Asteroids Books

Great book. Lots of historical data, great photos! Very informative. I have several other meteorite reference pieces and this is one of the best. mike.

Norton is a rare author who combines detailed knowledge of a subject with very entertaining stories. Once I started reading some of the chapters I just could not put it down. On the other hand, it also includes chapters which are technical (and sometimes beyond my understanding in some cases)! It therefore has something for everyone from beginner to advanced, collector or even a noncollector simply interested in the subject. This is a great introduction and very well written. It was not the first book on metorites I read, but should have been!

very informative and well written. a good book to have on the subject.

Excellent book, especially for the beginning/intermediate meteorite collecter. Written in easy-to-understand English, yet technical when it needs to be. Very comprehensive on the subject, and well illustrated with photographs and drawings.

I purchased the book "Rocks From Space (Second Edition)" about seven years ago. My main interest in space is in the field of planetary geology and I have a need to be reasonably conversant with the subscience of meteoritics. The "Rocks From Space" book was recommended by several colleagues, and I also noted that it had received good reviews.

In general, I find "popular" books directed to the interests of amateurs to be shallow and even corny. "Rocks From Space" is an exception. This book is outstanding. It provides a concise but excellent introduction to the subjects of meteorites, asteroids, comets, meteors and impact sites. It is presented in a way that amateur collectors, amateur astronomers or anyone interested in these space-related subjects can easily read and understand, but, at the same time, it is very informative and authoritative. I would not hesitate to recommend the book to anyone who was interested in meteorites and other space debris. In fact, I have recommended it to countless individuals as an excellent place to start.

"Rocks From Space" is well written, well illustrated and interesting to read. It has achieved a permanent and respected place in my reference book collection. I give talks on planetary geology to groups of geologists and astronomers and I use some of the illustrations in my presentations. For people who are interested is collecting meteorites, Norton presents a series of guidelines, anecdotes and useful information including a list of laboratories where one might get an identification confirmed. For a small and inexpensive paperback, this book contains a wealth of information.

Gary Peterson

This is one of the most enjoyable and most readable books I've read on any aspect of astronomy. It does show that some planetary astronomers are a bit more human than they ought to be, putting fame ahead of knowledge, but at least they're fussing about something that might conceivably be useful (but hardly, right?) and not about how old Time is, or how to convince me that there is no center to the universe although 'it did so start with an explosion!'. Much of astronomy, and all of cosmology, is just a big boondoggle for smart graduate students and their mentors, but at least the ones Ken Croswell writes about are almost 'down to earth'.

I generally liked this book. I will mention here that the author does tend to write in all the politics amongst the different astronomers and their institutions, making these people real and their discoveries intriguing. However, the bitterness he dotes on gets tiring in some places. Also, he writes to keep you in suspence and only a few times does the anticipation get annoying.

This is an excellent book on the given subject, covering the history of the search for other planets in a technically proficient but accessible way. Croswell frequently brings in the scientists involved and lets us hear what they have to say. Since the search for planets has often been controversial, this makes for exciting reading sometimes, as two leaders in the field take turns taking potshots at each other.

Mostly, though, it brings more of a human face to this arcane endeavor. Croswell also takes pains to explain how the search is progressing and how so many false alarms have managed to take place over the years.

Again, an excellent book.

Planet Quest is a great book for all you armchair astronomers who want to learn more! I am not an astronomer or even an amateur astronomer, in fact, Planet Quest is only the Third book I've read on the subject but my interest is growing. Planet Quest is very easy to understand because all of the scientific jargon is followed by words and explanations that beginners, like you and me, can follow. Read this book, you won't be disappointed!

Ken Croswell's book, "Planet Quest" is a must for anyone interested in the search for planets outside of the solar system. The book reads well, telling a fascinating story from the beginnings of speculation about the existence of alien worlds right up to the present when information is coming to us all the time about strange new worlds around distant stars. Anybody with an interest in the possibilities of life elsewhere must read this book.

This is a fun and exciting trek around the Red Planet. I absolutely love the "hike" format, and this book is probably the next best thing to actually being there on Martian soil. Tidbits like what to wear on Mars and how to tell time definitely give the book a light-hearted personality. Another great feature is the author's own "personal experiences" / Mars exploration observation sections entitled "My Martian Chronicles." Thanks to the author, a great guide, I felt so involved in my "trip" that I wanted to buy a souvenir T-shirt! LOL I love the Classic Martian Map and Topographic Map foldouts at the front of the book. I especially like the easy-to-read large font of the text. I didn't have to squint while reading the book, which is a good thing.

In this book, we see Mars treated almost as if it was a tourist region. The author has divided Mars into areas of interest. He then discussed separately each area. Just like Earth, Mars has many different regions and scenery.

Although I am keen on space, somehow this book did little for me. After awhile I found it too much and lost interest in the details of each region. What I would have preferred on Mars is fewer notes and more pictures.

The other point is the book is full of interesting pictures unfortunately to appreciate them you need a large size book then this one.

Having said that if your interested in Mars geography though you will find this author knows his information, it is current and he explains his points well.

A Traveler's Guide to Mars is well written and quite fascinating for anyone with an interest in the planetary geology of Mars.

Hartmann breaks down the history of Mars into three geologic eras (Noachian, Hesperain, and Amazonian) based on the amount of cratering on the Martian surface. From there, he explores each one of these regions in detail.

From the majestic Mons Olympus volcano and 2500 mile long Valles Marineris Canyon to the probable glacial "melting mountains" of Promethei Terra and controversial ancient ocean shorelines of Vastitas Borealis , Hartmann provides the reader with a sweeping scope of Martian history, replete with stunning aerial photography and images, that is simply quite amazing. He even discusses the "microbial fossil" Martian meteorites as well as the notorious "Face on Mars" in the Cydonia highlands.

