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My first review. Not wanting it to be wasted on whatever book I happen to be reading at the moment, I have decided to review Cloud Warrior, book 1 of the AMTRAK Wars. I read this (quickly followed by the rest of the series) when I was about 12 years old. I was already an avid reader and had a great and growing appreciation for fiction. I’d read fantasy (such as the original Shannara trilogy by T. Brooks), I’d read Sci-Fi, (such as the Dorsai books by Gordon Dickson, and several Asimov books). Thi My first review.

Not wanting it to be wasted on whatever book I happen to be reading at the moment, I have decided to review Cloud Warrior, book 1 of the AMTRAK Wars. I read this (quickly followed by the rest of the series) when I was about 12 years old.

I was already an avid reader and had a great and growing appreciation for fiction. I’d read fantasy (such as the original Shannara trilogy by T. Brooks), I’d read Sci-Fi, (such as the Dorsai books by Gordon Dickson, and several Asimov books). This book (or these books, as a series) changed my idea of what fiction was.

Fiction could be anything. It isn’t restricted to any genre, it is limited only by imagination, and therefore unlimited. Cloud Warrior is the first book (written before I was born) in a six-book-epic describing a sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, dystopian, magical, fantasy world. It sees a technologically advanced (modern technology level) oppressive regime that is the remnant of western society that survived a nuclear war (in underground bunkers) attempting to wipe out or subjugate the surface dwelling mutants (Mutes). The mutes live a sort of native American lifestyle (of 400 years ago), but are supplied weapons (cross-bows) by a third civilization, the Iron masters (a samurai based civilization on the cusp of an industrial revolution).

But to add into the mix, a minority of the mutes have the power of magic, which may just even the odds against the bullets and bombs of the AMTRAK federation. There are 5 main characters in this book. Steve and Roz are siblings raised in the federation, raised with the sole aim of helping wipe out the mutes. Cadillac and Clearwater are two mutes, gifted with magic, being taught by their mentor (and the fifth major character) Mr. With lives shaped and bound together by the Talisman prophesy, they struggle to survive through the genocide that they are supposed to be waging against each other, with loyalties constantly questioned and tested.

Never before or since have I felt so personally invested in a set of characters. Perhaps some of that is nostalgia, but this is easily the series of books that I have read and re-read the most. With the mutes names referring to popular culture (of the eighties), some references might be a bit dated, but this story feels very fresh. If you liked the story in the film Avatar, I think you should give this cult classic a try.

I stumbled into this series quite by accident. I was browsing the wonderful Coa's Used Books in Las Cruces while on vacation when the cover of caught my eye with its armored train. Since that is the second book in the series I put it down and bought Cloud Warrior instead.

Its cover was intriguing as well with a pair of Native Americans fighting a pair of guys in space suits. The story started off a bit slow in my opinion, probably because the world building lasted longer than I expec i stumbled into this series quite by accident.

I was browsing the wonderful Coa's Used Books in Las Cruces while on vacation when the cover of caught my eye with its armored train. Since that is the second book in the series I put it down and bought Cloud Warrior instead. Its cover was intriguing as well with a pair of Native Americans fighting a pair of guys in space suits.

The story started off a bit slow in my opinion, probably because the world building lasted longer than I expected. The setting was interesting enough and the plot eventually picked up. Once the first conflict started I was absolutely hooked. While the battle was interesting what really hit me were the more subtle things, especially a few things from the early chapters that only later did I realize were not trivial details but instead helped to enforce exactly what type of society the Federation is. By the time I hit the 2/3 mark I knew that I was going to read the rest of the series. I am being intentionally vague because there are so many ways to spoil the small things in this book.

This was a great dystopian story that departed from the usual high-tech sci-fi setting. Ut still kept the trope of a future society where the ruling elite carefully control the flow of information to the masses.

By Partrick Tilley, published in 1983. The Amtrak Wars Book 1: Cloud Warrior is the first of a six book series set in a post-apocalyptic USA one thousand years after the thousand suns fell - yeah, nukes. There are two distinct societies, at least so far revealed in Cloud Warrior with hints of at least one other. One society lives underground in huge complexes and is technologically advanced. The other lives on the overground, or outside in the wilderness, and is reputed to be savage, dumb and muta by Partrick Tilley, published in 1983. The Amtrak Wars Book 1: Cloud Warrior is the first of a six book series set in a post-apocalyptic USA one thousand years after the thousand suns fell - yeah, nukes.

There are two distinct societies, at least so far revealed in Cloud Warrior with hints of at least one other. One society lives underground in huge complexes and is technologically advanced. The other lives on the overground, or outside in the wilderness, and is reputed to be savage, dumb and mutated.

We see through the eyes of a cloud warrior from the underground society named Brickman, and what a cloud warrior does is fly airships to search out and hunt mutes from the wilderness. The mutes are thought to be stupid and savage. They are the overground survivors of the thousand suns while the civilized computer literate humans survived by living in underground shelters - vast underground shelters. The dwellers underground want one day to take back the overground as their own. But the mutes are not so easily defeated and rumors of them possessing magic has some of the overland sortie parties spooked. The official take from the underground dwellers is that no such thing exists. It is an honor to be able to run missions on the surface world and Brickman, by recently graduating near the top of his class, has just won himself such an honor and will soon depart with a land train to hunt mutes.

Fun times for new recruits, but of course nothing can go smoothly and Brickman crashes into enemy territory having been shot down with a crossbow bolt. Brickman gets exposed over several months to mute society and ways and finds their wordsmiths are extremely bright and have in fact kept him alive because they believe he is part of a prophecy. This disturbs Brickman, but his worst shock is witnessing the magic which is not supposed to exist. His world view is changing and the mute society is revealed to him to be much richer and more complex than mere animals - which he thought they were before - which he has always been told by his people. And to make matters worse he falls in love with a smooth skinned mute (rare they are and only males - or so he thought) female named Clearwater. I have to say, without giving away too much more of what happens, that this was one enjoyable novel. It reminded me somewhat of Star Wars since the magic appears to be like a force which can be channeled through certain mutes but along with this force there are also machines and computers and huge vehicles.

A vast panorama of fun is this novel and I would recommend it - that is if you can get your hands on a copy as well as the other five. I lucked out at a used bookstore where some fool traded in his/her whole set and I got to benefit from it.

Thank you to whomever you are. I never would have read this otherwise and I’m very glad I did. And, I’m looking forward to the next five. Cloud Warrior ends on a big what-is-going-to-happen-next cliffhanger - so it won’t be too long until I read book 2. I’ll list all six books of The Amtrak Wars in the off chance you can find them. 1) Cloud Warrior 2) First Family 3) Iron Master 4) Blood River 5) Death Bringer 6) Earth-Thunder.

Nine hundred and seventy-four years ago, the Old Time ended in the War of a Thousand Suns. The cities of the United States were seared from the face of the Earth in a nuclear holocaust unleashed by the evil 'Mutes', malformed immigrants whose only desire was to destroy all that was beautiful and good about this great country. Or at least, that's what the historical databanks of the super-computer COLUMBUS say, anyway. The Amtrak Federation: a network of underground cities and overland wa AD 2989. Nine hundred and seventy-four years ago, the Old Time ended in the War of a Thousand Suns. The cities of the United States were seared from the face of the Earth in a nuclear holocaust unleashed by the evil 'Mutes', malformed immigrants whose only desire was to destroy all that was beautiful and good about this great country. Or at least, that's what the historical databanks of the super-computer COLUMBUS say, anyway.

The Amtrak Federation: a network of underground cities and overland way-stations that grew out of a few bunkers where the top-ranking politicians and generals of the United States rode out a thermonuclear war. Forced to abandon the surface world due to radiation, the descendants of the survivors dug out a vast subterranean, high-tech civilisation where everyone knows their place and does their bit to help society survive, whilst the wise and just First Family rules over everything.

Once radiation levels had dropped to a relatively safe level, the Federation emerged to retake the surface world. Unfortunately, they found that the Mutes had prospered and multiplied to truly frightening numbers in the intervening centuries. The Federation's response is to build enormous 600-foot-long wagon-trains and send them into Mute territory to begin the process of conquest and purification. With the Southern Mutes cowed, the Federation dispatches one of its most decorated trains, the Lady from Louisiana, and its air wing deep into the heart of the territory of the northern Mutes, or the Plainfolk as they call themselves. But the Plainfolk are a hardier breed with unusual weapons at their command, and in the epic Battle of the Now and Then River the clan M'Call drives off the Lady and takes one of its pilots captive. For Steve Brickman, captivity amongst the Mutes is a terrifying prospect, but as he plots his escape he learns from his captors a radically different version of history and begins to question the very foundations of the society he was born into. The Amtrak Wars is Welsh author Patrick Tilley's grand SF adventure series, originally published in six volumes throughout the 1980s.

It is a cross-genre story, incorporating elements of post-apocalyptic SF fiction with the Western and epic fantasy (with North America standing in for a Middle-earth clone as the landscape) and, in later books, Shogun-style historical fiction as well. There is also a strong, often darkly comical subversive and satirical streak as well, with the Amtrak Federation itself coming over as a fascist state which employs some of the rhetoric and traditions of the 20th Century United States. Tilley himself spent a lot of time in the USA in the 1970s and 1980s and appears to be something of an Americanphile (not just in the Wars but also in his excellent 1976 disaster novel Fade-Out), but his use here of many of the traditions and 'feel' of the US government and military in the hands of an unelected dictatorship is effectively disturbing. However, I gather that American readers got the impression that Tilley was taking the mickey instead, perhaps accounting for its low sales in the USA compared to its much greater success in the UK, Canada and Australia. In the first book, it is fair to say that Tilley is still getting a feel for the story. His previous novels had been an SF-tinged disaster scenario called Fade-Out and a rather bizarre story about Jesus turning up in modern New York (Mission), so Cloud Warrior represented a rather unusual new direction.

The tone of the writing here is less formal than in his earlier novels, and it has to be said that the prose jumps around in its remoteness from the reader (at one point directly addressing the reader in a rather jarring fourth-wall-breaking moment). Some scenes take place in the limited third person perspective that is now traditional in epic fantasy, but most adopt an omnipresent viewpoint which feels curiously old-fashioned (and this is a book that's 26 years old) but not ineffective.

It's a tribute to Tilley's vivid and well-conceived (if somewhat barmy) story, characters and setting that the book overcomes these problems and roars along like a greyhound on crack. The traditional modern fantasy approach of the author spending two hundred pages just clearing their throat has no truck here as we are whizzed through the Amtrak Federation's air force training programme, introduced a dozen protagonists in both the Mute and Tracker camps and machine-gunned with inventive concepts and ideas (although luckily most are revisited later under somewhat more relaxed circumstances) in less than a hundred pages. The book hangs on its characters and one of The Amtrak Wars' trademark concepts is that half of those characters are tools whom you want to spend a fair amount of time beating the hell out of, most notably Steve 'All-American Hero' Brickman, whose arrogance and pig-headedness makes him a hero that's hard to like. However, he is also only 17 and the result of a disturbing indoctrinated upbringing, and as the book progresses and you see the scales falling from his eyes (a bit), the reader warms to him a bit more. Amongst the other characters, Steve's Mute antithesis Cadillac is well-drawn but is also a bit of a plank (the contrast between these two characters' developmental arcs over the course of the series is extremely well-handled), with the most fascinating character in the book being Mr. Snow, the Mutes' chief wordsmith and summoner who fulfils the traditional mentor role, although his approach of thinking his would-be students are total morons is refreshing (Mr.

