The Chaplain's War

The enigmatic and contradictory nature of religious faith injects philosophic complexity into this hard-hitting military SF thriller, as captured humans and aliens struggle for survival across the twin battlefields of the stars and soul. Chaplain's assistant Harrison Barlow is captured after a failed human incursion against the Mantes, an alien species. He maintains his mentor's church on the prison planet to foster hope. A Mantes professor eager to learn about human faith tells Barlow that the "Quorum" are preparing to exterminate all humans, and Barlow agrees to teach the Mantes faith in exchange for survival. But when spirituality eludes the aliens, the peace is threatened. Can Barlow and his professor friend conquer the greed of governments through faith, or will military shortsightedness baptize both species in blood? Torgerson tackles complex and controversial issues of faith, politics, and culpability in a fast-paced, emotionally intensive space opera. Furious action and poignant tension envelop human frailty in a drama as concerned with internal motivation as surface plot, suggesting similarities between alien and human, flesh and soul. (Oct.)