Take a trip to Mars ... you won't be disappointed

This is a really cool book! I didn't know we had the so-called red planet (a better name is the butterscotch planet) mapped out to the extent that we do. I've always loved geography and to take a tour of the features of another world is thrilling. If you like astronomy, geography, or have an optimist's bent on human destiny being among the stars, read this great book!

Have you ever wanted to go beyond the headlines concerning discoveries about Mars and get a thorough overview so that you can put things into perspective? This book is more than a collection of pretty pictures from a far away place. It gives a good introductory account of what we think we know about the planet, and why.

William Hartmann has been involved in uncovering knowledge about objects in the Solar system since the time that mankind first developed the ability to go beyond the Earth's atmosphere for an unobstructed view. He is in an authoritative position for attaching meaning to the images, and yet the explanations he gives are very much 'down to Earth', so to speak.

Data from space probes (starting with the Mariner series) have literally redrawn the map of the surface of Mars. The time varying dark regions were found to be not seas, or canals, or vegetation, but rather wind blown sand. New names were needed in 1972 to identify actual terrain features. The contrast between old and new can be see by comparing the two foldout maps inside the front cover.

Does Mars have a global magnetic field? No. But it used to! Metal particles in rocks older than 3,000,000 years ago are polarized. Particles in younger rocks are not polarized. The core of Mars was likely molten for the first 1,500,00 years and then cooled. Lack of a magnetic field has resulted in more Solar radiation reaching the surface, and may have played a role in carrying away the atmosphere.

Is there life on Mars? Was there life on Mars? That's still an open question. It's clear that there is evidence of large quantities of liquid water on the planet in its early years. That at least opens the possibility that Mars harbored life at that time. What we are finding today is that life survives in very hostile environments here on Earth, and microbes survived on a Moon probe visited years later by an Apollo crew, so who can say at this point?

Of all the places in the Solar system besides Earth, Mars is the one which has the most resources that would support manned exploration and colonization. There is still water on Mars, although in frozen form. The atmosphere contains CO2, from which oxygen can be extracted for propellant and for breathing. The presence of an atmosphere itself if of interest for aerobraking and radiation shielding. The fact of a day/night cycle very close to 24 hours is conducive to agriculture.

Robert Zubrin and others have been advocating for years that travel to Mars is worthwhile and affordable, and NASA now has a congressionally supported presidential mandate to proceed in that direction. The concept that one day a reader of William Hartmann's Traveler's Guide will in fact make the trip is no longer so far fetched.

This is a good read for anyone interested in Mars as a destination, or who would just like to know a bit more about that pink speck in the night sky. It also provides food for thought concerning climate change on our own planet. We didn't destroy the atmosphere on Mars, but maybe we can learn how to avoid Mars' fate here on Earth.

In an age of the human race's thirst for information regarding the unknown, Bruce Dorminey, hits it out of the galaxy. Extrasolar planets are the rave of future astronomers and to receive first hand knowledge from someone who has become close to the scientists involved in the discoveries allows us, the reader, to get a detailed description of the process and history not seen before. This book is a must for anyone with even the slightest interest in the subject. Fantastic Job, Bruce.

A very timely book! Five years ago there wasn?t enough progress and news to warrant a book on this intriguing subject. Today this field is teeming with excitement and new discoveries. This book takes you behind the scenes of the serious research that is focused on finding planets beyond the solar system.

Bruce Dorminey does an excellent job of setting the stage. For the layman, like me, there are simple explanations of the more technical terms and concepts. These are welcome and wisely placed within the text, making the book highly readable. The professional merely skips over these italicized paragraphs.

As he travels the world to visit observatories, scientists and their scientific conferences, Mr Dorminey adds his own observations of the localities, the technical facilities and the personalities behind some of these remarkable discoveries. Amongst others, we follow him to Chile, Hawaii, the south of France and even the Isle of Capri!

The final chapters on Signatures of Life and Signals of Life are what this search is all about. Fascinating reading!

It is enjoyable and well worth the time to read this well written book on a truly absorbing subject.

The search for planets in orbit around stars outside our own Solar Systems is one of the most exciting fields of science today. Since the first indirect detection of a planet circling another Sun-like star was announced in 1995, dozens of extrasolar planets have been discovered.

In Distant Wanderers, Bruce Dorminey looks at the history, methods, and future of extrasolar planet hunting. He predicts, "Before the end of this new century, every schoolchild will know for certain how many planers circle nearby stars," and whether or not Earth-like planets are a rare anomaly. Like many rapidly developing scientific fields, the search for extra-solar planets has had many controversies and false starts along with the startling new discoveries, and the book presents a variety of theories and viewpoints in a fair and even-handed way.

In the first part of the book, Dorminey, an award-winning science journalist and former bureau chief for Aviation Week & Space Technology, describes methods that planet hunters have used (spectroscopic methods, astrometric detection, interferometry, microlensing, transit studies, and direct imaging through the use of a coronagraphic mask in the focal plane a camera). Although most of these methods require sophisticated technology and painstaking analysis, he explains each term or concept as it is introduced. He makes the science seem simple enough for lay readers to grasp and explains the strengths and limitations of each method.

The rest of the book looks ahead to programs that are planned for the future, including telescopes in space and larger, more sophisticated instruments here on Earth. Some of these programs are already funded and will begin soon. Others are nd ambitious ideas that may not be attempted for years, if they ever happen at all.

Dorminey explains current ideas about formation of planets and discusses the search for Earth-like planets and for chemical signatures of extraterrestrial life. Through interviews with numerous researchers and experts, he presents information on what has already been learned about extrasolar planets and gives readers a feeling for the personalities and activities involved in doing this kind of research. In the process of writing Distant Wanderers, Dorminey himself wandered to far-off places, meeting the scientists and visiting the telescopes that are searching for extrasolar planets. His reports on his travels make the book much more human, interesting, and also tell us something about the writer.

