Janissaries/Clan

I rate Pournelle either good or great. This one is only good but it is a necessary part of the series, and the series as a whole leaves you wanting to now more about Galloway and Company. Reason that this is good but not great is that there are a few too many cardboard characters. The series seems to be a lead in to another series about a galactic empire and that is going to be a tough job.

Rick Galloway and his band of mercenaries have been stranded on a secret planet by space aliens who want them to produce a crop of intoxicating drugs. In order to achieve this goal, however, Galloway and his men must bring order to the chaotic mix of human cultures they find surrounding them. By carefully building alliances, Galloway begins to transform the planet's social, political and military landscape. However, his efforts are hampered by the changing climate and the resulting mass migrations. Galloway struggles to improve the lives of the people he rules, always mindful that any progress he promotes increases the chances that the aliens will bomb the planet back to the stone age. While not as well written as the first book, this follow up does flesh out the varied cultures on the planet Tran, and shows the continuing impact of the introduction of advanced technical knowledge in a low technology culture. The military and political implications prove to be challenging, but perhaps not as bad as the social impact. While the first book could have stood on its own, this one ends abruptly, without any resolution, and is clearly intended to be read as part of a series.

ISBN 0-441-38294-0 Ace Books first printing Nov 1982. A large format book, unusual in the 1980's with illustrations, and large print. Why they didn't just combine this book with Storms of Victory (Janissares 3) I have no idea, because it was 1/2 of the original book. Easy logical progression of the original. Rick Galloway and his men have their hands full -changing weather patterns, growing madweed, spreading technology, revolting nobles, reuniting Rome and preparing to survive the nuclear winter if he succeeds.