Beyond Varallan by S. L. Viehl
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(Mass Market Paperback - Reissue)
- Pub. Date: July 2000
- 416pp
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Product Details
- Pub. Date: July 2000
- Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
- Format: Mass Market Paperback, 416pp
- Series: Stardoc Series
- ISBN-13: 9780451457936
- ISBN: 0451457935
- Edition Description: Reissue
Synopsis
Dr. Cherijo is living the perfect life-if you think that finding out you're a clone, then being declared "non-sentient" by your father/creator is your idea of perfect.
Things could be worse. But when the Human League comes after her, with bounty hunters of every race trying to bring her in, Cherijo figures it can't get any worse...
Until someone begins stalking her dreams.
Praise for StarDoc:
"[I] just loved it. Don't miss this one."-Catherine Coulter
"Continuously surprising... deviously written...and splendidly full of new characters."—Anne McCaffrey
* 2nd in the StarDoc
Customer Reviews
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- Ratings: 4Reviews: 3
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A book you'll make time to readby Anonymous
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August 20, 2000: 'Beyond Varalon' is a very fast and compelling read. Each time I picked it up I wanted to keep reading till I got to the end. For anyone who read Viehl's first novel 'Stardoc' first, what really comes through is her development as a writer from there to 'Beyond Varallan'. In 'Stardoc' the conflicts were almost exclusively person to person, verbal and emotional. 'Beyond Varallan' has a healthy dose of that type of conflict, too, but what really makes this a faster read (even though it's a longer book) is the frequent action. As with the first novel, 'human' interactions are frequent, realistic and absorbing. In 'Stardoc's' early going the story is slowed by a heavy dose of futurisms. 'Beyond Varalon' has no hint of this, using such terms sparingly and making them seem a natural part of the story. Though 'Stardoc' was a very personal story, emotional content was often flat. This is partially a failing of first person narrative in that so much that could be shown in third person must be told, instead. 'Beyond Varallan' has the same first person difficulty in this, but Viehl works around it far better and far more consistently this time around. In 'Beyond Varallan' I noticed a few things that I thought of as inconsistencies. S.L. Veihl very kindly discussed them with me. In all cases but one it was me who was in error and in that one case there are things coming up that may prove me wrong anyway. The explanations are within the story if we pay attention. Just remember, Veihl is a devious writer. Things that seem unimportant as they come up often become key later. There is a real ending, but it isn't solid. Important loose ends are tied up, but a new set is dangled in front of us, leaving a cliffhanger. I love it, though it may drive some readers nutty with frustration. We poor abused readers must brace ourselves, because cliffhanger endings are becoming more common. Kate Elliott and Holly Lisle have both done them very well and recently. Others have tried and been less successful.
Best Book I've Read This Yearby Anonymous
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August 16, 2000: I read S.L. Viehl's first novel Stardoc and really enjoyed it, but expected the second wouldn't be as good. Well I was right. It isn't as good, it's better. It's wonderful. I can't wait to read the next one. Here's a little about the story. Beyond Varallan picks up where Stardoc left off with Cherijo on the Jorenan ship Sunlace with Kao's family. She's training to be the chief medical officer and having problems with this real pain in the rear student Squilyp, because he wants the job. Also she's not really sure she wants to be there, because Reever is also on the ship and like in Stardoc always making her mad. As the Sunlace travels to Kao's planet, they have to make a rescue mission, and they're attacked by the League, and then someone on the ship starts killing people, and framing Cherijo for the murders. My favorite character in the book was the student doctor Squilyp. He kept butting heads with Cherijo until they have this big fight and then things start changing between them. I hated him at first but by the end of the book I really liked him and so did Cherijo. I won't give away any of the story twists but there are quite a few, especially the ending. That will really shock you and Viehl does that better than any writer I've read. I've never written a book review before but after reading Beyond Varallan I had to. This is a great series by a very talented writer and it will be very hard to wait five more months for the third one. I recommend this book as the best I've read this year.
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