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Vectors by Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch (1999) – BR00003 (2001) – 🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪

The PolyBlog
January 20 2001

Plot or Premise

This is the second of six books dealing with biological terrorism by an unknown foe. This installment takes place at the end of Kate Pulaski’s tenure on the Enterprise and before DS9 begins, and Pulaski goes to Bajor to help her ex-husband solve a plague that is infecting the Bajorans and the Cardassians during the occupation. The Cardassians believe it is the Bajorans; the Bajorans think it is the Cardassians. Again, however, the plague has a 100% fatality rate.

What I Liked

I am not a hard-core sci-fi reader, but I do like Star Wars and Star Trek. Pulaski’s character is fine, as are the “new” characters that are introduced.

What I Didn’t Like

Gul Dukat is far too mature and Kira Nerys is far too trusting of the Federation. In fact, her involvement makes almost no sense considering her character at the start of the DS9 episodes. The story doesn’t have the same solid medical workup as the first one in the series, and while the characterization isn’t quite as good, it is also not as jarring.

The Bottom Line

A fast-paced storyline but without much depth.

Infection by John Gregory Betancourt (1999) – BR00004 (2001) – 🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪

The PolyBlog
January 20 2001

Plot or Premise

This is the first of six books dealing with biological terrorism by an unknown foe. The story is interesting, as a planet has been infected with a plague with an 100% fatality rate — but only for those aliens who are of mixed-race…pure breeds remain unaffected!

What I Liked

I am not a hard-core sci-fi reader, but I do enjoy Star Wars and Star Trek. This is definitely different from most ST:TNG plots where they steer away from racial relations that aren’t easily solved. The plot is interesting and the medical portion is solid.

What I Didn’t Like

Unfortunately, the problem with this novel is that the characters are written similar to those of the first few books in the ST:TNG series i.e. when the characters weren’t quite developed yet or as well-defined as they became in the TV series. So, when you read those early books now, you can’t help but say to yourself “But THAT character wouldn’t do THAT!”. Such divergence from the real characters they become was understandable early on in the series, but now that there have been seven years worth of episodes, fifty odd books, and a couple of movies, going back to the “not yet defined” characters seems too far out of the fold. The characters fit the timeline in the series, but are not true to their real character not yet revealed.

The Bottom Line

A readable entry but fans of later seasons may have trouble relating.

The Arbor House Treasury of Detective and Mystery Stories from the Great Pulps compiled by Bill Pronzini (1983) – BR00091 (2000) – 🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

The PolyBlog
March 12 2000

Plot or Premise

A collection of decent stories.

What I Liked

Two stories stand out. Fatal Accident deals with a cop on vacation who sees a car wreck in front of him where the wife dies. When he tries to follow up with the hospitalized driver, the driver is more worried about people looking at the car than the wife. The cop’s instincts say murder. Not quite as solid but memorable is Crime of Omission, where a man consumed by jealousy is trying to convince himself to kill his best friend/wife’s lover while up at the cottage in the winter. Can he do it? Will he have to? Nice twist ending, although kind of campy.

What I Didn’t Like

Nothing bad stands out.

The Bottom Line

Solid collection.

The Best of Ellery Queen by Edited by Francis M. Nevins, Jr. and Martin H. Greenberg (1985) – BR00090 (2000) – 🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

The PolyBlog
March 12 2000

Plot or Premise

A collection of Ellery Queen stories.

What I Liked

A few of the stories really stand out…Mind Over Matter with the death of a boxer just after a fight; The Inner Circle with a combination investment fund and deadpool; The Dauphin’s Doll with the planned theft of a doll collection; and the Three Widows with one of them slowly being poisoned. The Glass-domed Clock and Man Bites Dog are also pretty well-done.

What I Didn’t Like

A few places where the story creates a red herring through vague wording, but not obnoxious.

The Bottom Line

A good collection indeed.

The Continental Op by Dashiell Hammett (1974) – BR00088 (2000) – 🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪

The PolyBlog
March 12 2000

Plot or Premise

The “Continental Op” was described to me initially as a single collection of short stories, but the available versions are actually a collection of eight books of short stories grouped under that title.

What I Liked

Stories include The Tenth Clew, The Golden Horseshoe, The House in Turk Street, The Girl with the Silver Eyes, The Whosis Kid, The Main Death, and the Farewell Murder.

What I Didn’t Like

Not well-developed and kind of campy.

The Bottom Line

Pretty pulpy.