They were once humanity's last hope; a race of genetically
engineered killing machines known as the Phaestor and their army of deadly
Moktar Dragons. Now, the enemy long vanquished, the Phaestor themselves have
become the enemy, seizing control of the galaxy and subjugating all lesser
species—including humans—to feed their appetite for terror and blood. On a
small, insignificant planet called Thoska-Roole, a ragtag alliance of humans,
androids, and bioforms make a last desperate stand against Phaestor domination.
Among their number are two bounty hunters, a mercenary starship captain, and a
disgraced reptilian warrior. As the Phaestor begin a new reign of unprecedented
terror, these rebels prepare to strike back against their vampire overlords and
bring revolution to the stars.
Gerrold does a great job of World Building here, and while
times I felt he spent too much setting up the story (as I read I began to
wonder if his original intention was to write one book, but as he continued
setting up the premise, he realized the story was going to take two books. But I
could be wrong) he uses an engaging tongue-in-cheek approach by adding a pair
of quick-talking human rogues as anti-heroes. Once again, though, the villains
sometimes come off as cartoonish and unredemptive in any possible way, even though I kind of like Lady Zillabar, who
chews the scenery with great gusto.
This is pure adventure storytelling here, and not a lot of Gerrold's patented look at humans and their destructive ways.
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