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The Saga of Seven Suns #2
Der Sternenwald
Fünf Jahre sind seit Ausbruch des Krieges vergangen, in den die Menschheit durch ein misslungenes Experiment geraten ist. Die Hydroger haben das Sammeln von Wasserstoff in den Wolkenmeeren von Gasriesen verboten -- ein Verbot, unter dem Menschen wie Ildrianer gleichermaßen zu leiden haben. Ohne Wasserstoff fehlt ihnen der Treibstoff für ihre überlichtschnellen Raumschiffe.
Die Menschen suchen ihr Glück in einer Allianz mit neuen Verbündeten: eine unabhängige Kolonie, deren Bewohner in symbiotischer Verbindung mit einem vernunftbegabten Wald stehen. Dadurch sind sie in der Lage, über große Entfernungen hinweg ohne Zeitverzögerung Nachrichten zu übermitteln. Auch die Klikiss -- Roboterwesen, deren insektoide Herren vor Jahrtausenden von den Hydrogern ausgelöscht wurden -- bieten der Menschheit ihre Hilfe an.
Aber einmal mehr trifft ein altes Sprichwort zu: Wer braucht noch Feinde bei solchen Freunden? Denn die Ildrianer halten in geheimen Lagern Menschen gefangen, um sie grausamen Experimenten zu unterziehen, und die Klikiss haben die Tatsache verschwiegen, dass sie am Untergang ihrer Schöpfer nicht ganz unschuldig waren.
Auch im zweiten Band seiner Saga der Sieben Sonnen -- der erste ist unter dem Titel Das Imperium erschienen -- erweist sich Kevin J. Anderson als routinierter Erzähler, der zahlreiche Figuren und Handlungsebenen im Gleichgewicht zu halten weiß. Zwar wartet er nicht unbedingt mit neuen Ideen auf, aber seine fernen Welten sind durchdacht und exotisch, und seine Geschichte hat den Charme der besten Space Operas der 30er- und 40er-Jahre. Gelungene Popcorn-Unterhaltung für müßige Stunden. --Felix Darwin
Paperback
First published July 17, 2003
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About the author
Kevin J. Anderson
1,032 books3,110 followersYes, I have a lot of books, and if this is your first visit to my amazon author page, it can be a little overwhelming. If you are new to my work, let me recommend a few titles as good places to start. I love my Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series, humorous horror/mysteries, which begin with DEATH WARMED OVER. My steampunk fantasy adventures, CLOCKWORK ANGELS and CLOCKWORK LIVES, written with Neil Peart, legendary drummer from Rush, are two of my very favorite novels ever. And my magnum opus, the science fiction epic The Saga of Seven Suns, begins with HIDDEN EMPIRE. After you've tried those, I hope you'll check out some of my other series.
I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.
I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.
My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.
I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.
I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.
My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
April 20, 2012
Did you ever read a book where you wanted to know what happened in the overall story, but frequently got bored reading the book? Well, that's exactly how I felt about A Forest of Stars, and the first Saga of Seven Suns book, Hidden Empire. There are WAY too many characters, and at least a thousand too many unimportant plot threads in the first two books. It got to the point where I was relieved to have finished this book so that I wouldn't have to read about some of the truly despicable characters any more.
I decided instead to hit up the modern-day Cliff Notes, and checked Wikipedia for plot summaries and character bios to find out what happens in the five (!!!?!!???!?) other books in this series. I can't imagine having to slog through five more books to find out what happens.
It's a common criticism of this series to say that it was way too long, and I can totally see why. If I was Anderson's editor, I would have cut at least 50% of the words in this book and sent it back to him with only a three-word instruction: "Be more concise."
The only reason this gets two stars instead of one is that the overall ideas presented in the books are very interesting. It's simply the execution that feels like the dog poop on the beautiful lawn of the grand concepts.
I decided instead to hit up the modern-day Cliff Notes, and checked Wikipedia for plot summaries and character bios to find out what happens in the five (!!!?!!???!?) other books in this series. I can't imagine having to slog through five more books to find out what happens.
It's a common criticism of this series to say that it was way too long, and I can totally see why. If I was Anderson's editor, I would have cut at least 50% of the words in this book and sent it back to him with only a three-word instruction: "Be more concise."
The only reason this gets two stars instead of one is that the overall ideas presented in the books are very interesting. It's simply the execution that feels like the dog poop on the beautiful lawn of the grand concepts.
December 19, 2021
3.5 Stars
This is the second installment in a long running epic science fiction series. Admittedly, the number of characters and subplots was a little overwhelming in this one. I'm hoping the third book pulls me back in.
This is the second installment in a long running epic science fiction series. Admittedly, the number of characters and subplots was a little overwhelming in this one. I'm hoping the third book pulls me back in.
November 6, 2019
3.5 stars.
This epic space opera definitely reads more like fantasy than hard SF. Science in the series is presented in at best broad strokes. But the story is lots of fun, a big cast of complex characters many of whom get their own POV chapters and a complex world made this quite an enjoyable read. With the world now basically established, though there are definitely complications and expansions in this entry, there is more room for action in the second book of the series. Found it interesting that this entry into the series featured the human and characters doing much more reacting to the machinations of various alien actors then making big moves, though I would have been happier had the aliens been a bit more alien and less human in their thinking.
One of the book, and so far the series in general‘s, bigger flaws is that Kevin Anderson‘s writing style definitely tends toward heavy exposition. There is lots of detail here and not all of it feels strictly necessary. Still, if you are in the mood for a deep dive with space opera accessories but which reads much more like epic fantasy The ideas and characters in this book will definitely give you something to chew over.
Trigger warning, sexual slavery is a major plot point in one of the story threads in this book, there are no graphic scenes.
This epic space opera definitely reads more like fantasy than hard SF. Science in the series is presented in at best broad strokes. But the story is lots of fun, a big cast of complex characters many of whom get their own POV chapters and a complex world made this quite an enjoyable read. With the world now basically established, though there are definitely complications and expansions in this entry, there is more room for action in the second book of the series. Found it interesting that this entry into the series featured the human and characters doing much more reacting to the machinations of various alien actors then making big moves, though I would have been happier had the aliens been a bit more alien and less human in their thinking.
One of the book, and so far the series in general‘s, bigger flaws is that Kevin Anderson‘s writing style definitely tends toward heavy exposition. There is lots of detail here and not all of it feels strictly necessary. Still, if you are in the mood for a deep dive with space opera accessories but which reads much more like epic fantasy The ideas and characters in this book will definitely give you something to chew over.
Trigger warning, sexual slavery is a major plot point in one of the story threads in this book, there are no graphic scenes.
August 4, 2009
Yawn. I made it through the first, but...
I brought the second with me on a trans-pacific flight for entertainment during the 15 hours in the air. I was so uninterested in the story and characters that I gave up on it after a few hours. I haven't touched the book since and will donate this to the local library.
Kevin J. Anderson seems to be a fantasy writer in a scifi world and doesn't know how to make an interesting story (by this, I refer to the seeming inability of fantasy writers to write without going into painful detail about everything). After several chapters into the second of an N-book series, I only know that the premise for the main plot line is bogus and that I cannot remember any character from chapter to chapter. None of them are compelling.
Anderson resorts to magic to accomplish instantaneous communication and provides a silly mechanism for fueling faster-than-light travel. I expect my scifi authors to either understand their technology and science or not to mention the mechanisms with any more detail than broad brush strokes; not every person understands how something as ubiquitous as a computer or an airplane works now, so why would everyone understand how FTL travel works far into the future?
Anyway, my big problem with Anderson's Saga is that it's boring; the cycling through character stories as chapters means that even with the endless repetition for the first several pages of each chapter, I could not bring myself to remember or care about any of the characters. I was frustrated with the plot devices; Anderson doesn't know science, technology, or engineering, so he makes up crap based on crap he read in a non-science magazine. Yes, I know he worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, but as a technical writer, not as a scientist. He apparently doesn't do science/technical/engineering research for his books, so I am unwilling to include him in the genre of scifi.
