Hex

In order to fully appreciate this book or the series you need to understand a few things about Allen Steele as well as the last 60 years of interstellar travel fiction. 'A Mote in God's Eye','Footfall','Rendezvous with Rama','2001','The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and its kin,'Foundation' series, are among the ranks of the best in the category. They all leave you with an immense sense of incompleteness. The 'Coyote' saga while not eradicating this feeling, at least gives you several thousand pages from 2070 AD to 2370 AD to brood about the science the author can't invent to satisfy you. Steele is not a perfect writer. However the scope and ambition of this series is palpable. All future writers in this category should aim to out do this saga, in both breadth and technical aspects. This is a must read series for any hard science fiction aficionado.

The Hex concept was intriguing but I found it a let down... the ending was wrapped up too quickly & neatly.

I enjoyed the previous novels in the Coyote series, but I found this one to be a disappointment. I found the old narrator detracted from the story telling, so I was pleased that a new person was doing the reading. But that is were the praise ends. The story was a great idea, but poorly told. The characters were all idiots and they kept on doing the stupidest things. I could tell what was going to happen next because of this. The events in the story were mostly just cobbled together, wasting the terrific venue that Steele created. Only buy this book to complete your series, do not start here.

More dynamic reading, improved story, more interesting characters, more consistent technology... and more.

The abject stupidity of the human characters... worrying about taking GUNS in to face a species that's Millennia beyond you technologically!? NOBODY is that dumb... and that's just one example. If I'd been the super advanced species watching the humans bluder stupidly around my sphere, I'd have told them "ahh... on second thought..."

I'd have just told her to use a bit more vocal range in her performance, I felt like I was listening to the female equivelant of the teacher on Ferris Buelers day off... "Bueler... Bueller..."

Needs a massive overhaul... there's not any one scene that's problematic.

Though the concept was interesting and well though out the characters seemed way to impulsive to be believable. It seemed each conflict was caused by stupid decisions no rational, let alone a seasoned spacer, would make. I enjoyed the Coyote series but this was not one of Allen Steele better works.