Cyberstealth

Cyberstealth #1

by S.N. Lewitt

vg+ 1st Ace 1989 paperback book In stock shipped from our UK warehouse

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1989

About the author

Alternate Known Names:

Shariann Lewitt

Shariann N. Lewitt

S.N. Lewitt

Gordon Kendall - pseudonym also for Susan Shwartz

Reviews

[Strix · Rating 4 out of 5]

A revelation like salt.

I have jokingly described Cyberstealth as Top Gun + spies + sci-fi to my friends, and that description still holds - kind of. There is so much nuance to this novel, from the characters to the world-building to the outstanding aliens.

It's about a fighter pilot in a sci-fi war, who flies with an alien partner who mans the weapons. Cargo is the pilot, Ghoster his "Eyes" and they work seamlessly together, counting kills and surviving.

Then they see the latest in stealth craft technology, the batwing - and yes, I know. It isn't a joke, it isn't a Batman fanfic. The batwing is more badass than the F-117 Nighthawk, more beautiful, and Cargo wants to fly one - and he's guided into the program for it.

The book alternates seamlessly between Cargo's present: training for the batwing, meeting his fellow trainees, their first major mission - and his past as a Romani youth, his teenage years as the adopted son of a Bishop, and how it all culminates in his growth as an adult. Places and emotions are sketched deftly, as SN Lewitt can write and while this is a slim novel, it's dense.

The portions of the novel where Cargo flies the batwing are some of the best writing I've read in any sci-fi, the perfect blend of the joy of flight, merging with the cyberpunk "maze" AI, communicating with his alien partner, and it's beautiful. Read the novel for these sections, stay for the rest.

My only complaint with the novel is the uncomfortable edge - the tension in the spy-plot, in the war, it prevents the novel from being light enjoyable fare - not that it's meant to be, but it's not an action plot, it's not the joy of a heist or flying a plane, it's something more that separates it from the pack.

Thought-provoking, that's it. An edge of horror. Brilliant. Please read this book.

[Richard Uherka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book although I decided long ago I prefer Swords and Sorcery to Sci Fi. But the alien species in the story is interesting, with an interesting philosophy centered around the idea that everything has a purpose, and part of that purpose is to support others in fulfilling their purpose. When they encounter humanity they quickly deduce humanities purpose and determine a way to support our purpose while remaining true to their own, and surviving it.

Our MC is a male human pilot with an alien co-pilot who fly an advanced stealth fighter with each fulling unique roles.

The story revolves around a secret plot that our MC slowly uncovers.

[Scott Schmidt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of the time, even if I don't like a book, I'll give it a three because hey, someone wrote a book and got it published and I bought it. But, this novel is very, very bad. The language is actually quite enjoyable, but the plot and world are just dreadful. The last I'll say is that for a book about stealth planes and flight combat, there's a startling amount of both missing from the whole thing.

[Rhode PVD · Rating 4 out of 5]

An old favorite, a rousing adventure from the days when a female SF writer was still slightly unusual.

[Kestrel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terrible, except for the maze/mode parts.