After a visiting the European South Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile's Atacama Desert, Dorminey wrote, "After a night on an observatory mountain, E-mails left unanswered and faxes gone missing seem trivial indeed. I knew that a thousand miles south and several thousand miles north, the world was racing hither and yon. But for me, at that moment, my own existence seemed as precarious as the shallow atmosphere separating us from the nothingness beyond. If only for a fleeting minute, it was impossible not to imagine Earth as it really is: an oasis in the midst of a relative void."

Perhaps you can't quit your day job to make a grand tour of observatories. If that's the case, buy this book and read it. I learned and enjoyed. So will you.

The search for planets in orbit around stars outside our own Solar Systems is one of the most exciting fields of science today. Since the first indirect detection of a planet circling another Sun-like star was announced in 1995, dozens of extrasolar planets have been discovered.

In Distant Wanderers, Bruce Dorminey looks at the history, methods, and future of extrasolar planet hunting. He predicts, "Before the end of this new century, every schoolchild will know for certain how many planers circle nearby stars," and whether or not Earth-like planets are a rare anomaly. Like many rapidly developing scientific fields, the search for extra-solar planets has had many controversies and false starts along with the startling new discoveries, and the book presents a variety of theories and viewpoints in a fair and even-handed way.

In the first part of the book, Dorminey, an award-winning science journalist and former bureau chief for Aviation Week & Space Technology, describes methods that planet hunters have used (spectroscopic methods, astrometric detection, interferometry, microlensing, transit studies, and direct imaging through the use of a coronagraphic mask in the focal plane a camera). Although most of these methods require sophisticated technology and painstaking analysis, he explains each term or concept as it is introduced. He makes the science seem simple enough for lay readers to grasp and explains the strengths and limitations of each method.

The rest of the book looks ahead to programs that are planned for the future, including telescopes in space and larger, more sophisticated instruments here on Earth. Some of these programs are already funded and will begin soon. Others are nd ambitious ideas that may not be attempted for years, if they ever happen at all.

Dorminey explains current ideas about formation of planets and discusses the search for Earth-like planets and for chemical signatures of extraterrestrial life. Through interviews with numerous researchers and experts, he presents information on what has already been learned about extrasolar planets and gives readers a feeling for the personalities and activities involved in doing this kind of research. In the process of writing Distant Wanderers, Dorminey himself wandered to far-off places, meeting the scientists and visiting the telescopes that are searching for extrasolar planets. His reports on his travels make the book much more human, interesting, and also tell us something about the writer.

After a visiting the European South Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile's Atacama Desert, Dorminey wrote, "After a night on an observatory mountain, E-mails left unanswered and faxes gone missing seem trivial indeed. I knew that a thousand miles south and several thousand miles north, the world was racing hither and yon. But for me, at that moment, my own existence seemed as precarious as the shallow atmosphere separating us from the nothingness beyond. If only for a fleeting minute, it was impossible not to imagine Earth as it really is: an oasis in the midst of a relative void."

Perhaps you can't quit your day job to make a grand tour of observatories. If that's the case, buy this book and read it. I learned and enjoyed. So will you.

The search for planets in orbit around stars outside our own Solar Systems is one of the most exciting fields of science today. Since the first indirect detection of a planet circling another Sun-like star was announced in 1995, dozens of extrasolar planets have been discovered.

In Distant Wanderers, Bruce Dorminey looks at the history, methods, and future of extrasolar planet hunting. He predicts, "Before the end of this new century, every schoolchild will know for certain how many planers circle nearby stars," and whether or not Earth-like planets are a rare anomaly. Like many rapidly developing scientific fields, the search for extra-solar planets has had many controversies and false starts along with the startling new discoveries, and the book presents a variety of theories and viewpoints in a fair and even-handed way.

In the first part of the book, Dorminey, an award-winning science journalist and former bureau chief for Aviation Week & Space Technology, describes methods that planet hunters have used (spectroscopic methods, astrometric detection, interferometry, microlensing, transit studies, and direct imaging through the use of a coronagraphic mask in the focal plane a camera). Although most of these methods require sophisticated technology and painstaking analysis, he explains each term or concept as it is introduced. He makes the science seem simple enough for lay readers to grasp and explains the strengths and limitations of each method.

The rest of the book looks ahead to programs that are planned for the future, including telescopes in space and larger, more sophisticated instruments here on Earth. Some of these programs are already funded and will begin soon. Others are nd ambitious ideas that may not be attempted for years, if they ever happen at all.

Dorminey explains current ideas about formation of planets and discusses the search for Earth-like planets and for chemical signatures of extraterrestrial life. Through interviews with numerous researchers and experts, he presents information on what has already been learned about extrasolar planets and gives readers a feeling for the personalities and activities involved in doing this kind of research. In the process of writing Distant Wanderers, Dorminey himself wandered to far-off places, meeting the scientists and visiting the telescopes that are searching for extrasolar planets. His reports on his travels make the book much more human, interesting, and also tell us something about the writer.

After a visiting the European South Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile's Atacama Desert, Dorminey wrote, "After a night on an observatory mountain, E-mails left unanswered and faxes gone missing seem trivial indeed. I knew that a thousand miles south and several thousand miles north, the world was racing hither and yon. But for me, at that moment, my own existence seemed as precarious as the shallow atmosphere separating us from the nothingness beyond. If only for a fleeting minute, it was impossible not to imagine Earth as it really is: an oasis in the midst of a relative void."

Perhaps you can't quit your day job to make a grand tour of observatories. If that's the case, buy this book and read it. I learned and enjoyed. So will you.

If you are still debating, which of the two 1998 Hollywood flicks, "Deep Impact" or "Armageddon", is the better comet catastrophe movie, you will get delivered from this nagging question by reading this 1995 book: none of the above. I am amazed that Hollywood DIDN'T exploit the in reality much more gloomy scenarios of a comet impact's chain reactions leading to the effacement of the human habitat by multiple means.

