SOJALS rating:

Mediocre (2/5)

I first read this in April 1993 and most recently on the 22nd April 2002

In the future and far out in space, sitting uncomfortably between the rival Interstellar Confederation and the Coreward Alliance empires, lies the small human-dominated Republic. Within this Republic lies the planet Hagar, a rather unsuccessful colony world.

Aliens of unknown origin are loose on the planet. A Carli troopship is orbiting ready to implement martial law. An Alliance psychic assassin is wreaking havoc, and a leaving a horrifying alien disease in his wake, through Polar City,

Our protagonist Mulligan is a powerful psychic but a dismal failure of a human being, self-pitying and still regretting his lost chance to be a baseball star.

Nunks the mute two-headed alien spends most of his time taking care of his friend Mulligan.

Lacey, once respected Navy officer is now reduced to running her illegal business from the dubious locale of Porttown. and providing a home for society's castoffs.

Lacey's best friend, Dr Carol, doctor to the outcasts of Polar City, loathes the company Lacey keeps, especially Mulligan.

Even Lacey's house computer is acting up. It seems to have a developed a personality with a particular malevolent intent directed at Mulligan.

For Police Chief Bates it's a bad week, tracking the assassin, especially with Mulligan, Nunks and Lacey involved. Now to cap it all, the PBI agent Akeli has cruised in to supervise the investigation.

For our less than successful protagonists in Porttown, it's going to be a hectic and dangerous few days, a wild ride in fact.

What a delight - there's drama, action and humour packed into this excellent work, Katharine Kerr's first SF novel. Down there amongst the gangsters, the drugs and the prostitution, there's murder, mayhem, artificial intelligence, charming characters and great compassion.

There's also a neat appendix on baseball and I now know what a shortstop is, as if I'd ever wanted to know.