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This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.
That said, on to the review!
Note: cover graphic used with author's permission
Title: Treaty at DoonaIt's been several years since the colony on Doona received its sanction for continued existence from the Terran and Hrruban homeworlds. Now, however, there are new problems to be dealt with. First, a trade conference threatens the galaxy-famous friendship between Hrriss and Todd Reeve...not to mention the charter for the Doonan colony and the pastoral qualities that characterize it. Then, to everyone's surprise, a third race of interstellar explorers approaches expressing interest in commerce with the two species. This causes all sorts of problems, not the least of which is the suspiciousness of the Spacedep and Hrruban Space Arm officers towards the immensity of the Gringg ship and the Gringg themselves. On this, at least, Todd and Hrriss can agree upon, as they work together to protect the Gringg from their fellow Humans and Hrrubans, and Doona from the crass development that more and more people--especially on the homeworlds--are pushing for. Can they pull it all off, and can they pull it all off before the annual Snake Hunt?
Here's another sequel to Decision at Doona by the same authors that produced the first sequel, Crisis on Doona. Anne McCaffrey and Jody Lynn Nye return with a tremendous work of fiction. It isn't simply a readaptation of the Decision at Doona, because now there are new issues to address. I like that, because after so many years of interacting, for the Hrrubans and the Humans to be as xenophobic as they were when they first met would be absolutely disappointing. I'm glad the authors worked the values brought about by said interaction into the text. This time the problem with accepting a new race has little to do with them being different, which is good.
I like the way the Gringg have their own history and the way the authors reveal it: not until the end. The Gringg culture emerges gradually throughout, but discovering the truth about the one event that has Spacedep and the Hrruban Space Arm upset doesn't happen until the very ending. This makes for excellent tension throughout the novel, and Second Speaker's wavering between accepting the Gringg and being suspicious of them is a splendid device and completely understandable. Another thing I like is the way it is mostly the children of Doona that are naming the Gringg (well, providing nicknames anyway). It results in some very interesting ideas and allows for delightful references to Winnie-the-Pooh. I loved reading about Pooh and all his friends when I was younger, and seeing the references each time I reread the book takes me back in time.
This book is definitely a must-read, as much as the first two books are. Anne McCaffrey is an excellent writer, as is Jody Lynn Nye, and together they are simply stupendous. I might sigh wistfully for a book to take up where this one left off, but otherwise, I'm entirely satisfied with what those two great writers produced. Take my word for it: read these books!
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