The book starts out with the realization process of modern human society that comets are one of the biggest threats. Actually, the author thinks that comet awareness hasn't sharpened sufficiently yet and sets out to change that, successfully so for anyone who reads this book. From the discovery of solar system planetory impacts to the ongoing search for the remains of Earth' comet craters and the quest of mapping space in search for the villains of iron and ice, the author lets us know the high probability of global killers. In the process thwarting the current easy-going negligence, caused by what he terms 6-10,000 years of freak climate stability on Earth (equaling relatively comet-free times), responsible for the possibility of the emergence of human civilization and the population boom. Concluding with 10 random computer probability simulation scenarios of how the 20th century could have looked like in parallel universes. In between filling the book with the ugly comet consequences BEYOND cratering, shock wave, mega tsunami and dust-induced perennial nightly winter, I had never heard of before.

Some of my questions from reading other books got solved, most of all the so-called mystery of the Libyan desert glass (in Egypt), which is vitrified sand over a large circular area. The yellowpress book Technology of the Gods: The Incredible Sciences of the Ancients mused about ancient nuclear warfare (I am not kidding), since this isn't a crater (yet mentioning nuclear cratering in another chapter). Whereas already half a decade before, this book had explained the effects of both nuclear and cometory explosions on the ground or in the air, causing either cratering or intense burning. (It is called a meteor, if it doesn't survive Earth' atmosphere and a meteorite, if it reaches the ground.)

The book may be dusted already, after all human knowledge currently doubles every five years. It becomes evident that it was written before September 11th, 2001 and the 2004 Christmas tsunami. Yet both deep impacts on the human psyche are explained in principle in this book: Unusual events eclipsing more deadly continuities. The average earth quake saving more lives by interrupting traffic (accidents) than killing others. More US-Americans killed in post-invasion Iraq than on September 11th. A neo-colonial induced economic tsunami sweeping Africa several times a year. So even on the level of reasoning about human perceptions, this book is worth the read and even some of the obviously dusted parts are translateable to an update of mind.

Actually, there has been an 1997 paperback update of three pages: More historic evidence found including a 580 A.D. match of one of the fictitious simulations about France's Orleans. The most scary part, I may say. Also the 1996 1st time confirmation of one of the theories extrapolated in the first edition of the book a year earlier: Earth "capturing" cometary debris, i.e. forcing it into temporary orbit.

In 1999, a more unorthodox book was first published - referencing this book - suggesting that human civilization had already lived through at least two such global killers - which merged into the flood stories. It suggests, megalithic structures on the Irish/British Isles were used to train people from far away places how to detect future comets and how to rebuild civilization after the strike - with Biblical Enoch and Noah being the ones in the position to apply that training. The book avers much higher tsunamis than "Rain of Iron and Ice", but it is fascinating reading: Uriel's Machine: Uncovering the Secrets of Stonehenge, Noah's Flood and the Dawn of Civilization. In Voyages of the Pyramid Builders: The True Origins of the Pyramids from Lost Egypt to Ancient America a similar historic scenario is described for Sundaland (once dry land of today's south-east Asian island nations world of Indonesia etc.).

__________________

The need for radioastronomy to detect near Earth objects on the day-side is documented in this book. Amateur astronomers have a real opportunity to potentially save all life on Earth. Despite the efforts expended (mostly since 1994, after the impact of the fragments of Shoemaker-Levy 9 on Jupiter) the estimate is that 90 per cent of nearby asteroids are unknown. As David Morrison has warned, nothing can be told about the unknown majority, and the odds are that there will be no warning.

At least four large impacts occurred during the 20th century, the best known being the Tunguska object in 1908. I was a bit startled to learn of the small 1919 impact on Lake Michigan (p 159) having never heard anything about this from elderly folklore-prone relatives.

Perhaps most useful is Lewis' discussion of the various myths about our safety from such impacts.

See also "Night Comes to the Cretaceous" by James Lawrence Powell.

This book by John Lewis is very intriguing read. Roughly 220 pages with fifteen chapters, and easy to read. He explored the threats from space as well discussed the asteroid impacts from the past in our solar system, including that of Mars, Moon, Mercury, and even the impacts on asteroids themselves.

Out of all informative and fascinating chapters in this book, I felt the fourteenth chapter is most chilling to read because the author brings the reader to experience each scenario of impacts from A to J. Each is frightening as one begin to see, as the computer simulations show, what it would be like to be collided with the iron asteroid.

Overall, I felt this book is directed towards bringing the public awareness of the threats from space as it is likely. Not everyone ever believes that Earth will get hit by comets or asteroids, and that we are safe from such threats. This book can help one to understand the grace issue of such threats, and why we would need to look up and be aware of such cosmic events will happen, and it is just the matter of when. This book will surely be added to that awareness.

In my opinion, I really recommend this book.

This book is a natural five-star. It clearly and eloquently discusses the threat from asteroids and comets. The scenario of a SMALL asteroid falling in the Philippine Sea should be eye-opening to even the most jaded. Also especially worth reading are the chapters on Mercury and on computer created scenarios of falls over a century's time. The book maintains a steady pace throughout, and is a must for anyone interested in meteoritics.

This fine book is designed primarily with one goal in mind. Aimed at a popular audience, it is written to counteract the unfortunately widespread myth that no one has ever been killed, or will ever be killed, by a falling asteroid or meteor. John Lewis reworks this statement, reminding us that the way it should be phrased is as follows: "no one as ever been killed or hurt by a meteor or asteroid in the presence of a Western, 20th/21st century journalist or meteoriticist."

This book demonstrates, through statistics and anecdotes, that it is more than just a question of occasional asteroids like the one that killed the dinosaurs, or like the ones in the asteroid movies from the summer of 1999. There is an extremely wide range of asteroids, meteors, and other random space-rocks, of all different shapes, sizes, and compositions. The ones large enough to do fairly serious damage land all over the planet, and substantially more often than many of us tend to believe.

