Charon: A Dragon at the Gate

Rating:
Summary: Excellent third book in a four part series.
Review: This is the third book in the Lords of the Warden Diamond four-book series. An unnamed investigator is sent to investigate the possibility of an extra-galactic invasion that could possibly be amassing in the Warden Diamond penal colonies. Due to the strange nature of the Diamond planets which makes it impossible for a person to leave the system once he has landed, the secret agents mind is copied onto the brains of four criminals who are being sent to the four planets of the Diamond system, while the original agent remains in orbit above, monitoring transmission from devices implented in the copies' brains. Each book deals with the adventures of one of the copies on his/her mission to find the source of the invasion, and take over the government of the world to which he/she was assigned. This third book deals with the mission to Charon, the closest planet to the system's star. This has always been one of my favorite series, as it was well written and kept me guessing as to various mysteries right up to the end. As a member of the whole series, this book is a must buy. On its own, it is not as good. The other three books are Lilith: A snake in the grass, Cerberus, and Medusa. I do not recall the subtitles of the latter two books.

Rating:
Summary: The Diamond Saga continues
Review: This is volume 3 of the Lords of the Diamonds series. It begins very much like Cerberus. On the one hand, the repetions in the beginning are a bit annoying, on the other hand, they are in complete accordance with the series' logic. Anyway, you shouldn't read the book without having read the first two volumes - Lilith and Cerberus. If you read this one first, my guess is that you'll miss about 75 % of the enjoyment. This review, too, is for those who have read the first two books.

Now, if you've come so far with the series, you surely want to know how the story goes on, so go ahead and read Charon and Medusa, too. In my opinion, Charon's a little better than Cerberus, but no match for the magnificent Lilith. Mr. Chalker is as stupidly PC as ever, and again, the end is very abrupt and confusing, but on the other hand, Mr. Chalker cleverly avoids repeating himself and manages to completely surprise you, again.

For Diamonds' fans only.