Book Description
Fourteen-year-old Jack Morgan, determined to get justice for both himself and his symbiotic dragon partner Draycos, narrowly escapes a trap set by the notorious Malison Ring, thanks to another teen Alison Kayna, with whom he once worked as a reluctant mercenary. She in turn now needs his help to get to the primitive world of Rho Scorvi. There, at the edge of a hundred-mile-wide forest, they make a shocking discovery: traveling with a group of the planets native Erasvas is a small lost colony of Draycoss race, the Kda. But unlike Draycoss people, these Kda are slow, lethargic, and unintelligent. When the Malison Ring tracks them to Rho Scorvi, Jack must shield this herd of animals from their ruthless pursuers, or they will become the newest victims of the genocide that threatens to wipe out their entire race. But even more importantly, he must protect, from the mercenaries and Alison, the dark secret of the herd and Jacks poet-warrior ally. This new sf adventure, which can be read on its own terms, is the most exciting novel yet in this popular young adult series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Characters Develop
In this, the fourth book of the Dragonback series Timothy Zahn takes the reader to a strange planet where Draycos and Jack are being hunted by the mercenaries that hold the the information the pair need to save Draycos' people from being ambushed. On this planet they find a race of beings called the Phookas who appear to be of the same race as Draycos, but they appear to be at the level of herd animals, which makes Draycos question where he himself may actually have come from. They are acoompanied by Alison someone who Jack metDragon and Soldier: The Second Dragonback Adventure (Dragonback) with her help they defeat the mercenaries, and escape to fight another day, but Alison seems to have her own agenda. Zahn does a great job in developing the relationship between Draycos and Jack. The series keeps getting better and better.

Dragon and Herdsman
great book, amazing quality.hard back book with a very decorative cover.all around a great buy...

Too short
After reading the previous novels in this series, I expected a more rounded story for the end novel (it may not be).The culmination of the big fight against the evil magicians seemed to be pretty much a throw away, and new discoveries about the 'new' dragon habitation they are living in were not really detailed.I love this series, I just hope if there are any more books, that the author returns to his normal great story.

"Most of the Rest Was Verbal Scribble"
Says Jack in this new "Dragonback" novel. Heh. I plan to steal this for myself and use it assoon as possible.


"Dragon and Herdsman" is the pivotal fourth novel in the "Dragonback" series. In this book, an important truth about the fate of Draycos's people, the K'da, is revealed and so is the true nature of a henceforth mysterious character, Alison Kayna.

This book finds Jack stranded on a planet full of Phooka, which are actually K'da. Their senses have been dulled by living an idyllic life and Draycos is disgusted at first. But he and Jack both soon find that things are more than they seem.

Fans of this series won't want to miss this newest work by Zahn. Things are really getting rolling with this series, which I only just recently started reading. I can't wait to see more!

Fast enjoyable read, with some real series developments
Dragon and Herdsman is the fourth novel in Timothy Zahn's ongoing series about 14 year old thief Jack Morgan and his alien symbiotic companion, Draycos, a K'da poet warrior who looks like a (small) dragon and who can become 2-dimensional and reside on Jack's skin, looking like a tattoo.

Jack and Draycos are looking for evidence of the rendezvous to which the remnants of Draycos' people are being lured. Human mercenaries are apparently plotting with an evil alien race to exterminate the K'da and their usual hosts, the Shontine. Jack's attempt to steal the data from one branch of the mercenary group goes wrong, but he is rescued by an old acquaintance, a girl of his age named Alison Kayna. In exchange he takes Alison to her planned rendezvous with her friends on another planet -- where, to their shock, they meet some more K'da -- but degraded K'da, with limited intelligence, hosted by fairly unintelligent humanoids. And then they are attacked by the mercenaries -- so Jack and Draycos and Alison escape into the forest on this planet, herding the K'da and their hosts. The three of them outwit the mercenaries a few times, while they make a shocking discovery about the supposedly unintelligent K'da like beasts on this planet. And we know that Alison has apparently nefarious motives of her own ...

Fun stuff -- and this might be the best of the series after the first. Fun, as I said, but awfully slight -- a fast read, enjoyable, but nothing special.
... Read more

Book Description
The dying Empire's most cunning and ruthless warlord--Grand Admiral Thrawn--has taken command of the remnants of the Imperial fleet and launched a massive campaign aimed at the New Republic's destruction. With the aid of unimaginable weapons long hidden away by the Emperor on a backwater planet, Thrawn plans to turn the tide of battle, overwhelm the New Republic, and impose his iron rule throughout the galaxy. Meanwhile, Han and Lando Calrissian race against time to find proof of treason inside the highest Republican Council--only to discover instead a ghostly fleet of warships that could bring doom to their friends and victory to their enemies. Yet most dangerous of all is a new Dark Jedi, risen from the ashes of a shrouded past, consumed by bitterness... and scheming to corrupt Luke Skywalker to the Dark Side. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (113)

Rising Action
While I must admit that I was not a great fan of the first book in the Thrawn Trilogy "Heir to the Empire", the second book really got my attention.I will venture to say that most people reading the Star Wars books are reading to see the characters they loved from the movies develop.In the second book, Han Solo, Luke, Lando Calrissian, and Leia Organa Solo take center stage as they chase an once defunct fleet of abandon ships while a conspiracy against the New Republic unravels.It makes for a fast paced read that is hard to Star Wars fans to dislike.

There were a number of aspects of this book that I really enjoyed.Star Wars certainly has some political wrinkles in the plot."Dark Force Rising" sees the New Republic's government developing into dangerous factions.The power grabs of this era are not limited to the Sith.Seeing the insanity of Jedi Master Joruus C'baoth spiral as he meets Luke Skywalker affords the opportunity to develop Luke's character as he continues to learn the ways of the force.As I await the third book in the trilogy, I am most looking forward to seeing the direction which the author takes the Mara Jade character. While the author seems to have ended this aspect of the story, I find it hard to believe that the author would end it so abruptly.

After reading the first book in this series, I was certain that I would be disappointed by chronology.After reading the second book, I can not wait to read the third book.With the plot leaving questions in my mind, the author did more than enough to keep the series interesting through three books.

Action Packed Adventure
I really enjoyed Dark Force Rising, the second book in the Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn, and it made me excited to read the rest of the books in the Thrawn series.

Dark Force Rising starts immediately where Heir to the Empire leaves off. Admiral Ackbar is in prison, accused of treason, and Fey'la is still trying to take over leadership of the New Republic. Han Solo and Lando Calrissian journey to investigate the claims against Ackbar. Leia rendezvous with Khabarakh, and she must try to convince his fellow Noghri the Empire is exploiting them while she and Chewbacca try to remain hidden from Grand Admiral Thrawn's presence on the Noghri planet, Honoghr. Luke, still questioning his abilities as a Jedi, sets off to find Jedi Master Joruus C'Boath on the small planet of Jomark. Mara Jade inadvertently leads Grand Admiral Thrawn to Talon Karrde and his capture, and she must reluctantly seek out Luke Skywalker to help in Karrde's escape. Looming in the background of the novel is the search for the mythical Dark Force, a large fleet of Dreadnaughts, which could prove invaluable to whomever is able to find them first.

