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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mind and Honor, 27 Oct 2002
Blasters, rocket ships, and Space Patrols became staples of science fiction very early in its life as a separate genre, usually used in rather poor, pulp-level stories that were often nothing more than Westerns translated to outer space. But Norton took these common elements and added her own special flavor, and the result is a very satisfying adventure that truly qualifies as 'real' science fiction, one that will tickle that 'sense of wonder' that is such a prime requisite for imaginative fiction.In the waning days of a vast interstellar empire, a lone ship of the Patrol crash lands on a minor, very out of the way planet. Quickly scouting around their crash site, they find evidence of a long vanished high tech civilization in the Sealed Cities, along with nomadic hunter-gatherer level groups of humans. Looking for better shelter to tend their injured personnel, the rangers enter one of the cities, only to find it occupied by another group of refugees and ruled by the Acturian Cummi, a master telepath, one who is not above overpowering and directly controlling other peoples minds, who is bent on becoming the sole ruler of the planet. Zinga, a member of the ancient historian race of Zacathans (a reptilian race that populates many of Norton's science fiction works), and the human Kartr, both high order telepaths themselves, though not of the strength of Cummi, end up in a memorable mental battle with Cummi. The result of this battle and its aftermath lead to a very surprising and exciting ending, one that has resonated in my mind for forty years. Norton's work with the telepath aspect was unusual at the time of this book's writing (1953), showing measurable grading of telepathic ability, the dirty, nasty possibilities that such a talent engenders, the intriguing invention of the Can-hound as an android built for external mental control, and the indication that telepaths would not automatically form a society onto themselves, but might still be the object of unreasonable prejudice. She also strikes an accurate note in her depictions of the traditions and customs of the Patrol and the alienation that outsiders to that heritage can be made to feel. Her characterizations of Kartr and Zinga, while not excessively deep, are more than adequate to allow the reader to become engrossed in their problems and actions. A grand adventure yarn, with more than a bit of meaning, depth, and moral injunctions hiding behind the fast pace. This is Norton at her best.
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