The Martian General's Daughter (Paperback)

Despite its pulpish title, this erudite and intriguing novel is more in the tradition of Robert Graves than Edgar Rice Burroughs. By the 23rd century, when a nanotech plague has crippled the world's hardware, much of the northern hemisphere is under the mostly capable and benevolent control of the U.S.-descended Pan-Polarian Empire. But Emperor Mathias the Glistening is dead, and the empire is in the hands of his increasingly psychotic son, Luke Anthony. The balance of power is controlled by Gen. Peter Black, a former sergeant who rose from the ranks to lead the imperial armies. Judson (Fitzpatrick's War) chronicles the last glories of the empire as viewed by Black's illegitimate daughter, whose own rise from unwanted embarrassment to valued adviser and aide parallels her father's career. The story might be familiar to today's readers from the film Gladiator, but the parallels it draws between Roman and American cultures are both perceptive and disquieting. (Apr.)
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"Judson expertly weaves a story that is mimicry of the fall of the Roman Empire. What Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire takes volumes to describe, Judson compacts into 252 pages...I can now read the histories of Rome and other empires with a better understanding of what they are all about...While telling the story of the demise of an empire, Judson still manages to evoke feelings of hope and pride, integrate detail and spin a complex web of politics and intrigue...This novel is now proudly displayed on my shelf, and I plan to one day hand to my child and use it to teach them about how empires fall. This fictionalized account is able to succinctly encapsulate the events and feeling of that kind of time, and while it can never replace a learning of history, it is certainly a starting point for discussions on politics, religion, and culture. I am certain that The Martian General's Daughter is sure to become part of the canon of science fiction reading, if not a work read alongside George Orwell's 1984 or Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. This is a novel that should not be missed. I read it in its entirety in one sitting, as I just could not put it down." -- Grasping for the Wind, June 10, 2008. "...reminiscent of some of the Analog or Amazing novellas of SF's Golden Age." -- Sacramento Book Review, September 2008. "After reading endless positive things about Pyr's books, I acquired six of their titles. With statements like 'Pyr only publishes Gems' and 'Pyr can do no wrong!' I wanted to see it for myself. I read through their list of available books, looked for a few themes that fit my tastes (and a few that didn't) and when the pile arrived I randomly picked one. Assuming they only publish awesome stuff, it should be a good book right? It was. I loved The Martian General's Daughter by Theodore Judson... [It] isn't quite a must-read, but it is excellent on many levels. The characters are awesome, the story is as compelling as it is bloody and the history-is-repeating theme all make for a memorable read...There isn't much more I can say about this book other than it's an great choice for anyone who likes alternative history, historical fiction and military conquest. Pick up a copy and see for yourself. I'm very much looking forward to my other 5 books from Pyr now. I can't wait." -- We Read Science Fiction blog, September 25, 2008. "It is an impressive addition to Pyr's list and, like many another title, bodes well for their future output." --Science Fact and Fiction Concatenation, September 2008