Chaining the Lady Cluster Series Volume 2

Cluster #2

by Piers Anthony

Melody, old Mintakan musical alien, keeps Tarot cards while saving universe. First willing transfer volunteer is busty human Solarian Yael. Enemy galaxy Andromeda forces transfers, damages hosts, Officers in Milky Way spaceship fleet. Bird of Dash is her Kirlian aura equal; his planet hides secret. Like her ancestor Outworlder Flint, foes give in to aura attraction.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Adventure, Space Opera

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Though he spent the first four years of his life in England, Piers never returned to live in his country of birth after moving to Spain and immigrated to America at age six. After graduating with a B.A. from Goddard College, he married one of his fellow students and and spent fifteen years in an assortment of professions before he began writing fiction full-time.

Piers is a self-proclaimed environmentalist and lives on a tree farm in Florida with his wife. They have two grown daughters.

Reviews

[5greenway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Upped from a three because I'm always absurdly generous and this was great fun, like all the Cluster books. Has any author devoted more energy to imagining how weird alien life might be and, um, how they would 'do it'?

[Erika Worley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like with all Piers Anthony books I have read, I give it 5 stars for magical/scientific/supernatural creativity with a far reaching plot. When it comes to male/female relationships (with each other and with themselves), Anthony gets a little more confused, although his creativity remains. He clearly tried out many variations on traditional gender roles and attitudes before it became normal to question them, so I have to give him props for trying so hard. The Cluster series is best if you think of it in terms of aliens experiencing each other's culture and sex acts, including humans, rather than a commentary on gender roles in relationships. Sexual attraction is expressed as a sort of base animal urge that takes different forms across planets and galaxies, but brings us together as creatures trying to further our species' existence. Through this lens, the Cluster series is extremely enjoyable. The role sex plays in gender is also explored, yo-yo-ing between very innovative to very narrow-minded, which is an interesting edge to balance on. Ultimately, I think what Anthony was trying to do trumps his blunders. There is an emphasis on the physical need for sex, yes, but also on the power of the mind in both men and women, and those in between or beyond.
SPOILERS: In the first novel Cluster, Flint encounters a female entity from a realm where the creatures look entirely different, function differently, and communicate with laser beams, yet their powerful auras bring them together despite the war and carnage going on. They both commit rape and murder trying to save the world from each other, and ultimately retire quietly at the edge of the known galaxy. The spiritual descendant of these two powerful entities becomes the main character in Chaining the Lady. Gender and sex are explored through her story in a way that is both typical of a man trying to understand women, and atypical for anyone. Melody spends most of the story as a female/neuter - female due to her place in the mating cycle, and neuter due to her virginity. As an old entity, confused slightly by her use of young, attractive female bodies throughout the galaxy, Melody struggles with her feelings about sex and gender and the change that would occur in her due to her perception of what sex does to someone from her planet (turns them male). By the end of the story, she gives up her attachment to her femininity and neutrality for the sake of the greater good, and accepts her transition into masculinity. The whole thing is weird, wrong, and right at the same time. After becoming male, she enjoys a romantic romp with two female entities she feels deeply for, then retires to her old body to live a few more years in solitude on "his" home planet. Ultimately what makes the story good is the character's lack of self confidence, at first making them admire their enemy who was about to become Admiral, and eventually being pushed towards greatness until they become Admiral themselves.

[Joan Galt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second book is simular to the first, but written from a female perspective.

[Kevin Phyland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Millennia after the first Energy War between the Andromeda galaxy and the Milky Way galaxy, the ever-hungry Andromedans are at it again. Piers Anthony gives us a kind of New Age space opera (for 1978) melding the dubious merits of Kirlian auras and Tarot reading with the high-energy galactic conflict that E. E. Doc Smith was famous for. The Andromedans have found a way to forcibly transfer auras (a kind of mental rape) and intend to quietly take over the military hierarchy of the Milky Way. By sheer chance a security guard finds a diplomat where he shouldn’t be and his aura does not match his officially recorded one. Thus the Milky Way galaxy is alerted. But if they act too soon they may precipitate the conflict before they are ready, so they recruit the aging Melody of Mintaka, a neuter now almost permanently female, and having the highest aura in the galaxy, to retake the hijacked bodies. Travel is cheapest by aura, invented by the Ancients, thus a transferee inhabits a host body for the duration, with the original aura suppressed in the background. Melody finds this abhorrent and allows her host mind/aura to participate in her adventure. Her host is the bimboish Yael, whose human pulchritude comes in extremely handy. When the battle commences it seems Andromeda will win out but a strange subservient species known as the £, who know of an unopened cache of the Ancients that will only open to one of high aura. Despite its unpromising premise this is a cracking good read and can be read as a standalone novel. Worth a look!

