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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An educational, entertaining and fun read, September 17, 2009
This review is from: JUNE 2508 (Paperback)
There is something for everyone in this Sci-Fi novel which is heavy on the Sci but liberally peppered with the Fi. I like a good future story and this one didn't disappoint. I enjoy a romance with twists and turns, chock full of philosophy, and got that, too. But wait! There's more. If you like complex economics served with humor, valets that have learned from their mistakes over four centuries, dashing military men, car races with unusual rules, twenty-fourth century agriculture, brilliant technology, and an easy-to-digest meal of religious theory, this is the book. The story has enough violence to make us believe Mars has been settled by humans. Are there Aliens? Of course! If I had to choose my favorite aspect, aside from the tongue in cheek delivery, it would be the new way we conquer longevity. Or is my favorite part the cunning protagonist who knows everything that is important to know? Oh yeah, it's the hero of Mars who comes from earth to help with one problem and solves many as he kindly manipulates those who need guidance. Then again, he wasn't born yesterday. Read and enjoy.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
At least in this future, mankind still exists 500 years from now, September 30, 2008
This review is from: JUNE 2508 (Paperback)
James Bhumi has crafted a masterful picture of a future that feels possible in virtually every way. His vision is based on realistic predictions. There are no aliens popping in to change humanity, nor any other of the deus ex machina interventions common to many science fiction novels. This is a science fiction novel that is actually based on science. And, just as important, it's fun to read! In this future history, mankind has colonized Mars. It started around 2300, and was perhaps a bit more organized than the great migrations of Earth's history up to now. Of course, the reasons for people to settle there were similar to those which prompted the expansion of America to its western borders, or the mass movement of people from Europe to America before that, or countless other examples. Escape is the primary reason. Those who have been oppressed and suppressed eventually rise up, and moving somewhere else is often the best option. So, in 2300, there had been expeditions to Mars, and a great movement to colonize that planet. It all stopped suddenly a few years later. Despite having taken all known precautions the settlers began showing visible mutations by their third generation. Suddenly, Mars was shunned like a colony of lepers and the settlement-enabling, investment money quickly dried up. But researchers discovered a vaccine that further immunized the human DNA against long-term mutations. The Second Generation of emigrants left Earth to settle on Mars. By the early 2500s when protagonist Raemon Teeler arrives, the population is well over 100,000 and the colony is thriving both in terms of the health of its people and is economy. Unlike many other writers, Bhumi does not foresee a world where Artificial Intelligence has been achieved. There are no robots in his future, at least not in the commonly accepted form. There are extremely efficient machines called Valets that perform most of the menial tasks for the humans, though. They also help to make sure that crime does not occur--yet their interference does not have a horrifying Orwellian feel Big Brother does not seem to be running things here. When Raemon Teeler, the protagonist, arrives on Mars, he does worry that his personal valet will make him so efficient that he'll have nothing to do most of the time, but there is always the age-old stuff to complicate life: local girls, one in particular, serve to chase away any boredom. Then there are his lectures at the university--teaching is his reason for being on Mars, actually. As it happens, he has a plan to alleviate the tremendous problem of water availability for his new home, and his social connections end up making him part of a scientific project to implement his ideas. June 2508 is an exciting and entertaining novel but it also one that makes the reader think. The science is sound, and clear, but the reader learns about it as part of the story. There is humor, too. And love.
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Marvelous Mars, April 20, 2007
This review is from: JUNE 2508 (Paperback)
JUNE 2508It took me 2 weeks to read the last 40 pages--I would only read a few pages a day because I didn't want it to end! And with so many issues still open, I couldn't imagine how they could all be tied together in those few remaining pages. But in one stimulating climax after another, the science, the story, the romance, the wisdom and everything else--yes, the many mysteries, too, some of which I had not even spotted--got tied up in a most satisfying and dramatic way. Every page made me feel like I was living in an underground city on Mars--500 years in the future! I can't wait to go back to my future home on Mars when the sequel comes out! [...]
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