In this gripping sequel to The Dark Wing
(2001), Hunt does a better job of depicting character and handling zor mythology and interspecies relations than in his debut novel. Humanity and the winged zor are now staunch allies, but the lurking alien menace hinted at in The Dark Wing, the shape-changing, mind-controlling vulh, now roars on stage red in tooth and claw. In the best tradition of Honor Harrington, Commodore Jacqueline Laperriere, commander of an outpost on the planet Cicero, breaks the rules to save some of her troops and warn others. Later Jackie must re-enact the quest of Qu'u, the legendary zor hero, on the Plain of Despite, seeking an ancient weapon that holds the key to defeating the vulh. While the ending may be a trifle rushed, it offers plenty of surprises. (Feb. 26)
