Schism : Part One of Triad (Saga of the Skolian Empire)

Rating:
Summary: obvious Nebula nomination
Review: Humanity has colonized thousands of worlds; technology and medicine have made incredible advances; yet war still exists. The Skolian Empire is based on democratic ideals while conversely the Aristo Traders Empire is built on slavery. Hostility seems imminent between these giants.

On the planet Lyshriol, seventeen years old Soz has gone behind her father Eldrinson's back to take the preliminary exams to enroll in the Desham Military Academy where her brother Alhtor is a fourth year cadet. Due to her high scores on the tests and the upcoming need for warriors, the Academy waives the age and parental requirements enabling Soz to enroll. Soz's father angrily disowns both Soz and Althor.

Their father regrets his words almost immediately but before he can do anything about it, his as his fourteen year old son has run away. As he looks for the lad, an Aristo capture him. Somehow the Traders have bypassed security on this Skolian planet. The Aristo cripples and blind him; when he recovers he withdraws from everyone even his beloved wife. Meanwhile Soz amazes everyone as she learns at an accelerated pace, but now she knows what happened to her father and vows to be the avenging Jagernaut.

Soz is a very interesting character, who, if she lives long enough, will probably replace her half-brother as the Imperator when Korj is unable to fulfill those duties any longer. Like her sire, she is a strong independent warrior who refuses to accept any weakness as she expects to be more than just the best soldier the academy ever graduated. Her father has a long recuperative road to journey, but like Soz stubbornly refused to allow his captors the victory they expected. SCHISM is filled with adventure, intrigue and drama on personal and galaxy levels that makes for an obvious Nebula nomination.

Harriet Klausner


Rating:
Summary: Another Excellent Addition to the Skolian Saga
Review: Schism is another excellent entry into the Skolian universe of books. It features one of my favorite characters - Sauscony - that Asaro has created. The manner in which Asaro has written these books (this is the tenth novel), moving many years backwards and forwards in time and shifting from character to character as she fills in the stories of the Ruby pharoh clan gives one an interesting and sometimes dizzying perspective on the characters. One would think that already knowing a particular character's fate would make a story about the early years of that character less than compelling, but Asaro pulls it off. As ever, I am looking forward to the next entry in this saga.

P.S. Amazon Readers/Buyers beware. Beware reviewer Harriet Klausner, who supposedly read reviewed many thousands of books on Amazon, including this one. She always gives four or five stars (usually five stars) and her reviews are utterly formulaic, making one wonder if she/he/they actually read the books. In any event, how can anyone love every one of the thousands and thousands of books she/he/they have supposedly read?

Rating:
Summary: Asaro's back on track
Review: This book is a bit different from the more recent entries by Asaro in her Skolian series, better. For all of us who have not been thrilled by her trend toward sexy romance, Asaro returns to complex sci-fi in Triad. We learn about the military and the commitment required of cadets at the academy as seen through the experiences of the 17-year old Soz, a novice, whom we already know will be the future leader of the Skolian Empire. We also begin to understand the personal conflict Soz has with her father over her decision not to marry and stay on her home world, but to pursue a career in the military that will put her in harm's way during the coming war.

This book is not a good place to begin the series. Triad is a backstory. (I prefer to start with Primary Inversion.) Asaro does not publish this series in chronological order. The books may be about any one of the 15 or so main Rhon characters during three generations at any point in their lives. If you have read any of the other books in the series you know how the story began in Triad turns out. Rather, Triad fills in gaps in the Valdorian family saga and helps us understand why they are the way they are. They do not always behave as I would have expected them to. After all, they are Rhon and considered royals. Eldrin is more close-minded. Soz is more hotheaded. Kurj is more human. Althor is more confused. Shannon is more complex. In some ways it is very comforting to know that things are going to work out for these people, at least for a while. I found this book to be much more interesting than I expected. I cannot wait for the next installment. I just wish the books had better cover art. No sex or sexy thoughts in Triad; some general references to bi-sexuality and homosexuality.