Quofum (Humanx Commonwealth Series #8)

Not one of Foster's best.

This book takes a while to get into, then just when you get interested it degenerates into drugery. The ending is disappointing and leaves you wishing you had never started the book.

Well written but...

This is a well written book crucial to the Pip and Flinx expected final story even though the two stars never appear in QUOFUM. The story line is fast-paced and exciting, although it is hard to become truly invested in any of the characters - the book feels as if it was written to fill a hole instead of being an interesting story on it's own.

Poor chapter in the Flinx saga

May be the worst written book in the entire series. You never know what all this is about until the last few pages where Foster ties in into a main arc of the Flinx story. The general quality of the books in this series continues to decline and have the feel of the author cranking out another book whenever some funds are needed. In this book, you never identify with any of the characters, the biotic circus of the world Foster creates is too much a repeat of several earlier books and other worlds, and after a while the introducing of YET ANOTHER weird creature, makes you stop a flow in your reading and makes you say to youself, "OK, OK, I GET the point, this is a ready odd planet - now, can we move on?" There should be plenty of room for both more Flinx books and side books about this universe, but there's no sign here that Foster is up to it.

This is a well written tale crucial to the expected final Pip and Flinx novel

The Humanx Commonwealth is intrigued with the unique planet Quofum, which is outside their sector, because the orb appears to vanish and reappear off their monitors. Captain Boylen is assigned to escort four xenologists to study the planet especially the life forms since the oceans contain alcohol.

Thus he and his crew bring two men, one woman and a Thanx to the mysterious planet. Upon arrival they find three shockers. First there are several primitive but intelligent species that are so dissimilar they could never evolve on the same orb. Second they encounter thousands of other various life-forms never seen anywhere else. Finally as mysterious as the diversity findings prove, the visitors have no idea who made a gigantic underground compound containing technology and gadgetry none of the scientists recognize.

This is a well written tale crucial to the expected final Pip and Flinx novel though the two stars never appear in QUOFUM. The story line is fast-paced and exciting, but disappointingly never finishes any key thread; instead it sets the background for that Pip and Flinx finale. Consequently fans of the saga will have mixed feelings about the trip to QUOFUM.

Harriet Klausner

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.