Ben Jeapes - THE NEW WORLD ORDER - 2004 David Fiskling Books -
An alternate history fantasy novel set in the years between 1645 and
1651. When machine guns, airships, and steam trains appear in an English Civil
War novel you know something odd is going on, and at least it combines reading
work on the Civil War with other guilty pleasures for this re-enactor, but
sadly this work shifts from how the Civil war might have gone in such a
technological environment, to dealing with the humanoid invading alien forces
who have imported such devises into the world, as Roundhead and Cavalier try to
deal with the new enemy whilst maintaining their own differences at the same
time. Too much attention is given to the Holekhor, (the invading force) and
their ability to pass through dimensional Stargate SG-1 type portals into our
world, rather than on the invaded country trying to deal with the new menace.
Jeapes spend so much time developing his relatively human invasion force that
he reduces the historic characters to cameos in the events. Matthew Hopkins,
the infamous Witchfinder General, is himself crucified by the apparent witches
from the new race, but we barely have time for him to develop as a character
himself before this occurs. This is typical of Jeapes. Characters are often
built up just to be killed off. Charles 1st dies early on, (accidentally,
stepping on a mine), and so we get little of the tension needed and promised by
a book in which Cromwell plays a more significant role. Too many characters
seem willing to make noble sacrifices of themselves to save the day, and a
figure committing utter villainy in one chapter is expected to be the hero and
gain sympathy the next. The Holekhor, may be the dullest alien invaders in SF.
A great disappointment of a novel, occasionally entertaining, but rarely
remotely convincing. Jeapes also goes to a lot of trouble to promote his own
Catholic beliefs. In one chapter, an invader who is a Catholic convert
describes the entire Bible to his confused colleagues. There are however, some
moments of delicious humour. One character asking the name of the Catholic
God for a form he has to complete on a Catholics behalf, is
told that the God is called God. He replies that this is like having a cat and
calling it Cat. Generally however, the evangelism gets in the way of the
narrative, which itself focuses on the less interesting characters.
http://www.sff.net/people/ben-jeapes/
Arthur Chappell
LINK TO THIS PAGE http://arthurchappell.me.uk/book.review-ben.jeapes-the.new.world.order.htm
LINKS TO OTHER PEOPLES PAGES E-mail arthur@chappell7300.freeserve.co.uk
UPDATES MYSPACE - http://www.myspace.com/arthurchappell
FACEBOOK - http://profile.to/arthurchappell/
FACEBOOK BLOG http://apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blogpage.php?blogid=85623
MY BOOKS - http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=952521