Black Ship

Fenrille #4

by Christopher Rowley

1st edition paperback, fine (as new)

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published June 12, 1985

About the author

Christopher Rowley is a prolific writer of both science fiction and fantasy novels. He was born in 1948 in Lynn, Massachusetts to an American mother and an English father. Educated for the most part at Brentwood School, Essex, England, he became a London-based journalist in the 1970s. In 1977 he moved to New York City and began work on The War For Eternity, his first science fiction novel. He currently lives in upstate New York.

Reviews

[Phil]

The final book of a strong series. Really enjoyed them and this was an apt conclusion. TBS is set about 50 years after the War for Eternity, and Fenrille is largely at peace. Earth has provided a small fleet to guard Fenrille and is busy building space habitats for the coastal population. A new ship has just arrived from Earth with the Chairman's daughter (Earth is ruled communist style, and the leadership is entrenched due to the longevity drugs). Peace is soon shattered with the arrival of the Black Ship, however. It seems Young Proud Fundan has been laying low for 50 years plotting with some spacers from around Uranus; the goal is to use the new FTL Black Ship to stage raids upon the Highlands to recover Chitin and then sail off with a bevy of longevity drugs and found a new colony somewhere.

While there is lots of action here, the story really centers on aliens. We have already met the Fein, the bear-like hominids who populate the Highlands-- 'relics' if you will of the Arizel civilization which are now in spirit form exploring the universe. The Arizel created Fenrille and the vast forests which 'power' the spirits in their quest. One of the Arizel spirits, however, has been captured by yet another alien species, who are living in a universe quickly going dark. The new aliens desire a way to move to a new universe and hope the Arizel spirits will tell them how...

The main POVs are Chosen Fundan, the son of Lavin Fundan, who gets wrapped up in space with the Black Ship's arrival. Lavin has made it his mission in life to defend the highlands, and we are treated with several nasty struggles been his army and the space raiders (who are in turn supported by Proud Fundan). I will stop with the plotting here and just provide some comments.

One, this is a very ambitious (and fun!) series that seems to be largely overlooked these days. That is unfortunate as it really hits a sweet spot of action, intrigue and aliens. Second, Rowley's writing improves over the years, but his first two books still pack a punch (just maybe a little to busy). Nice pacing and apt cliffhangers characterize this series and it is hard to know where it is going, but lots of fun getting there. 4 stars>>

[Ralph Blackburn]

Not bad, actually quite enjoyable. Now I have to dig up the other three books in series, though I understand they are only loosely connected to each other. That's okay-I'm game

[Ron]

This book is a very competently written action/adventure science fiction novel. What it isn't, though, is about anything. The only detectable theme in here is positive feelings towards national defense preparedness? It's also not very nice to its women characters, and kind of rushes the ending. Dig that awesome Ralph McQuarrie cover, though. He did original concept art for Star Wars which is why the guy on the cover looks like Darth Vader's bastard son.

[Avery Stempel]

Wow! What a wild ride. Didn’t realize this was the 4th book in a series, but I have read Rowley’s broketail series and loved it! Such an incredibly imaginative romp through space and multiverses. Fowler really knows how to create some mind bending races! Very good!

[Brett]

It's a fun but amazingly weird story. I was getting into it despite not reading the first book in the series and then story hit the LSD hard and kind of lost me.

[James]

PAPERBACK

[Justin]

Book #4 of a loose four book sequence (The Founder, To A Highland Nation, The War for Eternity, The Black Ship), don't be fooled. Good, solid series. Each book is different, but weave together with great effect. Very interesting military realities of having a big single ship in orbit attacking ground defenses. Great combat sequences in this one.

[Boulder Boulderson]

Very much not as good as the previous in the series, but acceptable. Loses its way largely in metaphysics and the physiology of an alien races, which is interesting but not really what I was looking for. It also ends on a massive cue for the next book, which....never got written. So in summary, read the last one, but leave it there.

[colleen]

read 07.16.87

[Jeff Goetter]

Ihave to say I had to force my self to finish this one. Just could not get into it.

[SciFiOne]

1991 grade D+

[Gary Barrentine]

Starts out very strange but gets better and better the farther you read.