Snow is the missing link between Gandalf and Abercrombie's Bayaz). Other characters such as the inevitable romantic interest Clearwater are a bit one-note in this first volume, whilst later, more important characters like Jodi Kazan and Steve's sister Roz barely get more than a few lines. There is also an intriguing mention of a group called the 'iron masters' and a typical cliffhanger ending, setting up the inevitable sequel, First Family. In Cloud Warrior (***½) Tilley sets up an interesting and somewhat original (in combination, if not in original conception) world and story with well-drawn and often ambiguous characters and some fresh takes on old concepts (Tilley's handling of the tired prophecy motif is particularly nicely done). The writing is a bit all over the place, though never less than readable, but settles down in the later, stronger volumes. The novel is not currently in print but second-hand copies appear to be readily available in the UK and USA. The Amtrak wars is quite an epic series that spans 6 books.

I read this as a teenager and found myself drawn in to it. There were many elements but I think it was the romantic elements of the characters and the adventures contained within that lured me to the series more than the overall philosophy behind the series. It grabbed my attention during a time in my life when I was quite the rebellious teenager and I think that if I read it later in life I would not have enjoyed it as much as I did.

U The Amtrak wars is quite an epic series that spans 6 books. I read this as a teenager and found myself drawn in to it. There were many elements but I think it was the romantic elements of the characters and the adventures contained within that lured me to the series more than the overall philosophy behind the series. It grabbed my attention during a time in my life when I was quite the rebellious teenager and I think that if I read it later in life I would not have enjoyed it as much as I did. Unfortunately the ending killed it for me and I felt short-changed for it.

The series consists of Cloud Warrior First Family Iron Master Blood River Death-Bringer Earth-Thunder Plot ***Spoilers*** In AD 2989 a 17-year-old, newly-qualified Amtrak pilot named Steve Brickman joins the Lady from Louisiana wagon-train in its first major assault on the Plainfolk Mutes. Thanks to the Mutes' deployment of sorcery, the wagon-train is defeated and forced to retreat. Brickman is taken prisoner by the Mutes but not killed, due to a prophetic vision of the clan's seer, Mr. Snow, which suggests Steve will be instrumental in the fulfilment of the Talisman Prophecy, which suggests a 'chosen one' called Talisman will arise to destroy the Federation and lead the Mutes to victorious domination of the world. Steve comes to admire and respect the Mutes and falls in love with a 'straight' (mutation-free) Mute named Clearwater and forges a bond of mutual respect with Mr. Snow's apprentice, Cadillac. Steve eventually escapes from the Mutes and returns to the Federation, but his account of his imprisonment and escape is deemed fantastical.

Labelled a deserter, he is stripped of all rank and is publicly disgraced. Shirley Murdock Home Zip Base. Privately, Steve is recruited by the Federation's top-secret intelligence organisation, AMEXICO, and is sent on a new assignment to capture Cadillac, Clearwater and Mr.

Snow, who are deemed of interest to the Federation. Upon learning that Cadillac has used information from Steve to build a primitive glider and fly it to Ne-Issan as part of a weapons and intelligence exchange between the Mutes and Iron Masters, Steve decides to pursue the capture mission into Ne-Issan. During this mission Steve's loyalties become further conflicted between his affinity with the Mutes and his birth allegiance to the Federation, and he begins a risky attempt to play both sides against the middle whilst he looks for a way to escape his enemies on both sides. Cloud Warrior This book opens with an examination of the character of a Mute named Cadillac, and his world-view.

We learn of the Talisman Prophecy, Cadillac's status as a wordsmith and a freak, and his love of Clearwater. The story, however, is about Steven Roosevelt Brickman, an 18-year-old wingman (pilot) in the war against the Plainfolk Mutes. He is shot down, but is spared by the Mutes. He meets Cadillac, Cadillac's mentor Mr. Snow, and Motor-Head, the tribe's paramount warrior. He sees the gaps in his Tracker worldview, but still tries to escape. He meets Clearwater, falls in love with her, and woos her away from Cadillac.

He then escapes, killing the jealous Motor-Head in the process. The book ends with Mr. Snow telling Cadillac and Clearwater that they will have a role to play in the Talisman Prophecy. First Family This book opens with an examination of the character of a Tracker named Deke Haywood, and his world-view. He is a 'techie' in the Tracker base on the ruins of Pueblo, Colorado. He then notes that someone is trying to approach the base on his monitors. It is Steven Roosevelt Brickman.

He is captured, and treated as a suspected traitor, but is not questioned. Through a series of undercover agents, the First Family manoeuvers Steve into a position of weakness and desperation, then sends him back into the field as a member of AMEXICO, the AMtrak EXecutive Intelligence COmmandoes (agents are known as 'Mexicans') with orders to kill Cadillac and Clearwater. He is promptly attacked by a group of deserters, who steal all his stuff and throw him out.

He then finds his way back to Mr. Snow, whose tribe takes him in. After hearing that Cadillac and Clearwater have gone north to the land of the mysterious 'Iron Masters' (and that Cadillac used magic to copy his technical abilities), Steve stows away on an Iron Master vessel.

