Posted by Dom Ciocca, Jr. on April 15, 1997 at 15:25:34:
In Reply to: Re: Attel Malagate "The Woe" posted by Michael Reynolds on April 14, 1997 at 23:38:58:
Concerning my pity for Kokor Hekkus, it's been at least 15 years since I've read "The Killing Machine", it was my least favorite in the series, which only means I enjoyed it more than the great bulk of SF novels, but less than most of JV's SF. I really should re-read it, that's a pleasant prospect, but I do remember that the "Killing machine" itself was some sort of tank that looked like a giant insect,and was eventually sabotaged by Kirth. But didn't Hekkus build it to rescue or perhaps kidnap some kind of young and beautiful princess or highborn lady? By my recollection I considered at the time that if Hekkus hadn't been a sociopathic near-genius murderer he could just as easily have been in our world somebody who's moonstruck with unrequited love and is spending hugely inordinate time and effort to impress and/or posess his love object. Hence the "pity"; but right, that's not a good word, but I could at least empathize with something humanlike in Hekkus. I'm sure I'm not confusing the plot with "The Palace of Love". DCjr