Firstflight

Rating:
Summary: First Rate.
Review: As a former X-Men reader, I wasn't sure what to expect from Chris Claremont's first novel. Undoubtedly, some of the books characters do come over as rather two-dimensional, but persist and you will find a contemporary sci-fi novel that is pacy, gripping and original.

Rating:
Summary: A good first book for Chris Claremont
Review: Chris Claremont's first full-length novel is very good. The story is relatively straightfoward; the strength of the book is the characterization. Pay attention to the small details: they will become important in the two sequels.

Rating:
Summary: The X-Men revisited -- Grounded never takes off
Review: Expectations for the first novel venture from Chris Claremont were high. What resulted is a bland, disappointing revisitation of the X-Men he made so successful and popular. The characters in "Grounded" are all parallels of those selfsame mutant comic book heroes. It's a wonder that the Marvel Comics Group isn't calling their lawyers. Lt. Shea is a fire-tempered, cocky redhead. Her team consists of a short, hairy berserker, and a big muscular Russian. Sound familiar? You could pick up back issues of the X-Men Claremont wrote and see much the same thing, with John Byrne and Terry Austin's artwork to enhance the story. The writing is Claremont's customary fare--well paced and smooth; his style is crisp and well-paced. The poignant moments offset the action well. It isn't as if he hasn't had practice writing action space-operas. The only insurmountable problem is "Grounded!" is not terribly original. In fairness, this was only Claremont's first novel. Perhaps he was getting his sea legs; perhaps he was just lazily firing the story he could most easily throw together from his keyboard. Claremont's back in the comics field where he belongs with DC's Sovereign Seven--which reads just fine without insulting himself or the reader by hearkening back to any of his earlier work

Rating:
Summary: First Contact At It's Best.
Review: First Flight is a wonderful book that approaches first contact in an enjoyable and original manner. With treachery and betrayal added to the mix, you have a book that will keep you spellbound from the first to the last page.

Rating:
Summary: First Contact At It's Best.
Review: First Flight is a wonderful book that approaches first contact in an enjoyable and original manner. With treachery and betrayal added to the mix, you have a book that will keep you spellbound from the first to the last page.

Rating:
Summary: Gripping from first to last
Review: From the opening chapter to the very last page, I was hooked. Not having read anything by Chris Claremont before, I had no preconceptions - X-men or otherwise. Fast-paced, with a heroine who is not quite perfect and therefore better for it. To baldly summarize the plot wouldn't do justice to it but I'll try:
Trainee Pilot (Heroine) screws up training test; second chance leads to routine "milk run"; romance, with limitations; ambushed by space pirates with a grudge; ambush survivors find alien ship; first contact; going after the pirates; consequences. (Told you I wouldn't do it justice).

The two sequels weren't quite as good (I'd give Grounded an 8 and Sundowner a 7), but I'm definitely hoping for a fourth book to find out what happens next.

Rating:
Summary: First class on all counts!
Review: I went to bed planning to read a chapter or two and ended up reading untill 3am. The action grabes you and won't let go, the characters are pretty well built and the science-side (for hardcores like me) is on the spot. No teleporters and other ridiculous stuff.

This book (and the sequel-Grounded) is well worth the cost. I can't wait for other books by C. Claremont

Rating:
Summary: wonderful!
Review: This book is one of the first science-fiction novels I ever read. I really enjoyed the characters and the story was very involving.