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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Poorly arranged novel from novelette,
By M-I-K-E 2theD "2theD" (The Big Mango, Thailand) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Triple Detente (Mass Market Paperback)
I've never read a Piers novel pretty much because he's known for his fantasy novels and I was unaware that he also wrote some science fiction. Hence, this is my first Piers novel: 175 pages, written in 1975 being based form a novelette called The Alien Rules in 1968.Synopsis: `Victory! Our invincible space fleet has occupied the monsters' world! Victory! Our mighty space force has seized the alien' home planet! Victory! Our triumphant space warriors have captured the enemy system! But then why are we suffering so beneath the tread of those heartless conquerors from the stars?' As with many science fiction novels from the same era (1950-1975 it seems), the novel stems from a previously written shorter story and feels that way, too; it comes across as initially superbly constructed but finally tapers off into a slushy jumble. Within the first few chapters, the plot clearly reveals that the two species (the Humans and the Kazos) have entered a secret pact which allows the other aliens to occupy their home world and to forcibly reduce its population by two-thirds. The preliminary plot is crafty in its simplicity yet broad in its implications. Will revolutionaries take the odds of killing one human for 100,000 of their own kind? Half of this book deals with the delicate balance between them accepting the conquerors or killing off their own race. The next half of the novel deals with the third mover in this tri-pillar superpower structure. The Ukes are of equal technological status as the Humans and Kazos but have a mystery about them concerning their anatomy, history and language. The progressive introduction of new players, new positions, new ambiguities and a ever going line of new characters. The plot quickly drifts from a 4-star to 3-star rating as this delineation slips. Even in the last 10 pages there's a new major player involved, new character skills introduced and new information put forth. It just reeks of disorganization branching from its origin as a novelette. Regardless of Piers failed extension of a shorter story into this novel, I can see he maintains an emotional understanding of plot direction. His longer, better planned novels must be of greater depth and arrangement. Piers' other sci-fi novels will pique my interest if I come across them in the future.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Early Anthony Work,
By
This review is from: Triple Detente (Mass Market Paperback)
I first started reading Piers Anthony back when I was a teen - and there were only 2 Xanth books out at the time! That was some time ago...I was quickly hooked on Xanth, and read many of Anthony's other works - liking particulary his Orn, Ox, Omnivore trilogy, and really liking Pthon and Pthor, the Tarot series and Kirlian Cluster series (more sci-fi'ish). Reading this book as an adult casts a different light. This book has all the trademarks of an Anthony protaganist - a 'man' or sentient - with absolutely great moral fiber and honesty. In this book, he tackles some pretty big issues. Population control, how large super-powers can live with each other, and a greater-good or justice. I don't want to give anything away here - but here he as a very unusual method of keeping the peace between 3 more or less equal technological races - Humanity, Kazos, and Ukes. Some great ideas, but not one of my favorite of his works. Try Macroscope or Mute for equally great ideas - but with better characters.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Early Anthony Work,
By I was quickly hooked on Xanth, and read many of Anthony's other works - liking particulary his Orn, Ox, Omnivore trilogy, and really liking Pthon and Pthor, the Tarot series and Kirlian Cluster series (more sci-fi'ish). Reading this book as an adult casts a different light. This book has all the trademarks of an Anthony protaganist - a 'man' or sentient - with absolutely great moral fiber and honesty. In this book, he tackles some pretty big issues. Population control, how large super-powers can live with each other, and a greater-good or justice. I don't want to give anything away here - but here he as a very unusual method of keeping the peace between 3 more or less equal technological races - Humanity, Kazos, and Ukes. Some great ideas, but not one of my favorite of his works. Try Macroscope or Mute for equally great ideas - but with better characters.
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