House Of Reeds (Time Of The Sixth Sun book 1) by Thomas Harlan
01/07/2004 . Source: Paul Hanley 
pub: TOR. 411 page hardback. Price: $25.95 (US), $35.95 (CAN). ISBN: 0-765-30193-8. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.tor.com
House
Of Reeds’ is the first book set in Thomas Harlan's ‘Time Of The
Sixth Sun’ universe where the Aztecs, with their Japanese allies,
have conquered the world and are now exploring the stars. Apart
from alien enemies, Imperial Mexica has human ones amongst the regimes,
notably European, driven off the homeworld.
On the planet, Jagan, lives an alien civilisation
that once itself had star travel, but as the consequence of a disastrous
nuclear war, several centuries in the past, is now little more industrialised
than our Victorian era. The Mexican Empire has established a base
and is spreading its influence.
Various characters and groups are drawn to the planet.
Amongst them, Gretchen Anderssen, a xenoarcheologist, and two companions
are sent by their company to investigate a rumour of an ancient
artefact, a battered warship arrives for repairs and re-supply and
a shadowy religious organisation prepares for a Flowery War.
The old Aztecs used to organise such fights with the
intention of taking prisoners for sacrifice in their temples. In
this case, it is to blood the regiment newly arrived on the planet
and they plot a native uprising to test them.
There are several intertwining plots and matters
do not go as planned as others intend that the uprising will succeed
and drive the Imperials from the planet.
I do not want to give too much of the story away,
so suffice to say this is a fast moving tale set in a world which
is slowly being subjected to occupation by a star-travelling human
empire. The author has refreshed this frequently used scenario by
having the Imperials based on a culture other than a North American
one.
If you like space opera you will enjoy Thomas Harlan's
‘House Of Reeds’. I look forward to his next book set in this milieu.
Paul Hanley 
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