| Planets both within the Terran Commonwealth and under Star Watch control, and outside it, have made use of dueling machines for many years to settle tensions and private arguments peacefully. Men in disagreements can have their brains hooked in and conduct a virtual duel with the weapons and in the environments of their choosing -- with no ultimate harm to anyone. Suddenly Odal, a warrior from the Kerak empire, somehow manages to send the Acquatainian prime minister into an irreversible coma in the dueling machine. Odal actually kills others in the machine, and the inventor Albertus Leoh can't figure out what's wrong. Leoh and his young Star Watch liaison, Jr. Lt. Hector, will eventually face Odal in the dueling machine, while Kerak obviously gears up to attack Acquataine and then even the Terran Commonwealth. How can they be stopped? This 1969 novel grew out of a 1963 Bova short story, and though the romantic subplot is leaden and cliched, the main thriller plot holds up all right. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear) FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story Robots, Computers, VR Yes Robot, PC, VR Plotlets: Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Descript. of chases or violence - 20 % planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 % Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10 % Main Character Identity: - Male Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 40's-50's Profession/status: How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a futuristic society - empty, or nearly empty world - big overbuilt futuristic city - very controlled society Planet outside solar system? Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths scientific jargon? (SF only) - a fair amount of scientific explanation How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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