Another good book by the author of THE REGIMENT, THE WHITE REGIMENT, and THE KHALIF'S WAR. Dalmas likes to work with characters who develop their talents to the max, and this book is no exception. An agent for a dirty tricks department in a galaxy-spanning confederation has extraordinary permission to do whatever seems necessary to help 'develop' a planetary culture. Oddly, this permission is "to kill a king". But inconsistencies crop up, leaving the agent in doubt not only of his mission, but of the department who sent him out.
While this is a good sci-fi tale, the author, whose other books I really like, sometimes branches off into philosophical discussions which detract from the story line. I ended up skipping those parts.
What I also found interesting, if not unusual, was the author didn't explain the failure of the invasions of Lokar from other countries and tribes until the very end of the book, in his Epilogue.
What I also found interesting, if not unusual, was the author didn't explain the failure of the invasions of Lokar from other countries and tribes until the very end of the book, in his Epilogue.
