An odd book. It is very strongly a Doc Smith story - everything from the brilliant _and_ beautiful characters to the malevolent enemy aliens - and yet there's some flavor that's off. I can't quite identify what Evans put in the story (he started it, Doc Smith finished it after his death), but it's definitely there. The androids bound to obey the Masters are very odd - though I do like the humans' solution. And the switch the humans had to make, afterward, is truly weird. It's an odd little story. I'm glad I read it, but I don't feel any particular urge to reread. ( )