An eclectic group of has-been golfers, world political leaders, secret agents and terrorists, converge on a small Scottish community to participate in an inaugural golf tournament, hosted by an annoying and immature software mogul.  But whose agenda will prevail?  The ecological terrorists?  The vengeful Scottish clan? The amorous, sight failing Hispanic golfer? Or
any of the half dozen or so other agendas?

Each chapter penned by one of an all-star cast of authors, this was a marvellous, quirky, warped, black humoured adventure/intrigue story...for eight of nine chapters.  Unfortunately, author Crumley (the final installer) was handed such a convoluted story to finish, that he settled for an absurd conclusion, eschewing any attempt to carry forward serious plot elements pioneered by his counterparts from the earlier chapters.  It made for an entertaining, if disappointing, ending, to an otherwise dynamite story.

Recommended

http://www.yetanotherbookreview.com/quantum_rose.htm
THE QUANTUM ROSE
Catherine Asaro
TOR 2000
Pb 419 pages (includes 15 pages of appendixes)
ISBN # 0-812-56883-4

How would you like a little romance with your science-fiction? Sound interesting? Author and physicist Catherine Asaro combines top rate science and a good love story into an easy and enjoyable read.
The Quantum Rose is part of her Skolian Empire Saga.

Heroine Kamoj Quanta Argali is the governor of Argali Province, on the long lost colonial world of Balumil where a year is twenty-standard years long and the winters are lethal. Caring about her dying province more than her own happiness, she has agreed to marry Jax Ironbridge, governor of a neighboring province. This "corporate merger," as they term it, will ensure prosperity for her people and more beatings from this violent man.

Enter the mysterious Hero: Havyrl Lionstar, a masked man who becomes so enamored with Kamoj that he must have her. He sends a ridiculously high dowry to her province so he can have her in marriage and it isn't until the wedding night that these two actually meet. Ahh, it gets better. I won't tell you all of this book's secrets, but you do need to know just a little bit more about Havryl. He's a prince, of course: a Skolian prince, a Ruby psion (meaning telepath able to use ancient Ruby Empire machinery). The Imperial Space Command has brought him into exile after a traumatic escape from the current power structure that thrives on slave trade (Havryl is brother to Kelric and Soz.  This story falls, chronologically, after theirs)..

Kamoj's people were designed by these slave traders for very specific purposes. She thinks her name means vine rose, but it is a slave-label meaning "scattering resonance." Do remember that the author is a physicist. She's designed her hero with a Kyle Afferent Body in his brain, and when these two meet, well ... you'll just have to read the book.

Both our hero and our heroine have problems to overcome, not the least of which is--you guessed it--Jax Ironbridge. Oh yeah, it is a good story.

KC Heath