Jinx on a Terran Inheritance: #2

First of all, you must know that Brian Daley has been my favorite author for several years and all his books have captivated me like no other books have (except the best of classic sci-fi/fantasy). Sadly, he was never that popular and most people probably don't know his works, excepting his Star Wars trilogy. Any of his books are good enough to be on the same shelf with The Lord of the Rings and Dune, and his style of writing has always appealed to me.In Jinx on a Terran Inheritance, this style is taken to the max. The humor and irony is there, and so is the action. This is also the longest of "The Trilogy" (for lack of a better name). Alacrity and Hobart are on their way to Blackguard, a planet infamous for its oppression of the weak and poor by the powerful, who made it into a theme park where they can play out fantasies such as being Lord of a medieval castle, etc. This is also where Hobart's inheritance, a ship called Astrea Imprimateur, is being held. With no idea where the ship is on the planet, or if it has fallen into an evil warlord's hands, they set out towards the planet with no funds, and no way to get there. Eventually, they get employed as breakabouts by a ship captain, and off they go. One of the funniest parts in any of the books is where they make a stop on a planet in the process of a funeral for the mayor of one of the cities or something like that. I won't give it away, but you'll get there soon enough....I don't think it's possible to dislike this book. Any fan of good sci-fi should get this, and anyone who calls himself/herself a fan of Brian Daley should already have it.Long live the Srillans!

I picked up this book at a yard sale and it soon found a place among my favorites, including the greats like Heinlein and Asimov, and Gibson and Pohl and Brin.Although it's the second book in the trilogy (which includes "Requiem for a Ruler of Worlds" and "Fall of the White Ship Avatar"), it's my favorite of the bunch. I didn't mind to read any of this trilogy out of order; each book sets itself up strongly.What Daley created was a pair of great characters and some top-notch adventure sci-fi. It's a shame these books are out of print; my copies of the last two are starting to disintegrate from heavy reading. If you can find the trilogy at all, pick it up: Each book is a great read.

Book 2 of the chronicles of Hobart Floyt and Alacrity Fitzhugh While you could read this book by itself, it really needs the background of the predecessor volume, 'Requiem for a Ruler of Worlds,' in order to shine its brightest. The companions in misfortune that were introduced in Requiem continue their adventures through dens of techno-cannibals, lairs of scum and villainy, abject poverty, fabulous wealth, battles with clone librarians, negociations with juvenile gangs, and intoxicated funerals for varnished aliens. Every bit as good as Requiem. Like the previous book in the series ('Requiem for a Ruler of Worlds'), I rate this one 'G.' I consider the content of this book to be suitable reading for all ages.

In this 2nd installment of the adventures of Hobart Floyt and Alacrity Fitzhugh, the reader is once again caught up immediately in sharing the trials and tribulations of the spacefaring duo. As the story progresses, we learn more about the forces working against the pair, the true Terran Inheritance, and more about Alacrity's past. The harried and hounded friends manage to survive one mishap after another, and gain vital information along the way, that makes the ending of this book absolutely riveting. Brian Daley is at his best with this book, his writing captivates the reader with vivid descriptions of the environment to the point you really feel you have "been there", and the interaction of the two friends is such that it often seems as if these are people you really know. Very highly recommended!