Iron Master This book opens with an examination of the character of an Iron Master named Toshiro Hase-Gawa and his world-view. He is a Herald of the Inner Court, a secret agent of his Shogun. With the arrival of Steve, Cadillac and Clearwater, the internal political groups are thrown into some turmoil, and Steve receives some offers. Steve also discovers that Cadillac is making recon gliders for the Iron Masters, masquerading as Steve (since Mutes are supposed to be illiterate). Steve agrees to help Cadillac, in exchange for Toshiro's help in getting them all out of the country at the end.

Toshiro then gets Steve to kill one of the seventeen daiyamo (domain-lords). They then escape to a secret First Family recon station with two other runaways, where they steal transportation and fly back to Wyoming. But this is according to the Family's plan, and one of the runaways is a spy. Blood River Steve, Cadillac and Clearwater meet with triumph and disaster as they try to evade the clutches of both the Iron Masters and the disguised hunter/killer squads sent out by the Federation to purge the overground of renegade Trackers and deserters. Clearwater is seriously injured and only Federation medicine can save her; Steve uses his identity as a Federation agent to get her treatment. Death-Bringer With Clearwater now safely in their hands the First Family hatches a plan to use her as bait to capture Cadillac and Mr Snow and annihilate the Clan M'Call; a plan in which Steve is forced to continue his double-role as loyal agent of the Confederation and blood-brother to the Plainfolk. In the aftermath of events, Steve returns to the Federation to take care of Clearwater while Roz escapes and joins with Cadillac.

Earth-Thunder As the 'Great Mountain in the West speaks to the Sky with a Tongue of Flame', the Talisman Prophecy is on the verge of fulfillment. At that moment Clearwater goes in to labour with Steve's child in a Federation hospital, and Roz conceives a child with Cadillac on the overground. The First Family celebrates their believed capture of the Talisman, but which child is the real one, or are both part of the prophecy? The success of Cloud Warrior, and the rest of The Amtrak Wars for that matter, is down to a couple of things. Firstly, there is Tilley’s exquisite attention to detail when it comes to world-building. The Federation and the Mute’s separate societies have been created in such a way that their mutual hostility makes perfect sense.

The enmity shared by both sides perfectly mirrors the historical bad-blood that existed between the Native American population and the settlers back in the Old West. It’s The success of Cloud Warrior, and the rest of The Amtrak Wars for that matter, is down to a couple of things. Firstly, there is Tilley’s exquisite attention to detail when it comes to world-building.

The Federation and the Mute’s separate societies have been created in such a way that their mutual hostility makes perfect sense. The enmity shared by both sides perfectly mirrors the historical bad-blood that existed between the Native American population and the settlers back in the Old West. It’s fair to say that the leaders of the Federation go out of their way to foster the pioneer spirit. They paint the Mutes as nothing more than ignorant sub-human savages. The Federation’s militaristic/technological society is built around the premise that they are the rightful owners of the ‘blue-sky world’ and the Mutes (or anyone else for that matter) need to be subjugated. The Mutes meanwhile have gone entirely the other way and developed a far more tribal culture, more in keeping with the aboriginal people of America.

As an aside, I particularly like the way that Tilley has created the clan history within the Mute society, their ancient antiquity being our present day. The Mute clan names of power and mythology always manage to raise a wry smile. Can’t go wrong with the likes of characters named Motor-Head, Flat-Top and Ultra-Vox.

Initially, it appears that the Federation are out and out evil, but of course things are not quite as cut and dried as all that. The author does a worthy job of not favouring one side over the other, there is good and bad on both sides of this cultural divide. Political conspiracies are rife and lead right to the very heart of the Federation, while the Mutes are driven, almost fanatically so, by a prophecy of the “thrice gifted one”. There are many standout characters, Steve Brickman from the Federation and a Mute called Cadillac of the clan M’Call feature strongly, but my personal favourite is the Mute medicine man/shaman Mr Snow. Think a slightly tripped out version of Yoda, crossed with a geriatric member of ZZ Top and you’ll get the idea. Mr Snow’s enigmatic pronouncements, and cryptic tutelage of Cadillac, standout as my favourite scenes.

If you are looking for a first class science fiction novel that builds into a landmark series then I would suggest that Cloud Warrior might be the one for you. Going back and revisiting it I was pleased to discover that it has stood the test of time and feels just as fresh and original as when I first read it. I rarely use the word classic but I think I might just have to in this case. After the first few chapters I thought I was in for one epic story about a post Apocalyptic world where humans and Mutes battle each other to survive (for reasons that I honestly still don't understand, or were never made clear). It starts off promisingly, with ace pilot Steve Brickman flying his final tests before graduation as the Mutes live their lives on the surface and fight amongst themselves. Sadly the book did little to keep that momentum. Here's the thing: Steve Brickman is kind of a dic After the first few chapters I thought I was in for one epic story about a post Apocalyptic world where humans and Mutes battle each other to survive (for reasons that I honestly still don't understand, or were never made clear).

It starts off promisingly, with ace pilot Steve Brickman flying his final tests before graduation as the Mutes live their lives on the surface and fight amongst themselves. Sadly the book did little to keep that momentum. Here's the thing: Steve Brickman is kind of a dick. He's got entitlement issues, and a serious case of White Man Gaze. And for all the action in this book, it's amazing how little actually happens.

Around 65% in, I went back to Amazon to read the summary and it described a forbidden love story. Well, this was news to me because it still hadn't even begun to happen!

So little of the premise is explored, I have to wonder if this was destined to be a huge series of books from the beginning. Steve's sister's plot is almost completely dropped after a couple of scenes, and really the whole book is Steve being rescued by the Mutes and treating them horribly despite numerous signs that they are the more culturally relevant and intelligent peoples. I'd say it was a Dances with Wolves clone except this came out long before it. And Steve never really tries to blend in unless he can steal some women. Like I said, he's kind of a dick. Two more things. One, I was really impressed by some of the technology the author describes.

