From Publishers Weekly
For 200 years, the planet Taan has been colonized by Earth. The natives, sharply divided by gender (violent male warriors and generative, nurturing Sisters), have been relocated to reservations. Taan's men plot to overthrow the off-worlders by force, but the women plan to regain their world through coercion and manipulation. Into this conflict are thrown a young Sister, Elana; an Earthling boy recruited by the Sisterhood, Leith; and the king's son, Khian. Khian has been raised by his father to kill the off-worlders, regardless of the cost or sense of the plan; but the Sisterhood hopes to turn the warrior Khian into a new Messiah who can lead all of the people on Taan to peace. And with the help of Elana and Leith, truculent Khian leads the native humans and Ent-like Stonewraiths to convert the colonists to Taan's ways. Though the story is sparse in characterization, and some improbabilities strain credulity, Lawrence's novel, like her Children of the Dust, works well as fable. Its worthy message of peace through the media and how so-called feminine wiles can be positive attributes deserves to be heard. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From School Library Journal
Grade 7-10 Enter the desolate, inhospitable land of Taan, a small piece of New Earth, all that's left to the natives after their plan et was overrun by the technological soci ety of Otherworlders, a race uncannily re sembling earth inhabitants. These primitive natives of Taan follow a caste system, the male warriors versus the fe male sisterhood. The warriors fight and kill and think that they can use their cross bows to overcome the planes and laser weapons of the Otherworlders. The sister hood seeks peaceful means of settling dif ferences and would rather discuss and reach compromise with one another, al though they are not above using stealth and guile to achieve their end. When Khian and his other army officers assist with the yearly transportation of novi tiates to the sisterhood, he must give a ride to young Elana, and thus begins a stormy, highly-charged relationship be tween the two. Khian and Elana are mod els for their stations, Elana on her way to becoming the Reverend Mother of the sis terhood and Khian, the Prince of Taan and heir to the throne, his country's only hope for peace. This is a skillfully written fanta sy that evokes memories of Robin McKin ley's The Blue Sword (Greenwillow, 1982), especially in the strength of the main characters and in the harshness of the setting. This ``can't-put-down'' book is filled with adventure, symbolism, and wonderful writing, from opening sentence to last line. Pam Spencer, Thomas Jef ferson High School for Science and Tech nology, Fairfax County, Va.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