Meh. I read another of his book and have no plans to read any more; 2.5 is more than enough.
I brought the second with me on a trans-pacific flight for entertainment during the 15 hours in the air. I was so uninterested in the story and characters that I gave up on it after a few hours. I haven't touched the book since and will donate this to the local library.
Kevin J. Anderson seems to be a fantasy writer in a scifi world and doesn't know how to make an interesting story (by this, I refer to the seeming inability of fantasy writers to write without going into painful detail about everything). After several chapters into the second of an N-book series, I only know that the premise for the main plot line is bogus and that I cannot remember any character from chapter to chapter. None of them are compelling.
Anderson resorts to magic to accomplish instantaneous communication and provides a silly mechanism for fueling faster-than-light travel. I expect my scifi authors to either understand their technology and science or not to mention the mechanisms with any more detail than broad brush strokes; not every person understands how something as ubiquitous as a computer or an airplane works now, so why would everyone understand how FTL travel works far into the future?
Anyway, my big problem with Anderson's Saga is that it's boring; the cycling through character stories as chapters means that even with the endless repetition for the first several pages of each chapter, I could not bring myself to remember or care about any of the characters. I was frustrated with the plot devices; Anderson doesn't know science, technology, or engineering, so he makes up crap based on crap he read in a non-science magazine. Yes, I know he worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, but as a technical writer, not as a scientist. He apparently doesn't do science/technical/engineering research for his books, so I am unwilling to include him in the genre of scifi.
Meh. I read another of his book and have no plans to read any more; 2.5 is more than enough.
August 18, 2010
Again a pretty good book. The story continues to advance, though the political machinations are getting more convoluted also. The more "alien" of the aliens humans have come in contact with are lining up in a war where humans mostly need to keep their heads down...and human traits, the ones we've always had, are still there.
The book/story seems to be bogging down a bit in this volume but not excessively so. The ending, opening new "lines of inquiry" and not really giving a final answer to any of the existing problems and questions definitely speaks of "more story to come".
The book/story seems to be bogging down a bit in this volume but not excessively so. The ending, opening new "lines of inquiry" and not really giving a final answer to any of the existing problems and questions definitely speaks of "more story to come".
December 5, 2019
Set five years after Hidden Empire, A Forest of Stars continues the Saga of Seven Suns with the hydrogues raising the stakes for the whole Spiral Arm. Gas giants are declared off limits to humans and Ildrians, which leaves both civilizations with a dangerously low supply of stardrive fuel. Desperate for any advantage, the Terran Hanseatic League blindly grasps for any alliance. Through their blind faith, they have accepted a terrible threat to all humans into the Earth Defense Forces.
The plot is much more political in nature this time. The galactic war has dangerously altered the balance of power, and current and future leaders struggle to adjust. I loved seeing Theroc take a more central role, as it is my favorite planet and culture in the series. Hidden Empire eased the reader into science fiction, and A Forest of Stars takes them to a new level with more scientific details. The book is still, thankfully, very character driven.
The plot is much more political in nature this time. The galactic war has dangerously altered the balance of power, and current and future leaders struggle to adjust. I loved seeing Theroc take a more central role, as it is my favorite planet and culture in the series. Hidden Empire eased the reader into science fiction, and A Forest of Stars takes them to a new level with more scientific details. The book is still, thankfully, very character driven.
November 19, 2011
This book is pretty good. Anderson begins to really focus in on his characters here, even adding a few new ones. Yet he thickens the plot by changing some of the main characters in a unique yet for-seable way. The first two books could probably have been condensed down to one, but if it were, I feel that the characters wouldn't be as strong. So far, this is one of the best examples of character development I've seen in a while. The tense seems to shift ever so slightly, but it's not hard to adjust to. I'm interested to see what this series may have to offer in the next few novels. Trees growing spaceships? I can't wait to see/read that.
February 25, 2013
Fantastic. Background story is more massive than I'd thought from Hidden Empire. Still after another entire book there's so much left to find out about the history never mind what's to come.
August 28, 2025
Spannende Fortsetzung, allerdings mit leichtem Einschlag in Richtung Fantasy.
November 6, 2013
With this book, I am doing something that I have never before done (at least not for a work of fiction): I'm reviewing it without finishing it.
With that caveat in mind, let me begin by saying that I actually had no particular problems with this book. I did not leave it unfinished because I hated it, or because it had detestable writing, or because it was poorly formulated or characterized--it was none of those things. Rather, I did not finish reading it because it did not excite me.
Part of the problem is that I'm not reading this contemporaneously with its writing. That is to say, I know for a fact that there are seven books in this series. I also know that at least two books in the series follow the same set of characters, and more than likely, the others do as well. Sure, some characters die and others are introduced, but for the most part, we're going to stick with the same folks throughout, I imagine. The upside of this is continuity and familiarity; the downside is that a lot of the questions that are posed in early books will not be answered until the last book of the series.
I like the book, but I do not like it so much that I am willing to suffer through unanswered questions for five more tomes. Mr. Anderson does an excellent job of keeping up with a large number of characters, with the side effect that these books are relatively long; they are pleasant enough, but they are not so pleasant that the idea of reading five more was enticing to me. As I was reading through this one, he introduced so many new questions, on top of the questions left unanswered from the first book, that I felt overwhelmed with a desire to know more--while simultaneously being unwilling to trudge through the emotional and relational problems of these characters just to solve the mystery.
Other factors that led to my putting this book down for good include an expansion of my complaints from the first book. The sexual content hinted at in the first book is expounded upon in this one. While still far short of actual pornography, the sexual content is more explicit and more pronounced than it was previously. Once again, you may think that it adds realism to the characters, but I'd simply prefer to limit the characters' sexual conduct to implication.
It's not a bad book. I imagine the series continues to thrive and is enjoyable to the end. I just don't have the stamina for it, not when there are so many other things on my reading list that are so much more entertaining.
With that caveat in mind, let me begin by saying that I actually had no particular problems with this book. I did not leave it unfinished because I hated it, or because it had detestable writing, or because it was poorly formulated or characterized--it was none of those things. Rather, I did not finish reading it because it did not excite me.
Part of the problem is that I'm not reading this contemporaneously with its writing. That is to say, I know for a fact that there are seven books in this series. I also know that at least two books in the series follow the same set of characters, and more than likely, the others do as well. Sure, some characters die and others are introduced, but for the most part, we're going to stick with the same folks throughout, I imagine. The upside of this is continuity and familiarity; the downside is that a lot of the questions that are posed in early books will not be answered until the last book of the series.
I like the book, but I do not like it so much that I am willing to suffer through unanswered questions for five more tomes. Mr. Anderson does an excellent job of keeping up with a large number of characters, with the side effect that these books are relatively long; they are pleasant enough, but they are not so pleasant that the idea of reading five more was enticing to me. As I was reading through this one, he introduced so many new questions, on top of the questions left unanswered from the first book, that I felt overwhelmed with a desire to know more--while simultaneously being unwilling to trudge through the emotional and relational problems of these characters just to solve the mystery.
Other factors that led to my putting this book down for good include an expansion of my complaints from the first book. The sexual content hinted at in the first book is expounded upon in this one. While still far short of actual pornography, the sexual content is more explicit and more pronounced than it was previously. Once again, you may think that it adds realism to the characters, but I'd simply prefer to limit the characters' sexual conduct to implication.
It's not a bad book. I imagine the series continues to thrive and is enjoyable to the end. I just don't have the stamina for it, not when there are so many other things on my reading list that are so much more entertaining.
August 24, 2017
Disclaimer: still at 80%
First, the good: the book has enough intrigue to keep me interested, and it has a few memorable chapters.