Timothy Zahn's Dark Force Rising is an action packed adventure with one perilous situation after another. Zahn writes the characters and action so well, I found myself completely consumed by the story, eager to find out what happened next. I would recommend this book to Star Wars fans who read and enjoyed Zahn's first book in this trilogy, Heir to the Empire.

Not Free SF Reader
Grand Admiral Thrawn attacks the New Republic on many fronts. He forces
our intrepid band of heroes to flee assassins, and Leia takes off with
Chewie, and Han goes looking for help by himself.

The dodgy Mara Jade is also floating around, as is anot so nice Jedi Master.

Whoever controls the 'Dark Force' of ancient ships in the end will have a massive advantage in the battle for the galaxy.

Author captures the epic spirit of Star Wars space opera
As far as post-Return of the Jedi novels about Luke, Han and Leia go, Timothy Zahn's breakthrough Thrawn Trilogy is the best.

As for the best novels from the era of the movie saga, I highly recommend the following 5-star novels:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

A Star Wars Fix
Do you hate George Lucas for ruining his own creation like I do?I mean, Star Wars, the defining mythology of at least two generations, the story of heroes and redemption has become the joke of our times.How could it not?Did you see that idiot, Anakin, scratching his way up the hill, beaten and burned, destined to become the shell for James Earl Jones's ominous basso voice?Did it make you groan?Did it make you want to set fire to the Skywalker Ranch?Am I alone?

Now, I'm not a Star Wars Geek.I don't play the roleplaying game.Never have.I don't have the library of tie-in novels and I do poorly at the trivia compared to a lot of people.But I snuck into the theater when I was 11 years old to watch Luke Skywalker discover The Force.I know great stories and despite the slightly cheesy effects and the ham-handed acting, Star Wars was a great story.

Why am I going on and on about what was?Because Timothy Zahn does Star Wars better than George Lucas does Star Wars.If Lucas had just filmed these three books - Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command - he'd have a masterpiece to crown his early achievements.

In Dark Force Rising, Leia conducts a mission to influence an alien race heretofore loyal to one of the Emperor's warlords, Luke finds himself battling an insane Jedi Master, Joruus C'Baoth, and Han Solo races the forces of the warlord, General Thrawn, to get to a lost fleet of Dreadnaught cruisers.The tension is high throughout this second book in the series and the characters conduct themselves admirably, keeping to the heroic expectations and rebellious attitudes we expect.

Reading this series, and especially this book, will remind you why we loved Star Wars and why we now hate George Lucas.

- CV Rick ... Read more

Book Description
When Matt Raimey had his accident, he thought his life was over. He never dreamed, in his wildest fantasies, that he'd end up in a spot like this. In the toxic atmosphere of Jupiter, born into the body of an enormous creature that looked like a cross between a manta ray and a dolphin, he is living a new life, unlike any humankind had previously experienced.An unbelievable turn of events, it gave him a reason to live, to survive, no matter what happened . . . but every second chance comes with conditions and responsibilities. And as those who brought him to this strange destiny have their authority stripped from them and he discovers the truth that only he can know about the giant alien creatures he now calls family, this man reborn as the one they now call Manta suddenly isn't sure he wasn't better off before. . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

What an intriguing concept!
This yarn reminds me of something I read in Carl Sagan's Cosmos book about hypothetical life-forms that could possibly exist in the atmosphere of a gas giant planet.This story goes even deeper into the 'what if' of such an idea.Zahn's writing is fast-paced, and the complexities of the plot make this a real page-turner.When I bought the book I wondered how dramatic life could be in a herd where all the creatures seem to do is eat, sleep, mate, and fight off predators.But this author has woven so many hidden agendas into this story, mostly surrounding the Qanska's interaction with Manta and his with the humans that you're kept guessing about what's going on right up to the last minute.

Better than you'd think from reading the back cover
I picked up this one at a used book sale at the local library for next to nothing... not because reading the back cover (or the front cover for that matter) grabbed my attention (because they most certainly did NOT), but becuase I knew Timothy Zahn from his work on the Star Wars "Heir to the Empire" trilogy and had really enjoyed his writing.Turns out, it was a very good pickup that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

Unlike a lot of contemporary sci-fi, this one actually DOES make an effort at including science into the fiction, and Zahn does incorporate several creative and thought provoking ideas and concepts into the life and ecology of the Jupiter that he creates.... (as odd and implausible as some of those ideas and "science" may be, they should at least make the reader step back and say 'hmmm, interesting').Zahn succeeds in giving his story an "old school" sci-fi feel to it that a lot of newer entries into the genre seem to be lacking.

For all the science and creativity though, the story really succeeds becuase the characters are interesting and sympathetic, the plot is fast paced and exciting, the book is not easy to "figure out" 200 pages before the finish (i.e. there is suspense), and the writing is sharp and clear.This one MORE than met my expectations, and I'll be hitting more of Zahn's work when the next opportunity presents itself.In my opinion at least, that's pretty high praise for an author, and this book was well worth the read.

One of Zahn's sharpest novels yet
I've enjoyed Timothy Zahn's work for almost a decade now; I think his Star Wars novels are the best ever written in that universe, and his original space operas are zippy, exciting, and innovative.

My only quibble:Too often, it seems that about a hundred pages into a Zahn novel, his characters stop being the incredibly realistic and intriguing folks they've been so far and become flatter, more familiar, and less interesting.

That's why Manta's Gift surprised me so much.Not only does this book run from page one with a kind of non-stop manic energy, but the characters Zahn creates are both consistent and consistently alien.This is a weird, wonderful glimpse into the sort of society that might be buried beneath Jupiter's clouds, a culture alien enough that I never knew what to expect but human enough that I cared deeply about the characters.If you like stories with both a brain and a heart, check this one out!

Truely a masterpiece
Over the last six months i have reread Manta's Gift over four times. The book takes place many years in the future in the atmosphere of Jupiter. The plot is nothing amazing as far as Sci-Fi goes, but the potreyal of the characters and situations are beautifuly written. One of the more interesting points of the book is the Culture Clash that takes place between the human mind of Manta and rules that govern an inherent prey race, vs a hunter race likehumans.
One of the things that set this book apart is Zahn's style of "tricking" you into thinking the book is almost over. Time and time again he brings up situations when most other authors would leave the book off there.
But at its heart, the book is a timeless story of culture clashes mixed with despairing romance unlike the happy endings found in most books today. Zahn combines his knowlage of science with an extremely creative imagination to creat a fantastic read, highly recomended

Jupiter Sky Captain
Timothy Zahn is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.He has a knack for developing characters and story without pausing the fast-paced action that usually occurs in his novels.And having said that, Manta's Gift is not exactly an action novel.This book is more about the "human condition"; what makes a man a man?Can a man be someone/something else?
The mind of paraplegic Matt Raimey is reborn into the body of an alien Qanska living in the skies of Jupiter in order to help humanity and the Qanska understand one another better.There are, of course, ulterior motives for both species, and that is one of the themes of the book.The other is Matt's ability/inability to cope with his new existence.Will he be a human in a Qanska body, will he become a Qanska, or will he become a tool for one species to use against the other?
This book was sort of a slow read due to the limited action, but I was never bored and needed to know what was going to happen next.
... Read more

Amazon.com
Timothy Zahn is the master of the Star Wars novel. His trilogy(Heir to theEmpire, DarkForce Rising, and The Last Command) didalmost as much as the movie trilogy's re-release to create new interestin Luke, Leia, and Han Solo. Specter of the Past is the first ofa new series, The Hand of Thrawn. Princess Leia is trying desperatelyto hold the loose coalition of interests known as the New Republictogether long enough to see the evil Empire finally vanquished. But ina stunning setback, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker discover that thepirate ships raiding New Republic transports are staffed with clonesunder the command of someone who claims to be Grand Admiral Thrawn, theEmpire's most powerful warlord, believed dead for 10 years. Thrawn'splan for destroying the fragile New Republic seems well on the way tocompletion--unless Han, Leia, and Luke can stop it.Book Description
Hugo Award-winning author Timothy Zahn makes his triumphant return to the Star Wars(r) universe in this first of an epic new two-volume series in which the New Republic must face its most dangerous enemy yet--a dead Imperial warlord.

