ISBN: 0-671-57788-3 Order from: Amazon.com
This novel of an interesting humanoid alien civilization, and its relations with humans and bug-like invaders doesn't lack for excitement but suffers from implausible behavior of the alien menace.
Reviewed by David on March 14, 1999
Genre: Science Fiction (Military)
Synopsis: Heyoka Blackeagle has been given his name by a traveling Oglala Indian. A large, vaguely feline humanoid has been rescued by the human from an alien slave market as a small child, and retains no memory of his origins. Estranged from the Oglala tribe after his adopted father's death, Heyoka entered the army, and spent years as a Terran ranger.
Almost thirty years later, while on medical leave after a combat injury, Heyoka takes up the search for his birth world. The restricted planet of Anktan cradles the Hrinnti: a xenophobic, pre-industrial people so close in looks to Heyoka's seven-foot three-inch black-furred, retractable-claw self as to leave no doubt about their kinship.
Unfortunately, far from welcoming Heyoka with open arms, the locals seem convinced that he is a subversive agent of the despised humans. Even worse, his appearance wakes old bitter feuds.
Deadly danger awaits Heyoka and his human companion Mitsu as Hrinnti political struggles erupt in a multi-species conflict.
Full Review: It is strange for Heyoka, who has been viewed with trepidation by his human companions for his size and fierceness, to find himself a small, overcivilized weakling among his Hrinn brethren. Ruthless culling and competition, among both female and male Hrinn, leaves the most aggressive, fearsome individuals in control. Even Heyoka's unusual, almost supernatural facility to speed up his motion is a common skill on Ankton.
The title of the book refers to the legendary fur coloring destined to appear on a scion of a Levv, a clan all but exterminated years ago.
The cover of the book is a bit misleading, showing a buxom young woman in tight and distressed clothing. It is probably depicting Mitsu, Heyoka's stubborn partner in the rangers. Heyoka and Mitsu's interplay shows a lot of gruff affection and humor. Unfortunately Mitsu's potential seems mostly wasted, as she plays a fairly passive role in the plot.
There is some attempt to make the evil alien Flek more interesting, but it generally fails, leaving them as the typical, bug-like menace. In addition, their plots seem unusually baroque, involving decades-old plots to achieve fairly modest gains. In fact, their rather improbably impressive skills in penetration and subversion seem like a bad match to mindless enmity they exhibit towards all other races. By contrast, their progress in securing a military foothold seems rediculously slow, considering any military time scale.
On the positive side, the book presents the Hrinn society with considerable subtlety. The clans are neither primitive savages, nor noble mystics. Instead, they are a fierce, territorial culture, with unusual perception of almost mystical patterns of societal change, akin to some of M. A. Foster's or Cherryh's inventions. One of Heyoka's most dedicated enemies, a conservative priest, is in fact shown, with some irony, as a thoughtful teacher whose perception of the otherworld menace is clearer than most of his peers.
To continue the irony, Heyoka is forced to assume the role of the legendary "Black/on/Black" leader, exagerating his own strength and skill to steer both the Hrinn and the humans away from the patterns of destruction.
The book is shows some promise, but remains at last mostly a typical space-opera-ish adventure.
Overall: 5; Plot: 4.5; Characters: 5.5; Style: 5; World-building: 6; Originality: 5.5;
Copyright date 1999, Baen Publishing Enterprises (Baen), February 1999, Mass market paperback, 341 pages
ISBN: 0-671-57788-3 Order from: Amazon.com