Echoes of Issel [Hardcover]

Diann Thornley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1996

The latest installment in the military science-fiction saga of the Unified Worlds follows a young soldier named Tristan as he teams up with the father he has never known to fight against alien slave traders.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Continuing the Unified Worlds series begun in Ganwold's Child (1995), Thornley's second novel traces the further adventures of Tristan Serege as he and his mother are united with his father, the commander of the United World's most elite space-attack forces. The narrative energetically mixes personal problems and crises, political intrigue and military action, though it lacks the absorbing alien anthropology of its predecessor. An emphasis on characters' emotional problems may initially dismay readers drawn to the derring-do prevalent in that earlier yarn, but here the author adds important SF twists, and allows suspense, as well as military and political action, to run high. Fans of military SF will especially enjoy reading about Tristan's training, some of it based on Asian martial arts. With writing that's clear and expressive, and characters that start out strong and gain depth, this proves to be a spaceworthy sequel.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Thornley continues the galaxy-spanning saga of warring species, human and masuki, begun in Ganwold's Child. After years of imprisonment in the alien Issel system, Tristan, slowly recovering from wounds that pierce deeper than the flesh, has been reunited with his family. While his father, Special Forces Commander Lujan Serege, tries to forge a bond with the son he has barely known, news arrives that the masuki are poised to recapture the Issel system. Unfortunately, Tristan's intimate knowledge of the system defenses makes him the ideal choice to guide Unified Worlds' forces into battle. Thornley builds suspense slowly but satisfyingly and includes an intriguing subplot involving the human general Ochakas, who, while a prisoner of the masuki, takes a hand in undermining their plans. Thornley's deft renderings of alien culture, battle strategy, and the subtle relations between the main characters should further her popularity with fans of military sf. Carl Hays

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 349 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (April 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312860870
• ISBN-13: 978-0312860875
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,030,421 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Second in series better than first, July 11, 2003

By 

Scott R. Lucado "I'm the other author named L... (Fort Worth, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Echoes of Issel (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this second installment of Thornley's trilogy. The writing is more crisp, the action scenes gripping, and most of all, the character development is much better than in your typical SF novel.

Once again, Thornley has managed to balance an insider's view of military operations with the elements of good fiction. Unlike the technical sterility of Tom Clancy, she is sensitive to her characters, and that makes us care about them, too.

Anyway, the plot itself is the continuation of the first book, as Tristan and his parents struggle to adapt to their new lives. More to the point, the action of the individuals is well balanced against the setting of interplanetary conflict.

All in all, very well done, and I'm looking forward to reading the final book in the series.