Stardoc 03 Endurance [Paperback]

This is darker than the previous two novels, as Cherijo becomes a slave for reptilian creatures. Throughout it seems that Duncan, her on-and-off-again lover, is frankly evil, and in league with the slavetraders. And his evil nature is never adequately resolved in the book. He is supposed to have this amazing telepathy with Cherijo- and yet he never uses it once to explain his actions to her, and there is never once an explanation as to why he doesn't! Veihl throws everything together literally in the last chapter, and acts like everything is fixed. It is, if you don't understand human nature, philosophy, or basic psychology. Which is disappointing, considering how well characters have been painted and built up in the previous two novels.

I don't want to read extensive litanies of torture (of which there are several) or detailed descriptions of bizarre sexual practices. I'd like to explore beliefs and philosophies- something science fiction is an ideal medium for. But in this book, I am trying to figure out why in the world Cherijo is making the choices she is, and why the author doesn't realize that these choices don't bear semblance to reality. I think the only way they can is if it turns out in the last book that Cherijo's psychology has been substantially altered along with her genetic code. So I'll read the fourth book, to find out if this is explained, and what happens to Cherijo. But I'm looking forward to it with less relish.

Under his protection she is allowed to serve on the HskTskt ship as a medical doctor, and along the way discovers a strange disease among the league prisoners that kills without leaving behind any traces except a resemblance to spinal meningitis.

This series is best started at the first book, StarDoc, and followed through in its sequence. The first two novels, StarDoc and Beyond Varallan are much better than Viehl's third effort here. Although I still give it four stars for the quality of characterization and imagination in dreaming up new species, Viehl's plot in this sequel falls flat compared to the other two.

I became a little bored with the repetitive "catch and release" theme that seemed to dominate here: she's working in medical, a bad guy takes her to solitary (or torture) Reever rescues her, she goes back to medical, a bad guy takes her to solitary (or torture), Reever rescues her, and so on and so on.

This plotline cycled through itself way too many times in this follow-up in Cherijo's journeys, but I like the character so much I was willing to cycle with her. I am now reading the fourth installment and have both confidence and hope that Viehl will not repeat the weak plot mistake she made in this book.

All in all, the series is an extremely imaginative and fun romp through space with odd aliens and medical disasters and action packed thrills, just consider this third in the series a break from the norm. Enjoy!

Cherijo has made it safely to Joren only to have the planet attacked by the league. When her husband runs away and leaves her stranded, Cherijo thinks it can't get worse but wait... yes it can. The Heskiit raiders turn up to pirate the planet and steal anything not nailed down. Cherijo makes a deal with them, helps them capture the league fleet and turn its crew into slaves, but the Heskiit decide they'll take her too.

Now a slave, she is used and abused constantly. She is forced to run the medical facility at the slave compound, where she saves lives every few minutes--no surprise, and is hated by her colleagues--no surprise, who are (most of them) incompetent--no surprise, but come around and warm to her--no surprise, and eventually see her as a supersurgeon and hero--no surprise.

Get it?

This book was so repetitive that I wanted to scream "GET ON WITH IT!" I persevered groaning at the repeated scenes of torture and abuse the author subjects Cherijo too. Enough already! We know she heals super fast, we know the slave brand disappears from her arm. We don't need to see her branded and tortured every five minutes. Also, how realistic is it for slaves to be taken to torture chambers and have them escape over and over and over again only to reappear in the normal slave population under the noses of the slavers? The slavers just look at them and send them back to work. Come on!

Okay, enough ranting. The Stardoc series is an excellent one, but this book is the worst of them so far. I would have given it one star, but the series is so good I couldn't do it. I really really hope the following stories make up for the huge disappointment I felt for this one.

Mark E. Cooper
Warrior Within (ISBN:0954512200)