Forge of Heaven

Rating:
Summary: Interference From Earth
Review: Forge of Heaven is the second novel in the Gene Wars series, following Hammerfall. In the previous volume, the Human Commonwealth developed a layered defense against genetic and nanotech contamination, with Earth itself at the heavily protected center. Around Earth were the almost as well-protected Inner Worlds. Surrounding these were the Outsider Worlds, where gengineering and even nanotechnology was practiced routinely, but with heavy safeguards; among the Outsider Worlds were the four Ruined planets, where runamuck genetic diversity had caused great devastation during the Gene Wars. Beyond all these, at the border with ondat space, was Concord Station, where Earth, the Outsiders and the ondat have been monitoring the recovery of Marak's World from the devastating Hammerfall.

For a while, the Outsider Worlds achieved autonomy from Earth after their abandonment by the mother planet during the Gene Wars. However, Earth has reasserted her rights to dominate all human space and now appoints the governors of each Outsider planet and Station, except Apex. However, the Outsiders elect their own Councils, as well as the High Council at Apex, and thus effectively restrict the power of the home planet.

Ila is the only survivor of the Movement. Even after fleeing to the Refugee, Ila controls a powerful inventory of biological and nanotechnical agents and has been using this capability to reform and rebuild the hammered Marak's world. One of the benefits of such genetic engineering is a greatly extented lifetime; thus, Ila is probably the oldest living human, with a lifespan of close to a millennium. With all this experience to draw from, and her expanded lifespan, Ila is capable of implementing very longterm plans. Concord Station exists primarily to prevent Ila from gaining total control.

In this novel, centuries after the Hammerfall, the Planetary Office on Concord Station is still monitoring the Hammerfall survivors and their descendants. Marak, Hati and some of the young men are trekking across unexplored territory to observe the slowly eroding Southern Wall, which separates the sea from the lowlands beyond. They have come along the ridge between the Needle River Gorge and the lowlands and have reached the narrowest point. Here they make camp, set up a relay, and prepare for a heavy blow.

The next day, the fading storm is followed by an earthquake and multiple aftershocks. All the beshti, except the personal mounts of Marak and Hati, break loose from the tether-line and flee into the early morning shadows. Marak and Hati have to leave the youngsters behind in the camp and chase after the runaway beshti. The tremors have also caused leaks in the Southern Wall and it seems that the sea may break through much sooner than expected. Naturally, the runaway beshti head down toward the lowlands, where they are likely to drown if Marak and Hati don't get them turned around very quickly.

Procyon, ne Jeremy Stafford, is the youngest of the Taps assigned to Marak. The biotechnology implanted within his brain allows him to communicate directly with a similar device within Marak's skull. Procyon is excited by the current excursion and eager to vicariously tag along as Marak explores the region. However, he is pulled from his normal rotation and ordered to meet with a special envoy from Earth, Andreas Gide, who has lately arrived with only minimal prior notification.

Shortly after his arrival, Gide specifically demanded to speak to Procyon. Since Procyon works for the Planetary Office, the Earth appointed Governor, Setha Reaux, passed this demand on to Antonio Brazis, Chairman of the Outsider Council on Concord and also Director of the PO. Both men agree to let Procyon meet with the Earth envoy to possibly discover the purpose of the unannounced visit.

Procyon has an uncomfortable interview with the special envoy, who is encased in an oval-shaped machine with a highly supple armor that protects him from contamination, yet can mimic his facial expression and gestures. Procyon stonewalls the envoy on all subjects related to his job, but is astounded at how much information on his personal life is known to the envoy. As Procyon exits the dwelling after the interview, someone fires a projectile past him and breaches the shell around the envoy. Procyon pulls the confused and angry envoy from the burning machine and then wanders out the door in a state of shock.

In this story, Procyon is the center of the political storm, with his sister among the avant-garde of the station, his access to Marak on the planet, and his official contacts with the station authorities. Moreover, Kekellen and his band of suborned robots add another link, this time to the ondat. At least Procyon doesn't have to pretend anymore that he has a dull, ordinary job.

The series seems to be bringing the Earth appointed Governor and the Outsider Chairman closer together against the various Earth factions. In fact, the harsh nonreturn policy resulting from Earth's fear of biological and nanotechnical contamination is leaving Commonwealth appointed administrators on the Outsider Worlds with vested interests in the local societies, where they and their families have been essentially exiled for the foreseeable future. It seems that Earth and the Inner Worlds are politically as well as biologically isolating themselves from the rest of human space.

This series, with the craft allusions -- Hammer, Forge -- in the volume names, appears to be building toward some great work. Possibly the next volume with be called Mill of the Gods, for the series is grinding exceedingly slowly, but also exceedingly fine. If so, the next novel will probably take place several centuries after this installment.

