Cat's Gambit

The Empire of Kaz #2

by Leslie Gadallah

Book 2 of The Empire of Kaz, Leslie Gadallah's fascinating alien political intrigue.

Orian has been overrun by the Kaz, who are bent on exterminating the Oriani. A few Oriani have escaped and struggle to eke out an existence on alien worlds. Ayyah thinks she has found a way to get them back home where they can thrive. She recruits a couple of human pirates and a few Lleveci warriors to aid her in the task, but no one involved knew how much her scheme would cost.

Genres: Science Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, exciting story. It was much better than the first book in this universe. The End battle was exciting but wrapping up the book felt awkward, explaining what happened to Macdonald at the end felt awkward.

[Christa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cat's Gambit had my full attention with a very poignant start to the story. In chapter 1 protagonist Ayyah, a Orian, has just given birth to her litter in a birthing cave but instead of feeling joy she is quietly grieving because each child was still born. We soon learn this community of Orians may be the last survivors of the Oriani race. Having fled their home planet due to mass genocide at the hands of the Kaz Empire they've taken refuge on inhospitable KD2434-II. Since their arrival the threat of extinction is still very real because, like Ayyah's, all pregnancies have ended in still births. After the high emotional investment I initially felt for Ayyah and her people in chapter 1 it quickly dwindled down. Subsequent chapters kept jumping from one location after another introducing the other characters in the midst of which Ayyah embarks on a quest to personally have a hand in bringing down the Kaz Empire. Her mission is based on the notion that a widely unheard of, possibly mythical, uncharted, planet's existence would mean it's inhabitants would have the answer needed in the fight against Kaz domination. With that being the objective I was surprised by the lack of action and/or suspense in the story, there seemed to be just a lot of fluff/filler that added nothing of substance to the storyline. Ayyah's character actually becomes less endearing and more stoic and abrasive that I found myself a little bored (sorry) with her plight. When they do find the information needed to make a strike at the Kaz the action finally begins but it's brief, easily accomplished and wrapped up before you know it.

One of my favorite things in Sci-Fi books is the creative aliens. Maybe Book 1 in the series gave a more vivid depiction of the alien races but I found it lacking in Cat's Gambit I was only able to form a vague mental picture. Although I found author, Leslie Gadallah's Lleveci's race of people to have a fascinating culture particularly towards the biological and physical aspects of parenting and the roles in village life.

Based on the first chapter, highlights here and there I really wanted to like this story but there just wasn't enough going on to hold my interest overall.