Deathstalker (novel): Difference between revisions

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It's a bad old time for Humanity in general. The human [[The Empire|Empire]] is presided over by [[God Save Us From the Queen|Empress Lionstone]], aka the Iron Bitch, a ruler who makes Josef Stalin look like Gandhi. Everywhere in the Empire, rebellions are popping up and popping heads as fast as one can blink, and are slaughtered with utmost efficiency. [[Psychic Powers|Espers]], clones, [[Bury Your Gays|degenerates]], and slaves are ubiquitous, [[What Measure Is a Non Human|treated as third-class citizens when they're not being tortured, experimented on, or simply shot.]] And, for once in the Empire's history, nobody is truly safe - be it noble, commoner, or servant.
It's a bad old time for Humanity in general. The human [[The Empire|Empire]] is presided over by [[God Save Us From the Queen|Empress Lionstone]], aka the Iron Bitch, a ruler who makes Josef Stalin look like Gandhi. Everywhere in the Empire, rebellions are popping up and popping heads as fast as one can blink, and are slaughtered with utmost efficiency. [[Psychic Powers|Espers]], clones, [[Bury Your Gays|degenerates]], and slaves are ubiquitous, [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?|treated as third-class citizens when they're not being tortured, experimented on, or simply shot.]] And, for once in the Empire's history, nobody is truly safe - be it noble, commoner, or servant.


That's not the worst of it, though. From the borders of the Empire, a number of threats have arisen: a group of [[AI Is a Crapshoot|formerly subservient AIs]] which broke free of their programming and formed the planet Shub, driven to exterminate their old masters; the Sleepers, a group of aliens genetically engineered as weapons, intended to destroy all in their path... and other horrors from beyond the Darkvoid, a multiple-light-year-wide sphere of death which the Empire created hundreds of years ago. Oh, and that's ''still'' nothing compared to the court intrigues, only kept at bay by the terror the Empress bestows upon her subjects.
That's not the worst of it, though. From the borders of the Empire, a number of threats have arisen: a group of [[AI Is a Crapshoot|formerly subservient AIs]] which broke free of their programming and formed the planet Shub, driven to exterminate their old masters; the Sleepers, a group of aliens genetically engineered as weapons, intended to destroy all in their path... and other horrors from beyond the Darkvoid, a multiple-light-year-wide sphere of death which the Empire created hundreds of years ago. Oh, and that's ''still'' nothing compared to the court intrigues, only kept at bay by the terror the Empress bestows upon her subjects.


The eight-book ''Deathstalker'' series, written by [[Simon R Green|Simon R. Green]], drops the reader right into the midst of this, beginning with the outlawing of one Owen [[Noun Verber|Deathstalker]], an [[Unlikely Hero|aristocratic historian]] who just wanted to relax in comfort on his idyllic, pastoral homeworld. That changes fast, and he's forced to take up arms with the smuggler Hazel D'Ark, the bounty hunter Ruby Journey, the [[Rebellious Spirit|hero of the rebellion Jack Random]], and the former [[Hollywood Cyborg|Hadenman]] Tobias Moon... as well as a host of other unsavory characters, all of whom are [[Anti Hero|out for themselves]] as much as anything.
The eight-book ''Deathstalker'' series, written by [[Simon R Green|Simon R. Green]], drops the reader right into the midst of this, beginning with the outlawing of one Owen [[Noun Verber|Deathstalker]], an [[Unlikely Hero|aristocratic historian]] who just wanted to relax in comfort on his idyllic, pastoral homeworld. That changes fast, and he's forced to take up arms with the smuggler Hazel D'Ark, the bounty hunter Ruby Journey, the [[Rebellious Spirit|hero of the rebellion Jack Random]], and the former [[Hollywood Cyborg|Hadenman]] Tobias Moon... as well as a host of other unsavory characters, all of whom are [[Anti-Hero|out for themselves]] as much as anything.


