To Battle the Gods (Jalav Amazon Warrior V)

Rating:
Summary: Somewhat disappointing end to a fun series
Review: The first four books of the Jalav series introduced us to Jalav, the abrasive and verbose amazon warrior who refuses to yield to the social conventions of a male dominated society fixated on sex and bondage. The series was a fun and refreshing, though implausible, look at a primitive world through the eyes of a strong female character. Unfortunately, by the fifth book, the series seems to be running on empty. Even the inevitable kidnap/bondage episodes seem a bit forced, and the long awaited arrival of the strangers from space disappoints when we discover how annoying they are. Part of Jalav's charm lay in her belligerent independence and her hair trigger temper, but in this book, she allows herself to be constantly insulted, ordered around, tied up and seduced by the nearest lothario. I'm a guy, and even I was hoping she'd administer a few strategic knees to the groin. The final insult is when she allows her father to force her to marry both her suitors. Still, there is enough of the old Jalav left to satisfy her most ardent fans. If you've read the first four books of the series, you'll probably want to read this one too.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent. Feminist. Inspiring.
Review: This text calls for a higher level of thinking than that of mere "savage" vs. "culture". By feeding into Jalav's preconceived notions of what "god-like" behavior is all about, the "gods" in this storyline hope to use her belief system against her to control her actions to their will. However, being a strong person faced with "because we said so" odds, Jalav challenges her own belief system in order to find a way out of a defeatist situation, and in order to empower herself to resolve an unhealthy deal she's been forced to accept. Absolutely riveting!