Synopsis
There is a war, not an ordinary war, but a war where the combatants travel back and forwards through time to mould history. But things are not going well for the spiders in their war against the snakes: the Nazi's won WWII and occupy everyting between Siberia and Kansas, there wasn't a Roman Empire and the like. Now they are getting desperate, sending mini-subs to destroy the Spanish Armada and their latest wheeze sending a nuclear bomb to destroy ancient Egypt.
Soldiers in this 'temporal war', enlisted at or somewhere near the point of death to become demons, are sent to 'the place' to recuperate in the company of hosts and hostesses.
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Sadly the synopsis doesn't have a lot to do with this essay. What it is is a study of the stresses that battle weary soldiers undergo. In this case starting a minor revolt. The reasons and solution form the story such as it is.
Fortunately it is not a big book (120 pages), otherwise it would have hit the back of the ghastly book shelf with a thud. As it is it does manage to make succint and subtle points without going into complex raptures.
Still not a great book though, as seems to be the case with a lot of Hugo winners
There is a war, not an ordinary war, but a war where the combatants travel back and forwards through time to mould history. But things are not going well for the spiders in their war against the snakes: the Nazi's won WWII and occupy everyting between Siberia and Kansas, there wasn't a Roman Empire and the like. Now they are getting desperate, sending mini-subs to destroy the Spanish Armada and their latest wheeze sending a nuclear bomb to destroy ancient Egypt.
Soldiers in this 'temporal war', enlisted at or somewhere near the point of death to become demons, are sent to 'the place' to recuperate in the company of hosts and hostesses.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Sadly the synopsis doesn't have a lot to do with this essay. What it is is a study of the stresses that battle weary soldiers undergo. In this case starting a minor revolt. The reasons and solution form the story such as it is.
Fortunately it is not a big book (120 pages), otherwise it would have hit the back of the ghastly book shelf with a thud. As it is it does manage to make succint and subtle points without going into complex raptures.
Still not a great book though, as seems to be the case with a lot of Hugo winners
