The Last Amazon

John Grimes: Far Traveller Couriers #7

by A. Bertram Chandler

John Grimes' career as a space pirate has ended, he faces his toughest assignment yet. He has been made governor of the anarchist's own planet. His first task is to stay alive with a whole world plotting his murder!

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction

156 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 5, 1984

About the author

Arthur Bertram Chandler (28 March 1912–6 June 1984) was an Australian science fiction author. He also wrote under the pseudonyms George Whitley, George Whitely, Paul T. Sherman, Andrew Dunstan, and S.H.M.

He was born in Aldershot, England. He was a merchant marine officer, sailing the world in everything from tramp steamers to troopships. He emigrated to Australia in 1956 and became an Australian citizen. He commanded various ships in the Australian and New Zealand merchant navies, and was the last master of the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne as the law required that it have an officer on board while it was laid up waiting to be towed to China to be broken up.

Reviews

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grimes leaves Liberia to Frankie Delamere as governor and takes a Rim ship to New Sparta to meet his ship Sister Sue. He finds Maggie Lazenby on the planet and together they investigate what has been happening. Turns out the Archon's wife is leading a rebellion which Grimes, with the help of the kangaroo ladies Shirley and Doreen, puts down. Fenella the muckraker is also on planet getting in his way. They succeed in getting rid of Ellena wife of Brasidus and Sister Sue arrives and Grimes is reinstated as her master and leaves the planet with Shirley and Doreen. Maggie stays behind with Brasidus to help him get over the mess of his relationship with Ellena.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a more interesting and exciting plot than previous books. I was happy to see Brasidus and New Sparta again. 3 out of 5 stars.

[Leo Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another installment in the John Grimes series by A. Bertram Chandler finds Grimes on the planet Sparta. Sparta was first settled by an all male population (!), using various technological tricks to get around that whole sex and babies thing. Some years before this novel, Grimes helped introduce women to the planet. Now he's back, to find trouble brewing. The wife of the male ruler of Sparta fancies herself a reincarnation of Hippolyte, queen of the Amazons, even going so far as to import and train an all-female squad of palace guards. When her husband is kidnapped, she seizes power. It's up to Grimes to set things right.

Chandler uses the idea of the "lost colony" here. Early in the history of space travel, groups of emigrants scattered hither and yon, colonizing various planets, then losing contact for centuries. In their isolation, they developed unique, idiosyncratic cultures. Now that technology has caught up, these cultures now contact and intermingle, with unpredictable results.

Chandler seems to give mixed messages about women. On the one hand, he introduces several strong, intelligent female characters, without whom Grimes would surely fail. Shirl and Darleen, the kangaroo girls (part girl, part kangaroo!), with their martial arts and lethal boomerangs, prove particularly useful. But he also uses some ugly stereotypes as well. Granted, he wrote this over thirty years ago. Times change.

Chandler created a unique future history setting. His worlds feel "lived in," in part because Chandler dropped in details derived from his experience as a naval and merchant ship officer. Anyone who enjoys space opera and "planet stories" should give him a try.

[SciFiOne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grade A. Book Ge.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another awesome installment from the John Grimes series. He finally gets to return to New Sparta which his first visit is told earlier in the series. John also ends up surrounded by 4 former lovers and that is the only stupid part in this book.