Chapter 14 alone is worth the price of the book. In it, Dr. Lewis shows us computer simulations of several likely asteroid strikes. Let me clarify that -- he presents the results of computer simulations of 10 randomly computer-generated "centuries" on Earth, and what the statistical likelihood of pretty awful asteroid collisions are in each century. Many of the simulations are pretty terrifying. The one that opens the chapter, taking place in the Phillipines, is one of the most horrifying things you'll ever read.

Another valuable part of the book is the table in chapter 13, which lists dozens of damaging asteroid or meteor strikes throughout recorded history, all over the world. Stories like this crop up throughout the book, they aren't just in chapter 13.

The intent of this book is to raise public awareness. It succeeds dramatically. Please buy a copy, and get copies for some of your friends. Two thumbs up.

I've been reading Bova for 30 years (wow). He has his fans for his ability to mix action, characters and politics. Sometimes it comes off as cheeky space opera with cardboard villains and heroes, but sometimes the mix is balanced just right and makes for a fun summertime read. This is story of man in search of his family after being attacked by a villain who then has life changing event. Both of these characters offer depths that Bova can lack while not lacking the normal quality of Bova book: page turning action. While this is last of this series Bova adds enough background to read as a stand alone book, and for anybody who has liked a Bova book or two in the past or wants to check him out for the first time I highly recommend this one. Very well could be his best book since Orion.

Admittedly I have only read a handful of his books so far (Jupiter and the Asteriod Wars) and listened to Titan on CD, but this was my favorite yet. Precipice was a little slow for me and then the 2nd and 3rd book got going. I was sad when I finished them. Ben Bova's books feel so real. Even the science fiction element seems extremely plausible. What's even more interesting is that there is no guarantee which character will survive to appear in the next one. None of the characters from Precipice appeared in this book (I think) and several protagonists have died or fallen out of the storyline along the way. The only one that has been a major faction throughout is the bad guy, Martin Humphries!

I can't wait for his new Mars book!

- Todd

The previous entry commented that this was the end of this series. Does this person really think that? Can it not continue? This whole series was outstanding. From Precipice, Rock Rats, Silent War, and now Aftermath, why can't it continue, this work is outstanding!

In a vicious attack, mercenary Dorik Harbin destroys a major human habitat, then turns his weapons on an ore hauler, sending its captain in one direction and his family on a long elliptical orbit through space. Captain Victor Zacharias is soon rescued, but his efforts to track his family down are stopped--no one believes they could have survived. Meanwhile, his wife and two children attempt to survive a multiyear journey through the asteroid belt and even into Jupiter's orbit.

An alien artifact wakes mercenary Harbin to what he's done and he attempts a form of restitution, becoming a priest and scouring the asteroid belt for the bodies of mercenaries killed in the war. Accompanying him is sculptor Elverda Apacheta, who's also been transformed by the artifact. Unfortunately for the two of them, space tycoon Martin Humphries has decided that all evidence of the alien artifact, most especially Harbin (who now goes as Dorn) and Elverda must be eliminated. Which brings in mercenary Kao Yuan--in charge of a small fleet tracking Dorn and Elverda. Finally, the end of the asteroid wars has created a business salvaging the many ships destroyed during the conflict. Some of the ships conducting salvage operations aren't too concerned about whether the ships they find really are unoccupied--they're happy to take care of that, by force if necessary.

Author Ben Bova weaves together these plot elements into a story that spans the asteroid belt and multiple years, as well as tying up story lines created in the earlier novels in this series. By picking Theo Zacharias (teenage son of Victor) as one of his protagonists, Bova creates a story line that will remind SF fans of some of the early Heinlein space opera novels, although Bova also links in more adult issues (including rape and murder).

Bova's near-future apocalyptic view of human life on earth serves as a warning to readers who'll heed it, but in this novel, he appropriately relegates social issues to the background. Bova's strong point has never been his characterization, but in THE AFTERMATH, he does develop several interesting characters--characters with a bit of complexity to them. I especially liked Dorn/Harbin.

THE AFTERMATH is the fourth book in THE ASTEROID WARS series but the earlier novels really aren't necessary for an appreciation of this superior work. For me, this is the best book in the series.

Ben Bova has written a thrilling conclusion to his Asteroid Wars Series.

Dorik Harbin, a mercenary hired by Martin Humphries to kill Lars Fuchs, has just destroyed the Chrysallis habitat orbiting Ceres. Over 1100 rock rats were killed in Harbin's merciless attack. After the attack, Harbin noticed that another ship, the Syracuse, had witnessed everything. Syracuse is inhabited by Victor Zacharias, his wife Pauline, and two children, Theo and Angela. Victor makes his living hauling ore from the belt back to Ceres. Still in a killing rage, Harbin accuses Victor and his family of hiding Lars Fuchs. Despite their pleas to the contrary, Harbin is convinced and attacks Syracuse. Realizing what is happening, Victor escapes from the ship in the escape pod, trying to draw Harbin away from Syracuse, but leaving his family to fend for themselves. Fortunately, they survive, but at what cost? The ship is badly damaged and Victor has left. Now, Theo, Angela, and Pauline must fend for themselves.

After drifting through space for several months, Victor is rescued by a very seductive woman named Cheena Madagascar. Victor is taken back to Ceres aboard Cheena's ship, where he gets a job working on building the new habitat, but he longs to find his family. Soon, he comes up with a plan.

In the intervening time, Harbin and sculptress Elverda Apacheta have jointly discovered an artifact with mythical powers to change and transform people. Harbin, who tried unsuccessfully to kill himself, has now become a half-human, half-machine cyborg. When he sees the artifact, he is transformed from the murderer he once was into a sympathetic priest. He calls himself Dorn, and has vowed to find every body floating in the solar system left for dead after battles and give them proper burials. Elverda has decided to accompany him.

However, Martin Humphries wants to make sure no one finds out about how his encounter with the artifact affected him, so he's sent out Kao Yuan, another mercinary, to find and eliminate Dorn and Elverda. Also aboard Kao's ship is Tamara Vishinsky and in the end, it is her that seems to wield the real power.

