@RUTGERS.ARPA:KATZ@USC-ISIF.ARPA (02/09/85)
From: Alan R. Katz <KATZ@USC-ISIF.ARPA> Kevin O'Donnell, a relativly new author, has come out with 5 books that I know of. I have read four of these and greatly enjoyed them. A short review of the four I read follows, I recommend them all. "LAVA", "REEFS", "CAVERNS" (3 books), The Journeys of McGill Feighan (Berkley) These 3 books cover the adventures of McGill Feighan, a Flinger (ie a teleporter) from birth. In the first book, he is swallowed by a giant gastropod creature supposedly sent by the Far Being Retzglaran. At age 5, he becomes a Flinger, and at 17 enters the Flinger academy, where he is trained in teleporting. Meanwhile, an intersteller crime Mafia type organization, called The Organization, decides to capture Feighan, mainly because they have dealt with the work of the Far Being Retzglaran before. Although no one seems to know anything about the Far Being, he usually causes lots of trouble for the Organization. The rest of the books deal with Feighans career as a Flinger, and his quest to find the Far Being to find out why he was swallowed by the Gastropod, and what his life is all about. The series is fairly humorous, but with a serious plot line. It is pretty entertainting. I especially liked the teleporting aspects (there really don't seem to really be very many teleport stories around). "ORA:CLE" (Berkley) ORA:CLE stands for Opinions, Research, Advice: Computer Linked Experts. If you want information, and are willing to pay, ORA:CLE can help with its network of Experts, linked by computer (through an implant allowing direct contact with the brain). The story centers around Ale Elatey, a CLE on Oriental History, who is almost murdered more than once. It turns out that many of the CLE's have died under mysterious circumstances. Meanwhile (the book takes place 100 years from now) in this future history, the Dacs, huge winged creatures, have invaded the Earth. We do not have the power to stop them, but they have not succeeded yet either. There is currently a ceasefire in effect, but the Dacs fly around and attack anyone out in the open. Thus people have "Dac Alarms" which alert you of approaching Dacs and warn you to get indoors. standard phrase used is "Do be careful" (as in the news service notice: "This update has been provided as a public service by all data management corporations participating in NEWSBANK/MC....To see the headlines of the day's other news stories, simply scroll your screen up. Thank you, and do be careful.") Anyway the background of the story, with the Dac invasion, matter transmitters, Computer linked experts, etc. is very interesting. I thought the ending of the story was a little weak, but on the whole well worth reading. If you're looking for something new to read, try these. Thank you, and Do be Careful... Alan -------
ivan@ut-sally.UUCP (Ivan M. Milman) (02/09/85)
Another excellent book by Kevin O'Donnell is "Mayflies". I won't spoil itfor you (much!) except to say that it is the most interesting book on the man-machine interface that I've read in a long time, and is just plain old terrific SF.
Enjoy,
ivan
--
Ivan Milman
ARPA: ivan@ut-sally.ARPA
USENET: {ihnp4,seismo,ctvax}!ut-sally!ivan
Bell: (512)471-4760
"Stop making sense?! Heck, I've never even started!"@RUTGERS.ARPA:QUINT@RU-BLUE.ARPA (02/13/85)
From: Anne Marie Quint [/amqueue] <quint@RU-BLUE.ARPA>
Kevin O'Donnell ahs written two other books, that have been around
for at least 3 years; I dont know if they predate the ones that have
been mentioned here already.
One is Bandersnatch, about a post-economic disaster (I think)
world, and a street-gang-leader within it named Bander Snatch (that is
NOT Mr. Snatch). I thought it was a fantastic book on the first reading,
but it didnt strike me as well on the second; I have no Idea why.
The other book is War of Omission, and made me terribly depressed.
It is a variant on the standard Marvelous New effect that gets Turned Into
A Weapon that No One Knows How To Handle. Im not sure how the basic premise
will sit with most people, but it works well if you accept it. I have not
read this one a second time; I dont like getting depressed.
have fun
/amqueue
-------@RUTGERS.ARPA:KATZ@USC-ISIF.ARPA (02/15/85)
From: Alan R. Katz <KATZ@USC-ISIF.ARPA>
Kevin O'Donnell, a relativly new author, has come out with 5 books that I know
of. I have read four of these and greatly enjoyed them. A short review
of the four I read follows, I recommend them all.
"LAVA", "REEFS", "CAVERNS" (3 books), The Journeys of McGill
Feighan (Berkley)
These 3 books cover the adventures of McGill Feighan,
a Flinger (ie wineries now in Washington with ten scheduled
to be added in 1985.
The North Coast Counties of California fared somewhat better than the
Northwest. They had a record wet Spring, but then a very rapid growing season
for the rest of the Summer with temperatures well above normal. Napa County was
seeing temperatures above 100 degrees as early as May. The heat persisted
through most of the growing season. The grapes matured very fast and gave the
sparkling wine people a run for their grapes with harvesting beginning two to
three weeks early. All varieties matured at about the same time making for a
picking labor problem. Some Zinfandel and Riesling raisined on the vines and
were lost, but most made it to the crush. Many grapes were crushed to the
grower's accounts in hopes for a bulk market later. Quality is estimated to
"range from excellent ot somewhat disappointing." In Napa County, the crop was
large with 90,000 tons from 26,000 acres.
By the way, Leon Adams is predicting a red wine boom. You have laid away
those bargain Cabernets and Zins haven't you?
Jere M. Marrs
Tektronix, Inc.
Beaverton, Oregon
tektronix!tekgvs!jeremlindley@ut-ngp.UUCP (John L. Templer) (02/17/85)
Come again? > From: @RUTGERS.ARPA:KATZ@USC-ISIF.ARPA > Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers > Subject: Kevin O'Donnell > Message-ID: <3935@ucla-cs.ARPA> > Date: Fri, 15-Feb-85 14:30:02 CST > > From: Alan R. Katz <KATZ@USC-ISIF.ARPA> . . . . > of the four I read follows, I recommend them all. > > "LAVA", "REEFS", "CAVERNS" (3 books), The Journeys of McGill > Feighan (Berkley) > > These 3 books cover the adventures of McGill Feighan, > a Flinger (ie wineries now in Washington with ten scheduled > to be added in 1985. > > The North Coast Counties of California fared somewhat better than the > Northwest. They had a record wet Spring, but then a very rapid growing season > for the rest of the Summer with temperatures well above normal. Napa County was -- John L. Templer University of Texas at Austin {allegra,gatech,seismo!ut-sally,vortex}!ut-ngp!lindley "Gongo Bunnies movin' in,