The Rock Rats

Ben Bova

I typically read everything Ben Bova writes, so when this one came out I looked at it at the bookstore. The blurbs and the first couple of pages were dull, so I put it back on the shelf. Four months later I noticed it at the library and picked it up.

Despite the beginning, the story grabbed me. Dubbed "Book II of the Asteroid Wars," this fits into Bova's overall future history stories he has been writing for some years. My biggest complaint is that the beginning just didn't grab me. The story warmed on me, however, and it made a nice afternoon read on a day when I called in sick.

The premise fits in with his other books: big bad corporation, big bad world government, vs. good independent pioneer types. You can fill in the rest. There was one major plot surprise at the end, however, but it wasn't completely believable given the characters.

If you've read other recent Bova novels and enjoyed them, its worth picking up if you have some time to kill. If not -- well, read something else first.