Endurance

Endurance is the third novel in S.L Vieh's fantastic Stardoc Series, featuring the trials of Doctor Cherijo Jorin. This latest installment, sees Cherijo captured on a slave world betrayed by her ex husband, emotionless, cold-hearted Reever. This novel was an emotional roller-coaster ride, as Cherijo, now being forced to minister to the sick and injured, is universally reviled by her captors, the other slaves, and her would-be friends.As per most romance novel heroines, Cherjo goes through a lot in order to make everyone liker her. Despite this its not enough. Throughout the book, she is beaten, abused, harassed assaulted and tortured, and almost eaten. The man who loves her remains emotionally detached and (seemingly) distant.While the beatings, torture and maiming were incredibly distasteful, Cherijo's reaction (wise-cracking comments, snappy come-backs, and karate punches), made some of the scenes unrealistically comical instead of serious. I would like to have seen Cherijo use her brain, for once, and THINK before acting. Instead, half the time, Cherijo charges into danger half-cocked like Don Quixote on his donkey forcing half of the male crew to rescue her. (Please girl! This is a sci-fi, not a bodice ripper!)I know, I'm making some negative comments, but I really did like the book. Viehl writes in a way that makes you overlook the fact that there isn't a /huge/ amount of substance to the middle portion of the novel, and that parts of the plotline are largely repetitive. I recommend this book for fans of the series, although there wasn't a huge amount of character development until the end.This series continues with "Shockball" the latest Stardoc novel.

As a writer myself, I can tell you how difficult it is to suck it up and just tell the story the way it is, without shrinking from the tough parts. S.L. Viehl does that. It isn't easy to write about torture and slavery, but how realistic would it have been if she had glossed over those parts of the story? I've been a fan from the very first StarDoc, and can't wait for the next one. Cherijo is an interesting, funny, tough character. So she doesn't have the best instincts about men; I know a lot of very bright women who are like that. And as it turns out, her instincts weren't far off. It isn't every writer who can make me care about a blue guy, a spider, or cry when a lizard dies. I hope the Cherijo series goes on a long, long time.

I've been reading this series since the first book came out, and this author still shocks me. The latest of Dr. Cherijo's adventures takes place as she becomes a slave of the Hskskt. She and the League soldiers captured at the end of the second book are taken to a crystal prison where they wait to be sold. Cherijo is forced to become a slave doctor to keep the Hskskt from executing the sick. Even though she joins up with an alien freedom fighter, she also operates on guards and makes friends with one of them. There is romance and more betrayal in this book, but not what you'd think. I didn't expect the plot twists at the end of the book at all, in particular the ones about Helen and Noarr. I admire that Ms. Viehl didn't back away from describing the suffering endured by the slaves in this novel. There is plenty of her usual humor, but she doesn't use it to joke about slavery. I would have been offended if she had. Because there is some graphic violence, I rate this one PG13 for parents. It isn't fluffy sci-fi for the middle class, who want to pretend things like this don't happen. This is the real deal. My only complaint about this series is why do we have to wait until Nov. for the next one?

I loved it!! Although, I think it might be harder for some readers to love it as much because it's easy for people to keep comparing it to the other two instead of judging it on it's own. I specially liked the fact that there wasn't a cliffhanger in this book because I don't like having to bite my nails while waiting for a book to be published(I rather like pacing instead).

Colonel Shropana led the effort of the Allied League of Worlds to capture Dr. Cherijo Torin. When he threatened to destroy her homeworld of Joren and kill millions to force Cherijo to surrender, she betrayed the Leaguers only to have her husband Duncan Reever betray her to the slave trading Hsktskt.On the spaceship Perpetua, Cherijo is now Duncan's property as he is a "brother" to the Hsktskt Overlord Tssvar. Tssvar places Cherijo in charge of the medic area. Though hated by the Hsktskt, and loathed and distrusted by the Leaguers, Cherijo tries to live up to her Hippocratic Oath. That proves quite difficult when the people you treat and the staffers you supervise prefer you were dead than even saving their own life. However, even though she is almost alone, except for her friend Alunthi the Chakacat and her pet Jenner, her life in danger from just about everyone on the ship. ENDURANCE is an exciting science fiction tale that continues the adventures of Cherijo Torin (see STARDOC and BEYOND VARALLEN). The story line is fast-paced and exciting though new readers will need patience to fully grasp the impact of events from the previous novels that affect the circumstances of this plot. When the story line centers on a science fiction medical thriller, the novel is fantastic and readers will believe in the several alien species on board ship. When Cherijo turns into a super hero, the plot is fun to read, but more comic book-like in nature. SF fans will fully enjoy S.L. Viehl's entertaining entry in one of the better ongoing series today.Harriet Klausner