The Empire stands at the brink of total collapse. But they have saved their most heinous plan for last. First a plot is hatched that could destroy the New Republic in a bloodbath of genocide and civil war. Then comes the shocking news that Grand Admiral Thrawn--the most cunning and ruthless warlord in history--has apparently returned from the dead to lead the Empire to a long-prophesied victory. Facing incredible odds, Han and Leia begin a desperate race against time to prevent the New Republic from unraveling in the face of two inexplicable threats--one from within and one from without. Meanwhile, Luke teams up with Mara Jade, using the Force to track down a mysterious pirate ship with a crew of clones. Yet, perhaps most dangerous of all, are those who lurk in the shadows, orchestrating a dark plan that will turn the New Republic and the Empire into their playthings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (223)

The Blah of Thrawn
I put the book down about half-way through it because I just couldn't get into it anywhere near as much as the Thrawn Trilogy.I realize that this book is probably just a lot of setting-up for the 2nd book, but I decided that I'd rather read other books instead of be bored on the way.It probably would have been better if Zahn had stuck with his original idea of one book instead of making it a duology.

Instead of this book, I highly recommend the following 5-star novels:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

Zahn's triumph
I really, really enjoyed Tim Zahn's retur to the Star Wars universe, especially since this actually makes political sense.Though I enjoyed the Thrawn trilogy, Thrawn himself was rather annoying, as I am sure that he was to Luke, Leia et al, since he was so good at making their lives miserable.But he was just so omniscient that he was a tad over the top, a Fu Manchu from the Galaxy far, far away.This time, he is just being imitated, with humorous results.Mara Jade is back, too, and nobody does Mara like Zahn does.I don't think the other authors that touch on her really understand her, at all, least of all B. Hambly.Highly recommended.

A worthy "follow-up" to the Thrawn trilogy
I really liked this book. Zahn did a great job leading you along. You couldn't wait to start the second book in the duology A Vision of the Future.Luckily since I didn't get to read it till well after they had both been published I didn't have to wait. This is one of the better Star Wars books out there.

boring
the irritating writing style continues...unfortunately this time there is no attempt at a storyline and no interesting characters. we don't really need to be informed every time someone has to 'connect to the force', or runs through jedi meditation techniques, etc. it has to be implied at some point really.

Zahn is still the king!!!
If you think the Thrawn Trilogy was the best thing ever written in the expanded Star Wars Universe and if you think Andersen's Jedi Academy is the worst then you'll greatly appreciate the addition of the Hand Of Thrawn series.Zahn truelly makes the universe worth expanding again. ... Read more

Book Description
Includes an exclusive excerpt from the eagerly anticipated novel STAR WARS: SURVIVOR'S QUEST by Timothy Zahn (Hardcover, on-sale: February 3, 2004) and an interview with the author.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES A DEAL

The history of the planet Kariek has been one of seemingly endless violence— thanks to the constantly erupting revolutions among the many divided tribes of the native Eickarie race battling for dominance. Yet none of these tribes has held sway since a mysterious Warlord and his legion of alien mercenaries seized power and began a fifty-year reign of terror.

Now, at last, the tide may be turning: the leaders of the warring Eickarie factions have forged an alliance—strong enough to capture a city and corner the Warlord and his minions in their fortress. And the post-Palpatine Empire of the Hand is lending support to this revolt against tyranny by deploying no less a fighting force than the Imperial 501st Legion of stormtroopers.

Once infamously known as “Vader’s Fist,” the legendary 501st are the best men for the dangerous objective at hand—capturing the Warlord alive. It’s a risky mission that might be jeopardized when Imperial unit commander Twister and his comrades, Shadow, Cloud, and Watchman, are waylaid by a band of zealous freedom fighters, armed with their own agenda . . . and plenty of firepower. The Eickarie renegades—determined to free hundreds of their people from the Warlord’s dungeons—have an offer to make, and a strategy that could give the Imperials the edge in the bloody showdown to come. But can Twister and his men trust their new allies? Or will they get more than they bargain for?Download Description

This eBook exclusive Star Wars original novella includes an excerpt from the eagerly anticipated novel Star Wars: Survivor's Quest by Timothy Zahn and an interview with the author.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES A DEAL

The history of the planet Kariek has been one of seemingly endless violence -- thanks to the constantly erupting revolutions among the many divided tribes of the native Eickarie race battling for dominance. Yet none of these tribes has held sway since a mysterious Warlord and his legion of alien mercenaries seized power and began a fifty-year reign of terror.

Now, at last, the tide may be turning: the leaders of the warring Eickarie factions have forged an alliance -- strong enough to capture a city and corner the Warlord and his minions in their fortress. And the post-Palpatine Empire of the Hand is lending support to this revolt against tyranny by deploying no less a fighting force than the Imperial 501st Legion of stormtroopers.

Once infamously known as "Vader's Fist," the legendary 501st are the best men for the dangerous objective at hand -- capturing the Warlord alive. It's a risky mission that might be jeopardized when Imperial unit commander Twister and his comrades, Shadow, Cloud, and Watchman, are waylaid by a band of zealous freedom fighters, armed with their own agenda... and plenty of firepower.

The Eickarie renegades -- determined to free hundreds of their people from the Warlord's dungeons -- have an offer to make, and a strategy that could give the Imperials the edge in the bloody showdown to come. But can Twister and his men trust their new allies? Or will they get more than they bargain for?

Customer Reviews (8)

Cobra
This is one of my all-time favorite books, and I consider it to be one of the best SF books (series) I've ever read.While Zahn keeps things very interesting with his descriptions of the COBRA equipment and fighting, the book really concentrates on the protagonist and how he matures through his experiences.I would highly recommend this book as well as the two follow-ups (or pretty much anything by Zahn in general).I got into Zahn through his original Star Wars books, but was particularly impressed with the Cobra Series, Blackcollar, and Spinneret.Happy reading!

The first of the Cobra Series, and what I think is the best!
"Cobra - the most deadly guerrilla warriors mankind has ever produced." The Cobra series are based on the lives of the Moreau generations. The first book, "Cobra", is about the life of Johnny Moreau, one of the first Cobras.

The alien Troft forces have taken over the colony worlds of Adirondack and Silvern. Outnumbered and on the defensive, the humans on Earth make a decision to not atttack the aliens from space, but on the ground. Thus the Cobra units were created, a guerilla force whose weapons and other devices are surgically implanted, invisible to the human eye yet deadly. When Johnny Moreau signs up for the army, he is surprised to be among the few to be made into Cobras. He is sent to Adirondack to fight the Trofts. But being a Cobra isn't at all what Johnny expects it to be, and must learn the uses and abuses of his abilities. From Trainee to Warrior, Veteran to Loyalist, then finally to become from Politician to Statesman, Johnny will learn what it really is to become... a Cobra.

