Bruce Boxleitner Books

[grumbler]

I saw a copy of BB's western/scifi cross Frontier Earth in the store the other day (I guess I knew he had written a couple of these but had forgotten about it) and picked it up without much in the way of expectations.

I was really quite surprised at how well-written it was, and how detailed the descriptions of the aliens and their technology were. The book shows a lot of imagination and I must admit that I looked for the "written with" because you normally don't expect actors to be such good writers.

Anyone else read these books and want to talk about them? I haven't read the second one yet (just ordered it) but don't let that stop you!

 

[ElScorcho]

I thought "Frontier Earth" was really good, too. I don't really like westerns (I would have never picked it up if Bruce hadn't written it), but there was enough of a sci-if angle to keep me interested. It's an interesting slant on the old story with a few twists and a surprisingly adult tone. The only thing that really bugged me was the non-ending.

The second book - "Searcher" - also treads on familiar western lore and is on par with the first book, though I think I enjoyed it a little less than the first one. It lacks a proper ending as well, but I think Bruce had planned to wrap it up as a trilogy. Unfortunately, sales for the first two weren't good enough for the publisher to commision a third book.

 

[FlarnChef]

I also really enjoyed the first book. The second on is a bit weaker, but I thought the concept in whole-- the *final* Frontier meets the Western Frontier was very cool! And yes, I'd even buy the 3rd part if one was even done.

 

[Elric]

I recently finished reading the first book and I really enjoyed it too.

I so like some of the good western movies (such as Outlaw Josie Wales, Unforgiven & Tombstone), the latter being one of my favourites, so it was really good to see the story of the Earps told from a slightly different perspective with some science fiction thrown in for good measure.

I had trouble getting hold of the second book, but my second hand copy from amazon arrived today

 

[grumbler]

ElScorcho, I think you hit the nail on the head. I just finished the second book, and it IS a bit weaker, mostly because all of the real surprises have been triggered, but still very decent, indeed. Too bad the series wasn't finished, considering the crap that gets published daily. Three books would probably have been enough in this line for me, but BB is clearly a pretty talented author and could have explored other lines.

A BB B5 trilogy? What "juicy" topics remain for someone not tchnically oriented? Something ranger-related, it seems to me, would be right up BB's alley. Maybe the story of the Rangers investigating what the Shadows are up to in the LoNAW (pre-SD)?

 

[KoshFan]

You lost me on that last acronym, Grumbler. LoNAW? Pre-SD?

 

[grumbler]

You lost me on that last acronym, Grumbler. LoNAW? Pre-SD?

Sorry. League of Non-Aligned Worlds. Pre-"Severed Dreams"