New Frontiers

May 5, 2014
This strong collection by SFWA Grand Master Bova (Transhuman) achieves an unusually satisfying fusion of varied settings with a consistent humane vision. The frontiers presented include the challenges of human/robot relationships in “Waterbot,” the interconnections of virtual technology and the romantic triangle in “Duel in the Somme,” and a nearly 140-year-old man’s rediscovery of love through sacrifice in “A Country for Old Men.” “The Question” resolves an opportunity to achieve wisdom from well-meaning aliens with a sardonic comment on human obtuseness. Though the overall atmosphere is optimistic, darker elements are found in a few stories: in “In Trust,” for example, a moral clash between traditional values and technological innovation is resolved through a sinister plot twist. Through engaging characterization and a smattering of science, Bova melds typical otherworldly locales with the resonance of traditional human themes. Agent: Barbara Bova Literary Agency.

June 15, 2014

The 14 stories in this new collection include a wide range of settings, but the strongest are the hard sf, with which Bova made his name (and won six Hugos). Pieces such as "Waterbot" show his talents best, with a man in a water harvester that breaks down in the emptiness of space, leaving him in grave danger and with only a computerized AI to keep him company. "The Question" wonders what humanity would do if contacted by an intelligent alien life that offered Earth's residents the answer to any single question. VERDICT The stories are old-fashioned in many ways, with few positive female characters and without any groundbreaking ideas, but Bova (Transhuman; Mars) is well known and respected for his many works of hard sf, so there will be a readership for this collection.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2014
It hardly needs proving that Bova is as effective with shorter fiction as he is with novels. The 14 stories here range widely in subject, from virtual reality to asteroid mining to golf courses on the moon. Tones range from whimsical and satirical to the undeniably grim. There is a pastiche of Casablanca (whimsical) and another delicately nuanced one for the late Gordon Dickson's classic Call Him Lord. Strong themes are virtual reality (as a method of bringing back dueling without bloodshed), alien contact, aging (with cryogenic suspension or aboard starships), and the perils of pioneering in spaceas dire as any ever faced on earth, if not more so. Altogether, a whole tray full of treats.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)