Afterburn

Deliciously aquatic, creepy-crawly aliens abound in Viehl's latest Stardoc installment, which centers on a tricky peace conference held on the undersea-dwelling 'Zangians' home planet following the expulsion of the nasty reptilian Hsktskt slavers from Pmoc Quadrant. SEAL biotech augmentation has added lungs to some 'Zangians' gills, and nine-feet-tall ultra-aggressive fighter pilot trainee Burn mu Znora swims gallantly in the flipper strokes of his intrepid cousin and commander, Jadaira, the heroine of Bio Rescue (2004). Burn takes on an assortment of conniving otherworlders and falls desperately in love with the lovely Liana, whose Ylyd ambassador mother wants Burn neutered. Even though Viehl invests her aliens with predictable human passions and prejudices, this interplanetary romp offers wave after wave of surging action and a climactic tsunami of unmaskings and reversals in the name of tolerance and understanding. Agent, Robin Rue at Writers House. (Aug.)