Like many other areas of modern literature, the genre of science fiction has traditionally been reserved for men, but
for Joanna Ray, author of ‘Sikaran Shield Lord’ sci-fi has always been less about the sex of its author and more about the story. Breaking down barriers for other women writers isn’t the only item on the author’s “to do” list, however. Ray is ever aware of her readers, and specifically how her books affect them personally.
‘Sikaran Shield Lord’ is a tale of twenty-two aliens: Sikaran mercenary soldiers who, whilst travelling across the galaxy, encounter the human race for the first time. The Sikaran soldiers are expert
martial artists and members of a Sikaran Brotherhood of the Sword, the “Isithan.” Often misunderstanding the humans, Marayshan, Nava and Avernyi have many adventures, and some close encounters with the humans, all with amusing results. Equally the human star ship Captain, Lawrence Grey and his crew must come to terms with their cross-cultural, cross-species prejudices as they become more involved with the aliens.
Another world war on planet Earth had come and gone, the second in this century. In fact it had been over for two galactic years, equivalent to a time span of about twenty Earth years. . Life is extremely difficult on Earth as people are getting over a recent world war. The world war has been so devastating that it has left a significant proportion of Earth’s people homeless or without any family to call their own Now they have a space war against the Gloshans and Sikarans to contend with and there only real allies are the Kalesians and Ringulians.
It is only after a very long time that the Sikarans decide to change sides and make a treaty with Earth, but it is just in the nick of time for humans as their resources are severely depleted. The Sikaran Empire lay beyond Kaloris, quite close to Gloshan space, at a distant end of the galaxy to planet Earth.
What are the Sikarans like? Someone pointed out that there is something about them that causes other people of the galaxy to notice them: it is something curious: when times became difficult they seem to possess some inner quality that the rest cannot help but admire. They are also telepathic and have gained the reputation of having many psychic gifts. They often demonstrate their bravery and many in the galaxy acknowledge their high courage in the face of adversity.
The Gloshans being of a highly superstitious nature, believe that the Sikarans are magical people possessed of a ‘seventh sense’ able to do weird things. Most Gloshans looked upon the Sikarans with deep seated dread, even amounting to terror. Humans along with most of the other races in the galaxy are not telepathic to any great extent, although there are some humans who are beginning to show distinct signs that they are evolving in this direction (about 500 words). KEY WORDS / TAGS:
Science Fiction, Fantasy, Space, Martial arts,
adventure and romance, Cross-cultural awareness. Link: http://www.newyorkliteraryagency.com/SikaranShieldLord.html
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