the eve of the release of the first of two sequels (the number 3 is the power number in science fiction - reviewer babble). The eighteen contributions come from a virtual "cyberpunk and science-fiction visionaries" with most of the inputs quite interesting especially when two authors are diametrically opposite in their interpretation of the film. Debates range the gamut from whether the heroes are cyberpunks opposed to the overreach of science placing a web on their personal lives or comic book superheroes on the screen. If one is looking for the next great philosophical debate or a treatise on the Second Coming, then go elsewhere. However, fans of the movie will enjoy the discussion, much of which is simple fluff, but also enough fun stuff. Though enjoyable, the bottom line of EXPLORING THE MATRIX is the psycho prattle debate seeks hidden meaning when to many of the fans it is simply an entertaining flick.

Harriet Klausner

You never know quite what to expect from a nonfiction tie-in to a
popular film or series. (I'm sure one of these days we'll see THE RELIGIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF DOCTOR WHO,
and HANNIBAL LECTER'S FAVORITE RECIPES and they'll be just as bad as
those titles suggest.) But EXPLORING THE MATRIX, edited by Karen
Haber, exceeds whatever the expectations are -- and with considerable
brio.

EXPLORING THE MATRIX offers far more than a choice of red or blue
pill. There are predictable references to William Gibson, P.K Dick,
Charles Dodgson, Jack Williamson, and Nick Bostrum; but there are
also random flashes of the unexpected: "Punk fashion has always been
protective armor. The spikes, the leather, the razors, the zippers,
they are what you put on after flower-power has choked to death on
its own vomit. It's Kevlar for the soft marshmallow core of youthful
idealism." (Bruce Sterling)..."The result of figure _without_ ground
is _Symbolism_." (Dean Motter)... "the most successful movements are
always punished by becoming clichés" (David Brin)...Joe Haldeman
muses briefly about interpreting the movie through the obscure
mythology of sf fandom (and wisely tiptoes by that sleeping dog.)

You'll find some agreement and constant contradictions: THE MATRIX is
nothing but style / THE MATRIX has spiritual depth. It has nothing to
do with cyberpunk; it has everything to do with cyberpunk. And the
essays say a surprising (and contradictory) amount about cyberpunk
itself. Most of the essays are more entertaining than weighty. It's
all well-written, formalized "sitting around the bar with very
intelligent, witty friends at a great con" stuff rather than
dissertation material. You'll find yourself wanting to continue the
discussion -- "Well, yes, but what about..." or "Oh no! I have to
disagree..."

Paul DiFillippo's essay on literary influences solidly connects
everything and everyone from the Bible, Blake, and Baum to Michael
Moorcock and Neil Gaiman. Haber considers the black joke that the
high-tech sfx movie is profoundly anti-science. Alan Dean Foster
proves that the movie's true meaning is that nerdy geeks can triumph.
Ian Watson's essay connects THE MATRIX to French social theorist Jean
Baudrillard and convincingly argues it should be seen as a superhero
movie exploiting, rather than exemplifying, cyberpunk themes. John
Shirley seems to be the only writer to recognize "the group of films
galvanized by the same furnace of fermenting realization" along with
THE MATRIX. Rick Berry writes on the ancient past of CGI and
expresses refreshing optimism about cyberspace.

The essays are accompanied by the magnificent art of Darrel Anderson
(who also supplies an essay) and Robert Zahrab (which, sadly I could
get only an impression of since I have the galley and not the
finished product) and spiffy design. A must-read for the film's fans,
EXPLORING THE MATRIX it's highly recommended reading for science
fiction buffs as well. -- Paula Guran

#

This book is the second volume of the Mutant saga begun in The Mutant Season, which Haber wrote with her husband, sci-fi master Robert Silverberg. One should really read Season first, because it not only introduces the various members of the Ryton family (who are featured in both books), but it also sets up the whole concept of the Mutant race, their somewhat precarious position in society, the powers they possess over "normals", and the idea of the supermutant, with a depth that Prime does not.

