This is a science fiction book that occasionally reads like a horror and occasionally reads as mystery. While I enjoyed the protagonist’s search for the truth and for information about other intelligent life in the universe, the book as a whole didn't leave me with strong impressions. ( )

This is a SETI novel, but on an expanded scale. There is a mystery as well, in finding out what exactly happened to a mission that went out looking, and failed, so none have been sent since.

Also, humanity is doing some serious advertising of their presence. They blow up stars so people might notice where they are.

When people that survived the failed mission start dying, one violently, you realise something is being hidden.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2007/02/infinity-beach-jack-mcdevitt.html ( )

This is a SETI novel, but on an expanded scale. There is a mystery as well, in finding out what exactly happened to a mission that went out looking, and failed, so none have been sent since.

Also, humanity is doing some serious advertising of their presence. They blow up stars so people might notice where they are.

When people that survived the failed mission start dying, one violently, you realise something is being hidden.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2007/02/infinity-beach-jack-mcdevitt.html ( )

This is really quite an entertaining thriller set in a scifi/first contact tableau. It is set in a distant future in which, after finding and colonizing a few earthlike worlds, but finding absolutely no sign of any extraterrestrial life, mankind has essentially given up on both space exploration and the search for other life in the universe.

Our protagonist, Emily, is a young scientist turned p.r. person for the remaining space exploration agency. She starts looking into the mysterious disappearance of her sister some twenty five years earlier, and eventually starts to find evidence that perhaps her sister was part of a crew that made first contact.

McDevitt does a good job of building suspense, and laying out reasons why a host of powerful characters might want to keep our first contact with an alien race secret. I also liked his musings on humanity's need to search for something more, and the potential social and psychological impact of giving up on this search. Certainly, he makes a convincing case that folks put in a position where they might make first contact should have some level of training as to how to respond. Don't expect anything profoundly thought-provoking about the aliens themselves; they are more a plot device than anything else. ( )

Despite exploring space, mankind has not found any other intelligent life. Dr. Kimberly Brandwine gets clues from her dead clone-sister and looks for intelligent life anyway.