POWER PLAY

In Roberts’ SF novel, an amnesiac youth recovered from suspended animation becomes pivotal in Earth’s dealings with a rising empire encroaching from deep space.

In 2290 A.D., a spacefaring crew discovers a centuries-old colony vessel bearing evidence of a violent struggle and housing one survivor in a suspended-animation pod. The “young man” (who was actually born long, long ago) is named Jason Alexander Xavis (“Jax”) and possesses seemingly instinctual fighting skills—but no memories. The pragmatic Captain Barnaby adds Jax to his colorful roster as they proceed to their next destination, a branch of the emerging Locorran Empire. The Locorrans are an advanced and helpful (maybe too helpful) society from deep space claiming to be the successful flowering of one of humankind’s early exploration-colonization projects. They get diplomatically cozy with a disadvantaged and outgunned Earth, but there is something ominous about their brain waves. Readers learn that after Earth suffered ruinous war, at least one rogue visionary and his sympathizers fled the partially destroyed planet, perhaps following an alien summons. Is Jax a remnant of that old expedition? Are the Locorrans the descendants? And why is every Locorran who encounters Jax determined to kill him? The plot grows into an escalating series of cliffhanger situations culminating in a rather campy gladiatorial affair, related in the breathless retro-space-opera tradition that escalates the stakes to the fate of the galaxy. Action is parceled out adroitly enough to distract readers from obvious questions and plot holes, and Roberts slips through a few neat twists in the bargain. Occasional gore intrudes upon the fun, but the sexual content remains mostly tame; this is remarkable considering how desirable women fall for the Buck Rogers–like hero at every opportunity: “Everything was perfect about her—her legs, arms, hips, lips, and torso. It was as if she had stepped right out of one of his dreams.” (It is only a minor complication that memory-less Jax does not know whether or not he is a virgin.)

An agreeable throwback SF adventure romp, full of peril and alluring ladies.