The not good: criticism in most other reviews is accurate. The constant retelling is wearisome to the extreme. This is the first time that I can remember that I feel no qualms about skipping liberally, honing on dialogue. It usually goes like this: read the beginning of a paragraph, realize it's re-exposition, skip to the next and verify I have missed nothing new.
Next time I read "innovative" I'm gonna hurl the book through a window. Or this could be the basis for a drinking game.
You may ask: why continue reading then? Even after giving only 2 stars? Well, as I said, the book has some page-turner qualities when the fat is trimmed off. And I'm a hopeless completionist. A book should be utter rubbish for me not to finish the saga at this point, after having read almost two books.
Spoilers follow.
I could rate it higher if it weren't for two nagging plot points I cannot gloss over: firstly (and I understand this is an author's choice), the repeated raping of a character. Seriously? Is this the best way to "experiment" on someone? If, as stated, the goal is to have as many hybrids as possible, they surely have heard of this "in-vitro" thing? That was plain disgusting without need. I've no close experiences with abuse but the general reactions of everyone involved don't seem very realistic either. Yet this is my reaction, not a plot hole. Also, can someone "reluctantly" rape another? I guess Ildirans come with an on/off switch.
Second, and unless this is explained in what I have left to read,this would be as ridiculous as the "why would they attack us? we did nothing! (besides turning a planet into hell? hello?)" of the 1st book, and much more nonsensical:
So the Hidrogue are blindingly looking for the Worldforest, because they don't know better. And the Klikiss robots are their allies. And the latter have infiltrated human society for years. Hence knowing, presumably, where Theroc is. Yet somehow these clever robots fail to deliver this intelligence... Yeah sure. But then the war would be over in one week. There's even an interview scene between Hidrogue and Klikiss, so the meetings are happening. Yawn.
Well, go figure. This was addressed at the 89% mark ;-)
That said, this is not really SF. It's fantasy in a space setting. Being a hard SF fan I'm clearly not the intended audience, so YMMV.
First, the good: the book has enough intrigue to keep me interested, and it has a few memorable chapters.
The not good: criticism in most other reviews is accurate. The constant retelling is wearisome to the extreme. This is the first time that I can remember that I feel no qualms about skipping liberally, honing on dialogue. It usually goes like this: read the beginning of a paragraph, realize it's re-exposition, skip to the next and verify I have missed nothing new.
Next time I read "innovative" I'm gonna hurl the book through a window. Or this could be the basis for a drinking game.
You may ask: why continue reading then? Even after giving only 2 stars? Well, as I said, the book has some page-turner qualities when the fat is trimmed off. And I'm a hopeless completionist. A book should be utter rubbish for me not to finish the saga at this point, after having read almost two books.
Spoilers follow.
I could rate it higher if it weren't for two nagging plot points I cannot gloss over: firstly (and I understand this is an author's choice), the repeated raping of a character. Seriously? Is this the best way to "experiment" on someone? If, as stated, the goal is to have as many hybrids as possible, they surely have heard of this "in-vitro" thing? That was plain disgusting without need. I've no close experiences with abuse but the general reactions of everyone involved don't seem very realistic either. Yet this is my reaction, not a plot hole. Also, can someone "reluctantly" rape another? I guess Ildirans come with an on/off switch.
Second, and unless this is explained in what I have left to read,
So the Hidrogue are blindingly looking for the Worldforest, because they don't know better. And the Klikiss robots are their allies. And the latter have infiltrated human society for years. Hence knowing, presumably, where Theroc is. Yet somehow these clever robots fail to deliver this intelligence... Yeah sure. But then the war would be over in one week. There's even an interview scene between Hidrogue and Klikiss, so the meetings are happening. Yawn.
Well, go figure. This was addressed at the 89% mark ;-)
That said, this is not really SF. It's fantasy in a space setting. Being a hard SF fan I'm clearly not the intended audience, so YMMV.
June 29, 2016
Five years after the first volume and things are going pretty much as we expect. The Hansa still think they can beat the Hydrogues if they can find a bigger stick, the Ildirans continue to plot and keep the Empire running, and the Roamers are trying new techniques to harvest the critical ekti.
Anderson built the "world" in "Hidden Empire" and this book continues the plot threads started there. We get more details about the initial conflict with the hydrogues from 10000 years ago and discover there were more combatants from that war than we knew about. The Hansa try to strike back at a discovered hydrogue planet, several characters are called upon to make tough choices for political and cultural expediency, King Peter continues to push the boundaries of his handlers, the renegade Klikiss robots are still hatching something, and the worldforest has been keeping a secret or two.
I thought this novel might be on cruise control, but there are many exciting encounters and some chapter title characters don't make it. Startling decisions by characters throughout lead to some shocking confrontations and conclusions. There is hope going forward and some discoveries will lead to more interesting situations in the upcoming books. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Anderson built the "world" in "Hidden Empire" and this book continues the plot threads started there. We get more details about the initial conflict with the hydrogues from 10000 years ago and discover there were more combatants from that war than we knew about. The Hansa try to strike back at a discovered hydrogue planet, several characters are called upon to make tough choices for political and cultural expediency, King Peter continues to push the boundaries of his handlers, the renegade Klikiss robots are still hatching something, and the worldforest has been keeping a secret or two.
I thought this novel might be on cruise control, but there are many exciting encounters and some chapter title characters don't make it. Startling decisions by characters throughout lead to some shocking confrontations and conclusions. There is hope going forward and some discoveries will lead to more interesting situations in the upcoming books. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.
February 19, 2010
I have heard a lot of glowing reviews for Mr. Anderson's works, and figured I would start with the Saga of Seven Suns anthology since the premise was right up my SciFi alley. I was severely disappointed. While the basis of the stories was interesting and held great promise, the excruciating details of people, conversations and relationships turned me off. When there was action to be had, it was limited to very little writings, and had none of the depth as in the rest of the book. I 'read' this as an audiobook, and if you didn't pay attention at the right time (even for a second or two), you would completely miss the action sequences. However, you could easily fast forward a few chapters and still get all the details needed for the many and ever growing cast of characters. Why invest in character and relation development (or rather, pages upon pages of descriptive text), only to have that character killed off? I painstakingly suffered through 5 of the books, hoping each would get better, but they got worse. If I had to read the pages instead of listening to the audiobook, I would have probably thrown it away.
July 3, 2017
The plot certainly moves a lot faster in A Forest of Stars than it does in its predecessor, but the story suffers for the same reasons - two-dimensional characters and constant retelling of information. In a series where worldbuilding and plot are the main selling points I can understand the writer wanting to really drive in the exposition, but I've heard about the hardiness of Roamers that many times that it's starting to feel like filler.
There's nice development of the plot and many things going on at once, so it's enjoyable to read, but it feels as if it's written by somebody who doesn't understand people and conversation very well.
There's nice development of the plot and many things going on at once, so it's enjoyable to read, but it feels as if it's written by somebody who doesn't understand people and conversation very well.
November 28, 2013
The Forest of Stars is the second book of the Saga of the Seven Suns series. Taking place after 5 years, the writer has thrown us into a world where the humans are struggling for survival trying to fight a war that is more than just about the decimation of their gaseous planet. Now this has exploded events into that of an elemental war were beings of fire, water and earth are fighting the Hydrogues, beings of ice and lighting. That’s just amazing...
Full Review here:
https://cynsworkshop.wordpress.com/20...
Full Review here:
https://cynsworkshop.wordpress.com/20...
May 28, 2019
Really enjoyed my second read of this book.... The characters and the story really opened up for me. It is fast paced, the chapters again are short so kind of adds to the one more chapter before sleep factor.
March 2, 2011
Another satisfying chapter in the Saga of Seven Suns epic. But the ending of the book was not nearly as compelling as Hidden Empire.
November 11, 2012
second book better than first. so looks like i will continue the series.
April 6, 2018
I seriously do not understand how these books do not get higher ratings!!!!
December 12, 2016
Spoilers Ahead
Short Summary: Trees want to grow, Roamers want to trade, Hydrogues want to kill everything and Faeros just want to set the world on fire. And if your plan to survive an apocalypse depends on breeding a five year old super psychic you are probably boned.