He basically talks about an iPad, only this was 1983. On the other hand he describes a VHS technology, so you can't win them all. Finally and most troubling, Steve can't fall in love with a Mute because it's forbidden and 'gross' and her skin is different than his.

Instead of dealing with issues of race, Steve conveniently finds out the woman he's interested in has the same skin tone as himself and merely paints her body to fit in with her fellow Mutes. Somehow this makes it all ok for him to fall for her. Combined with the creepy white man entitlement issues I am DONE with this series. What a disappointment. Ok, so it's another post-apocalyptic story and the humans are getting to the stage where they can start seriously fighting each other again, which is where most of these stories start of course.

The story follows the two main groups, the underground humans who live in a technological big brother type society, venturing above land to claim more territory and attack the other group the mutants. These are the remnants of society which have adapted to have huge stamina and survivability, yet they hav Ok, so it's another post-apocalyptic story and the humans are getting to the stage where they can start seriously fighting each other again, which is where most of these stories start of course.

The story follows the two main groups, the underground humans who live in a technological big brother type society, venturing above land to claim more territory and attack the other group the mutants. These are the remnants of society which have adapted to have huge stamina and survivability, yet they have suffered some sort of damage or mutation to their cognitive function and need special 'wordsmiths' to help them recall motor skills and knowledge they can't remember. On the plus side they also have a few that can use what seems to be pyschic abilities which gives them a small chance against the more technological and better armed underground humans. This is an entertaining read, the impending major clash of civilizations is hinted at on the smaller scale when one of the flyers (glider pilot) is captured and experiences some doubt as to whether his society should be exterminating the mutants and noticing that the differences between them isn't as large as he has been told.

Overall the first book does enough worldbuilding to want me to continue reading and sets up enough characters of interest, it helps also that the novel doesn't take itself too seriously. 'c1983: Courtesy of author's website: 'After spending the first seventeen years of his life in the under-ground world of the Lone Star Confederation, Steve Brickman, a newly-trained wingman, emerges to join a Trail-Blazer wagon-train selected to make the first deep-penetration strike into the territory held by the Plainfolk Mutes.

The mission is part of a centuries-old conflict for possession of the blue-sky world in which both sides have fought with the ut-most ruthlessness. Steve is aware of 'c1983: Courtesy of author's website: 'After spending the first seventeen years of his life in the under-ground world of the Lone Star Confederation, Steve Brickman, a newly-trained wingman, emerges to join a Trail-Blazer wagon-train selected to make the first deep-penetration strike into the territory held by the Plainfolk Mutes. The mission is part of a centuries-old conflict for possession of the blue-sky world in which both sides have fought with the ut-most ruthlessness.

Steve is aware of the dangers but he has no inkling that his arrival has already been predicted by the enemy or that he is destined to embark on a perilous adventure; a test of courage and endurance that will totally change his life and cause him to doubt the truth of everything he has been taught since birth.' ' Born in Essex, Patrick Tilley spent his formative years in the border counties of Northumbria and Cumbria.

After studying art at King's College, University of Durham, he came to London in 1955 and rapidly established himself as one of Britain's leading graphic designers. This is a fantastic book and sets the scene for the next 5 books admirably. This is one of those series of books where you just have to find the next book in the series as fast as you can. Sadly, they are very difficult to come by and I envisage collections being horded by speculative fiction fanatics. I'm kind of so-so on this book. Don't get me wrong, I liked certain aspects of it, but I'm a little miffed that the story hardly began in this book and things were just starting to finally pick up near the end! Most of Cloud Warrior were plants, and nothing seriously got resolved.

Sure, people died, people lived, Steve escapes, Cadillac gets more understanding, and Clearwater finally starts to get some feeling in her nether-regions. Whoop de doo. Don't get me wrong. I actually like Steve and Cadi I'm kind of so-so on this book. Don't get me wrong, I liked certain aspects of it, but I'm a little miffed that the story hardly began in this book and things were just starting to finally pick up near the end! Most of Cloud Warrior were plants, and nothing seriously got resolved. Sure, people died, people lived, Steve escapes, Cadillac gets more understanding, and Clearwater finally starts to get some feeling in her nether-regions.

Whoop de doo. Don't get me wrong.

I actually like Steve and Cadillac. Snow as a character, but I always had a partiality for the wizened old sillyface who tries really hard to be patient to dunderheads who just don't know any better.

I just wish there had been more to the story than introduction of characters and an overall introduction of the world. Or maybe I'm just bitter 'cause now I have to find the second book in order to continue the story? Pretty hard core science fiction this series:-) based on a post nuclear world, where half the planet's population lives below ground and has infinite technological resources, but are controlled by the first family (all Jeffersons/Washingtons) - all but the first family have had some sort of mental conditioning to follow orders. The other half live above ground and have resistance to radiation (or do they - is the radiation story a farce to keep the other half underground. Oooh time will tell) Pretty hard core science fiction this series:-) based on a post nuclear world, where half the planet's population lives below ground and has infinite technological resources, but are controlled by the first family (all Jeffersons/Washingtons) - all but the first family have had some sort of mental conditioning to follow orders. The other half live above ground and have resistance to radiation (or do they - is the radiation story a farce to keep the other half underground.

