P. M. Griffin (1947–2020)

Nice! In her Stellar Patrol world, in the same time frame as the big series (right after the Arcturian war), but a completely different set of characters and circumstances. There is, however, another self-blaming man - very annoying. Yes, sure, if you had known what nobody knew, you could have stopped all this before it happened. This is reality, and by the time you knew anything it was already too late... The protagonist is a medical researcher, ex-Navy medic; the other major characters are show more another medical researcher, the Commissioner for Public Health, and (later on) a reporter. A plague virus - known, but not studied, for years - shows up in the middle of a major metropolis, and we get a tense medical drama dealing with the effects. I wish the answer had come from someone other than the protagonist - he's a little too much of a miracle-worker - but it doesn't spoil the story. Some very grim bits, especially on the rescue teams finding the people who didn't get to a hospital in time; the stress of that work is made clear in the characters' actions and words. And a happy ending, with lots of marriages and even good jobs for everyone. As usual with P.M. Griffin, it's the characters that make the book - though I think she cheated just a little, by making the virus make its victims talk about all their secrets. Nobody has to wonder about anyone's past, here. Great story, and it makes me want to read more of hers again. show less

Surprisingly good. It's space opera, and SF romance - but the combination adds up to a pretty good story. The characters have something like depth to them, the problems they find seem less than completely contrived, the various enemies are of interestingly different types and dealt with appropriately. I like it.

Nice! The usual sort of thing - they're sent to investigate some vaguely odd circumstances, and find themselves dealing with disaster - here, both a heavily xenophobic people being prodded towards revolution, and an erupting volcano. Varn gets to see a little of his own attitude towards "mutants" turned back on him - and doesn't like it. The usual (annoying) I-am-not-worthy; Varn _again_ offers to release Islaen from their marriage. But for once, they actually talk - not just feel and close show more each other out. Maybe they're progressing? It doesn't sound like I liked it much, but I did - a lot of rich interaction, between the regular characters and some new ones; the disaster is spectacular, on several levels, and it's fascinating watching them deal with it. And there is that hint of progress near the end - the last chapter or two had me crying. And now of course I want to read the next one...or two. But these books are better taken in small doses - I'll read the next one sometime, not now. show less

Wow. Anath doesn't like them - each one comes extremely close to death, here, and not all at the hands of enemies. The action is actually pretty low until the climactic battle - some diplomacy, a lot of spying. One big explosion before the last one. The emotional arcs are painfully familiar - Varn's longing for a ship/fleet and blaming himself for not being perfect, Islaen's blaming herself for not being enough for him. Jake and Bethe do better - they actually agree to marry, once Bethe's show more problem comes to light (though I think Jake took it too lightly). The enemy are rather cardboard - evil evil people, with barely a mention of individual differences. The putative allies are...non-human (so Varn has something else to blame himself for not being able to control), and complex people - but we barely see them; there are only two scenes with them (that's the diplomacy part). And of course the team pulls through, and succeeds fully in their mission. I do want to read the next book, but I think I'll put it off for a while - the stories are rather too similar, and I've had my fill for now. show less