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Spider Trilogy #2
The Way of Spider
Were the Romanans destined to end the Directorate’s galaxy-spanning rule—or become this empire’s last and best warriors?
Rebellion on Sirius was threatening to become the spark that would set the galaxy ablaze, bringing on the destruction of the Directorate-run empire—a tyranny powered by an elite corps of human, computer-linked brains. The Directorate’s only hope of overthrowing the Sirian rebels rested with three of its once-mighty but now battle-damaged Patrol ships, three backup warships, and a race of primitive, long planet-bound warriors—the Romanans.
For the Directorate had spent many centuries breeding initiative and the capability for violent action out of the human race. And only on the lost colony of World did true warriors of spider still exist. But would the Romanans willingly join the cause of the star men who had once attempted to destroy their world? And even if they did, could warriors so newly exposed to the weapons of deadly technology defeat a world and a leader ready to utilize legendary tools of destruction more lethal than any humankind had ever known?
Rebellion on Sirius was threatening to become the spark that would set the galaxy ablaze, bringing on the destruction of the Directorate-run empire—a tyranny powered by an elite corps of human, computer-linked brains. The Directorate’s only hope of overthrowing the Sirian rebels rested with three of its once-mighty but now battle-damaged Patrol ships, three backup warships, and a race of primitive, long planet-bound warriors—the Romanans.
For the Directorate had spent many centuries breeding initiative and the capability for violent action out of the human race. And only on the lost colony of World did true warriors of spider still exist. But would the Romanans willingly join the cause of the star men who had once attempted to destroy their world? And even if they did, could warriors so newly exposed to the weapons of deadly technology defeat a world and a leader ready to utilize legendary tools of destruction more lethal than any humankind had ever known?
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 3, 1989
4 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
W. Michael Gear
181 books730 followersW. Michael Gear was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on the twentieth of May, 1955. A fourth generation Colorado native, his family had been involved in hard-rock mining, cattle ranching, and journalism. After his father's death in 1959, Michael's mother received her Master's degree in journalism and began teaching. In 1962 she married Joseph J. Cook, who taught tool and die making, and the family lived in Lakewood, Colorado, until 1968. At that time they moved to Fort Collins so that Joe could pursue his Ph.D.. During those years the family lived in the foothills above Horsetooth Reservoir.
It was there that Mike developed a love of history, anthropology, and motorcycles. They would color his future and fill his imagination for the rest of his life. During summers he volunteered labor on local ranches or at the farm east of Greeley and landed his first real job: picking up trash at the lake and cleaning outhouses. It has been said that his exposure to trash led him into archaeology. We will not speculate about what cleaning the outhouses might have led him to. On his first dig as a professional archaeologist in 1976 he discovered that two thousand year old human trash isn't nearly as obnoxious as the new stuff.
Michael graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1972 and pursued both his Bachelor's (1976) and Master's (1979) degrees at Colorado State University. Upon completion of his Master's - his specialty was in physical anthropology - he went to work for Western Wyoming College in Rock Springs as a field archaeologist.
It was in the winter of 1978 that he wrote his first novel. Irritated by historical inaccuracies in Western fiction, he swore he could do better. He was "taking retirement in installments," archaeology being a seasonal career, in the cabin his great uncle Aubrey had built. One cold January night he read a Western novel about a trail drive in which steers (castrated males) had calves. The historical inaccuracies of the story bothered him all night. The next morning, still incensed, he chunked wood into the stove and hunkered over the typewriter. There, on the mining claim, at nine thousand feet outside of Empire, Colorado he hammered out his first five hundred and fifty page novel. Yes, that first manuscript still exists, but if there is justice in the universe, no one will ever see it. It reads wretchedly - but the historical facts are correct!
