2010 science fiction, last of its trilogy. Ariane Kedros is testifying
at the trial of surviving terrorists, and someone seems to be trying
to blow her up, but at least the enigmatic aliens have a new job for
her. Oh good…
As a conclusion to the trilogy… this isn't. There's plenty of
revelation, a little bit of wrapping-up at the end, and some
speculation about what will come next, but if this had been volume
three of five it could have ended in just the same way. (Reeve has
gone on to write a pair of fantasy novels but there's no sign that she
plans to extend this series.)
Which is a shame, because I'm interested in these people and I'd like
to see their stories get some kind of resolution. Yes, many things
have been dealt with and several arcs have been concluded, but that
really isn't enough for me when there are big questions left
unanswered about the futures of everyone one's come to care about in
the slightest. In some ways, the whole thing feels quite abrupt.
As for what is in this book rather than what isn't, there's more of
Ariane's personal development; she has to work with old enemies, and
indeed to distinguish between the kind of enemy with whom one can make
common cause in the face of something bigger and the kind who's always
going to be opposed to whatever one is or does.
The stand-in for the Soviet Union is perhaps a bit too obviously
Soviet as seen by Americans this time round; its distinctive bits, the
Overlords known only by numbers and the State Princes who are just one
rank down from them, don't make up for pervasive paranoia, a large but
mostly incompetent system of informers and secret police, an inferior
computer technology, and so on. All right, perhaps I was just being
obtuse before, or I was hoping for a less direct translation of
Reeve's USAF experiences.
I'm glad I read this trilogy, mainly for the aliens, who are
effectively enigmatic and patronising while not being two-dimensional.
And for the Greek basis for human culture, though it doesn't show up
much beyond the names. Other things, such as the setup for FTL travel
and the wear it puts on its pilots, are handled competently but not
particularly originally or better than I've read in other places.
I haven't loved these books, and I haven't rushed to get to the next
volume, but they have a distinctive flavour that I'd be sad to have
missed.
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