The Days of Glory

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Ten millennia had passed since the creation of the Beasts, and those ten thousand years had obliterated the original purpose of Adam December and the construct surgeons.

Ten millennia had passed since the word WAR was forgotten and remembered; and that word wiped out ten thousand years of peaceful coexistence.

Ten millennia, one thousand decades, ten thousand years... and for the first time Humans and Beasts were dying throughout the galaxy.

But it should have been expected: man had created the Beasts in his own image, and unfortunately, the Beasts were just like him.

The first of the brilliant science fiction trilogy of the Dies Irae, by the talented author of CRADLE OF THE SUN.

Cover by Kelly Freas

Published in 1971 by Ace.

Dedicated to Rosemary

Ten millennia had passed since the creation of the Beasts, and those ten thousand years had obliterated the original purpose of Adam December and the construct surgeons.

Ten millennia had passed since the word WAR was forgotten and remembered; and that word wiped out ten thousand years of peaceful co-existence.

Ten millennia, one thousand decades,ten thousand years ... and for the first time Humans and Beasts were dying throughout the galaxy.

But it should have been expected: man had created the Beasts in his own image, and unfortunately, the Beasts were just like him.

Published in 1974 by Five Star.

Review by Ian Braidwood

Cast of Characters:
Lord Daniel Skywolf, David Starbird, Angeline of Sula, Heljanita the toymaker, Ralph Eagleheart, Richard Stormwind, Saul Slavesdream Judson Deathdancer, Robert Hornwing, Cain Rayshade, Mark Chaos, Alexander Blackstar, James Starflare, Christopher Rainstar, Martin Hawkangel and Lord Starcastle.

Not as bad as I remember isn't exactly a recommendation, but then again it isn't meant to be.

I hated the whole Dies Irae trilogy when I first read it and although I'm better reconciled to it this time around, it has very little of what attracts me to Brian's work.

The thing which really stands out about this book is how violent it is, with limbs being chopped off and faces being burned away left, right and centre.

Historically, it was Brian's agent Anthony Cheetham who suggested that he rewrote The Iliad and The Odyssey as space opera, which he could then sell to Donald Wollheim at Ace. The strategy worked and when Wollheim left Ace to found DAW, Brian followed.

DAW went on to publish nearly twenty of Brian's novels, including both the Hooded Swan and Daedalus series.

The books are set in a far future where Mankind only developed proper interstellar travel after using genetic engineering to limit its tendency to overpopulate. Thus, our descendants found themselves in the ironic position of having the galaxy open to them, yet not being able to take it. To solve this problem Adam December creates 'the beasts' , who are identical to men except they carry the 'Crux Ansata' and have no compunction against breeding.

This really is for the completist, though having said that, it does have a certain verve...

Read Brett Bligh's Review HERE

The Brian Stableford Website