Way back when I was barely a teenager, someone passed me a copy of 'The Patterns of Chaos'. I was instantly absorbed, engrossed in the story and driven to read until the wee small hours to see what happened to Bron Haltern and his mysterious foes. It was the first time I'd ever done that and I still (after nearly 30 years!) remember the excitement.

I've re-read it many times and, yes, it does have some major plot holes but I'd still count it as 'intelligent space opera'.

I couldn't put it down. The story grabs the reader and doesn't let go. These other reveiws give a better idea of the plot than I can, but if you like Science Fiction you must read this book.

Clever game with theories on Entropy, innovative idea of Syncratics mixtured of religion and science, enormously fast action with sequence of surprising acts that logically fit together. All that written down reminds me on refreshing peppermint candies from my childhood - there is no way of stopping, and when box is empty you still can't get enough.

'Search for the Sun' (the first of the 'Cageworld' series) is a slightly mind-boggling novel. The five protagonists are hired by a mysterious man/machine to search for the computer system that runs a completely redesigned solar system involving concentric Dyson spheres. Their quest takes them inwards from the 'mars sphere' towards the sun (which no-one has seen in generations since they live on the *outsides* of the spheres). To add more interest, there are unknown players trying to both help and hinder them.

I found the novel a trifle patchy, varying from average to excellent. I loved a couple of the characters but found the others didn't really engage me. On the other hand, I would definately recommend the book to others.