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The Helmsman #6
The Siege
Outfitted in snug, Bearish finery, complete with requisite egg-shaped hat to cover his ears and add at least an iral to his normal, six-iral height, Captain Wilf Brim, Imperial Fleet, grinned with pure pleasure as the elegant Sodeskayan troika sped him through a dazzling blizzard.
The rare antique was drawn by three shaggy-black, droshkat thoroughbreds loping effortlessly over the powdery snow—the center ‘kat trotting in shafts while the other two, loose save for long traces, padded along like ebony ghosts. The three great animals set hundreds of tiny bells to rhythmic jingling from their burnished harnesses producing melodies from a thousand years in the Sodeskayan past. Only cloud-muted thunder from a lifting starship momentarily spoiled the illusion that the sleigh was racing through the planet’s rural countryside. Timoshenko Memorial Starport on artificially heated Lake Demyansk lay a mere thirty c’lenyts to Spinward from the sprawling Borodov estate. And the capital of all Sodeskaya, “Holy” Gromcow, unfolded along a riverbank only twenty c’lenyts further on.
To Brim’s left, Grand Duke Anastas Alexi Borodov snapped his whip and joggled the reins with the exuberance of someone half his age. Driving a Sodeskayan troika was a special art, for the driver was required to stand—no mean feat for a Bear of Borodov’s years. As a true Yamshchik, he was privileged to wear a special badge: two bright-orange zavencock feathers protruding from the right side of his hat.
On Brim’s right, massive General Nikolai Yanuarievich Ursis, galactic-class Drive engineer and (in rare years of peace) Dean of the renowned Dytasburg Academy, puffed contentedly on an intricately carved Zempa pipe as chalky trunks of ancient, somnolent birches whizzed by on either side of the narrow rustic lane. Stumps of frost-burned azalea and skeletal dogwood protruded from the snow, half screening bare stands of oak and poplar behind them.
This was Sodeskayan winter at its old-fashioned best—if not its most genuine....
At the same time, Tyrant Nergol Triannic’s League of Dark Stars has invaded the Sodeskayan Worlds, where Rear Admiral Wilf Brim’s Bear Allies, armed for ground combat, are not prepared to repel the League’s vast star fleet. To make matters worse, Brim’s Imperial superiors in Avalon refuse to commit their scarce forces unless the Bears prove they can resist the League. Desperately, Ursis risks his Domain’s future on a single battle, and along with it, the future of Wilf Brim.
The rare antique was drawn by three shaggy-black, droshkat thoroughbreds loping effortlessly over the powdery snow—the center ‘kat trotting in shafts while the other two, loose save for long traces, padded along like ebony ghosts. The three great animals set hundreds of tiny bells to rhythmic jingling from their burnished harnesses producing melodies from a thousand years in the Sodeskayan past. Only cloud-muted thunder from a lifting starship momentarily spoiled the illusion that the sleigh was racing through the planet’s rural countryside. Timoshenko Memorial Starport on artificially heated Lake Demyansk lay a mere thirty c’lenyts to Spinward from the sprawling Borodov estate. And the capital of all Sodeskaya, “Holy” Gromcow, unfolded along a riverbank only twenty c’lenyts further on.
To Brim’s left, Grand Duke Anastas Alexi Borodov snapped his whip and joggled the reins with the exuberance of someone half his age. Driving a Sodeskayan troika was a special art, for the driver was required to stand—no mean feat for a Bear of Borodov’s years. As a true Yamshchik, he was privileged to wear a special badge: two bright-orange zavencock feathers protruding from the right side of his hat.
On Brim’s right, massive General Nikolai Yanuarievich Ursis, galactic-class Drive engineer and (in rare years of peace) Dean of the renowned Dytasburg Academy, puffed contentedly on an intricately carved Zempa pipe as chalky trunks of ancient, somnolent birches whizzed by on either side of the narrow rustic lane. Stumps of frost-burned azalea and skeletal dogwood protruded from the snow, half screening bare stands of oak and poplar behind them.
This was Sodeskayan winter at its old-fashioned best—if not its most genuine....
At the same time, Tyrant Nergol Triannic’s League of Dark Stars has invaded the Sodeskayan Worlds, where Rear Admiral Wilf Brim’s Bear Allies, armed for ground combat, are not prepared to repel the League’s vast star fleet. To make matters worse, Brim’s Imperial superiors in Avalon refuse to commit their scarce forces unless the Bears prove they can resist the League. Desperately, Ursis risks his Domain’s future on a single battle, and along with it, the future of Wilf Brim.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 13, 2017
There are many things that have always bothered me about this book, especially this new expanded and revised one.
There are numerous errors, and even some of the author's notes to himself throughout the book. Obviously self published, this book did not get much if any editing before being sold.
I dislike how Claudia's culture changed. In The Trophy Claudia is married and when she meets Wilf again she tells him that they cannot sleep together anymore because of her marriage.
In this version of The Siege, Claudia's husband all but orders her to sleep with Wilf. In her culture husband's honor guests by giving them their wife for the night. In the morning the guest is supposed to rather graphically thank his host by describing the things they did. Sort of institutionalized wife swapping.
This ham fisted plot change prevents Wilf and Claudia from feeling guilty about their affair. At least in The Siege, Wilf admits that his failure to move on after losing Margot cost him a chance to marry Claudia. Wilf and Claudia admit their love for each other, despite the fact that Claudia will not leave her husband, they intend to see each other when they can.
Wilf's daughter Hope must be a prodigy of magnificent proportions to hold such complicated discussions at age 4.
There are numerous errors, and even some of the author's notes to himself throughout the book. Obviously self published, this book did not get much if any editing before being sold.
I dislike how Claudia's culture changed. In The Trophy Claudia is married and when she meets Wilf again she tells him that they cannot sleep together anymore because of her marriage.
In this version of The Siege, Claudia's husband all but orders her to sleep with Wilf. In her culture husband's honor guests by giving them their wife for the night. In the morning the guest is supposed to rather graphically thank his host by describing the things they did. Sort of institutionalized wife swapping.
This ham fisted plot change prevents Wilf and Claudia from feeling guilty about their affair. At least in The Siege, Wilf admits that his failure to move on after losing Margot cost him a chance to marry Claudia. Wilf and Claudia admit their love for each other, despite the fact that Claudia will not leave her husband, they intend to see each other when they can.
Wilf's daughter Hope must be a prodigy of magnificent proportions to hold such complicated discussions at age 4.
September 25, 2019
Proofreading needed
I would have rated it higher, except this book fairly cries out for a proofreader...spelling, punctuation, tenses, etc. Was this a first or second draft?
I would have rated it higher, except this book fairly cries out for a proofreader...spelling, punctuation, tenses, etc. Was this a first or second draft?
August 28, 2020
Another winner for mr Baldwin. The characters are excellent and I was there for every twist and turn. Completely enjoyable read. Recommend this book for anyone who enjoys reading.
October 30, 2011
When we last left The Helmsman in Book #5, he was very busy defending Avalon against the League, AKA the battle for Britain. Now in book #6, our hero is busy defending Sodeskaya (the Bears) against the League. Very much out of WWII and updated to a very classic space opera.
March 19, 2017
Somewhat slower paced book concerning the invasion of the Bear's Sodeskaya realm.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews