Arslan

Rating:
Summary: A Very Compelling, Underappreciated Classic
Review: Orson Scott Card introduced me to "Arslan" in one of his books, and he marvelled how Engh was able to create Arslan, a vile character that you get to know and grow to sympathize with.

The story begins with Franklin Bond, a Southern Illinois principal whose town is invaded by Arslan after the surrender of the United States and is made into a new capital. Bond becomes a governor of the county and watches the turmoil of his fellow citizens. In the meantime, he forms a strange friendship with Arslan, who always deals with Bond in a strangely respectful manner. Arslan even gives Bond a chance to kill him, because in Arslan's predatorial philosophy, no victory should be without risk. There is a catch: Arslan's soldiers will annihilate Bond's town if Arslan dies, and Bond would have very little time to evacuate the townsmen before the soldiers would realize what happened and begin the massacre. This was one of the most wrenching scenes, because you cry out to Bond "kill him", but Arslan's threat gives Bond cold feet. This is one of the first of many times where Engh shows how Arslan's cruel genius twists people's wills to his own.

The story's perspective later alternates with Hunt Morgan, an adolescent and student of Bond's who is victimized by Arslan and then turned into a servant--Morgan's relationship with Arslan becomes one of the most complicated in the book, as Arslan both manipulates and befriends(?) the youth.

These two men show us how our civilization could have been ruined by a no-name Third World dictator, and Engh's eye for human weaknesses and strengths makes this a believable tale that leave you wondering.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful characterizations, scary future
Review: There have been a lot of SF novels about madmen trying to conquer the world. This is one of the few that was actually about *people*, not just "gosh wow" concepts.

M.J. Engh shows what happens from the point of view of two characters. This is a great example of how to make viewpoints work. The voices of the characters are so distinct you will wonder how the same person could have written them. The charismatic title character is a catalyst and not a viewpoint character. But *all* these people come alive.

You will remember this book long after you have read it.

Rating:
Summary: This sf is going to be a classic
Review: When the name General Arslan is first mentioned on American TV, no one has heard of him and very few people can locate his nation Turkiston. His country happens to be a small central Asian country boarded by China and Russia. Not long after making the news for the first time, Arslan decides to begin his plan to save the planet from the spiral of corruption and destruction that its leaders seem to desire. He quickly becomes the Deputy Command in Chief of the US armed forces and behind that, conqueror of North America without a drop of blood spilled.

Arslan comes to strategically unnecessary Kraftville, Illinois to bivouac. In the small town, General Arslan meets Principal Franklin Bond who takes the new world leader on a tour of the school. Here in this tiny little spot where Arslan meets someone treating him like an equal not a conqueror, the young General sets up house.

Is the premise of a General from a country smaller than Brooklyn conquering the United States seems a stretch on first thought? Absolutely that is until you read M.J. Engh's fabulous science fiction novel. This no tech wins the world thriller works because the two key characters, ARSLAN and Franklin seem real as they form a special bond between them. In the vein of The Mouse That Roared, this political science fiction tale lives up to what readers have screamed since its initial release five years ago: classic.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: This sf is going to be a classic
Review: When the name General Arslan is first mentioned on American TV, no one has heard of him and very few people can locate his nation Turkiston. His country happens to be a small central Asian country boarded by China and Russia. Not long after making the news for the first time, Arslan decides to begin his plan to save the planet from the spiral of corruption and destruction that its leaders seem to desire. He quickly becomes the Deputy Command in Chief of the US armed forces and behind that, conqueror of North America without a drop of blood spilled.

Arslan comes to strategically unnecessary Kraftville, Illinois to bivouac. In the small town, General Arslan meets Principal Franklin Bond who takes the new world leader on a tour of the school. Here in this tiny little spot where Arslan meets someone treating him like an equal not a conqueror, the young General sets up house.

Is the premise of a General from a country smaller than Brooklyn conquering the United States seems a stretch on first thought? Absolutely that is until you read M.J. Engh's fabulous science fiction novel. This no tech wins the world thriller works because the two key characters, ARSLAN and Franklin seem real as they form a special bond between them. In the vein of The Mouse That Roared, this political science fiction tale lives up to what readers have screamed since its initial release five years ago: classic.

Harriet Klausner