Reviews

War against the alien hydrogues, inhabitants of gas giant planets, rages across the Spiral Arm of the galaxy, driving apart the many nations that make up the alliance of humans and allied sentient races. When the chairman of the Terran Hanseatic League employs draconic measures to keep together the increasingly fractious human nations, the possibility of a galaxywide disaster seems imminent. Anderson has created a highly original far-future universe filled with intriguing aliens, a complex political history, and a well-developed cast of characters. Along with its predecessors (Hidden Empire; A Forest of Stars; Horizon Storms), this panoramic sf epic belongs in most collections. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Bestseller Anderson delivers more on-the-edge-of-your-seat SF thrills in the fourth installment of his Seven Suns saga (after 2004's Horizon Storms). Moments of extreme tenderness temper the relentless and often graphic descriptions of a brutal, seemingly endless war among the civilizations that populate the Spiral Arm. As before, menacing turncoat Klikiss robots plot to eradicate all humans (and humanoid alien Ildirans), while the delightfully dismayed DD, a captive robot "compy," takes notes in the event he ever escapes the Klikiss and can warn the humans he serves. Meanwhile, the angry hydrogues, who inhabit gas-giant planets, continue their campaign against humans, verdani ("worldforest" dwellers) and faeros (sun dwellers). Anderson handles a huge cast and complicated plot with ?lan. Agent, John Silbersack. (July 18) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.