Deathstalker Series, Book 1

In a story derivative of much 1960s science fiction on film and TV, there is an interstellar human empire with an evil empress, and everybody carries swords. Disruptors and aliens and clones abound. A put-upon hero and a beautiful, but angry, female sidekick are both first-class martial artists and weapons masters. Fans of STAR TREK, STAR WARS, and similar series will lap this up. The performances and audio enhancements are excellent. The characterizations are seamless, and the special effects are surprisingly low-key and evocative. While this certainly does not match the best of classic science fiction, it plays to a young audience and does it well. D.R.W. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine