Beneath the Gated Sky

After successfully infiltrating an alien world for the Cosmic Event Agency (CEA) in Beyond the Veil of Stars (1994), Porsche Neal and the Earth-born Cornell Novak are determined to expose the CEA's duplicitous nature. Raised on the planet Jartee, Porsche and her family are members of the Few, an alien species who use mysterious portals called ""quantum intrusions"" to travel between worlds. As members of the CEA, Porsche and Cornell discovered the secretive organization's plan to use these intrusions to steal advanced technology from other worlds. Before they can reveal this plan, however, the lovers are captured and forced to participate in a CEA mission to kidnap Jartee's greatest minds. The conspiracy-based plot takes a while to get rolling, but, once it does, Reed manages to raise intriguing questions about the nature of humanity, loyalty and responsibility. By closing with the possibility of there being another planet-hopping race that is rival to the Few, he also leaves the broad hint that Porsche and Cornell's adventures will continue. Readers looking for challenging yet entertaining SF fare will find it here. (Sept.)