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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Church in the Future,
By
This review is from: Game of Fox & Lion (Mass Market Paperback)
" Benedict paused as if contemplating the full extent of the scene he had described. 'Nobody wanted war. All were acting in what they perceived to be their best interests. Yet their perceptions were so warped by their sins -- you don't like that word, Chiang. Most of us don't. Perhaps I should date my conversion from the instant I realized that moral theology gave a more accurate account of human conduct than any school of psychology, because it understood that the basis of evil is intentional self-delusion.'"
------------------ Not exactly the sort of statement that we are used to reading in science fiction, is it? However, this riveting book has the Church and Catholic teachings in the background the entire time, although they are rarely expounded upon as in the above excerpt. Jon Lei Chiang, a powerful leader, kidnaps the last of the specially enhanced Multi-Neural Capacitants, Paul Niccolo Renard. Renard had joined an order of terraforming monks as Brother Benedict which is the first of the unexpected twists that Chiang experiences. In indenture to Chiang, Benedict must help him win a war against both his political enemies and also against the Bestials who are warring with human civilization. The Bestials also are "enhanced" humans who have been changed so much that there is much argument over whether they can be considered to be human or not. This book covers much ground with many plot twists that are surprisingly timely, especially considering the current debates over manipulation of genetics. In addition it is a really good space opera, albeit a tad intellectual compared to the usual space opera fare. I found the last plot twist to be rather predictable but it is still a good read for all that. Definitely recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
diplomatic and political intrigue dominate this space opera,
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Game of Fox & Lion (Mass Market Paperback)
`The Game of Fox and Lion' (1986; 246 pp) was published by Ballantine and features an nicely done cover illustration by Darrell K. Sweet. (The image depicts Benedict, struggling to negotiate the high gravity of the Bestial's home planet, being helped into a motorized chair for easier transit).
Things are not going very well for John Lei Chiang, head of Chiang Biosynthetics and one of the 13 Councilors of the Centauran star system. Duplicitous Council members are plotting to drive him out of business and take over his markets for themselves. Some may even be conspiring to have him assassinated. And to make matters even worse, a race of rebellious human / animal hybrids, the `Bestials', have set up their own civilization in the outer planets of the Centaurus system, and are launching destructive raids on Centauran outposts. In desperation, Chiang sets off on a quest to find one Paul Renard, last of the `multi-neural capacitants', a man genetically engineered to process information arising from complex systems with superhuman ease and clarity. Sentiment against genetically engineered humans has driven Renard into hiding and his whereabouts are a mystery. But Chiang succeeds in finding Renard on the remote planet Ariel, where Renard has joined a Catholic religious order and taken the name Benedict. With a nuanced display of power, Chiang coerces Benedict into working for him. Upon arrival back at Centaurus, the other Councilors are less than pleased to learn that Chiang has a potential `evil genius' in his employ. Measures to strip Chiang of his power and wealth are soon set in motion. Can Benedict act in time to save Chiang Biosynthetics ? Can he also act in time to prevent the Bestials from ravaging the entire Centaurus system ? Does Benedict have a covert agenda of his own that guides his actions ? `Game' bases its title on a phrase from Machiavelli's `The Prince', and Benedict behaves in a manner akin to that played by the Catholic Church clergy in providing wisdom about statecraft to sundry princes, kings, and dukes during the time of the Renaissance. This is both the book's strength and its weakness. The emphasis on the political and diplomatic intrigues fermenting in the Centaurus system gives the novel a more cerebral tenor than traditional, military-themed space operas. But it also gives the narrative a deliberate, measured pacing that makes the first half of `Game' rather dull. Fortunately, during its last third, `Game' picks up momentum as the story line focuses on a series of engagements between opposing fleets of spaceships. To author Chase's credit, these battle scenes rival those of the definitive mid-80's Space Battle book, `Ender's Game', in their intensity and excitement. Chase takes care to set things up so that while Benedict is a formidable strategist, the conflict with the Bestials is never one-sided, and the outcome never assured. I suspect readers more attuned to the action-heavy novels by John Ringo, David Drake, or John Scalzi (among others) may find `Game' underwhelming. But readers with the patience to proceed through the rather labored early portion of the book will find `Game' delivers a noteworthy finishing sequence. (note: the original, expanded version of this review first appeared at the PorPor Books Blog in November, 2009)
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very nice,
By
This review is from: Game of Fox & Lion (Mass Market Paperback)
A very nice book and engaging book- I need to dig this out and reread it. There's a lot of drama in the conflict where a modified human is hired to wage war against other modified humans. I recommend it.
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