Book Review: Sword of Orion

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Sword of Orion     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Sharon Lee , Steve Miller
Class/Genre:   Science Fiction
Series: Beneath Strange Skies # 1
Phobos, Oct 2005, $14.95, 287 pp.

At one time in the part of the galaxy known as the Sword of Orion, the inhabited planets were ruled by the
fascist organization known as the Oligarchy until brave men and women rose up and joined the rebellion. In the
last battle when the Oligarchy threw all their ships and weapons at the rebel armada, the device rebel leaders
Parvair and Banin invented took both fleets out of normal space. This caused the Oligarchy to collapse and
democracy sprang up among the former repressed planets.

Parvair and Banin’s infant daughter Jerel, who was a part of the device that caused the armadas to vanish, now
lives with her uncle Orned. The sixteen year old girl is forced to flee her home with her uncle, her friend kay
and the turlan alien Erazias because the former rebel Chuton now joins forces with those who want the Oligarchy
to rise again and to do this he needs Jerel to make the reconstructed device operational and retrieve the
armadas. Jerel and her allies jump from planet to planet to escape the agents who want to use her because she
and her allies have a plan to retrieve the armada and neutralize the ships of the Oligarchy.

Sharon Lee and Steve Miller can be counted on to tell a compelling and exciting story set in a future world
where traveling through space to visit the populated worlds is an everyday occurrence. The alien species are
believable and play a key part in the storyline working besides the human for a common goal. Brilliant
characterizations, exotic cultures and thrilling chase scenes make SWORD OF ORION a book that is destined to
become a classic.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner