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Janissaries #2
Clan and Crown
For the first few years, Rick Galloway and his band of mercenaries were doing well just to survive. They'd been swept off a hilltop in Africa by a flying saucer, and deposited on an alien world where the other inhabitants were human--but from various and unfriendly periods of history, all collected by flying saucer raids.
Rick has faced facts: This place is going to be home, permanently. To create a society safe for themselves and the families they are gradually building, they need to do more than just survive. The must convince the others that a unified, peaceful society is better than a collection of warring tribes. Force would not be Rick's chosen method of persuasion, but on a planet where the other dominant culture is one brought straight from ancient Rome, force may be the only way.
Rick has faced facts: This place is going to be home, permanently. To create a society safe for themselves and the families they are gradually building, they need to do more than just survive. The must convince the others that a unified, peaceful society is better than a collection of warring tribes. Force would not be Rick's chosen method of persuasion, but on a planet where the other dominant culture is one brought straight from ancient Rome, force may be the only way.
383 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
8 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Pournelle
265 books550 followersDr Jerry Eugene Pournelle was an American science fiction writer, engineer, essayist, and journalist, who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte, and from 1998 until his death maintained his own website and blog.
From the beginning, Pournelle's work centered around strong military themes. Several books describe the fictional mercenary infantry force known as Falkenberg's Legion. There are strong parallels between these stories and the Childe Cycle mercenary stories by Gordon R. Dickson, as well as Heinlein's Starship Troopers, although Pournelle's work takes far fewer technological leaps than either of these.
Pournelle spent years working in the aerospace industry, including at Boeing, on projects including studying heat tolerance for astronauts and their spacesuits. This side of his career also found him working on projections related to military tactics and probabilities. One report in which he had a hand became a basis for the Strategic Defense Initiative, the missile defense system proposed by President Ronald Reagan. A study he edited in 1964 involved projecting Air Force missile technology needs for 1975.
Dr. Pournelle would always tell would-be writers seeking advice that the key to becoming an author was to write — a lot.
“And finish what you write,” he added in a 2003 interview. “Don’t join a writers’ club and sit around having coffee reading pieces of your manuscript to people. Write it. Finish it.”
Pournelle served as President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 1973.
From the beginning, Pournelle's work centered around strong military themes. Several books describe the fictional mercenary infantry force known as Falkenberg's Legion. There are strong parallels between these stories and the Childe Cycle mercenary stories by Gordon R. Dickson, as well as Heinlein's Starship Troopers, although Pournelle's work takes far fewer technological leaps than either of these.
Pournelle spent years working in the aerospace industry, including at Boeing, on projects including studying heat tolerance for astronauts and their spacesuits. This side of his career also found him working on projections related to military tactics and probabilities. One report in which he had a hand became a basis for the Strategic Defense Initiative, the missile defense system proposed by President Ronald Reagan. A study he edited in 1964 involved projecting Air Force missile technology needs for 1975.
Dr. Pournelle would always tell would-be writers seeking advice that the key to becoming an author was to write — a lot.
“And finish what you write,” he added in a 2003 interview. “Don’t join a writers’ club and sit around having coffee reading pieces of your manuscript to people. Write it. Finish it.”
Pournelle served as President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 1973.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
November 15, 2017
Really not a whole lot going on in this second book of the series. Rick Galloway tries to consolidate his power grow his crop while improving the standard of living for the primitives.
Meanwhile, the weather is changing, and barbarians from the south are being driven into the civilized areas. Add to all this that Galloway's wife is jealous, and it should be a pretty good book.
Unfortunately, there isn't really a lot of tension generated. Galloway worries a lot, but not much gets done. Other than a runaway hot air balloon, there is very little real action.
Meanwhile, the weather is changing, and barbarians from the south are being driven into the civilized areas. Add to all this that Galloway's wife is jealous, and it should be a pretty good book.
Unfortunately, there isn't really a lot of tension generated. Galloway worries a lot, but not much gets done. Other than a runaway hot air balloon, there is very little real action.
October 21, 2014
In this second installment of Jerry Pournelle’s JANISSARIES series, the modern American military unit that was abducted by aliens and deposited on the planet Tran to oversee the harvest of psychedelic drugs for alien drug dealers is still trying to get the planet under control so they can focus on their horticultural task. Though they accomplished a lot in the first book, Janissaries, things have gotten even more complicated (politically) and they make very little progress (at least that we see) with their main goal in Clan and Crown.