In the fifteen years since the events of Season, the tele-powered Mutant race has made substantial social gains, although the Mutant community still remembers the repressions of past times and always fears a resurgence of anti-Mutant hysteria. This concern is brought to the forefront by the appearance of one Victor Ashman, a mutant of unknown origins and ambitions who possesses powers far beyond what any of the Mutant race has demonstrated. Under the protection of a wealthy dowager, Ashman claims his rightful place as leader of the Mutant community while making a prisoner of a famous but reclusive artist named Narlydda. Meanwhile, Michael Ryton is facing investigation by an agency anxious to blame his father's company for a disaster that took place on the Moon. Will Michael's troubles draw him closer to his self-involved wife, or drive him into the arms of his old flame, the "normal" Kelly? What plans does Ashman have for Narlydda, and can Michael's cousin Skerry hope to rescue her despite his frightful powers?

While continuing the saga of the Ryton family, Haber has presented a more focused story here than in The Mutant Season, which seemed to pursue too many subplots at once. Also, while there's still substantial emphasis on characterization, the characters are more grown up than they were in the first volume, so the whole work is more action-oriented and less like a "Mutants 90210". So while still not a towering achievement, this is an enjoyable, fast-paced, page-turner of a sci-fi fantasy, with an extra human touch.

The story of Michael, Kelly and Michael's sister Melanie and cousin, Skerry are continued in this second of a four-book series. While exploring their lives fifteen years after the close of book one, the novel also introduces the heights and depths of mutant-powers. Michael is still struggling to bring about peaceful coexistence and build secure habitats in space and on the moon, but he has accepted the fact that his mutant wife, Jena and their daughter hold little affection for him. His life and future are endangered when one of the Moonstation domes implodes, one in which Kelly, his old girl-friend, is stationed with her mutant supervisor. They must confront each other over this issue, after years of separation, as the government tries to make him their scapegoat. Michael's sister has not spoken to her family for those fifteen years, either, until, as a news reporter, she finds herself assigned to cover the story of the dome's collapse and ensuing investigations. While Michael's impending disgrace seems like the impetus for the plot, it is only the sub-plot, as we find when a super-mutant makes contact with the world through the auspices of a female philanthropist who has founded the Emory Foundation to nurture him. Some mutants wish to enlist his assistance in their cause. Others begin to suspect his motives as he takes more and more control away from individuals and to himself. Still others suspect he is not all that he seems. His megalomania fuels the plot from that point on until the difficulties he creates for mutants and for the world are resolved by some quick action on the part of Melanie, Michael, Skerry and a few new characters, the most interesting of which are a mutant artist, Narlydda, who hides from her public, and a non-mutant, Yosh, who is a talented musician in the right (or wrong) place at the right time. Many of the pairs in this second novel are mutant/non-mutant and the theme of the novel seems to be increased interpersonal as well as social cooperation. Several such couples become romantically involved, the emblem of this cooperation. As with the first novel, the characters of The Mutant Prime are the best feature of the novel. It also ends with a taste of book three, Mutant Star. The reader can thus be sure of more to come.

Jan Bostad

The story is very nifty. Karen Haber definitely has talent. I know Mr. Silverberg did some editing, but I think Ms. Haber's telling is outstanding. I applaud the effort!! A nice bit of science fiction here. Definitely worth reading.

In this, the first of a four volume series, we are introduced to an offshoot of the human race who are called the Mutants. Ostensibly hidden from the rest of humanity for centuries, the race of golden-eyed espers has finally chosen to reveal themselves. The story picks up several decades later, after the initial years of unrest and persecution have subsided somewhat; and while legal protections exist, prejudice against the mutants is still very strong in a populace that both envies and fears them. Against this backdrop Haber tells the story of one very active mutant family, the Rytons, and one "normal", Andie Greenberg, chief assistant to the only mutant Senator.

If you can swallow the outlandish premise (for which Silverberg must accept responsibility) Haber has written a fairly entertaining novel. The basic technique is a long series of short scenes from each of several subplots, some of which converge, and others of which will presumably be picked up later in the series, but which together paint a fairly credible portrait of life in a world with Mutants. The real strength of this book is the characterizations, which reflect a familiar variety of reactions to racial prejudice, but also show that life is pretty much the same even with telepathic or telekinetic powers. Young Michael Ryton struggles against his domineering father's conservative insularism, while his "null" sister Melanie feels ignored and uncared-for, and their cousin Skerry is

unattached, uncontrollable, and undependable. Andie Greenberg is the only normal who is followed closely, but in the end she proves to be the real hero, providing the key to defusing the crisis that evolves when the mutant Senator pushes for sweeping changes in mutant's rights.

