Let me start this review of Boundary by Eric Flint and Ryk E Spoor (Boundary #1) by saying that I have absolutely no idea how or where I came across this novel, or how I came to read it. But hey, it’s got dinosaurs and a spaceship on the cover. Win! Published by Baen Books in 2006, Boundary is, perhaps, a modern day equivalent of pulp-sf, delivery a quickly paced story that brings plenty of ideas to the table, and, while not original in its subject matter, it really does deliver the type of science fiction story that floats my boat.
From the publisher:
Paradigms Shift, Worlds Collide!
A daring and resourceful palaeontologist uncovers something at the infamous K-T boundary marking the end of dinosaurs in the fossil record – something big, dangerous, and absolutely, categorically impossible. It’s a find that will catapult her to the Martian moon Phobos, then down to the crater-pocked desert of the Red Planet itself. For this mild-mannered fossil hunter may just have become Earth’s first practicing xenobiologist!
When Helen Sutter discovers a fossil that cannot – should not – be possible on the KT extinction boundary (the extinction event that doomed the dinosaurs), it sparks debate in paleontological circles that ultimately dismisses her personal conclusion: that the fossil is that of an alien species, Bemminus Secordii, not native to Earth. However, a couple of years later when AJ Baker, genius geek for the Ares corporation behind sensor technology on board the Phobos mission, discovers a base on Mars’ moon containing the mummified remains of a Bemmie, it not only solidifies Helen’s findings, but sparks a race to reach Phobos in order to study the remains of this alien species and its technology. With a multi-national crew, Helen, AJ, and co. head off on the first interplanetary mission that could reap many rewards for the human race.
So, as a novel, what is Boundary? Well, it’s many things: part palaeontology, part exploration, part hard science. Above all, though, it’s very interesting. Taking the idea of an ancient alien species leaving artefacts and bases in the solar system, Flint and Spoor have created a memorable cast of characters and have injected a real sense of wonder into the narrative. It’s easy to get carried away with the enthusiasm on show in Boundary, with Helen, AJ, Joe, and Madeline being a handful of the characters that show this through their interactions and motivations.
AJ, for me, is a particular favourite. He’s smart and knows it, being a very typical geek in many aspects, though is also well-trained in martial arts and is very athletic. One of the most used phrases in Boundary is ‘Shut up, AJ!’ more often than not when he brings a very geeky humour to sometimes serious situations. In fact, the narrative is packed with geek culture references, AJ and Joe being the two main sources of such instances. Helen is very focused on her work, incredibly enthusiastic about it, and generally a really nice character. Madeline is deeper and more conflicted, with things in her past and present that make for some very interesting scenarios when they arise within the novel. I don’t think there were any characters present that I didn’t like for their inclusion, and they all felt real to me, which is one of the biggest pluses of Boundary.
As for the aim of the story, well it’s never entirely clear where it will eventually go, or what we’ll learn from the Bemmie base and technology that the narrative in centred around. By no means does this detract from the story in any way though, with Flint and Spoor taking each step logically, from the early discovery of the Bemmie fossil through to the arrival and study of the Phobos base, and onwards from there. There are some considerable steps forward in time during the novel, though each is there to progress the plot without needless filler sections. It works quite well, and by using this multi-part format Flint and Spoor ensure that the pace never slackens and the pages keep on turning.
One aspect of Boundary I feel I should point out before closing this review is that this is not a novel everyone may find to their tastes. It doesn’t have action scenes as such, and there is no definitive good guys vs bad guys aspect to the story. Boundary is a scientific exploration novel, a novel of ideas and characters, of secrets and discoveries. Ryk E Spoor says it best on his website:
“Here you won’t find villains, just scientists and heroes whose adversary is not a person, but the dangers of the world around them.”
Suffice to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Boundary, I found it to be a quick and easy read, one where I was continuously kept interested on what would come next, and where it would lead from there. As the first part in a series I can only say that I am already very much invested and will be looking forward to picking up the next book, Threshold, very soon indeed. Great stuff.
Publisher: http://www.baen.com/
Author: Eric Flint – http://www.ericflint.net/, Ryk E Spoor – http://grandcentralarena.com/
March 2006, 457 Pages
Hardcover, ISBN: 9781416509325
Review from purchased copy
© 2015 Mark Chitty
Glad you liked it! Been a while since I saw a new review of _Boundary_!
It’s never too late to review an enjoyable novel 🙂 Also read Threshold and Portal, both of which hit the mark. Great trilogy – now to move on to Castaway Planet!
Excellent!