Plague of Memory: A Stardoc Novel (Stardoc)

Book Description

Dr. Cherijo Torin is not herself. With no memory of her past-or even of the man she loved-she sees herself as a different person and has no desire to remember who she once was. But Cherijo must remember if she's to develop a cure for the Hsktskt plague before their race becomes extinct.

Customer Reviews:

good sci-fi series.......2007-07-04

This is the best book of the series, in last book Cherijo's memory is gone, so now she wants to be called Jarn, the only memories she has is as Jarn. In this book she is not mean to Duncan, she comes to love him and is a better wife than Cherijo was, it's about time poor Duncan gets treated right. She does not get tortured, beaten, burned, etc, which is a big plus, that was getting kinda old. Also, she doesn't spend all her time being the genius doctor.

great comeback.......2007-05-25

I've read the entire series, was disappointed in Rebel Ice but this book makes up for it. This is my favorite one of the series. Cherijo, now called Jarn does'nt spend all her time and energy being a doctor, she does'nt get tortured again and again through out the book and finally Duncan has a real wife who loves him as much as he loves her and she is not mean and hateful to her husband now. Her new personality is a great improvement.

Very disappointing.......2007-04-24

I have to explain the depth of my disappointment -- I HATE reading first person novels. Even so, I read the first Stardoc and was hooked. Viehl's Stardoc novels are the only first person books I have completed and I surprised myself by buying more in the series. So you can imagine how disappointed I am to see that Jarn lives on. While I enjoyed the third person format of Rebel Ice, I did not like the characters (Reever is always the exception). Jarn especially is as obnoxious as other reviewers have painted her -- vicious, stubborn, subservient, stupid, cold, unemotional, and withdrawn. Cherijo was obnoxious as well -- stubborn, know-it-all, selfish, and holier-than-thou. But at least with Cherijo, there was some evidence that she could grow as a character. The only growth with Jarn is when she regains some of Cherijo's memories. The love scenes between Reever and Jarn are mechanical and cold -- there is simply no emotion in that character and her "love" for her daughter doesn't seem to be anything more than her duty as a mother. A plea to the author -- kill off Jarn and bring Cherijo back. Please, or I may have to say goodbye to the series.

Overwhelming Disappointment with a Glimmer of Hope.......2007-04-05

I was very disappointed in this book. Unlike many others, I gave its predecessor - Rebel Ice - a decent review. I felt the story was a good one. I considered it a set-up for major character development of Cherijo Grey Veil. I was looking forward to its sequel and the re-establishment of the original character, with all the dramatic shenanigans that would entail.

Imagine my bafflement - and my rising frustration - to realize this novel was more about establishing the new character of Jarn instead of the slow re-emergence of Cherijo.

Jarn is an obvious set up to foil Cherijo Grey Veil in every possible way. She's unemotional, rigid, simple, cold, predatorial and considers herself to be inferior to the male gender.

In short, if you liked the character of Cherijo Grey Veil - which if you've stuck by the series this far, you obviously do - then everything about this character should set your teeth on edge. And it does. She has exactly zero percent of the sympathy, guts, humor,intelligence and dedication of her predecessor. And she is exactly that much fun to read about.

It is horribly disheartening, therefore, to see her dogged insistence that she is NOT Cherijo Grey Veil begin to take root. The author is writing this story as if this character is here to stay. By degrees, the people around her are forced to acknowledge that Cherijo is no more; to call this new person "Jarn" and to begin to regard her completely differently.

Most disturbing of all is the re-establishment of the relationship with Duncan Reever. The man has always been portrayed as psychologically damaged, part of which manifests as an unhealty attachament to his wife. Prior to this book, that obsession has been kept in check; criss-crossing the line between romantic possessiveness and disturbing attention. Given free rein, Duncan Reever declares himself loved and in love, at last and fully, with Jarn - no longer Cherijo. Jarn herself declares herself full willing to discard other commitments and devote herself to him.

Does this or does this not make the fans of Cherijo Grey Veil just WINCE?

It is truly horrible, on every level; to see this new character supplant the old in such a way; to see Duncan Reever fall in love with what is repeatedly hammered home is a different person; to see such a horrible personality replace the old; subservient to men, overpowering in maternal instincts, weak in the medical field and uninterested in devotion to her craft.

I will also say that I have noticed, in subsequent novels by the same author, several distressing tendencies that this novel furthers: 1)to make the lead male character a very controlling, obsessive lover to the female lead, 2) make the lead female character subservient in some way to them and 3)make them all all the same! If you read Blade Dancer and BioRescue, they are essentially Cherijo Grey Veil and Duncan Reever in different circumstances.

Whatever plot was left over in the wake of this, I barely registered. But it was very soap-operatic; the clone of an old lover, the reunion with old enemies and the threat of a plaque.

The plot is certainly not what drove this series. It was the characters. So with the old character apparently on the outs and this new distressing doppelganger taking her place, I can't see myself maintaing much more interest.

