"Fne alternate history tale with an off-world plot"

The Race as they call themselves travel the twenty light years distance from their planet to invade earth, preoccupied with World War II. However, the locals proved adaptive and managed to stop the intruders though the Race was never fully driven off planet (see WORLD WAR: IN THE BALANCE).

Over two decades later, a shaky truce has held up between the Race and the humans. However, humans refer to the Race in derogatory terms as "Lizards" while the aliens call their "hosts" the "Big Uglies". Tension has recently mounted as the Race realizes that the Big Uglies is technologically advancing at a rate that they will pass them shortly. Proof of that is the stunning launch of the Commodore Perry, an armed human space vessel faster than the speed of light, allegedly on a diplomatic mission heading to the Race's home planet. Though diplomats are on board, Sam Yeager (see WORLDSTAR) is too and he nuclear razed Indianapolis without second thoughts. The earthbound Race ponders whether to annihilate the planet to halt human advances?

Though intriguing in terms of first contact impact on life to include the adage "necessity is the mother of invention" and inter and intra relationships, the tale contains a large tedious diplomacy subplot. Much of the novel is set on the Race's home world where the exotic is fun to follow, but though diplomacy is everything in real life is quite boring in a novel (perhaps that is why the media likes war over peace). Still Harry Turtledove furbishes his latest alternate history tale with an off- world plot that his myriad of fans will enjoy and demand more on the Race's Home.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted December 4, 2004