Metal swarm

With the alien Kilkiss defeated and apparently extinct, humanity is about to sigh with relief and resume its agenda, which includes several internecine quarrels. But the Kilkiss left behind a multitude of robots that have professed alienation from their masters and willingness to serve humanity. That all suddenly disappears, and the robots exact a considerable toll in death, disruption, and demoralization. Lo and behold! the Kilkiss aren't extinct, just hiding in places from which they emerge with hostility to humanity and control of the metal swarm of the robots. A cliff-hanger ending promises two or more further volumes of Anderson's very well-sustained Saga of the Seven Suns.--Green, Roland Copyright 2007 Booklist

Bestseller Anderson's super-size mosaic of intergalactic, Darwinian conflict has been compared to some of the genre's grandest epics with good reason, but the breakneck sixth book (after 2006's Of Fire and Night) of this shelf-bending space opera fails to satisfy on its own merits. The quickly deteriorating Terran Hanseatic League (Hansa), the formidable Ildiran Empire and the newly created Confederation of Hansa's ex-colonies and rivals are in a fight for their very existence, battling not only each other but rogue robots, sentient fire entities and an ancient insectoid race, thought long extinct, which plans to eradicate all life on the planets it claims to own. Although Anderson brings all of his considerable skill to bear, much of the action-packed conflict remains relatively predictable, perhaps due to the unwieldy cast of characters, tapestry of intertwining subplots and eon-spanning backstory. A sparse conclusion leaves readers hanging in anticipation of book seven. (Dec.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

The "Saga of Seven Suns" continues with number six of the prolific Anderson's planned seven-part series. Unfortunately, like many of its predecessors (e.g., Scattered Suns), this is on autopilot. If the humans could just get it together enough to ally in a uniform effort against the ancient-and terribly pitiless-Klikiss robots (who have caused a rebellion of human-friendly compy robots) and the sentient fire beings called faeros, they'd stand a chance. But old humanoid rifts deepen as King Peter (finally!) breaks away from Hansa chair Basil Wenceslas to form a confederation of rebels, and the wonderfully weird Ildiran race remains obliviously self-absorbed. David Colacci's narration, while workmanlike, is tepid; combined with Anderson's predictable plot, the whole exercise proves lifeless, a continuation instead of a progression. The wildly huge cast and a gazillion story arcs will only confuse listeners new to the series; recommended only for fans and for libraries where the earlier installments did well. Perhaps Anderson's planned culmination of the series, The Ashes of Worlds (due in July 2008), will be better.-Douglas C. Lord, Connecticut State Lib., Hartford (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

With the alien Kilkiss defeated and apparently extinct, humanity is about to sigh with relief and resume its agenda, which includes several internecine quarrels. But the Kilkiss left behind a multitude of robots that have professed alienation from their masters and willingness to serve humanity. That all suddenly disappears, and the robots exact a considerable toll in death, disruption, and demoralization. Lo and behold! the Kilkiss aren't extinct, just hiding in places from which they emerge with hostility to humanity and control of the "metal swarm" of the robots. A cliff-hanger ending promises two or more further volumes of Anderson's very well-sustained Saga of the Seven Suns. Copyright 2007 Booklist Reviews.

Bestseller Anderson's super-size mosaic of intergalactic, Darwinian conflict has been compared to some of the genre's grandest epics with good reason, but the breakneck sixth book (after 2006's Of Fire and Night ) of this shelf-bending space opera fails to satisfy on its own merits. The quickly deteriorating Terran Hanseatic League (Hansa), the formidable Ildiran Empire and the newly created Confederation of Hansa's ex-colonies and rivals are in a fight for their very existence, battling not only each other but rogue robots, sentient fire entities and an ancient insectoid race, thought long extinct, which plans to eradicate all life on the planets it claims to own. Although Anderson brings all of his considerable skill to bear, much of the action-packed conflict remains relatively predictable, perhaps due to the unwieldy cast of characters, tapestry of intertwining subplots and eon-spanning backstory. A sparse conclusion leaves readers hanging in anticipation of book seven. (Dec.)