I will concede, however, among my overwhelming disappointment, there was a bright spot. With the use of a predicatable plot device, some memories of Cherijo Grey Veil did surface, along with some tiny bits of old habits.

So perhaps there is hope.

An exciting futuristic fantasy - can be read in isolation.......2007-03-27

"Plague of Memory" is a fascinating book with a very interesting premise. The main character, J- is a doctor who has lost memories of the person she once was, C-. J- is living on a space ship, with C-'s husband, daughter, family and friends. They all admired and respected C-, but J- soon discovers that she does not. There is also an action packed plot full of an alien plague, slavers, and a few of C-'s old enemies.

This book stands on its own two feet; you need not have read Viehl's previous novels to enjoy it. For myself, I enjoyed Stardoc (Stardoc #1) greatly, but quickly lost interest with the sequels. C- was basically a selfish person: a lousy wife, an indifferent mother, and a work-o-holic. J- is an entirely different person, generous, loving, and willing to fight to protect those she loves. What makes this novel are the interactions as J- fights to be accepted for whom she is right now. Also, her husband, D-, is finally treated to the attention he has long deserved as an interesting character in his own right. My only problem with this book was the abundance of overly complicated references to past events.

If you enjoy this novel, I suggest you also consider Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson Series, Book 2) and Forged Without Fire: A Champion for Catlover. Though their SF/F settings are quire different, the gestalt mood is similar -- strong female leads who aren't self centered.

Average customer rating:

Rebel Ice: A Stardoc Novel (Stardoc)
S.L. Viehl
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451460626

Book Description

Dr. Cherijo Torin crash-lands on an ice planet whose population is on the verge of civil war. With no knowledge of her past-or even her identity-she becomes entangled in the encroaching conflict, unaware that her husband is moving heaven and earth to find her.

Average customer rating:

I'm Enjoying it.
Just as wonderful as the first book in this series, StarDoc!
The mindlessly pleasant journey with Dr. Grey Veil continues
A masterpiece? No. Good? Yes.
Did I mention that you should BUY this book!

Beyond Varallan (Stardoc II)
S. L. Viehl
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451457935
Release Date: 2000-07-10

Book Description

Dr. Cherijo is living the perfect life-if you think that finding out you're a clone, then being declared "non-sentient" by your father/creator is your idea of perfect.

Things could be worse. But when the Human League comes after her, with bounty hunters of every race trying to bring her in, Cherijo figures it can't get any worse...

Until someone begins stalking her dreams.

Praise for StarDoc:

"[I] just loved it. Don't miss this one."-Catherine Coulter

"Continuously surprising... deviously written...and splendidly full of new characters."--Anne McCaffrey

2nd in the StarDoc

Customer Reviews:

I'm Enjoying it........2004-02-29

I don't often get the opportunity to read good science fiction, where the characters are well-developed, consistent, and evolving. It is additionally interesting to now follow the main character out of a planet-bound environment and on to a starship- from a Deep Space 9 environment and on to moving Enterprise space ship. It provides more room for the author to develop plot twists and character growth.

I particularly like this series because it focuses on a female- a group that often gets short-shrift in the genre. She is mysterious, powerful in her own right, but also acting and thinking in a feminine manner. This is not simply a book written by a male author where the heroine is female in body only, going out and courageously kicking alien butt, acting and thinking in everyway like a man. It is good to get into her head, as the book is all written from her perspective, as the author considers how this genetically engineered woman might respond to different developments. And this Veihl does very well.

At one point, for a good portion of the book, I started to be disappointed with Veihl. The characters she had so well portrayed in the first book, and in the beginning of the second, seemed to not be following their previous descriptions. They lacked credibility. It seemed that Veihl lost her touch. But stick with it- the explanation is convincing, when it finally comes.

Unfortunately, there is less thematic philosophical development in this book, compared with the series originator. I was hoping for more exploration of the ethical ideas involved in Dr. Grey's decision to clone, and the ramifications of slavery and ownership. Perhaps it is something that will be seen in the next book.

Just as wonderful as the first book in this series, StarDoc!.......2004-02-24

Dr. Cherijo Torin had come to terms with finding out she was a clone of her "father". She learned to adjust to the fact that her Jorenian lifemate, Kao Torin, was dead. She was even doing well as a Healer among her adopted Jorenian race on the ship Sunlace. But the ship had been sabotaged and the Jorenian Warriors were out for blood! The culprit would be found and the right of ClanKill would take place! This meant the guilty one would be disemboweled (while he still breathed) by Jorenian claws. The Jorenians had many different decorations made out of the entails before the body was displayed as a warning to others not to hurt anyone of the Clans! Since Cherijo had been the Chosen of Kao, she was now of Clan Torin. Thus, any harm to her meant death by ALL of the Clans.

Reeves from Kevarzangia Two (book one) returned as well. So he is among the fighting when Dr. Grey Veil and the League (and bounty hunters and merchs, etc) come with weapons blazing!

