Customer Reviews

Burnout: the mystery of Space Shuttle STS-281

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The core story premise of Burnout is a classic one, having been told many times over the last few decades. Unfortunately I didn't find Burnout to be a satisfying read.

I could make no emotional connection with the characters. They were thin on substance, and static over the course of the book. I was never surprised by a characters' actions. What suspense existed was driven by what happened to them and not so much by their choices and actions. Some of the devices used to share information about a character were rather annoying. For example, more than once a main characters explains in first person what experience in their background allows them to accomplish some task.

The skeleton of the story line was interesting, and the NASA ops and historical references were fun. The reader is 'dropped' into the story and has to get their bearing along the way as do the protagonists, "murder mystery" style, which I personally find an appealing approach. But the story and its novelty just weren't strong enough to "make up" the difference. The sci-fi genre is notorious for books arguably weak on character development that are still enjoyable reads because of an interesting story line. But the funny thing is, such tales end up adding "character" to the characters, even if only by some form of literary osmosis. Burnout doesn't really deliver in this regard.

One final point are the two completely gratuitous sex scenes. They aren't important to the story line, and don't add insight into the involved characters or their relationships. One of the scenes had potential, as it seemed to be setting up for a sub-plot questioning the nature of the relationship of the couple. Sadly, this was not to be.

Burnout seems more like mystery than science fiction, but there are some science fiction aspects to it as well as a touch of romance. It has a number of interesting twists and turns that make it hard to put down. I also had to force myself not to look ahead. While the focus of the plot is the space shuttle, there's actually a lot more to it. It has a glossary in the back but there's just enough technical terms to make it realistic without becoming a burden. I thought it was a fun read and never got bored with it at all.

one of the best books ive ever read. Very interesting with crawling through the air ducks and walking through a huge underground hq towards [there] new location.

I'm not a sci-fi fan...I like William Shatner and don't like Captain Kirk. I couldn't tell you the names of the Star Wars or Star Trek movies and would be guessing at the character names. I read this to do a review for a club and was set for a speedy "skipping stone" read reminiscent of my college years. I was pleasantly surprised to say the least! I'm a Stephen Hunter fan and this book grabbed me the same way (c'mon, you know what I mean) with a multi-faceted storyline that keeps you interested. My wife is more traditional than me and is now having the same don't-wanna-put-it-down symptoms. Highly recommended, especially for people interested in Roswell (where my wife was "deposited"), NASA, or flying.

Just finished the book... WOW!!! Loved it! Outstanding storyline, well developed characters, and the glossary in the back is a real treat. A truly great read... definitely worthy of a sequel.

Awesome work Stephanie!

Upon reentry with seven aboard Space Shuttle STS-281 suddenly explodes into a deadly inferno. All on board are dead. An official investigation leads to a quick assertion of human error mostly by the crew.

Having known the pilot Jet Jackson who was his friend since their Air Force days, "Crash" Murphy has a difficult time accepting the official position. He begins to investigate the disaster, which leads him to Australian astronomer Dr. Michael Anders, who is also probing the Burnout. They team up and soon begin to find anomalies with the official denouement. They begin to find evidence of alien intervention, which leads them to Area 51. With the help of conspiracy buff operatives watching the locale 24/7, the pair sneaks inside seeking the truth, but neither is prepared for what they find.

This is an interesting science fiction mystery with an intriguing twist that leaves the portal open for sequels. The story line is faster than the shuttle although adjustment to the zillion NASA acronyms (thankfully a glossary helps) takes a bit of time; but once done acceleration throughout. Crash and Mike are courageous heroes, but what they learn and not learn will stun both of them and the readers. Burnout is an exciting thriller that will have fans soaring with Stephanie Osborn as the flight commander.

Harriet Klausner

I bought this book after hearing the author describe it at an SF Convention. Yes, unlike some of the other reviewers, I DO read science fiction.

I really enjoyed this book. It took me a while to read, because some of the action was so intense that I needed a break. Even so, I loved the mystery of the story. Stephanie Osborne leads you though all the false conclusions her characters make along the way, and makes you believe them. The ending is not a complete surprise, there are clues along the way, but just like her characters, I did not put it all together until the very end.

The best thing about this book is that it made me want more Stephanie Osborne books!

I don't commonly read science fiction, or conspiracy theory tales, or novels in which the plot races ahead at the expense of characterization. "Burnout" is all three of those. However, it was recommended to me by a friend, himself the author of a first-rate and very different novel ("Perilaus"), so I bought and read a copy. And I must admit, despite my expectations and perhaps pre-judgment, that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The author's professional background - she has a wealth of qualifications and many years of experience working with NASA - informs the story throughout. She wears her learning as lightly as fiction demands, but it's obviously there, and it helps the reader to suspend unbelief. It gives her a sure and reliable touch at stages in the story when less-informed authors may have faltered or fudged a plot development. The glossary proved valuable; some of the technical vocabulary was familiar to me, but not all.

This is a gripping, fast-paced action story and it doesn't waste words - economy of expression is always a virtue in writing, fiction or otherwise. The settings are vividly portrayed and the tension never slackens. The author is to be congratulated for allowing one of her protagonists to be killed - quasi-accidentally - which helped the ending of the novel to carry conviction.

"Burnout" isn't "serious literature" by any means, but it's far better-written than the standard run of airport bookstall material and it makes good holiday reading. Would I read another book by the same author? Yes, for relaxation, I probably would.

I was hooked on the story before I reached the end of the second page. By the end of the first chapter I couldn't put the book down!

The characters are written so well you'd swear that you already know them, you just haven't seen them in a while. They're that real and true to life. The story itself is one of those perfect mixes of action, character development, clues to the mystery that are well placed but not obvious, a dash of romance, a sprinkling of conspiracy theory- all of which is set against a backdrop of real and are-you-sure-it-isn't-real science.

The pacing draws the reader in as each scene builds upon those that came before. The dashes of foreshadowing are exactly right; not too much, not too little. As the mystery unfolds, the reader sees how the clues fit together and how the hero turns the puzzle pieces this way and that until they *do* fit together. The danger to the heroes is believable, relentless, and you want to jump up out of your chair and cheer each time the heroes have a narrow escape. likewise, when the villains get the upper hand, you want to leap into the action yourself, just to help the heroes when they need a hand. The story is just that real, that gripping. After only a very few pages you'll forget that it's a novel, that you're reading a book as the story plays out in your mind's eye.

Stephanie Osborn has got the gift. This is a wonderful novel. Try it, you won't regret it.

Burnout
by Stephanie Osborn
ISBN: 978-1-60619-200-9

Stephanie Osborn's Burnout is out of this world. She takes Sci-Fi and the real space program to an entire new level.
A shuttle has burnout during re-entry all aboard are lost. But are they really? The autopsies don't match the burnt bodies, people are disappearing who have had anything to do with the shuttle, the body count keeps getting higher by the hour.
Crash Murphy is running against the clock to find out why - Every road he travels comes to a dead end or a dead body. Even those he loves seem to disappear. The question is Why is this happening and who is behind it and will he find the answers before he also becomes worm dirt.
Stephanie Osborn uses her background and her skills to make this the most believeable Sci Fi fiction I have ever read. She is right up there with Jules Verne with her Sci Fi and Fiction.
Definatly a five star read.
Yvonne Mason, Author