The Voyage

Accompanied by a handpicked crew of the toughest mercenaries and most brilliant specialists in human space, Lissea Doorman sets out in the starship Swift to take her rightful place as one of the rulers of Telaria.

The author of Time Safari assembles an entertaining crew for this novel about a young mercenary's entrance into manhood. Ned Slade wants to make a name for himself, and a voyage on the spaceship Swift provides his opportunity. Captained by the capable, attractive Lissea Doormann and manned by 20 hired killers, the spaceship Swift sets out for the Lost Colony of Pancahte to retrieve a stolen capsule that will vault Lissea to the head of Doormann Trading, one of the galaxy's most powerful businesses. The crew deals efficiently with a number of dangerous landings along the way, retrieves the capsule and returns triumphantly to the Swift 's home port of Telaria, where they face their bloodiest battle. Meanwhile, Ned earns his comrades' respect and Lissea's attention with his combination of sharpshooting and intelligence. Vivid, often gruesome battle scenes abound, but the quieter chapters contain the most intriguing episodes, as Ned and his crewmates witness the planetary devastation wreaked by others of their kind. Drake sometimes overstates his case, and his constant praise of the Swift 's crew eventually grows stale, but he injects depth into a fast-moving tale to create that most elusive of hybrids: an SF adventure with a conscience.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In a bold attempt to claim her rightful place as one of Telaria's leaders, Lissea Doorman accompanies a crew of toughened mercenaries to a distant planet to recover a stolen fortune. Set in the same universe as his popular "Hammer's Slammers" series, Drake's latest sf action-adventure offers top-quality military action and a generous dose of political intrigue. Although his characters run the gamut of mercenary stereotypes, from raw recruit to seasoned veteran to hardened cynic, each has a unique voice. Drake's talent for detailing military hardware and battle scenes results in a satisfying blend of gritty realism and human drama.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Drake's latest novel is laid in the familiar and diverse universe of Hammer's Slammers. Its core is another first-class story of picked mercenaries against (nearly) all comers, with the tough guys winning by a respectable margin. It also, however, reflects Drake's interest in classical mythology via its plot drawn from versions of Jason's quest for the golden fleece and major characters who are largely avatars of classical figures. It's Drake's longest, most ambitious novel, but it does not move entirely out of the category of military sf, thanks largely to the excellence of those elements of the plot. Drake's large audience will have no problems with this one. Roland Green