Timothy Zahn is truly one of my most favorite Science Fiction writers and "Cobra" is a truly good example of one of his best books. I love all the twists and turns in the plot, so many surprises at every corner. And I really liked the character of Johnny Moreau. He is smart, thoughtful, and always tried to help others. I felt so sorry for him when he returned home after the war. Everyone was afraid of him and despised him for being a Cobra. Another of my favorite characters in the books is Cally Halloran, another Cobra from Johnny's unit.

As I said, this is the first book of the Cobra Series. The next books are "Cobra Strike" and "Cobra Bargain". "Cobra Strike" is about Johnny's son, Justin Moreau, who becomes a Cobra and is sent on a dangerous mission to an unknown planet. "Cobra Bargain" is about the daughter of Justin whose dream of becoming the first woman Cobra comes true. Though these books are very hard to find, if you can get them, I'm sure you'll love them!

Awesome book
I really enjoyed this book and have read it 3 times.I also read the sequel Cobra strike which is a great book as well. I would love to get my hands on the third book, but it appears these books are very hard to getahold of.That is too bad.

A great story
After reading the review of the man who thought this book deserved a one star, and had to defend my favorite author and one of my favorite books. The book is not about the war, but rather the life of a man turned from a man into a fightine machine. The war was just one of the things thatinfluenced this mans life. And about the weak characters, and i don't knowwhat book you were reading, but the characters were great, and i reallyenjoyed the character developement from a young idealistic boy to the greatstatesman that developed out of him.

An excellent description of "Who watches the watchers?"
I found this book to be a good treatment of the problems of what to do with war veterans that no one really wants to have around; the NIMBY problem.Excellent work, and if you can get a hold of a copy, do so. ... Read more

Book Description
Damon Lathe and his blackcollar combat team were sent to capture five hidden Nova-class warships from under the Ryqril conquerors' snouts. Against all odds they had succeeded, sharing their prize with the Terran Democratic Empire's erstwhile Chryselli allies, who were themselves the current focus of Ryqril aggression. Lathe had followed that by successfully entering Earth's last mountain war-era fortress and found a small resistance movement's final project: a drug called Whiplash, which could break the supposedly unbreakable Ryqril loyalty-conditioning. Now they face their most serious challenge. On one of the conquered human colony worlds is a Ryqril tactical center through which flows an entire sector's worth of military data. If the blackcollars can find a way inside, it could tip the balance in the current Ryqril-Chryselli war. It could even start humanity on the path back to ultimate freedom. But the Ryqril aren't sitting idly by. Under threat of reprisals against his world, Prefect Jamus Galway of Plinry is already on the case. His plan: to turn the blackcollars and their combat skill into unknowing tools of the Ryqril. His hidden ace: a clone duplicate of Lathe's ally Allan Caine, ready to be slipped into Lathe's inner circle. It will be the blackcollars' most important mission. It may also be their last. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Pleasant conclusion (?) to the series

Timothy Zahn is best known for his Star Wars books.He has written other Science Fiction books.My favorite Timothy Zahn story is "Pawn's Gambit" published in Analog in 1982.It was a Hugo nominee and was republished in Distant Friends and Others.

The Blackcollar stories were in a universe where humans were conquered by the Ryqril.Once conquered it is hard for humans to rebel.The Ryqril were able to develop a drug which turns humans into slaves.The Judas Solution is the third in the series.

The heroes in the story are Blackcollars, men who have been given a special drug which makes them excellent fighters.Their reflexes are twice as fast as the average human.They also have extensive training.There is a lot of martial arts fighting.

In The Judas Solution the heroes travel back to Earth and to Khala.On Earth the Blackcollars are trying to strengthen the resistance.They have a drug which counteracts the Ryqril slave drug.But the resistance has stayed very passive.It takes some time before the Blackcollars understand why the resistance hasn't done more.On Khala the Blackcollars are trying to destroy a Ryqril complex, but the Blackcollars have their own hidden agendas.

The Judas Solution is the third book in the series.It could be the conclusion, but it does open up new plot lines.If you enjoyed the earlier Blackcollar stories, this is worth reading.If you haven't read the first two, my suggestion is you read the earlier two books before reading this one.

Zahn returns in high form to complete the Blackcollar trilogy
Despite the fact that there's a 20-year gap between The Backlash Mission and this book, it is truly a seamless transition.It's amazing how seamless it really is.I read all three Blackcollar books a row and it didn't feel like there was any break at all.This book starts up like book 2 came out last year.

Zahn wraps up the Blackcollar series in an interesting way.The writing is solid.He does a great job of balancing all the different points of view.And he does a commendable job with the action scenes, as usual.There aren't too many of his cool trademarked phrases this time ("he cocked an eyebrow," "pursed his lips," "Point"), but it still feels like pure Zahn.

The Ryqril dialogue is an interesting touch.I struggled with it initially.But if you read it slowly and figure out the pattern, you'll do fine.It gives the book a unique flavor and really distinguishes the aliens.

The book itself is pretty good.I liked the font size.The paper quality isn't the best but it's satisfactory.

I would certainly advise reading the first two Blackcollar books before this one.You'll get a lot more out of it this way.And if you've read those two, definitely read this one.It's very close to the first Blackcollar book in terms of its high quality.Excellent work.

A Zahn Great!
Timothy Zahn is one of my favorite sci-fi authors, but his quality has been decreasing somewhat as of late (Manta's Gift and Angelmass for instance).But this new edition to the Blackcollar series was superb!

"The Judas Solution" would be an enjoyable read without reading the previous Blackcollars.However, the story is fairly complicated and it continues right where the others left off, so I would highly recommend that you read them first - they are great!It had been awhile since I had read them and it took me a few chapters to remember what had gone on and who was who.

This book had lots of twists and a deep plot, it also wrapped up the series nicely.I would recommend it to anyone who likes action sci-fi.

Blackcollar: The Judas Solution
I read this book and enjoyed it. It strained the "suspension of disbelief" a few times and used a couple of the subplots from the previous book. That being said I enjoyed reading the book and that is what its all about.

20 Years Too Late And Too Little
I have waited on this book for 20 years. Timothy Zahn's last Blackcollar book was written and published in 1986. I wish I could say it was worth the wait!!! I WISH I could give it 5 stars but I am stretching it to give 3 stars. I have read the first 2 books at least 10 times and even bought the hard back copy so I could continue to read them when I need a little "Derring Do" in my life.In the first two books all of the characters were fully developed and Mr. Zahn made you care about what happened to them. No so much in this book. The character were pretty lackluster, there was none of the drama of the first two books between the characters. In fact there was no real tension between any of the characters except the aliens.In this book although he tied up a lot of loose ends and the Humans finally rid the TDE of the EVIL aliens, it was more of a "What the Hell, lets leave the poor humans alone" instead of the Good Guys defeating the Bad Guys. Also in the first books the Ryqril were supposedly the fiercest of warriors and even a "Blackcollar" hesitated about taking one on in a hand-to-hand fight. But in this book five, six and more were killed by individual Blackcollars. And this was treated as"Eh no big deal - business as usual"'

Jamus Galway's plan: to turn the Blackcollars and their combat skill into unknowing tools of the Ryqril was OK but to think that he could do so on a permanent basis was "too hard to swallow"Also having the clone Judas act as a spy was very original but the clone played a Very small role in the book. Basically he stood around and let everyone do everything. He didn't even make a very convincing spy.

