Books like Anvil of Stars

This direct sequel to The Forge of God is as far removed from its predecessor in tone and content as could possibly be. The concept of the 'Law' is fascinating, made more so by the enigmatic nature of the Benefactors. Many questions that are raised throughout the novel are left unanswered and the morality of decisions is open to interpretation. This plays an important part in what makes this novel work on an emotional level. At first, I didn’t quite get Anvil of Stars. The sexual politics, called "slicking", aboard the Ship of the Law, for one thing, didn’t appeal to me. It doesn’t take long, however, to realise just how skewed the psychological profile of the Children of Earth inevitably is. These are kids that were taken away from parents at a very young age and forced to watch the destruction of Earth. Add to that the fact that they have grown up in a space ship, in zero gravity, with only each other for company, on a mission of vengeance. Are these androgynous, vengeful, alienated creatures even human any more?It all comes together of course. Greg Bear has yet to disappoint me. The worlds he envisions here are spectacular, and events depicted mind-bending in scope and complexity. The prevailing issue, of course, is whether the Children will identify the correct Killer civilization, or whether they will destroy innocent worlds and so become Killers themselves, sentencing humanity to extinction. That is the Law.There is enough sense of wonder here to satisfy the most jaded Science Fiction enthusiast. You should read this, but in order to appreciate it, read The Forge of God first.