Crash by Guy Haley

It is in the interest of mankind, not simply of those of us fortunate to be burdened with the task of wealth creation and prosperity maintenance, to step outside the bounds of our solar cage, and commence the great adventure that has awaited our kind since the first time a man raised his eyes to the stares.

This comes from a speech that was given in 2153.

In the wake of the financial collapses of the early 21st century, living standards dropped across what was then termed the 'developed world,' in essence those states of Europe and their former colonies where the original inhabitants had been extirpated and a European society established...

This is an excerpt from a banned lecture. A lot of big words here, but after all, it is a lecture.

Finally the..um....prologue:

At first, Dariusz Szczecinski was dead, then he was not.

This is effective; it raises questions, conflict and a character, literally, so it seems. Too bad about the speech and lecture at the beginning.

Chapter one or part one finally begins:

Let's take a closer look at one of the star systems.

And thus begins an astronomy lesson.

First thing said:

"We've landed end on, and at an angle."

What's said next is more interesting:

"I don't know why you bother, we're all dead anyway."

Verdict: Pass (barely)

Sincerely,
Theodore Moracht