To The Last Page

Although bookended with science-fiction themes of interstellar travel and terraforming planets, when spaceman Karl Allman crash lands on the frozen planet of Isheimur the majority of Winter Song involves a Lord of the Rings fantasy style quest across the planet's frozen wastes, deserts and mountainous terrain populated by trolls, dragons and other dangerous creatures.  There's even a Gollum-like character that joins Karl and Bera (one of the planet's settlers, an outcast from her own society) as they make their way across the land in search of an ancient holy object fallen from the skies that could provide Karl with a way back to civilised society. The Lord of the Rings comparisons however shouldn't worry anyone unduly, as Colin Harvey is more interested in the area where mythology runs up against science and he approaches it in an authentic and intelligent manner in Winter Song , making it highly readable and entertaining at the same time.  A terraformed planet with...