Voyage of the Space Bubble

"Voyage of the Space Bubble" is a series of Hard Sci-Fi books written by Military sci-fi author John Ringo and centering around the creation of trans-space portals known as Looking Glasses and the effect their discovery and the the discovery of things via the portals have on life on Earth and off it.

eries basis

Involving a much more in-depth look into physics and the other sciences than most other sci-fi booksFact|date=September 2008 - either by this author or many of his contemporaries - this series begins with the cataclysmic creation of a system for opening portals to other places in this universe. Alien contacts and conflicts (both friendly and non) form the basis of the story and provide an interesting look at the idea that being a hero requires more than just muscles and guns. In these stories you're unlikely to survive without a firm grounding in quantum physics as well. In this way the story relates to another of John Ringo's books "Von Neumann's War".

Book 1 - Into the Looking Glass

At the beginning of the story, a scientist named Chen attempts a limited modification of the laws of physics in a given area. That area being the particle accelerator in the University of Florida's high energy physics department. It is suspected he succeeds as the result is a 60Kt blast and the creation of something known as the 'Chen Anomaly', an enigmatic black sphere that functions as a portal to another world.

Having heard about the blast in Florida, the Secretary of Defence - going to brief the president - grabs the nearest scientist with any qualifications on the matter who luckily happens to be Dr. William Weaver (modeled on Sci-Fi author Travis S Taylor), a self-proclaimed High-Tech Redneck from Huntsville Alabama. Dr. Weaver finds himself, along with a SEAL Chief named Miller, becoming the lead investigators and trouble-shooters relating to the Chen Anomaly and the 'Looking Glass' portals it spawns. When one begins to spew a hostile alien biological entity it's up to a Geek and a Jock to save not only this world but literally hundreds of others.

Book 2 - Vorpal Blade

In dealing with the Looking Glasses, humanity has discovered precisely one friendly species. The Adar. About a hundred years in advance of humanity, the Adar have had all sorts of problems with the hostile entity known as the Dreen and their slave races. With the discovery of an ally in Humanity they look forward to a brighter future. As a gift, they offer Humanity a small black box that they discovered on a distant world. Enigmatic and plain, the box appears to be a terrifying weapon until Dr. William Weaver discovers that it is in fact a Hyperdrive which, when grafted to the former SSBN Nebraska creates the first Warp Ship, the Alliance Space Ship Vorpal Blade. You can guess at all the ASS jokes the ship's Marine contingent makes when the name's revealed.

Vorpal Blade tells the story of Humanity's first voyage into interstellar space and the hazards we encounter there. Be they the Mecha-eating Crabpus, the Gravitational standing waves between solar systems or the Demons of Cheerick the crew, Marines and SF contingent of the Vorpal Blade must handle them all... Just as soon as they quit heaving from the pink maulk in the Pre-Mission physical.

Book 3 - Manxome Foe

An astronomy center located on another through the LG's was attacked and destroyed, presumably by the Dreen. As per protocol an Ardune warhead was sent through the gate destabilizing it. Now the crew of the Vorpal Blade must find out what happened to them, if it was Dreen, and are they colonizing the local systems. Despite the fact that it takes a month to get their. With pre-mission physical in route. The crew is put up against unimaginable odds, making a new ally, and discovering the Dreen's plan for Earth. With another victory under their belt, the crew return home in the Vorpal Blade II, and their battle prize.

Book 4 - Claws That Catch

During their escape from the Dreen, the Hexosehr discovered a planet with ancient ruins, containing an inactive 'black box.' Sent out to make sure the Dreen don't get it and any other advanced technology, the Vorpal Blade II goes on this mission in a new ship with a new CO. The veterans of the Blade must teach the nuggets all the common sense they need to survive, as well as the Cheerick fighters they're training. On their arrival they discover a great secret, in some, "odd" encounters.

-References

1. John Ringo http://www.johnringo.com/2. Baen Books http://www.baen.com/