I'm not one to pick up a book featuring a rock star in space, but Kelly Brewer makes it work in First Contact. I was asked to provide this review, and occasionally I love to read works from new and uprising authors.
Earth has reached the edge of its solar system and is slowly branching out further, an effort known as the Deepening. While things are bad on Earth, Kyle Supplantis, lead singer of the Cosmic Mechanix, embarks on a rock-and-roll tour throughout the solar system in an attempt to bring hope to mankind and to inspire further exploration.
Along the way, nefarious parties try to sabotage and otherwise destroy the tour. Even those close to Kyle have hidden motives. And evidently unseen aliens are watching as well.
As one may expect from a rock-and-roll book, there is music, crazed fans, dangerous drugs that kill, band member issues, backstabbing, some strong language, and a little bit of sex. Though, Kyle is noble and pure, almost to a fault. He needs to be clean if he's going to try and save the world.
The writing style is new and interesting, incorporating what might be called Millennial speak. Several words contain periods or emoticons, like one might see in code or on the Internets. The people of the strange Coexist religion seem to have their own language heavy with the letter Z.
The concepts in the book are highly imaginative: robots that are half human / half machine, long distance jumps in space involving the switching of matter, built-in communication devices, new kinds of drugs, and so on.
Overall, the plot is satisfying, though it leaves much open to sequels. This book seems more about building the world and stage setting for these future books.
If you love rock-and-roll and you also love space operas, then give this book a try. It's good light entertainment.
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