Taylor's Ark is the story of Dr. Shona Taylor, who works for a giant corporation trying to solve the mysterious epidemics striking several colonies. She has some special helpers: an Abyssinian cat, some mice, rabbits and a dog genetically altered to create vaccines.

In my mind, the biggest problem with this menagerie is that she does not use their abilities in this particular novel. The dog creates no vaccines, and the mice, which are supposed to be highly susceptible to disease, never catch anything. The one time they do any good is when she's doing routine physicals for some asteroid miners, and the animals help to attract them in, as none of them can afford pets.

The Corporation is headed by some very ruthless men, and one orders a subordinate to ensure that Dr. Taylor joins the Corporation, despite her pregnancy and a new law coming up that will keep pregnant women and minor children from leaving the planet Mars, where she lives. This is done by causing her to miscarry. It's quite the heartless scenario.

Overall, the story is a fair medical mystery science fiction novel. Yes, all that. I've read much better science fiction, however. I think I spent quite a bit of time waiting for one of the animals to be of more use than just a pet, however, and found that rather annoying. I may have to check out the later books in the series to see how they eventually get used. 

Need a break from serious science fiction? Illegal Aliens to the rescue!

The aliens have landed, and the UN's First Contact Team is ready to handle it. Well, actually the Bloody Deckers take care of the problem, after being selected for testing by the aliens, then escaping to capture the ship. That's what you get for landing a spaceship in Central Park.

However, the upshot of all that happens is that Earth is interdicted from space travel, since they did not develop it on it's own. The Great Golden Ones, guardians of the galaxy (can I use more words starting with 'G'?), are covering up their own mistakes in doing so.

There's plenty of humor in this book, no serious science. I love taking a break from more serious science fiction and fantasy sometimes and letting my funny bone have the last laugh. 

Moving Mars is a generally good story. The protagonist is not the most believable strong female I've ever come across, but she's pretty good.

Casseia Majumdar gets interested in politics as a student involved in protests. She develops relationships that will impact her entire life at this time. She is dedicated to a free Mars, and in time becomes Mars' Vice President.

The science is fascinating in this story. Interesting developments with nanotechnology and how it could be used to change how humans see the universe and live their lives. The development of a new technology that is literally capable of moving a world from one place to another is done quite well.

Mars wishes to become independant, rather than simply a colony of Earth. While some readers may not understand that urge, you have only to look back at history to see how likely such a scenario would be.

If you love action, the one problem you will have with this book is that it takes a long time for the main action to start. You spend about 300 pages learning about Cassei Majumdar's life and the background of the situation. However, I found it all quite interesting. If you love action, you will want to make it through to enjoy the last part of the book.

Richter 10 is a collaboration between Arthur C. Clarke and Mike McQuay; Clarke's ideas but McQuay did the actual writing. As a Californian, I can much appreciate the detailed discussion on earthquakes, but I think it's a good story in general. Not Clarke's best certainly, but pretty good. The view of interracial relationships can be quite disturbing, however. Perhaps all the more so in that I don't doubt there are those who would welcome the problems.

The United States has fallen into serious racial problems, and many blacks and Hispanics live in "War Zones," apart. The United States is rules by Chinese corporations.

The focus, however, is on Lewis Crane's obsession with finding a way to predict earthquakes. He lost his parents and the use of one arm in the Northridge quake, and is obsessed with ending them. He is not a particularly sympathetic character for much of the book.

There is much about this book I didn't like. Didn't like the stereotypically vicious attitude of the Islamic characters. Didn't quite get convinced by the science, especially the bit about ending earthquakes. I'm no geologist, but I don't think it would work. On the other hand, the discussion on how earthquakes happen is quite good. 

Daughter of the Lion is a good story in many ways, if a bit cliche in quite a few other ways. Take your standard princess betrothed at birth to a prince, but she'd rather be a warrior than a wife. You know the routine.

Even with that fault, I enjoyed this story. Keely fights the restrictions she is expected to live with as a princess and future queen of a friendly neighbor kingdom. She is defiant and trains as a warrior any way she can.

However, some of her defiance comes more from fear of motherhood. She proclaims quite loudly that she does not understand why any woman would risk bearing a child, especially in a high risk pregnancy.

Her defiance is at odds with her knowledge that she is a vital link in the prophecy of the Firstborn, which is central to the entire series and to her family. She knows she must do her part, yet truly would rather do almost anything else.

She meets her bethrothed's illegitimate brother, Rory, and finds herself attracted to him. It's still in many ways cliche - rebellious daughter falling for the wrong man who might be trouble, but he has a good heart. He steals the young horse she was returning home for her brother, after all, even as he lets her go.

Keely hates seeing women pregnant, and when her half sister admits her pregnancy, she encourages her to abort it. Same for when her brother's wife is pregnant after barely surviving her previous pregnancy. She simply cannot understand why a woman would risk it.

However, a time comes when she must deal with an unwanted pregnancy, after being captured by Strahan and having her will taken from her. After some months, she escapes, but is carrying his child.

Daughter of the Lion is a generally good story, but could have been a little more original in its concepts. It is well done despite that fault.

The House Between the Worlds is one of MZB's non-Darkover novels. It gets into psychology and figuring out what is really real.

Cameron Fenton works at Berkely studying parapsychic phenomena. He agrees to take part in studying a new drug which appears to improve psychic abilities. But for him it has a most unusual side effect - it sends him to another world as a 'tweenman.

The world is the home of the Alfar, who are much like the Fairie of myth. He helps to rescue Kerridis, the Lady of the Alfar, from the ironmen.

Fenton finds himself in a difficult position. He cannot help but believe that what he saw and participated is real, while his coworkers insist it must be a drug-induced fantasy. Even as he finds proof in the real world, they continue to disbelieve him and assume he is suffering some very unique side effects.

The Alfar are in danger from the ironfolk and their ally, Pentarn. Fenton must find a way to go to them through the Worldhouse, so he can be there in body rather than as a nearly helpless 'tweenman.

I do enjoy this story. It's not the best story I've every read, but it's one I can comfortably reread every few years.