First Flight

Rating:
Summary: Could be better, but not bad.
Review: After failing to get through the first book in the Shadowmoon trilogy, I wasn't expecting much from First Flight. But I've had Claremont's first novel in my collection forever it seems, and it was about time I read it or threw it away. Besides, I was in the mood for a sci-fi space combat kinda story. What I got was a pulp fiction (not the movie) version of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The story takes place roughly 70 years from now. Humans are still exploring the solar system much less the stars. I was hoping for the latter. The main character is one Nicole Shea (hey, characters with two first names works for Clancy). She's recently graduated from her training as an astronaut and is about to make her first flight transporting some scientists to Neptune (or was it Pluto?). Events happen that prevent everything from going as planned, but I won't ruin them for you here. If you like, you can have the entire plot ruined for you by reading the inner flap/page of the book. I accidentally did and it made the book less enjoyable (thanks a lot Ace Publishing!).

I bought the book originally because I grew up as a big fan of Claremont's immortal work on the now mainstream X-Men. Brian Singer's garbage on the big screen is nothing close to the magic of the series. Unfortunately, this book is not close to the magic of the series either. One thing Claremont brought to the comics industry was serious characterization, but this book lacks that. Each of the supporting characters has about as much character development as the proverbial "red shirt" doomed to die in an episode of Star Trek. Indeed, most of them do die, but it's hard to care. Claremont, who was free to do whatever he wanted to in Marvel's most popular comic book, feels very constrained and conservative here. Also, I'm not sure if this is a fault of the publisher, but the story feels very chopped up. For example, at the end of chapter eight and the beginning of chapter nine, you get a strong sense you a lot of story was skipped over; like a whole chapter was cut out. This happens a few times and it detracts from the story.

In all, the book isn't bad. Claremont still has a problem with being too verbose, but this is nothing like the pain you'll experience in Shadowmoon. The dialoge is quick and sharp. It's written almost as if this book was a sequel. I think perhaps if it was, and you already knew the characters, this would have been a much better book. Still, it does manage to grab a pretty good hold of you right around page 100 and keeps you turning pages from then on. It's certainly no masterpiece, but it is an entertaining read and might even get you to read the sequels Grounded! and Sundowner.

Rating:
Summary: Great openning book for a fantastic Trilogy!!
Review: First Flight is a wonderful entry into a new and exciting universe created by vetern writer Chris Claremont! The trilogy is set in the near future and young Lt Nicole Shea is about to blow the top off the question, "Are we alone in the Universe." Along the way she'll make powerful friends and powerful enemy's not all of them human. While at a medium pitch the intensity soon climbs toward the roof, the author keeps us guessing and boy do we enjoy it! Nicole is in for a rough ride, first she gets her ship shot out from beneather her, contacts the first non-humans ever found, and then blows up the pirates and their very well funded base, who blew up her ship. And for Lt Nicole Shea the world, the universe just got to be a much bigger place.