ROC, 2000, $6.99, ISBN 0-451-45687-4, 342 pages, paperback

Firemask follows The Last Legion. The sequel continues the author's good work, noting the further exploits of Garvin Jaansma and Njangu Yoshitaro on the cut-off Confederation post.

This time, the tables turn. The aliens (the Musth) reappear bent on conquest. You guessed it--the Legion is the only force standing between freedom and slavery. But the guerilla war took its toll and the frontier remains isolated from headquarters. The Legion must build, beg, or borrow equipment to defend against the Musth. And that means becoming guerillas themselves.

Once again, Bunch cooks up more mayhem for his heroes and once again, the read is worth it. The weaponry is now familiar, but the twists on using them are imaginative. There's a little bit of Enemy Mine in here, but that's fine. The ending is never in doubt, of course, but getting there is the fun.

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