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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
good but could be better, June 17, 2005
I enjoyed the first novel in Harlan's series about a futuristic Aztec/Japanese space empire very much and waited for this book to come out in paperback with great anticipation. I must confess that while the book is good (adequate pool/beach reading) I am disappointed. The main problem is that the book focuses far to much on battle scenes. The first book dealt more with issues of thought and introspection, and while there were some space battles these did not dominate the book or drag out unnecessarily. In "House of Reeds" they do. The problem being that, Harlan's descriptions of battles gets repetitous. There are only so many ways to describe an explosion, or a tank or a gun. Following every bullet is unnecessary. I was really very saddened in a way because I was hoping for more from these books but I am afraid that Mr. Harlan is following the example of his first series which I felt degenerated considerabley after the first book.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
even better than the first book in the series, May 29, 2005
This is the second book in Harlan's "Sixth Sun" series, an alternate universe where the British Isles and Europe are minor players, and the Aztecs and Japanese are the major powers. Most of that alternate history is background; the books are set far enough in the future that the intrigue and battles in space stand on their own, even if the reader is a little fuzzy on the idea of alternate histories.
It does help to read the first book, Wasteland of Flint, first, to get some sense of the characters; however, this book can be read without that - while one might miss a few references to things that happened before, there are enough new characters, and the personalities of the continuing characters are strong enough, that their words and actions stand on their own, even without the background.
The plot is full of intrigue and double crosses and double-double crosses - it takes some following, perhaps even a few notes scribbled on your bookmark, to remember who works for whom, and who is secretly what other than what they seem. It makes this a juicy read, but not a light one - you can't skim, you'd better read every word, or you will lose the thread of some subplot.
As with the previous book, this one is pretty much GP-rated: although there's violence, it is not all blood and gore, and there's almost nothing of a sexual nature. Not that the characters aren't sexual beings, just that it's not an important part of the plot, and no time is spent dwelling on their sex lives.
The major plot twist here is the introduction of a hidden alien, apparently a shape-shifter, and that alien features in the cliff-hanger ending. There will clearly be another volume, and it seems likely that some of our military characters that were introduced in this book will carry over, as well as all those that carried from the first book. Gretchen has acquired as a friend, sort of, a native of the planet she's been on; it remains to be seen whether this character will travel with her to other places. The race this alien is from was once space-faring, now devolved and planet-bound, and it would be interesting to see how members of the species might return to space.
I found the foiling of some of the underhanded tricks to be very satisfying, and the fact that it wasn't completely obvious up front, nor was it unrealistically without loss or damage, to add the the pleasure in following the plot. Perhaps the most disappointing thing, on the other hand, was the alien artifact that Gretchen is initially sent to look for. It is not well developed as a plot device, if you'll pardon the pun, and is destroyed in a rather simplistic "there are some things man was not meant to know!" way. So the book isn't perfect. It is, however, the best one by Harlan so far, and a great read for fans both of military SF and alternate history SF.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Deadly intrigue and adventure in an alternate 24th Century, April 1, 2004
By A Customer
`House of Reeds' is the second book of the `Sixth Sun', and stands as both a self-contained novel and a continuation from `Wasteland of Flint'. The first was set out on the periphery of the empire of the Imperial Méxica, and `House of Reeds' focuses on the planet Jagan where the military power and diplomatic and commercial influence of Tenochtitlán is being steadily asserted.
It begins with the receipt of a disturbing message for Chu-sa Hadeishi of the light cruiser IMN Cornuelle, and light years away an unexpected reassignment for the Swedish-Russian xenoarchaeologist Gretchen Anderssen. On Old Earth, Anáhuac, a minor Méxica prince, Tezozómoc is about to become the pawn of political machinations.
All will arrive on Jagan to be confronted by intrigue, mystery and danger.
Rumour of a First Sun artefact will send Gretchen and her little band of troublemakers into the hinterland where the native lords are chafing under the increasing Méxica dominance. Chu-sa Hadeishi and his crew will find themselves playing an unexpected and deadly role in Imperial policies. The wastrel Prince Tezozómoc will discover the true price of his royal birthright.
`House of Reeds' is a cinematic and fast-paced story with weaving plot threads amidst the dramatic background of the alternate future history of the Méxica and the alien planet Jagan. In `Wasteland of Flint' the hostile environment of Ephesus III provided an evocative backdrop; Jagan in contrast is an old, long-inhabited world, its sentient species weary and all too aware of their fall, living amidst the ruins and secrets of their ancient greatness. Whilst much of the action takes place in the Five Rivers region of Jagan or high above in orbit, Harlan effectively brings the world to life.
Throughout the 414 pages the weaving plot threads heighten the tension and danger. There is vivid characterisation, dialogue, combat, occasional humor and glimpses of the history of Anáhuac, and a shadowy threat to all humanity.
The characters of Chu-sa Hadeishi and Gretchen Anderssen are deftly developed, with more insight into the tension between the cultures of the Méxica, their Nisei and Scottish allies and the lesser peoples of Anáhuac. A cast of other characters ably support the main players: Magdalena, the competent Hesht comm-tech (the cover portrait does not really do her justice), Parker the English pilot and his quest for a smoke, the crew of the Cornuelle, and the agents of the Mirror -- the secret police of the Empire. The most compelling figure is Malakar, an elderly reptilian native of Jagan, a believable alien and a tragic figure, a counterpoint to the ambitious lords, for she remembers the lost heritage of her species.
Evoking vague memories of Jack Vance and Talbot Mundy, `House of Reeds' proves Harlan a master storyteller.
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The first eleven chapters of the sequel 'Land of the Dead' are available here:
http://www.throneworld.com/wiki/index.php?title=SS:LOD
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