I am sure that if I were new to the books and just now reading all three together then my opinion might be different. But after waiting 20 years for the good guys to win, I felt it was too little, too late.
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Customer Reviews (2)

More wonderful stories from Timothy Zahn
Timothy Zahn is one of the most imaginative science fiction authors writing today. He has written a large number of novels, which range from fair to excellent, and is probably best known for his contributions to the "Star Wars" Universe, particularly the novels in which he bought to life the character of Grand Admiral Thrawn and his people, the Chiss. However, Zahn's four short story collections are perhaps his best achievement.

This collection is named for a novella about a universe in there are sentient creatures living in space who are will take human ships between the stars in exchange for music. Any reader who enjoyed Zahn's novel on a similar theme, "Warhorse" will particularly like his one, and vice versa.

The first story in this book, "Point Man" is set in the same universe as "Final Solution" from the short story collection "Distant Friends." In that universe most star travelling races have "hive-minds" e.g. they have such powerful intra-species telepathy that effectively the whole race share one mind. The hive minds were shocked and horrified when they encountered human spaceships are realised that one of the dangerous "fragmented" species (e.g. those in which each specimen is an individual) has survived to discover interstellar travel. Such races are always warlike and usually blow themselves to radioactive slag long before that stage. In "Point Man the Drymnu hive race from "Final Solution" experiment with their own solution to he human problem.

All these short stories are disciplined and to the point, as they have to be to make this format work: they are also very accessible and easy to read.

As with his novels, Timothy Zahn's short stories are characterised not just by an amazing range of weird ideas about the creatures or scientific principles we might find in the universe, but also about the difficult moral choices which humans - and other intelligent creatures - might face as a result.

Some of these stories have a romantic element, some don't, and when they do the hero may or may not get the girl. Since Zahn doesn't write to a formula in this respect, you cannot always see a romance coming, or predict the outcome. This makes some of the stories more satisfying and others more poignant.

If you do like this book, you may want to try Zahn's other short story collections, which are

Cascade Point
Distant Friends (and others)
Time Bomb and Zahndry others

Light Comedy With Music
Star Song and Other Stories is, insofar as I am aware, the fourth collection of Zahn's short works.It contains 6 stories, of which I had already read 3 in Analog.

Point Man is a humorous, but exciting story in the David and Goliath tradition.Hitmen-See Murderers is also humorous, yet with a bit of wisdom.The Broccoli Factor, another humorous story, is technological slapstick, but even stranger ideas have come true.The Art of War is serious yet light, with an upbeat ending.The Play's the Thing is pure farce.Star Song is another serious yet light story.

If you haven't read any Zahn works other than the Star Wars novels, you should know that he has written at least 19 other books during his career.This collection shows his capabilities in short, light fiction.It strongly resembles Vernor Vinge's True Names in the innovative themes and easy to read style.

Overall, these are all fun, and some funny, stories.Perfect for a damp, dreary, dark evening.Recommended for anyone who likes light humor, clear writing, and original approaches. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great buy!
This is the real thing. Zahn wrote this when his focus was on writing good books, before he got 'sensible' and started to write for maximum profit.

"Warhorse" offers a most interesting clash of philosophies and cultures, as well as lots of mind-stretching ideas. Great SF, great value for money!

A exciting story from an underappreciated author
The very first science fiction book I ever read was "Heir to the Empire", and ever since then, I have read every Timothy Zahn book that I could find, which are few, unfortunately. Warhorse is one of my favoriteof his works.

The story is set, as with most of Zahn's books in the nearfuture of the Human race. It is the story of human's encounter's andreconciliations with a new race of beings who (rather like the NativeAmericans, although that's not very PC) are very intune with perservingtheir environment. This naturally brings them into conflict with humans,who in this book seem to mostly resemble our vivacious and inhumaneEuropean ancestors. But the true magic of the book comes from thedescription of the space horse and their relatives, a species of animalsthat have evolved naturally space. Maybe a little farfetched, but hell, youdon't read sci-fi if you want hard reality, right? The interactions of thecharacters and the action is all very nicely done. I would recommend thisbook and any Timothy Zahn book to those who enjoy could science fiction,without too much silly technical jargon. Zahn is perhaps one of the mostunderappreciated authors-most of his books outside of Star Wars are prettydarn hard to find, believe me, I'm still searching for most of them. Butthe search is worth it, as they can be re-read with te same enjoyment manytimes.

Excellent Book
Warhorse is probably my favorite stand alone sci-fi book that I have ever read.The plot is very original, the characters are believable but a little shallow, and the action is extremely well written.

Basically thestory is about humans who have become very technologically advanced, andanother race that is very environmentally sensative discover a wholeecology of space life.I guess that may sound a little cheezy, but trustme it is extremely well written. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Back Cover Description
If anyone had told Jonny Moreau the Cobras would one day take roders from the alien Troft, he would have laughed without humor.He'd lost too many friends during th Troft war, though the Cobras triumphed in the end.Now, though, the Troft were trading partners... Jonny Moreau's son Justin would carry the Moreau name to danger...

great book!
This is a great book that I enjoyed immensely ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The books that turned the tide
These books reshaped the the way people thought about Star Wars. Their action, and amazing plot, gave the idea a rebirth which continues to this day. Read these books, they're well worth the time and money.

The books that brought back the Force!
There was a time almost a decade ago when SW was dead, a thing from the past, then one day passing by a bookstore something called my attention "Heir to the Empire", What's this? I wondered, and as I wasreading page after page of this novel I relived the thrill and excitementand dreams from my childhood. Undoubtely this trilogy (completed by"Dark Force Rising" & "The Last Command") are asclose to the original vision of George Lucas as they could have been and itis the best story of all the Expanded Universe. Now with the audiobookversion I will have a chance to listen to the story everytime that I desireit. If you haven't read the books, buy this audio version, you won't regretit. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Unique, Creative, and a great read!
Spinneret is a great read.If you are bored with the similarities of many SciFi plots, find this book! (I say *find* because it is currently out of print, try Amazon Used book section, Zshops, or online auctions, or the library).Zahn takes a totally ridiculous idea and creates a masterpiece.The premise of the story is that man finally makes it out of the solar system in hopes of colonization, only to find out that we are latecomers to the game.All the worlds in our reach have already been divided up between several species.The United Nation's is able to trade for a planet regarded as useless (no natural resources to speak of and crops can not be grown) and the USA (being the wealthiest and most technologically advanced nation) will bear most of the financial burden and administrative responsibilities.This situation is palatable as long as the colony is a money pit.The US Colonel in charge of the colony has orders to do whatever necessary to make the colony self-sufficient as soon as possible.This proves to be a daunting task, as the workers (many from third world countries) are being rallied by a charismatic anti-American and refuse to work until their demands are met.Amid the turmoil, scientists begin to analyze an enigma threatening the lives of all colonists.The crops won't grow.And to make matters worse, everything made of metal seems to be disappearing. Finding the answer to these problems eventually leads to an amazing discovery that makes this new colony one of the most valuable commodities in the known universe; hidden technology from the original inhabitants.Soon all aliens are fighting to be our best friend and suddenly the UN wants to run the show -- and politics reigns supreme!The colonists still can't grow their own food nor protect their new discovery from the more technologically advanced aliens. The workers are up in arms and want a piece of the new found profits, the US and UN are trying to outmaneuver one another for control of the colony, and the amazing discovery has left more questions than answers (what happened to the inventors and what do we do if they come back?). As usual, Zahn creates believable characters and a page turning plot structure, based on a far-fetched idea that he somehow makes believable.I think what I like the best about reading anything by Timothy Zahn is the flow of the story.He has the innate ability to give enough technical details to further the story, without bogging down the reader with constant interruptions.Many authors write in an annoyingly choppy fashion, constantly stopping the flow of the story to explain technical details (especially in SciFi) or in order to set up the next scene.Zahn's works seem to have a continuous flow with constant action and dialog that are pertinent to the overall story. Spinneret is one of my favorites from Timothy Zahn, and I encourage you to go out of your way to find this book, it will be well worth the effort.

