Call to Arms

I picked this book up off of a desk somewhere during a former job. It was late, I was bored and the cover looked interesting. The book was a bit slow to start, but interesting once the pace increased. I found myself disappointed when I reached the last page because the job's library didn't have books two or three. What I liked: The characters were engaging: The Weave aliens behaved in an unexpected...but entirely understandable way to their new "Allies" the Humans. The "Bad Guys" in many ways mimic many of the loathesome qualities of many fictitious, and real life, antagonisitic forces all the while giving the overall impression of being beneficent. The struggle was believable and understandable: The "Bad Guys" seek to assimilate and redirect every species they encounter to the "Purpose". This is a common theme for a reason; humans are, by and large, fiercely individualistic. The Borg, the "Body Snatchers", Vampires, Zombies all have the underlying, if not primary, purpose of "Making you one of Them". Humans were not portrayed as weak or inferior: Though not superior in any given area, other than warfare and ferocity, humans were considered better than all of the allied and enemy races in that humans were exceptional, even the aged humans, in all of the desired areas (strength, reaction speed, endurance, eye sight, hearing etc). It was refreshing to not read about "Puny Humans". What I did not like: The Main Character: Though this may seem like a fatal flaw, it really isn't. What I didn't like about the Main character were his seemingly endless crys that humanity wants peace...even when the evidence of our blood thirstiness is staring him in the face. Now, I am all for peace, don't get me wrong, but I accept a few basic things about my brothers and sisters; we only really do two things REALLY well, kill each other and make babies. Were I put in the position of the main character, faced with probable genocide because Humans just couldn't cope with the rest of the universe's outlook on civilized behavior, I am sure that I would cry that we COULD learn to be peaceful, too. All in all, I really enjoyed this book, I have read it at least twice, and recommend it.

A very good book, one of my all time favorites. Although, I somewhat disagree with Fosters recurrent theme of humanity's violent tendencies (presented a bit simplistic or naive in a way) it didn't keep me from enjoying this book. It is a great start to the series, and by far the best of the trilogy. There is also a little twist in the first contact theory. Humans carry some advantages that aren't often represented in most scifi stories. I also enjoyed the switching between POVs during the initial encounters, judgments that are made about each side.

I'm truly surprised someone hasn't made a movie on this story. It's got everything an epic adventure needs.It was a page turner from beginning to end. Suffice it to say that by the end of the novel, neither the Weave, the Amplitur, nor the Earth, will ever be quite the same again.I'm off to pick up the second volume to see what happens next.I must say I loved the heavies, the Amplitur. Surrender to them is a fate worse than death as you'll find out in the novel. I think they were definately used as a model for future villain races in Star Trek and Bab5.

I must have read this book six times and I never tire of it, Alan dean Foster's best book by far and I still haven't read a book by him that I did not like. His way of showing humanity from alien point of view is great and the design of the culters of these aliens and mental make-up is wonderfull.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story the plot, the varied and interesting characters were well done, I think I enjoyed reading the Alien view on what humans truely were, to all the pacifists out there, my apologies, but I tend to agree that humans are bloodthirsty and violent as individuals and as a group, our history proves that. The Alien point of view is enlightening maybe we should embrace our violent nature, and stop being in denial, but then again who would want to live in a utopia type setting, sounds boring!!!