Captain Rick Galloway, who is now one of the most powerful people on the planet, wishes he could give up fighting and be a teacher at the newly-formed university, but so far that hasn’t been possible. The same weather pattern changes that are increasing the growth of the psychotropic plant they... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Captain Rick Galloway, who is now one of the most powerful people on the planet, wishes he could give up fighting and be a teacher at the newly-formed university, but so far that hasn’t been possible. The same weather pattern changes that are increasing the growth of the psychotropic plant they... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
January 12, 2016
Got stuck at the airport so read the second book in this series, but I won't continue. Just could not get invested in any of the characters.
November 28, 2020
Janissaries: Clan and Crown is the second installment in Jerry Pournelle’s long-running Janissaries series. Jerry was solo author on the first one, but this volume was co-authored with Roland Green, who somehow didn’t rate a mention on the cover in 1982. Jerry made sure he was brought up in the afterword at least. Clan and Crown is an apt subtitle for this volume, as Rick Galloway and his CIA mercenaries turned planetary adventurers get deep into the politics of Tran.
My Ace SF paperback is a bit smaller than the Massively Illustrated! Janissaries, but it is still a pretty big edition. The interior art was done by Josep Maria Martin Sauri, which I find well done, but not as evocative as Bermejo’s work. There are a couple of other things of note about my edition. Mine is signed by Jerry Pournelle, although not inscribed to me, and when I bought this edition used in 2015, it contained one of Jerry Pournelle’s business cards. So even though the physical volume isn’t quite as nice as the first one, I do feel a special fondness for this one.
While Janissaries is often described as military science fiction, a big emphasis here is on political intrigue. When the book opens, we meet a pair of mercenaries who deserted with their weapons coming back into the fold. That means not only re-negotiating the relationship with their former commanding officer, Rick Galloway, but also inserting themselves into the status hierarchy of the kingdom of Drantos, where Rick has his power base.
There are questions of protocol, of precedence, of permission that must be successfully navigated. Only by mastering the local culture can the starmen truly be successful, no matter how powerful their weapons are. But of course, not everyone is pleased at the entry of the starmen into the game of thrones, leading to a multiplication of plots and conspiracies.
Much of this nest of vipers has been stirred up by Rick himself, who not only married into the nobility, but also introduced military innovations like pikes that reduced the utility of cavalry on the battlefield. Jerry is clearly playing with the idea that certain military technologies tend to produce forms of government. However, it is all happening on an accelerated timescale so we can see chivalry and feudalism giving way to a centralized monarchy.
There are of course some spectacular battles as well, with the Romans to the east and the Westmen to the west. The latter is most interesting to me, as Jerry and Roland setup a conflict with the bane of civilization, the steppe horse archer. These particular nomads seem largely inspired by the Plains Indians like the Sioux and Cheyenne, although they have the bows of the Mongols. Having recently read Wooden Leg: A Warrior Who Fought Custer, I can see that the battle at the end of the book is largely based on Little Big Horn, except that the cavalry has chainmail.
Jerry and Roland chose to name about half of the chapters in Clan and Crown after the traditional choirs of angels; and so religion continues to play an important role in Tran. Since Tran was peopled by abductees from Earth, all of the religions on Tran are historical ones, and so I find them more plausible than the typical invented ones in science fiction. Drantos exhibits a hearth and home polytheism very much like pre-Christian Rome, with Yatar (Jupiter) as chief deity, but Vothan One-Eyed (Odin) is widely respected, if not exactly loved by the warrior nobility. The actual Romans are from after the spread of Christianity, and so are simply Christians as the faith was practiced pre-1054.
The cult of Yatar in particular is important on Tran because of its role in preserving the legends of the Demon Star, the third sun in their system that periodically comes close enough to cause catastrophic climate changes, and also because of their custody of caves that can preserve food and offer shelter at the perihelion of the third sun. Providentially, the plant that preserves the temperature of the caves grows best as the Demon Sun approaches.
Like many Pournelle books, the cast of characters in Clan and Crown is large, which can be something of a challenge at times. Later editions included a list of Dramatis Personae, which helps. However, this means we get to see the radical changes sweeping Tran from many points-of-view, giving the book an epic scope. I feel that the book is an excellent sequel to Janissaries, and that the styles of Roland Green and Jerry Pournelle blended well here. Very much recommended.
My Ace SF paperback is a bit smaller than the Massively Illustrated! Janissaries, but it is still a pretty big edition. The interior art was done by Josep Maria Martin Sauri, which I find well done, but not as evocative as Bermejo’s work. There are a couple of other things of note about my edition. Mine is signed by Jerry Pournelle, although not inscribed to me, and when I bought this edition used in 2015, it contained one of Jerry Pournelle’s business cards. So even though the physical volume isn’t quite as nice as the first one, I do feel a special fondness for this one.
While Janissaries is often described as military science fiction, a big emphasis here is on political intrigue. When the book opens, we meet a pair of mercenaries who deserted with their weapons coming back into the fold. That means not only re-negotiating the relationship with their former commanding officer, Rick Galloway, but also inserting themselves into the status hierarchy of the kingdom of Drantos, where Rick has his power base.
There are questions of protocol, of precedence, of permission that must be successfully navigated. Only by mastering the local culture can the starmen truly be successful, no matter how powerful their weapons are. But of course, not everyone is pleased at the entry of the starmen into the game of thrones, leading to a multiplication of plots and conspiracies.
Much of this nest of vipers has been stirred up by Rick himself, who not only married into the nobility, but also introduced military innovations like pikes that reduced the utility of cavalry on the battlefield. Jerry is clearly playing with the idea that certain military technologies tend to produce forms of government. However, it is all happening on an accelerated timescale so we can see chivalry and feudalism giving way to a centralized monarchy.
There are of course some spectacular battles as well, with the Romans to the east and the Westmen to the west. The latter is most interesting to me, as Jerry and Roland setup a conflict with the bane of civilization, the steppe horse archer. These particular nomads seem largely inspired by the Plains Indians like the Sioux and Cheyenne, although they have the bows of the Mongols. Having recently read Wooden Leg: A Warrior Who Fought Custer, I can see that the battle at the end of the book is largely based on Little Big Horn, except that the cavalry has chainmail.
Jerry and Roland chose to name about half of the chapters in Clan and Crown after the traditional choirs of angels; and so religion continues to play an important role in Tran. Since Tran was peopled by abductees from Earth, all of the religions on Tran are historical ones, and so I find them more plausible than the typical invented ones in science fiction. Drantos exhibits a hearth and home polytheism very much like pre-Christian Rome, with Yatar (Jupiter) as chief deity, but Vothan One-Eyed (Odin) is widely respected, if not exactly loved by the warrior nobility. The actual Romans are from after the spread of Christianity, and so are simply Christians as the faith was practiced pre-1054.
The cult of Yatar in particular is important on Tran because of its role in preserving the legends of the Demon Star, the third sun in their system that periodically comes close enough to cause catastrophic climate changes, and also because of their custody of caves that can preserve food and offer shelter at the perihelion of the third sun. Providentially, the plant that preserves the temperature of the caves grows best as the Demon Sun approaches.
Like many Pournelle books, the cast of characters in Clan and Crown is large, which can be something of a challenge at times. Later editions included a list of Dramatis Personae, which helps. However, this means we get to see the radical changes sweeping Tran from many points-of-view, giving the book an epic scope. I feel that the book is an excellent sequel to Janissaries, and that the styles of Roland Green and Jerry Pournelle blended well here. Very much recommended.
June 4, 2025
“Jannissaries #2” is written by Jerry Pournelle.
The Salnuksis, aliens with advanced technology, need somebody to do their work on a distant planet and have chosen a band of mercenaries on the brink of losing their lives in a battle with the Cubans. When “rescued” they are given the choice to sign a contract to go to Tran or stay in a cave on the moon.
What I like most are the different people on the planet Tran. They all come from different times in the history of Earth and somehow a band of soldiers from the 20th century have to fit in with Romans, Greek, and Scots.
There is little character-development in the book, the story is a little bit predictable but the adventure is fun to read! For me a ***-star reading. Looking forward to Janissaries #3.
Castle Edron
Ganton, son of Loron, Wanax of Drantos.
Morrone, the King’s companion.
The Lord Protector Camithon.
Parilios, Chamberlain to the Wanax of Drantos and servant to the Lord Protector
Captain Caradoc,
Yanulf, chief priest of Yatar Day father.
