Talon and Fang

Seldom does Science fiction adventure writing get as entertaining as this. In this brilliantly crafted novel, Mark Ellis takes the series once again in fresh, new and fascinating directions that are not just entertaining, but memorable. At this point in most series, the magic and freshness of books tend to fall into some form of generic stagnation either in general or at least fall into some sort of predictable or run-of-the-mill product, whether the quality of the writing remains good or not. But with Talon and Fang, being number 25 in the OL series, Ellis has created a novel that is not only well-written, but unpredictable, captivating, and UNIQUE. The storyline at this point is weighed heavily on the reader's familiarity with what has happened before with the characters, and the history of the events in general of the series. While it is not necessary for a reader to have read all the books up to this point, there are a few key novels early in the series and the Imperator Wars trilogy that will be recommended to understand and enjoy the full impact of Talon and Fang. Even so, the author does a good job of including enough backround info to catch up the reader. This novel is told from an entirely new perspective from the beginning, at about 30 years in the future, and revolves primarily on the character of Kane. This is a fascinating look at his future, or at least a probable future, as this is in a sense a time travel novel, with the underlying theme of "if we go back in time and change this we might avoid todays crappy world". While this in itself isn't a new idea, however the way this is weaved into the world of OL is very imaginative and entertaining. One of the reasons I like this series so much is Kane's recognition that thing are not the perfect world everyone else seems to be led to believe, but far from it, the opposite ,in fact, and is willing to be a hunted outcast and go and do something about it. Kane and his friends are just the kind of heroes I want to read about. I was amazed at scenes between Kane and Grant, the portrayal of everyones future and fate, the brief history of the intervening years, a new character called Tanvirah, and most of all... without giving away any spoilers, the instrument by which Kane uses to go back in the past... and I'm not talking about just the amazing sci-fi technology here... I was taken completely by surprise, and I knew at this point in the story, things were REALLY going to get interesting! And does it ever, the revelations at the end of this book are incredible, the adventure is fun and the book leaves off with an epilogue that demands the second book of this duology be picked up immediately. Once again, Ellis has produced an outstanding piece of work sci-fi readers should not miss out on!

There's not much I can add to the raves about Talon and Fang that hasn't already been posted! This book can stand on its own against all better-known science-fiction adventure novels out there. From the gripping opening with Tanvirah and the final scene in Cerberus, Talon and Fang flows in a headlong pace, full everything that makes the Outlanders series the "Thinking Man's Action-Adventure Series". Meticulously researched speculative science, great characters, colorful settings, fabulous action scenes (samurai sword-fights from aerial battles) and tragedy makes Talon and Fang a stand-out in a series that's already achieved classic status. I pity the po' fools who are still slogging through DL and haven't read Talon and Fang!

Talon and Fang is, without a doubt in my mind, the best novel that Mark has written in the entire series. It's what would be called a Flashpoint. To any new readers to the series, it'll be very confusing if they pick up the older novels after reading this one. Mark has written a novel that is very emotional, tragic, but touching and out and out uproariously funny in several sections. It begins almost thirty years into the future. The entire face of the Outlands has been changed, much to the efforts of the Cerberus exiles. Sam has taken total control of the continent, and a good part of the world as well. The nine baronies were destroyed completely in a five year war that took place after Cobalt managed to rebuild his power base and launched an all out assault against Cerberus. Kane, Grant, Lakesh and Bry are the only ones who managed to survive the wars. Both Kane and Grant were instrumental in the victory over the nine barons, but the cost to both men was insurmountable. Grant lost Shizuak, and Kane lost his wife, Brigid, when they rescued him from the hands of a cult, The Nirodha, based in India. That single even left more of a scar on Kane than any of the wounds that he had suffered over the many years he spent as a Magistrate, and then an exile fighting the Barons. He has spent over twenty years researching a means to travel back in time to fix what had happened, so that he wouldn't have to suffer as he has. Even Grant, his partner, and his best friend, turned his back on Kane, thinking that he has become totally fused out because of what happened. Kane however, has a plan. Sindri disappeared, and was never heard from again, but Kane realized what the little man did. He managed to trap himself in Zero time, using the operation Chronos facilities on Thunder Isle, just before the reactor reached critical mass. He is critical to bring about Kane's plan to life. As always, Kane has a number of obstacles to overcome. First and foremost is Tanvirah, the daughter of Lakesh and Erica van Sloan. She is now the Scorpio Prime of the Nirodha cult, like her mother before her. She is under Sam's orders to try and win Kane over, with any means at her disposal. Grant even tries to stop him, and the fight that ensues is one of the more entertaining scenes in the novel. But, despite as crazy as he appears, Kane's whole scheme might actually work, and after bringing Sindri back from the Zero time he had been trapped in. Together, he and Sindri use the remaining TAV to travel to the City of High River, formerly known as Cobaltville. Surpassing even more trials and tribulations, they reach the city only to be captured and whisked off to China where they would face Sam, the Imperator. Here, Kane confronts the hybrid and discovers exactly who and what he is, and during the confrontation, he learns the Imperators great plans. His own plan to send Sindri back in time actually succeeds, but at the cost of his life. Once again, this is the best novel that Mark has written to date, and I am very eager to read the conclusion.