For this review most of it will be contained in the list of characters, once you see the list you will see why. Also part of my review is copied from my review of the previous installment. If the author can do it then I can as well.
Notes:
Humanity has split into three separate groups. The three groups have trade agreements and other connections to each other but the peace between them is tenuous.
Terran Hanseatic League: Centered on earth this government represents most of the humans. Think of Rome mixed with America with spaceships capable of laying countries to waste...wait no that sounds a bit too much like predictions for a Trump America.
Roamers: An independent collective of spacers. They are industrious and work in all of the places and jobs that most humans and aliens do not want. That friend who once said “I think I want to go gold mining,” then got drunk grabbed some TNT and walked off into the snowy arctic...only to show up two years later with a bag of gold, six barrels of oil, a ton of steel and ready to do business.
Theroc: An aristocracy consisting of one planet with a lot of trees. These people are the descendants of a generation ship that found a planet that was covered in forest. Rather than raze the ground they decided to work in harmony with nature. It helps that the trees can talk to them. The trees are also telepathic and can instantaneously talk across any part of the galaxy. They can also keep all the information given to them and can process it in ways humans can't even comprehend. They also have priests who go through a ritual where they get turned green and can live off of sunlight if needed. The priests are the ones who speak to the trees. They also turn get absorbed into the trees if they die near them.
There are Three alien races.
The Klikiss: An ancient race of beetle people, it is thought. They are extinct and the only things that remain of them are abandoned cities and thousands of robots that they built.
The Ildrians: They all follow the Mage-Imperator, who has the ability to sorta feel/see what any other Ildrian is doing. He knows all the history of his people and is all powerful, seems like a good job except for the ritual castration thing he has to go through to get the power. The Ildrians come in many shapes and sizes bred to do specific jobs, called Kiths. Need to build a ship, there is a kith for that, need to remember history, remembrance kith, taken a shit and now need wiping...I wish I was joking, there seems to be a kith for that, at least for the Mage-Imperator.
The Hydrogues: A race of creatures that live inside gas giants. They live under UN-imaginable pressure and can best be described as silver mercury. They have war globes of immense power and are very hard to take down. They declare war on the races that live on planets because humanity turned one of their worlds into a star (and humanity couldn't find the right card to apologize for that at the hallmark store.)
Jess Tamblyn: Roamer: After the death of his brother, who was betrothed to Cesca Peroni, Jess is finally at a point where he thinks their love can come to the light and not be seen as an insult to his dead brother. Unfortunately it's the normal, boy goes to declare love to the girl who is ruler of the Roamers, girl is engaged just days before to the king of the tree people kind of thing. Doing the noble thing he goes away and sulks in a ship alone gathering star drive fuel. He also gathers water in space And when the water starts to speak to him, rather than think he has gone crazy he decides to set off on an epic quest to bring back a water based race called the Wentils. His first stop has him get blown up.
King Peter: Terran. He was known as Raymond Aguerra, but after being kidnapped by the Hansa Chairman he was made king of everything (well almost everything). However unlike the first king Peter is not willing to be just a figurehead. He stands up to the chairman and brings up valid points about the new robots that are being brought online using Klikiss technology. Instead of being listened to he is married off and then almost killed.
Esterra Theron: Theroc. The forth born of the family she is not given a predefined role in the Theroc world. All she wants to do is pick flowers and have fun. Instead she is married off to King Peter in a move to try to strengthen the Hansa Theroc ties. It's her sister's fault(I wish my sister found me a rich wife). She is the one who discovers the plot on her and Peter's life.
Prime Designate Jora'H: Ildrian Royalty Kith. Learns that his love the green priest Nira is alive and that she is being held with other kidnapped humans on a colony world in a breeding program designed to make a super-mutant psychic. He decides to go rescue her, but before he can his father kills himself thus making Jora'H go through the ceremony to become Mage Imperator Jora'H Part of this ceremony is castration and after that he has a few other things in his mind to keep him away from Nira.
Nira Khali: Theroc. She is being held in a breeding camp with the descendants of the generation ship Burton. No one believes her stories that there are other humans, that being salves is not the normal human condition. She gives birth to four children. One of them being the child of Jora'H She is not allowed to keep them but she does meet her daughter when she is five years old.
Adar Kori'nh: Ildrian Warrior Kith. He is still in charge of the Space Navy. Despite his best work and inventiveness he is fighting a losing battle of retreat with the Hydrogues. When the Mage Imperator dies it gives him a short window to do what he wants. And what he wants is to a kamikaze flight into a gas giant. He dies, along with 46 other ships, but empty the gas giants of danger.
Cesca Peroni: Roamer. Now leader of the Roamers she finds her life very hectic. But looks forward to Marrying Jess Tamblyn. However, before she can make the announcement she is offered marriage by the king of Theron and has to decide on what is best for her people.
Tasia Tamblyn: Roamer. Still a roamer at heart she has advanced in rank within the EDF. When she learns of a planned attack on a Hydrogue infested gas giant she realizes it is also the location of a secret ship building facility of the roamers. So like Princess Leiah she dispatches her faithful compy droid to warn them, what is wrong with email? Despite the battle being a disaster she does wonderful and is given the chance to explode a gas giant.
Rlinda Kett: Terran. A merchant with only one ship left to her name and no fuel to fly it with she is given a chance to do a secret job for the Hansa. She flies Davlin to a Klikiss world. And together they find a way of trans world instantaneous transportation, the Klikiss Portal.
Basil Wenceslas: Terran. A bastard. The real ruler of the Hanza empire he has his fingers in everything. Unfortunately he realizes five years after the fact that he had lost a finger. He decides to send Davlin to find out what happened to the archaeologists.
Davlin Lotze: Terran. He is starting to enjoy his cover life on the planet Crenna. With his vast knowledge he stops an epidemic of “Orange Spot” but before he can go back into the limelight he is recalled to work and picked up by Rlinda. He explores the Klikiss ruins where Margaret disappeared and doesn't find her, but does find a physics breaking trans-world portal.
Anton Colicos: Terran. Son of Margaret and Louis he is worried about them and is the one who reminds Basil that they were out exploring and had sent no updates. Before he gets his answer he is given the chance of a lifetime to go and research the Saga of the Seven Suns (roll series credits). After arriving he is soon chosen to travel with the head Remember Vao'sh to go to the planet of XXXX. The planet spends half the year in the dark and is full of unwatched Klikiss robots...I am sure it will be perfectly safe.
Mage-Imperator Cyroc'h: Ildrian Royalty Kith. He sees the results of his plans start to affect his relationship with his son, Jora'H His hiding of the breeding program, his lies about the green priest among others. Seeing his son about to do what he believes will endanger the kingdom he does the one thing that will stop his son. He ingests poison knowing that his death will bind his son to the throne and give him the knowledge that only the Mage-Imperator has, and in doing so earn forgiveness.
Beneto Theron: Theroc. He is enjoying being a green priest in the forgotten world of Corvus Landing. His life is filled with hard work, lack of wealth, and luxury(he is really boring). Unfortunately, the Hydrogues didn't ask him what he wanted before attacking Corvus Landing. Beneto dies as he lived among his trees.
DD: Terran. The little robot that worked for Margaret. He has been transformed by the Klikiss robots in order to join them in their quests. They hope for him to break the first law of robotics that is built into him. He spends the time upset at seeing how much the Klikiss robots have done in preparation to kill off humanity and the Ildrian
Dobro Designate: Ildrian Brother of the Mage-Imperator Cyroc'h, he is charge of the planet Dobro which is the home of the breeding experiments of the Ildirans. Over the last 200 years humanity has been bread with the various Ildrian kiths to try and develop a super psychic that would be able to communicate with the Hydrogues. After his brother's death he uses the small window of opportunity where there is no control of his actions to kill the green priest Nira.
