Customer Reviews

Ties of Blood and Silver (Signet)

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

 

 

Back cover blurb:

THE CITY--OR THE ALIEN

ELWERE--

city of rainbows, where the fortunes of the planet Oroga are concentrated in the grasping hands of the privileged few. To David, stolen from Elwere as a baby and raised as a thief of the Lower City, it is a dream of paradise, a treasure trove to which he must find the key, no matter what the cost....

AND ESCHTEEF--

A shrift of the jewel-and-precious-metals shctann, twice the size of a human, more than twice as strong, with frightfully glowing eyes and rows of needle-sahrp teeth. It, too, has a dream, a dream of which David has suddenly become the crucial focus. And once a shrift has chosen, nothing can change its path.

ELWERE OR THE ALIEN--

Two different roads to the future, leading to either wealth and power--or death....

OK, that said, this is a stand-alone science fiction novel, not part of a series. It is fairly typical Rosenberg; lots of action but even less character development than usual, but compensated with Joel's usual believable and impressive imagination at work. In fact, the background of the city culture and unique aliens is, IMHO, the best part of the book.

The planet has a viciously divided society, with the poor workers terribly oppressed by the incredibly wealthy few. David is young, poor, and a very good thief. So this is something of a survival, and a coming of age novel with interesting aliens and a bit of revenge. The story is about David finding himself, choosing decadent Elwere (blood) or the alien (silver).

A short and fairly satisfying story, if a bit choppy with an abrupt ending: if you like Rosenberg, you will probably like this. But beware; Joel has his usual detailed torture descriptions. The novel is quite short (176 pages) and much potential is left undeveloped, hence 4 stars rather than 5.