> Here's a little game. Below is a list of the books in the last BAM election, but this time I have included the little blurb under the title on the cover. After having read the "hook", NOW which book would you have voted for?

I didn't vote the first time, so I might as well try it now instead.

I find that I often am much more intrigued by the *possibilities* a title/hook, intro etc. suggests, than actually experiencing the following story.

One of my greatest moments of watching Star Trek: TNG was when an episode started with a typical ER situation on an alien planet, where a team of doctors and medical staff rushes through hospital corridors with a person on a table. The intro ends by showing us who's on that table: Riker, only with a slightly different forehead than usual. I was immensely fascinated by the thought of all the different possible stories behind that situation, more so than by the rest of the episode itself.


> _The Bane of Kanthos_ "Was he Lansing of the Amazon--or Rocar, master of sword-and-sorcery?"

Does not intrigue me very much.


> _Kalin_ "Finding needles in haystacks hardly compares with hunting diamonds in dinosaurs!"

A little bit better. Humorous, and makes me wonder what kind of story this is. Hunting diamonds *in* dinosaurs??


> _Cradle of the Sun_ "Was the world's last coward mankind's final champion?"

Bleech. Sounds too much like the standard "the no-good nobody actually has it in him/her to resque the world" kind of plot. Cliché.

> _The Wizards of Senchuria_ "Hide-and-seek on an infinite gameboard."

Now _this_ sounds interesting! Plenty of food for thought and imagination here!


> _Dark Planet_ "Step Two was the Space Navy's Siberia--until one man learned of a third step."

Hm... Also kind of promising, but has an air of "standard" space adventure.


> _The Herod Men_ "Planned death vs. unwanted birth in the Overpop Era."

Sounds too much like a sociology kind of story.


So, I guess the Wizards get my vote, with Kalin as my 2nd choice.

-Trav"would actually like to read some of those novels"holt.