Fire with Fire
by Charles E. Gannon
Publisher: Baen Books
Published 4/15/2013
450 pages
http://www.baenebooks.com/p-1805-fire-with-fire.aspx
series: yes? First book?
rating: 4/5
I recommend this book. This story makes extensive use of the hero’s acute perception to successfully step through mine fields. It reminds me of Ender’s Game, which I read so long ago that I don’t remember much about it except that I enjoyed it immensely and its on my list of important SF books. It is not quite up to that level, but is an enjoyable read nevertheless.
This is a “First Contact” story. After a successful first contact with a less developed race, Earth is invited to join an interplanetary federation. But first, Earth must be accepted by the various factions of the alliance.
The intriguing technology of the story is “cryosleep”. It is used to kidnap the hero into the future, about 13 years, where he is shanghaied into the initial first contact mission.