Excerpt
Lying in the tall grass, hidden from the trail below, a lone figure focuses the scope of the rifle until the image is crystal clear and the crosshairs align with the small hole in the window. Slowly, he applies pressure to the trigger, increasingly till the sear disengages and releases the hammer onto the firing pin. The recoil rocks the shooter back slightly as air refills the vacuum left by the bullet exiting the barrel at supersonic speed.
Carefully, refocusing on the small hole in the window, the shooter makes sure that he has done what he was sent to do. Satisfied the bullet had struck where he intended, he quickly breaks down the rifle, stows it in the carrying case, vacates his perch atop the hill unseen and hurries off to take care of one small detail, then to the spaceport to claim his seat on the space liner.
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Reviews for "Beyond the Edge"
Reviewed by Nina Osier
12/19/2002
On Paradise Nine, a high-ranking official is assassinated. Meanwhile, on far-off Earth, the exploration vessel Galileo prepares to leave for 'the edge of the universe'a place that some theorists believe must exist, while others say that such an 'edge' is an impossible concept. The odd assortment of scientists aboard the Galileo don't know that before they reach that mysterious place (which may or may not be at all what they're expecting), one of their number will stand accused of the murder'with evidence that seems irrefutable backing up the accusation.
Phillip Beebe's cross-genre (sci-fi mixed with murder mystery) novel has imagination, sly humor, and a compelling sense of wonder to recommend it. More time than necessary is used to introduce characters who have no great usefulness to the plot, and the detailed scientific explanations'while impressive'tend to interrupt the book's natural flow. Yet this writer clearly loves his genre, and has a wonderful time creating the far future 'universe' he depicts. His enthusiasm is bound to rub off on his readers.
Pieces of Eight, Part II is an eclectic collection of eight imaginative novellas that complement the eight tales that appeared in Pieces of Eight. The selections are a blend of different short story/novella plots and themes. Science-fiction, paranorm
