Not Piper's best work, but a good read.

Share/Like this Review?

This is old, comfort reading for me. I got a copy about 26 years ago, and the book shows all the wear of being read every few years.

What's it about? Well, its a lifting of the Sepoy Mutiny and placing it about 600 years forward on the planet Uller, with the native Ullerans (geeks) standing in for the Indians.

Of course, there are SF-nal differences. Earth has had a nuclear war and risen to the stars by the efforts of the survivors in the southern hemisphere. Contragravity (antigravity) is common. The natives are 4 armed, lizard headed and have a silicon based chemistry.

Our viewpoint character is Karlos Von Schlichten, an Argentine of German descent who makes no bones about his ancestors Nazi politics (kind of like being descended from Vikings or Saxons). He's the military commander for the chartered Ulleran company. Shortly after his introduction, he helps break up a riot against two human sociologists. After that, we get a fair amount of info dumps (in "As you know Bob") but it eventually builds to the mutiny.

Do I like it? Yep. Its not very deep and its an element of its time with a lot of space opera that makes no sense (metals being valuable enough to cheap interstellar). The characters are a bit thin, but they are fun. As is the book. Again, a fair amount of fun. And this one goes back on the shelf until I pull it down again.

Share/Like this Review?