HAMMERFALL

By: J.A. Hitchcock
Date: Monday, October 08, 2001

The last few books I've read have gotten high marks and HAMMERFALL is no exception. I don't ready Cherryh often, but when I do, I'm never disappointed. I do think, though, this is by far the best book by her.

Two woman with superhuman powers (meaning psychic and physical) fight for control of a civilization. The people they rule have forgotten how their desert was colonized except for tales that talked of the "First Descent." And they don't know (or don't seem to know) that their ruler, Ila, is not who or what she seems to be. Although appearing immortal, she has used nanotechnology to control the people, modifying their bodies so that less would die on the harsh planet. But one man, Marak Trin Tain, thought something was wrong about all this and tried to rebel - he now suffers from a kind of madness no man would ever want to go through, seeing visions and feeling a keen desire to walk east through the desert.

Ila captures Marak and decides to let him live - she does not believe he is really as mad as he claims - then sends him and a small company of other mad women and men across the desert to find out what the obsession to go east really means. Maybe the solution to saving the planet from imminent destruction is out there somewhere.

Marak keeps seeing a silver tower in his visions and hears a voice calling his name from the east and now he is finally going that way to see what it all means. When he does reach his goal, he finds people who look like him, yet are so different and he begins his trek back, collecting people as he goes, convincing them to help him with an impossible mission he's been asked to carry out. Can he convince Ila that he can save the planet?


This is a new world created by Cherryh and a very absorbing one. As usual, her writing is fluid, and the characters are always memorable. The new places and peoples in this book are truly different and I couldn't wait to turn the page to see what new adventure awaited. For Cherryh fans who may be on the fence about a new world created by her, don't worry! This is what I hope will be a new series of books, a new world and a breath of fresh air from one of fantasy's best authors.

HAMMERFALL

Grade: A

Author(s): C.J. Cherryh

Publisher: Avon Books

Price: $25.00