James H. Schmitz (1911–1981)

This should have been a fun read, another of Schmitz's stories about teenage girls with psychic powers, as per The Witches of Karres. Unfortunately, there's a lot of telling/info dumping and the Telzey character is what I would classify as a Mary Sue, from classic Trek fanfic days, that is, a female character who is perfect and whom everyone loves. The only difference is that the book lacks the romantic element - but basically the character is so perfect - genius, good looking, develops increasingly fantastic telepathic and other psionic powers - that there's no real drama. The only interesting thing was her relationship with the large intelligent cat of the first story, and how she has to save him, but he is subsequently dropped.… (mais)

The third Schmitz book I've read and the second one about Telzey. These books follow a pattern. The Telzey character is like a cardboard cut out, in that she has no empathy or emotions of any kind. And her mental powers keep becoming more superhuman each story. With the lack of morals as well, in terms of prying into other people's minds and restructuring their personality to make them nicer people, she comes across as monstrous but it is clear that isn't how the author wants the reader to see her.

It is so far away from how a real teenage girl would act/react it suggests that the author lacked empathy with other people. The stories set up ingenious situations but lack real drama - even in the Witches of Karres which isn't quite so bad - there is a wimp out every time some excitement needs to be racked up. Things are resolved far too simply, by coincidence or in the case of the Telzey books by her general ability to do just about anything.… (mais)

What an interesting little book. The stories seem like straight up adventure, but they have odd misdirections, often where some personal goal is the real story instead of the obvious political spy adventure.

These stories were first published in 1949-51, so I expect that readers would have immediately recognized the planet-wide dictator as Hitler. He uses mind control and is slowly going insane. He's started mass murders, but they populace doesn't know it yet. That makes me think that these (and maybe other spy stories) are a reaction to the experience of WWII -- is there some way to defeat a powerful dictator without millions of casualties?

But you don't have to think that hard. You can just enjoy these.… (mais)