Sigrim, high priest of Vothan One-eye.
Duguilas, chief of Clan Calder.
Corgarff of Clan Calder.
Lord Rick Galloway and his wife Tylara and their daughter Isobel.
Gwen Tremaine
Art Mason
Jamiy, Rick’s orderly.
Larry Warner,
Sergeant Major Elliot.
The House of the Wolf, one of the Houses of Vothan.
Bartolf, teacher.
Chai, former thief and one of the teachers.
Lord Rathiemay, the third teacher.
Bennok, young guardian, Monira and Haddo, being trained at the House of the Wolf.
Ben Murphy do Dirstval, former private.
Lafe Reznick do Bathis, both merchants of the Sun Lands.
Dirdre and Marva, married to Lafe.
The University
Larry Walker, the Professor and in charge of the university.
Sergeant Major Elliot, the new Provost of the University.
Sara, freed slave and working at the University.
Therrit, working at the university.
Caius Marius Marselius, now Caesar
Octavia, 12 to 13 year-old servant and Caius’ granddaughter.
Titus Licinius Frugi,
Lord Bishop Polycarp,
Julius Sulpicius, primus pilus of the fourth legion.
Earth
Les, human and civil servant of the Confederation.
Inspector Agzaral also human and in service of the Confederation.
Amarg Castle,
Apelles, consecrated priest of Yatar.
Paariirre, Shalnuksis
Beazeley and Davis, mercenaries.
Corporal Walinski
Panar, chief of the village of Irakla.
Lord Ajacias bheroman in the Sutman region.
Lady Cara, his daughter
Hanzar, Guards officer of the day.
Carlga the smith.
Fnor the master miller.
Padraic, the under-Captain of the Mounted Archers.
Sergeant Chester Wallbrook.
Private Hall Roscoe.
Walbrook
Bilofsky
Private Arkos Passavopolous
Mad Bear from the clan of the Silver Wolves.
Hinuta, one of the five warriors of the clan.
The Salnuksis, aliens with advanced technology, need somebody to do their work on a distant planet and have chosen a band of mercenaries on the brink of losing their lives in a battle with the Cubans. When “rescued” they are given the choice to sign a contract to go to Tran or stay in a cave on the moon.
What I like most are the different people on the planet Tran. They all come from different times in the history of Earth and somehow a band of soldiers from the 20th century have to fit in with Romans, Greek, and Scots.
There is little character-development in the book, the story is a little bit predictable but the adventure is fun to read! For me a ***-star reading. Looking forward to Janissaries #3.
Castle Edron
Ganton, son of Loron, Wanax of Drantos.
Morrone, the King’s companion.
The Lord Protector Camithon.
Parilios, Chamberlain to the Wanax of Drantos and servant to the Lord Protector
Captain Caradoc,
Yanulf, chief priest of Yatar Day father.
Sigrim, high priest of Vothan One-eye.
Duguilas, chief of Clan Calder.
Corgarff of Clan Calder.
Lord Rick Galloway and his wife Tylara and their daughter Isobel.
Gwen Tremaine
Art Mason
Jamiy, Rick’s orderly.
Larry Warner,
Sergeant Major Elliot.
The House of the Wolf, one of the Houses of Vothan.
Bartolf, teacher.
Chai, former thief and one of the teachers.
Lord Rathiemay, the third teacher.
Bennok, young guardian, Monira and Haddo, being trained at the House of the Wolf.
Ben Murphy do Dirstval, former private.
Lafe Reznick do Bathis, both merchants of the Sun Lands.
Dirdre and Marva, married to Lafe.
The University
Larry Walker, the Professor and in charge of the university.
Sergeant Major Elliot, the new Provost of the University.
Sara, freed slave and working at the University.
Therrit, working at the university.
Caius Marius Marselius, now Caesar
Octavia, 12 to 13 year-old servant and Caius’ granddaughter.
Titus Licinius Frugi,
Lord Bishop Polycarp,
Julius Sulpicius, primus pilus of the fourth legion.
Earth
Les, human and civil servant of the Confederation.
Inspector Agzaral also human and in service of the Confederation.
Amarg Castle,
Apelles, consecrated priest of Yatar.
Paariirre, Shalnuksis
Beazeley and Davis, mercenaries.
Corporal Walinski
Panar, chief of the village of Irakla.