Unique, creative, and a great read!
Spinneret is a great read.If you are bored with the similarities of many SciFi plots, find this book! (I say *find* because it is currently out of print, try Amazon Used book section, Zshops, or online auctions, or the library).Zahn takes a totally ridiculous idea and creates a masterpiece.The premise of the story is that man finally makes it out of the solar system in hopes of colonization, only to find out that we are latecomers to the game.All the worlds in our reach have already been divided up between several species.The United Nation's is able to trade for a planet regarded as useless (no natural resources to speak of and crops can not be grown) and the USA (being the wealthiest and most technologically advanced nation) will bear most of the financial burden and administrative responsibilities.This situation is palatable as long as the colony is a money pit.The US Colonel in charge of the colony has orders to do whatever necessary to make the colony self-sufficient as soon as possible.This proves to be a daunting task, as the workers (many from third world countries) are being rallied by a charismatic anti-American and refuse to work until their demands are met.Amid the turmoil, scientists begin to analyze an enigma threatening the lives of all colonists.The crops won't grow.And to make matters worse, everything made of metal seems to be disappearing. Finding the answer to these problems eventually leads to an amazing discovery that makes this new colony one of the most valuable commodities in the known universe; hidden technology from the original inhabitants.Soon all aliens are fighting to be our best friend and suddenly the UN wants to run the show -- and politics reigns supreme!The colonists still can't grow their own food nor protect their new discovery from the more technologically advanced aliens. The workers are up in arms and want a piece of the new found profits, the US and UN are trying to outmaneuver one another for control of the colony, and the amazing discovery has left more questions than answers (what happened to the inventors and what do we do if they come back?). As usual, Zahn creates believable characters and a page turning plot structure, based on a far-fetched idea that he somehow makes believable.I think what I like the best about reading anything by Timothy Zahn is the flow of the story.He has the innate ability to give enough technical details to further the story, without bogging down the reader with constant interruptions.Many authors write in an annoyingly choppy fashion, constantly stopping the flow of the story to explain technical details (especially in SciFi) or in order to set up the next scene.Zahn's works seem to have a continuous flow with constant action and dialog that are pertinent to the overall story. Spinneret is one of my favorites from Timothy Zahn, and I encourage you to go out of your way to find this book, it will be well worth the effort.

Unique, creative, a great read!
Spinneret is a great read.If you are bored with the similarities of many SciFi plots, find this book! (I say *find* because it is currently out of print, try Amazon Used book section, Zshops, or online auctions, or the library).Zahn takes a totally ridiculous idea and creates a masterpiece.The premise of the story is that man finally makes it out of the solar system in hopes of colonization, only to find out that we are latecomers to the game.All the worlds in our reach have already been divided up between several species.The United Nation's is able to trade for a planet regarded as useless (no natural resources to speak of and crops can not be grown) and the USA (being the wealthiest and most technologically advanced nation) will bear most of the financial burden and administrative responsibilities.This situation is palatable as long as the colony is a money pit.The US Colonel in charge of the colony has orders to do whatever necessary to make the colony self-sufficient as soon as possible.This proves to be a daunting task, as the workers (many from third world countries) are being rallied by a charismatic anti-American and refuse to work until their demands are met.Amid the turmoil, scientists begin to analyze an enigma threatening the lives of all colonists.The crops won't grow.And to make matters worse, everything made of metal seems to be disappearing. Finding the answer to these problems eventually leads to an amazing discovery that makes this new colony one of the most valuable commodities in the known universe; hidden technology from the original inhabitants.Soon all aliens are fighting to be our best friend and suddenly the UN wants to run the show -- and politics reigns supreme!The colonists still can't grow their own food nor protect their new discovery from the more technologically advanced aliens. The workers are up in arms and want a piece of the new found profits, the US and UN are trying to outmaneuver one another for control of the colony, and the amazing discovery has left more questions than answers (what happened to the inventors and what do we do if they come back?). As usual, Zahn creates believable characters and a page turning plot structure, based on a far-fetched idea that he somehow makes believable.I think what I like the best about reading anything by Timothy Zahn is the flow of the story.He has the innate ability to give enough technical details to further the story, without bogging down the reader with constant interruptions.Many authors write in an annoyingly choppy fashion, constantly stopping the flow of the story to explain technical details (especially in SciFi) or in order to set up the next scene.Zahn's works seem to have a continuous flow with constant action and dialog that are pertinent to the overall story. Spinneret is one of my favorites from Timothy Zahn, and I encourage you to go out of your way to find this book, it will be well worth the effort.

One of the best first-contact books ever!
This is one of the finest books I've ever read.From the premise to the wrap-up, their's very little to complain about, except a small amount of overly pro-Americanisms.If you can find it, buy it!

This ain't no Star Trek spinoff
Humanity has just begun building its first intersteller spacecraft when it makes a startling discovery-it is not alone! Well now, the human folk realize that they have no planets to colonize, as other more ambisious alien races have taken 'em all.

The humans want a planet- bad. So they trade and haggle with they alien race (getting a couple of hyperdrive spaceships in gthe process) and they get themselves a planet.

All righty, so everybody is happy. Except for on thing...this planet does not act normally! And the human folk have found great metal substances on this planet-which they are selling to everybody in the sector for lots of cash. Whoo! And to top it off, now some aliens want to exterminate the human race and keep the metal for themselves.

Wanna know the rest??? Read the book. ... Read more

Book Description
Allen Caine was too young to remember when the Earth had not been a conquered planet, one of many such in the huge and sprawling Rygril empire, but he knew of the legendary blackcollars, guerilla warriors trained to the limit of human speed and skill, then turned into nearly superhuman combatants by use of the now-lost backlash drug. Earth and its former colony worlds had been overwhelmed, but sparks of rebellion still smoldered, and the rebel underground on Earth had sent Caine on an undercover mission to the former Earth colony of Plinry, where there was a faint hope that a blackcollar unit still existed. The underground alone knew of a secret that might be humanity's ace in the hole. And if a remnant of blackcollar fighters still existed on Plinry, they were the only hope of playing that ace in a final bid for the freedom of humanity.

Publisher's Note: This book has appeared in parts as The Blackcollar and Blackcollar: The Backlash Mission. This is the first unified appearance of the complete book

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Customer Reviews (2)

Early Zahn novels deliver action, espionage, tactics, suspense
BLACKCOLLAR is a really good sci-fi/action series focusing on elite warriors in a universe dominated by evil aliens.It is similar to COBRA and I think it might be slightly better.

