Wow. Well. I'm so stunned and amazed that I'm going to skip over outlining the usual, slightly annoying but generally inconsequential faults of Simon R. Green's Deathstalker Saga and get straight to the point.This book, in all honesty, reminded me why I cannot put the series down. Perhaps because it is one of the two that I have never read, and I have probably over-read the first three, but this book was both an amazement and a refreshment to me.If you believed that Green would have nothing to write about now that the Great Rebellion was over (sorry about the spoiler, but if you didn't already know that, you really should go back and read the first three books before even looking at this review), you were so wrong. From the ashes of the Empire, a new democracy is struggling to emerge. But Humanity is weak, and all too many people, factions and alien races are happy to take advantage of that. There is no other way to describe it other than complete bloody chaos. And, of course, Jack Random, Ruby Journey, Owen Deathstalker and Hazel D'Ark have to step in and save the day one more time. (Well, actually, a lot more than once, but anyway...)Perhaps the best thing about this book is that, in helping the reader to get a sense of the almost complete disorder and panic that the Empire is plunged into, Deathstalker Honor moves away from some of the predictability of the earlier books. Halfway through I found myself thinking "Well, at least Green is finding new ways for the hero's and heroine's to solve their problems." Then I stopped myself short, and realized that wasn't it at all. They still all use their Marvellous Maze powers to save the day, but the difference is that, instead of these powers coming easily to them like gifts, the characters now genuinely have to work hard and endure pain and sacrifice to find those powers within themselves - they have to suffer to gain the tools they need to fight for what they believe in. Aside from the Maze survivors, there are, of course, surprises concerning the ordinary characters in the book, things that even I never expected to happen.Now, to one of the few ordinary characters that I feel obliged to address - Valentine Wolfe. I think many readers will agree with me when I say that mostly, so far, any despicable action that he has undertaken has been far outweighed by his temperament and amusement value. Do not misunderstand me - This changes now. Valentine has, without a doubt, moved from the mentally unstable and slightly sadistic man that he was to a man that is dangerously insane, sick almost beyond imagination, psychotic, immoral, and wrong to all extents of the word. I will not reveal to you what deeds he has undertaken to ensure complete hatred of his person by all readers concerned (amusement value remains, but it is a shadow of what it was) - suffice it to say that within about fifty pages I was horrified to no ends with what Valentine has become.I just have a few aside comments to deal with "the bad guys" of Deathstalker Honor before I move onto "the good guys". Firstly, I have complete satisfaction with the violent ends of many characters - no, I'm not going to tell you which, only that they deserved it. Secondly, we finally see Shub in this book, and it is as scary as hell. And thirdly, I just have to say that Gregor Shreck is a slimy disgusting git, and BB Chojiro is a sick bitch, and I hate her guts. Moving on.Right, onto the good guys. It is almost endlessly amusing at the start of Deathstalker Honor to watch those people who went through the Maze struggle with their new-found fame and popularity - many laughs in that regard. However, the overwhelming feeling concerning the "good guys" by the end of this book is feeling very sorry for most of them. Ruby Journey doesn't quite know what to make of retirement, can't decide whether she loves it or hates it. Jack Random is running himself ragged trying to be political, but his "deal" with the Families is being abused, and I think that deep down he understands that he can't be happy without fighting the bad parts of any System. Hazel D'Ark... is confused and violent, as usual. Owen Deathstalker suffers as he always has - carrying burdens because there is no-one else to carry them. Robert Campbell has given up his prized Captaincy in the Fleet to lead his despised and ruined Family, and he is definitely a harder young man than he was. Finlay Campbell is still mad, as usual, but still brings more to the story - for example, his terribly sad attempt to be re-united with his children. Evangeline Shreck, too, suffers as she has always, but finally brings herself to do something about it. And that brings me to Julian Skye. I can't bring myself to say anything about him that isn't a spoiler, so don't look if you haven't read the book. (view spoiler)[ Oh Julian! Why, why, why? It is so cruel that Julian was not properly cured, was dying, fired by his own T.V show, and then endlessly tormented by his love BB and the knowledge that his one true friend, Finlay Campbell, killed the only brother he had ever known. For a time in the book I thought I would be disappointed in Julian, but he came through, not destroying my belief in him. Of course, I wish he could have done it some other way than blowing himself up, and I was crying all the way through, but at least he took the Chojiro Bitch with him. R.I.P. Julian. (hide spoiler)]
*Did Not Finish*#4 Owen Deathstalker Sci Fi seriesHaving read books 1, 2 & 3 (each 500+ pages) and enjoying each of them very much, I did quit reading at page 176.Simon R. Green is a favorite author. His Nightside UF series is AWESOME (approx. 200 pages) as is his Ghost series. His characters are unique -- that's the understatement of the year! His plots are fast-moving, exciting, unpredictable and rip roaring fun.I'm not a sci fi fan, but wanted to read more of his books. After 1,500 pages (500 x 3 books), with this book I've just had my fill of sci fi. This is my reading taste, not due to the author's writing.