[Katnaper_Sensei · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always liked most of Piers Anthony's books and his Cluster series is among the list of those I like. I liked how he used the concepts of aura and tarot and created a unique world from it that a reader can find themselves immersed in. I enjoyed this book, just as I enjoy most of the books I read, for the story it tells and it's ability to take me into it's world and this book does just that.

[Blake Kanewischer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is trippy--it's the best kind of science and yet jarring in some of the assumptions and ideas we're asked to consider. I find the story loops a bit and could have used a better editor, but still a worthy read.

[Craig · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is less than 350 pages but it was a slog to get through. I first read this series in the 80's and have kept these books all this time. I have no idea why. I won't be picking up book 3 anytime soon.

[Tina Bounds · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

[Bec · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really struggled to follow this one. Probably only for hardcore sci fi fans.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Near end of life, spinster musical alien Mintakan Melody, descendant of Outworlder Flint century before, transfers to willing volunteers, first bouncy busty human Solarian Yael, requests her enthusiastic help, such as fighting dirty. Enemy galaxy Andromeda forces transfers. At first hostage damage is known only to Andromeda probable death, insanity, at least lengthy incapacitation, recuperation . Most officers taken over, in the Milky Way Imperial spaceship Fleet, named for Tarot cards.

Small winged clawed Bird of Dash is Melody's psychic equal in Kirlian aura rating. As before, the foes give in to the attraction between their compatible auras. His planet £ of sphere Dash has secret of hostaging at the Ancients' site Aposiopesis.

Gobble-gook enemy conversations sometimes prefacing chapters make more sense now, knowing symbols (whether slash, quadrapoint or dash) encase speaker contribution. Sample is my guess at possible translation, incomprehensible in #1, clearer in #3. * is Ast, & is coordinator from #3 p 312 xx http. Perhaps inspired by double quotes " for Etamin, Solarian aka human, Earther. Symbols are difficult, because not in my standard fonts.
COUNCIL INITIATED PARTICIPATING * -- / ::
/ where is the quadpoint? /
:: present. obstruction impeded. agreement with solution? ::
-- / CONCURRENCE / --
* POWER *
:: -- / * CIVILIZATION * / -- ::

Tarot infects everything. Melody tells fortunes to find fake officers aboard Ace of Swords. All except Skot of Kades, even Captain Dash and Llume. Melody secretly suspects Llume, not Dash. After mating, Dash asks Melody to surrender, wed. . Perhaps easier than #1, fast skip monotonous merging, mammal milk-glands manipulate males. No exclamation point required for "the action of elimination possessed different scruples from the mere exposure of flesh!" p 81.

New alien appearances and customs add and expand previous #1. Slammer, her magnet bodyguard from Knyth %, cannonballs with terrible destructive force, but needs carrying past wood-lined halls to crash against fellow. No surprise that little Beanball results, and she takes over feeding and care. Officer Llume turns out to be "sister", another Flint descendant.

X rated has technical viewpoint more amusing than passionate. Tarot ubiquitous. "She wanted -- impregnation. .. "I'm bursting!" .. at the bifurcation of the legs, projected a small limb: the copulatory organ .. Tarot 'Thoth Eleven' .. LUST " p 99.

