The Sunrise Lands (A Novel of the Change)

I have awaited the publishing of this book for months now, and I have to say, I am not disappointed. Stirling, as always, delivers tight, action packed prose that makes you eat up the pages like Halloween candy. For those of you not familiar with the series, I would direct you to Dies the Fire (Roc Science Fiction) first and its' two sequels. I would also point you to the tangentaly linked Island in the Sea of Time series (which starts with Island in the Sea of Time), although these three books aren't strictly neccessary to understand the current book. Be that as it may, I applaud Stirling for writing the type of fast-paced fun novels that used to be a staple of the SF genre. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Those who have enjoyed S.M.Stirling's novels about a Nantucket Island transported back to 2,000 B.C.E. know how well he handles the interface between modern and ancient technology. In *Dies the Fire*, he began a new series, in which technological man must survive without most of his technology. It's sociological science fiction, and the hardest of hard fantasy. These are great books for people who loved *Swiss Family Robinson* as children, and enjoyed the more hopeful post-apocalyptic books, such as *Alas Babylon* of recent years, a better account of a Cataclysm than I would have dared to write as a back story to my books about Westria. Stirling is one of the best action-writers around, with a wealth of sensory detail that puts you in the middle of it, smelling the ripe scent of growing crops or the stench of the battlefield, feeling the stretch and strain of pulling a bow. And fortunately, all this action features some of the most interesting and involving characters in recent fiction. And now those who were hooked by the first trilogy can rejoice in the beginning of a new sequence with *The Sunrise Lands*, which picks up twelve years after *Meeting*, as the children born since the Change reach adulthood, and their cultures also begin to mature. Now we get to find out what happened to the rest of the world, and how that precocious and engaging child, Rudi Mackenzie, is growing into his potential. It's a good thing, too, as Stirllng ups the ante and reveals a powerful new threat to humanity's survival. If you haven't discovered this series, start now. These books pass my test for collectables--they're as much fun to read for the fifth time as the first time through.

I was sorry to see Stirling's Nantucket Series come to an end and have missed new books in the series. I also have been enjoying the current series of books, so am exceedingly pleased that Stirling is starting to draw the two storylines together in "The Sunrise Lands". It's also quite entertaining to see how Stirling has conceptualized the evolution of society decades after most technology has been rendered inert. Stirling introduces many new characters in this series, but keeps key figures who keep the storyline grounded and provide continuity. Best of all, Stirling has created a true QUEST saga in the current series which is quite appropriate for the storyline. What makes the books fun is the exploration of what a society centered around paganism would look like. How about a society built around LOTR or Society for Creative Anachronism? I particularly like that the MacKenzies have adopted an accent based on a fake Scottish brogue and contrived literary speech patterns. Very funny to see how popular culture ideas morph into myths and legends. Of course, you have to suspend disbelief to enter this universe, but its well worth the effort. Read the book and find out how it all fits together! It's great fun and well-written. I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series!!

Picking up a generation after the events of the first 'Dies the Fire' trilogy, this book(the first in a new trilogy) upholds and even improves upon the overall series! It is classic S.M. Stirling, maybe his best yet. Full of intense, well researched, action and adventure and including elements that verge almost into fantasy. I'm a huge fan of Stirling's, and this series in general, and this book doesn't disappoint. I cannot recommend it strongly enough.