Oooh time will tell) but an inability to store long term memory - except for a select few - and no access to technology. The plot is infinitely thicker than this, but I'll spare you the details. Looking forward to the next one, allbeit the series remind me of a conglomerate of other sci-fi-socio-political novels (Wool, Dust, Shift springs to mind). It concerns a post-apocalyptic society that includes primitive mutants tribes with special powers; a high-tech, total discipline miliary society (that lives underground and travels overground in huge mobile trains and fragile glider planes) bent on exterminating the mutes, and a traditional samurai-based Japanese culture that believes higher tech (electricity, etc.) is evil but who otherwise have steam engines and rifles, etc.

(and use mutes and feds as cheap labor). It is rollicking yet serious It concerns a post-apocalyptic society that includes primitive mutants tribes with special powers; a high-tech, total discipline miliary society (that lives underground and travels overground in huge mobile trains and fragile glider planes) bent on exterminating the mutes, and a traditional samurai-based Japanese culture that believes higher tech (electricity, etc.) is evil but who otherwise have steam engines and rifles, etc. (and use mutes and feds as cheap labor). It is rollicking yet serious. Some very novel ideas there.

The characters are not especially likeable, but they are very watchable. The puns are frequent and often subtle (some are not so subtle). Worth reading if you are willing to commit to a 5-6 book series. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.

To view it, 'Hippies of the future.' A post-apocalyptic world divide into the people who have made a civilization in the bunkers with all the technology they could muster and the people who mutated to survive in the atom-bomb ravaged world. The 'Mutes' are supported my mother earth and fight for a better world. The 'Federation' seek world dominance through the whole scale manipulation of it people. The noble savage stuff is laid on pretty heavy and the sex less societies of the future are still male dominated 'Hippies of the future.' A post-apocalyptic world divide into the people who have made a civilization in the bunkers with all the technology they could muster and the people who mutated to survive in the atom-bomb ravaged world. The 'Mutes' are supported my mother earth and fight for a better world.

The 'Federation' seek world dominance through the whole scale manipulation of it people. The noble savage stuff is laid on pretty heavy and the sex less societies of the future are still male dominated although none of them seem to be utopian. The further books could contain an interesting exploration of the concept free will in a society that believes in a fix destiny and prophecy but that would require some more development from the main characters. Slightly amateurish writing? Corny character names like Motor-head, Cadillac, and Black-top?

Corny place names like She-Kargo and Me-Sheegun? Fun post apocalyptic setting detailing the conflict between mutants (aka Mutes) and mole-like nazis (aka Sand Burrowers)? If I gave this book a rating based solely on the quality of writing and character development.it would only get two stars.

However, this book is more than the sum of its parts. For those willing to look beyond Slightly amateurish writing? Corny character names like Motor-head, Cadillac, and Black-top? Corny place names like She-Kargo and Me-Sheegun? Fun post apocalyptic setting detailing the conflict between mutants (aka Mutes) and mole-like nazis (aka Sand Burrowers)? If I gave this book a rating based solely on the quality of writing and character development.it would only get two stars.

However, this book is more than the sum of its parts. For those willing to look beyond its obvious limitations, this book can be an enjoyable read. For me, this book was a guilty pleasure.

I knew it was pure cornball fluff and yet I had a good time delving into the story. I give this book 3.5 stars. I will read the second book in the near future. The four stars is for the series as a whole. I have been reading these back to back and I don't think the books stand alone, each of which I would not give more than a three as a novel. Each one carries on immediately from the previous one.

I wouldn't recommend reading this without having the others to follow on with. The story and social environment keep me reading but I find the character building lacking. It is really a one character story with any other interesting characters being very much The four stars is for the series as a whole. I have been reading these back to back and I don't think the books stand alone, each of which I would not give more than a three as a novel. Each one carries on immediately from the previous one. I wouldn't recommend reading this without having the others to follow on with.

The story and social environment keep me reading but I find the character building lacking. It is really a one character story with any other interesting characters being very much secondary. I'm interested to know what will happen but I don't really care about any of them.

Contents • • • • • • • • • • • Backstory [ ] In AD 2015, the old world was destroyed in a nuclear war, known in the books variously as 'The Holocaust' and 'The War of a Thousand Suns'. The United States and were involved in this nuclear war but who fired the first shot is not known.

The resulting war lasted only a few hours, but between the nuclear exchange and the years of that followed, the overwhelming majority of the human race was annihilated. The most organised band of survivors were the Amtrak Federation. Four hundred American citizens survived the nuclear war in a vast underground bunker beneath.

They established additional underground bunker-cities (known as divisional bases) linked by a. Ruled by a self-perpetuating dynasty known as the First Family, the Federation expanded slowly in numbers and territory. By AD 2989, when the novels begin, the Federation sprawls across much of the south of the United States, from and to. It is technologically advanced, employing and ', massive, 600-foot-long vehicles that act as land-based and mobile HQs for heavily armed personnel. The Federation's personnel are heavily susceptible to above-ground and rarely live past their fortieth birthdays as a result. Ordinary citizens of the United States who managed to survive the nuclear war and adapt to the radiation mutated into a clan-based warrior society known as the Mutes.

Adopting a warrior ethos and tribal society similar to, the Mutes are primitive, employing spears and knives in combat. They are affected by a variety of radiation-induced infirmities, such as somewhat short-term memories and deformities varying in severity by individual.

There are exceptions, Mutes with excellent recall who keep the tribe's traditions alive through an oral tradition of story-telling. These Mutes are known as wordsmiths. The Mutes would not present a significant threat to the Federation's vastly superior technology and weapons except for the existence of Mutes known as 'seers', who can foresee their moves, and 'summoners', who can use magical forces that the Federation has no defence against. The Federation leadership does not publicly acknowledge the existence of Mute magic and outlaws all discussion of its existence, to the anger of front-line combat veterans, who have seen it in action. The third major surviving faction is known as the Iron Masters, though they refer to themselves as the Sons of.