Back aboard Syracuse, after many long months alone, it appears Theo has devised a plan to get him and his family back to Ceres before their supplies run out. But, they are visited by Valker and his crew. They are scavengers who overtake supposedly deserted ships and sell them for profit at Ceres. Unfortunately for Pauline and Angie, it appears that Valker and his men have more on their mind than salvage. Will Victor somehow manage to find his family before its too late? What will become of Dorn and Elverda?

I've read each book in the Asteroid Wars series, and I rate this one as the best. The last 75-100 pages fly by as the action is fast-paced and exciting. Bova has done his best work with this book.

I give this book my highest recommendation. The Asteroid Wars series is loaded with action and characters that the reader grows to like (or hate). Read this exciting book and series and experience science fiction at its very best.

I thought this book was hilarious I read it to my mother while she was sick and she also enjoyed it thoroughly too. I also loved reading Howie's Writing Journal. He's just so funny about all the writing. He also uses so many adjectives generally to describe himself which is so funny when his friend reads it. He always tells him he uses too many adjectives about a certain character. If you enjoy short reads that are funny I think you will enjoy this book thoroughly I would recommend this to anyone. this is a great book and the in book author is so funny its hard put this book down after you start it. I also recommend all the Bunnicula books James Howe also wrote those and all his books are so intense, but so funny at the same time. This was a great book I also read some of the other books in this series and they are just about as funny.

My son was so excited when he was given this book to add to his 'Bunnicula' collection. It has turned out to be a great book, like the others in the series.

Would you ever want to go under a bed to get a potion? Well, It Came From
Beneath the Bed by James Howe is full of mystery. This story is about a dog who wants
to become a writer just like his uncle. Delilah helps Howe save the world from a large
stuffed-animal bear from eating the city. I liked this book a lot. It was good because it was funny and interesting. I don't really have a favorite part because the whole book is
good. Read more to find out.

Would you ever like to visit Asteroid # 6 in space? Tales of the House of Bunnicula Mind Swappers from Asteroid # 6 by James Howe is a good book to read. A dog gets it's mind switched with a squirrel from asteroid #6! Delilah the dog gets sent to asteroid #6 in space. I like this book because it has a lot of cool characters in it and it is really funny. The moral is you should always help your friends when they are in danger. Read more to find out about Tales of the house of Bunnicula mind swappers from Asteroid # 6!

I enjoyed this book even though I did not read the other books in the series. Bunnicula is about a boy who wants to rule the world. He made a potion and spilt it on his stuffed Koala Bear named Pudgykins.The potion made Pudgykins grow really, really big. He was eating everything. After he ate one thing he grew one foot taller. At the end of the book they put him on a boat and brought him to to an Island where people dump trash. People were trying to figure out what to do with him. But they just left him on the Island. I like this book very much.

Nemesis is a true account of a scientist's journey in trying to solve one of the most fascinating puzzles in modern science... what is the cause of mass extinctions on Earth?

Upon reading a paper by two other scientists who showed that there was an unexplained periodicity of mass extinctions on planet Earth every 26 million years coupled with the discovery of iridium deposits at all of the extinction boundaries, Richard Muller comes up with a rough idea that it might be related to a companion star with our Sun which somehow causes a spike in comet or meteor impacts.

Muller gives amazing insight into the scientific process while telling this great story of discovery. Highly recommended to anyone, especially students.

Richard Muller's "Nemesis: The Death Star" is one of the most fascinating works on the subject. With 17 chapters and 185 pages, this book is easy to read and certainly a food for thought to which the author proposes the theory that our Sun has an unseen companion star. And, if there's an unseen companion star orbiting the Sun periodically, it would mostly likely to be passing through the Oort cloud (clouds of comets) surrounding our system, knocking off comets in the direction of the Earth and other planets, as it would leads to a periodic cosmic bombardment.

It is often a wonder on why comet impacts are not seen as frequent or so we have been told. Most scientists nowadays are focusing on asteroids, not comets. Why? Comets are generally known to be unstable yet they are being ignored. Some individuals would of course say that the Earth is pretty safe from the cosmic bombardment. No worry. Let's all relax and live our lives as normally. But, that is the sort of a wrong attitude to take now. Muller said that "we are in the 'eye' of the comet storm, and, just like the eye of a hurricane, it is quiet" (p. 107). In other words, we are in a "calm before the storm" phase. Will we ever be prepared?

Muller's book reads like a scientific autobiography, even though it is not, but it is a book that reveals an intellectual journey of discovery. It is very informative, eye-opening, and insightful. I would very much recommend it as I sincerely hope that the author would re-publish this work.

Along with Muller's book, I would also recommend other works relating to cosmic bombardment: Victor Clube's The Cosmic Serpent and The Cosmic Winter, as well Mike Baillie's New Light on the Black Death.

THis is both a scientific and a detective novel. But then again, all science involves searching for the unknown or the missing. Luis Alvarez and his son are both cosmologists of that old school - those who both theorize and journey beyond the walls of academia.

It was an insight, something totally unforseen, that caused them to think of a "death star" that routinely visits the Earth bringing with it asteroids of death and destruction. This new knowledge along with all the evidence of other, non-Nemesis destructive events makes one suddenly aware of how precious and fragile is our existence. Through journeys to all parts of the globe, collecting samples, months of analysis, back to the field and back to the labs, writing, formulating....this was a task of momentous proportions.

Particularly difficult was the disclaim received when their theory was first proposed. The scientific community is a jealous one and those announcing new or revisionist views are rarely applauded and even less accepted. When other scientists joined the fray and computer simulations began agreeing with the theory, attitudes began to change. One particular problem was synthesizing the known extinctions with the alleged serial ones - and once this was done they were home free.

Because we cannot "see" a Nemesis star, this will always have to be based on strong, circumstancial evidence (periodic mass extinctions, the layers of irridium, the computer-generated hypothese). Great book and great writing.

