Customer Reviews

Endurance (A Stardoc Novel)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you have not read any of the Star Doc books you are in for a real treat. The books are an equal blend of good old wiz-bang space opera and romance. I think that this book like the rest of the series will appeal mostly to women, but if you are not a Romance fan do not let that keep you away. This book owes more to books like White's Sector General series as it does to the world of bodice rippers.

"Endurance" is the third installment in the adventures of Cherijo Grey Veil, genetic construct and intersteller surgon. The book starts right where the last one ended and it ends with a cliff hanger of its own, but don't let that put you off because there is enough action in this book that it will leave you wanting more.

The only flaw in the book is that it becomes harder and harder to believe that someone as smart and savy as Cherijo could be as stupid about men as she is. I think that Ms. Viel still has cards to play in the increasingly disfunctional relationship between Cherijo and Duncan Reever the series hero/villain/general mystery man, and I hope she playes them soon or that relationship will begin to get old. At this point you are still rooting for them to get together, but their chance of happiness seems dim through most of this book, at least untill the ending.

While Cherijo's commitment to "do no harm" remains firmly in place, she takes a step away from being the Doctor Saint. And for those of you who (like me) detest Reever, there's a treat or two in store for you. Throughout the Stardoc series Cherijo gets dumped on more often than a city landfill. Usually she mouths some tough talk, then forgives the dumper and pretends nothing ever happened. In "Endurance" she's been beaten into a corner and if she wants out she's got to fight back. She's also gotten a little tired of being the constant dumpee and starts to do something about it. What does she do? Oh no, I couldn't possibly tell you that. That'd be cheating, but you won't be disappointed. As another reviewer mentioned, the story IS violent, but consider two things. First, the nature of the HskTsk. They're brutal; feared throughout the known universe because of their unrelenting and usually unprovoked violence. They don't just rob a colony when they raid, they murder every living sentient they find. Second, look at the violence in real life prisons. The level of desperation is generally far less than is the case on the HskTsk slave colony. Keep those two things in mind, and you'll see that if anything Viehl held back, including only the violence required to advance the story. To have included less would have been a disservice to the story and to Veihl's readers. After reading the scene with Cherijo and Noarr alone on his ship I'm wondering if Cherijo might have a sister, and if so, where can I email her! Oh, right, she's an only child. Curses. The depth of "Endurance" exceeds both of the previous Stardoc novels. The relationships are firmer and more complex, the setting is generally more vivid, the drama is more intense. What does that mean? It means that "Endurance" is Viehl's best book to date. I found myself staying up till the wee hours of the morning, not willing to set it aside until I was too tired to keep reading. I took it to work with me. I made my wife drive when we went out. I read it every spare second I had. I wanted to know right that very second what came next, and next and next. This went on until I'd read the very last word.

I've been reading this series since the first book came out, and this author still shocks me. The latest of Dr. Cherijo's adventures takes place as she becomes a slave of the Hskskt. She and the League soldiers captured at the end of the second book are taken to a crystal prison where they wait to be sold. Cherijo is forced to become a slave doctor to keep the Hskskt from executing the sick. Even though she joins up with an alien freedom fighter, she also operates on guards and makes friends with one of them. There is romance and more betrayal in this book, but not what you'd think. I didn't expect the plot twists at the end of the book at all, in particular the ones about Helen and Noarr. I admire that Ms. Viehl didn't back away from describing the suffering endured by the slaves in this novel. There is plenty of her usual humor, but she doesn't use it to joke about slavery. I would have been offended if she had. Because there is some graphic violence, I rate this one PG13 for parents. It isn't fluffy sci-fi for the middle class, who want to pretend things like this don't happen. This is the real deal. My only complaint about this series is why do we have to wait until Nov. for the next one?

As a writer myself, I can tell you how difficult it is to suck it up and just tell the story the way it is, without shrinking from the tough parts. S.L. Viehl does that. It isn't easy to write about torture and slavery, but how realistic would it have been if she had glossed over those parts of the story? I've been a fan from the very first StarDoc, and can't wait for the next one. Cherijo is an interesting, funny, tough character. So she doesn't have the best instincts about men; I know a lot of very bright women who are like that. And as it turns out, her instincts weren't far off.

It isn't every writer who can make me care about a blue guy, a spider, or cry when a lizard dies. I hope the Cherijo series goes on a long, long time.

Viehl is an excellent writer. Which is one of the reasons that I could not put this book down in spite of the fact that I wanted to because of the incredible amount of violence. I don't believe that the extremely graphic scenes were absolutely necessary to the plot. I found myself skimming past most of these sections. Otherwise, the action is fast and furious giving the reader barely enough time to take a breathe before the good Doc gets herself into yet one more dangerous and/or violent situation. My constant reaction was: How can a supposedly super intelligent person have absolutely no control over her emotions or her big mouth? In spite of all, I still like Cherijo and find myself eagerly awaiting the next volume. I have my own ideas about some of the next plot twists and I hope I am right.