While the round robin plot structure keeps the reader interested, there are spots where the plot advances very slowly. There are engaging characters of both sexes, but so much of the focus is on young people that boyfriends and girlfriends and sexual encounters and adolescent angst seem to fill most of the book. As a result, some adult readers might find this material difficult to relate to, while the fairly explicit sexuality makes it inappropriate for young readers. Young women interested in sci-fi fantasy should find this book especially appealing; the rest of us can hope that the next book in the series will be a little more grown up.

The first of a promised four-book series, The Mutant Season is a recognizably traditional sf novel complete with heros, villains, civilizations to save and its own measure of triumphs and tragedies. It narrates the long-established theme of a point just past the introduction of mutant telepaths into the near future of earth as we know it. By the time of this first novel, mutants have transcended early persecution in the 1990s and come out guardedly to battle for acceptance and perhaps integration. The plot of the first novel depends on two alternate models of humanity's future as a mutant/non-mutant cooperation. Since the story is told mostly from the Mutant society's point of view, both models are theirs, although one is clearly unacceptable to non-mutants. Major players are both mutant and non-mutant. Andie is non-mutant assistant to the first mutant senator, Ms. Jacobsen. She and Senator Jacobsen are both striving to bring about peaceful integration of mutants into the dominant culture and this is the model of coexistence that is privileged in the novel, but is briefly subverted by the predictable mutant-supremacy group, some of whom also have hopes of creating a strain of super-mutants. Andie believes in and wants to assist the birth of cooperation model, so, when Senator Jacobsen is killed, she agrees to work with Jacobsen's mutant successor, Senator Jeffers, who becomes her lover. Yet she is able to transcend this seduction and unmask his unacceptable plans when necessary. Another mutant/non-mutant pair are lovers - Kelly, a talented non-mutant and Michael, scion of an important mutant family, are doomed to separation by social forces that will not countenance such a union. Michael is forced into a marriage with another mutant which he tries to appreciate but the novel leaves Kelly escaping into a military career as a pilot, and very much dissatisfied with the situation. Michael's sister and cousin present alternatives to his fate. While he allows himself to be incorporated into the mutant group's plans for the future, his multi-talented cousin, who has already left out of disgust, makes it clear that he scorns their plans. Michael's sister, although mutant in appearance, (they have gold eyes), is unable to use any psionic powers and escapes, through disguise, into the straight world. It is with this uneasy vacuum of futures that novel one ends. However, to reassure the reader that more threads will be tied together, a few pages of the next novel are included. The characters and plot of this novel are engaging, but the reader should be ready for and interested in the long haul which will take her/him through all four books.

Jan Bogstad, Reviewer

This final volume of the Mutant saga continues the story of Rick and Julian Akimura and their half-sister Alanna. Years have passed since Mutant Star, and Rick has spent this time living in the desert of America's Southwest, using his amazing powers to help ordinary people, and trying to atone for his father's death. Over time he has accumulated a cadre of devoted followers, and formed the quasi-religious service organization known as Better World. Rick's twin brother Julian is worried that Rick can't handle the pressures of fame, power, and success, while the Mutant Council fears a backlash against all who possess psychic abilities. Alanna is still trying to deal with her own frustrations, and finds solace in serving Rick, but finds him just as aloof as ever. Is Rick's utopian vision doomed to failure? Can Julian and Alanna accept their new positions in Rick's life? Will sinister forces at work within the Mutant Council put an end to Better World forever? Or will the non-mutant populace revolt against those who would manipulate their minds?

While less irritating than Mutant Star and more noteworthy than Mutant Prime, this book suffers from being rather slow. The flashback structure eliminates any real suspense the story might have had, so while the narrator tediously describes each minor event that builds up to the climax, the reader, who already knows what's going to happen, may be anxious to get on with it. A lot of space is devoted to Julian's ideological transformation, as might befit a novel of ideas; but instead of a clear discussion of the serious philosophical issues it raises, Haber gives us a star-crossed love story that ignores the very real objections one might have to allowing humanity to effectively become a subject race.

Certainly anyone who enjoyed the first three Mutant books should be happy enough with this conclusion; it has the same sharp characterizations leavened with internal turmoil and romantic sexuality, but readers who thought the original Mutant Season was 'just okay' won't find any great revelations that justify reading the whole series.

