SOJALS rating:

Good (3/5)

I first read this in November 1996.

An incredible new technology is being offered for auction and Julia Evans, the owner of the corporate empire "Event Horizon" is determined to get it.

Royan, Julia's husband, has been missing for months, but now he's sent an enigmatic message to Julia. Is it a warning or a cry for help?

Greg Mandel,ex-Mindstar Brigade, is in happy retirement as a gentleman farmer, but now Julia needs him gear up and get ready to find her husband who

Charlotte Fielder is an exceptionally talented courtesan but her latest assignment that started with such promise, seems to be going bad.

Finally, and most importantly, it looks like First Contact may have been made, that aliens have finally arrived.

This is Hamilton's third book featuring Greg and Julia, the first was "Mindstar Rising" which was rather good. They're set in the near future, primarily in England, after global warming has devastated much of the world. Of course, if you're English, you automatically love these books because England, and in particular Peterborough (!) has once again became a major world power. Additionally, the weather appears to be much improved.

"The Nano Flower" has rather good writing,a great plot and real excitement. In particular, the tekmerc shoot-outs and the hunt for the alien really were gripping.

What's it got? great hi-tech technology, bioware, big guns and aliens.