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

The mindlessly pleasant journey with Dr. Grey Veil continues.......2003-11-05

I am again embarrassed to admit that I chewed this book up in a very short period of time; immediately following the first book in the series. First of all, you need to read StarDoc first in order to capture the mood and intent of this second novel in the series.
I will repeat that this is not great fiction, but one of the most pleasant fictional journeys I have made in awhile. Mostly Sci-Fi, the StarDoc novels surprisingly cross genres in a pleasing way. Space travel, fantastic aliens, medical thriller, murder mystery, romance, and comedy all come together in that rare way seldom achieved to bring us readers this un-mind-cluttering escape from our mundane everyday lives and suck us into the fantastic and unpredictable world of Dr. Cherijo Grey Veil.

Again, read StarDoc first, without it you will be lost.

After being rescued from her predicament on K2 by her adopted HouseClan, Cherijo travels with her HouseClan of Torin on their huge ship called The Sunlace. He is headed towards her betrothed's home plant of Joren, with some stops and surprises along the way. She immediately befriends the Senior Healer on board, and becomes fast friends with the older female. There is a clash with a fellow resident, resulting in a physical confrontation. Her ClanBrother Xonea becomes obsessed with protecting her, and further confrontations with her fellow Terran Duncan Reever are forthcoming. All while the League is still pursuing her, sending mercenaries after her consistently, while there is a betrayer on board that is killing off her Clan members in bizarre and brutal ways.

Cherijo must deal with Xonea's over-protectiveness extending even to the point of his Choosing of her to protect her, the enigma of Duncan Reever, the unresolved mysterious murders, a cacophony of injuries including her own, a hostile co-worker who will eventually become an ally, plus a huge new family when she has never known familial love before.

Light, entertaining, exciting; this is one of those series you will read for the pure unadulterated pleasure of reading. Life doesn't always have to be heavy. Enjoy.

A masterpiece? No. Good? Yes........2003-10-21

Another reviewer said this is a masterpiece and compared it with the Honor Harrington series. Far be it from me to tell another reviewer what to say, but this book is not in the same league as Weber's Harrington series. That's not to say it isn't a good book, because it is. There are very few books to compare to the Harrington series, not being one of them is no shame.

Cherijo is now living aboard the Jorenian ship Sunlace on her way to Joren--her adopted people's homeworld. but her evil father and creator isn't giving up that easy. League warships and mercenary vessels constantly attack the Sunlace trying to retrieve Cherijo, while aboard the ship itself there is a series of murders. Time is running short for Cherijo as she struggles to patch up the injured Jorenians while dodging attempts on her life. She has more than enough to do, but it seems she is the only one who can solve the mystery of who is sabotaging the Sunlace and killing her crew.

A good book, but the series does benefit from reading them in order. Do read Stardoc first.

Mark E. Cooper
Warrior Within (ISBN:0954512200)

Did I mention that you should BUY this book!.......2003-03-15

Reeves from Kevarzangia Two (book one) returned as well. So he is among the fighting when Dr. Grey Veil and the League (and bounty hunters and merchs, etc) come with weapons blazing!

Book Description

Cherijo Grey Veil is searching for a place where she'll be safe from the demented man who created her. But she soon finds that she can't just run from her past-she must destroy it...

Fourth in the national bestselling series by "[A] master storyteller." (Romantic Times)

Customer Reviews:

If angst is what you're going for..........2007-08-06

Let me start with the fact that I loved the first Stardoc Novel. The next was good, but less so. The same with the next and now we get to Shockball. For a scifi book, there is a startling lack of your typical space saga while human alien hybrids and a fictional sport seem to be the only reminders that the book is set in the future. Cherijo manages to find a disease that has long since been extinct, which of course means it is a current day disease.

I liked Reever the best in this novel compared to the other three books, however, that was not enough to save the book from overall repetitive storytelling. I personally have had enough of the angst. We get it, Chreijo has a awesome immune system so can be tortured and recover. It seems all that happened in the last book was that she was tortured and then escaped. The same happens here.

The characters have potential, but instead we are treated to the soap opera angsty life of Cherijo.

Series takes a detour..........2007-02-15

On the one hand, there's a whole can of weird going on in book four, here. There's some stuff on child molestation and rape that, well, kinda makes you wonder about the author's own history in a sad sort of way. There's also some stuff in here covering Native American future-culture that seems handled strangely. And the beginning is about as predicable as it gets. (If your arch-nemesis hands you a starship to get away in... DUH!). The setting itself is rather unique, I disagree with those who say an underground setting can't be useful.

Some of the characters also take some strange detours... Reever, her husband, becomes a sports nut, for instance. A break from his role as slaver in the last book.

But it is one of these detours that saves the book as a whole. Througout this series, the clever settings, plot twists, good concepts and developed secondary characters have shined in spite of the main character, who is usually just a pack of one-liners and snotty God-complex. Here, she starts to show the edges of some actual depth. Perhaps some maturity may be starting to leak through. Suddenly she is less window dressing and more person, in this one.

