(Spoilers) The beginning reminded me of Edgar Pangborne's post-apocalypse novels, in a world where modern civilization has been wiped out and the survivors have evolved into a kind of medieval society that fears knowledge and machines. The hero wants to fly, which is heresy, but as soon as he gets in trouble, a bunch of pirate types invade, and his whole motivation becomes military, and the outcome predictable. There are several chapters that are nothing but exposition, and the ending in particular deflates into an explanation of what happened, rather than a story. Disappointing to say the least. ( )

This book is divided into 2 parts, both about the same length. It follows Kieron, his life determined from birth, from what he will become to who he will marry. But his true dream is one of flight, powered by technology like once existed in past ages of man. But in a world where technology is outlawed and considered heretical, enforced by a church that is one with the state, these dreams can be his death sentence. In the first part I was continually intrigued by the hero's journey, from youth to manhood, as he tries to build his dreams in a world that is out to destroy them, all the while dealing with personal struggles and relationships. Then the second part begins and everything shifts. All the momentum of the first half is ceased as it turns into what is essentially a war novel. And while there is much more action in the second half it reads as far more slow and dull than the first half. We know the hero's going to win so we are just put through the paces of the standard sci-fi action yarn. Nothing new here unfortunately. It somewhat redeems itself at the end as things are tied up nicely with a glance to the future in which the hero contributed in building. Still it's like it was building up to something greater but then just stopped dead and my interest waned almost completely during the second half. If it were longer or even the beginning of a series I might have been more favourable to it. Still worth a read as the first half kept me enthralled with deeper characters than most older paperback sf books.

4 stars for the first half, 2 for the second ( )