Books with author Lee Berger

Solar system exploration and exploitation. While the former may have more to do with looking for some type of life, for the latter, two words sum it up: off-Earth minerals. Okay, maybe that’s three words, but the point is that solar system exploitation is needed to help pay for the exploration.And if you have mining, you’re going to need off-Earth manufacturing as well, since bringing everything from Earth will still be expensive even with future technology. Besides, “living off the land” makes the most practical sense any way you slice it. And this manufacturing will utilize ever improving additive techniques, while the mining itself could yield some uniquely interesting mineralizations.So, do precious metals adhere to the same value system as they do on Earth, or are other metals more valuable? Low gravity may help in mining the metals, but high gravity prevents their repatriation. Humans are nothing if not adaptable, so adjusting to these constraints is just a matter of decision and determination. And maybe a little deceit. Not too far into the future –It was announced that a gold vault was going to be built on the Moon. The big question was “Why?”, as there didn’t seem to be any need for such a depository, at least not for years. Unfortunately, no real answers were forthcoming, and one person in particular was going nuts trying to figure it out, although she really couldn’t tell why it was so important to her, if “important” was the right word. Nor was it just curiosity, for it might in some weird way affect hers and so many others’ financial futures. But if the announcement was all about misdirection, then what…?A little further into that future –Although being chosen as one of the few to be shown a glimpse of the (supposed) motivations for the vault, this serendipitous opportunity might now allow Cassy to actually see if there was anything of substance behind the repository. But as her “adventure” unfolds, Cassandra soon becomes more worried about what she might find than what she might not.

The Enterprising Dragons from Bali is a 7-part series of short stories, with Salvage being the second in this set of novelettes, each an engaging length for enjoying with an extended lunch or, if you’re an especially quick reader and a prudently slow drinker, your tall morning latte.The Series –Between salvaging a stranded ship on a deserted island and initiating construction of the mountain school, each sibling contemplates even additional goals. Whether either dragon will be successful will not only take both time and effort to determine, but also depend on significant human interaction, and in the end lead to more than the initial objectives.Salvage –The second story finally finds the salvage operation underway and, if successful, the dragon crew, along with human helpers, will sail the ship back to the island port, then on to Mollie’s school. The question then becomes what Mollie will do with the vessel after all this time and effort, since she’ll be the only dragon at the school with sailing experience once Charlie’s team members have departed?