Note that nothing remotely resembling this scene or that outfit happens in the book.
When his spell as Planetary Governor of Liberia comes to an end John Grimes, spacefaring adventurer, is deemed a political embarrassment by the incoming regime and hurriedly bundled off-planet on the next ship.
Not too worry, the next port of call is Sparta and the reigning Archon is one of Grime's old mates. While John waits for his beloved ship to come and collect him he plans to enjoy himself and since another of his old friends - the lovely Maggie Lazenby - has just arrived, that should be easy.
There are a few complications. The Neo-Hellenistic Spartans consider syrup coffee and sweet rolls to be a decent breakfast, obnoxious reporter Fenella Pruin has turned up and the Archon gets kidnapped by a gaggle of feminists with revolution in mind.
John Grimes has to save his friend, stop Lady Ellena and her Amazon Guard installing themselves as the new regime and finally get back into the control chair of his damn ship.
In times like these a man needs allies and luckily for him, Shirl and Darleen - part human, part kangaroo, mostly lethal - are in town.
In times like these a man needs allies and luckily for him, Shirl and Darleen - part human, part kangaroo, mostly lethal - are in town.
I'll admit it. I bought this one for the cover, misleading though it might be.
As it happens, Lady Ellena is more Lady Macbeth than Xena Warrior Princess, preferring to achieve her aims through plotting and force of personality rather than swordplay. It's also made clear that she really, really could not pull off the Brass Bikini look anyway.
This book pretty much qualifies as "OK but..."
"The Last Amazon" is readable and kept me entertained for an afternoon but strolls along at a gentle pace and even when it goes into the action never quite managed to get me excited. A good book manages to pull you in and feel like you were right there alongside the hero. Didn't really happen here.
Part of the problem is Grimes himself. He seems to be the sort of protagonist where things happen around him and not because of him. Admittedly he does indulge in a spot of spacejacking but it's surprisingly low key and the climax consists of The Archon stepping out of the crowd and telling the would-be dictator "Oi. Knock it off"
Not exactly like that but you get the picture.
Mind you Shirl and Darleen are as much fun as they were in "The Wild Ones" and there is a certain amount of entertainment in the idea that Australia is one of the great spacefaring powers.
So...
Read it, thought it was decent enough but now it'll probably get stashed away on a bookshelf and forgotten about.
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