meeting the scriptures predicted. SandFly is not so sure, and is more concerned about their original reason for traveling to Betelgeuse. Are these people the source of the Superlative Stream? And even if they are, can they be trusted?
A Star Curiously Singing captured me through its unique style and world. In The Superlative Stream the style is there and the world..! The world triples. We are introduced to the Beetles (or Jinn, depending on who you ask). They have their own strange world, their own society, their own philosophy, their own surroundings. We are also shown HardCandy’s past. Her life may have been on Earth, but she had a completely different life from SandFly, whose world we saw in the previous book.
We learn of HardCandy’s history in ‘flashbacks’ scattered throughout the book, like a separate, parallel story. Normally I dislike so many ‘flashbacks,’ especially when they are not directly affecting the plot. To my surprise, I found myself looking forward to the next glimpse of HardCandy’s old life. Many questions left by A Star Curiously Singing about the characters are resolved (although I’m still waiting to learn more about the ‘sweet spot’ HardCandy found that contained a less-censored stream). I still feel like Nietz wrote or at least outlined HardCandy’s story independent of The Superlative Stream, and wonder what HardCandy’s story would have been like had it been given its own book.
I get edgy when the weirdness of sci-fi is mixed with theology, and I was worried when the reviews of The Superlative Stream seemed to show aliens. I can’t stand people trying to reconcile aliens with the Bible. Call it a pet peeve. Even in general it really takes a good story for me not to scoff at supernatural in sci-fi. I won’t give away any spoilers, but I wasn’t let down in this area either. It’s weird, but sci-fi is supposed to be weird.
In the end we are thrown ‘back’ into the conflict on Earth, which now encompasses both the physical and spiritual world. It’s hard to know how to classify The Superlative Stream as a sequel. Usually, you can easily say that either the books in a series are standalones with an over-reaching arc, or are one big story broken into parts. The DarkTrench Saga is feels like both (so far), which is interesting. And different. But fun.
The Superlative Stream is another must-not-put-down by Kerry Nietz. I’m usually a cheapskate when it comes to buying niceties such as books, but when the next in the DarkTrench Saga comes out, I won’t wait for it to go on sale to buy it. 4/5 stars.
January 10, 2014
(Cross-posted to speculativefaith.com)
With a more fantastic setting and a simpler plot than the first book in The Dark Trench Saga, The Superlative Stream goes bravely where I’ve never seen an explicitly evangelical novel go before. Unlike A Star Curiously Singing, it could be classified as a space opera (among other subgenres), evoking some of the wonder-lust and sense of scale. The darker dystopian feel from the previous book is downplayed here but is present in flashbacks and perhaps reinforced by theme.
As one of the stereotypical ex-Evangelical (or reluctantly Evangelical) millennials, I was wary of the recurring conversion theme. When the big conversion moment finally came, a fairly standard use of the typical “chair metaphor” for faith did start my inner artificiality alarm ringing. However, even that moment ended up working for me as a story beat, for several reasons. The conversion scene itself was written with the same exceptional skill found throughout, and it contained a strong character beat with an outstanding oracle-archetype. More importantly, the Christianity was presented with metaphors that seem more competent and more honest (in a literary sense) than Evangelical pragmatism.
My favorite dialog moment was actually in the conversion scene, demonstrating the trilogy’s recurring metaphor for the Christian incarnation:
There’s a interconnected tapestry composed of both theme and imagery. God stooping, angels falling — all tied into a theme about free will that I find vastly more interesting and uplifting than the conversion theme. The thematic elements are rooted in the backdrop of Islamic culture. The sideplot is brave enough and nuanced enough to cast a good Muslim in a sacrificial Christ-figure role. Islam isn’t the problem — the stifling of the truth beneath human authoritarianism is, and one of the stifled truths is that of the Christian scriptures. The Bible is treated as supernatural in its own right, a theme that anchors the book’s identity as evangelical fiction.
The characters are individually well portrayed, but I disliked some aspects of the gradually developing romance between Sandfly and HardCandy. There’s too much stereotypical eyelash batting and stuttering and the like.
I don’t think The Superlative Stream is perfect. For one, I think it could have explored the good and the bad ramifications of fundamentalism a little more. There were awkward moments for me. But the vision is glorious and portrayed with masterful skill. It’s an improvement from A Star Curiously Singing, which was excellent already. This book encourages me about the depth and honesty of both Christian fiction and Evangelicalism.
With a more fantastic setting and a simpler plot than the first book in The Dark Trench Saga, The Superlative Stream goes bravely where I’ve never seen an explicitly evangelical novel go before. Unlike A Star Curiously Singing, it could be classified as a space opera (among other subgenres), evoking some of the wonder-lust and sense of scale. The darker dystopian feel from the previous book is downplayed here but is present in flashbacks and perhaps reinforced by theme.