Beginning in 1981, Michael, along with two partners, put together his own archaeological consulting company. Pronghorn Anthropological Associates began doing cultural resource management studies in 1982, and, although Michael sold his interest in 1984, to this day the company remains in business in Casper, Wyoming. During the years, Michael has worked throughout the western United States doing archaeological surveys, testing, and mitigation for pipelines, oil wells, power lines, timber sales, and highway construction. He learned the value of strong black coffee, developed a palate for chocolate donuts, and ferreted out every quality Mexican restaurant in eight states. He spent nine months of the year traveling from project to project with his trowel and dig kit, a clapped-out '72 Wonder Blazer, and his boon companion, Tedi, a noble tri-color Sheltie.
That fateful day in November, 1981, was delightfully clear, cold, and still in Laramie, Wyoming. Archaeologists from all over the state had arrived at the University of Wyoming for the annual meetings of the Wyoming Association of Professional Archaeologists. It was there, in the meeting room, way too early after a much too long night, that Mike first laid eyes on the most beautiful woman in the world: Kathleen O'Neal Gear. The BLM State Archaeologist, Ray Leicht, introduced him to the pretty anthropologist and historian, and best of all, Ray invited Mike to lunch with Kathleen. It was the perfect beginning for a long and wondrous relationship.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/wmicha...
It was there that Mike developed a love of history, anthropology, and motorcycles. They would color his future and fill his imagination for the rest of his life. During summers he volunteered labor on local ranches or at the farm east of Greeley and landed his first real job: picking up trash at the lake and cleaning outhouses. It has been said that his exposure to trash led him into archaeology. We will not speculate about what cleaning the outhouses might have led him to. On his first dig as a professional archaeologist in 1976 he discovered that two thousand year old human trash isn't nearly as obnoxious as the new stuff.
Michael graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1972 and pursued both his Bachelor's (1976) and Master's (1979) degrees at Colorado State University. Upon completion of his Master's - his specialty was in physical anthropology - he went to work for Western Wyoming College in Rock Springs as a field archaeologist.
It was in the winter of 1978 that he wrote his first novel. Irritated by historical inaccuracies in Western fiction, he swore he could do better. He was "taking retirement in installments," archaeology being a seasonal career, in the cabin his great uncle Aubrey had built. One cold January night he read a Western novel about a trail drive in which steers (castrated males) had calves. The historical inaccuracies of the story bothered him all night. The next morning, still incensed, he chunked wood into the stove and hunkered over the typewriter. There, on the mining claim, at nine thousand feet outside of Empire, Colorado he hammered out his first five hundred and fifty page novel. Yes, that first manuscript still exists, but if there is justice in the universe, no one will ever see it. It reads wretchedly - but the historical facts are correct!
Beginning in 1981, Michael, along with two partners, put together his own archaeological consulting company. Pronghorn Anthropological Associates began doing cultural resource management studies in 1982, and, although Michael sold his interest in 1984, to this day the company remains in business in Casper, Wyoming. During the years, Michael has worked throughout the western United States doing archaeological surveys, testing, and mitigation for pipelines, oil wells, power lines, timber sales, and highway construction. He learned the value of strong black coffee, developed a palate for chocolate donuts, and ferreted out every quality Mexican restaurant in eight states. He spent nine months of the year traveling from project to project with his trowel and dig kit, a clapped-out '72 Wonder Blazer, and his boon companion, Tedi, a noble tri-color Sheltie.
That fateful day in November, 1981, was delightfully clear, cold, and still in Laramie, Wyoming. Archaeologists from all over the state had arrived at the University of Wyoming for the annual meetings of the Wyoming Association of Professional Archaeologists. It was there, in the meeting room, way too early after a much too long night, that Mike first laid eyes on the most beautiful woman in the world: Kathleen O'Neal Gear. The BLM State Archaeologist, Ray Leicht, introduced him to the pretty anthropologist and historian, and best of all, Ray invited Mike to lunch with Kathleen. It was the perfect beginning for a long and wondrous relationship.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/wmicha...
