A review by shnuggs
Red Lightning by John Varley

3.0

I love John Varley. He is one of the most readable SF authors, he's got a great sense of humor, and there is usually some kinky and/or steamy inter-special sex in his books. His Wizard/Titan/Demon series is one of my all-time faves, and I haven't read a book or short story of his that I haven't enjoyed. "Red Lightning" is a sequel of sorts to "Red Thunder" (which was better). Humans have been living on Mars for a generation. An alternative source of energy has been discovered that allows for unlimited interplanetary travel. Then disaster strikes - something lands in the middle of the Atlantic causing a tsunami that wipes out the East Coast. Half of the the book deals with the rescue of folks affected by the wave; the rest is an action story about a crazy inventor, an attack on Mars, teenagers in love, and more. The books is somewhat disjointed - not Varley's best by a long shot - but still enjoyable for what it is.