Dr. Muller is my Physics professor here at U.C. Berkeley, and he is quite an exceptional man. This book reads very easy, often explaining the most complicated scientific ideas and theories in easy to understand ways. The accumulated knowledge that this book provides is almost as spectacular as the description of the journey through that knowledge. I did not buy this book, it was actually given to our class by Dr. Muller himself, but if you have even an inkling of interest in not only science, but also in exploration and discovery, then I would sincerely encourage you to try to find it, if not thru a used bookstore then perhaps at a local public library. It's a relatively short and quickly read work, and is well worth the time you put into it. I can't recommend it highly enough.

"Nemesis: The Death Star" is the story of a possible explanation for periodic comet and asteroid impacts on Earth and other members of the Solar System. In brief, Dr. Richard Muller of Cal-Berkley believes that our Sun may have an as yet undetermined companion star (remember, many stars are part of binary systems).

There are about 3,000 stars which meet the basic qualifications for our Sun's binary companion: visual magnitude of 7 to 12, probably a Red Dwarf, and probably between 1-3 light-years orbital distance from the Sun. The distances for the stars which could possibly be the Nemesis star have NOT been measured, though the stars themselves have been catalogued. This is a tedious, time-consuming and, unfortunately, not very pressing matter for most astronomers. Hence, despite the widespread debates on the Nemesis Theory over all these years, it still has been left unresolved, indeed, the basic scientific measurements have not been done (though Muller and others are re-starting the effort).

If our Sun has a Nemesis companion, then every few million years it would come into contact with our Solar System by impacting the Ort Cloud. The Ort Cloud is the outer halo of objects tied to our Sun and the Solar System, and includes comets and other fragmentary matter which often have long, elliptical orbits. The Ort Cloud extends out almost to a light-year, or some 50,000 AU (astronomical unit = 93 million miles, the distance from the Sun to Earth). By comparison, Pluto, the most distant planet, is only about 50 AU distant from the Sun.

Nemesis would alter the route of some of those objects, throwing them "inward" towards the Solar System and causing the cratering so visible on our Moon and the planet Mercury. These impacts are less visible on Earth (erosion, plate tectonics, continental changes) but we have several "smoking guns" coinciding with some well-known impacts from Earth's history, most noticeably the impacts at the time of the dinosaur extinction (Cretaceous, 65 million years ago) and The Great Dying (Permian-Triassic, 251 million years ago).

You can see updates on Muller's Nemesis Theory on his website, which also includes interesting essays on scientific topics of current interest, like terrorism and climate change. Lately, Muller's research has included models on the potential long-period stability of an assumed Nemesis orbit.

Muller's book goes into details on the various scientific methods they used to determine possible impact time-lines and the causes of extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Era. It is pretty easy reading, you do not need to be an expert on astronomy or physics to understand or enjoy the story (it reads like a novel, as other reviewers have noted) and Richard Muller is a very good storyteller.

The only negative is that the book is out-of-print and might be tough to come by. On the other hand, if the search for Nemesis pans out, I am sure Dr. Muller will do the long-awaited 2nd Edition of the book and it will be readily available.

Other Countries/Other Worlds
"Fantasy and Fiction for Adults"
By Louis Fried

This is a delightful collection of stories that hold your attention and imagination. The characters in each story are unique, one-of-a-kind and they pull you into their world never letting go until the end.

Mr. Fried takes the reader on an around the world journey full of his characters and their adventures that remain with you long after the story has ended. Each story is just long enough to enjoy when you have short blocks of time for reading.

Other Countries/Other Worlds is a book that is hard to put down, a must read. Congratulations to Mr. Fried for writing an extremely enjoyable adult fantasy/fiction book.

Tales which draw the reading witht the suspenseful adventure which captivates and overwhelms the leader with joy and longing for more more more.

Wishes do come true in this spirited anthology of short stories, all of which, whether the setting is a mythical planet or 15th century Malta or the pubs of Kilkenny, Ireland, center around the abiding desire of the protagonist. A werewolf desperately desires to rid himself of his substance abuse problem, a woman needs a mermaid's help to find love and motherhood, a guy with a horrible case of sciatica would sell his soul for a cure. All get their wish -- or what satisfies something elemental inside them - but never in the way they've planned, as Louis Fried uses fantastical settings and sometimes absurd, sometimes deadly real problems to paint a picture of human nature as sexual, avaricious, innocent, brave, and, above all, celebratory of the wonderful world of the senses. In essence, this is a thoughtful book wrapped in a sparkling package that will leave you cogitating as you chuckle.

These are the kind of short stories you found in Playboy during its heyday: well-crafted writing that makes you want more.

It reminds me of the science fiction of my youth - a bit of Rod Serling, a bit of Hitchcock, and a lot of magic and mystery. There is no techno-babble and no need to explain everything. And there is just enough sex to keep it interesting without excessive recourse to bodily fluids.

Fried is revitalizing the genre!

Fried's stories always delight with an unexpected ending.
Fried tells tales of humor, sex and war with endings you should have expected but do not.
These stories are for adults.

colorful book of the planets.. nice material to read and to review... fun and unique

My child adores everything about space... so I ordered this book for him... he loves it... some of the pictures are just incredible. Text quality is good but it could be better.

For those of you who are very serious about the science and theory behind the formation of our Solar System, go buy "The New Solar System" by Beatty et al. For the rest of us, there's "The Planets". In this book, McNab and Younger have melded science and narrative perfectly and have even made it accessible to the layman. Only those with no interest whatsoever in astronomy would dislike The Planets.

With the exception of the Moon and Sun, the authors do not simply cover each of our neighbors chapter by chapter as do most books on the Solar System. Rather, The Planets focuses on specific themes and discusses the planets in the context of those themes. One chapter is devoted to the inner planets and attempts to explain why the Earth turned out so radically different from its rocky neighbors. Another focuses on the different atmospheres of the planets and the effects they have on surface conditions. Naturally, the potential for life on the planets is a separate topic as well.

