4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
...that old thermite bomb in the head ploy..., November 24, 2006
Lawrence Watt-Evans tells the kind of stories I love to read. On the surface, he seems to indulge in crafting passages wherein nothing much of consequence is happening, but don't be deceived. These quiet moments have a way of adding heft to the book and ultimately enriching the reading experience. This author writes well-rounded tales that end up being hugely satisfying, mostly because of his predilection for grounding his fantasies in some semblance of reality and common sense. He sets up firm rules with regards to his brand of sorcery and super science, by which he then rigorously stands. The result is airtight world-building which lends more credibility to his stories. THE CYBORG AND THE SORCERERS, although one of Watt-Evans's earlier efforts, is yet another solid novel crafted in that mold.
For Slant, an IRU (Independent Reconnaisance Unit) cyborg, the all-out war between his Old Earth and the outpost planets ended fourteen subjective years ago (which translates to 300 years of actual time). His side having lost, Slant had been aimlessly navigating the spaceways in his computer-helmed spaceship. The computer, which has the capability to take Slant over and control his actions, now finds itself without a purpose and seems to be looking for an excuse to end itself. Suddenly, the computer senses a "concentration of anomalies representing enemy weapons research" emanating from an unremarkable-appearing planet Slant would later discover is called Dast, and Slant is sent to investigate post-haste. With the ever-present threat of the thermite bomb imbedded in his skull, Slant has no choice but to comply. But what he unearths on Dast is something he and the computer have never before encountered...
What's so refreshing about Lawrence Watt-Evans is that he eschews patterning his protagonist after the classical, high fantasy hero caught up in some earth-shattering quest. His protagonists aren't glory hounds or knights in shining armor. They're regular Joes, like you and me, inhabiting a world of sci-fi and/or fantasy. Yes, every now and then, Watt-Evans's "heroes" will accomplish some amazing feat, but that feat is always rooted in well-established reasoning and down-to-earth common sense. Watt-Evans has hardly ever written a fantasy epic (although with his recent Obsidian Chronicles and the current Annals of the Chosen trilogy, he might be branching out). Rather, he seems to delight in narrating the day to day existence of his main characters, touching on both the mundane moments and the meaningful events. Often, pages go by without a dragon slayed or a distressed damsel rescued.
Watt-Evans excels in imbuing his hero with a certain unflinching honesty of self, of which the same can't be said of other fantasy authors' heroes. To segue a bit, Valder of THE MISENCHANTED SWORD is a perfect example. That book could've easily evolved into an epic quest-type story if Watt-Evans had been so inclined; instead, in that book, the all-important battle - which ended the multi-year war Valder had been engaged in - was fought "off-screen," without the involvement of the book's hero. Valder, instead, goes about his merry way, employing his foundation of practicality and logic to sensibly live out his life. Watt-Evans has no compunction toning down the importance of events as relates personally to his character. This results, usually, in a more substantial, more personal, and a more "real" story, as opposed to the pretentious, diarrhetic wordplay commonly put out by the more touted fantasists (Terry Goodkind, Robert Jordan, George R. R. Martin...).
But back to Slant, who Watt-Evans portrays more as an anti-hero. I wasn't too thrilled at this dude's less than chivalrous nature, especially towards the girl Ahnao, who he repeatedly calls "stupid." But, in actuality, Slant's behavior and actions make total sense in light of the fact that he's a cyborg whose emotions have been forcefully suppressed and who is being controlled by a computer. And, when he's not being controlled, the cyborg's motivations are firmly directed toward his own needs, although he does try to not hurt anyone. However, whenever the computer does take over and compels him to kill, even murder, people, Slant only suffers a slight pang of regret. The robotic coldness and emotionless calculation with which Watt-Evans suffuses Slant is a bit disquieting to read. Not exactly hero fare, right? But, again, Watt-Evans sticks to his guns and his own set rules. He doesn't shy away from portraying Slant with an eye towards a truthfulness that other authors would've been uncomfortable in maintaining.
Sorry, guys, for having my very own wordy diarrhea. To sum up, THE CYBORG AND THE SORCERERS isn't for everyone. This book will be a good read to some, and not to others. It all depends on if the reader can curb his/her taste for vapid valor, unending sword fights, and epic questings. I think - I think - that the discerning fan who takes the time to breathe in this novel's low-key, slice-of-life stuff will be rewarded, in the end. But, to be honest, I've had friends who've read this book and found it...not to their liking. But, for those who do end up enjoying THE CYBORG AND THE SORCERERS, Slant's further adventures can be read in THE WIZARD AND THE WAR MACHINE. Also highly enjoyable are Watt-Evans's Obsidian series and his leisurely paced stories of Ethshar, of which his best book is THE MISENCHANTED SWORD.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another great Lawrence Watt-Evans book, August 6, 2008
Slant is a cyborg, a weapon created by Old Earth to find Old Earth's enemies and kill them. However, Old Earth lost the war, and there is no one left alive to release Slant from his computer enforced mission. And when he arrives at an enemy world that has been bombed back into the Dark Ages during the war, his computer is surprised to find out that on this world magic actually works. But, Slant is tired of fighting an already lost war, and wants to quit - but if he does, his computer controller will terminate him but good. What can Slant to do win his freedom on this crazy world? It's magic versus high-tech, and may the best man...or machine, win!
For many years now, I have been a great fan of Lawrence Watt-Evans' wonderful series - Ethshar, Lords of Dus and Worlds of Shadow. Having finished all of those books currently available, I have moved on to his War Surplus series. This book is another great read; one that shows off the author's writing ability. I loved the way that the author combined magic and high-tech to make an exciting and thoroughly believable story.
This is another great Lawrence Watt-Evans book, and I look forward to reading the other book in the series (OK, it's a series of two). Lawrence Watt-Evans is a great author, and this book is another shining example of his abilities. I highly recommend this book!
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