Volume 2 in the author's series of Chronicles of Distant Worlds sees Resnick once again telling a tale only thinly disguised from it's inspiration – that of an African Nation struggling in the post-colonial years. Now don't let this kind of thing put you off - whether you are worried about its being overly political or an unoriginal rehash of history, you should ignore these concerns and read what is a very fine book.

Karimon is an idyllic world when mankind arrives, its native population living harmoniously with their world, never having had the need to develop technology. Given their tribal societal structure they have little chance of resisting when mankind decides to take over their planet.

Also once mankind leaves the natives of Karimon do not have the politicised culture to run their own affairs.

Mike Resnick is a man who has a great feeling towards Africa, and this is so evident throughout, but as with the political content, this is not overpowering. Instead his feelings of regret over Africa, add a deep sense of inevitability to his tale - and despite your being able to guess early on how the book will develop, it does not make it a dull read, quite the opposite a sit just raises the empathy level.

Resnick's sf is character- and plot-related, he's not one to rely upon detailed future science. And it is his development of the native race of Karimon that is this book's true strength. For without the details of their society, the plot of this would have little of the resonance it has. For it is the effect of mankind's interruptions to their ways of life, and the introduction of alien customs that lead to the problems of Karimon – for once the controlling and oppressive influence of mankind is removed the natives face their bigest struggle – that of avoiding total collapse.

It's a credit to Resnick that you really will care about the Karimon population, and also that you will have a deal of sympathy with many of the humans becoming involved in the planet's development.

Anyway if you have a chance to read these books at any time, I would advise you to do so.