As one of the stereotypical ex-Evangelical (or reluctantly Evangelical) millennials, I was wary of the recurring conversion theme. When the big conversion moment finally came, a fairly standard use of the typical “chair metaphor” for faith did start my inner artificiality alarm ringing. However, even that moment ended up working for me as a story beat, for several reasons. The conversion scene itself was written with the same exceptional skill found throughout, and it contained a strong character beat with an outstanding oracle-archetype. More importantly, the Christianity was presented with metaphors that seem more competent and more honest (in a literary sense) than Evangelical pragmatism.
My favorite dialog moment was actually in the conversion scene, demonstrating the trilogy’s recurring metaphor for the Christian incarnation:
“So the lies I’ve been told,” I say. “What are they?”
“I’ll instead give you truth,” he says. “God does stoop. And angels do fall.”
Nietz, Kerry (2010-03-31). The Superlative Stream (DarkTrench Saga) (Kindle Locations 4994-4996). Marcher Lord Press. Kindle Edition.
There’s a interconnected tapestry composed of both theme and imagery. God stooping, angels falling — all tied into a theme about free will that I find vastly more interesting and uplifting than the conversion theme. The thematic elements are rooted in the backdrop of Islamic culture. The sideplot is brave enough and nuanced enough to cast a good Muslim in a sacrificial Christ-figure role. Islam isn’t the problem — the stifling of the truth beneath human authoritarianism is, and one of the stifled truths is that of the Christian scriptures. The Bible is treated as supernatural in its own right, a theme that anchors the book’s identity as evangelical fiction.
The characters are individually well portrayed, but I disliked some aspects of the gradually developing romance between Sandfly and HardCandy. There’s too much stereotypical eyelash batting and stuttering and the like.
I don’t think The Superlative Stream is perfect. For one, I think it could have explored the good and the bad ramifications of fundamentalism a little more. There were awkward moments for me. But the vision is glorious and portrayed with masterful skill. It’s an improvement from A Star Curiously Singing, which was excellent already. This book encourages me about the depth and honesty of both Christian fiction and Evangelicalism.
September 8, 2014
If you haven’t read book 1 in the DarkTrench Saga yet please click to this review first:
A Star Curiously Singing
. If that sounds like your sort of novel, you’ll want to read it before diving into The Superlative Stream (book 2). And my review of book 2 will be a bit of a spoiler for book 1.
Still here? Okay, here we go.
In a dystopian future Earth, Sandfly and HardCandy are—were—debuggers. Tech support, equipped with brain implants to allow them to access a wireless data stream that makes our internet look primitive. Debuggers have no rights. They’re the property of the masters, and are kept in line by the same implants that let them touch the stream.
Earth has fallen under the control of a corrupted form of Islam. How will the true God make Himself known again? In A Star Curiously Singing, God’s message comes from a distant star and changes Sandfly’s life.
Sandfly is used to the ordinary data stream. What is this superlative stream that freed him from his master’s control and led him away on a mission on the spaceship DarkTrench? When he and HardCandy arrive at the source, there’s no singing star. Instead they meet an advanced race of people who may be too good to be true.
Now Sandfly wonders if he heard right in the first place. All he hears is occasional random sayings that make no sense to him. And he’s seeing things no one else sees.
The DarkTrench novels are written in the present tense from Sandfly’s point of view, except for excerpts of HardCandy’s past. Sandfly has a distinctive voice that I enjoy. He’s funny, direct and honest about his shortcomings. He occasionally speaks to the reader, adding to the conversational feel of his narrative.
I’ve enjoyed the first two novels in the series, and am looking forward to book 3, Freeheads. All three books in the DarkTrench series have been finalists in the EPIC eBook Awards Competition in the Science Fiction category. You can visit the author’s website to learn more about Kerry Nietz and his books.
[Review copy from my personal library.]
Still here? Okay, here we go.
In a dystopian future Earth, Sandfly and HardCandy are—were—debuggers. Tech support, equipped with brain implants to allow them to access a wireless data stream that makes our internet look primitive. Debuggers have no rights. They’re the property of the masters, and are kept in line by the same implants that let them touch the stream.
Earth has fallen under the control of a corrupted form of Islam. How will the true God make Himself known again? In A Star Curiously Singing, God’s message comes from a distant star and changes Sandfly’s life.
Sandfly is used to the ordinary data stream. What is this superlative stream that freed him from his master’s control and led him away on a mission on the spaceship DarkTrench? When he and HardCandy arrive at the source, there’s no singing star. Instead they meet an advanced race of people who may be too good to be true.
Now Sandfly wonders if he heard right in the first place. All he hears is occasional random sayings that make no sense to him. And he’s seeing things no one else sees.
The DarkTrench novels are written in the present tense from Sandfly’s point of view, except for excerpts of HardCandy’s past. Sandfly has a distinctive voice that I enjoy. He’s funny, direct and honest about his shortcomings. He occasionally speaks to the reader, adding to the conversational feel of his narrative.