The setting and secondary characters in this one suddenly seem aimed at back-dropping this deepening in Cherijo's character. It is a pity that so many of the other characters in this story seemed to loose their depth and become one-dimensional to support her. Cherijo's father's character could have been better developed before he dies in this one, and her husband could have opened up more to her. So much could have been, in this one, but wasn't.

Of them all, this is probably my least, and most, favorite, for different reasons.

skip this one.......2005-03-19

Ok here's what you do.
Go to the local book store, get a copy of this useless book and read the first couple of chapters and the last few. As long as you forget about the rest of this waste of paper the Stardoc series as a whole will still hold a high place in your memory.

?.......2004-03-05

What happened to the series??? Yes, there's a plot, yes, we get new stuff revealed about Cherijo, but...it feels like nothing major happened. It feels like I've been stuck in a big hole in the ground the entire novel. There is no real forward progression of characters, of ideas, of feelings. It is the same stuff again, but this time on Earth. Where it's evidently a lot more boring.

There was a lot of potential in Cherijo dealing with her father. And it is mostly wasted. I can't tell you how disappointing it is to discover that she's not so unique. And soon after getting into the lab, she escapes, and spends a good chunk of time underground. Jules Verne did a great science fiction book about being underground. He was able to pull it off. Most writers since then have realized it's pretty hard to make that interesting.

And, Wow, Ick! I *don't* want to hear about vivid descriptions of rapes and child molestation. I read novels for enjoyment, and enlightenment. Not to be disgusted.

There's a fifth book out there in the series, which reveals the final details about Cherijo's life, beyond what her father did. I'm not going to bother to buy it. At this point, I've been too disappointed, and too bored, by the last two novels. The investment I made in the character in the first two novels doesn't carry me over into any further interest in her.

Cherijo continues her search for who, and what, she is..........2003-12-09

Fourth book in the Stardoc series. This is a continuing story, and I very much recommend that you start with the first book, Stardoc, and read the sequels in order: Stardoc, Beyond Vallarean, Endurance, then Shockball. If you haven't, the rest of this review will contain spoilers for the first three.

Again, I was a bit disappointed with Shockball, but only because the first two books were so very good. Shockball continues the adventures of Cherijo Grey Veil Torin, a genetically engineered human who is being pursued by her creator/father throughout the galaxy. After escaping the Hsktskt in Endurance, Cherijo finds herself surrendering to her father in order to keep the peace once again, but this time her husband Duncan is with her. After enduring many brutal hours of testing, she is miraculously rescued by an odd little man who takes her though miles of underground tunnels to his tribe that lives beneath the ground in caverns.

Cherijo discovers she is not so much rescued as she is kidnapped by these strange people, half Indian and half alien.
Again, I found this book to be a step down from the first two in the series, there are not many aliens, as Cherijo spends most of her time underground with the half breeds; and not much titillating space travel either.

Dhreen re-enters her life, finding her in the tunnels and once again helping her out, though this time she trusts him much less. She also discovers that experiments A through I were not destroyed as Joseph Grey Veil had told her, and also discovers that the reason Joe has pursued her so heavily throughout the galaxy is that he intended her to be his mate all along.

Cherijo patches up patients, stops another outbreak, and develops her relationship with her husband Duncan who is forced to participate in the Shockball contests and discovers he actually enjoys the physical competition. But the story seemed almost blasé, missing the mystery of the aliens and the excitement Cherijo stretching her capabilities to the fullest.

I have really enjoyed this series, but I am left hoping that the fifth book brings back the old Cherijo and the old mystery and excitement that made this such a special and unique reading journey.

Average customer rating:

Not Free SF Reader

An interesting story

A Good Book But....

Blade Dancer

Half-Jorenian Jory Rask is a heroine with humor and valor

Blade Dancer (Stardoc)
S.L. Viehl
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Rebel Ice: A Stardoc Novel (Stardoc)

Eternity Row:: A Stardoc Novel (Stardoc)

Shockball:: A Stardoc Novel

Endurance (A Stardoc Novel)

Plague of Memory: A Stardoc Novel (Stardoc)

ASIN: 0451459466
Release Date: 2004-07-06

Book Description

Jory Rask is a professional shockball player. The fastest runback in the game, she is loved across Terra. But Jory Rask has a secret that she's lived with for twenty-four years. In a xenophobic world that despises aliens, she is not quite human...

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

A girl with a secret finally comes undone. The main character is a
player of a professional football type of game that is violently
opposed to aliens. She has a hybrid heritage, and a broken down knee,
and when discovered, is forced to leave. What she finds is a lot worse,
ending up in the middle of a nasty military operation and conspiracy,
fighting for her life, becoming a hired killer, and trying to overcome
species prejudice.

