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Title: Hard to put down.
Review: An introduction by the author in my edition indicates his goals: to explore the messiah myth, to examine the relationship between politics and economics, to explore the consequence of the control of a limited resource, i.e., water as an analog of oil. The novel does this so admirably and a great deal more. Overlayed are a gripping story and some really big issues: loyalty vs. betrayal, love vs. obligation, nature vs. nurture. Strikingly, these inevitable conflicts are subjected to tension and resolution. Sure, this is space opera at its best, but it is a wonderfully written novel that can stand on its own beside traditional literature. Don't let the detractors keep you from this; they simply don't get the point. It is a big, well written book that will enrich you whether or not you proceed on to the rest of the series.
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