Jerry Pournelle · 1980 · Novel
Setting: far future
Four levels of technology collide in this fascinating sci-fi thriller about a Renaissance general racing to extract the secrets of space flight from a forgotten library guarded by barbarians on horseback before the bureaucrats of a re-ascendant galactic empire can finish classifying the Renaissance general's world as a flightless backwater planet fit only for subjugation and exploitation. As is often the case in hard sci-fi, the characters' personalities are neglected in favor of in-depth discussion of military tactics, historical speculation, and political economy, but the writing is tight, thoughtful, and fun, so it's not too hard to suspend your disbelief. This book is a sort of sequel to the much more famous *The Mote in God's Eye*, but the events are largely independent.
Source: OpenLibrary
Tags: Science fictionSpace coloniesFictionFiction, science fiction, general
isfdb_id: 25410
openlibrary_id: OL1840476W
Wikipedia · Amazon · Audible · Google Books · Goodreads · OpenLibrary