The Duke of Uranium [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

In this novel, Jak is taking his last required class in gen school, bored out of his mind as usual. When the period ends, he and his tove, Dujuv, pre-order their habitual fare at the Old China Cafe and claim a private booth when they arrive so that they can check their admission scores for the Public Service Academy. Jak misses the cutoff for his genetic type by 65 points and Dujuv misses by 11 points. Neither one is likely to be attending PSA. On to the contingency plans; Jak intends to join the Army and Dujuv decides to become a professional slamball player.

Soon thereafter, their demmies join them, having accessed the databank after the boys reading their scores removed the privacy flags; Sesh says hello to Jak, but Myxenna plasters Dujuv against the backwall with a kiss. When Dujuv is allowed to come up for air, Myx states that she has made the cut, but Sesh says that she also missed the cutoff. When the boys tell them about their career ideas, Sesh surprises them by saying she is going to be a Social Parasite and just live off her family's money. Then they get down to the important things, like where to spend the evening, and find that Sesh has gotten tickets to the closing performance of Y4UB, the Slec group.

Jak returns home to exercise the Disciplines before getting ready to go to the concert. He discusses his career ideas with his Uncle Sibroillo and learns a little more about Uncle Sib's background. After he does his katas, a cord drops over his head and starts to strangle him, but he manages to get out of the cord, so his attacker kicks him in his armored cup over his groin. Uncle Sib has won again, but the score is beginning to be more even.

Jak meets the others at the ferry station to take the gripliner over to Centrifuge together. At .9 gees acceleration/deceleration, the trip takes about 22 minutes. As usual, Sesh gets them there before the line at the entrance is too long and they are soon floating through the huge sphere in micro gravity. After the show founds, Jak and company get into the sight/sound/motion of the Slec and then start doing stunts such as the double Immelmann, but Sesh is not there when Jak reaches for her hands. He looks around and sees Sesh being hauled off by four men. Immediately, he attacks the men and then Dujuv joins him, but the assailants have allies, who soon knock the boys unconscious while the others hustle Sesh out of the concert.

When Jak awakes fully, it has been four weeks since the kidnapping. However, Uncle Sib knows where and why Sesh has been taken. It seems that Sesh is really an Aerie princess named Shyf and has been taken to Fermi on Earth to convince her to marry the younger son of the Duke of Uranium. Jak is ready to leave immediately to rescue her, but Uncle Sib has a better plan.

This novel would drive serious, studious types up a wall and probably result in damage to the book. Jak is a sweathog, not because he lacks ability, but because he is incapable of taking school seriously and is likely to fall asleep during any and all lectures. Moreover, he plans on avoiding further schooling at all costs. If anyone cared, they would probably lament the loss of his considerable potential, but even his Uncle Sib believes him to be incapable of responsible behavior. His uncle's demmy, Gweshira, thinks he just might amount to something after his hormones cool down, but that is not the majority opinion.

This story is much like Hughes' Fool Errant and Fool Me Twice. The hero is an ignoramus and dilettante who naturally responds to danger in the best possible manner. He is courageous and wily, but makes many grievous errors in intercultural etiquette. His mouth runs ahead of his brain and he is solidly grounded in his own provincialism.

The author has created a well-fleshed future society with an evolved technology and language ... and an almost unfathomable adolescent slang. One anticipates numerous complaints about the slang, but it is fairly easy to assimilate; certainly no harder than the current, ever changing, teenage dialects. After all, one suspects that this series is intended for young adults, who will have little problems learning a few futuristic phrases.

This story, however, it is not limited in its appeal to the younger readers. It has enough meat to engage the attention of many adults as well. In fact, some of the humor may be enjoyed more by an experienced reader.

Recommended for Barnes fans and anyone else who enjoys light SF adventure stories with some sophistication.