Oxygen(Oxygen Series,Book One)By John B. Olsen and Randy Ingermanson
I purchased the book Oxygen for two reasons one of those being to read the bit at the end with tips for Authors. I've no idea if the copy other people get will have the same.
I want to thank the authors for a very good read. I read the story first knowing the part at the end could have some spoilers.
This book is good science fiction and there has been at least some attempt at rising above the usual level that (hard) science (fiction) goes to. What I mean by that is that the science becomes the driving force of some of these types of novels and the characters become cardboard entities that point and explain the science.
Of course with today's sometimes bad press with the public lives of the people in the space program it's not too far fetched to see that this novel is peopled with a few gems and then some. We have everything from the paranoid to glory seeker to the super secretive. One would almost expect with all that against us we would have trouble getting things off the ground.
Still this is life and so it might figure into a good Science Fiction novel, though some might argue that in some respects the writers should shun certain attempts a making their characters that real. After all we need the heroes and the ones we can look up to.
Though sometimes the author's tend to go overboard with the paranoid and over-dramatic I believe they try to keep it balanced and it's much better than trying to believe the space travelers are all going to be flesh and blood robots.
The story begins with Valkerie- working too close to an active volcano- trying to get research data at the risk to her life.The we switch to Bob Kaganovski working with NASA and a few friends-getting ready to man a flight to Mars. Something is going down and Bob's almost certain he's being replaced on the project. Meanwhile Valkerie is saved by Steve Perez and Roger Abrams-she later learns they are from NASA. Eventually she'll learn that she's someones replacement.
That's already a formula for suspicion and paranoia and its only the beginning.
For the most part the various people in the story are believable. Even most of the situations that occurs through misinformation or lack of information seem plausible. One would like to think the people at these agencies are just a bit more together than that. Truth has proven that there are still glitches on the human side so the are not all robots in many of those places.
The writing seems solid and though I didn't check all the facts the science is believable.
On thing I noticed. And, I suppose that this could be coincidental, though it would mean that neither author has read a lot of Robert Heinlein's stuff, there is a plot point that drives this story. This could be a spoiler so just be aware;
A major plot point is very similar to what was used in The Man Who Sold the Moon by Robert Heinlein. After reading this book check it out and see.
Oxygen is pretty good stuff. A pleasure to read for Science Fiction and Fantasy lovers with a little for anyone who is interested in the science parts.
J.L. Dobias