The Secret Lab - Steven M. Moore I will disclose this: I picked up The Secret Lab because of Mr. Paws, the intelligent cat. Yes, I could not resist the temptation to read the adventure of a sentient, mathematics inclined cat, told by Steven M. Moore. It exceeded my expectations.

Mr. Paws is the result of a genetics experiment aboard a facility orbiting Earth in 2147. The cat and his newly found friends, a group of four smart teenagers, find themselves in an intrigue with corporate agendas, young curiosity, dangerous and ethically problematic research, relationships and their difficulties when coming of age. The complexity is enthralling, but the author also makes it easy to follow, using a light, natural style to tell us their story.

This is what Mr. Moore does at his best. Tell us a story, a cozy story, a story that makes me smile and enjoy comfortably the cat-like analysis on those humans, as it unfolds. Along with their obvious, though understandable, limitations.

At its core a young adult fantasy, the story takes place in a science fiction context, extrapolated from the physics and genetics of our time. The artificial intelligence dubbed "the AI" is very advanced, but you still know it's a programmed entity, bound to its programming. The formation of mathematician and physicist of the writer shows in his brilliant and understandable description of the life in a space station.

All in one, the book is a very enjoyable read, appealing to all ages.