War World #01: The Burning Eye

This is a collection of short stories from different authors, all based on a common set of guidelines. Specifically, they all take place on the inhospitable planet of Haven, a world populated by strands of humanity scratching out new lives on the way out frontier. Intergalactic war isolates the planet and an escaping battle cruiser full of enemy aliens slams the door on it for good. There are driving stories here with characters that reappear in subsequent books and there are one-offs. I loved the Don Hawthorne story The Coming of the Eye. David Drake weighs in with a thoughtful piece on making beer, not war and John Dalmas even has an entry featuring the descendants of the Apaches. As with most collections, you'll like some stories more than others, but on the whole, this is a very enjoyable book that is certain to spark your imagination.

Jerry Pournelle, who was heavily influenced by the great H. Beam Piper and his Terro-Human Future History, devised his own future history that postulates the collapse of an interstellar empire into civil wars spanning centuries after the gene-engineered Sauron supermen decide to take over the mantle of civilization from the Empire of Man. The first book in the ``War World'' series introduces readers to Haven and for me the Poul Anderson story ``The Deserter'' is worth the price of admission. A very skillfully done story that really sets the stage for the death of the empire and how the planets and stars at the fringe are already feeling the pinch of interstellar trade being disrupted. ``The Toymaker'' is also a great short story here. Check this book out and I promise you that you won't be disappointed. A very good book here is followed by ``War World II: Death Head's Rebellion''