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Book Review By rebecca cornia
Conquistador by S.M. Stirling

    In 1946, injured WWII veteran John Rolfe discovers a dimensional portal to an alternate Earth where the North American continent is untouched by modern civilization. Rolfe gathers his former Baker Company buddies to develop the natural resources of the new dimension.

    Flash forward to the year 2009. California Fish & Game Warden Tom Christiansen and his partner Roy Tully are in Los Angeles on a sting operation. They've been told about a warehouse of merchandise made from endangered species. When an unknown incendiary device destroys most of the evidence, Tom rescues a California condor from an unidentified DNA group. Tom eventually realizes that the condor must come from another dimension.

    As he investigates, Tom meets Adrienne Rolfe, John Rolfe's granddaughter. He tries to entrap Adrienne and ends up being forced through the portal to the Rolfe's dimension. Tom and Adrienne discover that discontented elements in the Rolfe dimension want to open the portal and use "FirstSiders" from our dimension to take over the Rolfe dimension. Tom decides to help the Rolfes defend their community and joins forces with Adrienne in fighting the insurgents.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Explore:
Spying & Investigations Yes
What is main char. doing? - unraveling a conspiracy
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10 %
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 %
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30 %

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount

Setting
Terrain
Earth setting: - near future (later in 21st century)
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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