Firebird

Jack McDevitt
Firebird Cover

Firebird

mamajulie
2/28/2015
Email

Following the trail of Chris Robin, a physicist who disappeared without a trace, Alex Benedcit and his pilot, Chase Kolpath discover that Robin had figured out how to predict where and when spaceships which had disappeared in space-time would re-appear. Using his work that follow his trail to a planet which has been taken over by its AI's and is murdering humans who try to land there. They rescue some AI's that have no gone rogue and intercept a lost apaceship, rescuing two young girls before it submerges again.

I like the McDevitt books, but when I try to recount their plots, the plots sound fantastic on paper. As I'm reading the books, though, I am all in, and fully engaged. They are page-turners for me, and I am sad each time I finish them. He nicely balances the gender-bending of a courageous, physicallydaring female pilot with a smarter, calmer male business and ship owner. It's a nice mix of action and ideas, with none of the head-long action of the wilder space operas and none of the massive info dumps that have become so common. I recommend them highly.