Liege-Killer (The Paratwa Saga, Book 1) [Paperback]

Christopher Hinz (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Paratwa Saga, Book 1 | Publication Date: October 1995

Earth is a blistered wasteland. The orbital colonies have rebuilt civilization and lived in peace and harmony for more than 200 years. The deadly Paratwa are extinct. But people are being butchered in ways that terrify the local authorities. Only one kind of creature could cause this mayhem, and as the body count grows, the name Paratwa is whispered once again.

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Tom Doherty Assoc Llc; paperback / softback edition (October 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812530756
• ISBN-13: 978-0812530759
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,720,874 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite sci-fi novels!, September 23, 2002

By 

Empyreal (LA, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Liege-Killer (The Paratwa Saga, Book 1) (Paperback)

My friend bought this book for me as a joke because I found the cover art to be amusing. I had read the synopsis on the back of the book, but never seriously thought about reading it until my friend bought it for me. Boy am I glad she did! The book was an genuine page-turner with twists and surprises around every bend. It follows a paratwa - an assassin that is composed of two bodies but one mind - and the paratawa's hunters and victims. In a relatively peaceful existence where everything (including the weather) is controlled by technology, the citizens are literally sheep for the taking as the paratwa reaks havoc. Two paratwa hunters are unfrozen from stasis and sent on the hunt... with technolgoy enabling anybody to alter their identity and the Ash Ock able to fill any position of power, everybody becomes a suspect!

Not only is the book a fascinating and well-crafted story, it brings the eery question to mind of how much technology is too much? And when, not if, will humanity become its own worse enemy?

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Page Turner, February 8, 2005

By 

Eiji Hirai (San Mateo, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Liege-Killer (The Paratwa Saga, Book 1) (Paperback)

I will not bore you with details of the plot since other reviewers have already have done an excellent job at that. The big questions are: Is this a good book? Will I like it? What's it's like? Let me try to answer those.

This book is definitely in the genre of a science fiction thriller in the best sense. The action and the plot flows very quickly, very significant events happen that will determine the fate of human colonies, and conspiracies within conspiracies are plotted, revealed, thwarted, and rehatched. The pages do turn very quickly and the plot never stalls.

The only downside is that the characterization is somewhat minimal. The book is plot driven and the characters are interested but they're mostly there as standins for concepts rather than people you might be passionate about. If that doesn't bother you and if you like action oriented, plot driven stories, this is truly a great read.

On another note, there are two sequels to this book, Ash Ock and Paratwa. The two sequels combined to make one story, so if you're going to buy Ash Ock, you should definitely get Paratwa also. Ash Ock ends right in the middle of the action and Paratwa continues right where Ash Ock left off. Will you like the sequels? If you liked Liege-Killer, you'll definitely like Ash Ock and Paratwa. There's more of what makes Liege-Killer a thrilling read - more conspiracies, more revelations, more events that may decide the fate of the human colonies.

I haven't had this much fun reading science fiction for a long while. I highly recommend the entire series.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very good read, August 24, 2003

By 

Paladin08 (Folsom, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Liege-Killer (The Paratwa Saga, Book 1) (Paperback)

STORY: As one editorial review so nicely summariezed: "Two hundred years after Earth is devastated by nuclear war and genetically engineered Paratwa assassins, the humans of orbiting Earth colonies are at peace, until a series of murders reveal the reemergence of the Paratwa."

MY FEEDBACK:
1) SETTING - Prior to the destruction of all life on Earth, humans left for the stars. One group took off into spaceships headed for another solar system. The other group onto the colony capsule that orbits Earth. The later is where the story takes place. The colony capsule is 76 miles long, which is big enough to sustain different regions and groups. I had just come across a real-life group called the Lifeboat Foundation. Thus the setting seemed very plausible and real. It worked well for this story.

2) CHARACTERS - Our group of protagonists are likeable and plausible. Nick is my favorite character, but there is something to admire in each of them. The antagonists as gathered from the story description are a group of genetically created assassins. The Paratwa are very cool and deadly. The characters work well together in this story.

3) STORY - The only reason I gave this story a 4 star (very good read) vs. a 5 star (great read) is because of some of what I felt were long sections of exposition needed in order to explain man's history and how he go to this point in the future. Other than that, the story had plenty of intrigue, action and suspense. The author does give things away by page 122-125 out of 460+ page book. This worked for the most part because as characters came on stage there were two you kept looking for hints at to see which one was the "real" bad guy.

OVERALL: Fun read within a great sci-fi setting. It is not necessary to read the next book as this story resolved 95% of all plotlines. I've read that it the next two books are a bit of a let down anyhow. Nevertheless, get your hands on this book.