According to their legends, the Iron Masters fled the destruction of their homeland of in vast floating cities that drifted into Antarctic waters and then up into the, eventually landing on the of the former United States. They founded a country known as the Shogunate of Ne-Issan, stretching from to and inland as far as the and. The Iron Masters have developed and great steam-powered ships, but custom, religion and political decree forbids them from developing technology based on the 'Dark Light' ().

Due to the growing threat of the Amtrak Federation, some Iron Masters believe that without embracing the Dark Light, their nation stands little chance against the Federation's superior technology and will be destroyed, but official policy is to maintain the edict. Plot summary [ ] In AD 2989, a 17-year-old, newly qualified Amtrak pilot named Steve Brickman joins the Lady from Louisiana, a wagon-train in its first major assault on the Plainfolk Mutes.

Thanks to the Mutes' deployment of sorcery, the wagon-train is defeated and forced to retreat. Brickman is taken prisoner by the Mutes but not killed, due to a prophetic vision of the clan's seer, Mr. Snow, which suggests Steve will be instrumental in the fulfilment of the Talisman Prophecy.

This suggests a 'chosen one' called 'Talisman' will arise to destroy the Federation and lead the Mutes to victorious domination of the world. Steve comes to admire and respect the Mutes; he falls in love with a 'straight' (mutation-free) Mute woman named Clearwater and forges a bond of mutual respect with Mr.

Snow's apprentice, Cadillac. Steve eventually escapes from the Mutes and returns to the Federation, but his account of his imprisonment and escape is deemed fantastical. Labelled a deserter, he is stripped of all rank and is publicly disgraced. Privately, Steve is recruited by the Federation's top-secret intelligence organisation, AMEXICO, and is sent on a new assignment to capture Cadillac, Clearwater, and Mr. Snow, who are deemed of interest to the Federation. Upon learning that Cadillac has used information from Steve to build a primitive glider and fly it to Ne-Issan as part of a weapons and intelligence exchange between the Mutes and Iron Masters, Steve decides to pursue the capture mission into Ne-Issan. During this mission, Steve's loyalties become further conflicted between his affinity with the Mutes and his birth allegiance to the Federation, and he begins a risky attempt to play both sides against the middle whilst he looks for a way to escape his enemies on both sides.

Main characters [ ] • Steven Roosevelt Brickman - A wingman of The Amtrak Federation who is captured by the M'Call clan of Mutes. He gradually begins to regard them as equals, even though this goes against everything he has been taught. He falls in love with a mute, Clearwater, and befriends Mr Snow and Cadillac. However Steve and Cadillac are constantly at odds with each other over because of Clearwater, whom Steve stole from Cadillac, and their inherent distrust of each other. Steve possesses latent telepathic abilities that allow him to connect with his kin-sister, Roz, on occasion.

At first this is completely unconscious, but over time he is able to contact her deliberately. It is theorised in the books that if he opened himself up he would have access to abilities similar to those displayed by Roz, though he does sometimes instinctively know what people are thinking. He also has a sixth sense for what is immediately about to happen, and is capable of matching the speed and running stamina of Mutes. He is also incredibly lucky, something which may be due to his latent telepathic abilities, his intuitive sixth sense or the fact that he was 'born in the shadow of Talisman' as the Mutes believe. • Roz - Steve's kin-sister. She is several years younger, but the two share a deep telepathic bond.

Whenever Steve is injured or under a great amount of stress her body becomes similarly affected. If Steve is shot, Roz will receive a similar wound. However this 'psychosomatic wounding' vanishes within hours, leaving no trace that it was ever there. Roz is telepathic and eventually develops the ability to create extremely realistic illusions in the minds of others, indistinguishable from reality. She was studying to be a doctor, but when her telepathic link with Steve is discovered, the First Family involve her in their schemes.

• Mr Snow - The wordsmith of the Clan M'Call. He is a wise old man and a summoner of the seventh ring of power (there are nine rings of power in total). He is very wise, but also has a sharp sense of humour. He has a great affection for Steve Brickman. • Clearwater - A superstraight with bright blue eyes.

She is an excellent hand-to-hand fighter and also a summoner of the third ring. Upon seeing her Steve falls deeply in love with her, and she with him.

Despite their vast cultural differences they form a relationship. • Cadillac Deville - Also a super straight.

He is Mr Snow's apprentice and a wordsmith and seer. Though brave, his lust for power and 'standing' often lead him to do stupid or selfish things. While in Ne-Issan, land of the Iron Masters, he develops a love for sake, which only increases his less attractive personality traits and robs him of his ability to see the future in the stones until quite some time after he has stopped consuming alcohol. Earth Magic [ ] There are three types of gifted mutes, two of which possesses magical abilities. They are: • Word-smiths - Intelligent mutes with eidetic memories. They remember the oral histories of their entire clan and are also the custodians of the Talisman prophecy. Word-smiths are highly valued, and play a leading role in their clans affairs.

Even more so than the clan leader. • Seers - Able to see into the future and the past by reading 'special' stones.

The events they are able to view are usually connected to the place the stone has been taken from. To a seer, these stones appear to glow when they come across them. When viewing the past or future they enter a trance like state.

• Summoners - Summoners possess many magical abilities. They are able to control the weather and the earth, producing intense storms, calling down lightning and even generating earthquakes. They are also able to move objects telekinetically and influence the minds of others, either controlling them directly, or implanting hypnotic urges that the subject is compelled to follow.

