The Light-years Beneath My Feet | Date: 14 April 2011, 05:17
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The Light-Years Beneath My Feet (2005) is the second SF novel in the Taken series, following Lost and Found. In the previous volume, Marcus Walker and George the talking dog escape from the Vilenjji slaveship with Sque and Braouk. Their lifeboat is rescued by the Sessrimathe and taken to Serematherin. There they make friends and have living spaces with every possible convenience. Yet they wish to return home.
In this novel, Marc has learned how to cook for the Sessrimathe and other aliens with alien equipment. His creations are well accepted by his friends and his later demonstrations are well attended. At one of his performances, Viyv-pym-parr of the Niyyuu offers him a position on her home planet. Marc talks it over with his friends and they agree on taking the chance to travel on to Niyu, even though they are not sure that it is even within the same galactic arm as their home planets.
Marc accepts Viyv-pym's offer, but with one condition: his friends must be taken along. She agrees and provides a departure date. On the night before, they all pack and turn in early.
They are rudely awakened in the early morn by the Vilenjji from the slaveship. The Sessrimathe were conned by the Vilenjji's expressions of remorse and repentance and, after a time, had let them go free. Now the Vilenjji are engaged in repossessing their lost property; the four friends are bound thoroughly and loaded into a cargo container.
On the way out of the building, the Vilenjji are attacked by the Niyyuu and either killed or driven away. Viyu-pym had left a liquid tracker in Marc's body just in case and had been alerted by its early morning movements. After retrieving their luggage, the four friends are transported to the Niyyuu ship for their voyage to Niyu.
This novel is another introduction to the alien cultures of the galaxy. A custom of the Niyyuu is traditional warfare. Civilization had started on the planet with the separation of the civilian and military aspects of their culture. They still fought small, localized wars with each other, but only against legitimate military targets.
The concept of collateral damage was not accepted by the Niyyuu; any city that caused such incidents was punished by a coalition of the surrounding cities. So was any formal alliance, or appearance of it, by two or more city states. In many respects, the Niyyuu seem much like the ancient Greeks, but with a strict separation of warfare from the civilian population. However, war broadcasts had become a major factor in the entertainment media.
Marc's culinary performances were well received by the Niyyuu, as was the entertainment provided by his friends. These four alien creatures were unique on the planet and other city states were envious of Kojn-umm, the hiring city. Of course, Kojn-umm was well pleased with their presence. Maybe too pleased.
When Marcus and his friends asked for information on their home planets, the government leaders were noncommittal. After a while, Marc learned that these leaders were only paying lip service to their requests. How could they get the Niyyuu to help them discover the location of their home planets?
This work is light SF with a few unexpected twists. With the exception of the capitalistic Vilenjji, none of the aliens are truly hostile to the four friends. Still, one of the Niyyuu becomes a bit incensed by the political manipulations.
Highly recommended for Foster fans and for anyone else who enjoys light tales of travel, aliens and political intrigue.
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