Book Review:
Russell Lutz, Iota Cycle

by Jerry Wright

I received Iota Cycle with several other books and a request that I read them with a view toward reviewing them. Of course, I was more than happy to review Oscar Deadwood's book, because he is a Bewildering Author. But what about the others?

I'm pleased to say that although this is Russell Lutz's first book, and it is somewhat of a fix-up, in that is composed of many short stories stitched together, it is worth reading. In fact, as I read it I was reminded of another "colonization" book; Coyote by Allen Steele. Why? Not because they have much in common -- they don't except that both held my interest all the way through. The writing was well done and the worlds of the Iota Horologii system were interesting and well created, although perhaps unlikely.

And the people were real. They came across as very (perhaps unfortunately) real people with real motivations and the willingness to do stupid things for the wrong reasons, much like people today.

The ending of the novel is sad and shocking, all the more so because by the end of the book you care about the Burke family, and all the others working so hard to wrest an existence and create a self-sufficient colony out among the stars.

I perhaps need to talk to the publisher of Silverthought and see who he uses to create such a quality publication. The book is solidly built, and a fine home for the prose of Russell Lutz.

Copyright © 2006 Jerry Wright and Bewildering Stories

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