Asaro, Catherine
SKYFALL
Catherine Asaro
TOR 2003
Pb 307 pages
ISBN# 0-765-34557-9
This stand-alone novel is part of The Saga of the Skolian Empire. For fans familiar with the storyline, Skyfall tells the tale of how Roca meets Eldrinson [have you ever wondered how improbable that meeting must have been?]. For those of you unfamiliar with The Skolian Empire Saga, this is not a bad place to start. Way into our future, the story goes, humanity reaches the stars only to discover that we are already there. Supposedly, a very long time ago, some ancient race took a sampling of humans from Earth then seeded them elsewhere, then disappeared, leaving humans stranded and having to grow their own societies independent of outside aid. One of these cultures now calls itself the Skolian Empire. Though they are ruled by an Assembly, the strength of that Assembly is in Skolian royalty. Ruby Dynasty psions have strong psychic powers. They run an unmatched and instantaneous interplanetary communications system (the Kyle Web) that keeps their empire strong. The problem is there are very few Ruby psions and breeding them is a challenge for even the greatest geneticists.
Roca is the daughter of Lahaylia Selei (Ruby Pharaoh) and Imperator Jarac [Skolian Empire fans know her as the mother of Soz, Kelric, and others]. Being that Roca is an Imperial princess who travels the stars the way we travel the highways, one can only wonder how it was she ever met a quiet man from the backworld planet of Lyshriol [Eldrinson calls the place Lyshriol, but prior to inclusion in the greater galactic society, outsiders just called that weigh-station Skyfall]. And so in this book we have the romantic meeting of two Rhon minds [one is reminded of the fireworks between Sauscony and Jabriol in PRIMARY INVERSION].
So--just how do Roca and Eldrinson meet? Serendipitously, of course. Roca's grown son Kurj from her first marriage wants to go to war with their enemy the Trader Aristos--it's the age-old tale of territorial dispute--but he doesn't hold enough votes to the Assembly to sway the decision in his favor . . . but his mother does. Only problem: Roca will vote against going to war. Now Kurj loves his mother but he does want her where she can't cast those votes. Roca doesn't catch on soon enough, and when she does, events fall against her getting back to the Assembly in time to keep Kurj from using her votes supposedly in her name. In her rush to get back, Roca covers her trail from Kurj's Imperial security and takes a little known route. Then more events fall against her, trapping her on Skyfall/Lyshriol for many months. By the time Kurj finally tracks her down, more events have been set in motion (love, for instance) and Roca has another battle ahead of her with the Assembly and her family: that of getting them to accept the fact that she wants to be married to a nobody (who is also a lost link to the ancient Ruby dynasty).
This is a nice love story with intriguing twists and action. Though classed as romantic science-fiction, neither the romance nor the science-fiction are over-played. It's a simple tale and an easy read. I recommend it most for Skolian Empire fans who like to get the entire story about the Ruby Dynasty. For pure entertainment, however, I think Asaro's PRIMARY INVERSION plus THE RADIANT SEAS offers more.
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