An interesting story .......2006-12-05

Jory Rask is a shockball player. What the heck is Shockball? I have no idea, still didn't by the end of the story but it sounded a bit like American football. Except this book is set in the far distant future when the planet Terra, in a colossally xenophobic manner, won't let any aliens live there. Unfortunately for Jory her mother comes from another planet, called Joren, and therefore her daughter is a half-breed. When Jory's mother dies and her secret is discovered she is forced off the planet. She sets off to her father's homeworld on a mission to find the other six half-Jorens and tell them about their true history - that they are the result of a rape on their mothers. Jory wants to find her father too and kill him but all she has is a name. On her way to Joren she meets a "Blade Dancer", a fantastically skilled warrior who suggests that Jory enrols in training to become a Blade Dancer too.

When Jory arrives on Joren she finds that her relatives do not welcome her with open arms and neither do the other children of the rapes. She and they are forced off the planet and make their way to the Blade Dancer academy - and find themselves in a dangerous and difficult environment as they try to survive and learn to deal with a hostile world.

The story moves along really quickly. There is characterisation, plot, description and yet you never feel that it's dragging. There's a gentle love story (although neither protagonist has an ounce of gentleness!) and lots of stories of people who feel that they are unimportant learning to harness their different skills. I wasn't always entirely sure of all aspects of the plot but it was an interesting read nonetheless.

A Good Book But...........2005-11-03

BLADE DANCER is, in many ways, a very fine book. It reminds me of the best qualities of that good ol' action-adventure sf. For the longest time, that area was a male-only genre, until CL Moore and Leigh Brackett proved women were just as capable as men. I rather wonder if one of the names isn't a sort of tribute to Moore's Jiril of Jory.
The action is fast and intense, and there's a lot of it, and it seems to go in a direction, rather than be merely a string of incidents. The characters are well-portrayed and one develops affection or the reverse for them. The aliens are sufficiently exotic to match the other virtues.
I had only two problems with the book, but they kept me from giving it more than three stars. **SPOILER ALERT** The first was the "Luke, I'm your father" routine, which was ancient when Lucas used it. The other was the happy ending. I do like happy endings but in this case it seems to not have been a natural development of the characters or even the universe as established earlier in the book, but appears rather like a suspiciously large rabbit being taken out of a very small hat. I'm still glad to have read the book and do recommend it, but with a caveat.

Blade Dancer.......2005-10-17

A book that I had to read in one sitting.
This book ties very nicely into the Stardoc series.

Half-Jorenian Jory Rask is a heroine with humor and valor.......2005-09-29

Jory was one of the finest Shockball players on Earth, until it was discovered she was half-Jorenian and kicked off the xenophobic planet. When her mother died, she gave Jory an undertaking; to go to Joren and find the rest of the half-Jorenian children who were the results of the same 'raid-and-ravage' from which she was born.

Including Jory, there are seven half-breeds. Once Jory delivers her message to them, a message of truth, the others decide to join her in her quest. Jory is off to learn how to become a Blade Dancer, the deadliest of assassins, in order to hunt down and kill the biological father that violated her mother so many years ago.

The gang is trained on Reytalon in the Tana, to become Blade Dancers, but in the midst of the tests of strength and endurance, the seven must learn to trust each other also. And even Reytalon is not immune to conspiracy and evil alliances with the warring League and Hsktskt factions. Will what these seven learn at Reytalon be enough for them to avoid the same fate of their parents?

S.L. Viehl is one of my favorite authors. Definitely lighter than most of my other fare, Viehl is always able to bring in tense, taunt situations with realistic and likeable heroines, and create a story that I can literally pour myself into.

Her worlds are extraordinary, her characters so real that I would know them on the street, her aliens imaginative and believable, and her plots thick with action and adventure.

I was introduced to Jorens in Viehl's StarDoc books, and was intrigued to see a darker side of their clannish ways in Blade Dancer. Viehl gave us a little peek at just how stubborn those big blue guys are.

If you liked the 'StarDoc' series, you will love 'Blade Dancer'. 'Blade Dancer' is a good starter book to introduce yourself to Viehl's writing also, though I promise you will be running for more of her work when you finish. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

Disappointing
Cherijo is in trouble again!
Good! 'Spunkiness' over the top in parts.
No, Read It--Really
Awesome sequel of a sequel

Endurance (A Stardoc Novel)
S.L. Viehl
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451458141
Release Date: 2001-01-09

Book Description

The further adventures of Cherijo, a genetically-enhanced human engineered to be the model of perfection-if she can survive....

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2004-02-29

I think Veihl is trying to keep the readers here, and answer as many questions as she can in this book, before they start to lose interest. It feels like too much is put in, and simultaneously not enough.

This is darker than the previous two novels, as Cherijo becomes a slave for reptilian creatures. Throughout it seems that Duncan, her on-and-off-again lover, is frankly evil, and in league with the slavetraders. And his evil nature is never adequately resolved in the book. He is supposed to have this amazing telepathy with Cherijo- and yet he never uses it once to explain his actions to her, and there is never once an explanation as to why he doesn't! Veihl throws everything together literally in the last chapter, and acts like everything is fixed. It is, if you don't understand human nature, philosophy, or basic psychology. Which is disappointing, considering how well characters have been painted and built up in the previous two novels.

