All these circumstances govern the first published volume, Primary Inversion later volumes only increase the sense of emotional chargedness and political consequence which depend on almost every action, every emotional response or initiative. Much depends on the capacities (or incapacities) of various significant figures as regards what Asaro calls 'psiberspace', a kind of Cyberspace whose lines of Communication and what might be called network radiance involve Telepathy. The narrative parameters of the overall series are clear, however: within a frame provided by the Allied Worlds centred on ancient Earth, the Skolians and other imperia (like the slave-trading Eubian domain) interact aggressively archaic dynastic intrigues out of traditional Space Opera (and much contemporary Dynastic Fantasy) are both softened and darkened by an unusual intensity of romantic emotion on the part of various rulers and heirs as they interact, come together, break up, shake their worlds near to destruction. Her use of plot turns generated through applications of quantum physics does not quite attain Oulipo rigour, but adds interest. The universe of the sequence, which is described in Hard SF terms, is at times difficult to plumb, especially for readers who – because the venues where much of the action takes place are colourful – may have anticipated the more relaxed explanatory structure typical of the Planetary Romance.

She remains best-known for the complex ongoing Saga of the Skolian Empire Space Opera sequence, whose individual volumes focus on different events over a wide time span, without making up a single story arc, though the Triad sub-sequence – Schism ( 2004) and The Final Key ( 2005) – specifically precedes the central pattern of stories that main sequence comprises Primary Inversion ( 1995), Catch the Lightning ( 1996), The Last Hawk ( 1997) and its immediate sequel Ascendant Sun ( 2000), The Radiant Seas ( 1998), The Quantum Rose ( 2000), Spherical Harmonic ( 2001), The Moon's Shadow ( 2003) and Skyfall ( 2003). At about the same time she began publishing work of genre interest with 'Dance in Blue' in Christmas Forever (anth 1993) edited by David G Hartwell. (1955- ) US physicist, with a PhD in Chemical Physics from Harvard University, author, and editor who for a short period produced a Semiprozine paying professional rates, Mindspark, with five issues between August 1993 and Fall 1994.

Irresistible Forces by Catherine Asaro