Highly recommended for Cherryh fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of alien contact and exotic societies.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Rating:
Summary: A potboiler without any salt
Review: I generally enjoy Cherryh's SF, and so it was with some anticipation that I read her latest release. The good news is that it's well-written and polished. The bad news is that the first third of the book is glacially slow, and the characters are bland and uninteresting.

Once things eventually start to move, there is a depth of political intricacy of the kind that Cherryh does so well, and it becomes quite readable, though still slow. However, the first 130 pages could easily have been edited down to 20 pages with no loss of character development, plot, background, or anything else. I found the first third of Forge beyond boring.

The greatest pity is that the characters are so dull - even though characterization has always been Cherryh's greatest talent. I interrupted a third reading of Cherryh's Finity's End to read Forge of Heaven, and the contrast was very noticeable - I actually care about the characters in Finity's End. The books for which Cherryh has won top awards all have strong, memorable characters. The characters in several of her other books are like old friends to me. So I'm sorry to have to say that Forge has the dullest, blandest, silliest bunch of characters I've come across anywhere for a long time.

Procyon, the main character, is a wide-eyed innocent who tries very hard to please everyone. The bad guys are laughably feeble. No one starts or ends any relationship in this book. No one falls in love. No one dies. No one achieves anything notable. No one gains any insight into themselves or others. No one rises or falls in wealth, or status, or happiness. No one changes their mind about anything. The status quo is preserved. It's emotionally flat.

The secret of immortality has been discovered by someone on the planet. A number of people have lived there for many centuries in perfect physical and mental health. The technology works. It's safe. There are no negative side-effects. But gaining immortality doesn't figure in anyone's plans. Even the bad guys are just some kind of anarchists without any well-defined goals. It doesn't bother anyone to have the secret of immortality always in front of them, yet just out of reach.

Forge is set in a high-tech society based on nanotechnology, many thousands of years in the future. However, if you substitute coffee for 'caff', fashion accessories for 'mods', and cell phones for 'taps', the culture is very similar to present-day urban America, except that it's much shallower and more fashion-conscious. There's no feeling of a strange and different society - as in Cyteen for example. Cherryh describes Forge as "tech run amok". Umm... yes. More like "tech taking a gentle Sunday afternoon stroll".

There's a long and pointless sub-plot about how Marak and Hati go looking for some strayed beasties... sorry... 'beshtis'. After much traveling through the countryside they eventually find them. The exciting part is when they have to sit in a tent in a storm. They all get back safely with no major problems. Geological events on the planet mirror political events on the space station. It's a nice idea, but a bit contrived.

I found the later parts of the book mildly enjoyable. Once an event or two actually happens, there is a certain amount of tension and interest. Cherryh writes so well that she almost manages to conceal the essential emptiness of this book.

But in the end I asked myself a few questions: Was I moved? Inspired? Challenged? Well entertained? Did the book have anything interesting to say about human nature or human potential? About nanotechnology? Was there any sense of beauty or wonder? Did I have to think? Was this future world unusual or interesting? Did the plot have any unexpected twists? Did I care about the characters, or about what happened in the end? Will I remember anything about this book in a few months time? The answer to all these questions is unfortunately 'No'. Dire thought, as CJ likes to say.

Rating:
Summary: cerebral SF with numerous (too many?) concepts to ponder
Review: Two galactic empires overlap at the remote Concord Station that orbits a wasteland orb. Nanotechnical war between humans from Earth and beings from the Ondat Empire fought here and devastated this tiny seemingly worthless planet and its station because the antagonists realize the strategic value of the outpost to observe the edges of the enemy. Ages have passed since the maelstrom of HAMMERFALL ended in an uneasy "cold war" peace, but not before rapid nanoevolution seeds were created.

Observers from Earth, the Outside, and the Ondat keep close tabs on the planet through implants to those made immortal by nanotechnology. Hero of the previous war, Marak tries to keep the fragile peace. He has succeeded with help from former Outsiders Ian and Luz, and Gene War refugee Ila.

The calm ends when an Earth ship carrying Ambassador Andreas Gide arrives. Rumors abound that the visit has to do with an allegedly leaked nanotechnology; a technology that Earth prefers remained quarantined to this orb while the Ondat are a bit looser on the research escaping the area. Is war coming once more with this barren rock again to suffer the consequences?

Fans of cerebral science fiction with numerous concepts to ponder will appreciate this deep look at a cold war on the verge of turning hot. C.J. Cherryh uses the first part of the novel to develop concepts involving the future of science, war, and to a lesser degree politics. The second half moves back and forth between action and further development of the author's message. Readers who enjoy contemplating complex concepts will appreciate this profound tale in which action takes a limiting role to Ms. Cherryh's postulations.

Harriet Klausner