I’ve enjoyed the first two novels in the series, and am looking forward to book 3, Freeheads. All three books in the DarkTrench series have been finalists in the EPIC eBook Awards Competition in the Science Fiction category. You can visit the author’s website to learn more about Kerry Nietz and his books.
[Review copy from my personal library.]
August 24, 2012
Kerry Neitz once again writes a superb thriller in sci-fi techno speak. The voyage to the Betelgeuse star and the planet that houses a superior race who claim to hold all of life's answers proves that the meaning of life is not in your strength or technology.
Nietz writes with his familiar style of science fiction about the world of two travelers, Sandfly and HardCandy, who by now have figured out that they really like each other. They are in a world ruled by, as Sandfly calls them, 'beetles' who are divided into 3 classes: constructors, maintainers, and re-claimers. They have superior strength and intelligence, and come from a technologically advanced world, but they are deluded into thinking that this alone gives them moral superiority. In fact, they are morally neutral, and say so.
One thing that Neitz does in this series in point out the flaws in human thinking, and the need for us to hear that "Superlative Stream:" the voice of God that truly changes us into creatures of faith. Without being preachy (which wouldn't really bother me), he makes a powerful point in the form a a sci-fi story, and does it well.
Nietz writes with his familiar style of science fiction about the world of two travelers, Sandfly and HardCandy, who by now have figured out that they really like each other. They are in a world ruled by, as Sandfly calls them, 'beetles' who are divided into 3 classes: constructors, maintainers, and re-claimers. They have superior strength and intelligence, and come from a technologically advanced world, but they are deluded into thinking that this alone gives them moral superiority. In fact, they are morally neutral, and say so.
One thing that Neitz does in this series in point out the flaws in human thinking, and the need for us to hear that "Superlative Stream:" the voice of God that truly changes us into creatures of faith. Without being preachy (which wouldn't really bother me), he makes a powerful point in the form a a sci-fi story, and does it well.
September 24, 2014
The Superlative Stream is 2nd of a trilogy. I have never read a second book so distinctly different than the first book of a series yet so connected. Kudos to the author for originality.
Like the first offering, A Star Curiously Singing, this book takes the characters looking for something more to life. The reason and purpose behind our being. The supernatural Creator often rejected by mainstream society. (No pun intended by "stream").
This book has a bit of a castaway vibe--two people stranded on a planet. That's not exactly what happens, but it has that feel and I don't typically go for those stories, so that's why 4 stars instead of 5.
I enjoyed learning more about HardCandy and GrimJack. My favorite character is Dark Trench (ironic, because he's a ship). And I absolutely love the symbolism in the novel. What a superlative metaphor. :)
Recommended for readers who are looking for a unique sci-fi experience.
I will be moving on to #3 as soon as I find some spare cash. :)
Like the first offering, A Star Curiously Singing, this book takes the characters looking for something more to life. The reason and purpose behind our being. The supernatural Creator often rejected by mainstream society. (No pun intended by "stream").
This book has a bit of a castaway vibe--two people stranded on a planet. That's not exactly what happens, but it has that feel and I don't typically go for those stories, so that's why 4 stars instead of 5.
I enjoyed learning more about HardCandy and GrimJack. My favorite character is Dark Trench (ironic, because he's a ship). And I absolutely love the symbolism in the novel. What a superlative metaphor. :)
Recommended for readers who are looking for a unique sci-fi experience.
I will be moving on to #3 as soon as I find some spare cash. :)
February 6, 2012
The Superlative Stream is the 2nd installment to Kerry Nietz's Dark Trench Saga. Again Nietz creates a believable world (in addition to the one in A Star Curiously Singing) for our heroes to interact. For a portion of the story Sandfly and Hardcandy must abandon their ship, Dark Trench, which was kind of sad. I really wanted to see what the ship could do. But their journey ventures elsewhere.
They encounter new people with peculiar names who introduce them to their new world. During their time in this new world Sandfly and Hardcandy draw closer together. A fitting step in a relationship that I was hoping would mature or start for that matter since finishing A Star Curiously Singing.
The Superlative Stream was an appropriate sequel. I cannot wait to start the last addition to the Dark Trench Saga...Freeheads. I can only guess how the title applies to the story.
They encounter new people with peculiar names who introduce them to their new world. During their time in this new world Sandfly and Hardcandy draw closer together. A fitting step in a relationship that I was hoping would mature or start for that matter since finishing A Star Curiously Singing.
The Superlative Stream was an appropriate sequel. I cannot wait to start the last addition to the Dark Trench Saga...Freeheads. I can only guess how the title applies to the story.
November 3, 2012
Greatly disliked. The first book was excellent sci-fi (a star singing curiously) and this one turned out to be Christian propaganda - the star singing was God. Bad.
October 9, 2010
Nothing new or groundbreaking since the previous book.
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