Tor, Oct 2004, 24.95, 320 pp. ISBN: 0765306913 After spending time being shot at in Viet Nam, former soldier E. C. "Scar" Gordon rests and recuperates on the French Riviera. After being shook up by seeing the most beautiful woman he ever seen, Scar answers a strange ad for employment in which some of the perquisite skills are courage, perfect health, and willingness to travel. Intrigued and needing work, Scar answers the weird ad. The employer turns out to be the woman from the beach. After struggling with her name, Scar calls her Star while she calls him O-scar. The job is to protect her as she searches universes for the Egg of the Phoenix. Oscar accepts the assignment as he has no family that will miss him; the pay is great and a chance to see exotic locations while accompanying a gorgeous woman who claims she is the empress of twenty universes. Oscar will battle dragons and ogres. Harriet Klausner | ||
Plot & Themes Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear) FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - part earth & part fantasy world Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes Explore: Romance Yes Romance plotlets: - destined love (dream or prediction) Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10 % planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40 % 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 - Mostly serious with occasional humor Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters Setting A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a primitive/fantasy society Planet outside solar system? Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript |