by S.M. Stirling
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Product Description
In the parallel world first introduced in S. M. Stirling’s The Sky People, aliens terraformed Mars (and Venus) two hundred million years ago, seeding them with life-forms from Earth. Humans didn’t suspect this until the twentieth century, but when the first probes landed on our sister worlds, and found life—intelligent life, at that—things changed with a vengeance. By the year 2000, America, Russia, and the other great powers of Earth are all contending for influence and power amid the newly-discovered inhabitants of our sister planets.
Venus is a primitive world. But on Mars, early hominids evolved civilization earlier than their earthly cousins, driven by the needs of a harsh world growing still harsher as the initial terraforming runs down. Without coal, oil, or uranium, their technology was forced into different paths, and the genetic wizardry of the Crimson Dynasty united a world for more than twenty thousand years.
Now, in a new stand-alone adventure set in this world’s 2000 AD, Jeremy Wainman is an archaeologist who has achieved a lifelong dream; to travel to Mars and explore the dead cities of the Deep Beyond, searching for the secrets of the Kings Beneath the Mountain and the fallen empire they ruled.
Teyud Zha-Zhalt is the Martian mercenary the Terrans hire as guide and captain of the landship Intrepid Traveller. A secret links her to the deadly intrigues of Dvor il-Adazar, the City That Is A Mountain, where the last aging descendant of the Tollamune Emperors clings to the remnants of his power…and secrets that may trace their origin to the enigmatic Ancients, the Lords of Creation who reshaped the Solar System in the time of the dinosaurs.
When these three meet, the foundations of reality will be shaken—from the lost city of Rema-Dza to the courts of the Crimson Kings.
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Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Another side of Stirling, 2008-11-09
I am a huge fan of Steve Stirling's, waiting anxiously every year for the latest installment of his "Dies the Fire" Series, and looking for everything else he's written in the rest of the year after I've devoured it. I snatched "The Sky People" out of the store as soon as it landed and was less than thrilled, but understood that it was a sideline for Stirling, something he maybe dashed off in his spare time while creating the intricate world in his other series. When I peeked on his website at the sneak preview of "In the Courts of the Crimson Kings," I decided to pass due to the elaborate language and geeky homage to classic sci-fi writers in the first chapter, just didn't find it interesting. I finally picked it up, however, mostly because I can only reread "Conquistador" so many times, and forced myself to adapt to the awkward Martian language construction that Stirling uses in "Crimson Kings." After the first few chapters, I could barely put this great read down.
The book is a sequel to "The Sky People" in name only, a stand alone "what if" in Stirling's amazing universe of dazzling symmetry to ours. Mars has an ancient civilization people with humanoids that resemble Arabs, Japanese and Vulcans wrapped up in a tense, emotionless political game that consumes them as their population slowly dwindles away. Stirling sends them an adventurer from Earth, a happy fan-boy who happens to be an Olympic level fencer. His humor and courage win him the love of a tough Martian mercenary, who coincidently turns out to be the heiress to the one ruler of the planet. Stirling throws in pop-references (rodents of unusual size) and sly salutes to classic sci fi, while he weaves a unique tale of intrigue, combat, romance and even archeology in an environment where so many have written before. Stirling gives us much of his trademark material of combat and romance with a breathtakingly original spin in the dry cold setting of a Mars that exists only in his personal universe. If you like Stirling, Sci-fi, alternate history or even great stories of swords and princesses, "In the Courts of the Crimson Kings" is definitely worth your time.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
A Really Pleasant Surprise, 2008-10-17
Stirling's "In the Courts of the Crimson Kings" was a really pleasant surprise. I picked it up at the library out of desperation for something to read and found an excellent book in an updated Edgar Rice Burroughs vein. The book is the second in a "series" begun with The Sky People. But, outside of some "historical" references and a cameo appearance of one character, it's entirely stand-alone. There's very little I can complain about in this book: maybe some triteness and stilted dialog. But, that's pretty much necessary for a Burroughs-like feeling. Plus, the quasi role reversal of the "princess" and the "hero" in this book negates those things. So, I'm extremely happy to rate this book at an Excellent five stars out of five. Highly recommended.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Super Reader, 2008-07-21
Great title, excellent book.
Stirling's updated take on the planetary romance has become wonderfully inventive. The second book is more interesting than the first - probably because the Martian civilisation is ancient, and more politically and technologically advanced--as compared to the literal Neanderthal types, in 'The Sky People'. While the title of the first book could have been Jean J. Auel or Patrick Tilley, this title is much more Leigh Brackett. The latter features in a fun intro of science fiction writers gathering to talk about the discoveries made about the Red Planet.
It does tie-in briefly to the first title, but could be read standalone, with the first in the series about exploring Venus in this alternate past where the mysterious alien 'Lords Of Creation' seed Venus and Mars with earth-type life 200 million years ago.
It is over a decade since the first book, and the story centres on an archaeologist (who is of course a fine fencer), taking a trip on the surface to find an important Martian archaeological site.
The woman that shares major character status is a Martian native, an extremely competent mercenary, and, unbeknownst to the Earth pair, well, think Edgar Rice Burroughs titles. Unlike Burroughs, though, the heroine here is the far more formidable warrior. The terrans have an advantage of Earth muscles in a much lower gravity.
Martian political conflict sees her as a target, because she possesses the requisite genetics to be an important piece in a conflict between the Emperor, a Prince, and the local bureaucracy, and this expedition gets caught in the middle.
The author has invented a style of speech for the Martians that the Earth humans have to try and get the hang of, full of stuff like 'Explicative-Interrogative?' and 'Parareproductive intromission activity', etc.
So, the hunt is on, and monumental discoveries await to be made. Including your actual Lost City, of course, and plenty of Indiana Jones bad jokes to be made.
Part of the interest in the book is the Martian technology - biotech based, so they have creatures that chew gravel and spit out bitumen, or live facemasks and binoculars, and living engines - a bit Dune-like, some of this.
Given the end, it appears we may just get more. Hopefully these are popular enough for such, as I'd happily read this again, right now, after just finishing it.
4.5 out of 5
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
A great read, 2008-07-12
Stirling has scored again. It evokes the SF that I used to read as a kid. His take on Mars is extremely interesting and very well thought out. His Martians are fascinating. I think that his "feral engines" is a brilliant SF concept, one of the best that I ever read. I highly recommend this book. I also recommend the other in the series "The Lords of Creation": The Sky People. I am looking forward to more books in this series.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Terrific Tale Set on the Red Planet, 2008-06-18
This book brings to mind the stories I read in my youth written by Edgar Rice Burroughs. But, this book is better. It is one of those books that you like it so much you never want it to end. Bio engineered devices, ships that sail the sands, swordplay, and high adventure. All centered around an earthman looking for lost treasures and the heir to the Crimson Throne. I am a big fan of SM Stirling and am eagerly waiting the next edition from the "Dies the Fire" series, but I must say "In the Courts of the Crimson Kings" is one of the finest books I have read in years. I have been reading Stirling's books since I ran across "Island In the Sea of Time". After that one I went looking for his books. He has written many great books but this is one of his best!
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