Lord Ajacias bheroman in the Sutman region.
Lady Cara, his daughter
Hanzar, Guards officer of the day.
Carlga the smith.
Fnor the master miller.
Padraic, the under-Captain of the Mounted Archers.
Sergeant Chester Wallbrook.
Private Hall Roscoe.
Walbrook
Bilofsky
Private Arkos Passavopolous
Mad Bear from the clan of the Silver Wolves.
Hinuta, one of the five warriors of the clan.
June 17, 2020
Written in the 1980s, this one shows its age a little bit, but is otherwise very interesting. We get to see how a 20th century college man turned soldier would attempt to maximize the effects of a small band of high-tech soldiers on a low-tech military environment. Mostly, it works well if you figure out what you're doing, and the central character in the story is trying to achieve just that. I did have a problem with Gwen, one of the two main female characters, being so clueless about the culture and the effects of her actions. On the other hand, it was an interesting change from the "too perfect" syndrome that some stories have about characters, and in this case, some of the male characters were just as flawed, so it wasn't just her.
Not great literature, but a page-turner if you're interested in military SF, especially in a setting of modern and medieval weapons mixed.
Not great literature, but a page-turner if you're interested in military SF, especially in a setting of modern and medieval weapons mixed.
August 30, 2020
This is the second in the trilogy begun by Janissaries. I truly thought it would not be as good as the first since the mystery was solved and all questions answered. I expected mostly swords and battles à la a fantasy epic. Some of that was there, but there was also a great deal more depth than I presumed with even more questions arising. The captain of the Earth mercenaries transported to a planet populated by other time periods (a result of alien necessities), becomes a war leader and must, for the sake of all (no spoilers here) bring together various kingdoms. Pournelle's knowledge of people and political systems shows itself in the surprises and turns the plot takes. In such a world, even Machiavelli's principles makes a startling appearance. Mix in the science fiction elements and you have a very satisfying and original yarn.
February 1, 2026
My understanding is that Pournelle wrote an outline for this installment and then handed it to Green who wrote the prose. The writing on this one is definitely not as good as the first and that can sometimes be a distraction. The book often risks getting too bogged down in details of war tactics, but (mostly) rights itself before its too late. As with the first book in the series Clan and Crown works best when it’s acting as an adventure yarn about tough men trying to advance a more primitive culture. Like any good war story it truly shines when it highlights the mercs relationships with each other and their shared and rather casual approach to honor and duty… they are mercenaries after all.
I’ll for sure be reading the final installment soon, but i worry (from other reviews Ive read) that the overall story remains unfinished.
I’ll for sure be reading the final installment soon, but i worry (from other reviews Ive read) that the overall story remains unfinished.
July 29, 2020
Captain Galloway and company is still hard at work finding allies as the first madweed crops are being harvested. Tran is also undergoing seasonal change due to the Demon star, bringing with it additional problems.
A pretty epic battle with the West men, and some back room dealing, new weapons, and an unexpected visitor.
Not too bad, but it's clear that this book is setting more groundwork for the future.
Very enjoyable.
A pretty epic battle with the West men, and some back room dealing, new weapons, and an unexpected visitor.
Not too bad, but it's clear that this book is setting more groundwork for the future.
Very enjoyable.
May 25, 2017
A good follow up to the first (actually felt like it was completing the first).
Rick and his mercs continue to bring modern world knowledge to the medieval age planet, while defending their new home against the invasion of a Mongol-like horde. The ending was less than satisfying, but I hope the third book will redeem that.
Rick and his mercs continue to bring modern world knowledge to the medieval age planet, while defending their new home against the invasion of a Mongol-like horde. The ending was less than satisfying, but I hope the third book will redeem that.
April 10, 2022
The two main characters in this don't understand each other. They think they do, but they don't. And when realization dawns, it's going to be ugly. Pretty solid guys with high-tech end up on a low tech world story so far.
September 2, 2022
Alien abduction and medieval war. Good solid science fiction with fantasy overtones. Great concept. The audible narration is top notch. Too bad the series doesn't really end but don't skip it because of that. Book 2
July 12, 2017
A little heavier than the first in the series still a good read though.
April 17, 2020
One of the Pournelle books that stuck in my head. Nothing ground breaking, but solidly entertaining for those who like military science-fiction.
May 23, 2020
Interesting, what I'd call casual or summer reading. Nothing taxing here.
