The Light-Years Beneath My Feet (Taken) [Mass Market Paperback]

The Light-Years Beneath My Feet (2005) is the second SF novel in the Taken series, following Lost and Found. In the previous volume, Marcus Walker and George the talking dog escape from the Vilenjji slaveship with Sque and Braouk. Their lifeboat is rescued by the Sessrimathe and taken to Serematherin. There they make friends and have living spaces with every possible convenience. Yet they wish to return home.

In this novel, Marc has learned how to cook for the Sessrimathe and other aliens with alien equipment. His creations are well accepted by his friends and his later demonstrations are well attended. At one of his performances, Viyv-pym-parr of the Niyyuu offers him a position on her home planet. Marc talks it over with his friends and they agree on taking the chance to travel on to Niyu, even though they are not sure that it is even within the same galactic arm as their home planets.

Marc accepts Viyv-pym's offer, but with one condition: his friends must be taken along. She agrees and provides a departure date. On the night before, they all pack and turn in early.

They are rudely awakened in the early morn by the Vilenjji from the slaveship. The Sessrimathe were conned by the Vilenjji's expressions of remorse and repentance and, after a time, had let them go free. Now the Vilenjji are engaged in repossessing their lost property; the four friends are bound thoroughly and loaded into a cargo container.

On the way out of the building, the Vilenjji are attacked by the Niyyuu and either killed or driven away. Viyu-pym had left a liquid tracker in Marc's body just in case and had been alerted by its early morning movements. After retrieving their luggage, the four friends are transported to the Niyyuu ship for their voyage to Niyu.

This novel is another introduction to the alien cultures of the galaxy. A custom of the Niyyuu is traditional warfare. Civilization had started on the planet with the separation of the civilian and military aspects of their culture. They still fought small, localized wars with each other, but only against legitimate military targets.

The concept of collateral damage was not accepted by the Niyyuu; any city that caused such incidents was punished by a coalition of the surrounding cities. So was any formal alliance, or appearance of it, by two or more city states. In many respects, the Niyyuu seem much like the ancient Greeks, but with a strict separation of warfare from the civilian population. However, war broadcasts had become a major factor in the entertainment media.

Marc's culinary performances were well received by the Niyyuu, as was the entertainment provided by his friends. These four alien creatures were unique on the planet and other city states were envious of Kojn-umm, the hiring city. Of course, Kojn-umm was well pleased with their presence. Maybe too pleased.

When Marcus and his friends asked for information on their home planets, the government leaders were noncommittal. After a while, Marc learned that these leaders were only paying lip service to their requests. How could they get the Niyyuu to help them discover the location of their home planets?

This work is light SF with a few unexpected twists. With the exception of the capitalistic Vilenjji, none of the aliens are truly hostile to the four friends. Still, one of the Niyyuu becomes a bit incensed by the political manipulations.

Highly recommended for Foster fans and for anyone else who enjoys light tales of travel, aliens and political intrigue.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Freed from the slavers, former Chicago commodities trader Marcus Walker, George the Dog (now enhanced with speech), Braouk the Tuuqalian, and Sequi the K'eremu have a comfortable existance, but all of them want to return to their homes. In the meantime, Walker seeks a role that will allow him to find some meaning in his alien existance. After all, Braouk is sought after by those who admire his eternal war-epics, George is simply lovable, being a dog, and Sequi is self-reliant in her confidence (often well-justified) that she is smarter than anyone around her. But Walker is a human and needs positive strokes. He comes up with the idea of becoming a chef--in a galaxy where foods have to be martialed and persuaded into service.

Walker's increasing expertise in the kitchen nets him a job offer by a star-crossing race much further out the Milky Way's spiral arm, but is it the right arm, or will Walker and his friends be moving away from home? In the end, it doesn't matter--at least they're moving and they haven't had any other offers. The four set off to a world where warfare is a game, played by 'traditional' rules that restrict military technology to a medieval level, but give newscasters sophisticated broadcast equipment to let everyone in the cities stay in tune with the battles.

Although Walker's cooking skills had proven valuable in getting them started in their travels, they also make him too valuable to simply let him walk away. His hosts don't exactly tell him he can't leave, but they tell their astronomers not to fast-track his requests for help in locating Earth. Walker decides to get involved in local politics, and in the 'traditional military' side of society. Walker's football-based strategy leads to strange results--but can it get him home? And what to do about the pesky slavers who seem intent on recovering Walker and friends, no matter what the costs?

Author Alan Dean Foster pokes loving fun at the traditional fish-out-of-water story, having Walker engage in some truly weird tactics. His super-intelligent but annoying alien Sequi is a nice touch, and George the Dog remains one of the most attractive characters in a science fiction story. THE LIGHT-YEARS BENEATH MY FEET suffers a bit from being the middle book in a trilogy. We don't have the getting to know you as the characters learn to deal with each other, or a grand resolution as I'd expect in the final novel. Still, LIGHT-YEARS is entertaining light reading.

If you're looking to decompress from a rough day at the office, or maybe from an involved and convoluted Stephenson or Cheryth SF tale, LIGHT-YEARS would be a great choice. You don't need to read the previous book in the series (LOST AND FOUND), but it would enhance the experience.

The Viilenjii stole Chicago businessman Marcus Walker, a dog named George, and other alien species from various parts of the galaxy and are taking them to a place where they will be sold as pets. Luckily Marc and George (who was operated on so he could speak), the brilliant K'eremu a Sequi'aranaqua'na'senemue and Tuuqualia Braouk were able to gain asylum from the ultra civilized, technologically advanced Sessrimathe.

His host doesn't know where any of the alien home worlds are so out of desperation Walker becomes a successful cook that attracts the attention of the visiting Niyo who offer him and his friends employment. Since it is one step closer to their home worlds, they accept the offer and become such a success that nobody wants to help them get home. Walker and company come up with an ingenious plan that will make the people of Niyo glad to get rid of them.

This is book two in "The Taken" trilogy and it is every bit as good as the precious LOST AND FOUND as well as the Pip and Flinx novels. Alan Dean Foster's trademark dry wit, colorful characters and mesmerizing story line will insure readers eagerly await the last book in this series. Marcus and his companions become true friends despite the difference in their species' philosophy and are there for one another in good times and bad.

Harriet Klausner