Paul O. Williams (1935–2009)

A great convention is taking place to try and form a Federation of the cultures of the western lands: Pelbar, Sentani, Shumai, Atherer, and all the rest--so many of them drawn together by Jestak and Stel in earlier books. One group stubbornly persists in fighting, the Tantal who are the buffer now between the Innanigani of the east coast and the developing Federation. The Innanigani are a true threat, the most "advanced" culture (with the most remnant toys from the Great Fire to help them) show more they are expanding westward. Ahroe, Stel's wife is the Director of this convention. She and Stel have lost their way maritally as their separate preoccupations and interests have gradually drawn them apart. Stel has built a steamboat from plans and ideas offered by the (very few survivin) Dome people, now part of Pelbar culture, and heads north to the Bitter Sea (Great Lakes). But in a clash with the Tantal his daughter Raydi, who stowed away, is captured. Well, of course, being Stel, he will get her back. And the Tantal will be very very sorry they took her, of course! Lots of emotional stuff in this one, about family and the way people and marriages evolve. Beautifully done. **** show less

It's not the overlooked classic I was half hoping for, but in less than fifty pages I decided it's solid enough that I'm going to read the rest of this series. I find the setting very engaging. It's a sci-fi/fantasy hybrid, a post-apocalyptic North America now peopled by an intriguing mix of what stands in for medieval, indigeneous and perhaps early enlightenment cultures. 1,000 years after the "time of fire" (nuclear war?), these divided peoples are beginning to rediscover they have a show more common past. The Pelbar matriarchy is the most civilized among its neighbours, albeit too stiffly wedded to tradition. Challenging this stiffness is the novel's central theme, as changing times demand greater flexibility.

The author demonstrates either good research or a working knowledge of diplomacy, survival skills and various crafts, and the variety of cultures is well-drawn and developed. Unfortunately the characters are mostly flat, and romance can be wince-inducing. I'm also not fond of the rapid scene changes and too much info-dumping, as what happens in the very first chapter. Struggling past these, there's something worthwhile in the generated atmosphere. Mr. Williams presents a refreshingly positive view of a far-flung, back-to-the-land future, with the lightness of David Eddings' Belgariad and some of the feel of Jean Auel's Earth Children, mixed with a healthy dose of grittier action. show less

Stel and Jestak both appear in this one, but it is largely the story of Tor of the Shumai. It is nine years after events of the second novel, and a mysterious pillar is investigated that rises from the earth twice annually which is (correctly) attributed to the ancients and their technology. This leads to the introduction of the strangest society yet to rise from the ashes, and another level of stress upon Pelbar still wedded to their traditional ways. The Shumai and Sentani are changing as show more well, and I'm noting this is handled with sensitivity given the parallels to actual history.

Initially I wasn't happy with the direction this story was taking, worried it would mess with the series' atmosphere, but as events transpired they served to demonstrate that atmosphere's superiority. The author enjoys this world he's created as much as I enjoy reading about it, and I guess neither one of us wanted to seriously upset the apple cart. It has the strongest plot so far, much less centered on travelogue this time and with even more insight into the ways that Urstadge has evolved, proving a couple of my pet theories to be correct. It was also the most affecting of the first three books, more than I anticipated. show less

Every year the Shumai witness a spike appearing out of the ground and it has become a ritual to go watch. Stel accompanies them this time and is convinced it is something mechanical. It is. Inside there are people who have lived there since the Great Fire. They raise the spike to see if the radiation has abated. What they don't know is that the spike itself is so heavily irradiated that it is useless. They are in an edge area that is still mildly dangerous, though. They have evolved a very show more small creepy society, very sciency, genetically engineered, but just as the dome itself is on a cliff that is eroding, their culture, too, is compromised.
And, of course, Stel ends up smack dab in the middle of it all. Some great new characters though and another good story. I love how Williams thinks up these cultures then gives them a big problem, juxtaposes them with the Pelbar culture, which, although it has many flaws, seems to have a believable (enough) resilience and flexibility to take on and solve the problem. **** show less