May 24, 2020
yawn good for a sleeping pill I guess
February 21, 2021
Excellent portal fantasy
With a cup of military tactics,
3/4 cups of political maneuvers, a dash of aliens and a sprinkling of drug dealers.
With a cup of military tactics,
3/4 cups of political maneuvers, a dash of aliens and a sprinkling of drug dealers.
May 20, 2021
Terrible female characters but good sci-fi.
April 30, 2022
A good sequel. Also quick and fun. Good developments.
September 9, 2022
Good follow up to first edition.
February 18, 2024
The story gains personal, interpersonal, political complications and intrigue on multiple levels. The second volume is a bigger much more sophisticated story, possibly due to the bringing in of Roland Green as a second co-author. In one sense this is military scifi and done well, but on another level it is an ancient military adventure culminating in a couple of big battles simply set in a scifi senario. Regardless of which the Janissaries series are a great read.
October 28, 2014
Originally posted at Fantasy Literature. http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
In this second installment of Jerry Pournelle’s JANISSARIES series, the modern American military unit that was abducted by aliens and deposited on the planet Tran to oversee the harvest of psychedelic drugs for alien drug dealers is still trying to get the planet under control so they can focus on their horticultural task. Though they accomplished a lot in the first book, Janissaries, things have gotten even more complicated (politically) and they make very little progress (at least that we see) with their main goal in Clan and Crown.
Captain Rick Galloway, who is now one of the most powerful people on the planet, wishes he could give up fighting and be a teacher at the newly-formed university, but so far that hasn’t been possible. The same weather pattern changes that are increasing the growth of the psychotropic plant they’re supposed to be growing has caused the Westmen (various barbarian clans) to start unifying so they can move down to the civilized territories where there’s better weather. These clans must be dealt with before they become a major threat. Ben Murphy, one of the soldiers who came from Earth, is the perfect man for the job.
Meanwhile, there are rumors that the Five Kingdoms are either mobilizing or preparing for a siege, there appears to be quite a lot of secret plotting going on between various political factions, and some of Rick’s questionable allies are demanding that Rick and the “starmen” prove their loyalty by sharing their weapons technology. As Rick moves to control his enemies and solidify his alliances, many of his ideas for how to handle these situations comes from what he knows about Earth’s political and military history. For example, when he suspects some lord of being a potential traitor he, like Queen Elizabeth did, visits that man’s home and stays a long time to disrupt the man’s plotting and essentially bankrupt him in the process.
Other customs on Tran are also changing. Gwen, the pregnant woman from Earth who was left on the planet by her boyfriend, is changing fashion. Religion has also changed since the soldiers of Earth brought news about Christianity. Many people on Tran are prepared to accept that Jesus Christ is the son of the god they already worshipped. The planet seems ripe for an industrial and cultural revolution, though they’ll have to hide their progress from the aliens who put them there.
As with the previous book, Clan and Crown feels much more like historical fiction set in ancient Rome than science fiction. We get very little interaction with the aliens and learn almost nothing about how the people of Tran are preparing to harvest the drugs the aliens are demanding. Instead, we see more of the kind of political intrigue, military maneuvers and battle tactics that dominated the plot of Janissaries. This might be just fine for many readers, especially those that enjoy military fiction, but it isn’t exactly what I was hoping for when I read the publisher’s blurbs for these books. My favorite parts of Clan and Crown were the development of the university and the technological advances, but very little of the plot was devoted to these matters.
Pournelle’s character development is weak. Many of the male characters are difficult to distinguish from one another. The two females are shallow, jealous and catty. I don’t feel like I really know any of Pournelle’s characters and I don’t particularly like any of them. When they die, I don’t care. This is the main reason I can’t rate these books higher. I wanted to fall in love with Pournelle’s characters, but that was impossible for me.
Near the end of Clan and Crown, Pournelle gives his cast a huge problem to solve. I was suddenly interested in how they would do it, but then Pournelle took the easy way out and killed somebody off. I was annoyed at this — not that the character died (I didn’t care), but that it solved the problem too easily. However, I will say, for those who read Clan and Crown and are as annoyed as I was, that the easy solution has major consequences for the plot in the next book, Storms of Victory.
