Reviews

As overtures of war break out between sectors of space colonized by America and Japan, the fortunes of two brothers mirror the complexities of diverse cultures in a 24th century characterized by the politics of power. This first in a five-volume series chronicling humanity's far future combines military sf and sf adventure with a tribute to James Clavell's Shogun . Less convincing in its political maneuverings than in its gripping battle scenes, this belongs in large sf collections.

This debut novel, the first of a projected series of five, recasts the defeat of the Spanish Armada with a Japanese motif in a World War II-like setting that takes place in a putative 25th century. Here sailing ships, cannons and gold have become space ships, beam weapons and aurium; and Sir Francis Drake, Queen Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots and the Pope have their counterparts also. Each former Earth power occupies one of the Hours of Heaven, clock-shaped sectors in space. England is now known as Amerika, Spain has turned into Yamato (Japan) and the Netherlands is Korea; in this space grid the Neutral Zone physically takes the place of what in the 15th century was the New World. What little plot exists is skewed to accommodate historical parallels, so that neither political infighting nor military conflict holds surprises for the reader. Adding to the difficulties of Kato's inert prose are too many offstage scenes, destroying both continuity and any hope of providing motivation for the individual characters. (Oct.)