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Starbridge A C Crispin 9780441783298 Books

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Starbridge A C Crispin 9780441783298 Books

I read StarBridge in paper form some years back, but I'd forgotten until I found the Kindle edition how much fun this first-contact novel was. Ann Crispin has taken science fiction back to the days of early Heinlein and Asimov in the sense of giving us an appealing story, great characters, epic adventure, and a dizzying collection of aliens. The aliens, aside from a couple of idiosyncracies (would a nod mean the same thing to humans and Simiu?) are believably alien, not just funny-looking humans, and Crispin (full disclosure: I know the author) has great fun letting her imagination run wild and giving us slimy aliens living in tanks, aliens like giant snakes, and a unique species whose representative gets the nickname Doctor Blanket (you'll understand when you read it). Some SF authors these days set out to deliver a message, but Crispin puts the story first and lets the reader divine the lessons to be learned. The teenage heroine is compelling, and Rob Gable, her ship's doctor and her first love interest, is well matched to her. Gable's love of 20th-century movies gives the story a nice connectivity to our world (he suggests an alien council meeting needs a John Williams score). Crispin might have taken the technology in some different directions if she wrote this in 2012 vs. 1989, but in this book the technology serves the story and not the other way around, so it really doesn't matter whether future computers will need SAVE buttons. The story is fast-moving, often funny, and includes plenty of twists and surprises. Younger readers will find this series a lot of fun, and the older folks like me who grew up on the classics of SF will nod in pleasant recognition of the themes that made SF great.

Matt Bille, author, The First Space Race: Launching the World's First Satellites (Texas A&M, 2004)


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Starbridge A C Crispin 9780441783298 Books Reviews

I'm one of those readers who followed this series back from its roots. At the time, if the sci-fi book wasn't a ST or SW book, or recommended by a friend, I was not interested. I had been burned or disappointed so many times by half baked ideas or concepts. I happened to recognize the authors name (ST and V) and found the concept was intriguing. I had some spare pocket money and gave it a shoot.

I was not disappointed, and I couldn't put it down. I even read it a second time, which is rare for me, as I normally can't stand reading a book a second time. Sort of like watching a repeat on TV for the 5th time.

In my opinion, the series had raised the bar in what to expect in the SF world. Guns didn't need to be blazing, teeth and claws gnashing, or tentacles grasping, or coils squeezing to resolve the overall conflict in a good sci-fi book.

Rereading the book some 20 odd years later, had both its joys and disappointments. The main characters seemed too prodigal. Then again now days, the prodigy is an overused plot device or clica, so I do have some bias in that area.

Some of the technology is caught up with or surpassed..... reading tablets.... -) Tapes and cartridges.... This fan wouldn't begrudge some changes in terms for the new readers of the series.

Overall, despite the creaks, graying hair, and blemishes, its still a good first read or 50th, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good sci-fi first contact.
Young Adult friendly, this first novel in the 7-book Starbridge series introduces readers to a fascinating universe of inhabited planets and aliens to discover. It's interesting to read a story written in the late 80's about a time several hundred years in the future. I appreciated the author's afterword written in 2011 for the ebook edition noting the technological clunkiness of that time. Interestingly, the holo-vids, computer links, and cassettes worked smoothly for me despite being outdated. (Since no book or movie after the mid-eighties is mentioned, the novel seems more dated by the popular culture references, which are worked in through a character who likes old movies & books.) This tale follows almost-17 yr. old Mahree Burroughs, who grew up on Earth's colony planet, Jolie. She's headed for the first time to Earth and college at the Sorbonne. Radio signals from space interrupt her flight. Are they from intelligent aliens? And the conflict begins - some on board want to pursue, others don't. A lengthy build-up ensues to readers' first view of the aliens, but it's worth it. The strengths of this novel are the intrigue and depth of the aliens. Yes, they're friendly, but . . . mysteries abound. Yes, it's dated, but it's a much meatier story than some of the YA sf/f today. Page-turning scenes intensify during an unscheduled stop on a planet which will prove the death of the characters if they can't find an oxygen source. Though Starbridge is a series, we get answers at the end of the books, no cliff hangers. Less breathless teen angst, and more adventure story. Less violence but . . . one edgy aspect although not overly explicit, sex occurs between a 17 yr. old girl and a 24 yr. old guy.
I started reading this series when it first came out. It helped me find the words I was feeling for concepts of acceptance and tolerance of each other and different cultures. I couldn't put it down.

The story reads as though you are listening to real conversations, instead of the sometimes stilted, unrealistic character discussions in other books. The feelings of the characters are there on the surface, allowing you, the reader, to engage with them, to feel part of the story, and to care about the characters.

If you are looking for something to get a young teen, or even a feel-good story for an adult, this is it. Look no further. Although once this story is done, the reader will want to find the other books of the series, so you should probably save yourself some time and just buy all of them.
I read StarBridge in paper form some years back, but I'd forgotten until I found the edition how much fun this first-contact novel was. Ann Crispin has taken science fiction back to the days of early Heinlein and Asimov in the sense of giving us an appealing story, great characters, epic adventure, and a dizzying collection of aliens. The aliens, aside from a couple of idiosyncracies (would a nod mean the same thing to humans and Simiu?) are believably alien, not just funny-looking humans, and Crispin (full disclosure I know the author) has great fun letting her imagination run wild and giving us slimy aliens living in tanks, aliens like giant snakes, and a unique species whose representative gets the nickname Doctor Blanket (you'll understand when you read it). Some SF authors these days set out to deliver a message, but Crispin puts the story first and lets the reader divine the lessons to be learned. The teenage heroine is compelling, and Rob Gable, her ship's doctor and her first love interest, is well matched to her. Gable's love of 20th-century movies gives the story a nice connectivity to our world (he suggests an alien council meeting needs a John Williams score). Crispin might have taken the technology in some different directions if she wrote this in 2012 vs. 1989, but in this book the technology serves the story and not the other way around, so it really doesn't matter whether future computers will need SAVE buttons. The story is fast-moving, often funny, and includes plenty of twists and surprises. Younger readers will find this series a lot of fun, and the older folks like me who grew up on the classics of SF will nod in pleasant recognition of the themes that made SF great.

Matt Bille, author, The First Space Race Launching the World's First Satellites (Texas A&M, 2004)