This story focuses on an off-corridor earth like planet, HuteNamid, that has been inhabited by colonists with American Indian ancestry. This group has lured some exceptional but quirky doctors to their Alliance sponsored Think Tank. The Alliance commerce, communication, interplanetary navigation and repository of all civilizations knowledge is resident and dependent on the Net DataBase accessible to citizens throughout the galaxy. Admiral Loren Cantrell and her crew had been pulled off first planetary leave in over two years to travel with a newly minted Net specialist and investigate missing people, scrambled or missing Net Records and lack of any results from the planetary ThinkTank on HuteNamid. This book (# 1 in a series of 3 NetWalkers) introduces the principle characters, the political tapestry, the unique geographical construct of HuteNamid and the resulting friction between the colonialists and the Alliance administration. This sets the stage for the remaining stories. Necessary background for what is to come! Warning, not all the players have shared beliefs, incentives and goals. ( )

In this tightly plotted, fast paced opening volume in the 'NetWalkers series, everyone has an agenda. Not least of these is Stephen Ridenour, the brilliant computer scholar determined to go places. That is, any place but a planet. Yet his arrogance is merely a front for deep psychological damage inflicted by his upbringing and schooling.

Ridenour doesn't realize he's the very personal focus of at least two political factions, one of which will institutionalize discrimination against planet-dwellers, and one which wants to abolish it. As Ridenour interacts with Admiral Loren Cantrell, Anevai Tyeewapi, and other fully-realized characters, he exposes a crisis of `Net-spanning scale. [There is more. Far, far more, but it segues into spoiler territory.]

This work tackles large-scale issues: bigotry, privacy in an electronic age, ecology, sexism, homophobia, and the myth of the noble savage, with a light-handed, almost breathless style with plenty of humor that belies the seriousness of its themes. Like a dance, Fancher trips the reader along the edge of clichés, and then suddenly turns a corner nearly under the reader's feet, a panoramic view of possibility entirely unexpected. Readers' attention will be richly rewarded.

I had this in deadtree version, but wasn't able to get into it; Fancher has cleaned up the story considerably from my memory of the Questar version. Her strengthened writing skills show in this revision.

I found this to be a satisfying and intriguing read, and look forward to reading the entire set. ( )

Groundties, complex and character-driven, is a story difficult to forget. Other reviewers have summarized the plot well, so I won't repeat it. Suffice it to say that moral and ethical situations related to technology and relationships are explored with such finesse that you'll be thinking about them for a long, long time. I love this book so much that despite already having it in paperback, I took advantage of its newly-released Kindle format and purchased it again.

Groundties is a GREAT read! Advice from someone who knows: plan ahead to read it on a day off, because it is so engrossing that you won't want to put it down. ( )

The first time I read GroundTies (when it was brand new) I was immediately entranced by the storyline and delighted by the characters. That hasn't changed in the latest reading. Now, in the new ebook edition (which seems somehow appropriate to the story), the tale comes alive again, from Admiral Loren Cantrell's interrupted dinner through the intricacies of the HuteNamid world and the problems found there.

Jane Fancher's attention to detail makes this an intricate storyline, filled with exciting developments and secrets that might better not be brought to light. Her vision of the future is complex and shows the kind of attention we could wish for in all science fiction books.

But even better for me is her array of quirky, individual characters. Like many readers, Stephen is my favorite (sorry Wesser), but that doesn't make any of the others less interesting.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good, solid science fiction adventure. It's a book that has gone too long without the notice it deserves. ( )

Superb. Thoroughly engaging and complex debut novel.

Mankind has spread through the galaxy, with the aid of what these days might be known as cloud computing - the Nexus Space Internet - some dimensional fold that allows instantaneous information communication and storage. Naturally the administration of this vital resource has spawned a complex bureaucracy - NetAt, as well as specialist professions authorised to make changes to the Net. Meanwhile colonists have developed their own unique planetbound cultures, distinct and as untrusting of spacebaced authority, as the spacers are of them.

the story opens with a NetAt Special OPs captain - Loren Cattrell, being called off leave to investigate a 'glitch' in some Net records involving the colony of Natehumid. This is also an opportunity to take along one Stephen Ridenour, a freshly graduated whizkid, potentially suitable NetAt candidate - who admittedly didn't have an easy time at college. His thesis was inspired by Wesley Smith, thrown out of NetAt and now resident at Natehumid. As they arrive at NateHumid everything seems tranquil, even idyllic, with residents and spacers cooperating far more freely than usual. Even Stephen's nervousness seems under control. However when within minutes of landing the ship's security officers are attacked by the president's son for doing no more than asking questions, it seems as if Natehumid is too good to be true. Loren's only chance of a simple resolution may be Stephen's attempt to get along with the exiled irascible genius Wesley Smith.

The writing is excellent, the various characters really stand out, sympathetic with vulnerabilities and strengths of their own. The worlds and societies are well imagined and enjoyable. I'm not a huge fan of frequent jumps from one viewpoint to another, but it is well handled here. There are a lot of names and even worse abbreviations to get to grips with, but it all becomes fairly clear quite quickly. The story does come to quite an abrupt halt, very obviously part of a trilogy. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the continuations.

One area I'd particularly highlight for praise is the keeping separate of the various characters thoughts. Stephen. Loren and the Planetsiders all have very different expectations of each other, and interpretations of why certain actions were performed and what the consequences might be vary - each obviously based on the different characters past experiences and observations. This is something that is very difficult to do well without any crossover from one to another, and Jane has done this exceedingly well - and managed to keep the reader up-to-date as well.

Thoroughly enjoyable, well worth re-reading and I'll definitely be downloading the next installments soon.

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Can't believe it's been so long since I re-read these. The characterisation really is excellent, and dominates the story, such that the plot and hte world-building are less important. I certainly didn't struggle with the abbreviations this time around, but keeping track of the various potential motivations and why, x thought z might do something, does require a certain amount of concentration.

Remains very enjoyable, and a world I'd certainly like to visit. ( )