There are twenty stories collected in Universe 1, only two of which (by Francis Valery and K. Hernandez-Brun) are unreadable. Most of the remaining eighteen are provocative, enjoyable, amusing, moving, or all of the above - a remarkably high success rate for any anthology.

Some particular standouts:

"The Translator" by Kim Stanley Robinson. A human is forced to use an inaccurate translating machine to avert a war between two alien cultures. A deft portrayal of cunning deception, and the loose translations generated by the machine show Robinson to be herself a master of language.

"One Night in Television City" by Paul DiFilippo. The story itself is rather blah, but DiFilippo creates a narrative voice that is very Raymond Chandler-esque while advancing the slang and idioms a few hundred years. The word choices and the language that ensues is a fine example of a technical mastery of the written word (it is just unfortunate that the substance does not live up to the technique).

"Alimentary Tract" by Scott Baker describes a world where gluttony is punished by allowing the glutton to gorge himself; all calories are diverted to needy families in Southeast Asia. An intriguing idea played to out to wonderful comedic and insightful effect.

"The Songs the Anemone Sing" by Grania Davis is a powerful, moving tale of inter-species (platonic) love. Davis' ability to evoke powerful emotions in fifteen pages is astonishing.

"Love Is a Drug" by Leah Alpert is, perhaps, the highlight of the book. In Alpert's society, couples must undergo drug therapy before they can be divorced. Occasionally, though, the therapist injects the wrong drug! Wildly entertaining, and a pure pleasure from the opening line to the satisfying ending.

Amidst such excellent stories, Ursula K. LeGuin's contribution, "The Shobie's Story" is the only actual disappointment. Which isn't to say that the Shobie's story is a dull one; it's just that one expects perfection from the author of The Left Hand of Darkness and perfection isn't present here.

One final observation, several of the stories are post-apocalyptic, which is somewhat surprising given the stories were written in 1989/1990 when the Cold War seemed to be coming to an end and world-wide optimism was high. Once upon a time science fiction was the literature of the hopeful; not for several of these writers.

Overall, Universe 1 is a very worthwhile collection, one that should be appreciated by not only science fiction fans, but also fans of good literature in general.

Imagine if you could gather some of the world's best Science Fiction and Fantasy authors into a room for an informal chat about Tolkein's influence on their personal and professional lives. Unfortunately, the authors are not all IN the same room, so each conversation is quite a bit different from the last. The authors were clearly given quite a bit of lattitude and therein lie the strengths and weaknesses of this collection.
The tone of the essays are personal, even familiar. For fans of Tolkein or of the contributing authors, the book is worth reading, if for no other reason than to spend some time with distant friends. Another perk is the reading list inadvertently provided by each author as they comment on their other influences. Apparently there are a few seminal works in the genre that I have completely missed.
The quality is admittedly a bit spotty, even within the same essay. Some of the best essays came from authors I knew nothing about. However, like any good conversation, there are snippets of great wisdom throughout. (It is the rare friend who offers up nothing but gems.) I can assure you that every essay will leave you smiling, or nodding and a few might even have you reaching for a pen. In short, you will find much to enjoy in this collection.
I should note that there is something here for everyone: hobbyist, devotee, english major, or bibliophile. Rarely does one get to listen in on the personal conversations of authors as they discuss their lives, their work and the influences that have made their careers possible.

MEDITATIONS ON MIDDLE EARTH is a collection of essays focusing on J.R.R. Tolkien's works, especially the Middle Earth saga. Some of the more renowned fantasy authors of today evaluate the series that made fantasy a household name. Surprisingly, though everyone agrees that Professor Tolkien opened up the genre to the middle class, not all of the contributors are fans of the actual novels. Insightful and entertaining, each essay is well written with the writer's particular spin. However, this anthology will be loved by those readers analyzing the various cultures in a way that cultural anthropologists would envy or by those fans who cherish Beowulf, which Tolkien felt is the forefather of the genre.

