I have read several of Jack McDevitt's novels, including:
- Omega
- Eternity Road
- Seeker
He has written many more, some of which I might yet read.
My initial impressions of Jack are somewhat favorable, though his biggest weakness is using sexuality to gratify shallow male readers. Jack makes it clear he believes in loose morals for his futuristic societies. All the books hint at that. "Seeker" was nearly free of it. "Omega" mentions more about the laws and structures of marital contracts. While one of his earliest novels, "Eternity Road" was rather distasteful is several places.
The later books are cleaner. Maybe McDevitt is "growing up" a little as a writer and not relying so much on sex to entice readers. But, as my wife would say, "He's still a male writer" with a visually dominated portrayal of women and a tendency to use somewhat stereotypical genders for his protagonists.
Jack is not a heavily imaginative SciFi author, creating mind-bending alternatives to my reality, or challenging modern scientific assumptions that make me think hard. But he does very well with bringing a believable world and society to life for his characters. The characters and plot are central to his work. That's actually refreshing in SciFi and fantasy worlds.
For now, I would recommend "Seeker", and if you are bored, "Omega". "Eternity Road" was a fascinating plot, but I can't recommend it on moral grounds.
