Man-Kzin Wars IX
One of the longest-running and most successful shared-world anthology series continues to explore different aspects of the wars and other relations of humanity and the felinoid, ferocious, surprisingly complex kzin. Niven's contribution brings Beowulf Schaefer into contact with a kzin trying to work around the law to earn his name. Paul Chafe's involves an ARM officer and his kzin partner in a mystery aboard an orbital depot, in which a shipping container and other things are hidden in plain sight. Hal Colebatch offers arguably the strongest entry this time with the story of a half-crippled kzin sergeant making a last stand against the human "liberation" of Wunderland while trying to preserve his honor by preserving the life of a collaborationist officer. Another distinguished contribution comes from the late Poul Anderson: a deep-space adventure in which two lovers rescue a kzin possessing more courage than sense, as is not uncommon with the breed.Roland GreenCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved