In The Garden of Iden - Kage Baker

1997; 294 pages. Genre : a mixed bag (see next section). Book #1 (out of 8) of Baker's "Company" series. New author?: Yes. Overall Rating : 7½*/10.

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I've been looking for this book for a while now. Borders and the used-book store didn't have much of a Kage Baker selection, but my local library did. In The Garden of Iden is a combination of sci-fi time-travel, historical fiction, and icky-ooey romance. Somehow it works.

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My review in 50 words or less...

Mendoza is a cyborg immortal, in 16th-century England, collecting soon-to-be-extinct plants. She copes with religious fanaticism, primitive mortals, and hormonal romance. But it's the historical realism that really stands out. With good themes and subtle humor, this is an excellent "intro" book to the series.

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Only a caitiff would fail to read the full-blown version of the review here.