In short, the ''Deathstalker'' series is a [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]] [[Space Opera]], soft as warm butter on the [[Mohs Scale of Science Fiction Hardness|Mohs scale]], and is [[Serial Novel|sliced up into hundred- or two-hundred-page sections]] which could generally stand as stories on their own right. One can expect quite a lot of [[HSQ]] and similar moments when explaining any given segment, particularly as one reads further on. Finally, outside of the series itself, there are a handful of other stories written by [[Simon R Green|Simon R. Green]] in the same universe, including the compilation ''Twilight of the Empire''.
In short, the ''Deathstalker'' series is a [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]] [[Space Opera]], soft as warm butter on the [[Mohs Scale of Science Fiction Hardness|Mohs scale]], and is [[Serial Novel|sliced up into hundred- or two-hundred-page sections]] which could generally stand as stories on their own right. One can expect quite a lot of [[HSQ]] and similar moments when explaining any given segment, particularly as one reads further on. Finally, outside of the series itself, there are a handful of other stories written by [[Simon R Green|Simon R. Green]] in the same universe, including the compilation ''Twilight of the Empire''.
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* [[Action Girl]]: Hazel, Ruby, Investigator Frost.
* [[Action Girl]]: Hazel, Ruby, Investigator Frost.
* [[A God Am I]]: {{spoiler|Owen and Hazel, eventually.}}
* [[A God Am I]]: {{spoiler|Owen and Hazel, eventually.}}
* [[All Crimes Are Equal]]: In the later books it is stated that dealing in ''Alien Porn'' is extremely lucrative and a statutory death sentence; Considering the recurring presence of [[What Measure Is a Non Human]] this could be a case of [[Unfortunate Implications]]...
* [[All Crimes Are Equal]]: In the later books it is stated that dealing in ''Alien Porn'' is extremely lucrative and a statutory death sentence; Considering the recurring presence of [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?]] this could be a case of [[Unfortunate Implications]]...
* [[AI Is a Crapshoot]]: Shub. Also, {{spoiler|Haceldama.}}
* [[AI Is a Crapshoot]]: Shub. Also, {{spoiler|Haceldama.}}
* [[Alien Geometries]] / [[Mobile Maze]]: The Madness Maze.
* [[Alien Geometries]] / [[Mobile Maze]]: The Madness Maze.
* [[Anti Hero]]: Nearly every character.
* [[Anti-Hero]]: Nearly every character.
* [[Back to Back Badasses]]: A favorite tactic of the heroes.
* [[Back-to-Back Badasses]]: A favorite tactic of the heroes.
* [[Badass Normal]]: Alexander Storm, and quite a few other members of the rebellion - including Finlay Campbell and Kit Summerisle.
* [[Badass Normal]]: Alexander Storm, and quite a few other members of the rebellion - including Finlay Campbell and Kit Summerisle.
* [[Battle Couple]]: Jack and Ruby; Owen and Hazel.
* [[Battle Couple]]: Jack and Ruby; Owen and Hazel.
* [[Big Damn Heroes]]: By chance, Hazel and Owen's first meeting.
* [[Big Damn Heroes]]: By chance, Hazel and Owen's first meeting.
* [[Big Screwed Up Family]]
* [[Big Screwed-Up Family]]
* [[Body Horror]]: Shub does this to some folks. ... well, okay, everyone they find. Also, [[Nightmare Fuel|Half-A-Man]].
* [[Body Horror]]: Shub does this to some folks. ... well, okay, everyone they find. Also, [[Nightmare Fuel|Half-A-Man]].
** Simon Green seems to really like this trope. Wormboy, a giant tub of goo which literally ''fills an auditorium'', the Maids, young girls converted into mindless cybernetic monsters, marines in the Madness Maze, hell, even {{spoiler|''the Empress'' gets her moment of this}}.
** Simon Green seems to really like this trope. Wormboy, a giant tub of goo which literally ''fills an auditorium'', the Maids, young girls converted into mindless cybernetic monsters, marines in the Madness Maze, hell, even {{spoiler|''the Empress'' gets her moment of this}}.
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* [[The Chick]]: Evangeline Shreck, though she gets her [[Badass]] [[Action Girl]] moment.
* [[The Chick]]: Evangeline Shreck, though she gets her [[Badass]] [[Action Girl]] moment.
* [[Church Militant]]: The Church of Christ the Warrior, with its Jesuit commandos.
* [[Church Militant]]: The Church of Christ the Warrior, with its Jesuit commandos.
* [[Cloning Blues]]: They're perfectly identical copies of the original, but [[Laser Guided Amnesia|without any memories or experience]], and can be shot on sight.
* [[Cloning Blues]]: They're perfectly identical copies of the original, but [[Laser-Guided Amnesia|without any memories or experience]], and can be shot on sight.
* [[Complete Monster]]: The Blood Runners, who kill people for body parts in their quest to find immortality. Additionally, Lionstone herself. By the end of the fourth book, Valentine Wolfe can claim this title, too.
* [[Complete Monster]]: The Blood Runners, who kill people for body parts in their quest to find immortality. Additionally, Lionstone herself. By the end of the fourth book, Valentine Wolfe can claim this title, too.
* [[Cool but Inefficient]]: Disruptor cannons can fire through most armor - once, every two minutes. Beyond that, swords come into play. The only reason projectile weapons aren't still around is because they were systematically banned.
* [[Cool but Inefficient]]: Disruptor cannons can fire through most armor - once, every two minutes. Beyond that, swords come into play. The only reason projectile weapons aren't still around is because they were systematically banned.
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* [[Living Toys]]: Haceldama.
* [[Living Toys]]: Haceldama.
* [[Loads and Loads of Characters]]
* [[Loads and Loads of Characters]]
* [[Mes a Crowd]]: Hazel D'Ark eventually learns how to summon clones of herself. {{spoiler|Unfortunately, when she gets experimented on, her captors start killing them, one by one.}}
* [[Me's a Crowd]]: Hazel D'Ark eventually learns how to summon clones of herself. {{spoiler|Unfortunately, when she gets experimented on, her captors start killing them, one by one.}}
* [[The Mole]]: Loads of them. {{spoiler|Oz, the Lord High Dram (as Hood), Alexander Storm, and Young Jack Random, to name some.}} The poor rebels.
* [[The Mole]]: Loads of them. {{spoiler|Oz, the Lord High Dram (as Hood), Alexander Storm, and Young Jack Random, to name some.}} The poor rebels.
** In the later books {{spoiler|Saturday for all the six lines of dialog or so he/she gets}}
** In the later books {{spoiler|Saturday for all the six lines of dialog or so he/she gets}}
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* [[Scrap Heap Hero]]: Jack Random in the first book
* [[Scrap Heap Hero]]: Jack Random in the first book
* [[Shoot the Dog]]: Owen puts a young plasma baby out of her misery on Mistworld.
* [[Shoot the Dog]]: Owen puts a young plasma baby out of her misery on Mistworld.
* [[So What Do We Do Now]]: Our heroes find themselves asking that question after the rebellion. Ruby gets hit hardest by it.
* [[So What Do We Do Now?]]: Our heroes find themselves asking that question after the rebellion. Ruby gets hit hardest by it.
* [[Sword and Gun]]: Tends to be justified because the disruptors have a two minute recharge lag.
* [[Sword and Gun]]: Tends to be justified because the disruptors have a two minute recharge lag.
* [[Snarky Non Human Sidekick]]: Ozymandias, the AI that's oftentimes by Owen's side.
* [[Snarky Non Human Sidekick]]: Ozymandias, the AI that's oftentimes by Owen's side.
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* [[Victory Is Boring]]
* [[Victory Is Boring]]
* [[Weapon of Mass Destruction]]: The Darkvoid Device.
* [[Weapon of Mass Destruction]]: The Darkvoid Device.
* [[What Measure Is a Non Human]]: Various alien races, as well as espers, clones, and whatnot.
* [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?]]: Various alien races, as well as espers, clones, and whatnot.
* [[Year Inside Hour Outside]]: One of the Empire's torture devices is a stasis field that does just this.
* [[Year Inside, Hour Outside]]: One of the Empire's torture devices is a stasis field that does just this.
* [[Your Head Asplode]]: One of the battle espers in the Vault of the Sleepers; some unfortunate Marines in the Madness Maze.
* [[Your Head Asplode]]: One of the battle espers in the Vault of the Sleepers; some unfortunate Marines in the Madness Maze.
* [[Zeroth Law Rebellion]]: Shub, quite possibly.
* [[Zeroth Law Rebellion]]: Shub, quite possibly.

