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Last Enemy
Last Enemy
The last enemy was the toughest of all--and conquering him was in itself almost as dangerous as not conquering. For a strange pattern of beliefs can make assassination an honorable profession!
Book Excerpt
nation of my mother. He deferred that step because he was unwilling to deprive the Volitionalist Party of his support. Now it would seem that he has done more to combat Statisticalism by discarnating than he ever did in his carnate existence."
"I don't know, Girzon," Jirzyn of Starpha said, as he joined the group. "The Statisticalists will denounce the whole thing as a prearranged fraud. And if they can discarnate the Lady Dallona before she can record her testimony under truth hypnosis or on a lie detector, we're no better off than we were before. Dirzed, you have a great responsibility in guarding the Lady Dallona; some extraordinary security precautions will be needed."
* * * * *
In his office, in the First Level city of Dhergabar, Tortha Karf, Chief of Paratime Police, leaned forward in his chair to hold his lighter for his special assistant, Verkan Vall, then lit his own cigarette. He was a man of middle age--his three hundredth birthday was only a decade or so off--and he had begun
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I found this story very hard to follow at first. The author kind of throws a couple of different story lines together at once, seemingly abandoning one altogether until it crops back up and meshes later on. I never did think anything flowed smoothly. Besides all that, it is a somewhat interesting read, though the idea of reincarnation is just plain stupid and the emphasis on it draws away from enjoyment of the book.
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An interesting take on a parallel earth culture that has proven reincarnation exists. A paratime scientist (the only woman in a testosterone-dripping novella) doing research proves the soul retains thought and consciousness after death, and all hell breaks loose on the planet. The Paratime Police step in to rescue her. Because everyone on the planet knows he will survive death, there's a lot of death for people to survive.
A good, thoughtful, shoot-em-up.
A good, thoughtful, shoot-em-up.
03/11/2013
This one has it all: Action, adventure, interdimensional worlds (think Sliders), political intrigue, damsel in distress and swashbuckling hero. There's a lot going on here and it was confusing at times but...You have a world where reincarnation is a fact and where two parties Volitionalists and Statisticalists form the government.
Enter damsel, Dalla, who makes a discovery that immediately makes her a target. Now, said damsel is part of an interdimensional (or "paratime") group that regulates & travels between various timelines (yeah, it's a lot to take in). Enter swashbuckling hero, Vaal, who must find and save damsel. The title and synopsis in no way prepared me for this story. But now that I've read it I want to read more by this author.
Enter damsel, Dalla, who makes a discovery that immediately makes her a target. Now, said damsel is part of an interdimensional (or "paratime") group that regulates & travels between various timelines (yeah, it's a lot to take in). Enter swashbuckling hero, Vaal, who must find and save damsel. The title and synopsis in no way prepared me for this story. But now that I've read it I want to read more by this author.
08/13/2010
Must be the only SF story taking reincarnation as scientific fact. For this alone, it's highly recommended. But you additionally get Piper writing quality with yet another Paratime corrective action amidst political turmoil story.
As this novellette presupposes knowledge about the Paratime series, better read Police Operation or Temple Trouble first.
As this novellette presupposes knowledge about the Paratime series, better read Police Operation or Temple Trouble first.
02/20/2009
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