Reynald Theron: Theroc. The oldest child of the Theron family he is crowned king of Theroc. His first move is to ask for Cesca's hand in marriage, both because he was taken with her and because it would be a good alliance. However, before he can marry her Theroc is attacked by the Hydrogues. Despite offering a strong defense that manages to take down several Hydrogue war ships it is obvious that the World Forest is doomed, until the Faeros (Beings made of Flame) show up. He is both crushed and burned to death, and Cesca is now free to marry Jess (who get's blown up).
General Kurt Lanyan: Terran: Supreme commander of the EDF he is as stymied as the Ildrian Adar when dealing with the Hydrogues. With his fleet starved for fuel he allows piracy of Roamer vessels carrying star ship fuel. When the Roamers threaten to make it public he casually tells Fitzpatrick that he is leaving the room and if anything happened to the Roamers while he is gone it would not be a terrible thing.
Robb Brindle: Terran: Lover of Tasia he discovers the home location of the Hydrogues that attack Boone's Crossing. During the attack of the home planet he offers to be a diplomat in a last ditch chance for peace. He see's pretty lights and is killed.
Kotto Okiah: Roamer: He is the chief inventor of the Roamers. He spends most of this book trying to make a mercury like planet livable. He fails, but doesn't get burned up.
Sarein: Roamer: The oldest daughter of the Theron family she is made the ambassador of Theroc to the Hansa empire. She is in bed with Basil while trying to get Theroc in bed with the Hanza league. Thinking it would make the unity longer she suggests that she marry King Peter as a sign of allegiance, instead he picks her sister.
Osira'h: Ildrian Unknown Kith: Daughter of Jora'H and Nira. She is born with telepathy thanks to the heritage of the Thism from her father and the world trees priesthood of her mother. Combined this makes the gift strong. She is able to read moods and in some cases minds. She has spent her life in constant work to improve these gifts because she is the one hope for the Ildrian race in the war against the Hydrogues. One night she finds a mind that is familiar to her. Following it she finds herself outside of the breeding pens. Here she is reunited with her mother. The reunification is short but before being dragged off and beaten to death Nira fills Osira'h with her memories.
Del Kellum: Roamer: The owner of the shipyards of Osquivel. He has to hide the ship yards inside the asteroid belt of the planet in order to keep it from being discovered by the EDF in their ill fated raid on the Hydrogues of Osquivel.
Rossia: Theroc. Green priest one of the 20 who volunteer with the EDF. Her only role in the book is to be a communications officer during the Osquivel attack.
Zhett Kellum: Roamer. Daughter of Del Kellum she had a thing for Jess Tamblyn until it became a well known secret that he wanted Cesca. After the battle of Osquivel she saves a EDF solider named Fitzpatrick from an damaged escape pod. He along with 30 other EDF soldiers are kept in the shipyard unable to be released because they know too much.
Admiral Stromo: Terran. He is in charge of the Zero grid point part of the EDF (Earth). His one high point in his career was when he put down a rebellion. He was in-charge of a disastrous attack on Jupiter against the Hydrogues. During a scientific expedition to Oncier's, humanity's man made star, he observes five balls of flame shoot out of the star and away.
You get all that?
Short Summary: Trees want to grow, Roamers want to trade, Hydrogues want to kill everything and Faeros just want to set the world on fire. And if your plan to survive an apocalypse depends on breeding a five year old super psychic you are probably boned.
Short Summary: Trees want to grow, Roamers want to trade, Hydrogues want to kill everything and Faeros just want to set the world on fire. And if your plan to survive an apocalypse depends on breeding a five year old super psychic you are probably boned.
For this review most of it will be contained in the list of characters, once you see the list you will see why. Also part of my review is copied from my review of the previous installment. If the author can do it then I can as well.
Notes:
Humanity has split into three separate groups. The three groups have trade agreements and other connections to each other but the peace between them is tenuous.
Terran Hanseatic League: Centered on earth this government represents most of the humans. Think of Rome mixed with America with spaceships capable of laying countries to waste...wait no that sounds a bit too much like predictions for a Trump America.
Roamers: An independent collective of spacers. They are industrious and work in all of the places and jobs that most humans and aliens do not want. That friend who once said “I think I want to go gold mining,” then got drunk grabbed some TNT and walked off into the snowy arctic...only to show up two years later with a bag of gold, six barrels of oil, a ton of steel and ready to do business.
Theroc: An aristocracy consisting of one planet with a lot of trees. These people are the descendants of a generation ship that found a planet that was covered in forest. Rather than raze the ground they decided to work in harmony with nature. It helps that the trees can talk to them. The trees are also telepathic and can instantaneously talk across any part of the galaxy. They can also keep all the information given to them and can process it in ways humans can't even comprehend. They also have priests who go through a ritual where they get turned green and can live off of sunlight if needed. The priests are the ones who speak to the trees. They also turn get absorbed into the trees if they die near them.
There are Three alien races.
The Klikiss: An ancient race of beetle people, it is thought. They are extinct and the only things that remain of them are abandoned cities and thousands of robots that they built.
The Ildrians: They all follow the Mage-Imperator, who has the ability to sorta feel/see what any other Ildrian is doing. He knows all the history of his people and is all powerful, seems like a good job except for the ritual castration thing he has to go through to get the power. The Ildrians come in many shapes and sizes bred to do specific jobs, called Kiths. Need to build a ship, there is a kith for that, need to remember history, remembrance kith, taken a shit and now need wiping...I wish I was joking, there seems to be a kith for that, at least for the Mage-Imperator.
The Hydrogues: A race of creatures that live inside gas giants. They live under UN-imaginable pressure and can best be described as silver mercury. They have war globes of immense power and are very hard to take down. They declare war on the races that live on planets because humanity turned one of their worlds into a star (and humanity couldn't find the right card to apologize for that at the hallmark store.)
Jess Tamblyn: Roamer: After the death of his brother, who was betrothed to Cesca Peroni, Jess is finally at a point where he thinks their love can come to the light and not be seen as an insult to his dead brother. Unfortunately it's the normal, boy goes to declare love to the girl who is ruler of the Roamers, girl is engaged just days before to the king of the tree people kind of thing. Doing the noble thing he goes away and sulks in a ship alone gathering star drive fuel. He also gathers water in space And when the water starts to speak to him, rather than think he has gone crazy he decides to set off on an epic quest to bring back a water based race called the Wentils. His first stop has him get blown up.
King Peter: Terran. He was known as Raymond Aguerra, but after being kidnapped by the Hansa Chairman he was made king of everything (well almost everything). However unlike the first king Peter is not willing to be just a figurehead. He stands up to the chairman and brings up valid points about the new robots that are being brought online using Klikiss technology. Instead of being listened to he is married off and then almost killed.
Esterra Theron: Theroc. The forth born of the family she is not given a predefined role in the Theroc world. All she wants to do is pick flowers and have fun. Instead she is married off to King Peter in a move to try to strengthen the Hansa Theroc ties. It's her sister's fault(I wish my sister found me a rich wife). She is the one who discovers the plot on her and Peter's life.
Prime Designate Jora'H: Ildrian Royalty Kith. Learns that his love the green priest Nira is alive and that she is being held with other kidnapped humans on a colony world in a breeding program designed to make a super-mutant psychic. He decides to go rescue her, but before he can his father kills himself thus making Jora'H go through the ceremony to become Mage Imperator Jora'H Part of this ceremony is castration and after that he has a few other things in his mind to keep him away from Nira.
Nira Khali: Theroc. She is being held in a breeding camp with the descendants of the generation ship Burton. No one believes her stories that there are other humans, that being salves is not the normal human condition. She gives birth to four children. One of them being the child of Jora'H She is not allowed to keep them but she does meet her daughter when she is five years old.