I continue to listen to Keith Szarabajka narrate Blackstone Audio’s version of the JANISSARIES series. This installment is 11.5 hours long. Szarabajka has a deep rich voice and doesn’t manage to sound much like a woman, but I didn’t mind.
In this second installment of Jerry Pournelle’s JANISSARIES series, the modern American military unit that was abducted by aliens and deposited on the planet Tran to oversee the harvest of psychedelic drugs for alien drug dealers is still trying to get the planet under control so they can focus on their horticultural task. Though they accomplished a lot in the first book, Janissaries, things have gotten even more complicated (politically) and they make very little progress (at least that we see) with their main goal in Clan and Crown.
Captain Rick Galloway, who is now one of the most powerful people on the planet, wishes he could give up fighting and be a teacher at the newly-formed university, but so far that hasn’t been possible. The same weather pattern changes that are increasing the growth of the psychotropic plant they’re supposed to be growing has caused the Westmen (various barbarian clans) to start unifying so they can move down to the civilized territories where there’s better weather. These clans must be dealt with before they become a major threat. Ben Murphy, one of the soldiers who came from Earth, is the perfect man for the job.
Meanwhile, there are rumors that the Five Kingdoms are either mobilizing or preparing for a siege, there appears to be quite a lot of secret plotting going on between various political factions, and some of Rick’s questionable allies are demanding that Rick and the “starmen” prove their loyalty by sharing their weapons technology. As Rick moves to control his enemies and solidify his alliances, many of his ideas for how to handle these situations comes from what he knows about Earth’s political and military history. For example, when he suspects some lord of being a potential traitor he, like Queen Elizabeth did, visits that man’s home and stays a long time to disrupt the man’s plotting and essentially bankrupt him in the process.
Other customs on Tran are also changing. Gwen, the pregnant woman from Earth who was left on the planet by her boyfriend, is changing fashion. Religion has also changed since the soldiers of Earth brought news about Christianity. Many people on Tran are prepared to accept that Jesus Christ is the son of the god they already worshipped. The planet seems ripe for an industrial and cultural revolution, though they’ll have to hide their progress from the aliens who put them there.
As with the previous book, Clan and Crown feels much more like historical fiction set in ancient Rome than science fiction. We get very little interaction with the aliens and learn almost nothing about how the people of Tran are preparing to harvest the drugs the aliens are demanding. Instead, we see more of the kind of political intrigue, military maneuvers and battle tactics that dominated the plot of Janissaries. This might be just fine for many readers, especially those that enjoy military fiction, but it isn’t exactly what I was hoping for when I read the publisher’s blurbs for these books. My favorite parts of Clan and Crown were the development of the university and the technological advances, but very little of the plot was devoted to these matters.
Pournelle’s character development is weak. Many of the male characters are difficult to distinguish from one another. The two females are shallow, jealous and catty. I don’t feel like I really know any of Pournelle’s characters and I don’t particularly like any of them. When they die, I don’t care. This is the main reason I can’t rate these books higher. I wanted to fall in love with Pournelle’s characters, but that was impossible for me.
Near the end of Clan and Crown, Pournelle gives his cast a huge problem to solve. I was suddenly interested in how they would do it, but then Pournelle took the easy way out and killed somebody off. I was annoyed at this — not that the character died (I didn’t care), but that it solved the problem too easily. However, I will say, for those who read Clan and Crown and are as annoyed as I was, that the easy solution has major consequences for the plot in the next book, Storms of Victory.
I continue to listen to Keith Szarabajka narrate Blackstone Audio’s version of the JANISSARIES series. This installment is 11.5 hours long. Szarabajka has a deep rich voice and doesn’t manage to sound much like a woman, but I didn’t mind.
August 18, 2012
This is the second book of the Jannisaries series, about a group of CIA Mercenaries who are sent on what turns out to be a suicide mission, and and get "rescued" by some aliens in a flying saucer just before they would have been killed. As part of the deal to get rescued, they are sent to another planet, Tran, to take advantage of a once every 600 year condition where a specific plant, Surinomaz, can be grown for a few years. The plant can be grown nowhere else in the universe as well as it does on Tran during this once every 600 year event, and as a result, is quite valuable to the aliens.
Tran is actually already inhabited by humans. These are the ancestors of other groups of soldiers the aliens have brought to Tran every 600 years over the last 5,000 years to cultivate this plant for them. Greeks, Romans, Celts, Barbarians, groups from all through history have been brought to Tran to perform this job. Oh, and did I mention the aliens don't tell the human soldiers they rescue that they usually nuke the planet back to the stone-age once this special growing season is over?