Many allies die right after we get to know and like them Skot, magnet Captain Mnuhl of Knyth, more. Melody transfers onto hostage ships, to restore loyal officers, as slave to insectoid Canopus Captain Drone trapped inside laser cell and by pain-box from #1. She has to sacrifice already aura-empty slave body. To inform tri-gender water Spican Captain Llono, as catalyst she maintains female gender, he sire, hostage parent who must care for offspring. Llume lasers Llono's ship when he cannot give password, regrets killing sister Melody, joins team Melody when she learns Melody still lives. Upon signal for war, hostage ships still outnumber loyal 2:1, 66:33. She suggests starting with single combat 2:1, restored Captain Drone dies first taking out two enemies.

Her very inexperience leads to unexpected strategies. Volunteers transfer into innocent crew to mutiny against hostage officers. Magnets cannot leave ships, can survive without air, pilot derelicts and fire weapons. Her aura is like magic, operates Ancient machines as if she wishes, like Flint in #1.

Confusing when £ is planet and huge passive secretly intelligent alien species that Dash species ride on, mahouts like on India elephants. Melody transfers into £ named Cnom and battles shark-like lancer predator sent by £. Magic #1 style solution is a let-down. Leaves secret of Ancients for #3.

Melody vanquishes lancer. To city with injured £ hospital, Dash brings both pretty Dash-type alien, handsome young male Mintakan, and her decrepit body, offers marriage again, threatens rape to change her gender and coerce acquiescence. Her high emotion fleeing triggers £ Rendezvous mating ritual on Ancient site.

Dash pursues inside invalid £ body, insists auras make him most suitable mate. £ agree. Ancient site opens after copulation. Melody turns male, like all impregnated Mintakan females, wishes hostage transfers all undone "let the host aura dominate" p 331, transfers into Captain Dash's aura-less body.

In Epilogue, she wakes in body of aura-less Captain Dash, dallies with Yael and Llume before returning to Mintakan body. Dash offered her extended life, near immortality by extra care for Mintakan body, why not stay longer away thus. Neither she or Dash ever reveal secret of Ancients in #3.

[Aditya / · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erika Worley review is a good one. The book has some problems which I note in the spoilers. Nonetheless, it is a well written story (for the most part) for clever readers. The "above each chapter" discussions are confusing for most of the book -- but I still like it that way. And one does not actually have to understand them. It would probably be less confusing if they were at the *ends* of the chapters, since then readers would know that they don't really need to understand them, but that's fine.

The book has deus ex machina. There is some rape and some threat of rape. There is some "males are like this and females are like this".

[Hazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit harder to get into, but once you got there it was pretty good. One of the main problems with this series is the annoying names. Also apparently homosexuality is disgusting to every species, it's been brought up in both books. That's kind of weird considering the multitude of forms sex takes in these books. I can't really think of any piers anthony books where a homosexual relationship takes place though. It's quite possible I've forgotten about the on the other hand. There's a lot of sex in his books. Other than that the book is pretty good. Piers Anthony always has interesting Ideas. He's like the R. L. Stine of the adult world except his books are much better written. That doesn't mean that they're well written , mind you.

[Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like a crazy person when I describe what the Cluster series is about, but it really is a good series. This book was definitely better than the first. Pies Anthony is good at creating worlds / cultures, I think because he doesn't try to over-complicate them.

This is a very strange, but good, read

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2nd book in a series based on a concept, not individual characters. Traditional Sci-Fi fare exploring societal aspects of sex, slavery, religion, etc that make this book a good read. Plot itself is good but overly relies on huge, seemingly illogical leaps that get explained later.

[Troy Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again, not as intellectually stimulating as I might have hoped. The premise is good and there are unique elements to the story, but all-in-all this seems to "echo" the plot of the first book closely enough that you saw things coming from too far away.

[Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

60-70% good interesting sci-fi, with 30-40% r/menwritingwomen and weird misogyny "all women yearn to be dominated". I enjoyed the actual plot, but got frustrated with the repeated calling of breasts "mammaries" and talking about human nature being fundamentally braindead and sex-driven.

[SciFiOne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grade B. Book C2.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young adult 10-15

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

More alien rape, in yet another creative use of the concept.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

rated r

[Howard]

10

[Grace Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Makes me want to believe in tarot...