Customer Reviews

The 97th Step

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The 97th Step is the fourth novel written in the Matador series, but is the first in internal chronology. It is the story of Mwili Kalamu, a farm boy from Cibule, who ran away from home at the age of fourteen and who is destined to become Pen, the teacher of Emile Antoon Khadaji.

Leaving Cibule, he takes the name of Ferret and becomes a lane runner, living at the fringes of society and stealing to make ends meet. During this period, he becomes the partner of Bennet Gworn, a fellow laner, but then has to abandon him when a heist goes bad. Later, he becomes the partner of Stoll, smuggling illegal merchandise, and meets Shar, an exotic dancer who sees him as a soul mate. All falls apart, however, when Gworn gets out of prison and comes looking for him.

After Gworn kills Stoll and Shar, and he kills Gworn, Ferret tries to forget with drugs and alcohol, but the memories still fester in his mind. After a long period of continual intoxication, he meets his old martial arts teacher, Dindabe, in a bar and agrees to resume his studies. The workouts flush the poisons from his system and he begins to regain an interest in life as he regains his proficiency in the arts, but he still lives from day to day, with no long term interests.

Dindabe introduces him to Moon, a Sister of the Shroud, and encourages him to become her student. Ferret goes with Moon to the training center on Manus, near Wewak, New Guinea. Although doubting his own commitment, he takes the name Pen and gradually becomes engrossed in the program and finally graduates.

This novel is a tale of enlightenment. Pen has no real faith in himself, for everyone around him has either turned against him or died. Before Pen could accomplish anything, he must recognize himself as a person and have faith in that person.

Recommended for Perry fans and anyone who enjoys tales of martial arts in a SF setting.

-Arthur W. Jordin

I started the Matador Trilogy with "The Man Who Never Missed" as, I suspect, did most people. But the story starts 50 or 60 years before with the development of the boy who becomes the man called Pen. The word "Easy" is not in Pen's dictionary and he goes through three distinct life stages as the illusions of his life are shattered one by one. As a person who has had a few minor difficulties in life (nothing compared to the character of Pen) I was left wondering what is keeping this person alive. It seems to be the vague feeling that there is something out there. Some purpose or meaning. A reason for being. Happily, he finds that reason but it is more humble and, at the same time, more wonderful then anything he had ever imagined.

This is a wonderful book and a key part of the Matador series. If you like science fiction, religion, philosophy, ethics and morality then DO NOT MISS "The 97th Step".

If you are really old and you ever saw (and liked) the movie "Circle of Iron" then you will certainly like this book.

The 97th Step details the life of a man from abused child to thief to student to teacher. Pen's journey to find himself is a great adventure, and one that is both moving and profound. Combining scifi adventure, martial arts and a touch of spirituality the story takes you on a journey with a man who started with nothing, became the envy of others because of the things he gained, then loses everything only to find himself, the greatest accomplishment one can attain

In The 97th Step Steve Perry tells the life of Pen, a backworld farm boy who runs away from a abusive father to find a better life some in the universe. The novel takes Pen, and the reader, through three distinct stages of the charater's life.First he is an abused farm boy named Mwili,then a smuggler called Ferret, and eventuallyhe becomes Pen, the man behind "The Man Who Never Missed", the teacher and trainer of Kadiji, the person who is created with the fall of the evil Confederation of Planets. The 97th Step is jam packed with fast paced martial arts action, steamy love interests, spine tingling sepence, and the futurestic setting of a true Science Fiction novel. Perry is a genius, and the entire series is truely a must read

Readers of Steve Perry's Matador trilogy will appreciate the background this volume provides, and in fact this makes a good chronological introduction for new readers of the series. The 97th Step is a novel primarily focused on character development, which is out of the ordinary in the sci fi genre. Your typical sci fi novel is far more focused on plot line and imaginative gadgetry. Although this book includes both of these elements, the unmistakable emphasis is on tracing the evolution of Mwili the farmboy to Ferret the thief to Pen the martial priest.

Make no mistake, the story includes some riveting action sequences and pulse-pounding suspense, and these definitely keep it interesting. However, there really is not much of a unifying plot other than as a "biography". The author makes liberal use of the flashback technique to recount Mwili's teen years and escape from Cibule, as well as Ferret's escapades with his former partner/lover turned nemesis, Gworn.

I guess one thing that was a bit of a turn-off for me was the author's undue emphasis (in my humble opinion) on sexuality. Admittedly this is part of Mwili/Ferret/Pen's personal history and character makeup, particularly as it relates to other figures like Shar, Gworn and Moon. However, this is not an element I usually look for in this genre (in fact, it's normally absent altogether), and I personally prefer to keep it that way. Call me an old-fashioned prude, but I remember the days when plenty of great sci fi novelists wrote excellent stories without the need to inject gratuitous sex. But for this, I might give this book 4 stars.

But don't let my personal hangups turn you away from an otherwise good book, and definitely a great trilogy. The Matador series is a very enjoyable read, and The 97th Step makes it complete.

The 97th Step
(1989)




In typical Steve Perry fashion, the first page grabs you by the short hairs and keeps you enthralled to the point where you feel like you have to put the book down and take a breathe.

For an excellent Plot summary see Arthur w. Jordin's review.

I highly recommend this book for fans of Steve Perry and anyone who enjoys tales of martial arts in a Science Fiction setting.

Enjoy

The Next book in this series by my reckoning is Albino Knife See my Listmania for the complete Matador Series. The first book in the Series is The Man Who Never Missed

Gunner May, 2010

Pen's origins. Good storytelling and interesting plot. Even though it is fourth in the series, it should be read before the rest of the Matador series for continuity. Martial arts fans should realize this is militaristic sci-fi, not a samurai book.

All of Perry's series of Matador novels (including BLACK STEEL and THE OMEGA CAGE) taking place in the same universe are marvels in adventure storytelling. To date he has written over 5 additional novels that either preclude or occur after the events of the MATADOR TRILOGY. Some like the Omega Cage have peripheral characters that come to the fore in their own harrowing and fantastic adventures to those like BLACK STEEL where one particular Matador confronts an evil bent on keeping a dark secret. In all of them we continue to get top-notch sci fi action adventure that puts Steve Perry head and shoulders above other writers. The 97th step does not disapoint

I have read all of his books and he has got to be one of the most outstanding authors around. This particular book I would consider his masterpiece.

I was really disappointed in this book. I ordered it because it was recommended as a "martial arts fiction" book. However, the martial arts in this story play only a very small part. This book is mainly a mishmash of mystic mumbo-jumbo and a bisexual young man's attempt to find himself. I really wish I had known before purchasing it that the lead character would be a multi-sexual. I think everyone (whether they be straight, gay or a green alien from Mars) likes to read books that they can identify with...you know, put yourself in the lead character's shoes so to speak. I for one certainly could not identify with this book's main character.