I don't want to read extensive litanies of torture (of which there are several) or detailed descriptions of bizarre sexual practices. I'd like to explore beliefs and philosophies- something science fiction is an ideal medium for. But in this book, I am trying to figure out why in the world Cherijo is making the choices she is, and why the author doesn't realize that these choices don't bear semblance to reality. I think the only way they can is if it turns out in the last book that Cherijo's psychology has been substantially altered along with her genetic code. So I'll read the fourth book, to find out if this is explained, and what happens to Cherijo. But I'm looking forward to it with less relish.

Cherijo is in trouble again!.......2003-11-26

Third novel in the StarDoc series. Now we find Cherijo Grey Veil Torin taken captive by the Hsktskt's, on their way to a trade port that deals in selling slaves. She is branded and made slave to OverMaster HalaVar, who is not a true Hsktskt but her own husband Duncan Reever.

Under his protection she is allowed to serve on the HskTskt ship as a medical doctor, and along the way discovers a strange disease among the league prisoners that kills without leaving behind any traces except a resemblance to spinal meningitis.

This series is best started at the first book, StarDoc, and followed through in its sequence. The first two novels, StarDoc and Beyond Varallan are much better than Viehl's third effort here. Although I still give it four stars for the quality of characterization and imagination in dreaming up new species, Viehl's plot in this sequel falls flat compared to the other two.

I became a little bored with the repetitive "catch and release" theme that seemed to dominate here: she's working in medical, a bad guy takes her to solitary (or torture) Reever rescues her, she goes back to medical, a bad guy takes her to solitary (or torture), Reever rescues her, and so on and so on.

This plotline cycled through itself way too many times in this follow-up in Cherijo's journeys, but I like the character so much I was willing to cycle with her. I am now reading the fourth installment and have both confidence and hope that Viehl will not repeat the weak plot mistake she made in this book.

All in all, the series is an extremely imaginative and fun romp through space with odd aliens and medical disasters and action packed thrills, just consider this third in the series a break from the norm. Enjoy!

Good! 'Spunkiness' over the top in parts........2003-01-07

Endurance is the third novel in S.L Vieh's fantastic Stardoc Series, featuring the trials of Doctor Cherijo Jorin. This latest installment, sees Cherijo captured on a slave world betrayed by her ex husband, emotionless, cold-hearted Reever. This novel was an emotional roller-coaster ride, as Cherijo, now being forced to minister to the sick and injured, is universally reviled by her captors, the other slaves, and her would-be friends.

As per most romance novel heroines, Cherjo goes through a lot in order to make everyone liker her. Despite this its not enough. Throughout the book, she is beaten, abused, harassed assaulted and tortured, and almost eaten. The man who loves her remains emotionally detached and (seemingly) distant.

While the beatings, torture and maiming were incredibly distasteful, Cherijo's reaction (wise-cracking comments, snappy come-backs, and karate punches), made some of the scenes unrealistically comical instead of serious. I would like to have seen Cherijo use her brain, for once, and THINK before acting. Instead, half the time, Cherijo charges into danger half-cocked like Don Quixote on his donkey forcing half of the male crew to rescue her. (Please girl! This is a sci-fi, not a bodice ripper!)

I know, I'm making some negative comments, but I really did like the book. Viehl writes in a way that makes you overlook the fact that there isn't a /huge/ amount of substance to the middle portion of the novel, and that parts of the plotline are largely repetitive. I recommend this book for fans of the series, although there wasn't a huge amount of character development until the end.

This series continues with "Shockball" the latest Stardoc novel.

No, Read It--Really.......2002-10-17

This third StarDoc novel, which finds Cherijo Torin enslaved by the Hsktskt Faction, succeeds almost in spite of itself. The basic problem is that it should never have happened. In StarDoc, Duncan Reever told Cherijo that being named designate for a Hsktskt infant "virtually guarantees you'll never be taken as a Hsktskt slave." Agreed, "virtually" isn't the same as "absolutely," but it's close enough so that only a serious crime against the Faction should trigger such a fate. All Cherijo did was negotiate a trade-the safety of Joren's inhabitants in exchange for the easy capture of an entire League military fleet. The Hsktskt admit the undamaged fleet is a major prize. So TssVar demotes his child's godmother to slave status for handing him this prize? Not likely. Viehl's disregard of her own back-story here makes it harder for readers to trust anything she writes.

Regular romantic fiction readers may find no complaints beyond Endurance's basic premise. Those who prefer their protagonists smart, savvy, and quick on the uptake will find part of the plot very frustrating. Despite all they've been through together, Cherijo has now arbitrarily pegged Duncan as a bad guy without so much as a "you owe me an explanation." This is a convention often used in books with torrid covers of Fabio clutching a chesty female in long skirts. Readers know the heroine will torture herself interminably for loving a monster, disregarding mounting evidence to the contrary. At no point will either she or said monster insist on simply talking it all out. Cherijo supposedly has a genetically enhanced brain, but it doesn't show here. Viehl can do better. Her readers-and characters-deserve better.

