Hope Reformed
S.M. Stirling, David Drake and Eric Flint
Baen, Nov 4 2014, $14.00
ISBN: 9781476736907
The Reformer by S.M. Stirling and David Drake (Whitehall
book 7). When the Web crashed,
civilization on thousands of planets collapsed with only Bellevue immune. On Hafardine, the fall was so great that
centuries afterward no one possesses even a whisper of the ancient past. Filling the power vacuum, the decadent Vanbret
regime took control of the world.
Student of the Grove Adrian Gellert craves knowledge and understanding
until his curiosity leads him to touch an artifact; subsequently making first
contact with the minds of Raj Whitehall and Center the Bellevue battle
computer. Gellert becomes the rebel
leader.
“The Tyrant” by Eric Flint and David Drake
(Whitehall book 8). Justicar Demansk fears
for Vanbert’s future as the affluent aristocracy abuse their power while the bloodthirsty
pirates to the north and the barbarous horde to the south threaten the
empire. He admires Gellert’s star war efforts
in the south, but believes the only solution to kill the internal and external cancers
are a coup d’état leading to himself as an iron fist Tyrant.
The omnibus General book 4 reprints the enjoyable Whitehall 7 and
8 science fiction that continues the radical change in series direction started
in Whitehall 6 when we left Bellevue for adventures on other planets. Both entries contain overall thrilling
military action though with some questionable tactics; while also sharing some
of the same cast, but their personalities seem changed although one can
rationalize due to combat. Fans who
accepted the dramatic switch will want to read these tales while newcomers need
to peruse the previous mostly Raj saga first (see Hope Reborn for 1 and 2, Hope Returned for 3 and 4 and Hope Renewed for 5 and 6).
Harriet
Klausner
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