Third novel in the StarDoc series. Now we find Cherijo Grey Veil Torin taken captive by the Hsktskt's, on their way to a trade port that deals in selling slaves. She is branded and made slave to OverMaster HalaVar, who is not a true Hsktskt but her own husband Duncan Reever.

Under his protection she is allowed to serve on the HskTskt ship as a medical doctor, and along the way discovers a strange disease among the league prisoners that kills without leaving behind any traces except a resemblance to spinal meningitis.

This series is best started at the first book, StarDoc, and followed through in its sequence. The first two novels, StarDoc and Beyond Varallan are much better than Viehl's third effort here. Although I still give it four stars for the quality of characterization and imagination in dreaming up new species, Viehl's plot in this sequel falls flat compared to the other two.

I became a little bored with the repetitive "catch and release" theme that seemed to dominate here: she's working in medical, a bad guy takes her to solitary (or torture) Reever rescues her, she goes back to medical, a bad guy takes her to solitary (or torture), Reever rescues her, and so on and so on.

This plotline cycled through itself way too many times in this follow-up in Cherijo's journeys, but I like the character so much I was willing to cycle with her. I am now reading the fourth installment and have both confidence and hope that Viehl will not repeat the weak plot mistake she made in this book.

All in all, the series is an extremely imaginative and fun romp through space with odd aliens and medical disasters and action packed thrills, just consider this third in the series a break from the norm. Enjoy!

I read the first two books in the stardoc series on my kindle. Now I would like to download "endurance" which is the third book in the series. Could someone please tell me why it is not available in digital format? The fourth book is. I can't understand why anyone would choose to limit a series like this.

Okay, I have read the reviews of everyone else, and now feel it is my turn to share my opinion of this book. I read the other two books and went out and bought this one at the local bookstore as soon as it was on the shelf, because I couldn't wait long enough for it to be shipped to me... So, I'm reading it, not studying for my class once again (I know, I'm a bad colleged student). I must say, this book held my attention just like the other ones. Yet, I can understand the other reviewers comments about the torture scenes. They had me cringing. But, they only seemed to make Cherijo stronger and more determined to help people and get out of the predicament she was in.

I don't think Cherijo is actually stupid when it comes to her relationships with men. The only other relationship she has had was her short marriage to Kao. I think she felt so guilty and still feels guilty about Kao dying, I mean it was her blood that killed him, that she can't really trust herself to be in another relationship without feeling she is betraying his memory. I guess she's also fighting this obvious love she has for Duncan Reever, but you can't half blame the woman, the man has betrayed her, tortured her and done all sorts of despicable things to her!

But what I didn't really understand, was the scene between Cherijo and Maggie. Ms. Viehl has me wondering and waiting for the next installment in this series with that one, not to mention the bit of news Reever received at the end of the book. I'm glad that I won't be pulling my hair out waiting for the next one, like I did this one!

Taking up from the cliffhanger of the previous book, sees the increasingly superhuman (and inhuman) Cherijo enslaved, hated by her fellow slaves and back to square one in her relationship with Duncan. Viehl writes as compellingly as ever but the story turns out to follow an increasingly violent and monotonous pattern of plucky defiance followed by punishment and torture interspersed with the good Doc saving all and sundry in the Medlab. Chojero appears increasingly dour and embittered and the lovely humour that leavened Stardoc is largely missing, apart from a brief subplot with 2 alien teenagers. The good Doc has little to do apart from fend off her various suitors or torturers. I do hope the next book has a lighter touch, but at least this one did not end in a cliffhanger!

Let me start off by saying I am a big fan of the "Doc". The third installlment picks up exactly where the last book ended. Ms. Viehl does a good job of catching the reader up if your "new" or just reminding the "faithfull" why we love our "Doc". As a prisoner of the Hsktskt Slavers she spins most of the book fighting for and trying to save her fellow prisoners while "sticking it in the face" to Reever, her bondmate who betrayed her at the end of Book 2. As usual there are lots of characters to interact with - alien and terran alike and I really enjoyed the return of TssVar and learning more about the Hsktskt race and their customs. As usually this author continues to be a strong writer of characters, how they change and relate to each other. I especially liked the Doc's relationship with one of the Hsktskt females. Although some of the mystery was too easy to figure out it was still a great read - all in one night. I gave the book four instead of five stars as I got a little tired of the prison, the escapes and saves and escapes and saves but that was a minor drawback. In retrospect I will probably be sorry - it should be a five. If you like a space opera with a strong, independent heroine with a great sarcastic sense of humor, enough action for a fast read, interesting supporting cast, some tears and lots of cheers and finally a great continuing overall plot you will not be disappointed - adventures of the Doc are for you. I know I'm hooked and hope Ms. Viehl can continue the adventure. I look forward to the next installment.