Customer Reviews

Schism: Part One of Triad (Saga of the Skolian Empire) (Pt. 1)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After Skyfall, with its cliche Roca/Eldrinson romance plot, I was a bit apprehensive about what I'd find in this book. Happily, I can report that this novel is a definite improvement over the last one.

While it does deal heavily with Eldrinson and Roca again, this time Roca comes across as a person, rather than a perfect fantasy romance heroine. And Eldrinson actually grows as a character; he starts out as quite provincial and sexist, and is forced to open his eyes to the realities of the harsh universe he lives in. Eldrinson's never been a favorite of mine, but in this book I enjoyed reading about him.

There is a very strong focus on Soz, Roca and Eldrinson's daughter who in earlier books was a great warrior and even became the leader of the Skolian military (Primary Inversion, The Radiant Seas). In this book, a much younger Soz defies her father and goes to the Skolian Jagernaut military academy. Even in her youth, she's a terrific character, with a nice balance of strengths and flaws. I found her reaction to all the pressures she was under quite believable, especially near the end where she behaves in a way that will be recognizable to overstressed students and cadets everywhere. She gives in to temptation, justifies it to herself, but comes clean in the end.

Kurj, Roca's eldest son, also comes across as more of a person than he has in the past. While I like that he's getting more development and is no longer being treated as an unfeeling antagonist, I do fear that he will become less intriguing with too much exposure. After Spherical Harmonic, I found Dyhianna Selei to be more sympathetic but much less interesting. I'd hate to see Kurj go the same way.

We also get some background on Soz's older brother, Althor.

There was a lot of development done on Shannon (another of Roca and Eldrinson's many children) and his relationship to the Blue Dale Archers. The Archers are fascinating (if a bit elvish *G*), but again, too much exposure will probably make them less intriguing. Sometimes the mystery is more interesting than the explanation. I thought we got a good balance in this novel, though. Still, I look forward to finding out more about why the old Ruby Empire engineered the Lyshriol system and its occupants. This mystery has only grown over the last few novels, but I'm enjoying it immensely.

Once again, a member of the Skolian royal family is captured and tortured by an Aristo. That part seemed rather repetitive, as this is a common occurrence in Asaro's books. By the time she's through, that whole family is going to be completely traumatized and dysfunctional. *G* However, in this case it is done so that Eldrinson's character can change and grow, so I'm not going to complain too much.

Overall, this book was a good read. We got a lot of character background and development. There was a decent amount of technical science fiction, but nothing too overwhelming. Asaro's last couple of books only included the science fiction aspects as set dressing, so seeing the advanced tech treated with some depth and as integral to the story was nice.

To sum up, I enjoyed this book and would even recommend it as a good entry point into Asaro's Skolian Empire series.

Schism is another excellent entry into the Skolian universe of books. It features one of my favorite characters - Sauscony - that Asaro has created. The manner in which Asaro has written these books (this is the tenth novel), moving many years backwards and forwards in time and shifting from character to character as she fills in the stories of the Ruby pharoh clan gives one an interesting and sometimes dizzying perspective on the characters. One would think that already knowing a particular character's fate would make a story about the early years of that character less than compelling, but Asaro pulls it off. As ever, I am looking forward to the next entry in this saga.

P.S. Amazon Readers/Buyers beware. Beware reviewer Harriet Klausner, who supposedly read reviewed many thousands of books on Amazon, including this one. She always gives four or five stars (usually five stars) and her reviews are utterly formulaic, making one wonder if she/he/they actually read the books. In any event, how can anyone love every one of the thousands and thousands of books she/he/they have supposedly read?

This book is a bit different from the more recent entries by Asaro in her Skolian series, better. For all of us who have not been thrilled by her trend toward sexy romance, Asaro returns to complex sci-fi in Triad. We learn about the military and the commitment required of cadets at the academy as seen through the experiences of the 17-year old Soz, a novice, whom we already know will be the future leader of the Skolian Empire. We also begin to understand the personal conflict Soz has with her father over her decision not to marry and stay on her home world, but to pursue a career in the military that will put her in harm's way during the coming war.

This book is not a good place to begin the series. Triad is a backstory. (I prefer to start with Primary Inversion.) Asaro does not publish this series in chronological order. The books may be about any one of the 15 or so main Rhon characters during three generations at any point in their lives. If you have read any of the other books in the series you know how the story began in Triad turns out. Rather, Triad fills in gaps in the Valdorian family saga and helps us understand why they are the way they are. They do not always behave as I would have expected them to. After all, they are Rhon and considered royals. Eldrin is more close-minded. Soz is more hotheaded. Kurj is more human. Althor is more confused. Shannon is more complex. In some ways it is very comforting to know that things are going to work out for these people, at least for a while. I found this book to be much more interesting than I expected. I cannot wait for the next installment. I just wish the books had better cover art. No sex or sexy thoughts in Triad; some general references to bi-sexuality and homosexuality.

In "Schism," Catherine Asaro returns to the saga of one of her most fascinating characters, Sauscony (Soz) Valdoria, who readers first met in the author's first novel in the Skolian Empire series, "Primary Inversion."

Here we drop in on Soz years before, in her late adolescence, as she prepares for military academy, against the wishes of her father, Eldrinson.

