This is the second in a pair of books plotted by David Drake involving the battle computer, Center, its guide to things human, Raj Whitehall, and their chosen instrument to save a planet which otherwise has no future, Adrian Gellert. The first book was "The Reformer", and it was fairly readable, but S. M. Stirling is only a fair writer.

*THIS* book, on the other hand, blazes with drama, comedy, political intrigue, hatred and revenge, love and laughter. Just about everything, in fact, that makes being alive so intriguing. I came to care deeply about all of the characters, and all of them brought perspective on what it might be like to live in a time when the old must die that the new may be born, and each player must decide for him- or herself whether to attempt midwifery or murder, or both. I found in this book two paragraphs filled with such insight that I deem the cost of this book, in both money and time reading, amply repaid by them. (I'll let you find them rather than spoil the beautiful surprises.) The rest of the book is a bonus from a master storyteller.

Thank you, Eric.


The Tyrant, a solid read..........   September 13, 2003
 8 out of 10 found this review helpful

Ok, I waited for the paperback on this one, but would not have been unhappy if I had bought it hardcover. David Drake had Eric Flint rather than S.M. Stirling as co-author, and it represents an interesting departure from the tone of the rest of the series. While it had it's fair share of blody battles, they were not the primary foccus. Rather the book followed the politics and fealings of the the main character and his family as they try to aviod the fall of Rome and skip the dark ages.
This plot basis is fully in line with the idea of Center trying to create an industrial base to rebuild the old federation that created it, so I was not thrown by it's placement in the series. It also had some nicely done historical events thrown in that fit neatly into the story.
I have to agree with other reviewers that there is never any doubt of the outcome of any of the events, so it is hard to be as engrossed in the battles as one usually would be, but I could not put the book down, so I have to recomend it. I don't think fans of 1633 will be disapointed in the charecter and plot development, and there is enough action to keep the 1632 crowd involved.
This is a great business travel book to pick up at the gift shop, start on the plane, and use to wind down in the evening. It may keep you up reading later than planned, but that's what a good read does.


It just bombs! - A sad ending for a great series   July 2, 2002
 7 out of 13 found this review helpful

What is it about the covers of the Drake/Flint books? After the absolutely stupid and misleading cover of the latest installment of the Bellisarius-series the people at Baen Books have done it again: putting a Xena-style (lightly clad) female warrior on front. So what about the content?

Eric Flint has achieved an almost complete break with the storyline of "The Reformer", but has it improved the book? But compared with S.M. Stirling's handling of the same scenario Eric Flint's novel just bombs!

The theme developed in The General-series by Drake/Stirling was the salvation of the remaining civilization on an isolated world by a computer and its chosen man.

In the original series this was on a world with a situation like the Mediterranean in 500AD, so the main hero was the Byzantine general Belliasrius a.k.a. Raj Whitehall. In the first follow-on novel "The Chosen" it was a new world with an early 20th century setting and in the second it was first century BC Rome. The computer's chosen man was a (Greek) philosopher and his mission the prevention of imperial decline.

Apparently Eric Flint had other ideas about what kind of story he wanted to tell: his main character is now a Roman who wants to seize absolute power to destroy the existing corrupt order. The "Reformer" from the latest book is just one of his instruments (with the voices of the computer and Whitehall in his brain), like all other members of his family.

The real problem with the book is that it apparently wants to achieve so much - explain Rome's decline and offer an alternative like jump-starting to the middle ages and industrial revolution at the same time - but looses sight of a readable story. Sometimes it seems as if the characters are reduced to their sex life ... . So it may well be that the artist creating the cover was not so far of ...

It is a sad ending for a great series. I must admit that after "1632" I had some high expectations of this novel. Well I guess after it I'll skip the hardcover and wait for the pocket edition of "1633".


The Tyrant, a novel of Center and Raj Whitehall   April 1, 2002
 5 out of 6 found this review helpful

Finishing the story of the Gellert brothers begun in "The Reformer", the book develops the character of Verice Demansk, the father of Adrian Gellert's lover and commander of the opposing Vanbert army. Gellert is guided by "Center", a computer, and the disembodied Raj Whitehall, a general from another time and planet. The introduction of technology by Adrian brings victories, but the end results depend on man's strengths and weaknesses. Eric Flint and David Drake succeed in closing a story begun by Drake and S. M. Stirling, and the transition is very well done. Another fine novel of military SF by this pair.