Strange-Attractor

An excellent introduction to chaos for the mathematically inclined, this work offers a brief tour through the concepts and theorms behind the field of chaos and nonlinear dynamics. Having a college mathematical background is decidedly helpful in getting use out of it, but having a mathematical mindset is absolutely essential.

There have been many, perhaps far too many, books which try to use chaos & complexity theory as a model for therapy. Most such books have only the most limited understanding of either chaos/complexity theory or therapy. This book stands out because the authors are both working therapists and experts in non-linear dynamics. And perhaps most importantly, they know how to write in a way that is useful to therapists, as well as to anyone who wants to think deeply about how human beings grow and change.

Recommendation - I would recommend this book to someone who likes science fiction. One reason I would recommend this book is that it was exciting and the characters were good. " 'We must never use the phaser again', 'Sure, sure,' I said, 'there is no pointing arguing with you about it' ". This book was good because Max finds a time traveler. "This thing is a time machine". I would really recommend this book to anyone who would like a book on time travel.

OK so let me summarize. It's about a boy. These two people "plant" something on him. In a nutshell (I guess) there are another two people like the first, they are bad. The boy has to decide which two to trust.... he chooses. I can't tell much or it gives it away, the way I summarize it anyway. Well I think it isn't easy to get interested in, it's kinda boring actually...

"Strange Attractors" was the best book I have ever read. It is set for a younger group of readers, but adults will enjoy this book as well. I highly reccomend this book to anyone who simply enjoys reading. The first time I read it was in seventh grade. I have read it at least five complete times by now. This is a great book to do a school project on. The only main conflict is locating the book at a bookstore near you.

-Happy Reading

When I finished Neptune Crossing I immediately returned to locate Strange Attractors. I had to find out where John Bandicut had ended up and what would happen to him.

Carver develops a world of overwhelming technology... one that envelopes a space the size of our solar system. John Bandicut has been brought here because he was needed. He has no idea where he is or why he is needed by such an advanced civilization.

The plus to this book is the relationship Carver builds between Bandicut, his two robots, and his new friends Ik and La-Jared. He also brings out Bandicut's deep sense of loss at finding himself thousands of light years from home thorugh a developing relationship between John and a human-looking alien named Antares.

I read this book almost entirely without putting it down... and immediately reached for the next book in the series.

STRANGE ATTRACTORS is the second book in Carver's "Chaos Chronicles" series. I was rather ambivalent after reading the first installment (NEPTUNE CROSSING). There were aspects of it I liked and other aspects I wasn't especially happy with. STRANGE ATTRACTORS, however, was better. I felt it was a solid step up from NEPTUNE... and I enjoyed it much more.

To be sure, there are still problems. The "boojum" is a rather vague entity, the characters remain underdeveloped, and I've gotten a little weary of the quarx dying and then resurrecting itself with no memory of past events. A couple of times is one thing, but after four or five generations of Charlie it's gotten a little old.

For space opera, though, this is fairly good stuff. Intriguing new worlds (or, at least, environments) are explored and you never know what will turn up around the next corner. There's a fair amount of action and some interesting aliens. It wasn't deep, but it was fun and it held my interest. If good space opera is what you want, give this one a try.

John Bandicut and his pals are back in this je'ne sais qoi of a space opera. There are scenes in this book that reminded me of the alien bar scene in Star Wars I(V) and scenes that are unique to the book. Bandicoot is sidetracked (kidnapped?) to an intergalatic arc worldship and all that he has is blind gumption and a quixotic alien entity guiding him named Charlie that lives in his mind. Bandicoot must save this intergalatic arc from the clutches of an evil malevolent force known as the boojum (translation for boogey man). This part reminded me of the excellent Madeleine De'Engle(sp?) story A Wrinkle in Time (another highly entertaining and compelling SF) and tesseracting. Can Bandicut save the shipworld and himself from the clutches of the Boojum? Read this and see!!!