ISBN: 0-451-45843-5 Order from: Amazon.com
This Space Opera's many subplots and viewpoints do not generate much emotional involvement or suspense.
Reviewed by David on March 24, 2002
Genre: Science Fiction (ESP, Space Opera, Politics, Interstellar Civilizations)
Synopsis: In the far future, a widely scattered multi-species culture contains many interstellar political entities. While faster-than-light travel is used for transport, the weeks or months in transit make the ships inefficient messengers.
The real communication that enables huge networks of military, political and economic power is the instanteneous practiced telepathy by the tiny minority of humans and other species, called the Silent.
Valued for their talent, the Silent are recruited by every interstellar empire, federation, and trade cartels. Some governments offer free training and salaries, others enslave every child found to have the talent—much to the parents' distress.
On a planet Rust, just conquered by the Empire of Human Unity, Sejal is growing up. Born of non-Silent parents, and showing no Silent talent in medical tests, he tries to ignore the voices in his head. Despite his ignorance, however, Sejal is becoming the object of great interest, as the Dream that the Silent share is breaking up.
Full Review: The plot is unexceptional, with multiple subplots including a romantic subplot and several conflicting political ploys. The book switches frequently between several viewpoints, and the characters, while drawn with some care, elicit little sympathy. The interstellar culture is described at some length, but the exotic worlds don't come alive, and the pacing seems rather slow.
The lack of emotional attachement to main characters, multiple plots and slow pacing leave little suspense to the reader. This appears to be the first of a series of books, a sequel is clearly indicated at the end. However, the predictability and the lack of suspense in this book creates no anticipation for the sequels.
Note, more information is available from the author's web page.
Overall: 4.5; Plot: 4.5; Characters: 4.5; Style: 5; World-building: 5.5; Originality: 4;
Copyright date 2001, New American Library (Roc), September 2001, Mass market paperback, 360 pages
ISBN: 0-451-45843-5 Order from: Amazon.com