Into the Looking Glass (edit title)

• Rated 2 stars

“Silly, humorous, entertaining enough to complete. Story is relatively unremarkable but has Ringos trademark slap-stick humor.”

• Rated 1 stars

“I can't remember where I got the recommendation for this from, but I wish I did. I'll not take any further recommendations from that source!


The first reviewer describes the main male protagonist accurately as a teen wet dream of the most idiotic kind. Though the character is obviously targeted toward that demographic, I can't imagine the inanities of plot going over well even with the most forgiving of young readers, and would not presume to demean teenagers by saying that even they would enjoy this book.

The first female character (do any of them actually speak?) was introduced almost entirely by the size of her breasts (large). The second woman by the fact that she was a bit too small breasted. Of the third woman (a nurse) no mention was made of breasts at all, but her only vocalization of note is to "giggle."

I don't often put down a book half read, but almost didn't get half way with this one before tossing it aside. Maybe I'll come back and finish it one day when there are no other books to read. None.”

• Rated 1 stars

“One Saturday morning, a university explodes and opens doorways to various other worlds and dimensions, forever changing the course of human history, for we are not alone, and some of those aliens want us for bio-material.

This is a standard alien-invasion story mixed with technobabble and juvenile characters. Our hero, a strapping, brilliant Dr. William Weaver, is a thirteen-year-old's wet dream: he's handsome, brilliant, an alpha male, sleeps with any woman available, kills aliens in a moment's notice, and only needs to go mountain biking to discover the secrets of the universe. Yes, the author has mixed in some concepts of quantum mechanics and particle physics, but it is in no way even close to reality. He uses technology and science the way Star Trek does: everyone has the technobabble down, but it is unimportant.

This book is way beyond science fiction; it is science fantasy. Every other page, Weaver is making extraordinary leaps of insight to save the day. Though the war sequences are littered with military speech, the fight scenes are little more than "shot and charge".

The unrealistic advances in science, the unimaginative war sequences, and the laughable characterization destroy any tension the plot may have produced. You simply never wonder what will happen, because after the 30th page, you know that some new deus ex machina will save the day.

This book also reeks of "introduction to a series". It is far too brief, and the deus ex machina, sorry, the aliens at the end give humanity the key to interstellar travel.

This was an entirely unenjoyable book. Weak plot, horrible characters, dumb aliens, and pathetic technobabble ruin an interesting beginning. I would avoid this book.”

• Rated 4 stars

“Great read!”

• Rated 5 stars

“VERY COOL BOOK. Physics in it are mind bending.”

• Rated 5 stars

“Was surprised at how well the scifi nature of this book was brought into play here... The book read like an action movie”

• Rated 5 stars

“Excellent fun, lots of action and good science fiction - a rare combination”

• Rated 2 stars

“I could care less about the politics of this book either way. But it reads like a bland 1950's sci-fi B-movie. I found it barely readable and very bland and boring. I avoided Ringo for a long while because of this book, but after reading the Prince Roger series that he did with David Weber (who I trust immensely, but am afraid to buy because I can't keep up with which HONOR books I have, and haven't read) I am willing to check him out again - cautiously.”