The summoner Clearwater also demonstrated the ability to shield herself from projectile attacks with a wall of light, identify the site and degree of any injuries a person was suffering and communicate with animals. Books [ ] • Cloud Warrior (1983) This book opens with an examination of the character of a Mute named Cadillac, and his world-view. We learn of the Talisman Prophecy, Cadillac's status as a wordsmith and a freak, and his love of Clearwater. The story, however, is about Steven Roosevelt Brickman, an 18-year-old wingman (pilot) in the war against the Plainfolk Mutes. He is shot down, but is spared by the Mutes.

He meets Cadillac, Cadillac's mentor Mr. Snow, and Motor-Head, the tribe's paramount warrior.

He meets Clearwater, falls in love with her, and woos her away from Cadillac. He sees the gaps in his indoctrinated world-view, but still decides to escape back to the Federation, killing the jealous Motor-Head in the process. The book ends with Mr. Snow telling Cadillac and Clearwater that they will have a role to play in the Talisman Prophecy.

• First Family (1985) This book opens with an examination of the character of a Tracker named Deke Haywood, and his world-view. He is a 'techie' in the Tracker base on the ruins of. He then notes that a glider is approaching the base on his monitors; it is Steven Roosevelt Brickman. He is captured, and treated as a suspected traitor, but is not questioned. Through a series of undercover agents, the First Family manoeuvers Steve into a position of weakness and desperation, then sends him back into the field as a member of AMEXICO, the AMtrak EXecutive Intelligence COmmandoes (agents are known as 'Mexicans') with orders to kill Cadillac and Clearwater. He is promptly attacked by a group of deserters, who steal all of his equipment and throw him out.

He then finds his way back to Mr. Snow, whose tribe takes him in. After hearing that Cadillac and Clearwater have gone north to the land of the mysterious 'Iron Masters', Steve stows away on an Iron Master vessel. • Iron Master (1987) This book opens with an examination of the character of an Iron Master named Toshiro Hase-Gawa and his world-view.

He is a Herald of the Inner Court, a secret agent of his Shogun. Steve discovers that Cadillac copied Steve's technical knowledge using wordsmith magic, and is making recon gliders for the Iron Masters, masquerading as Steve (since Mutes are supposed to be illiterate). The arrival of Steve, Cadillac and Clearwater throws the internal political groups into some turmoil, and Steve receives some offers. Steve agrees to help Cadillac with the gliders, in exchange for Toshiro's help in getting them all out of the country at the end.

Toshiro then gets Steve to kill one of the seventeen daiyamo (domain-lords). They then escape to a secret First Family recon station with two other federation runaways, where they steal transportation and fly back to Wyoming. But this is according to the Family's plan, and one of the runaways is a spy.

• Blood River (1988) Steve, Cadillac and Clearwater meet with triumph and disaster as they try to evade the clutches of both the Iron Masters and the disguised hunter/killer squads sent out by the Federation to purge the overground of renegade Trackers and deserters. Clearwater is seriously injured and only Federation medicine can save her; Steve uses his identity as a Federation agent to get her treatment. • Death-Bringer (1989) With Clearwater now safely in their hands the First Family hatches a plan to use her as bait to capture Cadillac and Mr Snow and annihilate the Clan M'Call; a plan in which Steve is forced to continue his double-role as loyal agent of the Federation and blood-brother to the Plainfolk. In an apocalyptic battle, Mr. Snow and the Clan M'Call are destroyed, save Cadillac. Steve returns to the Federation to take care of Clearwater, while Roz escapes the Federation and joins with Cadillac.

• Earth-Thunder (1990) The 'Great Mountain in the West speaks to the Sky with a Tongue of Flame', signifying the Talisman Prophecy is on the verge of fulfillment. At that moment Clearwater goes in to labour with Steve's child in a Federation hospital, and Roz conceives a child with Cadillac on the overground. The First Family celebrates their believed capture of the Talisman, but which child is the real one, or are both part of the prophecy? Other Material [ ] There is also a rare guide to the Amtrak Wars world titled, (, 1988). Revised edition [ ] In 1998 reissued the Amtrak Wars series with new covers and in a revised form that saw the Amtrak Federation renamed as the 'Lone Star Confederation'. The final volume was also mildly re-edited to remove the definitive afterword/conclusion of the original series, leaving the book on more of a cliffhanger.

Continuation [ ] The Amtrak Wars is notable for having a cliffhanger ending to the final volume, in which two of the main characters are killed, one of the three main civilisations is plunged into civil war and two children are born with pre-ordained destinies. However, since 1990 there have been no further additions to the series. In a letter dated 26 August 1991 Patrick Tilley confirmed that both the fans and publishers wanted additional novels to be published in the series and he was pursuing the matter, but only if he could 'make it good enough.' Rumours circulated for several years that additional novels in the sequence were being written, reaching a height in 1999 when a seventh volume was listed for publication by several websites. Unsubstantiated rumours surfaced in 2001 that Book 7 would be called Ghost Rider, and that one of the characters killed at the end of book 6 wasn't actually dead. In 2007 Patrick Tilley once again hinted that the series would continue, although possibly only as a trilogy rather than six more books.

Film adaptation [ ] In 2007 the books were optioned by an Australian production company with the intention of turning them into a series of feature films. In 2008-09 Patrick Tilley wrote a draft of the first script, entitled like the book, Cloud Warrior, and the production company continued pursuing the project in 2010, showing the script and tentative production artwork to several companies at the.

The proposed movie series is entitled The Talisman Prophecy rather than The Amtrak Wars and continues the practice from the revised edition of naming the Amtrak Federation as 'The Lone Star Confederation'. Other changes include proposed variations to the design of Federation vehicles and technology from the books, and the removal of Ne-Issan to the rather than the Eastern Seaboard. References [ ].