Orlion reviewed The golden torc by Julian May
Review of 'The golden torc' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
If you have gotten this far, you will know what the setting is to the Saga of the Pliocene Exile. You may also be wondering what, exactly, is going on with the four characters that went to the Tanu capital of Muriah. And that is where the book picks up.
So, the reader finds themselves backwards in time before the rebel uprising at the end of The Many-Colored Land to catch up with Bryan, Aiken Drum, Elizabeth, and the 'Viking' Stein. Theirs is a much more politically driven story, as they maneuver the conniving of various factions that strive for dominance of the Many-Colored Land. As an anthropologist, Bryan embarks to complete a survey of human-Tanu relations that the King hopes to use to support is breeding program. Elizabeth, as the cough first fully meta-functional operant is key to that breeding program and a target for those who wish for …
If you have gotten this far, you will know what the setting is to the Saga of the Pliocene Exile. You may also be wondering what, exactly, is going on with the four characters that went to the Tanu capital of Muriah. And that is where the book picks up.
So, the reader finds themselves backwards in time before the rebel uprising at the end of The Many-Colored Land to catch up with Bryan, Aiken Drum, Elizabeth, and the 'Viking' Stein. Theirs is a much more politically driven story, as they maneuver the conniving of various factions that strive for dominance of the Many-Colored Land. As an anthropologist, Bryan embarks to complete a survey of human-Tanu relations that the King hopes to use to support is breeding program. Elizabeth, as the cough first fully meta-functional operant is key to that breeding program and a target for those who wish for a pure-blooded Tanu race. Aiken, meanwhile, decides that he is going to throw his hat into this game of throne and attempt to overthrow the King's heir and the King in the ritual Grand Combat so that he can be ruler over the Many-Colored Land... and Stein is caught up in Aiken's story.
These characters are followed until the beginning of the Grand Truce, after which we are reunited with our other intrepid time-travelers as they prepare to carry out the final phases of their revolution to free humankind from Tanu control.
And of course, in the end, we have the Grand Combat, which Julian May utilizes to grand effect to clear the board, as it were.
Julian May writes political intrigue right. It is fun, suspenseful, and irritating. Most of all, it is not overdone. There is a good balance between the political plot of some of the characters and the adventure plots of our intrepid rebels. Furthermore, in what might seem to be revolutionary to modern readers, most of the story threads are wrapped up! gasp! Satisfactorily! Wha-wha-whaaaat?
Kinda makes you wonder what the second half of the saga is going to be about.... goes to read prologue to The Non-Born King Well... they're boned.
