Book Review: Battle Cry

Reviewed By: Cheryl - RAM

Battle Cry     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Glenda C. Finkelstein
Class/Genre:   Fantasy

A race of warrior humans settle a distant planet, and abandon all their technology and warlike skills. Their society - whatever it was before their arrival - is, at the time of the story, vaguely tribal in structure. A few individuals possessing magic/religious powers, and there was, at some point, a king as a central ruler. This society is not really convincing. First of all, there are obvious difficulties in organising a planet-wide society along tribal, no-technology lines. There is no depth; no sense that this is more than a tiny group faced with a bizarre enemy. There is no sense of any kind of real community or political organisation. Finally, the unusual powers and spiritual beliefs of some of the people are not well developed, although they turn out to be crucial to the plot.

The alien race is also rather implausible. There does not seem to be any reason that they would enslave the humans, since they are technologically advanced, and presumably do not need large enslaved labour forces. The reason given in the book for their arrival, and imprisonment of the humans is not particularly plausible. The problems inherent in a society of immortals are not dealt with at all. They do not act as a society and they apparently have no trade or other interactions with anyone other than their slaves.

There are many typographical errors in the text which often reads awkwardly as well. Although there are some interesting ideas in this book, they are not carried out particularly well.

Cheryl - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Cheryl - RAM