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Only the infinite historical experiences of teeming Terra offered a guide to the problems to be faced by the future imitators of Christopher Columbus and Captain Cook.

This was very obvious in the case of the fifth planet-colony to be visited by the recontact ship Daedalus. For the struggle for food had become bitter and hard and the main human colony there had slid back to grim fundamentals. The Earth parallel lay in the presence, across an "impassable" ocean of another continent, another human colony, long isolated and alienated.

The solution was there but the voyage would rival that of Christopher Colombus - and all the clever science brought from faraway Earth was no substitute for old-fashioned courage and pioneering risk.

Ecology, psychology, and oceanography supply the framework that makes BALANCE OF POWER memorable - and timely.

Cover by Don Maitz

Published in 1979 by DAW.
ISBN:0-87997-437-0

The infinite historical experiences of teeming Terra would always offer a helpful guide to the problems faced by space explorers in the future.

This was very obvious in the case of the fifth planet-colony visited by the recontact ship Daedalus. For the struggle for food had become hard and bitter, and the main human colony there had slid back to grim fundamentals.

The Earth parallel lay in the presence, across an "impassable" ocean, of another continent, another human colony long isolated and alienated.

The solution was there but the voyage would rival that of Christopher Colombus And all the clever science brought from faraway Earth was no substitute for old-fashioned courage and pioneering risk.

Published in 1984 by Hamlyn.
ISBN:0-09-933200-0

Review by Ian Braidwood

Cast of Characters:
Alexis Alexander, Cpt Peter Rolving, Linda Beck, Karen Karelia, Nathan Parrick, Conrad Silvian, Marial Valory, Nieland, Ogburn, Ling, Roach, Thayer, Malpighi, Jan Verheyden, Al'ha, Piet Verheyden, Charles Verheyden, Christian Verheyden, Anna Verheyden, Ul'el, Ur'shere, Ik're.

As the title implies, there are parallels to be drawn between Attica and Earth, though you'd be wrong if you assumed that Brian was going to recapitulate Mutually Assured Destruction. In fact, the early parts of this novel are more reminiscent of the colonisation of the Americas by the Spanish and Portuguese; with the exception that America had to import its conquistadors.

The story starts some months after the Daedalus has set down on Attica's eastern continent, Lambda. Alex and Mariel have joined the crew of a ship making a voyage of discovery to Delta, the western continent where Mariel hopes to study the Ore'l, the indigenous people.

Unlike the earlier Daedalus stories, this isn't a biological mystery. There are biological elements involved, but the plot revolves around the established political situation among the Ore'l and Alex's attempts to avert a conflict between the two continents.

This one is a lot tauter than the others, especially once the travellers reach Ak'lehr.

The Brian Stableford Website