Nonborn King

Rating:
Summary: Why can't I rate it 6 stars? Bravo!
Review: Julian May continues in her tradition of exotic, colorful,
vivid landscapes and characterizations in the Nonborn King, book three of the Saga of Pliocene Exile. IMO, this is the best writer for descriptive, smooth prose in the business.

Book Three centers on Aiken Drum, a trickster misfit who has emerged with awesome psychic powers, and leader of a faction of Tanu-- those psychic aliens that had enslaved humanity as they traveled back through time to the Pliocene from 22nd century earth.

Aiken maneuvers his faction to attain dominance among the Pliocene-- there are titanic battles, politics, intrigue, nobility, and deception. All in May's wonderfully smooth, adjective-laden writing style that is never too complex, never cluttered, just easy-breathing wonder.

We are also introduced to Marc Remillard, my favorite character in sci-fi. While Aiken is Wagner's Loki, Remillard is Milton's Lucifer. Puissant, noble, the defeated idealist, utterly focused, driven at the expense of those he loves or loved. A magnificent character that plays a role throughout May's later Intervention/Galactic Milieu books as well.

Books One and Two set the stage, were eminently satisfying, left us begging for more. Nonborn King delivers... An epic penultimate climax leaving you wondering how she's ever going to top it.

Rating:
Summary: Why can't I rate it 6 stars? Bravo!
Review: Julian May continues in her tradition of exotic, colorful,
vivid landscapes and characterizations in the Nonborn King, book three of the Saga of Pliocene Exile. IMO, this is the best writer for descriptive, smooth prose in the business.

Book Three centers on Aiken Drum, a trickster misfit who has emerged with awesome psychic powers, and leader of a faction of Tanu-- those psychic aliens that had enslaved humanity as they traveled back through time to the Pliocene from 22nd century earth.

Aiken maneuvers his faction to attain dominance among the Pliocene-- there are titanic battles, politics, intrigue, nobility, and deception. All in May's wonderfully smooth, adjective-laden writing style that is never too complex, never cluttered, just easy-breathing wonder.

We are also introduced to Marc Remillard, my favorite character in sci-fi. While Aiken is Wagner's Loki, Remillard is Milton's Lucifer. Puissant, noble, the defeated idealist, utterly focused, driven at the expense of those he loves or loved. A magnificent character that plays a role throughout May's later Intervention/Galactic Milieu books as well.

Books One and Two set the stage, were eminently satisfying, left us begging for more. Nonborn King delivers... An epic penultimate climax leaving you wondering how she's ever going to top it.

Rating:
Summary: The new Fairy King is set to shake up History
Review: Once again, the human exiles of the 22nd century must join the struggle for survival in the alien dominated Many Coloured Land. Only this time, they've brought their future tech with them.

The landscape - both geographic and political - has been radically altered, and the long standing balance of power between elfin Tanu and ogreish Firvulag has been upset. There's a new power block in the Pliocene, and they don't play by the rules.

The only strand holding the planet together is the reluctant vision of Eliizabeth Orm, shanghaied into guardianship over these bickering children. Can she maintain the truce between the new aggresive Firvulag rulers, and the lofty Tanu Knights, led by their ultimate Trickster? And where do the rebel humans fit in?

Locke, Puck and Jester, all rolled into one, there are depths to this little non-born that not even he realises.

Rating:
Summary: Another Winner!
Review: Third book of the Pliocene saga in which Aiken Drum truly shines. Drum is one of May's most memorable characters, a hyperbolic manifestation of Hermes, Loki -- the mythical trickster. Great character in a brilliant, well-thought-out world. We also get introduced to Mark Remillard, who will become the most important person in the ensuing novels and the most important person in human evolution, if you take it that far. It was fun to re-read this one after completing the 9-book series. May is a revelation! The entire series is a joy to be cherished.

Rating:
Summary: The book is absolutely marvellous and should be read.
Review: Together with the three other books in this series, 'The Nonborn King' is a marvellous book. Many climaxes are created in this part and many riddles get solved. It shows the reign of Aiken Drum and his new kingdom in the many-colored land. May describes Aiken in an intriguing way and like with all the characters in the book, the reader gets emotionally involved in their actions. The world is fantastic, the people are adventurous, the plot in arcane and the story is very original. This book is a must for every fantasy lover and the elements of sci-fi make it even better.