Month: June 2015

Review: “Nemo’s World: The Substrate Wars 2”
Nemo's World: The Substrate Wars 2

Nemo’s World: The Substrate Wars 2

I missed this review of Nemo’s World when it came out on Goodreads, which I don’t pay a lot of attention to:

Kjirstin’s review Apr 08, 15
5 of 5 stars

After having escaped the immediate dangers of the last novel, the intrepid explorers and students turn their minds to how to use their new discovery — instantaneous travel to anywhere in the universe — to benefit the rest of mankind. But in order to make this possible, they need to defang the governments and ruling classes of the nations of Earth. So most of this story is about how they manage to maneuver politicians into realizing that their time is over. It was actually quite enjoyable having the recalcitrant US government being one of the last holdouts, absolutely SURE that they could somehow avoid the consequences and do things that would bring back the status quo ante.

I loved the idea of setting up colony planets and the gates to allow people to head there. (I have a soft spot for colonization and pioneering in my sci-fi in general.) It was such a hopeful vision — a way to move past the stagnant and ossified way of doing things and into something new with all sorts of potential. (As well as some musing over how to avoid the mistakes of the past, which we see as the first group of explorers have to set up a government for themselves.)

Great fun and a good addition to the series. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next one when it comes out!

If you haven’t read the first in the series, Red Queen: The Substrate Wars 1, it’s best to start there.

Donation to Heinlein Society
Heinlein Society

Heinlein Society

The Heinlein Prize Trust (www.heinleinprize.com) is partnering with The Heinlein Society in the fundraising for the new Robert A. Heinlein bust to be displayed in the Missouri state capitol’s “Hall of Famous Missourians.” The Trust has pledged to match dollar-for-dollar contributions made by “Heinlein’s Children” to raise the necessary funds for the bust and associated plaque, pedestal, and ceremony.

I noticed their fundraising update showed they were still short, and realized I should contribute the rest. I owe Robert A. Heinlein an enormous debt — I grew up fatherless in Kansas City, his hometown, and his novels for young readers taught me more about being a good person, and a good man, than any other person or author. His work (and other science fiction) aimed me toward becoming a scientist, which inspired me to work to get into MIT. I’ve retired after a series of careers (rather like Heinlein himself) to write science fiction and fact, and I want his example to continue to inspire young people.

[Jeb Kinnison writes at JebKinnison.com and SubstrateWars.com, and his second science fiction novel, Nemo’s World, is “well-written science fiction that harkens back to the golden age of Heinlein and Asimov.” — IndieReader.]