Adar Kori'nh: Ildrian Warrior Kith. He is still in charge of the Space Navy. Despite his best work and inventiveness he is fighting a losing battle of retreat with the Hydrogues. When the Mage Imperator dies it gives him a short window to do what he wants. And what he wants is to a kamikaze flight into a gas giant. He dies, along with 46 other ships, but empty the gas giants of danger.
Cesca Peroni: Roamer. Now leader of the Roamers she finds her life very hectic. But looks forward to Marrying Jess Tamblyn. However, before she can make the announcement she is offered marriage by the king of Theron and has to decide on what is best for her people.
Tasia Tamblyn: Roamer. Still a roamer at heart she has advanced in rank within the EDF. When she learns of a planned attack on a Hydrogue infested gas giant she realizes it is also the location of a secret ship building facility of the roamers. So like Princess Leiah she dispatches her faithful compy droid to warn them, what is wrong with email? Despite the battle being a disaster she does wonderful and is given the chance to explode a gas giant.
Rlinda Kett: Terran. A merchant with only one ship left to her name and no fuel to fly it with she is given a chance to do a secret job for the Hansa. She flies Davlin to a Klikiss world. And together they find a way of trans world instantaneous transportation, the Klikiss Portal.
Basil Wenceslas: Terran. A bastard. The real ruler of the Hanza empire he has his fingers in everything. Unfortunately he realizes five years after the fact that he had lost a finger. He decides to send Davlin to find out what happened to the archaeologists.
Davlin Lotze: Terran. He is starting to enjoy his cover life on the planet Crenna. With his vast knowledge he stops an epidemic of “Orange Spot” but before he can go back into the limelight he is recalled to work and picked up by Rlinda. He explores the Klikiss ruins where Margaret disappeared and doesn't find her, but does find a physics breaking trans-world portal.
Anton Colicos: Terran. Son of Margaret and Louis he is worried about them and is the one who reminds Basil that they were out exploring and had sent no updates. Before he gets his answer he is given the chance of a lifetime to go and research the Saga of the Seven Suns (roll series credits). After arriving he is soon chosen to travel with the head Remember Vao'sh to go to the planet of XXXX. The planet spends half the year in the dark and is full of unwatched Klikiss robots...I am sure it will be perfectly safe.
Mage-Imperator Cyroc'h: Ildrian Royalty Kith. He sees the results of his plans start to affect his relationship with his son, Jora'H His hiding of the breeding program, his lies about the green priest among others. Seeing his son about to do what he believes will endanger the kingdom he does the one thing that will stop his son. He ingests poison knowing that his death will bind his son to the throne and give him the knowledge that only the Mage-Imperator has, and in doing so earn forgiveness.
Beneto Theron: Theroc. He is enjoying being a green priest in the forgotten world of Corvus Landing. His life is filled with hard work, lack of wealth, and luxury(he is really boring). Unfortunately, the Hydrogues didn't ask him what he wanted before attacking Corvus Landing. Beneto dies as he lived among his trees.
DD: Terran. The little robot that worked for Margaret. He has been transformed by the Klikiss robots in order to join them in their quests. They hope for him to break the first law of robotics that is built into him. He spends the time upset at seeing how much the Klikiss robots have done in preparation to kill off humanity and the Ildrian
Dobro Designate: Ildrian Brother of the Mage-Imperator Cyroc'h, he is charge of the planet Dobro which is the home of the breeding experiments of the Ildirans. Over the last 200 years humanity has been bread with the various Ildrian kiths to try and develop a super psychic that would be able to communicate with the Hydrogues. After his brother's death he uses the small window of opportunity where there is no control of his actions to kill the green priest Nira.
Reynald Theron: Theroc. The oldest child of the Theron family he is crowned king of Theroc. His first move is to ask for Cesca's hand in marriage, both because he was taken with her and because it would be a good alliance. However, before he can marry her Theroc is attacked by the Hydrogues. Despite offering a strong defense that manages to take down several Hydrogue war ships it is obvious that the World Forest is doomed, until the Faeros (Beings made of Flame) show up. He is both crushed and burned to death, and Cesca is now free to marry Jess (who get's blown up).
General Kurt Lanyan: Terran: Supreme commander of the EDF he is as stymied as the Ildrian Adar when dealing with the Hydrogues. With his fleet starved for fuel he allows piracy of Roamer vessels carrying star ship fuel. When the Roamers threaten to make it public he casually tells Fitzpatrick that he is leaving the room and if anything happened to the Roamers while he is gone it would not be a terrible thing.
Robb Brindle: Terran: Lover of Tasia he discovers the home location of the Hydrogues that attack Boone's Crossing. During the attack of the home planet he offers to be a diplomat in a last ditch chance for peace. He see's pretty lights and is killed.
Kotto Okiah: Roamer: He is the chief inventor of the Roamers. He spends most of this book trying to make a mercury like planet livable. He fails, but doesn't get burned up.
Sarein: Roamer: The oldest daughter of the Theron family she is made the ambassador of Theroc to the Hansa empire. She is in bed with Basil while trying to get Theroc in bed with the Hanza league. Thinking it would make the unity longer she suggests that she marry King Peter as a sign of allegiance, instead he picks her sister.
Osira'h: Ildrian Unknown Kith: Daughter of Jora'H and Nira. She is born with telepathy thanks to the heritage of the Thism from her father and the world trees priesthood of her mother. Combined this makes the gift strong. She is able to read moods and in some cases minds. She has spent her life in constant work to improve these gifts because she is the one hope for the Ildrian race in the war against the Hydrogues. One night she finds a mind that is familiar to her. Following it she finds herself outside of the breeding pens. Here she is reunited with her mother. The reunification is short but before being dragged off and beaten to death Nira fills Osira'h with her memories.
Del Kellum: Roamer: The owner of the shipyards of Osquivel. He has to hide the ship yards inside the asteroid belt of the planet in order to keep it from being discovered by the EDF in their ill fated raid on the Hydrogues of Osquivel.
Rossia: Theroc. Green priest one of the 20 who volunteer with the EDF. Her only role in the book is to be a communications officer during the Osquivel attack.
Zhett Kellum: Roamer. Daughter of Del Kellum she had a thing for Jess Tamblyn until it became a well known secret that he wanted Cesca. After the battle of Osquivel she saves a EDF solider named Fitzpatrick from an damaged escape pod. He along with 30 other EDF soldiers are kept in the shipyard unable to be released because they know too much.
Admiral Stromo: Terran. He is in charge of the Zero grid point part of the EDF (Earth). His one high point in his career was when he put down a rebellion. He was in-charge of a disastrous attack on Jupiter against the Hydrogues. During a scientific expedition to Oncier's, humanity's man made star, he observes five balls of flame shoot out of the star and away.
You get all that?
Short Summary: Trees want to grow, Roamers want to trade, Hydrogues want to kill everything and Faeros just want to set the world on fire. And if your plan to survive an apocalypse depends on breeding a five year old super psychic you are probably boned.
March 6, 2022
Once again Kevin J. Anderson has turned in a beast of a book. Although this time it was a much more quick read because Anderson doesn't have to explain all of the characters to the audience.
What makes this book better than it's predecessor is its pacing. Because we are already introduced to (most) of the characters, we don't need to learn about the world or their backstories. Anderson jumps right in, and the story continues from the beginning of the book until the end.
This books standout characters are King Peter, Basil Wenceslas, and Estarra. They all essentially revolve around the same story, which made their plotline the most interesting. The whole political machinations of Basil coupled with the independent desires of Peter and Estarra was really fascinating.
Some of the other characters get some good moments, such as Tasia Tamblyn, Reynald, and Jora'h. However, their story doesn't grip me quite as much as the other stories.
I think the decision to jump five years into the future was largely unecessary. It makes sense why Anderson made this choice, but I think the story would have been served better if it had come relatively soon after book one. Setting the book five years later just makes me want to read more about the intervening years.
While the first two acts of this book were better than the first book, I have to say that "Hidden Empire" had a better climax. This book had tons of action in it, and some great moments, but I think that Anderson handled the climax better in Hidden Empire and I was more worried for the characters in that book. While several characters die in this books' climax, I thought it was only "just fine".
Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a lot. It is overall better than it's predecessor in pacing and in storytelling, but the worldbuilding and climax of book 1 are superior. As a result, I have to give this book a similar, but slightly better rating of 8 out of 10!
I'll end with the same note I had for the first book: The cover style for the version I read is very bland and has very little information on the story. The Original cover art from Aspect Publishing was much better at conveying the scope and tone of the book and genre it was reaching for. Please learn your lesson publishers, less artwork(or rather no artwork) is more boring!
What makes this book better than it's predecessor is its pacing. Because we are already introduced to (most) of the characters, we don't need to learn about the world or their backstories. Anderson jumps right in, and the story continues from the beginning of the book until the end.
This books standout characters are King Peter, Basil Wenceslas, and Estarra. They all essentially revolve around the same story, which made their plotline the most interesting. The whole political machinations of Basil coupled with the independent desires of Peter and Estarra was really fascinating.
Some of the other characters get some good moments, such as Tasia Tamblyn, Reynald, and Jora'h. However, their story doesn't grip me quite as much as the other stories.
I think the decision to jump five years into the future was largely unecessary. It makes sense why Anderson made this choice, but I think the story would have been served better if it had come relatively soon after book one. Setting the book five years later just makes me want to read more about the intervening years.
While the first two acts of this book were better than the first book, I have to say that "Hidden Empire" had a better climax. This book had tons of action in it, and some great moments, but I think that Anderson handled the climax better in Hidden Empire and I was more worried for the characters in that book. While several characters die in this books' climax, I thought it was only "just fine".
Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a lot. It is overall better than it's predecessor in pacing and in storytelling, but the worldbuilding and climax of book 1 are superior. As a result, I have to give this book a similar, but slightly better rating of 8 out of 10!
I'll end with the same note I had for the first book: The cover style for the version I read is very bland and has very little information on the story. The Original cover art from Aspect Publishing was much better at conveying the scope and tone of the book and genre it was reaching for. Please learn your lesson publishers, less artwork(or rather no artwork) is more boring!
February 5, 2025
Book 2 of Saga of the Seven Suns. After using the Klikiss Torch, (an alien device for turning gas giants into stars to make planets habitable), the humans find that they are inhabited by creatures they have dubbed hydrogues. Understandably enraged by the destruction of an inhabited planet, the hydrogues commence a campaign to stop humanity mining all gas giants, which they need for ekti, a form of hydrogen used in interstellar flight. Meanwhile another humanoid species, the Ildaran, have also formed an alliance with the EDF and a much looser one with the Roamers, to get ekti and defend against the hydrogues. Unknown to the humans, the Ildaran have been conducting an abhorrent cross-breeding program with the female human survivors of a spacewreck and various Ildaran males. Rape and slave labour have become normalised. It would be extremely damaging to Human-Ildaran relations if this program was revealed. EDF forces also have been acting less than ethically. They have been forcibly boarding Roamer ships for their ekti, and destroying ships and crews. On a desolate planet a pair of archeologists have found new Klikiss technology, a transportal system like matter transmission, but the secretive Klikiss robots have killed them to conceal this secret, and have started devising their own plans for the human assistance robots known as compies. The hydrogues seem unstoppable and amid betrayal by allies, some new players emerge. Sentient water and intelligences which live inside stars may just be the assistance the Hanseatic league needs. Thrilling space opera from Kevin J. Anderson with a huge cast (a glossary is included) and some of the many threads get tied up. Most of the story remains however, and there are five more books.
April 12, 2020
Okay so this was the second read of the second novel for me (Read originally maybe ten or more years ago). It showed how poor my memory is, I remembered small details but my memory on what happened to certain characters is poor. This lead for a pleasant experience with all of the major shocks towards the end of the read giving me the surprise intended by the author! This included my favourite character meeting his end.
As a lot of reviews have covered, the first half is fairly political, focussing on the building/diminishing of relationships between the Hansa-King, Hansa-Therons, and Roamer-Therons, which come into fruition (or not) further in. The Ildirans continue their plotting to get them out of the mess they have been dragged into. Learning about the Ildiran culture continues to be my favourite part of the series, maybe as it takes a break from the human politics.
The big change here is the expansion of the world, you assume you have seen most of the factions during the first novel but the ante really gets upped here. You get to see what Andersons real plan is with many more elemental races brought into play... This starts to give the series a really epic feel as you start to see how big this series is.
The reviews below have a mixed reaction overall. A fair few seem to have been put off by the politics, exposition etc. and didn't carry on. This is a shame as the second half really is where the series takes off!
Recommend to anybody who is looking for a fantasy- sci-fi blend with an epic world and plenty of interesting characters.
Luckily the things that annoyed many people (mostly the exposition) did not frustrate me.
As a lot of reviews have covered, the first half is fairly political, focussing on the building/diminishing of relationships between the Hansa-King, Hansa-Therons, and Roamer-Therons, which come into fruition (or not) further in. The Ildirans continue their plotting to get them out of the mess they have been dragged into. Learning about the Ildiran culture continues to be my favourite part of the series, maybe as it takes a break from the human politics.
The big change here is the expansion of the world, you assume you have seen most of the factions during the first novel but the ante really gets upped here. You get to see what Andersons real plan is with many more elemental races brought into play... This starts to give the series a really epic feel as you start to see how big this series is.
The reviews below have a mixed reaction overall. A fair few seem to have been put off by the politics, exposition etc. and didn't carry on. This is a shame as the second half really is where the series takes off!
Recommend to anybody who is looking for a fantasy- sci-fi blend with an epic world and plenty of interesting characters.
Luckily the things that annoyed many people (mostly the exposition) did not frustrate me.
March 27, 2018
Wie auch der erste Band hat mir "Der Sternenwald" gut gefallen. Es ist eine typische Reihenfortsetzung: mit den eingeführten Charakteren geht es weiter, der Hauptplot entfaltet sich auch, neue Elemente kommen dazu, aber eine wirkliche Auflösung gibt es natürlich nicht.
Etwas vermisst habe ich die archäologische Komponente, da die Collicos in diesem Band nicht vorkamen. Dafür gibt es an anderer Stelle neue Informationen über die Klikiss und was vor Jahrtausenden geschah und ich habe schnell andere Lieblinge gefunden, über die ich nicht ohne Spoiler reden kann.
Nachdem der Krieg gegen die Hydroger, der in Band 1 ausgelöst wurde, immer aussichtsloser wird, gibt es endlich ein paar Lösungsansätze, die Hoffnung versprechen. Natürlich geht es auch innerhalb der Hanse weiter mit König Peter, der diesmal wieder sehr viel Raum bekommt. Auch Theroc ist nach wie vor sehr prominent dabei, ebenso wie die Roamer. All das hat mir gut gefallen und ich habe Band 3 schon automatisch rausgelegt. Schätzungsweise kann ich ihn genauso inhalieren wie die ersten beiden Bücher der Saga - werde mich jetzt aber erst mal anderen Werken zuwenden, damit ich länger etwas von diesem Epos habe.
Ganz klar von mir immer noch eine Leseempfehlung, aber wer bei Band 1 festgestellt hat, dass es etwas für ihn ist, sollte besser mehrere Nachfolgebände auf einmal kaufen. Sonst ist das Ende ziemlich unbefriedigend.
Etwas vermisst habe ich die archäologische Komponente, da die Collicos in diesem Band nicht vorkamen. Dafür gibt es an anderer Stelle neue Informationen über die Klikiss und was vor Jahrtausenden geschah und ich habe schnell andere Lieblinge gefunden, über die ich nicht ohne Spoiler reden kann.
