Book details of 'Firestar'

Title	Firestar
Author(s)	Michael F. Flynn
ISBN	0812530063
Language	English
Published	March 2000
Publisher	Tor Books

---

Back to shelf Science Fiction
Amazon.com info for Firestar

Score:

Vote for this book

The Virtual Bookcase Reviews of 'Firestar':

Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
I suppose what attracted me initially was that the book dealt so extensively with education. (Which is dear to my heart.) But the first two thirds of the book is exceptionally finely crafted in terms of tone, development, plotting, and even poetry. Rather than mere newsstand fodder genre fiction (like so many other science fiction, mystery, thriller, etc. genre volumes), at its best this approaches the level of the literary novel. The science is not bad either. While not burdening the reader with detail, the technologies described are plausible and (with minor exceptions) achievable with existing or foreseeable engineering. Careful study and attention to orbital and celestial mechanics, rocket engine technology, and even metallurgy is evident. (Solar panel conversion and laser power transmission is perhaps just a tad optimistic, but acceptable.) In the early parts of the book the business and economic aspects seem to be quite reasonable as well. Computers and communications are generally presented realistically. Laptops, "assistants," voice recognition, and communications are all quite functional. The one area that I have a significant problem with is really only a side note to the story, and one that could easily be excised or modified: the mythical "lone genius hacker" so fondly beloved by fiction writers. Supergeek or not, realtime navigation software is nothing to mess with on the fly, in a rush, at the last minute. The exploits of a lone wolf breaking into pretty much every system on the planet is also just too far beyond the realm of the possible to even entertain. As I have intimated, though, the last third of the book (by page count) is not up to the quality of the beginning. Plotting, characterization, development, and even the poetry and technology suffer towards the end. Having been grabbed by the early chapters, and held solidly through most of the book, I was seriously disappointed by the time part three came around, and completely let down by the ending. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1998
Add my review for Firestar

Book description:

It is the beginning of the twenty-first century and one woman is determined to bring America and the world back on track in the technological future. She has the strength, the intelligence, the money. It will be done. This is the story of the rebirth of innovative technological expansion on Earth and in space.