Review: Fascinating and Fun
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 16, 2012
Ed Hoornaert's clear and pleasing prose sucked me right into the plight of Tompa Lee, a woman abandoned by human society twice in her young life.  When she is falsely accused of a terrorist attack against Earth's new trading partners, she has every reason not to trust others.  She is thrust into a trial by combat on a desert island with three hundred accusers and must fight to survive, which she is well accustomed to.  What she is not used to is the friendship and aid she receives from her protectors, the charming little alien Amwit, and her would-be savior, Dante, an officer in Earth's Space Navy.Tompa, Amwit, and Dante are noble, lovable characters.  The bond they forge transforms our heroine and, we are given to hope, an entire society.  The humor that comes from mistranslations and cultural differences contributes to Hoornaert's delightful voice, even as he explores the complex themes of justice, sacrifice, and the individual's place in society.  Few authors can craft a novel that holds all of that together so satisfyingly.  The Trial of Tompa Lee is deadly serious, and still, it's a rollicking romp on a distant planet, full of adventure and heart.I heartily recommend it.