Beyond Varallan

Title:	Beyond Varallan
Author:	S L Viehl
Genre:	SF
Series:	StarDoc (2)
Ranking:	Poor
LibraryThing:	Title:Beyond Varallan
Read:	2001-09-20

This is the sequel to Stardoc.

It manages, on one level, to be exciting and interesting -- more fascinating medicine, and Mayhem and Skulduggery. Unfortunately, I just couldn't buy the Evil Pursuers. Maybe because recent events have shown that it's no trivial thing to declare war... but I simply simply could not believe that one man (who wasn't even in a government position) would have enough influence on an interplanetary government, to set aside so many resources, and kill so many people, just to pursue one person, no matter how unique that person is. Yeah, maybe if she'd been Public Enemy Number One, responsible for horrible atrocities, then outrage might motivate them, but it just seems here absolutely no thought has been put into the League, they're just Evil Nasty Badguys For No Reason. Nor can I believe that one man could be so omnipotently Machiavellian.

The second problem I had is, again, with the relationship between Reever and Cherijo -- or lack of one. Talk about dysfunctional; neither of them has the least clue or empathy for the other.

And as for the ending... I've simply given up. I'm through with waiting for Our Heroine to actually get happy; I'm not willing to go through the next book (which is called "Endurance" you you can guess how completely non-happy that's going to be) for what may or may not be something good.

Sid & Nancy Scale: a blue skunk