Edward M. Lerner always delivers good quality science fiction entertainment and the first contact premise sounded interesting. I just only realised afterwards that it is a story set in his InterstellarNet, which explains why I generally liked the world building, but it felt a bit incomplete.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, March 2001

Set in a future where first contact has been made, but only through radio transmissions. The alien tech that has been revealed through that is of course highly valuable, and thus sought after by companies wanting to get ahead in the market, though regulations forbid them. The story follows a murder mystery narrative, but I was mostly drawn by the technical world building. Given the story’s age was sometimes a bit amusing, but also clearly shows that Lerner has a good eye for technological advancement.

This story is probably not the best introduction to this series of stories, as you are just thrown into the middle of things, but the world building shines through and I enjoyed that, though the actual story less so.

Read in Year’s Best SF 7, edited by David G. Hartwell
Originally published in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, March 2001
Rating: 3