Mainframe- Beginnings [Paperback]

Simba Wiltz (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 324 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris Corp (December 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401022871
• ISBN-13: 978-1401022877
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,294,964 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Bold First Novel, March 31, 2002

By 

Matt Compton (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mainframe- Beginnings (Paperback)

There is quite a bit of bad science fiction on the market today. Written at the highest level, this genre offers more interesting content than any other. However the novelists who dwell in this realm often fail to ground their imagination in the truths of human nature and let the story escape them, or they fail to use their imaginations at all, churning out overworked stories, wrought with clichés. In his first novel, Simba Wiltz manages to avoid both of these pitfalls and produces a fun adventure that is highly worth reading.
Mainframe - Beginnings opens in the world of Pellcia where the ruling body, the InterTerri Council, is in trouble. Negotiations with the terrorist Naiko Powers have gone sour, and fear is the constant state of being. While the vastly ill-prepared ITC military primes to combat the threat, a secret team, called Mainframe, trains to take on the forces of evil itself, and the Naiko Powers move forward with their own agenda at an alarming pace.
While this scenario is reminiscent of so many stories in science fiction, Wiltz manages to create a tale that is crisp with originality. Heroes, villains, and bystanders alike are neither human nor alien, instead taking a range of animal forms. While each character's temperament often seems to mimic the personality of its physical appearance, position on the food chain does not govern morality or position in society. A ram is head of the ITC military; one lion commands Mainframe, and another is his counterpart in the Naiko Powers; and the InterTerri Council is made up of everything from squirrels to panthers. Instead of creating an aura of silliness, putting the characters in these anthromorphic bodies adds a dimension to the story that is part of its appeal.
Mainframe - Beginnings is full of Wiltz's creative flourishes. Unlike many who write this sort of tale, he is unwilling to put a bulletproof vest on his protagonists, and their ability to die keeps the story sharp and the pace rapid. An air of mystery permeates itself throughout the work. Uncertainty swirls around Mane, the enigmatic leader of Mainframe, and his nemesis in the Naiko Powers is even more shadowy. The origins of the team itself are undefined, as the government has no clue of its existence, but its budget seems unlimited. Throughout the work, these secrets, along with the other questions Wiltz creates, add spice that keeps the reader hungry.
Wilt's novel is not without its imperfections. In points, the story drags, the terminology takes some getting used to, and the dialogue can be a bit slanted. However, these are common symptoms of first novels, and the bigger story is how infrequently these low points occur. Mainframe - Beginnings deserves recognition for its achievement. Wiltz's book fits in the tradition of creature adventure, like that of Brian Jacque's Redwall series, but stands out because of its complexity. This is not a book written for a child. Perhaps Mainframe is not quite as fluid as Jacque's fiction, but the first novel smacks with believable seriousness. Simba Wiltz is a damn good storyteller, and I look forward to his next installment.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another point of veiw., March 21, 2002

By 

Evenean "earths_missing_angel" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mainframe- Beginnings (Paperback)

Well having a love for writing stories myself I thought the book was well planned and leaves a nice ending to keep you guessing. I love the Furrson touch to the book since most human based books get to be a little old, seeing the same types of characters come up again and again. This book adds change to a new threat on a world for all readers to enjoy.
I loved the detail Simba added so that you know where you are, what the characters are looking at, or what the characters themselves look like and are doing.
All in all, a great book that most fantasy readers will enjoy, more then the ones who like looking at pictures more then what they read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To be continued . . ., June 8, 2002

By 

"rachel_lara" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mainframe- Beginnings (Paperback)

I have only one question: what happens next????

This book was great!!! What I loved most were the characters. The furson aspect adds an interesting twist to most sci-fi stories one reads nowadays. But more importantly, these are characters you can relate to. For certain, you will be able to see a little of yourself in one or more of the characters. Each character is unique and well-developed such that by the end of the novel you feel as though you are part of the Mainframe family. Cliche, but true.

I'll avoid the summary of the novel..., but know that there is an entire world within this novel that you will get [pulled] into. Characters and places alike are described with a detail that lets you feel their presence as well as see them in your mind's eye.

This book was a definite page turner. I look forward to seeing more of Simba Wiltz's work soon. The only problem with it is that I'm going to have to wait for the next one. :P