Harriet Klausner

I borrowed this book from the library and enjoyed it so much I asked for it for Christmas (and got it). The different authors writing about the influence LOTR had on their lives reminded me of the first time I read the story and the effect it had on me. The drawings that illustrated the book were very well done. I think this should be in every fan's collection and is a must for anyone contemplating following in Tolkien's footsteps and writing a fantasy novel.

i didn't check the science of the book to see how accurate it was or was not. i don't think that is really the purpose of the book. it's here for fans of the x-men to think on what gives them their powers. and it is mildly entertaining in its attempt. the writing bogs down here and there and gets a little boring but overall it is entertaining. there are a few xmen that are left out that would have been nice to read about (gambit, bishop, cannonball, toad, avalanche, mystique) and there are some that are questionable in their inclusion (scarlet witch, unus the untouchable). the technology and alien races section are extremely weak. the technology offers no diagrams and both sections are merely synopsises and don't go into the how. still, for an x-fan, it is worth reading.

Think of it as a comic book lover's guide to basic science. This book doesn't so much debate the plausibility of a mutant's powers as it explains the laws of physics that would govern the use of them. It's overly simplistic in some places and needlessly complex in a few others, but mostly it's an easy, straight-forward read. Out of the 19 mutants that they profile they include all the originals (Jean, Cyclops, Beast, Iceman, Angel), some odd choices (Scarlet Witch, Unus the Untouchable) and miss some good opportunities (Banshee in particular). The section on psi-powers is probably the weakest, but the strong analysis of Wolverine and Magneto mostly make up for it. The character bios seem very accurate and detailed and the one error that I noticed is more likely a problem with editing than with the authors. On the whole it's a much better book than I expected it to be.

Other mutants included: Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Quicksilver, Mastermind, Colossus, Havok, the Blob, Xavier, Storm, and Rogue plus sections on Cerebro and the Sentinels

This was a terrific book.Yaco comes up with plausible explanations for how the X-Men's powers might work. Some of it's drawn from the frontiers of physics.There's obviously a lot of scholarship behind this book, but Yaco has a gift for writing simply and engagingly about complex ideas. His style is more playful than preachy. I especially liked the material on Iceman and Angel. Any true fan of the X-Men would treasure this book!

Do some research first. While I'm not a major hardcore trekker, I do at least expect the books I read about the Star Trek universe to be accurate with technical information and charachter accuracy. This book was neither, by far. I also expect at least some realism when it comes to diplomacy. In this, the book also lacked....atrociously.

It seems Janeway is constantly annoyed at something. It's like Janeway's PMS week through the whole book. Then she can't find any coffee...yah, sure.

She's rude to dignitaries sent aboard the ship, makes stupid mistakes throughout the book that just would not be possible.

The technical mistakes are so glaring that anyone who has actually watched the show on a regular basis would notice it. I'd expect an author writing about this ship to consult the technical manuals which are out on the ship to at least be consistent with the show.

The diolouge is choppy, unnatural, and it seems like the the crew members alternate between complete dopy, stupid decision making, and getting annoyed at something or someone. I barely made it through the book....at every chapter I just kept thinking "It can't get any worse"...but it only got worse with each following chapter. I started off thinking this book might get three stars, but it quickly dropped....by chapter eight it was such a rediculous bore I wished I could give it no stars.

This was the first of the Voyager books I've read, I think I need to find some others, they can't be this bad.

Karen Haber's "Bless the Beasts" offers once again a Voyager story with a seemingly peacefull planet, with the seemingly friendly inhabitants turning out to be something else than they seem in one way or the other.

No spoilers there I assume...

The book has interesting settings and situations, but as a whole it's lame.

Some information is flawed and inconsistant with the series and it's technology, and in the case of sensors, there's flawed information that affects the plot tramaticaly.

It's a fast read, but nothing special.

I have always been a big fan of Tom Paris and found this book a very interesting book and have read it 5+ times I highly suggest that all fans of Voyager should read this book

In this case, to those who wait for the Hartwell and Dozois collections, both coming out in the summer. Yeah, this one came out early in the year - but doesn't that make you stop to wonder, right there? How can Silverberg and Haber possibly have time to thoroughly review the field, make well-considered best-story choices, put the book together, copyedit, publish, and have it on shelves in the first couple of months of the year? They can't, or at least they didn't here. Enormous typeface cheats the reader out of the number of stories one would expect from a volume of this thickness and price. Not to mention that my (admittedly brief) perusal of the contents did not impress me. These stories are not *bad*, but they are not particularly outstanding and seem about average for what you'd get if you picked up any random month's top 3 or 4 sf magazines - and the stories are all you get; no review of the year in sf the way you get from Dozois, and no strong feeling of consistency like you get from Hartwell. Use the money to buy copies of the best sf collections of years past - Dozois or Hartwell or, going back further, Carr or Wollheim.