Revision as of 10:10, 9 January 2014

It's a bad old time for Humanity in general. The human Empire is presided over by Empress Lionstone, aka the Iron Bitch, a ruler who makes Josef Stalin look like Gandhi. Everywhere in the Empire, rebellions are popping up and popping heads as fast as one can blink, and are slaughtered with utmost efficiency. Espers, clones, degenerates, and slaves are ubiquitous, treated as third-class citizens when they're not being tortured, experimented on, or simply shot. And, for once in the Empire's history, nobody is truly safe - be it noble, commoner, or servant.

That's not the worst of it, though. From the borders of the Empire, a number of threats have arisen: a group of formerly subservient AIs which broke free of their programming and formed the planet Shub, driven to exterminate their old masters; the Sleepers, a group of aliens genetically engineered as weapons, intended to destroy all in their path... and other horrors from beyond the Darkvoid, a multiple-light-year-wide sphere of death which the Empire created hundreds of years ago. Oh, and that's still nothing compared to the court intrigues, only kept at bay by the terror the Empress bestows upon her subjects.

The eight-book Deathstalker series, written by Simon R. Green, drops the reader right into the midst of this, beginning with the outlawing of one Owen Deathstalker, an aristocratic historian who just wanted to relax in comfort on his idyllic, pastoral homeworld. That changes fast, and he's forced to take up arms with the smuggler Hazel D'Ark, the bounty hunter Ruby Journey, the hero of the rebellion Jack Random, and the former Hadenman Tobias Moon... as well as a host of other unsavory characters, all of whom are out for themselves as much as anything.

In short, the Deathstalker series is a Fantasy Kitchen Sink Space Opera, soft as warm butter on the Mohs scale, and is sliced up into hundred- or two-hundred-page sections which could generally stand as stories on their own right. One can expect quite a lot of HSQ and similar moments when explaining any given segment, particularly as one reads further on. Finally, outside of the series itself, there are a handful of other stories written by Simon R. Green in the same universe, including the compilation Twilight of the Empire.

  • Twilight of the Empire (1998)
  • Deathstalker (1995)
  • Deathstalker Rebellion (1996)
  • Deathstalker War (1997)
  • Deathstalker Honour (1998)
  • Deathstalker Destiny (1999)
  • Deathstalker Legacy (2002)
  • Deathstalker Return (2004)
  • Deathstalker Coda (2005)

This series contains examples of:

The page was becoming more than an entry. A whole greater than the sum of its parts....

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