#3 Deathstalker series - Sci FiOwen Deathstalker, aristocrat and historian, has very reluctantly taken a major role in the rebellion against an oppressive and cruel Empire. He and his ragtag team of highly likeable and eccentric fighters return in Book 3, this time facing down the Empire on several very different planets.Simon R. Green's writing is brilliant. At 522 pages and a cast of characters that could easily leave the reader confused as to just who is fighting who (whom and whom?), Green instead draws each character so sharply, with distinct traits and motivations. It is very easy to remember each character very clearly -- and there are ALOT of characters.This is, like Book 1 & 2, a thrill ride of a full on Sci Fi "space opera". Fighting and action galore ... amazing plot twists. It was so nice to see old friends (and villians) from earlier books and to catch up on their exploits and adventures fighting against the Empire and the Iron Bitch, as the Empress is called.Normally I avoid books of this length (500+ pages) like the plague (sp?), but the writing is so enjoyable and the plot and characters so intriguing and fun, that not once did the book lag.Looking forward to continuing the Deathstalker series, which, as usual, ended with a lot of interesting loose ends!This author has no website.http://www.bluemoonrising.nl/deathsta...The Deathstalker seriesPrequel omnibusTwilight of the Empire (US)Deathstalker Prelude (UK)First series1) Deathstalker2) Deathstalker Rebellion3) Deathstalker War4) Deathstalker Honor5) Deathstalker DestinySecond series 1) Deathstalker Legacy2) Deathstalker Return3) Deathstalker Coda *****
Had a bit of trouble getting into this particular book. The previous two in the series were practically page-turners. This one seemed a bit slow, and I think perhaps it was the way in which Green presented the 3-4 groups of characters. No real chapters, per se, just four large "book chunks". Lots of great action as you would expect having read the previous two. A few twists and turns throughout, as well as a very... odd... time spent covering Haceldama. Enjoy! It's worth a read if you enjoyed the previous novels, but is not quite as good. I'm moving onto the fourth and hoping this quartet will be wrapped up satisfyingly.
What do You think about Deathstalker War (1997)?
It's quite literally a book long deus ex machina. Things come up that challenge the protagonists in new ways, which are overcome with brute force in ways they never knew existed...but just felt they could do. Even the author wrote into the book the characters question how they keep getting new abilities that can take out an army. It moves from being a parody to simply trying to hard over and over.Then you get to the end and everyone marches out one at a time in order to close off their thread of the story. Literally it's like round robin in the middle of the final confrontation. Where everyone is there because the figure that solves plot points when things get written into the corner comes and brings everyone there.Other books in the series were at least humorous, and sometimes a simple practical humor that sometimes gets lost in complex story lines. This was a huge disappointment to the series.
—Mike
Having finished the first three books in the Owen death-stalker series, I find myself some what conflicted. On one hand, some parts of the story are absurd such as the world of toys at war and the mission of the red man (Santa) and his mission of peace, or irritating such as the continual reliance of previously unknown powers to beat unbeatable odds, I found this frustrating and slightly lazy as a plot device. However I really liked the characters and general story, the third book death-stalker war had as much action as entire series have, it is graphic in places but it is supposed to be describing war, and yes there are as many sad moments as happy.Overall I would give this book and the series so far three and a half stars, fun but not exceptional.
—Christopher
