Chewing Rocks Paperback – December 9, 2013

Chastity Snowden Whyte had gotten into too much trouble trying to defend her name and so started going by Sno. What a great name. Sno! Isn't that a weather condition, people ask when first introduced to her, many of whom have never seen snow, being born somewhere off planet, planet Earth, that is? Sno, herself, had only heard stories of snow, having been born on a planetoid somewhere between Mars and Jupiter. in the opening chapter, Alan Black paints an out-of-this-world picture of young Sno busy outside her spacecraft in her EVA suit, by herself, mining asteroids for rock and hopefully, a rare metal or two. When she returns to her home base in Arizona City on a small planetoid called, Ceres, she gets in a barroom scrap with 4 fellow miners from a competing operation. Without harming so much as a fingernail, she puts them in their place and then shortly after blasts off into the asteroid belt again to work a claim. It's what happens when they chase after her that makes Chewing Rocks so much fun to read. Great action, wonderful word visuals of the planetoid city, the spaceships and the mining operations along with a multitude of colorful characters made Chewing Rocks hard to walk away from. When I got to the arbitration scenes with Therese Cleasemount, I just simply couldn't put my iPad down; actually found myself chuckling now and then. I think maybe our justice system could learn a little bit from Miss Cleasemount.Chewing Rocks was simply a joy to read. I look forward to reading more about Chasity Snowden (Sno) Whyte.

I really enjoyed Metal Boxes but with this book I felt Mr. Black took it to a higher level. He gave the characters even more depth and the story just flowed. It didn't hurt that it is in a vein that I really enjoy reading either.. sort of a cross between commerce/libertarian/space miner etc... He did a really good job... I would even more so than getting a sequel to Metal Boxes like to see one on this story line.The only criticism I have at all is after the Arbitration started Mr. Black went to little mini chapters or partial chapters and I found the jump from the previous writing style to that to be very discordant. I think he did it because he wanted to fast forward over what could have been a long dry court room style section of the book. However both before and after he used that style he did really well with the scenes there. Toward the end of that section of the book he went back to his previous writing style which I enjoyed much more. I think he lost something doing it the way he did in that small section of the book. However even though I didn't like that style change I still found the whole book to be great. I would read it twice over I liked it so much and will probably read it again in a month or so which I only do for my favorite books.Very well done Mr. Black.. Very well done indeed!

I jumped into this story with both feet firmly set inside my EVA suit. Near Earth orbit asteroid mining is not only timely and relevant to humanities space goals, it can be downright hilarious at times and even a little dangerous if you don’t pay attention to what you are doing. In Sno’s case, she also had to watch her back as some knives can cut clean through a hard shelled EVA suit. There should be a psych test to keep the bad guys out of space.The back cover of the book made promises about corporate conspiracies, piracy, kidnapping, and murder. I got all of that and laughs to boot. This book is full of wit and odd bits of wisdom, but then people who go to space to live and work are an odd bunch anyway. I did not find it strange that people who leave Earth might reject the values they left behind and strike out on a new course. Isn’t that was space travel is all about?This book was cleverly written in a flash point-of-view changing style that kept me on my toes, but brought me to tears of laughter. There were no silly, long drawn out Shakespearian monologues to bore me to death, but a rapid fire shotgun blast of fully fleshed out real people struggling to survive where people were never meant to live.I read this twice before I caught on to where the author borrowed his storyline. Loved it and the box it came in.

This was a highly enjoyable space adventure set in the Asteroid Belt. Author Black got most of the asteroid details accurate, including the Kirkwood Gap venue. He has his miner ships use short 'jumps' to move around faster than on chemfuel thrusters. I'm fine with that. But he got two science things wrong. The gravity of Ceres, where half the book happens, is three percent of Earth gravity, not the ten percent stated in the novel. Second, the miners have what seems to be a matter transmitter in their hold that shoots the mined rock and metal back to Ceres for selling to buyers. Sorry. There is no good science for matter transmitters. The science errors is why this is four stars. The adventures of smart, sassy Sno, daughter of the man who runs her family's mining company, are totally enjoyable and plausible. I kept reading cause it was FUN to read this story. Congrats to Mr. Black, whose Metal Boxes series I read and enjoyed. Recommended.

If Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs took place in the asteroid belt, this would be the book. Alan Black's protagonist is a head strong independent women who's tough as nails. When stranded in space she's recused by 7 nice men from Earth. An evil person with the last name of Queene is attempting to take all that Sno (her name is Sno Whyte) holds dear. It's a clever fun book with lots of action and, believe it or not, courtroom drama. It's a fast, fun read and good for leisure reading.

I loved this book over all his other titles but I'm a sucker for a female heroine (if that's bad use of the English language I apologise, even though I've always read a lot it never seems to sink in) and when said heroine works for her farthers company Whyte mining and is a total tomboy who likes to pick fights with both the police and bar thugs alike and is nicknamed Sno, well my sense of humour can't help being tickled I would love to see more books about Sno Whyte and if not 7 dwarves then at least her group of friends

'I'm getting slow but I finally picked up on this. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the story and it's well written by many standards ; but really. the heroine's name should have given it away but her nickname and the nickname of the male lead, and the fact the bad person is from a family called Queene should have clued me sooner. Never mind; I recommend this book and enjoyed reading it. Even with the seven dwarfs.

I was delighted to find yet another competent writer of science fiction. Enjoyed the book.

Great book - kept me hooked right the way through.

I would have given this story a higher rating if it wasn't for the almost obscene pro gun toting, we don't need no laws espousing, small guvment rant that dominated some sections of the book. I don't mind a story that explores the need for taking your own responsibility and the fact that government can be a little too invasive, however, the idea that we would be better off if anyone could just say "I'm calling yo out Kincaid!!!!" and slice someone's throat leaves me a little cold