Luckily for everyone involved, Viehl does do better in much of Endurance. The star-crossed-love theme runs its full course, but isn't the whole story. As Cherijo adjusts to slave life, first aboard ship and then at the slave depot on Catopsa, she resumes medical duties by tending to her fellow captives. Since she got them into this mess, her life's as much at risk from them as from her captors. The pangs of tortured love pale beside the tale's almost casual physical brutality and occasional bodily torture. When push comes to shove, Cherijo morphs back into the protagonist of previous books-a diminutive Arnold Schwarzenegger, only with better gag writers. The action sequences are fast-paced, creative, and leavened with humor. Along the way, Cherijo gains new information about the mysterious Maggie and about herself.

Even at the darkest points, there's reason to hope. Cherijo's old pal Alunthri is back. She earns the grudging respect of some League captives, and makes friends among the slaves on Catopsa. Then there's Noarr, a slave runner of unknown species who becomes more than friendly. Other allies appear from unexpected quarters. The cavalry appears in the nick of time.

Viehl's basic writing skills continue to improve, though sentence structure remains a problem for her. Both of her extended attempts at dialect will annoy some readers.

Awesome sequel of a sequel.......2001-08-12

Wow... wow.... wow... There are really no words I can say about the awesomeness of this book. This is just so kewl. I can't wait for the fourth book. This author kick major cutie booty!!

Eternity Row:: A Stardoc Novel (Stardoc)

Average customer rating:

A terrible let-down to a series that showed great promise
Cherijo is back, and doing what she does best!
The best book of the series so far
it's ok
Stardoc becomes an obstetrical specialist

Eternity Row:: A Stardoc Novel (Stardoc)
S. L. Viehl
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451458915
Release Date: 2002-09-03

Book Description

Cherijo and her husband have found safety aboard the star vessel Sunlace. But they have promises to keep-promises that will endanger everything she ever fought for-including her solemn oath to protect life.

Customer Reviews:

A terrible let-down to a series that showed great promise.......2005-01-28

This is a terrible book. Terrible, just terrible. A great disappointment after her earlier books, some of which were actually quite good. This book is badly written, answers no important questions about the series, and is exceptionally unsatisfying. The ending smacks of deadlines and contractual obligations; it feels more like a sketchy half-baked outline than the big wrap up (so far) to the series.

Oh, and Ms. Viehl, if you write another book about these characters, please, please skip enough years to spare us the daughter's irritating baby talk. And please don't introduce another mystery like her teleportation ability (I assume that's what was behind her appearing in mysterious places) without at least giving us a little resolution. It's irritating enough when you finally bring us to Maggie's world and then give us her weak revelation and then basically tell us it isn't true. You have to resolve something in a 400+ page book, and the ridiculous health crisis that gets solved in ten minutes at the end of the outline-style ending just doesn't cut it. Also, the Bartermen are a terrible plot device, but not nearly as bad as the aliens who (again) kidnap Cherijo to sell her into slavery. Worse is the fact that they're so tiny that she just clonks their heads together and knocks them out to rescue herself. It's like the ending of a Superfriends episode, where everyone has a laugh at the expense of Wendy and Marvin (or Zan and Jayna, if you prefer). An amazingly cheesy ending to a book that wasn't worth the cover price.

I only give it two stars because of a lingering affection for some of the characters, few of whom get much chance to shine in this stinker.

Cherijo is back, and doing what she does best!.......2004-03-09

This is a continuing story, and I very much recommend that you start with the first book, Stardoc, and read the sequels in order: Stardoc, Beyond Vallarean, Endurance, then Shockball. If you haven't, the rest of this review will contain spoilers for the first four.

Contrary to what a lot of other readers seem to think, I believe that Eternity Row has brought Cherijo back into her groove.
In this Fifth installment of the StarDoc series, Cherijo Grey-Veil is back on board The Sunlace with her husband/linguist Duncan Reever, and their new child Marel. With them on the huge HouseClan Torin ship are their two tag-alongs from Shockball; Hawk Long Knife, a Terran/Taercal halfbreed, and Dhreen, an Oenrallian who is Cherijo's former-friend and recent betrayer.

Eternity row starts with HouseClan Torin decreeing that they will no longer turn their backs on their enemies, and have outfitted The Sunlace for war, willing to declare ClanKill on any who attack. Being upset enough about this, Cherijo goes to visit Dhreen and accidentally shoots him, causing a grievous injury. When Dhreen wakes from his surgery, he has trauma induced global amnesia. And everywhere Cherijo goes, she is now followed by the suspicious new psychiatric resident Qonja, cousin to Clan Torin.

Eternity Row is packed with more adventure than the third and fourth books, which bogged down a little on the war between the League and the Hsktskt. Although The Sunlace rescues some ships disabled and floating with both League and Hsktskt survivors, Cherijo treats them aboard the Sunlace until they can be offloaded, and thankfully does not return to this in this installment.

