Thornley, Diann Books

Dominion's Reach

Diann Thornley

List Price: $6.99 By: Tom Doherty Assoc Llc Amazon Marketplace: 35 new & used starting at $0.33

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Strong ending to the trilogy 4 out of 5 stars.
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One of Thornley's strengths as a writer is her ability to mix technology with humanity. In this, the third book in a trilogy that began with "Ganwold's Child," she nicely intertwines two plot elements, Lujan Serege's recovery from an assassination attempt against the devious political maneuverings of the Dominion.

Within this structure, she is able to balance the two story lines pretty much equally--though following Lujan's arduous path through rehabilitation was (at least for me) the more compelling drama.

I for one certainly hope that Diann Thornley has more works forthcoming--in a world of science fiction that seems conspicuously devoid of humanity, her novels are entertaining and touching, without being sentimental or juvenile.

Editorial Review:

This is the third book in Diann Thornely's Unified Worlds saga (Ganwold's Child, Echoes of Issel), a serviceable military science fiction series from one of the genre's newer writers. It opens with series protagonist Admiral Lujan Serege in a hospital bed, almost fully paralyzed and comatose after taking the brunt of a terrorist bomb. At his side are his wife Darcie Dartmuth and their son, Tristan. Cut off from command and virtually isolated from the world, Lujan must work not only to heal his terribly wounded body and mind, but also to stop the plotting of his nemesis, Seulemont Remarq.

Echoes of Issel

Diann Thornley

List Price: $5.99 By: Tom Doherty Assoc Llc Amazon Marketplace: 43 new & used starting at $0.01

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Second in series better than first 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I really enjoyed this second installment of Thornley's trilogy. The writing is more crisp, the action scenes gripping, and most of all, the character development is much better than in your typical SF novel.

Once again, Thornley has managed to balance an insider's view of military operations with the elements of good fiction. Unlike the technical sterility of Tom Clancy, she is sensitive to her characters, and that makes us care about them, too.

Anyway, the plot itself is the continuation of the first book, as Tristan and his parents struggle to adapt to their new lives. More to the point, the action of the individuals is well balanced against the setting of interplanetary conflict.

All in all, very well done, and I'm looking forward to reading the final book in the series.

Editorial Review:

Reunited with his son, Tristan, and his wife, Darcie, who were marooned for years on a wild planet, Lujan Serege realizes that the war in which he has played a major role is not over when Tristan is called to return to action. Reprint. PW.

Ganwold's Child

Diann Thornley

List Price: $22.95 By: Tor Books Amazon Marketplace: 44 new & used starting at $0.01

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

excellent; human boy meets aboriginal culture 4 out of 5 stars.
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The first part of Ganwold's Child is a fine example of the lone human meets alien cultures novel. The second part is a hostage rescue situation with a science fiction setting with a subplot of how does the human from the alien culture cope with his native culture. The main character, Tristan, is captivating and believable as a teenager. The book is reminiscent of David Weber's Heirs of Empire and the Honor Harrington books. I would recommend this book to any science fiction reader who likes anthropology or military SF. The direct sequel to this book is Echoes of Issel

A solid boy-into-soldier tale; needs a bit more polish. 4 out of 5 stars.
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Although this is a solid tale of a boy raised in an alien culture both rejoining mankind and becoming a soldier, the book is in need of some scutwork.

First of all, the worlds developed by the author remain (to me) vaguely defined. The overarching tension between the two manipulative characters (Tristan's father and the Sector General) is explained in a rudimentary fashion; I never 'felt' the relationship existed. The governments were a bit hard to keep track of, and in general I had little confidence in any image I had of the world that wasn't explicitly described.

Second, I'm not really sure what the author is trying to say. I came away with a tale told, but no message received. I realize this may not be important for everyone.

I rated the book a 7 because the storytelling is quite good; the pacing and reach of the narrative is pleasing. I will seriously consider purchasing the next volume.

Editorial Review:

The first installment in a military adventure epic is set in a future universe called the Unified Worlds, where one family of soldiers, led by Trisan Dartmuth, must fight against both human rebels and alien invaders.