THE FALSE MIRROR

Second of Foster's mediocre interstellar war yarns (A Call to Arms), as the squid-like Amplitur (whose slaves are compelled by their implacable Purpose) battle the Weave confederation (their human allies are the best soldiers in the business, but too barbaric for full membership). Ranji and his friends of planet Cossuut, trained to become the Amplitur's elite soldiers, consider themselves Ashregan but look almost human. But when Ranji is captured, the Weave's finest scientists determine that he is actually human but warped by Amplitur biologists: his automatic psychic defense against mental compulsion has been deleted. Slowly, Ranji comes to accept the validity of what the Weave tells him. So, after the Weave remove the Amplitur inhibitions, Ranji elects to try to persuade his people of the truth. Once mentally freed by the Weave, they all volunteer to fight against the horrid Amplitur. But then Ranji discovers that, somehow, he has acquired the Amplitur to coerce nonhumans—a development that, he realizes, must be kept secret at all costs. Once again, minimal plot, little sense of purpose, battle scenes that lack visceral impact, and no attempt whatever at a suitable conclusion: Foster fans only.