Review
Accepting exile from Earth for learning too much about the alien presence on his home world, Peter Turner finds himself in the position of the long-awaited "Liberator" on the planet Tarizon. Now known as Leek Lanzia, Peter commands an army of rebels including seafolken, mutants, and nanomites against the numerically and technologically superior Tarizon Global Army. The second volume in Manchee's trilogy details one man's struggle against tyranny on an alien planet and ends with a premonition of more problems for Earth. VERDICT Suitable for YA and adult fans of interplanetary space opera and sf military fiction. --Library Journal
The young adult science fiction audience will go for William Manchee s Tarizon: The Liberator, the first book in his new trilogy. It reminds me of the Star Wars series, Among the Hidden (Margaret Peterson Haddix), Dancing With An Alien (Mary Logue), and Ender s Shadow (Orson Scott Card). This book has everything a sci-fi fan could want: an alien world, mutants, conflict and civil war, spaceships, super-technology and chapters full of action! There is even romance for young Peter. The reader is pulled into the story, learning along with Peter the language, customs, food, technology and warfare practices of this alien culture. The vivid descriptions of the planet will feel as if readers are there assisting the earthling as he struggles with doing what he believes is morally right. There is a message here, which is oft repeated, a message of tolerance and hope. --Galley Call, Southern Independent Booksellers Assn. (SIBA)
A stirring tale of disaster and human resourcefulness, William Manchee s Tarizon: The Liberator draws upon a centuried tradition of science fiction as a vessel for Big Ideas and bold speculation. The Dallas-based author achieves an original voice in the process of channeling such (evident) influences from the last two centuries as Jules Verne, Aldous Huxley, H.G. Wells, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Fritz Leiber. Tarizon is a planet in peril: Volcanic eruptions have distorted the global environment to a point where the dominant human species must accept mere survival as the best likely outcome. The government of Tarizon proposes a secretive exchange with Earth the United States, in particular. Tarizon proposes to share its technological advancements if the Earth-folk will agree to mate with the Tarizonians in the aim of producing a more resilient species. A young Earth-dweller named Turner discovers the alien infiltration, whereupon the visitors abduct Turner to Tarizon. Though considered a prisoner, Turner impresses an influential group as a legendary savior long promised, and long denied. Turner settles in to find the natural devastation almost mild by comparison with political treacheries that threaten to flood Tarizon with futile warfare. Throughout, Manchee strikes a suspenseful balance between high adventure and social-reform allegory, particularly in a struggle over whether human rights should be extended to various inhuman populations. One is tempted to draw comparisons with E.R. Burroughs John Carter of Mars tales, but Manchee raises the stakes significantly with the cautionary tone of social criticism. Real-world earthbound parallels are patent, but the brisk pacing and vivid characterizations keep the story cracking along at a precipitous pace. Morality fables seldom come so packed with excitement and almost participatory immediacy. --Lone Star Library, Michael H. Price
The young adult science fiction audience will go for William Manchee s Tarizon: The Liberator, the first book in his new trilogy. It reminds me of the Star Wars series, Among the Hidden (Margaret Peterson Haddix), Dancing With An Alien (Mary Logue), and Ender s Shadow (Orson Scott Card). This book has everything a sci-fi fan could want: an alien world, mutants, conflict and civil war, spaceships, super-technology and chapters full of action! There is even romance for young Peter. The reader is pulled into the story, learning along with Peter the language, customs, food, technology and warfare practices of this alien culture. The vivid descriptions of the planet will feel as if readers are there assisting the earthling as he struggles with doing what he believes is morally right. There is a message here, which is oft repeated, a message of tolerance and hope. --Galley Call, Southern Independent Booksellers Assn. (SIBA)
A stirring tale of disaster and human resourcefulness, William Manchee s Tarizon: The Liberator draws upon a centuried tradition of science fiction as a vessel for Big Ideas and bold speculation. The Dallas-based author achieves an original voice in the process of channeling such (evident) influences from the last two centuries as Jules Verne, Aldous Huxley, H.G. Wells, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Fritz Leiber. Tarizon is a planet in peril: Volcanic eruptions have distorted the global environment to a point where the dominant human species must accept mere survival as the best likely outcome. The government of Tarizon proposes a secretive exchange with Earth the United States, in particular. Tarizon proposes to share its technological advancements if the Earth-folk will agree to mate with the Tarizonians in the aim of producing a more resilient species. A young Earth-dweller named Turner discovers the alien infiltration, whereupon the visitors abduct Turner to Tarizon. Though considered a prisoner, Turner impresses an influential group as a legendary savior long promised, and long denied. Turner settles in to find the natural devastation almost mild by comparison with political treacheries that threaten to flood Tarizon with futile warfare. Throughout, Manchee strikes a suspenseful balance between high adventure and social-reform allegory, particularly in a struggle over whether human rights should be extended to various inhuman populations. One is tempted to draw comparisons with E.R. Burroughs John Carter of Mars tales, but Manchee raises the stakes significantly with the cautionary tone of social criticism. Real-world earthbound parallels are patent, but the brisk pacing and vivid characterizations keep the story cracking along at a precipitous pace. Morality fables seldom come so packed with excitement and almost participatory immediacy. --Lone Star Library, Michael H. Price
Product Description
When a teenager discovers his father is working on a secret government project with aliens from the planet Tarizon, the project is compromised and Peter Turner must accept exile or be killed.
Tarizon is recovering from a series of super volcanic eruptions that nearly destroyed all life on the planet. It is slowly recovering ecologically but the political situation is volatile. The fight is between the Purists who want to rid Tarizon of a growing mutant population and eliminate all non-human intelligent life-forms, and the Loyalists who want to restore the Supreme Mandate that guarantees freedom and basic rights for all humans and other sentient beings.
Videl Lai has become Chancellor in a tainted election. Once in power, he renounces Tarizon's constitution, The Supreme Mandate, and orders the extermination of all non-human life forms.
The Loyalist party anticipating Videl's rise to power, has been planning a civil war to restore rule under the Supreme Mandate and stop the genocide. But the Loyalist Party is weak and there is little hope it will be able to defeat Videl Lai and his formidable army. The only hope seems to be a prophecy that foretells of the arrival of a Liberator from Earth who would lead a revolt to rid Tarizon of a ruthless dictator.
Peter, much to his shock and dismay, soon learns that many on Tarizon believe that he is this Liberator and is expected to lead the revolution against Videl Lai and free the Nanomites, Mutants and Seafolken from bondage.
Tarizon is recovering from a series of super volcanic eruptions that nearly destroyed all life on the planet. It is slowly recovering ecologically but the political situation is volatile. The fight is between the Purists who want to rid Tarizon of a growing mutant population and eliminate all non-human intelligent life-forms, and the Loyalists who want to restore the Supreme Mandate that guarantees freedom and basic rights for all humans and other sentient beings.
Videl Lai has become Chancellor in a tainted election. Once in power, he renounces Tarizon's constitution, The Supreme Mandate, and orders the extermination of all non-human life forms.
The Loyalist party anticipating Videl's rise to power, has been planning a civil war to restore rule under the Supreme Mandate and stop the genocide. But the Loyalist Party is weak and there is little hope it will be able to defeat Videl Lai and his formidable army. The only hope seems to be a prophecy that foretells of the arrival of a Liberator from Earth who would lead a revolt to rid Tarizon of a ruthless dictator.
Peter, much to his shock and dismay, soon learns that many on Tarizon believe that he is this Liberator and is expected to lead the revolution against Videl Lai and free the Nanomites, Mutants and Seafolken from bondage.
