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After the collapse of the galactic Web, civilizations crumbled and chaos reigned on thousands of planets. Only on planet Bellevue was there a difference. There, a Fleet Battle Computer named Center had survived from the old civilization. When it found Raj Whitehall, the man who could execute its plan for reviving human civilization, he and Center started Bellevue back on the road leading to the stars; and when Bellevue reached that goal, Center sent copies of itself and Raj to the thousands show more of worlds still waiting for the light of civilization to dawn. On Hafardine, civilization had fallen further than most. That men came from the stars was not even a rumor of memory in Adrian Gellert's day. The Empire of Vanbret spread across the lands in a sterile splendor that could only end in another collapse, more ignominious and complete than the first. Adrian Gellert was a philosopher, a student whose greatest desire was a life of contemplation in the service of wisdom...until he touched the holy relic that contained the disincarnate minds of Raj Whitehall and Center. On that day, Adrian's search for wisdom would lead him to a life of action, from the law-courts of Vanbret to the pirate cities of the Archipelago -- and battlefields bloodier than anything in the history he'd learned. The prize was the future of humanity. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
This is referred to as a Raj Whitehall novel, the 7th in the series, but it really isn't. Instead, the story has moved to a new planet, one that has fallen back to swords and slings. Raj and Center contact a young scholar via a meteorite that is kept as a ceremonial artifact, and start feeding him technology. With technology, a pair of brothers try to overthrow the existing Roman style empire and start the long progress toward spacetravel. Unfortunately, this book felt like a repeat of the previous 6, and really didn't offer anything new.
I guess I have read enough "alternative history: that the mere creation of firearms in a pre-firearm cultures lacks most appeal and interest for me.
What about other technologies that would have at least equal- albeit less blatant- advantages for a culture? Such as cooking tech? That has done at least as much to advance human culture as gunpowder et alia.
Our Heroes here- 1 is focused on a grudge, because when he was involved in an insurrection his beloved got killed. He has vowed revenge. OK... but the insurrection was what caused her death. No insurrection, she'd be alive. And since he was spearhaeading said insurre3ction- well the authors are not as far as i can see subtle enough to show his actual guilt as a motivation.
Also; NO GIRLS show more ALLOWED. I'm about halfway through, and there's one chick who might actually matter... but mostly, they're ignored. And one exception does not a presence make.
Boring.. And that's its better quality
I usually finish books I've started. I almost never stop in the middle. I am doing that here- it's just too tedious for words, and life's too short to read bad fiction.
Very much NOT recommended. show less
What about other technologies that would have at least equal- albeit less blatant- advantages for a culture? Such as cooking tech? That has done at least as much to advance human culture as gunpowder et alia.
Our Heroes here- 1 is focused on a grudge, because when he was involved in an insurrection his beloved got killed. He has vowed revenge. OK... but the insurrection was what caused her death. No insurrection, she'd be alive. And since he was spearhaeading said insurre3ction- well the authors are not as far as i can see subtle enough to show his actual guilt as a motivation.
Also; NO GIRLS show more ALLOWED. I'm about halfway through, and there's one chick who might actually matter... but mostly, they're ignored. And one exception does not a presence make.
Boring.. And that's its better quality
I usually finish books I've started. I almost never stop in the middle. I am doing that here- it's just too tedious for words, and life's too short to read bad fiction.
Very much NOT recommended. show less
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149+ Works 32,448 Members
Stephen Michael Stirling is a French-born Canadian-American science fiction and fantasy author. His Birthday is September 30, 1953. He has lived in several countries and currently resides in the United States in New Mexico with his wife. He is probably best known for his Draka series of novels and his more recent time travel/alternate history show more Nantucket series and Emberverse series. In 2014 his title The Golden Princess made The New York Times Best Seller List. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
David Drake was born on September 24, 1945, in Dubuque, Iowa. He attended University of Iowa, where he graduated with a degree in History (with honors) and Latin. He then attended Duke Law School. He was drafted out of law school, served in the army for two years and then returned to school. He worked as an Assistant Town Attorney of Chapel Hill show more and then part-time as a city bus driver before he became a full-time writer. Drake is considered a master of Science Fiction and Fantasy. The Hammer's Slammers, military science fiction, was his first published series. His other titles include Northworld series, The Dragon Lord, Starliner, Ranks of Bronze, and Redliners. In recognition of his work, he won a World Fantasy award in 1976. He currently resides in North Carolina. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Series
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Reformer
- Original publication date
- 1999
- People/Characters
- Raj Whitehall
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 335
- Popularity
- 94,655
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.24)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 4