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 14, 2008
The kick-ass warriors are let loose on an apathetic universe. Of course, they kick ass and then meet a super villain and then there's more war. I recall some disturbing material involving said super villain and rape. I skipped that stuff, it was gross.
December 17, 2024
As with the first volume in the series, this is very much a dense, slowly paced, 1980s political sci-fi / violent action novel, with some indelicate handling of women and race, an excessive amount of scalping, but still an interesting story. The story picks up right where the first novel left off, and there are several characters returning from the first volume. To keep things interesting, this volume introduces a new heroine, Susan Smith Andojar, who aspires to be the first Romanan to break gender roles and become a warrior. It also brings in a new truly despicable villain, who is extremely rapey. It was a bit of a slog to read, but I think I want to finish out the trilogy to see how the story ends. This was only the author's second novel, and they've written tons of books since then. I'd like to read some of the author's more current works, to see how they've evolved over time.
February 13, 2021
fast paced sequel, two things are a bit irritating - Gear has a habit of killing off very likeable main characters and sometimes, his descriptions of what one human can do to another are too drastic, more sensitive readers might get nightmares ....
August 26, 2020
book 2 of Spider trilogy. Now the indians are adapting to the future SF.
January 19, 2022
Hopefully
I enjoyed the book but it was a little hard to follow. I had to go back and refresh the characters sometimes.
I enjoyed the book but it was a little hard to follow. I had to go back and refresh the characters sometimes.
August 28, 2018
Review of the Way of the Spider
By W. Michael Gear
"It's common social psychology. IF the other guy won, he's doing something right, has an edge.Something in the way he does things is somehow better. Then there's the feeling that if it's the way of the future why not hop on the bandwagon ...now?..."(p375) The Second in the Trilogy of the Spider series by W. Michael Gear, a thrilling story of a young savage society changing the oppressive civilized society by giving heart and honor back to the people. The Spider is a contagious religion in a universe without religion, the sheep of the Directorate have to learn a new way of seeing the universe and themselves. Susan is a young Romanian girl, poor, and orphan she is raised and abused by her maternal uncle. With the coming of the Directorate things are changing, and maybe she can find a place in the new order. Iron Eyes the hero of the Warriors of the Spider book, is thrust into command of the new group of people as they go quail the uprising on another Directorate world. Rita Sarsa (red many coup) has to train the new routes from World, to face the onslaught of war on another world in a more advanced society. Banded together these three characters face the Directorates biggest fear, destruction within Ngen Van Chow. A dock rat turned delusional homicidal dictator of Siris, who attempts through manipulation and destruction to create a new Universal order with him in charge.
By W. Michael Gear
"It's common social psychology. IF the other guy won, he's doing something right, has an edge.Something in the way he does things is somehow better. Then there's the feeling that if it's the way of the future why not hop on the bandwagon ...now?..."(p375) The Second in the Trilogy of the Spider series by W. Michael Gear, a thrilling story of a young savage society changing the oppressive civilized society by giving heart and honor back to the people. The Spider is a contagious religion in a universe without religion, the sheep of the Directorate have to learn a new way of seeing the universe and themselves. Susan is a young Romanian girl, poor, and orphan she is raised and abused by her maternal uncle. With the coming of the Directorate things are changing, and maybe she can find a place in the new order. Iron Eyes the hero of the Warriors of the Spider book, is thrust into command of the new group of people as they go quail the uprising on another Directorate world. Rita Sarsa (red many coup) has to train the new routes from World, to face the onslaught of war on another world in a more advanced society. Banded together these three characters face the Directorates biggest fear, destruction within Ngen Van Chow. A dock rat turned delusional homicidal dictator of Siris, who attempts through manipulation and destruction to create a new Universal order with him in charge.
August 4, 2011
Plays well on the concept of the monstrous. Other than that, brain candy.
December 15, 2013
Higher stakes as the trilogy continues. More war drama than the first one, not much in character development on this episode.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews