Redemption of Sisyphus is the last novel of the Shan Thaku Legacy. The inevitable war begins, led by an incontrollable Odysseus without the need of the puppet used to rule so far. In the meantime, at L-4 Prime Chancellor Roja unites with the crew of the Jakob Walts, who by now consider themselves the founders of a new colony. The mystery of the Tacra Un is uncovered piece by piece by the colonists and shared with Roja only when there’s no other choice. The collaboration is tense from the start. Things get creepier and creepier as time goes by and new secrets are uncovered. But time is running out: Odysseus controls the rest of the fleet and it’s ready to destroy the Tacra Un, because that’s what it was build for. Will it succeed and put back humanity in a condition of slavery, this time with a machine as master?
The Shan Thaku Legacy poses an ethical question to scientists: is it wise to put so much power in the hands of a scientific creation with the intent to save humanity from its own destruction at the risk to enslave it? Eric Michael Craig concludes this trilogy masterfully, in a breathtaking final battle where every side has everything to lose and fights for survival. What I appreciated the most in the whole trilogy is the fact that all characters are explored in all their shades of colour. Like in life, there’s no black and white, no good and bad. People do what they think is right, even when they act in their own interests. I enjoyed the whole trilogy and I recommend it to all readers who like first contact stories and bumpy rides.
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