Customer Reviews

Deathstalker Rebellion: Being the Second Part of the Life and Times of Owen Deathstalker

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

While this second entry in the life and times of Owen Deathstalker retains all of the action and fun of the first novel, an element of camp seems to have set in to make the series less fulfilling. Greene, every so often, seems to set the story aside momentarily in an effort to be funny, and the introduction of characters such as Half a Man indicates to me that Greene has decided to embrace some of the campiness of space opera and just run with it. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Deathstalker Rebellion is the fact that Owen Deathstalker, the main character by default, is the least interesting person in this entire drama. Outlawed by Lionstone XIV, this historian and aristocrat turned reluctant hero has set the rebellion against the Empire in motion, but - at least at this early stage of the game - he has become all but irrelevant. His close comrades - legendary rebel Jack Random, pirate and clonelegger Helen D'Ark, and bounty hunter Ruby Journey - are much more prominent and intriguing than he is.

The first real blow Deathstalker delivers to the Empire is an assault on the Income Tax and Tithe Headquarters on Golgotha, seat of the imperial government. He succeeds in throwing the Empire's finances into disarray, but the resulting blow to the planet's defenses allows an unknown alien ship to pop in and lay waste to the starport and other prominent facilities. This poses a problem, as the underground of rebels (including a number of fascinating aristocrats alongside hackers, clones, and individuals with esp abilities) already plotting their own rebellion on Golgotha itself aren't exactly happy about staging a rebellion that promises to just open up the way for their own annihilation by aliens. In the aftermath, however, all the rebel groups throughout the Empire come together for the first time in order to make plans to work together. Lionstone XIV, meanwhile, has to lay plans for a threat from within as well as without. Captain Silence and Investigator Frost (my favorite characters) somehow manage to avoid execution for their failures once again and end up out on the Rim shoring up planetary support. While there, they encounter a lost ship from two centuries earlier which turns out to be full of Ghost Warriors; these are animated, computer-enhanced corpses controlled by the dastardly AI from the planet Shub, known enemies who now bear watching - along with the Hadenmen, or Enemies of Humanity, who have joined up with Owen's forces after the Deathstalker freed them from their Tomb on the lost planet Haden.

The main action in this novel, though, focuses on the inhospitable planet Technos III, where the Wolfe Family is in charge of producing new stardrives for the imperial navy. Family clans are very complicated in this imperial universe, with each Family conspiring for greater power while individual Family members constantly plot against one another. Thus it is that several groups, not just the rebels, do not want to see the Wolfes produce a single new stardrive. Random and Ruby travel to the harsh environment to lead the rebel forces fighting for their planet, but the biggest surprises are laid by folks ostensibly loyal to the empire - it all comes together to make the ultimate climax quite interesting, to say the least.

Deathstalker Rebellion seems much longer than its 500+ pages. There are some redundancies built in to the story, characters have a knack for somehow managing to engage in pages of private dialogue in the midst of frantic activity going on all around them, and there are some real "oh, come on" moments in the story. You've got one character who returned 200 years ago from alien capture with only one side of his body - his other half is some sort of alien energy field. You've got heroes capable of doing all kinds of miracles thanks to an earlier trip through a mysterious maze of unknown alien origins, and that sometimes provides an easy out for Greene when characters find themselves in real trouble (sort of an alien ex machina). You have a civilization that has manufactured a weapon capable of wiping out a galaxy of worlds instantaneously, yet no one can invent a blaster that doesn't require two minutes to recharge between shots. Perhaps the biggest problem is the fact that events and characters are spread quite thin across the novel - you can go 100 pages without encountering the protagonist, for example. As the rebel efforts begin to coalesce in the future, though, I would expect this problem to diminish.

Despite the negatives, Deathstalker Rebellion is a fun, action-packed, sometimes slightly wacky, read; it's pure space opera and seemingly proud of it. The encounter with the Ghost Warriors is an especially intriguing, momentarily creepy, episode. I wouldn't recommend starting this series with this or any other sequel, though; there is just far too much going on in too many different places. If you enjoy space opera, you should enjoy the Deathstalker series; if you can take it or leave it when it comes to space opera, you may find yourself frustrated by the seemingly slow progression of events in these pages.

Space opera doesn't get any better than this. With his grand, sweeping style, his memorable characters, his complex and involving storyline, his suspenseful and riveting action sequences, and his absolute mastery of the art of drama, Simon R. Green has truly shaped a masterpiece of modern fiction. Deathstalker Rebellion is the second in a series of five, and continues to build up the complexity of the series. The more Deathstalker you read, the better it gets.

This series was ostensibly written as a homage to a simpler time where good guys were good and bad guys weren't all that complicated. I personally find the characters in the book Oz, Owen, Hazel, and Ruby and Ransom, the Stevie Blues and Augmented men to be refreshing I am sick of those 20 book long series where it is revealed slowly over the course of time that the evil emperor/empress really isn't such a bad person after all.

This time it is different the bad guy (or in this case bad woman) really is that bad kind of like a comically evil Ming the Merciless this series is amazing not for its quality which frankly isn't that great once you step a pace back think about it for a few seconds but rather for its similarities intentional and not so intentional to Doc Savage, Flash Gordon, Perry Rhodon and John Carter of Mars the series is what it is and most of the time that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Overall-while most the action is still on Deathstalker and his gang fighting the empire by degrees Captain Silence and his gang travel around the rim a little visiting some (for once) very inhuman aliens. My favorite characters this time are the more minor ones David Deathstalker, Kid Death and don't forget Finly Cambbel the masked gladiator. As much as convenient plot devices and repetitive dialog make me want to give this series up I like the characters to much to do that and you will too.

Green excells himself with this second installment in the Owen Deathstalker saga. Definitely a Space Opera with very obvious sword and swashbuckling influences, this book helps transform Owen Deathstalker and his band into characters of interest.

To be brief, this book was not as good as the first in the Deathstalker series, but it was good enough to make me buy the third book, Deathstalker War. Therefore, I still recommend it.

Another adventure of Owen Deathstalker and his band of not-so merry outcasts attempting to take on the Empress and the Empire all at once, with the usual space-opera intermingled thanks to the always enjoyable aristocrat families. Good fun for all sci-fi enthusiasts.

I loved the great discption of Mr.Green. the words he writes are just as suspencefull as pictures. the battles and edge weaponry keep you wanting for more. thank you Mr.Green

This book and the others in the Deathstalker series are a must. Green is a true genius, he posses the ability to place the reader in the roles of any member of the text. Owne Deathstalker must build a force to overthrow the currupt empress who live only for herself.

This book is brilliant and I can't only recommend it enough.

this swashbuckling epic is better than the first book!Owen Deathstalker and his fellow rebels are still the evil empress. they are making alliances with others who eager to overthrow her imperial highness Lionstone.This series is the closest thing I've ever read to Star Wars! I also like the fact that it doesn't take itself serious all of the time. the female characters are also the more bloodthirsty than the men!

An enjoyable sequel focusing on different characters than Deathstalker. This book focuses more on the politics of the Imperial Court and her Imperial Majesty Lionstone XIV. The plot is splitting into many possible directions and I estimate at least two more sequels, possibly more. I would recommend reading Deathstalker first. The 'space opera' in this book is definitely above average.