Instead, they head for Hawk's home world of Taerca hoping that he can locate his father. What they find is an openly hostile race of dying people, living under strict religious standards. It's trouble on Taerca, and trouble after the leave the planet when Squilyp's mail order bride from Omorr arrives, a haughty little thing who immediately begins to push around the big Jorenians. Trouble waits for Cherijo still when they arrive at Dhreen's home world of Orenrall, where things are not what they seem to be. Orenrall is hiding a horrible secret from the universe, and its up to Dhreen to remember it before the Bartermen sell them all as slaves.

Eternity Row is back on the 5 star list along with books 1 and 2 in the series, recapturing the excitement, bizarre worlds and species, and helter-skelter race against life and death that Cherijo always gets herself tangled into. Strange planets, purple moulds, feline deities, squishy worms, planetary drug addictions, the strange ClanCousin Qonja watching her every move, and a racial struggle for death rather than life all will plant themselves in Cherijo's path and force her to confront them.

What I really liked about this installment in the series is that they put aside the war for a while to concentrate on bringing back the more sci-fi elements of the series. I like the books better when Cherijo and Duncan get along, their squabbling can get tiresome at times. And I love the places and Beings that S.L.Veihl can dream up, and was getting tired of the Hsktskt/League conflict.

The worst and most annoying thing about this installment is the baby talk that Marel speaks. Okay, I know she is supposed to be a precocious child, but I dearly hope that her speech is better in the next StarDoc book. And Ms. Veihl, you had better be working on it now, because I can't wait to take off again with Cherijo on her adventures. Enjoy.

The best book of the series so far.......2003-10-25

This one has to be the best book in the series. Eternity row finally shows us why Dhreen is the way he is, and why he betrayed Chejiro to her father. I don't want to give the plot away, but I will say one thing. The author really knows how to knock holes in one's preconceptions. Eternal life would surely be looked upon by us all as a blessing... well Viehl shows us the possible reality of such a thing and it is hellish. :¬)

Mark E. Cooper
Warrior Within (ISBN:0954512200)

it's ok.......2003-04-25

I agree that books 1 and 2 were much more interesting. I admit that, before reading Shockball, I discovered Viehl had written some romance books and that tained my opinion of her writing. Hence, the intimate scenes in Shockball read like a romance and that annoyed me. I found several plot holes and contradictions but if you don't care about such things, the book is an ok read. The fate of the main character's "father" seemed somewhat anti-climatic but there was lots of other plot-finishing going on to make up for it a bit.

Stardoc becomes an obstetrical specialist.......2003-02-18

While I agree with some reviwers that this is not the best of the Stardoc series, those familiar with the characters will enjoy getting more deeply into the lives of the supporting cast. If you have never read a Stardoc novel before, this is definitely NOT the place to start. The author needs to get out of the obsession with reproduction and on to other topics. If you have read the other Stardoc novels and want to see what is happening with Cherijo and her extended family I would advise buying it used if possible.

Average customer rating:

Fun reading
Just some great Sci-Fi reading.
Not best ever, but good.
Fast and Entertaining
All the reviews are kind of right...

Stardoc (Stardoc #1)
S. L. Viehl
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451457730

Customer Reviews:

Fun reading.......2007-08-20

I enjoyed this book, because the characters were interesting, and I like medical drama and romance. However, I don't like to-be-continued ending, which necessitated my buying the next book.

Just some great Sci-Fi reading........2007-07-11

There is not much I can say about "Stardoc" other than its a great read that you will have a hard time putting down. The plot is fairly straight forward with a few sub plots, there is nothing to confuse you, there is the good guys, the bad guys, the pretty girl, and the very, very bad guy who happens to be the father of the pretty girl and an egomaniac who bioengineered her. I will not go into the book, but I will say, I started reading at the supper table and finished still sitting at the supper, soon to become breakfast table. This book is fast paced and you will definitely want to read more in the "Star Doc" series, Sci-Fi at its best.

Not best ever, but good........2006-11-09

This book had a slow start but finally picked up speed and evolved into a good mindless read. Not as good as works by some of the better SF authors (Orson Scott Card for example) but an interesting, entertaining and lighthearted read. I look forward to the rest of the series.

Fast and Entertaining.......2006-04-25

Stardoc is fun and entertaining. Nice mix of action with a little romance. I did not realize it was part of a series until I got to the end. This book was hard to put down, but the next few books in the series move even faster.

All the reviews are kind of right..........2005-09-26

This novel is for sci-fi fans who like super-fast character-driven plots with soft-science. The aliens are from Star Trek, the ships are from Star Wars and the science is pure fantasy. But if you like that kind of thing this is for you. If you want hard science fiction or James White medical sci-fi, this is NOT for you.

Average customer rating:

Shockball : A Stardoc Novel
S. L. Viehl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000JC30W4

Beyond Varallan a Stardoc Novel StarDoc II

Average customer rating:

Beyond Varallan a Stardoc Novel StarDoc II
S. L. Viehl
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JCZ0S6

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