Dykstra's War

By Jeffery D. Kooistra and Джеффри Квистра

ONLY DYKSTRA CAN SAVE US NOW Humanity had thought itself alone in the Cosmos. By the end of the 21st century, it had filled the Solar System and begun warring with itself. But then the aliens came --... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671319582
• ISBN13: 9780671319588
• Release Date: December 2000
• Publisher: Baen Books
• Length: 406 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

A very find read with many appealing ideas.

The aliens are the most unique I've seen. Very good lead in, this keep me interested in the story and the characters.

golden-age sf in bright new ring

If you liked science fiction from the 1950s -- Ace doubles, Heinlein's twins into space, the heady mix of innovative science and derring-do -- then Jeffery Kooistra's first novel is for you. Kooistra, who writes one of the science columns for Analog Magazine, takes his physics very seriously. When he describes new kinds of weapons and new kinds of speeds, you believe him. But he also has a human touch -- his characters are life-size, real, everyday in the best sense of the word -- even when one of them lives twice today's lifespan. Romance, space battles, intrigue -- Dykstra's War has it all. Read it and feel 13 again; wonder anew at the magic of science and the stars. Or, if you're 13 now, read Dykstra's War and feel 10 times your age...

Good New-Fashioned Space Opera

This is a remarkably original book. Taking all the conventions of traditional space opera, every convention gets a twist. There's the hero, the traditional brilliant scientist. However, he's not only retired, he's 126 years old. There's the brilliant other scientist, who just happens to be an idiot savant. There's the aliens who are attacking, but why? The plot revolves around both stopping the aliens and finding out what the aliens really are and why they are attacking. It all adds up to a page turner. At the end, all the major plot threads are tied up, but enough loose ends are left for a sequel. This could easily be the start of a riproaring series.

Good old-fashioned space opera -- 3.6 stars

_____________________________________________ James Dykstra is the greatest scientific genius of the 21st century, but at 126 years of age, he's starting to slow down. Until the mysterious Phinons attack a human ship out in the Oort cloud. And a wrecked alien ship hints at a possible FTL drive.... Dykstra's an engaging character, as is gorgeous genano engineer Samantha "Sunshine" MacTavish. Aside from an autistic idiot-savant who loves squirrels, Kooistra's other characters are straight stock, but they carry spears adequately. I did wince at some of the dialog: "She reminds me of someone, Bob. Someone who was very special to me." Or: "Our duty is to survive, Luke. Not to give you a chance to be a hero." Dykstra's War has some interesting ideas, including a new explanation for Fermi's Paradox ("where is everyone?"), inside a conventional, competently-written SF thriller. The plot moves briskly, and while there are few surprises, I had fun reading it. Recommended for fans of this sort of thing. This is Kooistra's first novel. Analog readers may recognize parts of a couple of 1993 stories here. Kooistra is presently a science columnist for Analog, and delights in stirring up trouble by advocating fringe-science ideas, some of which show up here. Happy reading-- Pete Tillman

Wonderful to read !!

What a great book. Kooistra's writing not only has us living Dykstra's war, but also questioning our philosophy, ethics, and just plain feelings regarding warfare, aliens, and human relationships. I love the way the author just keeps the story rolling right along without a lot of fluff. I can't finish a chapter without starting right into the next. This novel has a wonderfully eclectic cast, most notably the title character James Christian Dykstra, who brings not only his cutting edge genius science to the equation, but over 100 years of good old fashioned common sense. Balance that with a young soldier, a bureaucratic Major, an autistic savant, a beautiful scientist and several others all seeking to not only defeat but understand some of the most enigmatic aliens I've ever read about. The key to their success is in knowing the enemy. The problem lies in that finding out the secret of their technology and their philosophy is the hardest thing any of them has ever done. Kooistra has done a fantastic job of keeping us on the edge of our seat with a fun adventure, while at the same time, giving us something thought provoking to sleep on when we can't keep our eyes open long enough to read the next chapter. What a great book !