Review: Science Fiction with a tiny fantasy edge.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 14, 2013
I can just see this being made into a movie. There is enough action to keep action fans happy, enough story, plot and fleshed-out characters to keep plot lovers happy, enough mystic happenings to satisfy those fans, with a credible love story to give some sense of urgency without trampling the tale.Diehl does a great job of developing characters and a story. From minor squabbles between houses to the desperate conflict of the high houses and lunar colonies, everything feels like you might find a similar example in today's world. The exceptional long 'peace' and reign of the higher houses may seem strange by our world's standard, but maybe not so much when considering, say, China. The love interest in the story unfolds in a believable way; not at all like some romance novels where things don't quite represent what happens in real life. Most of all I enjoyed the way Diehl tells the story, from his choice of words and descriptions to the varies intertwining plot points.This is a blend of science fiction and fantasy, much like Star Wars (though the story is completely different) and as such, one point bothered me over and over.  With all this high tech gear - come on, we're talking flying fighters!- why, oh why, do they use swords in close combat? There was one point in the story I went, "What Total Foolishness",  or some such expression, since you wouldn't catch me giving up my hand gun for a sword. But, as Ben Bova says, "Make one thing unbelievable and the rest consistent." So I give Diehl this point because the book was such a good read.Now, because I had read 24:01 One Minute After, I was waiting for the shoe to drop, since one of his short stories works into this novel. In some ways this distracted me. So, I suggest you read this story first because, even though the short story was part of a whole group of tales, it stood out enough for me to remember it while I was reading Water Harvest almost five months later.My Recommendation:  I loved this story and the way Diehl spins the tale. Anyone who likes both fantasy and science fiction might well enjoy this artfully crafted blend.