Customer Reviews

The Nonborn King

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

 

 

With the third volume of her Pliocene Exile series, Julian May kicks things into high gear. With the Tanu weakened from last volume's catastrophe, we are introduced to a new menace in the form of an old menace. This is the volume where May's incredibly rich backstory fully comes into play. In fact, the ideas presented here (and to a limited extent in the previous two volumes) provide fodder for not only this book, but the next six books in the Galactic Milieu universe.

And the imagery! It just doesn't get any better than the description of the battle at the Rio Genil. You can see the action in your mind almost as clearly as if one of May's farspeakers was projecting the image directly into your head. That scene alone is worth the whole series.

In addition, the author manages to get across the weariness and depression of a society that has been mortally wounded but is too proud to just give up. In the previous volumes, the Tanu were painted as more...well, perhaps villainous isn't the right word, but definitely not sympathetic. Here, however, one actually feels for them, despite their history of oppressing humanity and their own Firvulag cousins. It's obvious that the reign of the Tanu is coming to an end, but nobody's quite gotten the message yet and they continue to cling to past glories and hope for revival.

Truly a masterpiece of fiction.

The rebel attack, engineered by Stein and blasted through by Felice's massive metapsychic powers, has destroyed the old power structure of the Tanu. Many more of them died in the flood, and the operant, more fecund Firvulag now hold a decided advantage.

Aiken Drum steps into the breach to take the reins of power.

The opening of the book shows us a very important factor, how some of Marc Remillard's rebel faction managed to escape and come back in time. This was mostly covered up, and few know about it.

The new society calls for new alliances, including the deformed mutant Firvulag Howlers, humans, rebels and others.

There will be a new Grand Combat, now more a sporting event, as the Tanu can no longer afford the casualties.

As a culmination, Nodonn Battlemaster returns, having survived the flood, and challenges Aiken.

I enjoyed the way the author of this series used this volume to tie together a number of strings that had been created and woven over the course of the first two books. May works to make Aiken Drum a likeable protagonist, as he has grown into that role over the course of the series, surviving longer than many other original characters who were present in the early chapters. The plot is entertaining, the reliance on the Pliocene novelty factor has been diminished appropriately as the third volume draws to a close, and the increasing introduction of the N. American element helps maintain suspense. There's just barely an indefinable element missing that elevates this work to a five star story in my opinion, but I can only wish I could write as well as Julian May.

Now I have all the books in the series. I have wanted them finished for years. Very well written. The seller was very good.

Julian May is fantastic (no pun intended). This was a great page-turner and escape book. The characters are vivid, the powers are almost-believable, and the intrigue is thick. Definitely mature fantasy! This is one my favorite series' of all time (this one and the Death Gate Cycle by Weis & Hickman are right up there)