For Readers

HELLSTROM'S HIVE by Frank Herbert By Gail Pruszkowski Science fiction fans who love Frank Herbert's DUNE series will also enjoy HELLSTROM'S HIVE; the classic tale of a dystopian America threatened by a chilling enemy - insects. It's a story of genetic manipulation that's just as spellbinding today as it was in 1973 when it was first published and it's even more relevant in the light of current debates on cloning and stem cell research. Herbert based his novel on the 1971 film "The Hellstrom Chronicle" which won the 1971 Academy Award for Best Documentary. The narrator was Dr. Nils Hellstrom, a fictional scientist, who filmed the documentary to warn mankind that insects may one day be the dominant species on Earth. The film is out of print, but I understand it was beautifully photographed with stunning sequences of insect wars and mating practices. In 2007 TOR Books published a new edition of HELLSTROM'S HIVE that's well worth adding to your collection. The setting is Oregon in a dystopian America, where Dr. Nils Hellstrom is making ecological films on his farm. The Agency, an espionage branch of the government, believes Hellstrom is using his films as a cover while he builds an experimental new weapon. His farm is placed under surveillance, with the hope of stealing his metallurgical technology. The agency "watchers" are easily discovered and they soon disappear. The Agency then sends in their "A" team to find out what happened to their missing agents. Hellstrom has secretly established an underground society, designed on insect - hive principles. The captured agents are sent to the "vats," where Hive members go at the end of their own lives to become food for the rest of the Hive. And his society is on the verge of a discovery that is more horrific than anything the government could imagine. Herbert is adept at conveying all the senses and readers will experience every emotion along with the characters. His Hive members are also quite convincing with their insect's survival instincts, lack of individuality and emotion. The scene is set so perfectly it becomes another character in the story. The suspense is riveting as events unfold. Written in a chillingly real style, interspersed with notes and diary excerpts, this gripping adventure is a story that will make your blood run cold. The tension escalates and the ending will keep you thinking long after you turn the last page. Publisher: Tor Books (April 2007) ISBN: 978-0-7653-1772-8 Pages: 336 Price: $14.95 Gail Pruszkowski reviews for "Romantic Times BOOKreviews" magazine and her work has been published in the "Cup of Comfort" Anthologies. http://mysite.verizon.net/bookworm.gp/ http://write-juncture.blogspot.com/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gail_Pruszkowski http://EzineArticles.com/?HELLSTROMS-HIVE-by-Frank-Herbert&id=2015037

The Experiment - A Novel by Richard Setlowe By Gail Pruszkowski There have been many stories about men who live under the ocean, including comic book hero, Aquaman, who made his first appearance in 1941 and later became part of the "Justice League of America." But the one that sticks in my mind is about Harry Styles, a most credible and incredible hero. For those who haven't read THE EXPERIMENT by Richard Setlowe, Harry is the protagonist, the aquatic astronaut in this medical science fiction thriller. Aerospace engineer, Harry Styles, is thirty-six years old; he has a wife, three young children and a home in Los Angeles, California. He also has terminal lung cancer. The family is enjoying a barbeque one afternoon when Harry decides to give his eleven year old son a snorkel lesson. The two submerge to fill the boy's face mask. Harry surfaces, choking and fighting for breath, and ends up back in the hospital. He's close to death when Dr. Karl Steinhardt approaches him. The researcher in respiration and oxygen assimilation offers him a chance to participate in an experimental operation. He's developed an artificial gill and he needs a volunteer to test it on. Harry's lungs would be replaced by gills. Harry is told he will never regain consciousness; never know if the operation is a success. But he also knows that no experiment is a complete failure, science will learn from this. He's fascinated and yet horrified at the same time, but he takes the chance to make his mark on science. Against all odds Harry awakes and finds himself enclosed in a huge glass prison, able to breathe only underwater. As his family becomes more alienated from a man who must spend his days submerged Harry tries to deal with the loneliness of his new silent life. The haunting conclusion both moves and terrifies and will stay in your mind for some time to come. Setlowe makes the fantastic believable because he's populated his tale with characters who struggle with real issues. They're vulnerable people with emotions that communicate feelings readers will identify with. The detailed descriptions of Harry's illness and his family's grief are heart wrenching. This thought-provoking plot touches on science, ecology, spiritual issues, moral dilemmas and most importantly what it means to be human. It's a terrific story that moves swiftly but is told with great depth. And it's one that will remain with you long after you turn the last page. Publisher: Holt, Rinehart & Winston; 1st edition (April 1980) ISBN-13: 978-0030417450 Pages: 299 Gail Pruszkowski reviews for "Romantic Times BOOKreviews" magazine and her work has been published in the "Cup of Comfort" Anthologies. http://mysite.verizon.net/bookworm.gp/ http://write-juncture.blogspot.com/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gail_Pruszkowski http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Experiment---A-Novel-by-Richard-Setlowe&id=1715876