7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Lodestar...good for fans of the series, 19 April 2000
By jsoltes@vcu.org - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Lodestar (Hardcover)
After constructing a magnificent, progressive universe with a cast of dozens of well-rounded, genuine characters in Firestar and Roguestar, Michael Flynn apparently has forgotten how the first two books were written. This book simply takes a sharp left turn, with regard to style, characterization, and plot. Whereas previous books had a sense of awe and suspense at first about Mariesa's Plan and then about the struggle to get the FarTrip expedition off the ground, the plot here is simplistic at best. Old characters make convenient cameos but are sorely underutilized. Simply put, this book feels rushed, written solely in order to meet a publisher's deadline and shows little of the depth or emotional power of the previous two titles in the series. LET IT BE SAID HOWEVER, THAT THE PREVIOUS RANT WAS WRITTEN ONLY BECAUSE THE FIRST TWO BOOKS WERE SO GOOD THAT THIS FEELS LIKE A DEFINITE STEP DOWN! Overall, the story, though somewhat lukewarm, is a good one, and fans of the series will enjoy seeing the children of Mariesa's program taking the most prominent roles. So check out Firestar and Roguestar, and perhaps by then you'll be as hooked as me. One last comment, someone really needs to tell Michael Flynn that for the next book to get a different cover artist. The circa-1940s fish bowl space suits make the novel's very serious and at times wrenching story look sophomoric and silly. Put that in your next contract, Mr. Flynn.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Left turn into Cyberspace, 26 Feb 2002
By Wood Hughes - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Lodestar (Firestar Saga) (Paperback)
After enjoying the first two books in this series, I eagerly awaited Lodestar. Now that I've finished it, I still eagerly await anything that resembles the first two books.
If you take the Jimmy Poole at the virtual OK Corral story arc out of this book, the remainder of plot progress takes up no more than a hundred pages. Jimmy on a virtual gambling boat, Jimmy fighting virtual attacks, Jimmy fighting not to be a jerk and read his wifes book. Geez! Nuke Jimmy and get back to the plot.
11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
SFRevu: Rogue Star, Firestar...Lodestar., 8 Mar 2000
By Ernest Lilley - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Lodestar (Hardcover)
Rogue Star, Firestar...Lodestar. Is this the big payoff to Michael Flynn's near future saga of an obsessed woman's crusade to get mankind back into space in order to protect Earth from falling rocks? Well, let's just say the story continues entertainingly. Last time we took a deep space trip to the asteroids and found that somebody was nudging them our way. This time we try to talk the world into doing something about it. Dealing with people, Flynn demonstrates, is always the toughest problem; past, present, or near future.