In 'Startide Rising,' David Brin imagines a vast universe full of extra terrestrials and rich histories. The human and dolphin protagonists of the novel find themselves caught within a galactic war, but the plot focuses on the more intimate struggles of the starship crew and their exploration of a mysterious water world. Mr. Brin infuses his book with a motley cast of likeable characters, interesting plot twists, and some genuinely tense fight scenes. This excellent combination makes 'Startide Rising,' if not a real classic, a fun and fast-paced adventure novel well worth reading.

The novel's ending, however, leaves several major plot points hanging (no doubt concluded in subsequent novels) and diminishes the intelligence of the villains in favor of a happy ending. Despite these minor flaws, 'Startide Rising' remains a compelling and enjoyable read -- especially if you're looking for a good sci-fi novel to relax with at the beach.

In Brightness Falls from the Air, Ms. Triptree has written a rich yet unsatisfactory novel. Ms. Triptree's characters are an interesting collection and the general backdrop of the novel is well staged. Yet the novel is consistently hindered by the short-sighted and outright unintelligent attitudes of the characters. As such, what might have been a sophisticated novel soon becomes tedious and trite. Ms. Triptree does provide a final, dark revelation that proves eerily satisfying -- but ultimately it is the writing, not the plot, that prevents this novel from ever taking flight.

Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man remains an engaging, well-written novel even long after it was first published. Bester's principal characters are intelligent, resourceful, and wonderful to watch in their game of wits; the society he envisions is believable and fascinating; and the writing sparse yet sophisticated. I highly recommend The Demolished Man, as well as Mr. Bester's other works.

The Moon and the Sun begins with the compelling premise of a sea monster brought to Versailles during the reign of Louis XIV. Yet Ms. McIntyre neither takes the plot anywhere of real interest, nor infuses her characters with anything more than stereotypical personalities. The novel's heroine, Marie-Josephe St. Croix, is a stark anachronism at the court of Versailles. Although Marie-Josephe's ideas and worldview are undeniably sympathetic, she epitomizes a thoroughly contemporary ideal -- her views on slavery, education, religion, and the rights of women are all modern ideas -- and, as such, she fails to be a believable character. Moreover, the other characters of the novel fall into predictable roles and never surprise the reader with any of their actions.

Ms. McIntyre wrote The Moon and the Sun as an alternate history (with only the one, central fantasy element), but it seems unlikely that this novel would not have garnered praise had it been written for another genre. That fantasy readers reward such mediocre novels with their highest awards reflects tellingly on the sci-fi/fantasy genre as a whole -- and that reflection is decidedly negative.