EMPIRE FROM THE ASHES (Paperback)

We grew up on a diet of classic SF that has certainly shaped David's writing -- perticularly, in reading this book, i am reminded that we had access to the complete works of Edward E. ("Doc") Smith. "Doc" would begin with a relatively basic premise (Dick Seaton discovers a way to produce all sorts of energy from ordinary copper; the Arisians and the Eddoreans work to thwart each other in shaping the Universe), and then, from book to book, both the super-scientific wonders and the stakes would grow and grow. It is in the "Dahak" books that this influence on David most clearly shows, with entire moons used as weapons, ships the size of small planets, huge orbiting space defence fortresses, entire mountains resculpted to provide weapons mounts and weapons so powerful that a single bomb can destroy an entire world

David's opening premise here, that the Earth's Moon... isn't, so to speak, is grandiose enough, and would serve as the basis for an excellent novel without much added material... but it's just the beginning.

From the moment when astronaut Colin MacIntyre's spacecraft is snatched over Luna's Farsideby "impossible" means and he is conveyed into what appears to be a huge complex of caverns inside the Moon, the action begins accelerating and doesn't stop, as we learn that much of what we "know" of our world, our ancestors and our history is either false or the result of the conflicts of hidden forces of which we know nothing.

And then we discover that those forces are merely the result of panic reactions to the REAL coming menace. And the race is on.

As in Smith, the stakes and the action constantly escalate; at one point the entire Earth is essentially one huge incredibly-armed fortress, energised by a powersource which may well break its controls and ravage the planet almost as badly as the attackers whose coming has necessitated it.

At the same time that Colin and his cohorts are fighting off the menace of the Achu'ultan, they are struggling to rebuild a huge stellar Empire which apprantly perished mysteriously, leaving hardware and technology behind, but no living worlds.

Much of David's strength as a writer lies in the sweeping concepts of his works; a lot also is the fact that his characters (while not necessarily "real") are fun to know, and do it is here -- particularly the character of Dahak, the computer controlling the huge warship of the same name who, over many thousands of years, has gradually become self-aware, and is definitely a "character".

Book One -- "Mutineers' Moon" -- chronicles Dahak and Colin's first meeting, as a result of which Colin finds himself in command of the huge ship and (nominally) Imperial Governor of Earth (which, of course, has no inkling that the Empire exists, much less than an Imperial Governor has just been appointed). Warned of the menace of the oncoming Achu'ultanii, Colin has to organise Earth's defence -- but first he has to defeat the leaders of the ancient mutiny that sets the whole story in motion.

"The Armegeddon Inheritance" is the story of Colin's further adventures and of the beginnings of the rebuilding of the ancient Imperium, as Colin accidentally grants himself a rather large promotion.

"Heirs of Empire" jumps tenty or so years forward from the end of "Inheritance", to a time when Colin and Jiltanith's son and daughter and a couple of their friends suddenly find themselves stranded on a backward world where change or advance is literally heresy -- burn-at-the-stake type heresy -- and where the enclave of Imperial Technology they need to reach to get themselves rescued is the Sanctum Sanctorum of the oppressive religion.

Meanwhile, back on Earth and Birhat, a truly nasty plot is going forth, which Colin and friends have to discover and thwart, with the aid of some of the more endearing enhanced dogs written in a while. (Tinkerbell, the Labraweiler -- or is that Rottador -- who is the mother of the first of the superdogs, seems to be based on a huge lovely and loving dog of David's.)

Now if he'd just write a fourth or even a fifth...

I was planning to get this book, but since it seems to just be a compilation of the previous 3 and not a real continuation, I think I will hold onto my money.