Light Raid [Paperback]

Connie Willis (Author), Cynthia Felice (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1990

As civil war rages between eastern and western North America--fought with massive laser beams called ""light raids""--young Ariadne works desperately to clear her mother's name from a charge of treason while struggling to survive the deadly onslaught. Reissue. AB.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For 17-year-old Hellene Ariadne, being evacuated in wartime means missing all the excitement. While Quebec and the Western States pursue their conflict with laser light raids, the teenager tends younger evacuees in neutral Victoria. Then her mother, Hydra Corp executive Medea, is arrested for treason. Returning home to Denver Springs, Ariadne encounters intrigue and romance as she becomes pivotal to the fates of her family, the corporation and the Western States themselves. For all its futuristic trappings, this reads like the tongue-in-cheek adventure of a plucky Victorian heroine; Ariadne's beau, royal equerry Joss Liddell, even turns out to be working undercover for Scotland Yard. Ariadne, unfortunately, is never more than a pleasant silhouette, and readers will likely admire the authors' resourcefulness more than the character's. Willis wrote the excellent novel Lincoln's Dreams.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Concerned for her parents trapped in war-torn America, a young girl returns to her home in Denver Springs to find her mother awaiting trial for treason and her father succumbing to despair. Political intrigue, sabotage, secret cabals of scientists and spies, and unpredictable laser-strikes from the air create an atomosphere of relentless tension, as youthful innocence pits itself against the harsh realities of an adult world. This second collaboration by sf authors Willis ( Lincoln's Dreams ) and Felice ( Double Nocturne ) should appeal to YA as well as adult sf fans.-- JC
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 263 pages
• Publisher: Ace Books, Berkley Publishing Group (April 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441483127
• ISBN-13: 978-0441483129
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,577,536 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mesmerizing, October 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Light Raid (Hardcover)

I loved Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog. Light Raid was no different. I began reading it in the morning on the way to work and found it so entertaining that I simply could not stop reading it. I finished it in one day.

Light Raid is a simple, yet exciting novel about a young woman who finds herself in the middle of a spy ring involving her own family. It takes place in a future where wars are no longer fought on the ground, but rather with laser beams directed by satellites.

Light Raid is a light and fun read, full of mystery, suspense, wonderful characters and even a healthy dose of romance. Willis has a great knack for being able to draw the reader into the story from page one.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful, light-hearted romp, March 16, 2006

By 

Verity Brown (Midwest Banks of the Muddy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Light Raid (Hardcover)

This is one of my favorite books--I re-read it regularly. Part spy novel, part romance, part coming-of-age, and all wrapped in a delightfully light science-fiction package. The future North America is both instantly recognizable and fascinatingly different. But it is the keen and humorous observations of true-to-life characters and situations (Connie Willis's dry wit will be familiar to readers of her other books) that really make this story such a delight to come back to again and again. How many writers would have their heroine be forced to deal with a difficult toddler in the midst of a life-threatening situation? And have the result be both humorous and heart-stopping? This is a very easy read, and well worth it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Darn Good Fun, March 24, 2002

By 

Joseph R. Helmer (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Light Raid (Hardcover)

It's sort of like a "mystery caper" movie.

This Sci-Fi world of the near future is ably created and the revealing of the details of this future definitely helps to drive the story.

But, it's the characters, their realtionships and, in particular, the loveable heroine who really make you happy to keep reading.

A light, fun yarn.