As they did with the COBRA trilogy, Baen does a great job with the presentation.The book has an above-average font size which is a pleasure to read.

Zahn really excels at writing these types of novels.If you enjoyed the tactics and strategy of Grand Admiral Thrawn in his STAR WARS novels, you are sure to like this.It's great to read about intelligent characters trying to outsmart each other.Another thing Zahn does really well here (and always) is to focus on the facial expressions of the characters.It adds another layer of reality to the books and gives you more insight into the conversation.

There is also plenty of action.It's all written in a clear manner and fairly easy to follow.

BACKLASH MISSION (the second book in this volume) is not quite as good as the first book.Note that it does not really have an ending.It took Zahn twenty years but he wrote the third (and apparently final) book in 2006, BLACKCOLLAR: THE JUDAS SOLUTION.Which also happens to be a great book.

If you're going to take the plunge into BLACKCOLLAR, I highly recommend reading the entire trilogy.I really liked it a lot.

reprint of two entertaining 1980s science fiction thrillers
"Blackcollar".Three decades have past since the Ryqril invaders conquered the earth.The last hope, the Blackcollar warriors failed and either died, were captured, or fled in defeat, rumors being to lick their wounds on the isolated colony of Plinry.Now thirty years later, a fledgling resistance has formed.Amongst the newcomers is young Allen Caine, who has never lived on a free earth.His mission is to find the Blackcollar squadron and accompany them in a quest to locate and use five cached Warships.

Blackcollar: The Backlash Mission:Allen Caine has come along way from his neophyte mission.He has since been trained as a Blackcollar and commands his own unit.His first mission as a leader is to visit a lab that produced the physical enhancer chemical Backlash.The assignment seems simple enough after his time on Plinry, but he will learn otherwise once in the Mile High City.In Denver, a bewildered and beleaguered Allen learns first hand that the local gangsters run the city and do not welcome armed outsiders; others want him to fail, even retired Blackcollars.Finally the elixir and its secrets reside inside an impenetrable stronghold that no one not even the Blackcollar veterans who thirst for their potion or the Ryqril have infiltrated.

The reprinting of and merging of two entertaining 1980s science fiction thrillers into one book will please fans of Timothy Zahn and anyone who enjoys a besieged earth vs. all powerful alien invaders.Both tales are well written with Blackcollar more of a coming of age story while by the Backlash Mission, Allen has gained experience and training.Though the tale simplifies the good vs. evil adversaries, albeit these are Allen's tales, readers will want to peruse this fine collection.

Harriet Klausner
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Customer Reviews (5)

Surprisingly good!
As I have mentioned previously, Timothy Zahn is my absolute favorite author.I first read his works with Heir to the Empire (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 1) and have continued to enjoy his non-Star Wars books.As a mini-goal, I have decided to read all of his works.This was another of his older works that I picked up in a used bookstore.

Plot:
The planet Tigris is strange not necessarily for its flora, fauna, or alien life.Something about the planet has bestowed a "gift" upon anyone between the ages of 5 and puberty--telekinesis.This "gift", however, quickly turned into a curse during the Lost Generation, in which much technology was lost.Since then, society has changed to reign in the children who have this ability to "teek" anything they see or touch.
Lisa Duncan is a preteen (actually 14, but she hasn't yet reached puberty) who is not looking forward to losing her gifts in Transition.So, she decides to get ahead on some schooling and learn how to read.However, this proves to be a serious error and leads her into much trouble.
Meanwhile, a scientist, Dr. Matthew Jarvis, kidnaps a 5-year old orphan boy and starts some break-through experiments on him that could uproot the entire Tigrin society.Stanley Tirrell and his righthand, Tonio, a preteen, rush out to find the lost boy and to keep Dr. Jarvis' discovery from falling into the wrong hands.

Good:
Wow!I was not exactly looking forward to reading this book just because the concept didn't sound that interesting.But as I started reading, the story drew me further and further in.I felt Lisa's pain at seeing her childhood come to a close.I understood her actions to try to "get ahead" of the crowd.I also cheered on Tirrell and Tonio as they slowly picked their way through the rubble of the mystery.
Besides pretty interesting characters (namely Lisa Duncan and Tirrell in a smaller sense), the story is awesome.Timothy Zahn creates this world without spending pages upon pages of boring history lessons.He retells it only as necessary and convinces me as the reader that the characters know their history and don't feel like they have to regurgitate it for the audience to understand what is going on.
There is enough action towards the end to grip the audience.You are never quite sure who will win in the end.

Bad:
Very minimal.The language was quite intense, which was quite unlike Zahn.Also, the villain, Omega, was rather dry, certainly nothing like his villain, Thrawn.

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
A lot of da**, he**, and sh**.Mention is made of a sexual relationship between two teens and the kidnapped child is illegitimate.The Lost Generation wrought havoc on society 200 years previously.Omega is not afraid to use children and their teekay power to harm others.

Overall:
Impressive!Most impressive!For a book that I thought would be dull, this kept me very entertained.Give it to Timothy Zahn to pull off another good book!

Very Enjoyable
A Coming of Age has an interesting twist not seen in many Sci Fi novels, the fact that the children of the Planet are more powerful than the adults, in physical prowess at least, is quite interesting. His prose is quite good, if the villain is rather boring, and several plot changes make for a good ending.

It's just fun seeing Zahn at work.
I'm going to have to go with a five-star rating here despite the fact that it's a four-star kind of book; light reading that's not going to change your life.But the thing that's so special about this book is that I'd uphold it (particularly the first chapter) as a how-to for sci-fi authors: it's a great example of how to create a unique world without having to stop and (directly) explain things to the reader.I don't think Zahn ever states outright that "teekay" stands for telekinesis (TK), he just uses the phrase in context enough so the reader can figure it out within a few pages.The same approach is emplyed throughout the book - we eventually learn what we need to know in order to understand the story about the setup and history of Tigris, but it's blended seamlessly into the narrative and never feels like an interruption.

The narrative itself is interesting, if not brilliant.Per usual with this author, we get very competent prose and intelligent, likable protagonists.There are a few flaws here: the villain is pretty bland, the storyline is only barely strong enough to last 300 pages, and there're a few plot contrivances here and there.Plus for the first half of the book one basically has to take the author's word that the different story arcs have anything to do with each other.But since I've spent two whole sentances on flaws, I'll also have to mention that Zahn does a good job with most of his characters; I particularly liked the kids, Lisa and Tonio.And the central concept is a nice twist on the old "magical power that comes at a certain age" cliché.

I'm not an expert on Timothy Zahn - until about a year ago I only knew his Star Wars stuff - but I'd highly recommend A Coming Of Age along with any other Zahn you can find, since everything I've read so far from this guy has been top-notch.

Good, solid sci-fi
Zahn pulls his usual mix of action and plot twists, though perhaps not quite as elegantly as in his later work.I enjoyed this book thouroughly (not quite as much as the Thrawn books, but it is better than Icarus Hunt) as it gives the reader insight into the child - adult power struggle as well as being a cracking good story.It's a book with thought put into it.

