o a very interesting novel by S.M. Stirling, and part of a series (I think, possibly The Sky Kings). This novel, In the Courts of the Crimson Kings, we seem to be in the middle of things.

This novel assumes (as its plot twist) that we’ve long observed life on Venus and Mars. In fact, it opens at a science fiction convention (with cameo by famous authors) in 1962. It’s known that Russian probes to Venus has found scifi staples of dinosaurs, cave men and (of course) beautiful cave gals. And on Mars, we’ve observed cities and canals on this arid, slowly dying planet. Now, the geeks were avidly watching as the Viking Lander touches down near a canal, only to be hauled away by opportunistic Martians.

It turns out that hundreds of thousands of years ago, some sort of cosmic overlords moved humans to our neighbor worlds (which have been terraformed to fit us). Of course, these parallel evolution in isolation have produced radically different cultures). Since Mars is light on metals, they relay on a frightening (and creepy) collection of bio-tech to fill in the gaps. Including mind-controlling parasites (which the eastblock contingency has already been compromised with).

The Americans also have a small base, and from it Jeremy Wainman has been dispatched to assist on a dig of a dead city. Of course, one of the Martian mercenaries is actually the last of the bloodline of the final dying ruler (which she can re-ignite). And an ancient device of power is discovered. And their are many cabals that want her dead, her head, or her womb. So there are chases, battles, airships, hawkmen, everything and anything that makes this true Mars in the classical fiction sense.

And I’ll say this, it was a lot of fun to read. Worth looking for in the back-stacks of the local used bookstore (where I got mine). Copyright 2008, so you may need to dig a bit.

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