Its been a while since i last picked up an SF compilation. Im thoroughly pained by the quality of this book. Though i have yet to finish it, completed only stories 1 - 5... i realised that they are pretty much a rehash of old themes

- creation
- adam and eve
- looking back at the past... travelling there then accidentally changing it... urgh... (how star trekky can u be)
- the purpose of life from the eyes of a robot... (asimov!)

i mean, come on? are there no more original stories... im still looking for the class that was so apparent from authors of old nebula and hugo award winners. its sorely missing in the crop presented by this compilation...

Classics like Hyperion from Dan Simmons (his story is last in this compilattion - im saving it.. hopefully its worth waiting for!)

then there's the ever inspiring - Border's of Infinity.
a multitude of gems from Asimov, or the very few from Arthur C Clarke.

are sf authors really dead? have they all sink to the semi space opera sf works of Peter F. Hamilton? Or the many ... so called authors which produce the commercial star wars series?

surely u can do better than this.

I had high hopes for "Science Fiction: The Best of 2001," the anthology edited by Robert Silverberg and Karen Haber. The main reason I was so enthused about the book was due to the presence of science fiction legend Silverberg as co-editor; I figured, "This guy knows sci-fi." Well, I was not disappointed. "2001" is a marvelous collection of 11 tales about humans, extraterrestrials, robots, and/or genetically engineered creatures.

My favorite tales in the anthology are as follows: Michael Blumlein's "Know How, Can Do," told in the first-person by a genetically engineered "chimeric life form"; Richard Wadholm's "From Here You Can See the Sunquists," about a couple's visit to a town that is enveloped by a temporal anomaly; Robin Wayne Bailey's "Keepers of Earth," the story of a devastated earth, abandoned by humanity and populated by robots; Michael Swanwick's "The Dog Said Bow-Wow," in which a genetically engineered superdog has an adventure in a future London; Nancy Kress's "And No Such Things Grow Here," which opens with the protagonist learning that her sister has been arrested for GMFA (Genetic Modification Felony Actions); and Dan Simmons's "On K2 with Kanakaredes," the rather touching story of an interspecies mountain climbing expedition.

But the best story in the collection, in my opinion, is Jim Grimsley's haunting "Into Greenwood." This tale takes place on a planet where neutered, genetically altered humans serve as symbionts for a race of intelligent trees. "Into Greenwood" is a superb blend of a compelling sci-fi concept, great character development, and wonderful descriptive writing. I recommend "Science Fiction: The Best of 2001" both for pleasure reading and as a classroom literature text.

Volume three of the four volume Mutant Saga opens 25 years after the events of Mutant Prime. Many of the characters from the first two books are still here, but they're overshadowed by their children and really don't have much impact in this story. But without the background from Mutant Season, the entire concept of an insular strain of esp-powered mutants would probably be very confusing, as would the complex family relationships. This time around, the focus is on Melanie's twins, Julian and Rick. Julian is the good son, mutant-powered, engaged in a scientific study to see if the mutants' mental flares can be used to predict the future, and simultaneously trying to make time with his brilliant but older boss, Eva. Rick is the wild and angry son, possessing none of the precious mutant powers. Reckless and irresponsible, his relationship with Skerry and Narlydda's daughter Alanna is the core of this book.

As the Mutant Saga switches to the next generation, the overall story seems to run out of steam just a bit. The plot of Star is really very similar to that of Prime, and one wonders how much it would have hurt the larger work if one of these novels had never been published. Certainly Haber has a real gift with characterization, and that carries these books despite their weaknesses, but by virtually ignoring the characters from the previous volumes and featuring their children instead, Haber loses the benefit of our long-term emotional investment. Readers who have grown to care about Michael and Kelly may find themselves indifferent or worse to the spoiled brats who star in this novel. Couple this with a plot that doesn't so much climax as kind of fizzle out, and we have what is surely the weakest book of the series (so far). One can only hope that the final volume, Mutant Legacy, will punch up some of the lamer plot points and feature enough new ideas to bring the series back up to the high level of Mutant Season once again.