Elephant Song

"Elephant Song" is the sequel to "The City of Baraboo". It is darker and more thought provoking then it's predecessor. A new twist on S/F books dealing with people marooned on an unfarmilar planet. It's a story about a troupe of circus people who after years of battling against a unrelenting foe, Arnheim booby traps the ship to strand them off the beaten track. They are left with nothing but shuttles, a few animals and grim determination to conquer a planet. Yet the thread of humor in Longyear's books still shows though. Since the people who are stranded are cirus people they have an unique way of dealing with this traditional plot. Over all it's the story of the relationship and significance of the elephant to a cirus. Longyear reminds me of Theodore Sturgeon in the way he deals more with the human relashionships then with what is considered more hardcore S/F. This book is a S/F fan must don't miss it now that the publisher has finally reprinted it.