Pop Quiz

It’s summer. And we all know what a lot of us do in summer. We go on lazy vacations where we read novels about asteroid miners. I know you’re doing that. I may be doing the same.

However, in the spirit of feeling erudite and intellectual even as we stagnate just a little, I thought I’d offer you a task.  I read Danial Suarez’ Delta-V a month ago and really enjoyed it–except for the treatment of the poor space lawyer.  Why do people always pick on lawyers?  I don’t get it.  We’re nice.  Really.

Anyway, moving on emotionally and all that, I will return to the task.  Because it’s the middle of August, when space lawyers, rocket scientists, policy wonks, and other ragamuffins are looking for lighter reading material, I want to draw your attention to Delta-V’s tale of billionaires, cave divers, and asteroid miners.  And then we’ll have a quiz.  I will give you a few weeks to read the book, and  open the floor for public comment on September 4, on Chapter 34, Titans, where space licensing is addressed. Comments will not be accepted after September 10.  Delta V takes place in the 2030’s, so you may compare the apparent changes in the law between now and then.  The best discussion will win.  It being summer, this is a very slow motion pop quiz.

Book Description:  When itinerant cave diver James Tighe receives an invitation to billionaire Nathan Joyce’s private island, he thinks it must be a mistake. But Tighe’s unique skill set makes him a prime candidate for Joyce’s high-risk venture to mine a near-earth asteroid–with the goal of kick-starting an entire off-world economy. The potential rewards and personal risks are staggering, but the competition is fierce and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Isolated and pushed beyond their breaking points, Tighe and his fellow twenty-first century adventurers–ex-soldiers, former astronauts, BASE jumpers, and mountain climbers–must rely on each other to survive not only the dangers of a multi-year expedition but the harsh realities of business in space. They’re determined to transform humanity from an Earth-bound species to a space-faring one–or die trying.

Prizes.  What will you win?  First, there’s the glory of it, of course.  Your name will be praised throughout the land.  Second, I will send you a free copy of one of my books or stories, whichever you prefer, in the format of your choice.  Several but not all of the novels are available in paperback, and all are available electronically.  If only one of you enters, it will be an easy win.  It’s good to plan ahead.

Process.  You probably don’t need instructions on how to read a book, but I have to mention a possible glitch.  I attended a space mining conference this summer, where I learned many things about how hard space mining is.  I also met a clever woman who had just finished Delta V.  She had listened to it on her commute every day, and loved it.  I smacked my forehead in awe.  I have an Audible subscription, I said to myself.   I could do this, too.  So, even though I had checked out the hardback from the library, I, too, got the book on audio, for my commute to the mining conference.  One issue that arose (and here’s where I’m going with all this) was that the chapter numbers don’t match.  Accordingly, if you listen on audio, you’ll be off about three chapters from the hardback version.   Be careful with that.  The scene I want addressed is in the chapter named Titans where two billionaires get down to brass tacks.  That’s all I can say without risking spoilers.  And, for all you space law fans out there, you’ll know it when you see it.

(One more thing: I’m hoping to have the difficulties with leaving comments here resolved by September 4.  As things stand now, I have to manually approve each comment even though my settings are all proper.)

Comments due:  September 4-10, 2019.