Talon And Fang is probably my favorite book in the Outlanders saga and that's really saying something, because I have thoroughly enjoyed every installment that was written by series creator Mark Ellis and he has written almost all of them. But this one is truly something special as we leap into the future and follow the adventures of an older Kane as he attempts to find a way to set right what went so wrong in his past. This Outlanders future is shocking and disturbing and the fates of many of the major characters will literally make your jaw drop. Talon And Fang is full of twists and surprises, suspense and adventure. Several things that I expected to happen, that I felt just had to happen, well...they didn't happen. And things I never expected slammed me upside the head like Mike Tyson on a bad tattoo day. Mark Ellis disdains the stereotypical and always manages to have several interesting tricks up his sleeve. I can't recommend this book or this series enough. Mark Ellis is the real deal, the best there is at what he does, a writer at the pinnacle of his powers apparently on a quest to redefine the term "brilliance." Be good to yourseves, people. Eat healthy. Take your vitamins. Get plenty of exercise. Take time to smell the roses. And READ OUTLANDERS.

A Campaign of Shock and Awe! F'get Donald Rumsfeld. Mark Ellis is the master of shock and awe, once more flexing his mental muscles and stretching the post-apocalyptic world first invented by Jack Adrian and expanded by Lawrence James. From the in the grit world of the Deathlands, Ellis has expanded to a universe where time and space can be the plaything of a mad god, and our only hope is... well... that would be telling. This was a disorienting novel, and I kept waiting for the "intro" to be over and reality to snap back to normal time, but the whole book is the wholly satisfying and intricate construction of a world nearly 30 years after the Imperator Wars, a world full of sadness and amazement. There are glimpses of what the Cerberus exiles can do to make the Baronies and the Outlands into, and the sad outcomes of a world gone mad. Old enemies and a new enemy arrives, and I have to say, the old enemies were treats to meet, and the new enemy is wow. And as always, Kane proves himself bad ass - physically, mentally and verbally, even at age 60. I love it when Kane cuts loose. At his age, he's a man who can outplan... well that would be telling. Just read this book, dammit. Woo!

Over six years ago in the spring of 1997, Exile to Hell, the first in the Outlanders series introduced Kane, Brigid Baptiste, Grant, Domi, Lakesh and all the colorful concepts and vivid ideas that became hallmarks of the Outlanders series. The books were/are filled with great adventure in exotic places, gory battle scenes, wonderfully sexy women characters, armored heroes, world-threatening menaces and fascinating villains, not to mention a surprising depth and complexity of characterization. Readers of the last two and half years worth of books know that the mysterious Sam the Imperator has made in-roads in consolidating all the baronies under his rule. Now 27 years (OL time) after Exile to Hell, the novel Talon and Fang shows the results of all those adventures and it's not pretty. Kane is a battle-scarred wacko living in a half-demolished Cerberus redoubt with only a samurai sword, a crazy plan and the least likely person imaginable as his companions. The world is at peace due to the final victory of Sam many years before but the cost has been very, very high and he secretly arranged it to be exceptionally high for the Cerberus warriors. But Kane is suspicious and when he gets suspicious he takes action. In this case, the action he takes can save all of humanity, throughout history. I can't think of too many heroes who have a duty like that thrust upon them, but since Kane is fundamentally a hero instead of a stone killer, he accepts the responsibility, regardless of the price. He knows that survival at any cost isn't always possible or even desirable. It's a strange world for Kane (and the reader), one in which most of the characters we've come to admire and even love through 24 previous books have changed greatly. It's sad to read about the Consolidation War because of all the personal tragedies suffered by the main characters. Talon and Fang proves once and for all that not only is Outlanders is the best sci-fi series published today, the author shows that an adventure novel can be written that is intelligent and doesn't skimp on the action. The action in this novel is varied from one scene to another and therefore rivets the reader's attention. This book has a great deal of emotional depth to it and there are some scenes that I found difficult to read because they were upsetting (hey, after all these years I consider the characters my friends and family!). Mark Ellis handles all the characters expertly here (even new ones, like the delectable but dangerous Tanvirah as well as unexpectedly returning ones), and finds a full role for Bry, a character who has been around since the beginning but only in a supporting capacity. The author also impresses some of his own ideas about the nature of heroism and self-sacrifice. If any book in the Outlanders series establishes the basic, no-going back differences between it and Deathlands, Talon and Fang may be the one (in my opinion, based on the last couple of DL novels I read, comparing that series to Outlanders is like comparing Longarm to Lord Of The Rings). As usual, the writer has also researched his science, and brings us a new and very original take on time travel. I also loved the cover and all the little details worked into it. This is a wonderful novel to on its own, not just a great Outlanders novel. I can't recommend this one highly enough.