Nachdem der Krieg gegen die Hydroger, der in Band 1 ausgelöst wurde, immer aussichtsloser wird, gibt es endlich ein paar Lösungsansätze, die Hoffnung versprechen. Natürlich geht es auch innerhalb der Hanse weiter mit König Peter, der diesmal wieder sehr viel Raum bekommt. Auch Theroc ist nach wie vor sehr prominent dabei, ebenso wie die Roamer. All das hat mir gut gefallen und ich habe Band 3 schon automatisch rausgelegt. Schätzungsweise kann ich ihn genauso inhalieren wie die ersten beiden Bücher der Saga - werde mich jetzt aber erst mal anderen Werken zuwenden, damit ich länger etwas von diesem Epos habe.
Ganz klar von mir immer noch eine Leseempfehlung, aber wer bei Band 1 festgestellt hat, dass es etwas für ihn ist, sollte besser mehrere Nachfolgebände auf einmal kaufen. Sonst ist das Ende ziemlich unbefriedigend.
July 20, 2021
I took issue with the length of the first book. Now I 'get it'. It depicts a large-scale story, with a large cast of characters. The balancing of all these parts is expertly done.
The characters that need to be are developed well and come out as individuals. It's extraordinary how Anderson balances so much stuff going on. It helps that the chapters are short. It enables all the threads to keep in view.
Is it full of fluff? No. In every chapter, something important happens. (I wouldn't have objected to simple setting, but there isn't time for that).
Are one or two details occasionally repeated? Yes. But the book is so large, and there are so many details, I found this enabled me to keep track.
I don't understand why sci-fi readers, and I'm thinking specifically of the 'hard' kind, insist that reading a book has to be such a tremendous EFFORT. Like I need to take notes in order to enjoy myself. How about straightforward and clear prose, with occasional references to help you keep track?
There is enough hard stuff here. The trees are the most fantastical element, the furthest limits of soft sci-fi, but they have a basis in principle and not 'magic', so it's close enough.
All in all, a great story, expertly put together, and actually enjoyable to listen to rather than a chore.
The characters that need to be are developed well and come out as individuals. It's extraordinary how Anderson balances so much stuff going on. It helps that the chapters are short. It enables all the threads to keep in view.
Is it full of fluff? No. In every chapter, something important happens. (I wouldn't have objected to simple setting, but there isn't time for that).
Are one or two details occasionally repeated? Yes. But the book is so large, and there are so many details, I found this enabled me to keep track.
I don't understand why sci-fi readers, and I'm thinking specifically of the 'hard' kind, insist that reading a book has to be such a tremendous EFFORT. Like I need to take notes in order to enjoy myself. How about straightforward and clear prose, with occasional references to help you keep track?
There is enough hard stuff here. The trees are the most fantastical element, the furthest limits of soft sci-fi, but they have a basis in principle and not 'magic', so it's close enough.
All in all, a great story, expertly put together, and actually enjoyable to listen to rather than a chore.
April 22, 2025
Honestly, there is not much more to add to this review that was not expressed last review. The characters, plot, and unvisere is still all excellent, engaging, and entertaining. I felt it does a good job of contining the same themes, pacing, and development it established in the first book. However, I don't feel like it added enough new elements for a sequel. There were definitely some great new elements but they didn't feel like they fully deepened the world, merely slightly expanded, hence the reduction of a star. For example, I feel like they missed an opportunity to add a new characters perspective but we got the same characters. I am still concerned that the author created a villain that is far to powerful to overcome and had hoped more hope would be given in this second book but that didn't feel like it came through. I was also intailly disappointed in the time jump at the start of the book but it did a great job not making it feel too dramatic and folded well into the plot. But I still thoroughly enjoy the story that is unfolding and am eager to keep reading and am excited to read the full 7 book series which is an acomplismnet for an author. Just all around still an exception world and concept of a series.
April 5, 2021
I really enjoyed the first novel in this series — Hidden Empire — so it made sense to pick up the next book.
What a difference a book makes.
Looking back at my notes on the first book, I think the structure of jumping between characters was the same, but in this one I found the constant switching really irritating. None of the chapters is very long so you seem to flit about — and with nothing happening for a third of the book.
You can live with the chapter hoping at the start of the series as you need to introduce everything — but we know who the protagonists are now, so we can settle in until something happens with each of them. Not so here.
Perhaps that wouldn’t have been so bad if the story had any depth to it — but it doesn’t. The intrigue and plotting is childishly simple. We brush past a character that seems unaffected by being imprisoned and systematically raped over years. Other world-shaking events are equally brushed aside and overlooked with the characters they happen to given no time to deal with them.
To be fair, the action when it comes is entertaining — if somewhat short-lived.
I probably won’t bother with the rest of the series.
What a difference a book makes.
Looking back at my notes on the first book, I think the structure of jumping between characters was the same, but in this one I found the constant switching really irritating. None of the chapters is very long so you seem to flit about — and with nothing happening for a third of the book.
You can live with the chapter hoping at the start of the series as you need to introduce everything — but we know who the protagonists are now, so we can settle in until something happens with each of them. Not so here.
Perhaps that wouldn’t have been so bad if the story had any depth to it — but it doesn’t. The intrigue and plotting is childishly simple. We brush past a character that seems unaffected by being imprisoned and systematically raped over years. Other world-shaking events are equally brushed aside and overlooked with the characters they happen to given no time to deal with them.
To be fair, the action when it comes is entertaining — if somewhat short-lived.
I probably won’t bother with the rest of the series.
December 15, 2024
(2 Stars)
The saga continues, with my belief that the alien robots are the only entity whose actions and goals make sense on even firmer ground.
Of the several facets of this series I dislike so far (e.g., every single polity is a monarchy, including the free-spirited Roamers [the only examples we get of their 'freedom' are two families forcing their choices on their children], the lack of ambition among anyone not in power, the fact that every regime is changing to the next generation at the same time, the incurious nature of everyone [apparently no one was/is interested in exploring an extinct alien race whose robots are still around, except for literally one family], the lack of any pretense about things based in physics, etc.), I think the worst is the timing. Some news is instantly known to everyone, and some slowly trails in time. Events in very far apart places happen nigh-instantaneously, and others have indeterminate gaps.
I caught myself starting to complain about a different aspect (humans have AI but still have to be behind the helm of warships, to make decisions on site) but I'll put that down for now and move on. Only 5 more in this series to go!
The saga continues, with my belief that the alien robots are the only entity whose actions and goals make sense on even firmer ground.
Of the several facets of this series I dislike so far (e.g., every single polity is a monarchy, including the free-spirited Roamers [the only examples we get of their 'freedom' are two families forcing their choices on their children], the lack of ambition among anyone not in power, the fact that every regime is changing to the next generation at the same time, the incurious nature of everyone [apparently no one was/is interested in exploring an extinct alien race whose robots are still around, except for literally one family], the lack of any pretense about things based in physics, etc.), I think the worst is the timing. Some news is instantly known to everyone, and some slowly trails in time. Events in very far apart places happen nigh-instantaneously, and others have indeterminate gaps.
I caught myself starting to complain about a different aspect (humans have AI but still have to be behind the helm of warships, to make decisions on site) but I'll put that down for now and move on. Only 5 more in this series to go!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2018
The second book in the series is still entertaining, but it gets pretty dark. It feels darker than the first book, even though both are about a galactic war.
I had similar issues reading A Forest of Stars as I had with Hidden Empire. There are a LOT of POV characters, it gets confusing. It would have been even more confusing if I hadn't started this novel immediately after finishing the first one. I did get used to it again but it's something of an acquired taste. If you're looking for something hefty with a huge cast of characters and variety of political systems, then this series is definitely worth a try.
Still hooked and will keep reading.
I had similar issues reading A Forest of Stars as I had with Hidden Empire. There are a LOT of POV characters, it gets confusing. It would have been even more confusing if I hadn't started this novel immediately after finishing the first one. I did get used to it again but it's something of an acquired taste. If you're looking for something hefty with a huge cast of characters and variety of political systems, then this series is definitely worth a try.
Still hooked and will keep reading.
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