Engaging, suspenseful, highly satisfying.
With the exception of books by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein, I hadn't read fiction of any kind--let alone science fiction--for several decades until I got hooked by Tim Zahn.This book takes an utterly imaginativepremise--that, because of some mysterious occurrence in the past, humansare able to use telekinesis UNTIL puberty--and does wonderful things withit.How to control a society when the kids are immeasurably more powerfulthan adults? The characters are very real and likeable, both kids andadults (at least the good-guy adults). Both kids and adults end up havingto deal with strong internal conflicts.There are cops and robbers, as itwere.There are both up-tight and laid-back authority figures. And there'seven a twinge of romance.In the end, the question is whether a preteencan save the world. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Short Story collection
Timothy Zahn is one of the most imaginative science fiction authors writing today. He has written a large number of novels, which range from fair to excellent, and is probably best known for his contributions to the "Star Wars" Universe, particularly the novels in which he bought to life the character of Grand Admiral Thrawn and his people, the Chiss. However, Zahn's four short story collections are perhaps his best achievement.

This collection is named for a group of three short stories about the "distant friends," a group of telepaths who cannot travel within about twenty miles of each other or the amount of feedback between their brains will drive them insane. The narrator, Dale Ravenhall, has fallen helplessly in love with one of his fellow telepaths, Colleen Isaac - and knows that they can never meet.

All these short stories are disciplined and to the point, as they have to be to make this format work: they are also very accessible and easy to read.

As with his novels, Timothy Zahn's short stories are characterised not just by an amazing range of weird ideas about the creatures or scientific principles we might find in the universe, but also about the difficult moral choices which humans - and other intelligent creatures - might face as a result.

Sometimes Zahn revisits the characters or wider universe he created in another short story. For example, "Distant Friends" contains the short story "The Evidence of things not seen," a direct sequel to the title short story of the book "Cascade Point."

Also in "Distant Friends" is the short story "Final Solution" which describes mankind's first meeting with one of the "hive-mind" races, e.g. a species who have such powerful telepathy that effectively they share one mind. The hive mind is shocked and horrified to discover that one of the dangerous "fragmented" species (e.g. those in which each specimen is an individual) has survived to discover interstellar travel. Such races are always warlike and usually blow themselves to radioactive slag long before that stage. "Final solution" tells of the attempt by the humans involved in the first contact to learn from the hive mind how to bring an end to war. Zahn subsequently wrote another short story set in the same universe, called "Point Man", which can be found in the book "Star song and other stories.

Some of these stories have a romantic element, some don't, and when they do the hero may or may not get the girl. Since Zahn doesn't write to a formula in this respect, you cannot always see a romance coming, or predict the outcome. This makes some of the stories more satisfying and others more poignant.
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Customer Reviews (1)

A random collection of good short stories
A great collection of short stories. Zahn exploits ideas & technologies (as always) in ways you would never expect. The stories include: A kid that can transport himself an inch at a time. A doomed "plane". People who can travel back and witness events as they happened, and much more. ... Read more

Book Description
Timothy Zahn, author of Heir to the Empire, the best selling Star Wars novel of all time, has crafted a fresh, suspenseful tale of conflict in New York City that threatens to escalate into all-out genocidal warfare.For seventy-five years the Greens and the Grays have lived quietly among us in the shadows of New York, alien refugees from a war of attrition that utterly destroyed the rest of their kind. Passing as everyday citizens, yet with powers and technologies unknown to humanity, each group has long believed that they are all that remain of their old world and their terrible conflict.But now, to their mutual surprise, they have found each other, and the old hatreds and fears have once again risen to the surface.And each side is preparing again for war.On a cold October night, Roger and Caroline Whittier, a young couple struggling with their marriage, are accosted at gunpoint, and an unexpected burden is thrust upon them: Melantha Green, a twelve-year-old girl snatched from the hands of a peace coalition consisting of both Greens and Grays. The coalition had been preparing to cold-bloodedly sacrifice her in a last-ditch effort to prevent the impending battle . . . and it desperately wants her back.As Roger and Caroline strive to protect Melantha and to understand the alien cultures they have suddenly been thrust into, they find aid in unlikely places. They're joined in their efforts by NYPD Detective Thomas Fierenzo, who's determined to prevent what he believes to be an impending gang war, and by Otto Velovsky, a former Ellis Island clerk who was present at the very beginning of the aliens' new life on earth.Unlikely allies, unlikely heroes....and they have just one week to find a way to prevent New York City from becoming a battlefield the likes of which the world has never known.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

A Different Look For Zahn
Roger and Caroline Whittier, an ordinary New York City couple are caught in the middle of a feud between two alien races secretly living in New York. They must prevent a war that could kill millions of unsuspecting bystanders. What makes this story unique is that it is set in modern day New York. Most of Timothy Zahn's stories are set somewhere in the distant future. But as always his story telling ability makes this a wonderful read.

New Idea from an Old Favorite
My absolute favorite science fiction author is Timothy Zahn.I have never read as personal or character-driven science fiction action novels as I have from this highly talented author.Not only does he create realistic, personal characters, but he weaves in science fiction as if it is nothing exceptional (instead of some who try to wow us with how the future is).

Plot:
Melantha Green is a sacrifice whose death is supposed to provide peace between her people, the Greens, and their mortal enemies, the Grays.However, her death is foiled when someone takes her away and hides her with a bickering couple, Roger and Caroline Whittier.The couple quickly team together to help this young girl and her people in finding a more peaceful solution--and to make a huge discovery about who these people are and where they came from.

Good:
Most of Zahn's novels (at least the ones I've heard of/read) deal with societies in the future.Zahn did a pretty good job with a present day novel.I will say that the idea of having aliens living among us is a really cool idea and well enacted in this book.And who could hate the detective?He was my absolute favorite.Zahn really needs to use this character again in another book.

Bad:
Really the only "bad" parts to this book would be the length of the book (560+ which makes it difficult for someone like me, who likes to tear a book to pieces understanding every facet, to finish), the similarity to Conqueror's Trilogy (some of my favorites from Zahn), and the ending, which, by the time I reached it, I had expected something with a little more pizzazz (instead, the ending seems to just peter out--although in a way that makes sense--and the book ends).Also, the true origins of the alien societies was more than a little...well, odd (won't spoil the surprise).

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
No coarse language.No sexual situations.Violence includes the attempt to kill a 12 year old girl, and frequent attacks to the Whittiers and the detective.

Overall:
A good read, but don't expect to finish it in a night!At 560+ and rather slow plot pacing, it took me over a week to get it done.

good example of the SF pulp style
OK, so this book isn't going to win the Nobel or Pulitzer. But it's classic pulp SF done pretty well. Take a couple of cool ideas, create a scenario to exploit them, create a few fairly simplistic characters, turn on the word processor, and start typing.

As another reviewer mentioned, the first fifty or sixty pages is the highlight of the book. As the mystery starts to get explained, it doesn't quite live up to what it might have been. Nevertheless, I kept reading the book from the time I picked it up until the time I finished it, late into the night.

There's nothing really new here -- alien refugees continuing a secret war here on Earth is a classic staple plot. But combining it with the tech v. naturalism theme (another classic SF concept) works pretty well. In fact, if anything it is the normal human element of the story that doesn't really gel. I think the author should have abandoned the idea of the original heroes and gone with the police detective as the human viewpoint.

Bottom line: a fun and unchallenging read that is a good way to spend a few hours.

Traditional Za