Firestar

Firestar Saga, Book 1

By: Michael Flynn

Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner

Length: 31 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

It is the dawn of the 21st century, and America is in trouble. Public schools breed apathy and ignorance, and politics has become the art of the quick fix. There is one woman, though, who has both the vision and the money to leverage change. Mariesa Gorley van Huyten, heiress to one of the great American fortunes, founds an educational subsidiary called Mentor Academies and begins to subcontract public school systems in order to raise a new, less cynical generation. But her clandestine program is much larger than that: it also includes the founding of a private space program, the eventual construction of an orbital power station, and the revival of technological innovation on Earth.

Firestar is a chronicle of private enterprise and individual initiative—the story of one woman’s quest that becomes the focus for a whole new world. Mariesa’s program lets teachers strive to teach, hires astronauts who have no government space program to fly for, and provides productive outlets for the idealistic desires of the rich and powerful—at least those who remain sane enough to have such desires in the face of a crumbling America. And it just might work.

Michael Flynn lives in Easton, Pennsylvania. He is the winner of the Robert A. Heinlein Award and was a Hugo nominee for Eifelheim.

©1996 Michael Flynn (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc

Critic reviews

"As Robert A. Heinlein did and all too few have done since, Michael Flynn writes about the near future as if he'd been there and was bringing back reports of what he'd seen. A splendid piece of work." (Harry Turtledove, New York Times best-selling author)
" Firestar is a knockout…. Blurbmeisters, comparing him to Heinlein, may be shorting his talent…. By any measure, this is the best book I've seen this year." ( San Diego Union-Tribune)

Kind of left us hanging

This is a long drawn out tale. You will need some time to spare to get through it. There are stretches that grab the reader's interest. Those parts will get you through the parts that really drag the momentum down.

Mr. Flynn develops his characters well through this. The reader gets to know them very well. Alas in the end, he kind of left us in the dark as to what happened to one main character.

The author did an admirable job of tying space flight, modern educational problems and many people's willingness to come down on the rich simply because they are rich. I like the way he handled the public schools. He also highlights a very real problem that many of the governments of the world are ignoring.

All in all, this one did ok. It kept me interested even though there were parts that had me thinking, "Come on, lets get back to the good stuff."

Slow Rise

Would you try another book from Michael Flynn and/or Malcolm Hillgartner?

I think I am done with Michael Flynn. Will do another by Malcolm.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Anticlimatic

Have you listened to any of Malcolm Hillgartner’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Have not.

Do you think Firestar needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

It was a slow build up book, and the future of the book is very predictable.

Any additional comments?

Went into this hoping for great Si/Fi, and it turned into a major sweeping drama. I do not mind a little drama, and self introspection, but the book was plagued by enormous amounts of heavy Drama. The intrigue was fun, and the overall concept sound, but it could have been told in a much shorter book, with a much farther in the future outcome.

I found myself growing tired of all the "twists" that were attempted. I had to put the book down and go back to it several times just to make it through, as I like to finish something once I start it.

a very fulfilling experience

Good fleshed out characters and a large scope, makes this book seem 20 hours shorter than it is... and there are sequels :-)

Slow to start but great story

There were a few times I was considering putting this one down but I'm glad I didn't. Hold on and by the time you get half way through the story starts flying by. Can't wait to start the next in the series. Enjoy.

D*** Nice !!!

Well Thought Out And Detailed Personalities True To Character .... With A Few Surprises.
Enjoyed The Ride!!!

firestar

good sci-fi. enjoyed very much. I am listening again to catch some missed parts. good narrator.

Don’t Bother.

Would you try another book from Michael Flynn and/or Malcolm Hillgartner?

A libertarian fantasy love fest, I’ve been with audible for over 10 years and only one other book was as bad, the narration was good and the story was pretty good too, but the author lets his politics ruin it. I’m not some left-wing nut job but this guys big bad government ranting spoilt a potentially good series. I won’t be down loading anymore of Michael Flynn’s books!

What do you think your next listen will be?

Not Michael Flynn

What character would you cut from Firestar?

the author

Any additional comments?

Could of been good...but its not, shallow characters terrible slang “skittles”....REALLY !!

A slog to get through. To many story lines .

To many story lines, a bit difficult to follow. Not up to the usual good read from Flynn.

Cookie cutter Sf

Several Audible books blend together. Marooned platoons. Alien opponents. Lost contact with Earth. What is now called audible originals. Used to be called "self published".

And edited to say Please tell me I didn't spend my money to benefit *that* Michael Flynn!

Racist, sexist, and really dated

Be warned, this old white man writer boomer is very racist and sexist. Most of the story is great and really cool. It’s sprinkled with ignorant and unneeded parts that aged like milk. It’s tough to get into the story at first but it eventually comes around. I’m surprised the smutty parts of the book made it to publisher. Be warned and ready to return this title.