Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda: The Broken Places [Mass Market Paperback]

Daniel Morris (Author), Ethlie Ann Vare (Author)

Book Description

Series: Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda | Publication Date: May 4, 2004

A special event: a novel of the Kevin Sorbo-starring series, by a high-visibility writer who helped shape the first two years of its run.

The crew of the Andromeda Ascendant returns in this suspenseful second novel based on Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda. Beka Valentine's brother is worthless, no good scum, and she doesn't want anything to do with him. That is, until the day he shows up to tell her that he has found their long-lost mother. If he'd arrived at any other time, Beka's captain Dylan Hunt would have been all for letting her search for her past. Unfortunately for Beka, her brother's announcement comes at a time when the Andromeda Ascendant is deeply tangled in delicate negotiations between a group of Nietzcheans and the Human Interplanetary Alliance. The problem is that the HIA seems on the verge of allying with a group of religious fanatics obsessed with genetic purity.

Things get rapidly worse for Dylan when Beka sneaks off to try to find her mother. As if that wasn't enough, the rest of his crew soon starts taking sides in the negotiations. Before he knows it, he's facing an explosive situation that could turn into a bloodbath.

To complicate matters further, Beka's quest parallels one taken by her mother years ago, and if Dylan doesn't stop her, she just might unwittingly unleash a technology that could end all life in the universe.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Vare and Morris's fast-paced space romp, the second novel based on Roddenberry's Andromeda TV series (after Keith R.A. DeCandido's Destruction of Illusions), the crew of the Andromeda Ascendant is trying to broker an understanding between a group of Nietzcheans, genetically engineered superbeings, and the Human Interplanetary Alliance, their former slaves, when executive office Beka Valentine's no-good brother, Rafe, arrives and lets her know that he's found their long-lost mother. Beka and Rafe go looking for mom on a distant planet, leaving Captain Dylan Hunt without his most trusted officer. Mom, a wandering archeologist (some would say thief), leads sister and brother on a chase through the galaxy in search of the Vedran Runes, ancient artifacts with the power to remake the universe. Meanwhile, back on the Andromeda, a member of the Genites-a sort of anti-genetic engineering KKK-has interposed himself into the negotiations. Will Beka find her mom? Will Dylan parley a peace? Will the Vedran Runes hit the reset button on the universe? Dedicated fans of the TV show will enjoy learning the answers in this unpretentious franchise fiction.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The second book in the Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda series opens with the return of first officer Beka Valentine's ne'er-do-well brother, Rafe. Convinced he has located their long-lost mother, Magdalena, Rafe implores Beka to join him in retrieving her. Against the wishes of Captain Dylan Hunt, Beka takes her small ship and leaves Andromeda. Dylan has his hands full with another potential crisis: a human revolt on Alpha Centauri, where the overseer Nietzscheans, a genetically engineered super race, have agreed to meet with the human representatives to work out a peaceful settlement. The prospect for peace seems good until the Genites, who abhor genetic alterations of any kinds, show up. Beka and Rafe get their mother back, only to have her lead them on a wild hunt for a set of ancient runes, which in turn brings them to a relic so powerful that it has the potential to destroy the entire universe. Vare, former staff writer for the Andromeda TV show, and Morris have the characters down cold in this rip-roaring adventure. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books (May 4, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765344084
• ISBN-13: 978-0765344083
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,582,837 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well put together . . . and lots of fun, April 15, 2005

By 

Patrick J. Callahan (La Crosse, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda: The Broken Places (Mass Market Paperback)

This novel is essentially light reading -- a good novel to take to the beach. That said, I did feel the book was well plotted and well put together. It also had a number of very original creative flashes that keeps a reader going.

Two separate plot lines converge in the book. One involves a conference being held on the Andromeda Ascendant to determine the freedom or slavery of a planetary system. This involves some fun characters as diplomats, including a very bad Nietzschean admiral who -- as one might expect -- intends to enslave the captive planets and grind their populations into the mire. This meanie admiral engages in a delightful chess game of diplomacy with Dylan Hunt. I won't spoil anything for readers, but the battle of wits between the two holds one's interest well.

A second plot element that runs through the book involves a treasure hunt for artifacts of ancient technology -- think of "Indiana Jones" among the stars. This involves Beka, who emerges as perhaps the best-sketched character in the novel. Beka, her mom, and her ne'er-do-well brother all compete to find certain ancient artifacts. When -- after many chapters -- these artifacts are finally brought together, an ancient engine begins to shake the very foundations of space and time. How "Rommie" (avatar of Andromeda), Trance Gemini, and Dylan Hunt struggle to avert the consequences of Beka's foolishness makes for a good story.

Some great touches, with panache and originality, include an attack on a Nietzschean battle cruiser by a fleet of primitive "sail ships." These rag-tag, solar-powered fighters are the only craft the oppressed peoples of the planetary system are able to pull together. The battle is really David against Goliath. This was a wonderful development in the book and gives Seamus Harper his chance to take the spotlight.

Another very fun bit of writers' invention was the "warbot" (war robot) named Tweedledum, who plays a key part near the end of the novel. He doesn't make a very lengthy appearance, but he really stirs things up when he does!

The writers had to work with a "given" fictional world based on the TV series "Andromeda." This book could have been just "going through the motions" writing as some of these spin-off novels tend to be. But this one offers more. There are many very creative flashes, many little unexpected touches of imagination, that make the book very enjoyable. The main plot lines are well crafted, and the outcome knits together all the earlier developments. Someone on the writing team definitely knows how to outline!

I wish the writers knew a little about astrophysics. The black hole and quasar depicted in the book show an abysmal ignorance of the physics of such objects. And probability is stretched almost to the point of tossing the book down at a few points. But heck, this is strictly an entertainment novel. By that standard the book is very well done.

Recommended -- especially when you are looking for something light and fun.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great story!, April 2, 2009

By 

R. Sorrow (Georgia USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda: The Broken Places (Hardcover)

Of the six novels based on the Andromeda series,this one is by far the best. I really liked the focus on Beka and the story of her family. Rafe,her brother,while being a conartist of the first order,does seem to have a caring attitude towards his sister. The story flows smoothly and thankfully,Dylan is there when she needs him most. While I wholeheartedly recommend all six books in the series,I really think you will enjoy this one the most.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Andromeda Ever!, March 30, 2004

By 

Junior Citizen (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda: The Broken Places (Hardcover)

Just faaaaantastic stuff!! I wasn't into Kevin Sorbo or anything, but Vare and Morris have made me an Andromeda fan for life. For life!! Great unique plot, especially for a science fiction book. I just hope that the next one will follow the Broken Places in this new direction.