I really enjoyed this book. So much so that I read it in just a couple of days. It was difficult to put down. It picks up not long after the first book ends, and continues Capt Rick Galloway's story as he attempts to grow the Surinomaz for the aliens, while keeping his group alive, trying to improve conditions for all humans on the planet, and preparing for the nuclear holocaust he now knows will eventually come. I'm looking forward to reading the third book next. :)
Tran is actually already inhabited by humans. These are the ancestors of other groups of soldiers the aliens have brought to Tran every 600 years over the last 5,000 years to cultivate this plant for them. Greeks, Romans, Celts, Barbarians, groups from all through history have been brought to Tran to perform this job. Oh, and did I mention the aliens don't tell the human soldiers they rescue that they usually nuke the planet back to the stone-age once this special growing season is over?
I really enjoyed this book. So much so that I read it in just a couple of days. It was difficult to put down. It picks up not long after the first book ends, and continues Capt Rick Galloway's story as he attempts to grow the Surinomaz for the aliens, while keeping his group alive, trying to improve conditions for all humans on the planet, and preparing for the nuclear holocaust he now knows will eventually come. I'm looking forward to reading the third book next. :)
August 8, 2021
[3 stars = I liked it, I may read again]
In general, I enjoy portal fantasy, whatever the means of escaping Earth for a new environment. Where the first book, Tran, revealed; Clan and Crown explores the complexities of the world. The quest of harvesting psychedelic drugs for the alien race is proving to be dauntingly complex.
Leadership and strategy are not prerogatives of where you are born, but a mixture of innate skill and disparate learning. Courage comes from trust and training. The treacherous must fear betrayal by their allies.
Clan and Crown, like its predecessor, is more about plot and premise than characters, and this is probably the deciding factor on whether you should read it.
In general, I enjoy portal fantasy, whatever the means of escaping Earth for a new environment. Where the first book, Tran, revealed; Clan and Crown explores the complexities of the world. The quest of harvesting psychedelic drugs for the alien race is proving to be dauntingly complex.
Leadership and strategy are not prerogatives of where you are born, but a mixture of innate skill and disparate learning. Courage comes from trust and training. The treacherous must fear betrayal by their allies.
Clan and Crown, like its predecessor, is more about plot and premise than characters, and this is probably the deciding factor on whether you should read it.
February 17, 2020
In anticipation of the forthcoming last book in this incredible series, I've decided to re-read the first three books, and was just as impressed this time around with book 2, Clan and Crown, as I'd been twenty-odd years ago when I first experienced it. To start with, it's Jerry Pournelle, which means good writing, plenty of adventure, and characters that you can really focus on. The book pulls you along for a first rate read, full of intrigue and excitement. Well worth your time and effort, if you haven't read it yet, or if it's been a while since you have, give it a shot, and prepare to get whisked away for the time of your life.
February 28, 2016
Re reading this one as I have read the first one many times and have just got hold of the final one in the trilogy. Put simply this is the pinicle of military pulp fiction. The are just enough sci fi element to get me interested but come for the millenia spanning galactic conspiracy stay for the answers to such deep questions as how would Gengas Khan equvalent light cavaly fair agains Roman heavy cavaly? Some lovely world building and I am always a sucker for modern people put into backward situations and civilisation building. Won't blow your mind but really good fun.
Read
January 18, 2017Continues the action begun in Janissaries. More politics, more big battle scenes. I enjoy reading these books. The action flows pretty weel, but I can't help thinking that the culture could have been more alien, and the details of the plot more intricate. Good, basic action novel, but still a fun read.
October 16, 2023
Jerry Pournelle teams with Roland Green to extend his Janissaries sequence. The original was a 380 page Ace paperback with line illustrations. This story is a logical extension of the original, but it plods. There’s nothing really wrong with the story. It begins and ends sequentially, without resolution. It just doesn’t measure up to the original.
July 24, 2021
Re-reading the series ahead of Mamelukes, the finale which I've been awaiting for 20 years or so. This second novel is, I think, the weakest of them - not a lot really happens and there's no real peril to our main characters, so it's a bit meh. Still well worth a read though!
May 12, 2012
Good fun SF action
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