Accompanying the text are outstanding photographs taken by the robot spacecraft sent to the planets along with some artists' conceptions of localities that were inaccessible to the robots but perhaps one day will be. The visuals allow this book to double as a coffee table adornment! Also, integrated within the narrative are details of the various missions of exploration that taught us virtually everything we know today of the Solar System. One chapter documents the exciting "space race" between the US and Soviet Union in the 1960s that culminated in the manned lunar landings.

I sell most non-reference books after reading them unless they contain outstanding visuals or are otherwise useful. Can you guess what I'm doing with this one? My rating should give you a hint!

The Planets, by David McNab and James Younger, is a stunning and interesting companion book to the BBC/A&E series of the same name. The eight chapters of the book correspond to the eight episodes of the series, and are all interesting, accessible, chatty, thought-provoking, and well illustrated, with the best of the most recent photography from telescopes and space probes.

Different Worlds
Beginning with a discussion of planet hunters at the Lowell Observatory in the early part of this century (searching for Planet X, which turned out to be Pluto), the chapter introduces 'the family', all the planets of our solar system, the asteroids, comets, other local phenomena, and has a brief discussion of origin and formation issues (nebulae, supernovae, planetary evolution).

Moon
As our nearest neighbour in space, the Moon has pride of place in mythology, space exploration, and in this presentation of extra-terrestrial worlds. It is amazing--the Earth is the only inner, rocky planet to have a substantial moon; this chapter discusses the space race and politics as well as science in earnest terms. The discussion of the astronauts a la The Right Stuff is always an interesting read. What is the future of the moon and humankind? Some speculation is here, with renewed interest, as the possibility of ice at the poles gives new life to lunar settlement ideas.

Terra Firma
Looking at the worlds with hard surfaces (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars), the chapter on Terra Firma shows the diversity of worlds that occupy the space so close to us. Each has been explored numerous times by probes; Venus has for the first time in human history revealed more than a glorious morning/evening star light, as probes and sensors have finally been able to break through the cloud cover. Mars, of course, has always held a fascination for us, particularly after the 'discovery' of 'canals' on the surface; renewed interest in Mars has been propelling NASA efforts. Included in this chapter is a brief description of some of the moons of the outer planets (Europa, Triton) which would, if not tied to a gaseous giant planet, qualify as planets on their own.

Giants
Within the past few years, humankind has finally reached all of the major planets, all of the planets known to antiquity, and all but Pluto. Even with the most powerful of telescopes, these planets never appeared as much more than blobs, save for Saturn, with her enigmatic rings (which have turned out to be far more intricate than ever before imagined or believed possible). The probes to the outer worlds showed that all have rings of some sort; all have more moons than previously known (and than are probably still known). There are worlds to explore still in our own back yard, even as we search for planets around other stars.

Stars
Beginning, obviously, with our own sun, as the guiding physical force behind almost all in the solar system, the sun has variously been regarded as a god and a demon. Yet, for all its power and prominence, the idea that it, and not the Earth, was the centre of the universe was able to cause a stir (largely theological and philosophical) that would dominate learned and popular discourse for some time. Ironically, while the Church worked to silence Galileo and Copernicus who would suggest that the sun was centre stage, they applauded when Fr. Secchi, director of the Vatican Observatory 200 years later, announced the discovery that the sun was in fact a star, like other stars, and that not even the sun was at the centre of the universe. Solar flares, storms, composition and power are all discussed.

Atmospheres
Atmospheres are thin veneers that coat some planets. These are barely worth mentioning in planetary composition terms, but, without it, no life would exist, and worlds would be very different places. The issue of atmosphere is important from the standpoint of life and space exploration. Atmosphere makes it interesting, or boring. Of course, the gaseous giants have more than their fair share of atmosphere, which again makes a difference in exploration terms. Storms are frequent on giant Jupiter, and can last for generations. Not only planets have atmosphere: Titan, a moon of Saturn reminiscent of Venus with unbroken cloud cover, is perhaps the most enigmatic and interesting world in the solar system today, with a predominantly nitrogen atmosphere (hey! like earth!) and organic chemistry (hey! like earth!)--what's going on here? In 2004 we may have a glimpse, as the ESA probe Huygens reaches the moon, and dives in, snapping pictures all the way down.

Life
Are we alone? Is there life on Mars, or indeed, are we Martians? Is there life on the moons of the giants? How does life arise? Well, this book discusses, if not definitively answers, these questions. Discussing observations and probes, experiments and speculations, the idea of life in the solar system (in smaller forms, alas, no green men here) is fully developed. Looking to harsh areas on earth which nonetheless have life forms thriving, the idea that these same inhospitable earth-based climes are no different from the better areas of other worlds takes hold. Just what is life, anyway?

Beyond the Sun
And what else is out there? Other worlds in other systems? When Voyager turned its camera around to take a snapshot of the 'family', Mars and Pluto were too faint to show up, and Earth, as a pale blue dot lacking detail, was in the midst of a 6-metre long photograph. Out among the stars, there are stellar incubators (nebulae) which grow both stars and planets; the way stars die is also presented.

An extra plus for Yale Press for keeping British spelling and punctuation conventions throughout the text.

I have, in my life, read many books which I was unable to put down until I had read the whole thing. This had never happened with a non-fiction book until my son got The Planets for his birthday. It seemed rather old for him so I picked it up to check it out and began reading. Five hours later I was done and thirsty for more.

The organization was unusual for a book about the solar system, not ordered by planet, but moving fluidly from topic to topic. The chapter about atmosphere was particularly thought-provoking. The details about the missions and probes which gathered all the information presented was fascinating. The greatest thing about this book was that the science was presented in a "user-friendly" fashion which was completely unintimidating.

My son enjoyed the pictures and was intrigued by some of the abridged passages I read to him, but it's probably not for the under 10 set. I'm just glad my brother has such a high opinion of my son's intellectual capabilities or I might never have seen this book. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever looked up and wondered.