very good. It moves well. The future history is imaginative. The characters are almost memorable. The hero is Andrei Mironenko, an aristocrat and founder & leader (czar) of the planet Belarus in the far future, in the early 19000's. Andrei has set up Belarus like ancient Russia, though his leadership is much more benign. A mysterious and powerful figure called Baba Yaga is feared but helps Andrei. The Republic to which Belarus belongs is falling apart. Belarus itself has major internal problems. And then it develops that deadly aliens are on the planet, too.
Hogan has some great stories of Russian life and culture, even folk tales. Baba Yaga is a major figure in Russian folk tales. The references to Russian culture are many and often subtle. Russians and people who have spent time in Russia or with Russians will especially appreciate this book. (For a partially opposite opinion, see The thief that stole a whole country.) The aliens are quite different, but they fit well into the story. The book fails to explain some technology well, which is annoying. The story is fairly violent. It ends in a satisfying way, giving the humans a victory and explaining the aliens' presence and history, though some other aspects, like Baba Yaga, of the story remain mysteries. |
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