ISBN: 0-88677-904-9 Order from: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble.com
A pleasant, touching and humorous sequel, with an exciting but overly complicated plot, good aliens, engaging protagonist, and an occasionally annoying lack of common sense.
Reviewed by David on August 16, 2000
Genre: Science Fiction (Space Opera)
Synopsis: In this sequel to Beholder's Eye, the reclusive shapeshifter Esen and her human friend Paul take a long-overdue vaction. However, everyone except for Esen seems to have a hidden agenda, and the peaceful vacation turns into an occasionally nighmarish adventure as intrigue, piracy, art thefts and several hunts for Esen collide around the two friends.
Full Review: From all appearances, the author had fun in this book—fun that the readers will share. From amusing aliens, to a few subtle in-jokes, to the amusing, sympathetic and chocolate-loving Esen herself the humor is frequent but not overpowering. Esen is conflicted between her desire for safety by being inconspicuous, and her natural urge to help others. As she struggles to fit her own image of proper conduct while struggling with pirates, she muses:
Civilized beings, safe, trustworthy beings, used starships; I intended to be one. Exactly which part of civilized behavior involved lurking at the bottom of a pool of algae was not an issue I cared to examine at the moment.
The plot is moved along by shifting adroitly between two viewpoints, one being the ever-engaging Esen. There is small but occasionally intrusive amount of foreshadowing.
The aliens are all quite intriguing, and many quite sympathetic. Of course, many of them are explored by the main character taking their shapes, emotions and senses. The humans are well-drawn as well, although their interactions are on the melodramatic side.
A somewhat disturbing aspect of the otherwise warm and touching relationship between the shape-shifter and her human friend is the amount of secrets, and the implied lack of trust between the two long-term friends. Some of the resulting plot twists resemble those caused by rivalry in the less enjoyable romances.
The novel combines the author's characteristic fascinating aliens with an unusually sympathetic heroine, and head-long adventure. While the novel comes to a conclusion, there is a clear set-up for further adventures for Esen and Paul. It is an enjoyable, entertaining romp in the Web Shifter series, one that instills eager anticipation for the next installment.
Overall: 6.5; Plot: 5; Characters: 6.5; Style: 6; World-building: 6.5; Originality: 6;
Copyright date 2000, Donald A. Wollheim (DAW), August 2000, Mass market paperback, 483 pages
ISBN: 0-88677-904-9 Order from: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble.com