Rogue Review No. 328 - March 12, 1999

Zero G by Bitbard

M/F

Length: 14,500 words

Objective Analysis: 5 (out of 10)

  Arousal: 2 (out of 5)
  Story: 3 (out of 5)

Subjective Analysis: Good


  NOTICE

If you are easily offended, not of the requires legal age, or 
material of an erotic nature is illegal where you are, then do not
read what follows.


  SUMMARY

Steve Whiley is enjoying a leisurely trip to Mars, when one of his 
fellow passengers is murdered.


  COMMENTARY

This is the third story, in a series of four, about a detective named
Steve Whiley.

For the most part this story is not arousing.  I believe that was the
author's intent.  There are a few sex scenes, but they felt like the 
gratuitous sex scenes that Hollywood studios include in many motion 
pictures.  Don't misunderstand me.  I enjoyed the sex scenes in this 
story.  They were arousing, but they weren't essential to the plot 
and they were few and far between.

As far as the story goes, I liked the plot.  It was well conceived 
and well paced.  The author acknowledges that the story resembles the
works of Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle.  Think 'Murder on 
the Orient Express', not 'Hound of the Baskervilles'.

The story was going along nicely, until it came time for Steve to 
interview his fellow passengers, a la Hercule Poirot. The various 
passengers did not come across distinctly.  They were in and out of 
the story so fast that it was hard to remember who was who.  This was
not a problem with the main characters.

If you are a big fan of mysteries, then you may want to read this 
one.  Other than Conan Doyle and Christie, it also reminded me of 
Isaac Asimov.  This is a good attempt, but it is less polished than 
the stories I consider to be A- or B-list material, thus the Good, 
under Subjective Analysis.


  LINKS

Zero G

* http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/8350.txt

* http://search.dejanews.com/=gh/getdoc.xp?AN=323893063&fmt=raw

Bitbard's Library

* http://bitbard.pair.com/