Catherine Asaro develops a fascinating contrast--the "fast cold universe" of the high-tech military acadmey and the low-tech world of her father. The author interweaves the adventures of Soz, her parents, and her siblings skillfully, spinning a classic hard science fiction adventure (this time without the author's trademark hot sex).

There are a few scenes that rank with some of the author's best work, and without spoiling the plot I'll mention the scene in which Soz's "node" is implanted, and the thrilling battle between the jagernaut squadron and the invading enemy.

Notes and asides: To the publisher's great credit, "Schism" is prominently billed as "Part 1 of Triad." I.e., the publisher makes no pretense that all of the story is told here (and it clearly is not). And to the author's great credit, she does not leave her readers perched atop a cliff.

Schism is not my favorite book but it's definetly on my list for "Read again in the future"! I am pleased to tell all of you that this book was extremely well-written. I LOVE to read well-written books. The plot is made realistically as also the characters actions and emotions. Despite the fact that every once in a while you'll get "lost" and not know exactly what's going on that'll soon pass and you'll be stuck in reading once more. You'll definetly want to try out Schism.

Soz is a girl dreaming of becoming a J-Force pilot. Her time comes when her step-brother Kurj needs an heir and picks her and her older brother, Althor. Her leaving is upsetting. Her father, his majesty, Eldrinson, the ruler of the Ruby Dynasty doesn't and hasn't ever approved of Soz fighting. He doesn't wish for his daughter to die on the battlefield so he banishes her for leaving and Althor for bringing her with him. That's nothing but trouble for them but they leave anyway and they begin their adventure.

This book is breath-taking and will leave you searching for the sequel. I hope that you all take a chance and try out this wonderful novel. Enjoy!

Schism is part 1 of a side-story in a long and complicated SF series by Catherine Asaro.

The most notable thing about Catherine's writing is that has a lot of good science in her SF. This is the real stuff not a copy of someone else's SF writing.

This side-story is a Triad that forms part of the Skolian Empire Series, it is a good read and fills in some of the answers in the series. I enjoyed reading it.

All of the Skolian Empire books are an exciting read. The characters come to life and the reader becomes a part of that world. Highly recommend all of Catherine Asaro's books.

Asaro rocks us again with a great story. Fans of romance might not like this one as much as her other books in the Raylicon universe -- there are no love scenes. However, being the fabulous storyteller that she is, she again artfully mixes science, scientific speculation, paranormal, and genuine human struggle as Soz and her family each make their way through the obstacles in their path. You'll relate to all her characters and cheer them on to the finish. Of course the end of this book isn't really the finish: there's another book in the 2-book "Triad" group called The Final Key. Slightly confusing, the labeling Triad, but fans who've read the previous books will have no trouble with the reference to the Ruby Dynasty Triad that keeps the Kyle "net" running the Raylicon universe. I especially enjoyed the thread of Schism that deals with one of Soz's younger brothers, Shannon. He is genetically descended from a group called the Blue Dale Archers. Their looks and manner are very elf-like. Shannon is a wonderfully drawn character who, at 15, faces great obstacles to help save his family and find his place in the world. Thoroughly enjoyable and highligh recommended!

Asaro books are sprinled with strong female characters. Soz is my favorite. In this book we find out what Soz was like as an adolescent(17 years old). As befits the future Imperator of the Skolian empire Soz is brilliant, driven, opiniated. She has already created some waves; hacking into the computer complex of her planetary system; having the best test score of ten million. However she has not yet found the balance which comes with age and experience. She argues with her father; her father disowns her, she argues with her superior officer and gets demerits. Under all this though; Soz has grit & integrity. She always comes through in the end. This is the story of Soz going to military academy against the wishes of her father, becoming a Jagernaut (cybernetic warrior); and how circumstances combine for a father/daughter reconciliation. I wait impatiently for the next book. The Final Key : Part Two of Triad. Hoping for a description of my favorite hero in combat situation for the first time.

Humanity has colonized thousands of worlds; technology and medicine have made incredible advances; yet war still exists. The Skolian Empire is based on democratic ideals while conversely the Aristo Traders Empire is built on slavery. Hostility seems imminent between these giants.

On the planet Lyshriol, seventeen years old Soz has gone behind her father Eldrinson's back to take the preliminary exams to enroll in the Desham Military Academy where her brother Alhtor is a fourth year cadet. Due to her high scores on the tests and the upcoming need for warriors, the Academy waives the age and parental requirements enabling Soz to enroll. Soz's father angrily disowns both Soz and Althor.

Their father regrets his words almost immediately but before he can do anything about it, his as his fourteen year old son has run away. As he looks for the lad, an Aristo capture him. Somehow the Traders have bypassed security on this Skolian planet. The Aristo cripples and blind him; when he recovers he withdraws from everyone even his beloved wife. Meanwhile Soz amazes everyone as she learns at an accelerated pace, but now she knows what happened to her father and vows to be the avenging Jagernaut.

Soz is a very interesting character, who, if she lives long enough, will probably replace her half-brother as the Imperator when Korj is unable to fulfill those duties any longer. Like her sire, she is a strong independent warrior who refuses to accept any weakness as she expects to be more than just the best soldier the academy ever graduated. Her father has a long recuperative road to journey, but like Soz stubbornly refused to allow his captors the victory they expected. SCHISM is filled with adventure, intrigue and drama on personal and galaxy levels that makes for an obvious Nebula nomination.

Harriet Klausner