Chaining the Lady

By Piers Anthony

Book Overview

An alien being is out to save the galaxy in book two of the New York Times-bestselling author's Cluster series.

Chaining the Lady is the second Cluster book. Melody, a product of Flint and the Andromedan's mating in Cluster, must save the Milky Way Galaxy and create a place where creatures can transfer without limitations. Melody must survive in worlds unknown and alien to her and she does that where others fail when her aura augments her skills and abilities. The book opens with the discovery that Andromeda, the enemy galaxy of the first novel, has discovered the secret of involuntary hosting: a Kirlian aura that is sufficiently stronger than that of an individual can take possession of that individual. Andromeda has secretly infiltrated the highest levels of government in Sphere Sol and its allies and resurrect its plot to steal the energy of the Milky Way. Melody of Mintaka, a direct descendant of Flint of Outworld and his Andromedan nemesis, has a Kirlian aura of well over two hundred. She is pressed into service to "possess" and interrogate a captured Andromedan transferee. Melody, hosted in the young and beautiful body of Yael of Dragon, must, like her progenitor Flint, find a way to defeat the Andromedan threat and save the galaxy. The mysterious Ancients are present again in the form of their artifacts and sites. The themes of Tarot and of various myths of Sphere Sol (in this case that of Perseus and Andromeda) play a big part this novel. The InterSphere fleet of starships has forms analogous to the Tarot suits of Disks, Cups, Wands, and Swords.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1497637678
• ISBN13: 9781497637672
• Release Date: August 2014
• Publisher: Open Road Media Science & Fantasy
• Length: 338 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Not Free SF Reader

Descendant still up again Andromedans, this time with Kirlian possession. Kirlian agents of the enemy have worked up how to basically do a fair bit of mind control and bodysnatching via Kirlian transfer. To combat this the humans have set Melody of Mintaka to work, a woman with a massive Kirlian aura rating who is able in turn to take over those infiltrators. Throw in some space fleets, and tarot, and you have a reasonably entertaining book.

How the galaxy was Saved

The adventure of the tarot continues. Being the second Cluster book, it is a story of saving the galaxy. A place where creatures can transfer without limitations. Melody must save the Milky Way Galaxy, being the vidle link between technology. She must survive in worlds unknown, alien to her. She surives where others fail, her aura completing her. The book is lucid, but is not as good as the prequil. I think the best quality the book has are the characters. Nearly all are amazing, from Slammer to Hammer to Melody in their various bodies. Four out of five star.

Space Opera, combat and a hostage situation

This is the story of Melody of Mintaka, an old neuter who resembles nothing more than a crazy pipe organ. Set apart by the amazing strength of her Aura, she is the only trustworthy being in the Milkyway Galaxy. Why? The greedy beings from Galaxy Andromeda have tipped the power balance and are possessing the Milkyway's most powerful people. Placed in the body of a buxom young woman, she must seek out the enemy hostages. How? With the imagery evoked by the Tarot. The story flows smoothly, steadily builds suspense and reaches a mind breaking climax. The descriptions are evocative, the dialog believable and the story sound. This is an edge-of-your-seater during the last half of the book. Its an all around good read for Sci-Fi fans. Wait until you see the Magnets!