Mark Martinez

Somehow I missed reading this book, the first Star Trek novel, by veteran science fiction author Mack Reynolds. While not a shining example of Trek lit, the oddities are amusing. I've also read all the early Star Trek novels published by Pocket Books. I think Reynolds only had a few episodes to guide him, but his work is no worse than the Pocket Star Trek tales that came later and in some ways, I think he had a better understanding of the characters.

Ben Winter's end-of-the-world police procedural is fascinating on two levels. Recently promoted Detective Hank Palace is a thoughtful and dogged police officer in spite of the “unbearable immanence” of an asteroid on a collision course with the Earth. In spite of everything falling apart around him, he worries about the victim, his sister, and his colleagues, but gets the job done. Meanwhile, I couldn't help thinking how I would deal with this scenario the entire time I was reading the novel. There aren't too many books that entertain and make you think. This is one of them. Highly recommended.

After picking up the first issue of Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 from IDW Publishing, I decided to take a trip back in time and read what is probably the first Trek/Who crossover by Jean Airey. There are a dozen different printed editions of this book. I read the original text which is available online and was published in 1981.

The verdict? Ms. Airey tells an interesting tale, but it's mostly a character study of Kirk, Spock and the Doctor. The plot meanders quite a bit. The Enterprise finds itself in the Doctor's universe, needing his help to get back home. Kirk is suspicious of the Doctor's motives but is won over. I liked the story, but it doesn't really go anywhere, so this is probably only for hardcore Trekkies and Whovians with some curiosity.

An amusing tale with a touching conclusion. Nice work.

I hope that admitting I bought this book just to read Jim Butcher's latest Harry Dresden short story doesn't make me a bad person. Besides, it's a Bigfoot story. I'll check out the other authors too.

Life has gotten hairy for Atticus and Oberon and it looks like things aren't going to get any easier for the Iron Druid as his story continues. A very enjoyable series. I got the opportunity to meet Kevin Hearne this weekend at Alamosa Books, in Albuquerque, NM. He's an amusing fellow and I'm looking forward to reading [b:Tricked 12700306 Tricked (Iron Druid Chronicles, #4) Kevin Hearne http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1324455119s/12700306.jpg 16669362].

Lenk, Kataria and the rest of their companions are in a fine mess. Although I get a bit confused by all the extra voices speaking, I'm enjoying this story arc. Looking forward to Book 3.

The story kept my attention, but I can't help but feel that something is missing.

Good beginning for a series.

An exciting finish to a fascinating series. Oh wait! Is there an epilogue of some kind on the way?

Atticus and Oberon are an amusing pair.

Old friend Bubba is back, with his wife Felicia, and the usual suspects cheerfully kicking Bubba's ass until he finally puts all the pieces together. This book is a novella, published as an e-book. Nice to see him again.

I have a hundred or so books, mostly novels, stacked around my house, waiting to be read, but as soon as Gibson's new collection of nonfiction arrived, I cracked it open and couldn't put it down. His travelogues and insight into our Borgification are fascinating. An amazing writer.

A nicely written pair of interludes in the Typhon Pact series. Bennett has a good feel for the resonant themes of Trek lore.

An exciting book and a good backstory for the Twenty Palaces series. I hope we'll see more of Ray Lilly and Annalise Powliss someday.

Given the way our world seems to be spiraling out of control, Rule 34 looks like a plausible and very scary future.

A good coffee table reference for Star Trek comics. There isn't an index, so if you're looking for something specific, you have to browse. The summaries of each issue are pretty thorough. This is where the author, Alan Porter, spent most of his time. The British Star Trek comics get a very good treatment. The comic covers and original art are nice to see in print. Most of the original art reproduced in the book can be found on the web. I found the chapter with interviews less interesting than the rest of the book. Maybe it was the email interview format. The disconnected answers kind of disconnected me from the chapter. Writing elsewhere, Porter said that he had to leave out the timeline and info about foreign reprints. IDW comics were also omitted. Nevertheless, this is a must-have book for Star Trek comics fans.

SG-1 discovers a brutal society with Aztec roots and learn much more about the origins of the Crystal Skull encountered in a previous mission. Sonny Whitelaw captures the essence of the SG-1 team and presents some entertaining science in the process.

Published in mass-market paperback by Fandemonium Books.

The cartoon Clone Wars adventures continue to be entertaining, both the stories and the art. Writers and artists include the Fillbach brothers, Justin Lambres, Rick Lacy, Ryan Kaufman, Haden Blackman, and Dan Jackson. Good for kids and adults.

Published in trade paperback by Dark Horse Books.

Author Sabine C. Bauer fired up a new series of Stargate SG-1 adventures with this story about a peace mission with SG-1 caught between sworn enemies and barbaric rites. The story seems to be typical Stargate fare. The characters are sufficiently snarky to catch the flavor of the television series. I'll keep on reading more books in the series.

Published in mass-market paperback by Fandemonium Books.

Sally Malcolm begins an epic story about O'Neill's quest to rescue SG-10, the team lost to a black hole. Unfortunately, the Kinahhi, an advanced race negotiating technology exchange with Earth, have unpleasant plans for SG-1 and Earth.

Published in mass-market paperback by Fandemonium Books.

Michael Jan Friedman takes up Ripley's tale following the events of Alien: Resurrection. Joined by Call, Johner, and Vreiss, Ripley takes on a mysterious organization whose agenda includes home delivery of Alien eggs. The books seems a little light. It's a setup for more stories to follow and I think it would have made a better comic mini-series than a novel.

Published in mass-market paperback by Dark Horse Books.

Julie Fortune contributes an account of SG-1′s first mission through the stargate. The highlight of this tale is a bloodthirsty, hot and sweaty Carter. What more could you ask for?

Published in mass-market paperback by Fandemonium Books.

Good grief! Won't farmboy, family and friends, ever get a chance to relax and have some fun? Troy Denning makes life miserable for Luke, Mara, Leia, Han and their kids. Bugs big and small, Dark Jedi, space dogfights, light saber duels, sexual tension, and two more books in the series to come. Included with this novel is Ylesia by Walter Jon Williams, a New Jedi Order short story previously released as an eBook.

Published in mass-market paperback by Del Rey.

Sally Malcolm concludes the story she began in A Matter of Honor. This is an action-packed tale. The reader is rocked from heroic to horrific events. I was exhausted when I finished the book. I don't think a televison episode could be made from this two-book series, but it works as a Stargate tale.

Published in mass-market paperback by Fandemonium Books.